Yang City has fallen!
The vital fortress and hub of Han has likewise been breached, and this too declares that the gateway to the Han Capital has been broken open.
Han is about to be destroyed.
"Reporting to General Li."
"The search within the city is complete."
"There's been no sign of Bao Yuan; he has already escaped from Yang City."
"I request permission to lead troops in pursuit and capture Bao Yuan."
Wang Yan hurriedly entered the command tent, bowing as she reported to Li Teng.
Upon hearing these words—
Seated at the head, Li Teng swept his gaze over the gathered officers within the tent and said, "Though Yang City has been breached, the enemy troops within its bounds have yet to be fully rooted out. I give you half a month—eliminate the Han remnants in the surroundings of Yang City. After half a month, advance upon the Han Capital."
"Understood."
The many generals replied in unison, then withdrew one after another.
The moment they had left,
Li Teng turned, wearing an expression full of helplessness, to look at the pale-faced young commander before him.
"Yan'er,"
"I've already assigned men to chase down Bao Yuan. There's no need for you to join in the chaos—this battlefield is no place for games, danger lurks at every turn."
"I think you'd best return to Senior General's side."
Faced with Wang Yan in front of him, Li Teng was full of resignation.
As the young miss of the Wang Family, and having been born to Wang Jian in his middle years, Wang Yan was naturally doted on. Having been raised among warriors, she too brimmed with heroic spirit, yearning for war.
This campaign against Han—she had shamelessly insisted on coming along.
"General Li,"
"I was granted permission by Senior General himself to serve with the army, and was made Army Marquis directly by the Great King. While Han remains unsecured, I will not leave the field."
"I ask General Li to assign military duties; I shall carry out every order." Wang Yan had no desire to depart—bowing deeply to Li Teng as she spoke.
Seeing Wang Yan so stubborn,
Li Teng was again left helpless.
As the daughter of his direct superior, he could hardly treat her harshly—no situation felt correct.
Li Teng's face became stern at once: "Wang Yan, hear my command."
"Within Yang City, Han soldiers are still in hiding. I order you to command five hundred trusted aides under your banner, and grant you the cooperation of ten thousand Logistics Army troops. Root out all Han soldiers within Yang City."
"Also, aid the Logistics Army in escorting supplies and safeguarding our supply routes."
Upon hearing this,
Wang Yan's eyes were tinted with disappointment, but she nodded, "I accept the order."
She then withdrew.
In Yang City!
The clearing operation continued.
With her trusted aides shielding her, Wang Yan moved from within the city towards the gates.
"Where is the Wanjiang of the Logistics Army?" Wang Yan called loudly.
Though a woman's voice, she had deliberately made it resound with a man's authority, yet in the end it was still oddly unconvincing.
"I am Chen Lei."
The Logistics Army's Wanjiang stepped forward at once.
"What's the progress on cleaning out the city?" Wang Yan asked directly.
"Reporting, General."
"The outer city has been more or less cleared, but the inner city will take another three days." Chen Lei promptly replied.
Though the young officer before him wore only the Army Marquis' battle armor, her trusted aides were Senior General's own. Clearly she belonged to the main camp's innermost circle—to offend her would be folly.
"Speed up the clearing."
"Finish it in two days."
"Afterward, break into teams to search the households—be sure every last enemy in the city is eliminated," Wang Yan ordered in a low voice.
"Yes!"
Chen Lei rushed to convey the order at once.
Not far from where Wang Yan stood,
Hearing her orders, Zhao Feng nearly cursed aloud.
"Fuck, is this little brat insane?"
"She just squeezed a three-day task into two. How many attributes am I going to miss out on now?"
"God damn it." Zhao Feng muttered inwardly, thoroughly pissed off.
Don't underestimate the value of that one extra day—he could have collected another several hundred people's attributes with it.
Just a stone's throw away, Zhao Feng could barely resist beating this little brat up.
"No way, I'll have to try something different."
"It's easy enough to carry corpses, but digging pits and burying them isn't so simple. Once these two days are over, I'll head over to the burial pits and collect what I can—that way I can still pick up more attributes." After pondering a moment, Zhao Feng came up with a solution.
Nobody could stand in the way of him collecting attributes and growing stronger.
With this in mind, Zhao Feng suppressed his irritation, focused on the task, knowing every delay cost him dearly in attributes.
Zhao Feng was looking to use the battle of Yang City to reach his goal of all attributes breaking four hundred points.
To hold fast, and push on to five hundred.
...
Xinzheng!
Han Royal Palace!
"What news from the front?" King Han An looked at the person before him, his face filled with gravity.
"Yang City has fallen," Chancellor Zhang Ping of Han said solemnly.
The King of Han's face immediately changed, and he suddenly sat down heavily.
"With Yang City lost, Xinzheng is defenseless."
"There are fewer than fifty thousand troops in the capital—no match for Qin."
"Has Qin's national power really grown to such heights?"
"In less than a month since Qin moved against my Han, a third of our lands have been overrun," the King of Han said, voice heavy with dread.
"Great King,"
"Qin's campaign this time moved with great speed, giving Han no chance to respond. Our envoys have already gone to Zhao and Wei, but even should those states be willing to send aid, it'll be too late."
"Perhaps, we can only resort to the plan discussed with Senior General," Zhang Ping said in a grave tone.
"Is nearly two hundred years of Han's legacy truly about to perish?" The face of King Han An showed bitter unwillingness.
"Great King,"
"Preserving the royal bloodline and Han's foundations must come first. There may yet be hope of a restoration in days to come."
"Furthermore, though Yang City has fallen, Senior General has said there remains one last stratagem. If it succeeds, it may crush the Qin Army, draw help from Zhao and Wei, and in the end preserve the state."
"Yet for the sake of Han's future restoration, we must first send forth the royal bloodline," Zhang Ping said, bowing respectfully.
"Very well." The King of Han nodded, lifting his head to the heavens, eyes full of silent prayer. "Heaven, I pray you shield my Han!"
At this moment,
He had no other recourse.
He could only do all he could, and leave the rest to fate.
Inside Yang City.
The day passed quickly.
Night fell.
The city settled into quiet.
The Qin Army's discipline was strict—their men did not trouble the townsfolk in the least, but nearly all citizens cowered at home, not daring to step out.
Yet though Yang City was freshly secured,
Several thousand elite soldiers from headquarters still patrolled the streets, the Logistics Army withdrew beyond the walls, setting up camp and fires for supper.
Within Yang City!
Through every street and alley,
Without warning,
Whether by signal or some other means, the seemingly flat ground in many spots began to tremble, then boards were thrust aside, and a shaft opened straight into the earth below.
Nor was that all—
In hidden and remote households throughout the city, doors suddenly swung open wide.
Soldiers in battle armor burst out from homes and from beneath the ground.
But these uniforms were not those of Qin—they were Han troops.
"By order of Senior General!"
"All Qin soldiers within the city are to be killed without mercy!"
"Retake Yang City!"
Across the city, thousands upon thousands of Han soldiers emerged from the shadows, surging back into battle for the city.
The patrolling Qin troops in all quarters heard the commotion too.
"What's that noise?"
"Bad news, enemy attack!"
"There are still Han troops hidden in the city!"
"Hurry and report to the general—form up to meet the enemy!"
"Quick, to arms…"