Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
However, Zhou Weiqing’s senses were extremely keen. As soon as the troop entered the drilling ground, he had already discovered them. Furthermore, he could clearly sense a thick smell of blood on these new soldiers.
Indeed, it was the smell of blood. Every troop of soldiers had their own unique qualities, and this quality aura was very connected to their first commander and his character.
Just take Zhou Weiqing’s Peerless Battalion for example, it was full of a roguish air, almost mercenary in nature. Utilizing profits and Zhou Weiqing’s instigations, no matter what enemies they faced, they would charge without fear. This was something that had developed under Zhou Weiqing’s influence. No matter that Zhou Weiqing seldom trained the soldiers personally, but as the commander of the Peerless Battalion, the one who came up with all the rules and regulations, his actions and words would greatly influence the entire troop.
This troop that had just arrived was also the same. Although their numbers were low, only about a thousand men in total, the sheer killing intent and smell of blood around them was enough to strike fear in any ordinary soldiers’ hearts. Without question, this was an elite force that had been forged in the flames of battle, clambering up from a hill of corpses and sea of blood. Their commander was after all a daring and bloodthirsty general.
After making such a judgement, a cold smile crossed hou Weiqing’s lips. He thought to himself: This Principal Cai Cai is trying to suppress me with aura and momentum! However, can she really succeed?
Those fellows might have the aura of blood around them, but I have the lure of money. Just a while ago, Zhou Weiqing had proclaimed a good reward to all his Peerless Battalion soldiers if they achieved a victory, a gold coin each. Although it was not a large amount; after all it was just seven hundred gold coins for seven hundred men, but in the Peerless Battalion warriors’ eyes, seven hundred versus seven hundred was tantamount to giving them a free gift of a gold coin each! Zhou Weiqing’s only request to them was that they were not allowed to use their Consolidated Bow and Wings.
As for their strategy and tactics, Zhou Weiqing had already arranged it earlier. All they had to do now was to wait for everything to be prepared.
Very quickly, all the thick cloths had been prepared and sent over. Under Zhou Weiqing’s direction, all the Peerless Battalion soldiers began to wrap their weapons with the cloth. On the VIP Stage, another person appeared. It was Ming Yu.
Today, Ming Yu was dressed in a dark-red scale armour, which was adorned with spikes in many areas. In the distance, he almost looked like a huge porcupine, but once anyone got close to him, the scent of blood around him was more than enough to cause anyone to quail. As he walked up the VIP stage, most of the officials started to scatter aside, distancing themselves from him.
Besides the nickname of God General, amongst the Fei Li upper echelons, Ming Yu had another nickname: God of Slaughter!
As Ming Yu walked up to the VIP Stage, it was clear that his brow was furrowed. When he saw Princess Cai Cai, his expression was not joyful at all. Removing his helmet, he walked up to her and bowed deeply, saying: “Ming Yu greets Your Highness.”
“General, no need for such formalities.”
Cai Cai quickly said as she supported him up. She waved her hands, ordering her attendants to clear out, leaving the two alone.
“I remember I told you not to provoke that Zhou Weiqing, why are you all fighting now?!” Ming Yu asked questioningly as soon as they were alone.
Cai Cai smiled bitterly and said: “It is not that I went to provoke him, but he was the one who started causing trouble… what other choice did I have?” As such, she explained everything that had happened since the Heavenly Bow Empire diplomatic party had arrived.
Hearing Cai Cai’s words, Ming Yu’s brow furrowed even further. Cai Cai continued: “That little brat is clearly here to show off, he wants to use it as an opportunity to gain the advantage during negotiations, so that we have to give in more during the negotiations. I’m sure you can see that as well… but his requests are just too much. Although he has the support of the ZhongTian Empire, but even if the Heavenly Bow Empire were at full strength, they would never dare ask our Emperor to come receive them. I had no choice but to accept his provocation, thus resulting in this bet. Currently, both sides are now equal, but this next round is of critical importance towards who can gain the final victory, or at least have the upper hand in doing so. Ming Yu, I will have to depend on you for this.”
A cold light flashed in Ming Yu’s eyes, but as he looked at Cai Cai’s pleading eyes, he couldn’t help but shake his head and give a bitter smile: “I can only try my best. Since you have already called me here, can I not go to battle? I’ll get my personal guards to bind their weapons with the cloth then.”
Upon hearing his words, Cai Cai was extremely surprised. “Against Zhou Weiqing, do you not have any confidence? He did not even study for long in our Fei Li Military Academy, he shouldn’t be that good in command or tactics!”
Ming Yu looked at her meaningfully for a moment before saying: “Empty words are useless. I have already said everything I needed to tell you previously, but you did not listen to me. You shall see for yourself, he will prove my words to you with his own strength. Of course, you do not need to worry, I will use everything I have to try to defeat him, that is because I am also curious to see what level this little brat has actually reached, to test myself against him. One last thing I must remind you… What sort of existence is the ZhongTian Empire? The Heaven’s Expanse Palace? Just think clearly… if this Zhou Weiqing does not have something that impresses them or qualities they admire, do you think they will waste time supporting him? To actually make the effort to send word to the Fei Li Empire, to go through all the trouble just to revive that Heavenly Bow Empire? Why is that so? Although that little rascal is still young, he is far more complicated than you can ever imagine. You are truly underestimating him far too much.”
After speaking those words, Ming Yu drew his black cape around him before turning to leave.
Standing there, Cai Cai’s eyes were filled with shock. She was an intelligent person, and having been warned a second time by Ming Yu, she instantly thought of many things. Alas, the situation was already in motion, and they were like an arrow nocked on a bowstring, with no choice but to be shot out. She could only continue with this bet. Originally, her heart that had been filled with confidence was now truly shaken.
The Royal Family Cavalry troop parted, and slowly a group of warriors dressed in black armour walked to the center of the drilling ground.
The moment they entered, all the Peerless Battalion soldiers who had been lazing around on the ground suddenly perked up. These fellows from the First Main Company were all soldiers who had been surviving on countless battlefields, and as their opponent appeared, they could instantly judge how strong they were. Such a thick scent of blood and killing intent, they immediately sensed that the boring fight that they thought they would have to go through was going to be interesting indeed. Of course, it was just interesting, not even dangerous!
Dressed in his dark red armour, Ming Yu was mounted upon his steed at the front of his troop. To Zhou Weiqing’s surprise, Ming Yu’s war steed was exactly the same as his own, a single-horned Ghost Demon Horse, and shockingly, the seven hundred cavalry soldiers behind him were all mounted on Ghost Demon Horses! This as the Cavalry troop that Zhou Weiqing had originally wanted to form! He had not imagined that Ming Yu had already beaten him to it.
Ming Yu did not wear a helmet, and thus Zhou Weiqing instantly recognized this Fei Li God General. Upon seeing his appearance, Zhou Weiqing also felt his heart grip with wariness and respect. As the saying goes, a man’s reputation was like a tree’s shadow 1, for Ming Yu to be able to lead the Fei Li Empire armies to withstand the WanShou Empire armies, he was truly an outstanding military genius.
Zhou Weiqing had personally witnessed the strength and power of the WanShou Empire forces, and he knew that it was difficult for any ordinary human army to achieve victory over such powerful forces. However, he had gotten news that in the past few years, the Fei Li Empire’s border war losses were actually even lesser than the ZhongTian Empire’s. What did that prove? It showed that the Fei Li Empire was actually more than holding its own against the WanShou Empire! Of course, there was also the factor that the WanShou Empire focused more resources on the ZhongTian side, but at the same time, how could the Fei Li armies compare with the ZhongTian Empire armies? No matter what, the facts proved that Ming Yu truly lived up to his name.
As such, Zhou Weiqing would not underestimate Ming Yu at all, especially since he was leading such a troop of Ghost Demon Horse cavalry!
Nudging his horse with his foot, Zhou Weiqing rode forth all the way until he was about thirty yards from Ming Yu before stopping.
As he drew closer to Ming Yu’s troop, the more Zhou Weiqing could sense that inherent killing intent they had. It was not focused at him, but all of them had it hidden in their eyes, cold and indifferent eyes that seemed to pay no importance to life itself! Not only the lives of their enemies, but even their own! The weapons in their hands were long spears, and the black armour that they were was a strange hybrid between light armour and heavy armour. Although the spears had already been covered with the thick cloths, Zhou Weiqing could still sense their keen edge indistinctly.
Facing such a troop, if one did not have a strong willpower, perhaps they would break down before even clashing.
Furthermore, for a troop to have such a air and quality about them, how could their combat prowess be weak?
“General Ming Yu, it has been a long time!” Zhou Weiqing smiled widely at Ming Yu, revealing a row of white teeth. However, his eyes were not that friendly, almost as if he was admiring a piece of art, wandering across Ming Yu from top to bottom.
Ming Yu smiled faintly and said: “It has only been a few years indeed, but you have changed so much that I almost did not recognize you. It looks like my foresight at that time was pretty accurate after all. I am starting to regret, why I didn’t take you directly from the Fei Li Military Academy. If I had done so, perhaps you would be my right hand man now.”
Zhou Weiqing laughed heartily and said: “That might not be so, why should I be your right hand man, you can be my right hand man instead right? Furthermore, even if you tried to take me from the Academy that time, I would never have agreed. Your troop does not have any beauties at all, why would I even bother going?”
Hearing Zhou Weiqing’s shameless words, Ming Yu’s gaze couldn’t help but drift towards Shangguan Xue’er and Tian’er in the distance, and he said in admiration: “Well, in that regard I am truly no match for you. You are a master indeed, to be able to gain the love of such top beauties. I am impressed indeed, respect, respect. If there is any chance, you must teach me a few tricks. I am already forty years old, but still do not have a wife…”
Zhou Weiqing laughed heartily and said: “That is no problem at all. If General Ming Yu is willing to join my Heavenly Bow Empire, you can have the pick of women from the Empire!”
Ming Yu did not seem to hear the hidden meaning in Zhou Weiqing’s words, still smiling as he said: “Commander Zhou, I wonder where your Heavenly Bow Empire is!”
Zhou Weiqing smiled and said: “It will be back soon, no worries, it will not be long before the Heavenly Bow Empire is revived.”
