“Where do you think you’re running?” The voice of Xianfeng Manhu, the vanguard, was sharp and merciless as he looked at the group of wanderers, now trapped like fish in a barrel. He chuckled and turned to face the Wolf Head who had also surrounded them, “How about that? I got here first again!”
Wolf Head’s mouth twitched, seemingly unimpressed. “Hmph! We’ll see who’s got skills when we fight! What good is just having fast horses?”
The two burst into eerie laughter, their demon-like cruelty and unwavering mercilessness causing the thousand-surrounded wanderers’ hearts to race. Some thought of escaping, others considered playing dead, while the rest were simply at a loss. However, all these racing thoughts came to a halt when Ruowen, the leader of the Huang Tian Kuang Battalion, appeared.
They looked into his eyes but dared not hold his gaze. Why was there only darkness there, without a hint of compassion?
“Do you want to live?” Ruowen asked slowly.
Silence fell over the crowd. No one felt any hope of survival in those words.
With a swoosh, Ruowen expressionlessly beheaded a wanderer in front of him. Blood dripped from his blade. At that moment, even the howling cold wind seemed to freeze around Ruowen. It was a world of stillness, where those who came close would be killed without mercy.
“Do you want to live?” Ruowen raised his sword towards the crowd, his voice ice-cold.
“Yes! We want to live!” The response was chaotic and fearful.
“I only need fifty people, regardless of gender or age. Whatever method you use, the last fifty standing will come with me!” Ruowen looked at them, wiping his curved blade on his horse before sheathing it.
The wanderers looked at each other, unsure what to do. Then they heard Luoying shout, “Listen up! Those with mothers can kill their mothers, those with wives can kill their wives. If you want your son to live, you can kill others and then yourself. Use any method you want. You have three hours. If there are more than fifty left after three hours, we’ll cut down the extras! Don’t think about escaping. One wrong move, and we’ll wipe you all out!”
The crowd could hardly believe their ears. They stood frozen, looking at the group of crazed soldiers surrounding them in near-fainting disbelief. Were these even human? They were demons obsessed with killing!
“What are you waiting for? Start killing!”
At Chengxiang’s shout, the wanderers began to slaughter each other with throat-tearing cries. Though they knew how terrible it was to kill, though they knew the blood spilled came from their clan, there was only flying flesh and blood, red eyes, and white flashes. They were going mad, all for the sake of clinging to life.
The Huang Tian Kuang Battalion only wanted those who were completely insane!
Yet who knew that while blood splattered hooves in this unspeakable scene, on the other side of the desert, in the Guanghan Palace, a scene of spring passion was unfolding?
“Your Majesty, Concubine Yun is waiting outside!” Zhujun looked at Nazhan, who was bent over official documents. Seeing no response, Zhujun bowed and stood waiting.
“Tell her to go back,” Nazhan said emotionlessly. After a while, he looked up and added, “Also, summon Concubine Jia and Concubine Shuang to serve together.”
Concubine Jia and Concubine Shuang were, of course, Zhenqu Youjia and E’na Qi Huangbeishuang, who had been conferred titles earlier that day. Zhujun suppressed a smile, thinking the king must want to see how these two beauties would compete for his favor tonight.
Zhujun straightened up and led Youjia and Huangbeishuang to the Yunyun Hall. “Concubine Jia, Concubine Shuang, please wait here. Don’t be too nervous, His Majesty will be here soon!” After instructing them, he quickly retreated, afraid that if he looked too long, he might show a trace of admiration. After all, how many men could resist such beauty? He swallowed hard and disappeared without delay, not daring to linger a moment longer.
Youjia sat nervously on the edge of the bed. She looked at Huangbeishuang, perhaps hoping to calm her nerves by talking, and abruptly spoke, “Concubine Shuang, have you had experience with a man before?”
Huangbeishuang was startled, her thoughts wandering. “No,” she answered.
“Is that so? Neither have I,” Youjia said, surprisingly flustered.
Seeing this, Huangbeishuang couldn’t help but smile, thinking that although this woman was proud and strong-willed, she was still just a naive maiden in matters of the heart. No wonder she couldn’t remain calm, being asked to serve a man like Nazhan so suddenly. Thinking of this, Huangbeishuang suddenly realized she was in the same situation. Though not afraid, she felt an inexplicable reluctance, her thoughts drifting to Qingyun, to the howling yellow sand and the endless sunlight.
Soon, Nazhan strolled in leisurely, wearing sleepwear, his hair still slightly damp, looking somewhat lazy and casual. He sat on the bed, and Youjia immediately jumped up, standing beside Huangbeishuang. Both bowed to Nazhan. He smiled, leaning comfortably on the bed, and beckoned with his index finger for them to come and serve him. Youjia bit her lip and walked over with small steps, while Huangbeishuang remained kneeling.
“Is something wrong?” Nazhan asked, embracing Youjia who had come to his side, without looking at Huangbeishuang again.
“This lowly concubine has suddenly begun her monthly cycle and is unfit to serve Your Majesty intimately,” she said, still kneeling without raising her head.
“Then never mind. Find a place to rest yourself, just don’t leave this room,” Nazhan’s voice was very husky, clearly already passionate with Youjia. Huangbeishuang was stunned, not expecting Nazhan to let her off so easily. She thought perhaps he already had one beauty in his arms and couldn’t manage another, and couldn’t help but smile.
Huangbeishuang walked around the room, her gaze finally falling on a tea table by the window where a book lay – it was the “Great Desert Compendium” she had presented earlier. Moved, she picked up the book and became engrossed in reading by the moonlight. It seemed that neither the room’s amorous atmosphere nor Youjia’s sensual moans could disturb her thoughts.
This book had a history. When she was young, Huangbeishuang had saved a traveler in the North Desert. The traveler was very old and gradually weakening. He stayed in E’na Qi for only three months before passing away, leaving the “Great Desert Compendium” to Huangbeishuang before his death.
The young Huangbeishuang was exceptionally intelligent from childhood and immediately became fascinated by this extraordinary book that recorded the culture, geography, climate, ethnic distribution, and historical development of the desert from south to north. Her clan father and elder brother had also been very interested in it, but ultimately felt the book was of little use to E’na Qi, as they were just a small domain in the North Desert, living on a tiny oasis with about seven thousand people, and had no need to be curious about other lands. Moreover, some of the principles describing changes in terrain and climate were very profound, and not everyone could understand their meaning.
Now Huangbeishuang knew this book by heart, yet there were still some things she couldn’t fully comprehend. So each time she read it, her understanding deepened a bit more. If not for this, how could she have led Ruowen’s two thousand troops successfully to Yunpei?
“If you like this book so much, you can have it!”
Nazhan’s voice suddenly rang out after who knows how long, startling Huangbeishuang. She quickly stood up, only now noticing the strange silence. Glancing over, she saw that Youjia had already fallen asleep from exhaustion. She lowered her head, wondering if it was her turn now.
Nazhan saw this and found it amusing. He sat down and casually flipped through the “Great Desert Compendium”. “Do you like this book?” he asked, looking at the nervous Huangbeishuang. She trembled, thinking there was no point in lying, and quickly answered truthfully, “Yes, I like it very much.”
“You’re the first woman who’s liked this book!” Nazhan tossed the book aside.