Xiao Li had been living very happily lately.

Her life was originally quite simple—nothing but studying and gaming. This newly acquired game perfectly suited her ambitions.

Though the game’s timing was very irregular, with randomly triggered game scenes, this already satisfied her greatly. The game content wasn’t limited to battlefield combat but included army management, supply allocation, military meetings—very detailed game plots. Moreover, decision-making power wasn’t in her hands; she had to persuade Prince of Lanling. If persuasion failed, things would proceed according to the prince’s insistence. This challenge greatly motivated Xiao Li, who borrowed many relevant books from the library and devoted herself to them day and night. Her mother thought she had finally reformed, so she cooked delicious food daily to nourish her body, making Xiao Li feel very embarrassed.

But with such a powerful holographic game before her, Xiao Li had no time for other concerns. From various military texts, she extracted brilliant theories and even suggested Prince of Lanling select five hundred guards from the army, training them like special forces. Fully armed with the best armor and finest horses, after much coordination, they became the sharpest blade in Northern Qi’s forces.

Xiao Li organized several areas needing improvement, memorized them, then put on the golden demon mask to enter the game, only to find the game scene had changed to winter. She remembered yesterday’s session was still summer. Gaming time really did progress quickly.

“Hey! Where is this?” Xiao Li carefully observed the game scene, finding the surroundings weren’t the military camp she knew extremely well.

“You’re finally here!” Gao Changgong’s voice came through, unable to hide his joy. “Northern Zhou couldn’t take Hangu Pass, so they’ve circled around to Mount Mang behind Luoyang, besieging it for many days.”

Xiao Li didn’t feel she’d missed much time, because during her month-plus of gaming, four years had passed in-game. The plot intervals had no pattern, which she found reasonable—games only picked interesting plots to play out! This siege of Luoyang should be the historically famous Great Victory at Mount Mang. Thinking of this, Xiao Li confidently said: “Don’t worry, leave it to me. I guarantee we’ll lift the siege of Luoyang.”

Gao Changgong hadn’t heard the voice from inside the mask for nearly half a year. Though this had happened before, with the two nations at war and him bearing soldiers’ worship and trust, the pressure was suffocating. So he wore this golden demon mask day and night, both to hide his anxious expression and to receive Xiao Li’s messages promptly.

Xiao Li learned about recent events from Gao Changgong, obtaining continuous intelligence and analyzing methodically.

Though Northern Zhou claimed one hundred thousand troops besieging Luoyang, actually Luoyang backed against the treacherous Mount Mang range and the Yellow River’s south bank, with mountains and river forming natural northern barriers. The city walls were thick and strong—a city rivaling ancient capital Chang’an. To truly surround Luoyang completely, Northern Zhou’s army couldn’t possibly achieve it. So Northern Zhou could only deploy heavy troops in towns around Luoyang, blockading it. A large-scale battle, especially deploying one hundred thousand troops to besiege Luoyang, absolutely couldn’t succeed easily. Assembling soldiers, training armies, weapon manufacturing, supply accumulation, and support from towns along the route—every link connected. If one link failed, it would be a losing game. Moreover, it was currently freezing winter with rivers frozen, making the navy useless—they only needed to guard against Zhou forces from northern Mount Mang.

With Xiao Li’s simple analysis, Gao Changgong’s heart settled.

The Great Victory at Mount Mang unfolded before Xiao Li exactly as recorded in history. Masked Gao Changgong led only five hundred soldiers, cutting through Northern Zhou’s defense like a blade, entering the midst of thousands as if in uninhabited territory, charging straight to Luoyang’s walls. Luoyang’s defenders dared not rashly open the gates, seeing Gao Changgong masked, they demanded he remove it to confirm identity.

Under countless watching eyes, Gao Changgong’s fingers touched the mask on his face, hesitating slightly.

“Pfft, don’t mind me. There shouldn’t be any problems next—Luoyang’s garrison just lacks outside support so they’re staying inside. Just reveal your identity and they’ll break out to assist you.” Xiao Li yawned. For this lightning operation, she’d stayed up all night, so she urgently needed rest.

“No… this king…” Gao Changgong wanted to ask when he’d next hear her voice. After half a year’s separation, he realized he depended on her more than imagined. But he hesitated, the words circling his lips without emerging.

“Your Highness?” Han Ye beside him wiped blood from his face, urging puzzledly. This was a sensitive moment—every battlefield detail could determine success or failure. They couldn’t fail at the last moment!

Gao Changgong sighed quietly, reaching to remove the blood-soaked golden demon mask from his face, looking up at the high sun in the sky.

All was silent. Thousands upon thousands of eyes focused on that incomparably handsome face on the white horse, bearing some helplessness and compassion yet stained with crimson blood all over. Like both a valiant Asura warrior and a heavenly messenger preaching salvation.

“It’s Prince of Lanling!”

After a suffocating silence, Luoyang’s defenders erupted in earth-shaking cheers. Prince of Lanling had been ascendant in recent years—his banner alone could intimidate Northern Zhou soldiers, let alone him now leading only five hundred guards to break through Zhou’s siege and reach Luoyang’s walls. What divine miracle was this!

Gao Changgong slightly curved his lips, knowing he’d won this battle again.

Invincible in battle, victorious in every campaign.

These eight words sounded simple, but one general’s success meant ten thousand bones. Gao Changgong couldn’t help stroking the golden demon mask in his hands, thinking the vengeful spirits attached to this demon face could probably block out even the sun above his head…

All these years, Gao Changgong never let this golden demon mask leave his side, keeping it beside him even while sleeping. He was thoroughly familiar with this mask. Though initially he’d determined what was inside must be an evil spirit, through subsequent contact he found every suggestion or strategy the other offered was astounding, treating battlefield slaughter with a gaming attitude.

Of course—to a deity, weren’t human lives as worthless as ants?

Over the years Gao Changgong had experienced countless large and small battles. Though many battles only required him to wear the mask while mounted to boost soldiers’ morale, at every critical moment he had to borrow this woman’s power from within the mask. The mask had been stained with layer upon layer of fresh blood, yet Gao Changgong knew the bloodstains would naturally disappear without wiping.

Just like… like this demon mask was drinking blood…

Gao Changgong always held complex feelings toward this golden demon mask—both fearing its existence and reluctant to abandon the victories it brought.

Truly… invincible in battle, victorious in every campaign…

Xiao Li lay in bed for a beautiful sleep. Opening her eyes, she saw the golden demon mask lying quietly beside her pillow. She should have cleared the Mount Mang Victory level, right? History books recorded Northern Zhou’s army’s miserable defeat: abandoning camps and strongholds, from Mount Mang to Gu River, thirty li of military supplies and equipment filled valleys and marshes.

Thinking of this, Xiao Li immediately wanted to see this scene, flipping over to put the demon mask on her face again. The moment she touched the mask, passionate drumbeats reached her ears. Not war drums beaten during combat—this drumming was more intimidating, filled with martial sounds. The drumbeats rolled by her ears like rolling thunder before a storm, each beat stronger than the last, each making her heart shake in response. Her heartbeat involuntarily followed the rhythm, up and down, fast and slow, forcibly oppressed until her blood boiled. Xiao Li’s eyes seemed to see thousands of troops confronting each other on battlefields, murderous qi filling the air. Then the drumbeats quickened, like two armies beginning close combat, fiercely fighting together inseparably. The drumming suddenly changed—she could hear one side’s general breaking through formations, charging straight at enemy armor, rushing into the opponent’s heart, taking the enemy general’s head among ten thousand troops like picking something from a bag.

The drumming stopped abruptly. Only then did Xiao Li realize she faced a huge war drum, and the drummer’s final strike traced an arc in the air like swinging a blade downward. The drum surface hummed and vibrated for a long time before settling.

Enthusiastic cheers and applause erupted around her. Seeing ground still bearing remnant snow, Xiao Li guessed this should be a victory celebration after Luoyang’s siege was lifted.

“Such beautiful drumming.” Xiao Li praised sincerely. She’d long stopped treating Prince of Lanling as an ordinary NPC—he had emotions and would respond differently to her words. This game’s realism truly impressed her.

“You heard it?” Gao Changgong had worn the mask while drumming with just a thread of hope, not expecting she could actually hear. He handed the drumsticks to Han Ye beside him, who was already accustomed to his prince’s occasional “talking to himself” and turned away without surprise.

“It’s ‘Prince of Lanling’s Battle Entry Song,’ right? Very stirring.” Since learning her game’s protagonist was Prince of Lanling, Xiao Li had always anticipated this long-transmitted famous piece. It didn’t disappoint—pure drumming alone was so infectious. The game makers had really put in effort.

Gao Changgong had acted on a moment’s whim, not expecting her to name his drumming. After silently repeating it several times, his mood inexplicably soared. But this lasted only briefly. Thinking of a question that had long troubled him, he asked coolly: “Xiao Li, exactly… what do you need this king to do?”

Xiao Li was stunned. Though she’d told Gao Changgong her name long ago, he rarely called her by it. Hearing it now felt somewhat strange.

But how could she tell a game character she was actually playing a game? Even if she said it, he wouldn’t believe her, right? And even if she told him, with Prince of Lanling’s ancient setting, how could she explain electronic games to an ancient person? The pressure was real!!!

Xiao Li immediately went into mental overdrive, not recovering for a long time.

Gao Changgong knew he’d asked a very inappropriate question, but after four whole years, she’d helped him fight battles and handle military affairs without complaint—she should have some request.

He feared that what she ultimately wanted, he couldn’t give.