The Red Assembly forces left Wendist City once again.
But the families of every size within the city no longer dared to act as they had before. Each of them behaved obediently, terrified that the Red Assembly would return for another purge.
"They ran again?"
Upon returning to Wendist City, Xue Ye had been prepared for a brutal battle, ready to bury Zhou Qing, Tang San, and the others beneath a mountain of corpses. Yet he learned that the Red Assembly had withdrawn again, leaving behind only a city full of civilians. He could not help but rage. "Cowardly rats! What utter timidity!"
They entered the city.
Aside from members of the various Soul Master families and the prisoners left behind in Wendist City who came out to greet them, the civilians all hid inside their homes, too afraid to emerge.
Xue Ye did not care about that.
The ignorant masses had always been cowardly!
Yet before Xue Ye could rest for even a moment, the prisoners in the city reported, "Your Majesty, the Red Assembly has headed east."
East?
Heaven Dou City!
Xue Ye finally understood.
He had been played!
Zhou Qing was a military genius. Faced with his 800,000-strong army and knowing he could not defeat them head-on, Zhou Qing had attacked Jialing Pass. Once Xue Ye reacted, Zhou Qing crossed the Shuangchi River and attacked Heaven Dou. His goal had not been to capture Heaven Dou City, but to draw Xue Ye's attention!
Then the Star Luo Empire had suddenly launched a war, making it impossible for Xue Ye's army to focus entirely on pursuit. He had to leave a large portion of his forces at Jialing Pass, travel to Longxing City in the Gulei Kingdom, and establish a supply line along the way.
Then Zhou Qing