Hua Ying's face trembled violently. Is he going to use me to demoralize my own troops?
This old general was a man of resolve. He raised a hand to strike his own crown, ready to end his life on the spot.
"Hmph!"
Yang Hu kicked and shattered his kneecap, then grabbed him by the neck and hoisted him up. "You've fallen into my hands. Did you really think you could die just because you wanted to?"
Hua Ying was the picture of misery, utterly desperate.
At the same time, Chen Jian, who was stationed at the National Defense command post, was just as anxious as Hua Ying. The newly appointed Supreme Martial Commander sat with a face so grim it seemed water might drip from it.
He had suffered defeat after defeat from the very beginning. After some initial self-reproach, he had simply let it go. In his view, the problem wasn't his method of conducting large-scale operations. Rather, the enemy was too strong, so overpowering that he was left helpless.
It wouldn't have mattered who else came; no one could have turned the tide of defeat. Since that's the case, why should I blame myself?
But then, out of nowhere, an invincible force as fierce as wolves had emerged. With just one battle, they had made the Barbarians lower their banners and retreat ten miles. With this turn of events, didn't it just highlight how inept he, the Supreme Martial Commander, truly was?
When everyone is incompetent, there's nothing to be said. But now that a truly exceptional figure has suddenly appeared, aren't all the incompetent ones like him utterly exposed under the blazing sun?
Who in the world is this? Chen Jian tugged at the collar of his martial uniform, restless and grinding his teeth.
"Commander, there's new information from the front lines."
Chen Jian's deputy, Yuan Zhi, strode in holding his steel helmet and spoke gravely.
"Speak!" Chen Jian slammed down into the commander's seat, picked up a cup of tea, and drained it in one gulp.
"Hua Ying, one of the seventy-two chief generals of the Barbarians, is hanging from the peak of Phoenix Water Mountain!" Yuan Zhi took a deep breath and continued, "His collarbones have been pierced by two iron chains, and he's wailing in agony."
Phoenix Water Mountain, the highest peak outside the boundaries of Hanyun Valley, was clearly visible to both their side and the Barbarians'.
"Now, the low morale of our army is gradually surging."
Yuan Zhi was well aware of what troubled his Commander. This newcomer posed a great threat to his precarious position and already meager reputation.
What a clever way to kill two birds with one stone, Chen Jian muttered to himself. This move would boost his own army's morale while dealing a major blow to the Barbarians.
"What I want to know is, who exactly is this newcomer!" Chen Jian said gruffly.
Yuan Zhi shook his head; his scouts had not yet returned.
But in the very next second, a Martial Guard rushed in frantically. Barely catching his breath, he stammered, "We found out! We found out! Commander, it's… it's the Python Sparrow Devouring Dragon battle flag."
Chen Jian was speechless.
"The eight hundred thousand former Hanyun Valley Martial Guards… they've arrived!"
Chen Jian was speechless.
GULP.
Beside him, Yuan Zhi swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out across his body. Licking his chapped lips, he asked, "Then… the leader is…?"
He couldn't finish his sentence.
Who else but him has the ability and prestige to reassemble the eight hundred thousand former Hanyun Valley Martial Guards who had long since been discharged? It could only be him!
"It's… it's the Former Chief Military Commander," the Martial Guard said, unable to contain his excitement. "He was the one who unleashed those two sword strikes."
Those two sword strikes had not only slain over a hundred thousand enemies but had also carved out an overwhelming display of power. They had not only forced the Barbarians to retreat but had also reignited the morale of the National Defense.
Chen Jian fell silent. Indeed, who else could it be but him?
You've already retired. Wouldn't it be better to just enjoy your quiet life? Why did you have to come back and meddle? Are you a lingering ghost that refuses to leave? Chen Jian roared in his heart. He paced back and forth for a moment before instructing Yuan Zhi, "Report to the Elders' Court immediately! And ask when the dispatched consultant is expected to arrive."
"As you command!"
Yuan Zhi took out his phone, but just as he was about to make the call, a chaotic flurry of footsteps sounded from outside, heading straight for their barracks. Seeing Chen Jian's displeased frown, Yuan Zhi walked out with a grim expression.
"Who is causing such a ruckus out there?"
This deputy general had come from the Chenlong Martial District and was now second only to the Commander himself. He had seen his share of storms in life, but the scene before him made the hair on his skin stand up.
It was a young man with a resolute face and spotless military boots. His uniform was embroidered with golden threads that formed the Python Sparrow Devouring Dragon, set against the backdrop of the splendid Mountains and Rivers National Map.
This…
HISS!
Yuan Zhi's face turned deathly pale. In the entire Martial Department, there was only one uniform like this. He had only ever seen it in pictures, but now, up close, the invisible aura of domineering might and awe-inspiring murderous intent was enough to leave one tongue-tied and terrified.
Seeing Chen Yang walk straight toward him, Yuan Zhi took a deep breath. Without a word, he took two steps back and stood aside.
Inside the barracks, Chen Jian heard the footsteps still approaching. He poured himself a glass of wine and rebuked coldly, "Why isn't it quiet yet?! Annoy me further, and I'll have you all cut down!"
Despite his menacing words, no one responded.
The guards on both sides of the barracks turned their heads. Their pupils contracted and the hair on their bodies stood on end as they watched the young man slowly approach. Everyone present felt their scalps tingle, as if they had been plunged into an icy cavern.
The Python Sparrow Devouring Dragon sprawled across the Mountains and Rivers National Map, ready to soar ninety thousand miles into the sky.
"Is this… the Former Chief Military Commander?"
"I think it was his intervention that forced the Barbarians to retreat ten miles."
RUSTLE.
Everyone unconsciously straightened their posture, their eyes filled with infinite awe.
Only then did Chen Jian react. He spun around, the fury rising on his face instantly freezing as his expression shifted dramatically.
Chen Yang stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "Supreme Martial Commander?" he asked coolly. "You have been defeated time and time again. Do you have an explanation for that?"
An explanation? This…
The crowd felt an icy chill shoot up their spines. This man is so domineering, demanding an explanation from the Supreme Martial Commander the moment he arrives!
Chen Jian was also momentarily stunned.
"Chen Xin is your younger brother, isn't he?"
Yang Hu pulled over a chair, and Chen Yang sat down gracefully. Tapping a slow rhythm on the adjacent table with one hand, he continued, "I wonder if the men you sent to protect him ever told you that he was a domineering tyrant who abducted women and committed all manner of evil?"
Chen Jian was speechless.
"Hmph!" Having finally regained his composure, Chen Jian said in a grave tone, "Who do you think you are, barging into my camp and questioning my command?"
"You've lost hundreds of thousands of Martial Guards and suffered one defeat after another, yet you owe no explanation? You still have the audacity to posture with your authority? Where do you get the nerve?" Yang Hu taunted.
「Elsewhere」
In every corner of the land, all the people under heaven fell into a shared silence.
The Former Chief Military Commander, Chen Yang, had made his move.
With a single call to arms, he reassembled the eight hundred thousand former Hanyun Valley Martial Guards and, in one battle, forced back the Barbarian Military Guards who were at the zenith of their power.
"He… he truly still cares for our nation and its people! We are so grateful!"
"Chen Yang!"
"Chen Yang!"
After so many years, his name once again echoed throughout the mortal realm, on the lips of the teeming masses.
...