"Now?"
Yue Liqun was momentarily stunned by Lin Qian's words.
In Yue Liqun's understanding, if they were planning to launch an attack on the Blackhorn Kingdom, they needed to prepare thoroughly beforehand. After all preparations were in place, then they could launch the full-scale assault.
But from Lin Qian's attitude, it seemed as though deciding to attack the Blackhorn Kingdom was as simple as making a casual decision, which seemed far too hasty.
"Your Majesty, are we really going to attack the Blackhorn Kingdom now?" Yue Liqun quickly caught up with Lin Qian, asking cautiously.
Lin Qian nodded, glancing at Yue Liqun beside him. "Of course now. What are we waiting for?"
"But Your Majesty, we haven't fully prepared anything yet. To act rashly like this seems unwise," Yue Liqun said, trying to reason with Lin Qian. "At first, we might achieve some victories, but the lack of proper preparation could lead to problems later on."
"The Blackhorn Kingdom's armies will surely retaliate, launching wave after wave of attacks. If we aren't properly prepared, we may not be able to withstand their onslaught."
Though Yue Liqun's tone was urgent, Lin Qian could understand that his concern was coming from a place of loyalty.
"I understand your worries, but there's something you need to realize," Lin Qian said as he reached the gate of the courtyard. He paused, turning to look at Yue Liqun. "You are now a citizen of the Hua Xia Empire. The empire you now live in is very powerful."
"So powerful that your concerns are unnecessary."
With that, Lin Qian pushed open the gate and walked outside, passing by Yaonie as he gave another command, "Prepare for battle, Yaonie."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Yaonie bowed, and a faint yellow glow of Hua Xia soul force began to radiate from his body. A heavy suit of armor gradually materialized on him, piece by piece, as if appearing out of thin air and attaching itself to his frame.
"Get ready for war, newcomer," Yaonie said with a grin, turning his head toward Yue Liqun.
As soon as Yaonie finished speaking, Yue Liqun noticed that Yaonie was now holding a helmet, which he carefully placed on his head.
Suddenly, an aura of killing intent emanated from Yaonie, so intense that Yue Liqun couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"Wang Qiongxing, He Baili, Xu Wuwei, Fu Deqing, and Yue Liqun, follow me into battle. The rest are to stay put," Lin Qian's voice echoed, causing the people in the settlement below to look up in surprise.
"Into battle?"
The people within the settlement looked bewildered, gradually realizing that this was the moment they had been waiting for—the attack on the Blackhorn Kingdom.
"So soon?" they murmured, puzzled. It had only been a month or two since Lin Qian had declared his intention to launch a war of extermination against the Blackhorn Kingdom, and now they were already going to war?
In previous conflicts, even on a smaller scale, it took at least two to three years of preparation. Troop deployments, reconnaissance, setting up formations—there was a lot to be done.
Before long, Lin Qian was flying toward the edge of the settlement, with Yaonie close behind.
Yue Liqun, snapping out of his daze, quickly followed. Wang Qiongxing, He Baili, Xu Wuwei, and Fu Deqing, the four elders, arrived shortly after, joining Lin Qian.
The four elders, like Yue Liqun, were surprised by Lin Qian's urgency to attack the Blackhorn Kingdom, all expressing their concerns that this haste might lead to problems.
Despite their worries, Lin Qian remained indifferent, his focus shifting to the distance ahead. According to his scouting beasts, there was a Blackhorn Kingdom city not far away.
The cities of the Blackhorn people were completely different from those in the surface world or the settlements in the Four Territories.
The settlements in the Four Territories bore a strong resemblance to the cities in the surface world, with their circular layout and unique blend of architectural styles, giving them a distinctive character.
As for the underground cities of the Blackhorn people, they were also unique because their cities were carved out of entire mountains in the Ancient Forest World.
The ground in the Ancient Forest World was much harder than that of the surface world, and the mountains were similarly robust, requiring at least a Nirvana Realm warrior to easily make an impact. Otherwise, it was the dwarves, using their crafting tools, who carved an entire mountain into a city.
The entire mountainside was dotted with neatly arranged entrances. Based on observations from the scouting beasts, the inside of the mountain was almost entirely hollow.
The hollowed-out mountain was divided into layers, with buildings crafted into each layer.
In the mountain city crafted by the dwarves, every spot was bathed in the light of the Sun Flame Fruit, showcasing the dwarves' exceptional craftsmanship.
The Blackhorn people in the mountain city were busy with their own tasks, completely unaware of the impending danger.
"Hm?" Suddenly, as Lin Qian flew forward, he halted, a puzzled look in his eyes.
Seeing Lin Qian stop abruptly, the others around him, also curious, looked over in confusion.
"Yue Liqun, do the Blackhorn people abuse their own kind?" Lin Qian asked, turning to Yue Liqun with a curious expression.
Yue Liqun was surprised by the question. "Your Majesty, how did you find out about that?"
"So it's true," Lin Qian murmured, nodding as he confirmed his suspicions.
"According to information from the Reverse King Palace, the Blackhorn Kingdom under the Blackhorn King's rule has become increasingly brutal. The Blackhorn Army has become more violent as well, and it's not uncommon for them to mistreat their own people," Yue Liqun explained. "Otherwise, the Reverse King Palace wouldn't have been formed in the first place."
"Hmm, so it's not just an isolated incident," Lin Qian nodded thoughtfully.
His scouting beasts had observed scenes of Blackhorn people being mistreated by the Blackhorn Army within the city ahead. Some of the Blackhorn people, alongside humans, Redhorns, dwarves, and Spirit Hoof people, were shackled and forced to perform exhausting tasks.
The Blackhorn Army officers overseeing them showed no mercy, lashing out with whips at anyone who was too slow, regardless of whether they were fellow Blackhorns.
At first, Lin Qian thought it might be an isolated case, possibly due to the brutality of the city's overseer. But hearing Yue Liqun's confirmation, it seemed the entire Blackhorn Kingdom was afflicted by this behavior. Lin Qian began to suspect that the situation was more complex than it seemed.
"Why do I feel like I've forgotten something?" Lin Qian furrowed his brows, pondering what he might have overlooked.
Suddenly, he remembered something and turned sharply toward Yue Liqun.