Above the clouds, the General gazed at the screen before him with a face full of gloom.

The blue dots representing warriors were constantly decreasing, while a yellow dot remained stationary in place.

“Shadow also failed,” the adjutant said carefully.

The General remained silent, his knuckles tapping lightly.

Everyone in the command center looked anxiously at the General.

After a long while, the General said with his eyes closed: “Report battle damage.”

The adjutant reported a heart-stopping number.

On the large screen beside them, Alliance news continued to broadcast in real time.

Due to remote signal and riot problems, the footage was intermittent, with the camera constantly shaking. But one could still see those conflicts, smashing, thick smoke, and electric flashes. They could hear people’s angry curses, crying, and continuous slogans.

“The Management Bureau is incompetent and confused, step down collectively!”

“The General practices nepotism, causing innocent warriors to die in foreign lands. The General should resign in shame!”

“The Management Bureau must immediately publish all documents related to military, financial, and personnel appointment processes in recent years!”

Someone hurriedly walked out of the Management Bureau doors trying to disperse the crowd, only to immediately have countless microphones thrust at their mouth.

“May I ask where the General is now? Does he plan to implement nuclear and biochemical strikes against Da Qian?”

“Does the Management Bureau’s Military Affairs Department have a final battle plan, and will this plan destroy our last pure land?”

“We hear the Speaker has been missing for several days. Has he also been trapped in Da Qian?”

“Economic and military scholar Moore says that setting aside the superiority complex of the technological age, recognizing that we are not superiors but merely wanderers seeking refuge, and requesting Da Qian’s acceptance is the only path for the Alliance to move toward a new era. What does the Management Bureau think of this? Does the Management Bureau regret its consistently iron-blooded hardline policy toward Da Qian?”

“If the Management Bureau feels regret or reflection about this, does it plan to change its next plan for Da Qian? Who do you think should bear full responsibility for this? In today’s world where the death penalty has been abolished, his crimes are already sufficient for the maximum imprisonment of two hundred years. Is the Supreme Court Chief Justice fully prepared for this?”

“…”

The command center fell silent as death.

People quietly turned around, not even daring to glance toward the General.

Someone hurried over and turned off the screen.

The General sat upright throughout, the coffee cup in his hand long since cold.

After a while, he turned his head, his green eyes looking heavily at his adjutant.

“Duly.”

“I’m here.”

“We should change our battle plan.”

People’s hearts began pounding.

Would they choose peace, or…

The General tapped his finger and brought up a map—a complete map of Da Qian’s northern borders.

“Pojing City now appears to be a great city they’ve long prepared to resist us. Why should we waste ourselves here?”

His finger traced backward along the official road leading to Pojing City, circling around the surrounding areas.

“But it’s impossible for all cities to be so thoroughly prepared with high walls and elite soldiers. Yong Ping, Xirong, the nearby Shunning Guard… many people, low walls, insufficient preparation.”

The room fell deadly silent.

This was… turning toward the interior to carry out indiscriminate slaughter of civilians?

“Once we turn toward the interior, we can force that hypocrite Emperor Tie Ci to rush back and save the people. From then on, we won’t be led by the nose anymore—we’ll be leading them!” The General’s face was like iron as he stood up. “Kill a thousand, kill ten thousand, massacre one city, massacre a hundred cities. I want to see how long Tie Ci can hold out!”

…

Before the walls of Pojing City, a sudden gust of wind swept by.

All the Alliance soldiers not trapped by mechanisms turned around in unison.

The next instant they no longer advanced, nor did they care about their comrades who’d been left behind screaming with severed shins. They swiftly removed their weapons and battle suits, then turned to fly up the city walls.

During their flight over the walls, their photon guns swept the upper portions of the walls, weaving a brilliant web of light.

The soldiers on the walls had already been instructed—once the enemy opened fire or counterattacked, quickly hide below the city and don’t resist directly.

The crowds quickly dispersed.

There were also some mechanisms on the walls, but those that could stop these warriors moving at full speed were ultimately few.

Once muscle warriors abandoned combat and activated flight mode, their speed was like lightning, instantly penetrating through the walls. When descending, they also rode away those flying vehicles that had been hanging in mid-air, though two had been damaged. With time pressing, the enemy simply abandoned them.

A quarter-hour later, everyone stood atop the urn city walls, seeing dust rising ahead, then dispersing again.

They had thought the enemy was retreating, but the direction of their movement made everyone’s brows furrow.

Di Yiwei suddenly said nothing and ran frantically down from the city, leading out a horse from beneath the city gate and charging out like a madwoman.

Behind her followed the Yong Ping commanders who, though confused, immediately pursued their commanding officer.

As Di Yiwei galloped through the city gate, she reached up to wave at those on the walls, then pointed toward Yong Ping’s direction.

Several trails of dust shot straight toward Yong Ping.

On the city walls, except for You Weixing who was completely bewildered and focused on watching ants, everyone else’s faces turned iron-blue.

Including Murong Yi.

These monsters hadn’t gained anything from Pojing City and had finally lost all patience, now turning back to attack the common people!

Though the cities within the pass had Yong Ping garrison troops and high walls with powerful cannons, how could they compare to Pojing City that Murong Yi had personally designed and constructed over many years!

The garrison troops within the pass also lacked the experience of dealing with visitors from beyond the sky that came from following Tie Ci all the way, fighting and fleeing.

Murong Yi’s expression was ugly, not because he worried about the disaster facing Da Qian’s people.

He had originally thought this battle would defeat the enemy thoroughly, allowing him to reunite with Tie Ci.

For this he was scratching his heart with anxiety, wanting to fight alongside Tie Ci, yet having no choice but to first stand on the city walls to battle these monster armies.

But now, on the verge of success, the enemy had fled, still heading toward Da Qian’s heartland.

His wedding night was going to fly away again!

The Pojing City he had waited four years for still couldn’t be reunited!

This thought had just flashed through his mind when a figure swept past him. The figure’s speed was simply inhuman, yet as it passed him, a hand reached out to gently pinch his buttocks.

Murong Yi immediately reached out to catch the shameless woman.

Naturally he grasped empty air. A black shadow flashed by, leaving only laughter and a trace of light floral fragrance mixed with faint medicinal scent.

Murong Yi’s fingers curled in mid-air, finally settling on the accumulated snow atop the city walls.

Tie Ci was no longer visible ahead. When she used teleportation, it was impossible for anyone to see her. The reason Murong Yi had been able to sense her just now was truly an intentional brush of shoulders.

Xiao Xueya and others also descended from the city. Red and white shadows flashed across the sky as Pingzong also headed toward Yong Ping.

Murong Yi suddenly shouted: “Niece!”

The red and white shadow flashed, and Pingzong landed, glanced at him, then looked away, saying: “What? I have urgent business!”

“Uncle has more urgent business here.” Murong Yi beckoned her forward.

Pingzong reluctantly approached while saying: “What business could you have? I won’t bother with your affairs…”

Murong Yi whispered a few words in her ear. Pingzong’s eyes gradually brightened, and she struck her palm with her fist: “Excellent! Last time they played me, this time it’s the princess’s turn for revenge—”

Without another word she changed direction, and the red and white shadow flashed past.

Just this delay, and the figures ahead were nowhere to be seen.

Murong Yi was silent for a while, brushed the snow from his hands, turned and descended the city, saying: “Prepare horses.”

Zhao San and Mu Si followed down. Zhao San said in alarm: “Your Majesty, are you also going to Da Qian? Your Majesty cannot go! Your Majesty cannot break your oath. If this…”

Before he could finish, a carriage suddenly approached from ahead. Zhao San said: “Oh, people from Guatian’xia.”

Guatian’xia was Da Feng’s new secret intelligence organization. One of its small teams specialized in handling various secret affairs for Murong Yi, with their area of operation not limited to Da Feng. Now this black carriage was coming from Da Qian’s direction, disguised as ordinary merchants. Only Murong Yi and his trusted subordinates could see the markings beneath the carriage shaft.

At this moment the carriage swayed slightly, with faint muffled sounds coming from within, as if someone was bound inside.

Zhao San thought of something and said joyfully: “Found them?”

Murong Yi stopped in his tracks.

He looked toward the direction Tie Ci had departed, then at the carriage. After a long moment, he turned around with a dark expression.

The carriage followed him, driving straight into the Da Feng coordination office compound within the city.

With a face dark as water, Murong Yi went directly to the innermost room of the courtyard and sat down. The curtain was lifted, someone was pushed in, and Mu Si removed the cloth stuffed in their mouth. The person immediately spat “ptui, ptui, ptui” at Mu Si’s feet.

Mu Si expressionlessly walked away.

Murong Yi looked at Mu Si with surprise.

The person looked around in all directions, saw him and was stunned for a moment, then after a while said: “Feiyu… Murong Yi?”

It had been a long time since anyone had called him by that name. Murong Yi was also startled, leaned back in his seat, and said: “Le Wuxun, long time no see.”

“You should call me Senior Brother.” Tie Ci’s second senior brother Le Wuxun was still dressed in strange and unusual clothes today, wearing battle armor very similar to Alliance warriors. His head, upper arms, forearms, hips, thighs, and calves were all covered in armor, with the rest in red tight-fitting clothes. He wore a pointed helmet, had a slender waist, and shamelessly thrust out his hips, still with that self-admiring appearance.

Seeing Murong Yi, he inexplicably relaxed, chattering to himself as he leaned over, lying on the small table and examining Murong Yi from head to toe. Murong Yi propped his chin smiling as he let him look. When he leaned closer and closer, Murong Yi suddenly reached out to flick his nose bridge, making Le Wuxun cry “ai-yo” and jump three feet high. Before he could cover his nose, two streams of bright red nosebleed flowed down.

Everyone: “…”

His Majesty really was a thorny rose.

Le Wuxun hastily wiped his face, smearing it red all over, then sat down again. He didn’t distance himself far away, but rather said with some nostalgia: “Still tastes like the old Feiyu. Why did you become an emperor instead of being a courtesan…”

Murong Yi was too lazy to deal with his nonsense. Having traveled with him on the road to Dongming, he knew this was a freak. His mind was now full of Tie Ci’s affairs, so he interrupted: “You’d better worry about yourself. Do you think you were invited here by me?”

Le Wuxun looked at himself. “Otherwise?”

Murong Yi pointed at his blood-stained clothes. “Wrong. This is called kidnapping.”

Le Wuxun was silent for a while, then sighed: “Beautiful people are thorny and heartless, such a waste…”

Seeing Murong Yi’s expression darken, he wasn’t stupid after all and quickly said: “Fine, I understand. I was kidnapped by you. Your people were actually able to dig me out of that mountain valley—it’s simply a miracle…”

“My people have been looking for you for three whole months, ever since I heard about the changes in the imperial capital.” Murong Yi interrupted him again. “Stop rambling and tell me exactly what’s going on with Yun Buci and her side, and what methods there are to deal with them?”

Le Wuxun said strangely: “Why are you looking for me? Do you still believe what I say? That’s my master.”

“So what if she’s your master? A Da Qian disciple like you is nothing but a puppet and ant in Yun Buci’s eyes.” Murong Yi sneered. “Haven’t you seen what happened to Tie Ci and Dan Shuang?”

Mu Si suddenly silently walked out.

“How do you know I’m a Da Qian person, a native disciple? What if I’m a disciple who came with Yun Buci?”

“If you were a disciple who came with her from beyond the sky, you wouldn’t always be tinkering with those hybrid inventions.”

Le Wuxun fell silent. After a while he said: “I haven’t seen Master for a long time.”

He paused and said: “Since Master began radical reforms.”

“I thought you would support innovation.” Murong Yi looked Le Wuxun up and down. This fellow seemed rebellious all over, yet unexpectedly his thoughts were as steady as Tie Ci’s.

“I don’t want to see dead people. Besides, I’ve had more contact with Master than Junior Sister has. I know some of Master’s thoughts…” Le Wuxun thought for a while and said, “I am, after all, a Da Qian person.”

“Then, Da Qian person, you should tell me even more—what exactly are your master’s trump cards, and how can we win?”

“Can’t win.” Le Wuxun said.

Murong Yi narrowed his eyes, killing intent radiating.

“Really can’t win. They have a type of shell.” Le Wuxun gestured. “Not big, just this big, but one shell can blow up half of Da Qian’s northern border.”

“They also have a drum-shaped device that can trigger major earthquakes.”

“They also have a weapon that, once released, will cover all of Da Qian in plague, leaving bleached bones for thousands of li with no living creature surviving.”

Murong Yi’s heart sank.

“Impossible. If they’re really that powerful, why didn’t they use them before?”

“It seems these things are harmful to heaven and earth, having once caused too great a disaster. To prevent the use of extreme weapons from causing human extinction, they have treaties forbidding their use. But now, as their circumstances worsen and they face life and death, such treaties are just waste paper…”

“Moreover, a reduced-effect variant of one weapon has already been used.” Le Wuxun said. “You know the result—Ah Ci took appropriate measures and stopped the spread in time, but dozens still died in the imperial capital. And… Dan Shuang died.”

Zhao San also lowered his head and went out.

“They’re now heading toward Yong Ping.” After a pause, Murong Yi changed the subject. “How to stop them.”

“I don’t know. I’ve left the master’s school, so I wouldn’t know some key matters… Wait… I think I remember something.”

Murong Yi suddenly straightened up.

But Le Wuxun hesitated.

“After I tell you, if Master fails, will you spare her life?” he asked.

Murong Yi said coldly: “Yes.”

Le Wuxun looked at him. “You’re lying to me!”

“Since you know I’m lying, why ask?” Murong Yi sneered. “In this world, besides Tie Ci, no one has the right to decide Yun Buci’s life or death!”

“Master raised me and gave me many materials. No matter what strange inventions I tinkered with, no matter how much I spent, she supported me…”

“Because she enjoyed watching you, this fool, make jokes. She had machines that could fly in the sky but didn’t tell you, then watched you rack your brains to tinker with balloons that could only hang from trees.”

Le Wuxun: “…”

“Put away your womanly kindness. Yun Buci doesn’t need you to beg for her life.” Murong Yi shouted. “Speak quickly! If you don’t, I’ll immediately have someone blow up the mountain cave where you hide your inventions. If you do speak and can render service, all the weapons and equipment confiscated from those people will be given to you to play with first.”

“I’ll speak!”

…

A quarter-hour later, Murong Yi strode out quickly, tying a copper tube to a carrier pigeon’s leg.

Another quarter-hour later, a carrier pigeon was grabbed by Mo Ye and thrown before Tie Ci.

Tie Ci hurriedly read the message, then turned to look back toward Pojing City.

“Magnetic field disruption zone… what could that be?”

Murong Yi’s letter said that the visitors from beyond the sky had very precise weapons and equipment. The more precise something was, the easier it was actually to destroy. Le Wuxun had been obsessed with inventions his whole life, the reason being that Yun Buci’s place often had discarded modern components. When he saw them he would steal them to research and assemble himself. Once he actually researched and built a humanoid machine, wanting it to serve tea and pour water for him. Yun Buci accidentally saw it.

When his theft was discovered, he was naturally embarrassed. But Yun Buci said nothing, only warning him not to take it out to play. She laughed and said this robot could move not because Le Wuxun was so capable, but simply because it contained a main component using magnetic power and an electric core. Yun Buci had said then, “You still want to take this robot to roam the world? You’d probably encounter some deep mountain or grassland, cave or desert with particularly strong magnetic fields, and it would fall apart right before your eyes…”

Now these words were remembered by Le Wuxun and told to Murong Yi. Master clearly possessed heavenly weapons but was still doing experiments and research under the small building. He guessed it might be because those weapons and equipment couldn’t be fully applied to Da Qian. Though he didn’t know if Master had succeeded now, very likely what could currently appear in Da Qian was partly customized by Master according to Da Qian’s conditions, such as that magnetic power core. Then naturally they would also be subject to the magnetic field constraints Master had mentioned…

Tie Ci gripped the letter, her mind constantly pondering: magnetic field… magnetic field…

It seemed long, long ago, when Master was giving her lessons, she had mentioned in passing that this was a type of force field that could interfere with precision machinery—invisible and intangible.

But with time now pressing, where could she find this magnetic field?

Suddenly ahead came a chorus of screams, and a large group of people came running out frantically.

This was a grassland area located northwest below Fu Mountain, at the border between Shunning Guard and Yong Ping Guard, with the Hanli Desert connecting to the west and Dafeng’s border city Dingzhao County visible across the river to the east.

There were some scattered villages here, living by herding and farming, under Shunning Guard’s jurisdiction.

Now, those usually fierce villagers were running frantically across the grassland. People constantly fell as they ran. Behind them, golden light whistled and crisscrossed. Each beam could precisely pierce through a body, each beam could harvest a life, each beam cut through the air with explosive sounds, opening bloody holes in the chests of those struck.

Blood spattered the green grass, with corpses all along the way. This scene was too tragic, and the sounds too strange, so that the arriving Da Qian and Da Feng border troops couldn’t react in time and stood frozen in place. On the other side of the river, people from that small city also rushed out, crowding together to gaze from afar.

Di Yiwei, who had arrived, stood frozen in the wind.

She didn’t know how to give orders.

If this were any other day, she would unhesitatingly order the garrison to protect the people. But now, ordering the troops to advance and resist meant sending soldiers to their deaths.

But watching people’s lives being harvested like this while she, as Yong Ping’s defending general, stood by—how could she bear it?

She turned to look at Tie Ci.

Tie Ci’s face was deathly pale.

She stood right here, and the enemy could already locate her, yet they hadn’t fired at her.

They wanted her to watch helplessly as her own people were slaughtered.

Di Yiwei turned around and shouted the order: “Engage!” She herself spurred her horse forward first.

Though soldiers’ lives were also lives, a soldier’s duty was to protect home and country.

When people suffered and the nation faced crisis, even if death came in an instant, they should advance with weapons raised.

The great army surged forward like a tide. The vanguard like a blade, stabbing toward the enemy formation.

But today the cavalry was extraordinarily insubordinate. They quickly overtook Di Yiwei’s horse, and two leading cavalry officers reached out from left and right to forcibly lift Di Yiwei from her horse and throw her toward the rear.

The cavalry behind caught her and continued throwing her back, quickly tossing their commanding officer to the rear of the formation.

Di Yiwei was furious, drawing her pipe and desperately beating the heads below while in mid-air: “Outrageous! Outrageous! Who gave you permission to… Stop! Stop—”

The vanguard cavalry had already penetrated the Alliance warriors’ formation.

Then instantly became exploding flesh and blood.

Di Yiwei turned her head in mid-air, tears instantly streaming down her face.

When she crashed to the ground and raised her head, what she saw were her sons’ hooves charging toward death.

Wave after wave of cavalry charged, then wave after wave fell.

The people cried out in anguish, jumping desperately into the icy river water, fleeing toward Da Feng.

Da Feng’s garrison hesitantly raised their spears and bows.

Though the Emperor had never ordered death for border crossers, defending the national border was their duty, wasn’t it?

But the people who had been watching from behind began to clamor.

“Don’t attack!”

“Can’t you see they’re fleeing disaster!”

“Forced to this state, they just want to live!”

“What if it’s a trick? What if this is Da Qian’s scheme to annex our country?” some questioned.

“What are you thinking! What kind of trap would require filling it with lives like this? The Da Qian Emperor could lead enemies out of the imperial capital alone for her people’s sake—would she let her own people die like this just to swallow our mere Dingzhao City!”

Someone bent down and shouted: “Brothers, come over here, quickly!”

Someone threw out ropes to help.

Over the years, thanks to Pojing City’s existence and the two emperors’ subtle friendly propaganda policies, the mutual hostility had already diminished considerably. Before disaster, humanity and righteousness transcended the cold river water and towering mountains between them.

Da Qian people plunged into the river, Da Feng soldiers laid down their blades and arrows, Da Feng people personally reached out to help.

But suddenly streaming light crossed the long sky, falling directly on that row of people in the river water. Before people could react, another wave of golden light leaped over the crowd, striking at that group of Da Feng people.

Two rows of blood rain obscured half the river surface. After a moment, the river flowed red.

A deathly silence.

For Da Qian, it was the discovery of the enemy’s cruelty and viciousness—wherever they fled, it was all a place of death.

For Da Feng, it was the discovery that the enemy recognized no national borders and didn’t target only Da Qian—all people were their prey.

The previous attitude of watching fires from across the river and remaining aloof was instantly shattered. Every Da Feng person felt the same deepest anger and fear as the Da Qian people.

The moment half the river was dyed red, Tie Ci strode forward.

Di Yiwei grabbed her in one motion: “Your Majesty, you cannot!”

Xiao Xueya blocked her way, rushing ahead to spur his horse and raise his spear.

An eagle’s cry sounded, and a huge black shadow passed overhead. Dan Ye’s voice was sharp and cold: “Archers—”

Buzzing sounds filled the air continuously as a great spray of arrows poured toward those pursuing Alliance soldiers.

However, those arrows broke and slid off after striking the enemy’s bodies. From the enemy formation came a strange beeping sound, then countless golden lights shot up from the ground, tracing several arcs across the long sky. The next instant they struck the trees where the archers were hiding.

Like lightning from the firmament, the trees were instantly split into several sections. Blood rain struck the branches with a splash, then cascaded down.

Dan Ye’s angry shouts were like wolf howls, Mo Ye’s cries were mournful.

Tie Ci closed her eyes.

So this was what Master had called their true power.

Even the most elite soldiers had no room to struggle or escape before power that transcended eras.

During the previous pursuit, the enemy had acted conservatively with small numbers. Using terrain and constant assistance from the Gong family’s subordinates, they had had opportunities to gradually eliminate them.

But now the enemy came as an army. On this grassland with no cover, they launched overwhelming long-distance attacks. If she and the others rushed forward, even with muscle suits, they couldn’t resist for long, let alone defeat an entire army.

What should they do?

Suddenly, sounds of heavy objects being dragged came from behind, along with loud shouts.

Tie Ci turned around to see a group of people frantically running while dragging a huge strange black vehicle. Running at the front were Qi Yuansi and Naren Aya.

The moment Tie Ci saw Qi Yuansi, lightning seemed to strike her mind, splitting out a long-forgotten thought.

Di Yiwei sensed something and turned back, seeing the Emperor’s face pale but her eyes suddenly blazing with brilliant light.

She rushed back and grabbed the disheveled Qi Yuansi, shouting: “When you told me your watch broke, where did it break!”

Qi Yuansi was caught off guard by this question and couldn’t react for a moment. Naren Aya beside him was extremely alert and immediately said: “It was at Woli Lake on the northeast side. The new watch Your Majesty later bestowed also broke there—”

Tie Ci immediately let go and turned to leave.

Qi Yuansi shouted: “Your Majesty, the Da Feng Emperor had me drag this to you—”

He and Naren Aya were dragging the flying vehicle that the muscle warriors had left on the city walls earlier—damaged, of course.

Tie Ci glanced at the flying vehicle and understood Murong Yi’s intention, her heart lifting with joy.

Then she felt somewhat strange—why hadn’t Murong Yi come personally?

Was it because of the oath’s restraint?

She knew about that oath. She had originally thought Murong Yi wouldn’t care about it at all. Who knew he would later truly confine himself to Da Feng, looking completely afraid to break his oath. This was simply unlike him.

Later she understood—it wasn’t that he had become cowardly, but because he was afraid.

After experiencing the Chongming incident, he feared any possibility harmful to her, even a vague and ethereal oath.

So a casual remark had truly trapped the proud and fearless Da Feng Emperor.

Tie Ci sighed inwardly, yet was also grateful he was trapped. Fighting the Alliance was extremely dangerous at every step—it was best he didn’t come.

She reached out and brushed over the flying vehicle.

Restoration.

Then she lifted her robes and leaped onto the vehicle, recalling the movements of the flying vehicle riders she had seen before, grasping the rubber handles with her palms.

A slight turn, and roaring sounds arose.

Hearing the roaring, everyone turned back.

The people crying and standing in the river, not knowing whether to continue or turn back, turned around.

The Alliance warriors who were coldly laughing and vengefully pursuing the people turned their heads.

They saw a huge black shadow approaching against the light, like rushing thunder and wild wind, charging across the desolate northern plains and ravines. When about to approach the crowd of people blocking the road, the front wheel lifted slightly, instantly soaring high, riding the snow-bearing wind, breaking through the wind-bearing snow, tracing a long black arc over the heads of the bewildered people looking up.

When the front wheel touched ground again, it had charged into the Alliance warriors’ camp.

In one encounter, it violently knocked away a flying vehicle warrior who hadn’t yet reacted, along with his vehicle.

The huge vehicle body tumbled several times above the crowd, then crashed down with a tremendous sound, smashing out a pit one zhang in circumference.

At the same time, Tie Ci crouched low on the vehicle, holding a previously captured laser gun. In this instant, the laser gun fired a three-hundred-sixty-degree arc of light, enveloping all the warriors around her.

Before the warriors could raise their guns, they were forced to tumble backward by the impact and cold light. With Tie Ci as the center, a vast circle bloomed like a black flower.

Tie Ci raised her hand, and another stream of silver oval objects smashed into the warrior crowd.

“Photon grenades!” someone shouted, and immediately there was another round of chaos as the crowd scattered again.

All this happened in the blink of an eye. Instantly the pursuit stopped, Tie Ci stood at the center of the enemy army. The Alliance soldiers wondered in amazement where this killer god had come from. The people on the road, in the river, and on the opposite shore, along with soldiers from both sides, gazed in wild joy. After a moment someone shouted frantically: “Your Majesty!”

One voice called out, ten thousand responded. The people’s shouts and cries immediately swept across the snow-covered plain: “Your Majesty!”

The Da Feng people on the opposite shore were in an uproar, with some climbing walls and trees to crane their necks.

Tie Ci didn’t turn back or respond, only raised her hand.

In her hand she was actually still gripping a person—a warrior she had grabbed in passing when she crashed her flying vehicle into theirs and opened fire.

He was also the one who had laughed most wildly before, shooting at Da Qian people the fastest.

She held up that warrior, facing the surrounding Alliance soldiers who had encircled her.

The Alliance warriors looked at her steadily riding the flying vehicle, at her calm expression, at her hand that remained unmoved even while gripping such a large person. No one spoke, no one raised their guns.

The shouting also gradually stopped.

Above their heads, in the clouds, the General and his staff watched the screen. They themselves didn’t realize they had forgotten to breathe for a long time.

At some unknown point, whenever the Da Qian Emperor appeared, everyone would involuntarily become tense.

Even though she was slender, spoke little, her robes still stained with blood, her expression unable to hide her exhaustion.

In the deathly silence.

Tie Ci’s hand holding the person finally moved.

She leaned forward slightly and swung her arm.

A wind suddenly rose from the ground.

The wind made nearby soldiers squint, vaguely seeing a black shadow crashing toward them, accompanied by loud screams of “ah-ah-ah.”

The Da Qian Emperor had actually thrown that tall soldier like throwing a shot put!

This thought had just flashed through the Alliance soldiers’ minds when the next moment came a tremendous crash. Snow was shaken up half a person’s height and cascaded down on everyone.

There was now a pit in the ground, and in the pit was a person whose bones were broken and tendons snapped beyond recognition.

This warrior had been smashed to death alive by the Da Qian Emperor, right before their eyes!

Muscle suits were impervious to blades and spears, feared neither water nor fire.

But they couldn’t withstand natural brute force.

“…”

After shock came silence, after silence came the frenzied cheers of people on both sides, and the suddenly ignited fury of the Alliance warriors.

Amid shouts like wind and sea, the huge roaring sound arose again. The flying vehicle’s wheels made a smooth spin on the ground, crushing snow and grass roots as the front wheel lifted.

As if to fly into the rising sunlight, or crash into the clouds and bring down that hiding flying saucer.

This caused chaos in the flying saucer, with the commander urgently ordering: “Ascend! Ascend!”

The General smashed another coffee cup: “What’s the panic! Can flying vehicles fly that high!”

His furious gaze turned to a briefcase-sized silver-white box fixed to the ground ahead.

The next instant, the flying vehicle traced a black afterimage as it landed, spewing a straight trail of dust as it crossed the crowd and sped toward the Hanli Desert.

When the vehicle passed Xiao Xueya and the others, Tie Ci reached out and scooped You Weixing onto the vehicle.

A white shadow flashed—Xiao Xueya also managed to get on the vehicle’s rear before it disappeared.

Tie Ci had no time to pay attention and shouted: “Hold tight to me!”

Xiao Xueya stood there stunned, but the next moment the vehicle made a great turn and he nearly fell off, so he had to raise his hands and embrace Tie Ci’s waist.

Wind howled like roaring, cold snow struck their faces. Yet at this moment, all the blood in his body was hot, surging and leaping, as if wanting to fly up to the clouds.

Without romantic thoughts, only heroic spirit.

He had once had three hatreds.

He hated being born in peaceful times when Da Qian was stable.

He hated that the Three Feudatories were docile and neighboring states submissive.

He hated that most surrounding nations were separated by vast territories, and the court indulged in comfort, unwilling to lightly raise weapons of war. This meant he couldn’t lead ten thousand troops to gallop across foreign territories, establishing a hundred-year foundation for Da Qian.

Later, he no longer hated.

Later he understood that peaceful times were a blessing for the people and Da Qian.

Later the Three Feudatories indeed rebelled, and even his own family became treasonous. When he led troops in Yuzhou to block Prince Changle’s army, he once again understood Tie Ci’s deepest hopes and desires, understood that a general’s responsibility was not to expand territory but to protect home and country.

Still later, the court that indulged in comfort was no longer comfortable. The Grand Tutor rebelled, foreigners galloped across Da Qian’s territory, wanting to destroy Da Qian’s hundred-year foundation.

Now was the time for warriors to give their lives, yet due to his own incompetence, His Majesty had to personally shed blood on the battlefield.

Then he must be here.

Whether setting ambushes in the mountains of Yueli Qingyang, or being pursued by ten thousand troops across the wilderness.

He had once yearned to shed blood, yearned to fight, yearned to battle the world’s most powerful enemies on the battlefield.

Now the most powerful enemy had come.

He yearned to follow her, protect her, fight alongside her, be her support, be the eternal barrier for Da Qian’s countless people.

That was his supreme dream.

For this, he was willing to die beneath stars and moon, between vast seas.

…

The Alliance warriors didn’t hesitate—flying vehicles roared, warriors flew in pursuit, abandoning the Da Qian people to chase frantically.

Tie Ci had charged through their formation with her flying vehicle, smashed a warrior to death before their faces, then brazenly turned and left without saying a word from beginning to end.

This made them feel more humiliated than if she had cursed them ten thousand times.

On the plain, a black shadow streaked across like flowing light.

Behind it, countless black shadows pursued closely, like a tide instantly washing over the earth.

Behind them again, ten thousand horses galloped in silence as Da Qian warriors followed closely.

Above the clouds, the flying saucer pursued silently.

Below the clouds, not far above the black vehicle, Hai Dongqing carried Dan Ye in low flight over the wilderness.

The pursuing troops behind constantly raised their hands to fire, cold light crisscrossing. First they aimed at Tie Ci and Xiao Xueya, but discovered that Xiao Xueya blocked Tie Ci completely, and he was wearing a muscle suit—even if they hit Xiao Xueya they couldn’t kill him, let alone Tie Ci.

So they changed to shooting at her flying vehicle.

They hit it several times, but before they could feel triumphant, they discovered that as long as Tie Ci reached out to pat it, the vehicle would return to its original state and continue running.

What was the point of shooting then!

The ground gradually became sandy as they entered the territory of the Hanli Desert.

Flying vehicles could adapt to all terrains. After entering the desert, the wheels automatically widened, moving as if on level ground.

Tie Ci raised her head and shouted to Dan Ye: “Where is Woli Lake!”

“Go northwest in this direction!”

“I need the fastest route!”

“The fastest route is gone now. There’s Qi Yuansi’s not-yet-completed aqueduct there—he won’t let anyone go—”

Construction in the desert was difficult. Qi Yuansi had suffered greatly to build these seven aqueducts, not to mention enduring so much criticism from the court due to the enormous cost.

Everyone said it was his life’s blood, his very life.

Suddenly a small red horse came galloping from the side.

The horse’s speed was astonishing, and the rider’s horsemanship even more so. Standing up steadily on such a galloping horse, she shouted: “Your Majesty! Yuansi sent me to guide you!”

It was Naren Aya. Born and raised in the desert, where others saw no roads, she saw thousands of paths. That’s how she could cut in from the side and catch up to Tie Ci’s terrifying speed.

Qi Yuansi was behind her, whipping hard: “Go!”

The fiery red steed galloped away like wind.

Tie Ci followed behind.

In the clouds above, on the aircraft, the General gazed down at the scene below and said: “Where is she going?”

A staff member brought up a map: “It seems to be the northeastern side of the desert.”

“Any anomalies?”

“We can confirm there are no ambushes there, not even much human habitation.”

The General looked at the distance between Tie Ci and her pursuers. With her familiarity with the terrain and increasingly skilled driving, Tie Ci had already opened up a safe distance from her pursuers. The guns and artillery from behind could hardly harm her.

“Using the same old trick, wanting to lead people to a deserted place. But no matter what she wants to do, killing her will solve everything once and for all.” The General’s lips curved in a cold smile. “Bring me my ion light rifle.”

To conserve energy, this aircraft was small and carried no heavy weapons, but the General naturally had weapons befitting his rank.

An adjutant brought a white long gun with a design like a combination of snake and crocodile. The front end had wave-shaped gun barrels layer upon layer, with two protruding deep blue oval muzzles that looked like two bulging enormous eyes.

The adjutant pushed a tube of blue liquid into the “crocodile’s” throat, and the white wave portions of the gun body began pulsing and flashing like ocean waves.

The General took up the gun and walked to the slowly opening hatch. The two enormous blue “eyes” at the gun’s head aimed at Tie Ci racing wildly below.

“Lower altitude.”

The aircraft slowly descended.

“Increase speed.”

The aircraft crossed several li in the blink of an eye, catching up behind Tie Ci.

The gun barrel angled down, waiting for Tie Ci to enter his firing range.

On the flying vehicle, Xiao Xueya looked back.

Mo Ye let out a sharp cry of warning. Tie Ci seemed to sense something and was about to turn back.

Blue light flashed.

No sound, no trajectory, no vibration or tearing whatsoever.

An eagle’s cry rang through the vast sky. Mo Ye flew diagonally across, his enormous wings suddenly beating downward.

From the chaotic black feathers, a curved blade spun with flashing silver light, bursting through the flying feathers to collide with the blue light. With a thunderous crash, it exploded into a ball of fierce sunlike fire, and the curved blade vanished in the flames.

The cry suddenly turned mournful, black feathers exploded across the sky, and Mo Ye and Dan Ye fell straight down from the air.

The blue light hadn’t completely disappeared—it split off a red beam that still pursued Tie Ci, who had already raced several li away.

Seeing Mo Ye and Dan Ye fall, Tie Ci had already turned around. You Weixing ahead raised his hand, but Tie Ci pressed his hand down.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xueya’s hand from behind had already struck out, taking the opportunity to push both her and You Weixing flying away.

With his other hand, Xiao Xueya slapped the long spear on his back. The spear body spiraled like a swimming dragon, and in an instant shot out over his shoulder from his back. The spear tip gleamed like gold in the sunlight as it met that blazing red mass.

The next moment the spear tip disappeared silently like the curved blade, and that blazing red mass spread like lightning along the long spear shaft. Wherever it passed, the iron-wood spear body exploded inch by inch among the yellow sand and white snow.

That red mass was about to reach Xiao Xueya.

Xiao Xueya didn’t let go.

A general on the battlefield would not release his weapon.

Nor would he step aside and let this demonic fire chase his sovereign again.

That blazing red mass instantly devoured his hand, and in a blink traveled up his wrist toward his heart.

The flying vehicle continued its inertial motion. Xiao Xueya stood steadily on the vehicle, his robes fluttering, completely motionless. His face was like snow and frost against the blazing red backdrop.

He was using his flesh and blood to block this shot.

Death approached once again, yet he didn’t even blink.

A figure flashed—Tie Ci appeared.

Xiao Xueya instinctively tried to wave his hand, but when he raised it, he realized his hand was gone.

The red light seemed to have dimmed, but suddenly burst into brilliant flashing.

Clearly the so-called extinguishing caused by the previous two waves of interference was just an illusion—the real killing blow was actually in this final moment.

And Tie Ci had already rushed over.

Suddenly a hand reached out.

From beneath the vehicle.

A slender, snow-white hand appeared ghostlike from under the vehicle. The moment it appeared, the palm brushed once, and Xiao Xueya and Tie Ci were sent flying stiffly away.

It wasn’t that they were too weak—one was already severely injured, and the other had her attention on Xiao Xueya. No one had expected someone to be hiding under the vehicle. The vehicle had been racing across half the desert—how had he managed to cling on tightly without falling off?

The next moment, Xiao Xueya and Tie Ci crashed into the sandy ground, carving out a deep furrow.

Tie Ci raised her head. Before seeing that familiar figure, she saw a red light suddenly explode violently above the flying vehicle.

A mass larger, brighter, and more fierce than before.

Raging flames rose into the air, rolling black smoke shot straight up to the clouds.

Tie Ci opened her mouth. She wanted to shout, but suddenly discovered she couldn’t make a sound at all. That name reached her throat but was compressed there. Only today did she understand that extreme fear could cause the throat to spasm, making speech impossible.

She sat on the ground, staring at that patch of black and red, gripping the cold yellow sand beneath her palms, silently repeating over and over: “Murong Yi.”

“Murong Yi.”

Don’t.

Don’t do this.

She looked up at the sky.

Heaven, please.

Don’t let people despair like this.