How Dare You Make Me Leave You Behind?
The setting sun was like blood.
The two figures were cast long, long shadows by the setting sun on the war-torn city wall.
"Young Hero Li!"
"Tsk tsk, did you all see that today? Young Hero Li stood on the city wall, not retreating an inch."
"Yes, he killed Helian Wu with a single blow."
"Seeing him still standing there, I felt like there was a pillar of Sea-Stabilizing Needle in my heart."
Wherever Li Mo walked, the weary eyes of the soldiers of the Greenwood Camp revealed expressions of reverence, as if they could see victory right before their eyes.
As long as Cold Fairy continues to soar through the skies.
As long as Young Hero Li is still standing on the city wall.
No matter what kind of enemy they face, they have confidence in their hearts.
They've all forgotten.
Li Mo was actually only at the Divine Observation Realm, and his cultivation level was not much higher than theirs; in fact, he was on par with some of them.
They were even around the same age as their family's nephews and nieces.
All they knew was that such dazzling individuals as Young Hero Li and Cold Fairy were fighting alongside them and had never let them down.
Young Hero Li used his own body to withstand the siege ram and killed Helian Wu, who had a long-standing reputation and was rumored to be able to unify the various tribes of the Southern Border under his command.
The hopeful gazes from all around left Li Mo somewhat at a loss for how to respond.
He turned around and Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye.
[Name: Han Zhen]
[Age: 22 (5330)]
[Root Bone: Blood God Body]
[Realm: Nine Apertures of Divine Observation.]
[Destiny: Purple]
[Evaluation: Former Great Shang Imperial Preceptor. After the Yu Dynasty destroyed the Shang, he possessed the Blood Phoenix Essence, granting him immortality. Will Soul and body were about to perish, he gained a deeper understanding of the Blood Phoenix Essence's mysteries, allowing him to be reborn through other means. He has now been reborn seven times.]
[Recent Encounters: Determined to obtain Ying Bing's Rosy Phoenix Qi, Blood Phoenix Essence, and Jade Phoenix God, after losing the Blood Phoenix Essence, he turned to cultivating the Demon Summoning Scripture, absorbing the Power of All Living Beings, intending to regain control of the Blood Sacrifice Path by taking advantage of the countless lives lost in war. The more lives that die, the stronger he becomes.]
Therefore, Han Zhen didn't care how many people died.
Whether it was the massacre of the city's inhabitants or the deaths of the Greenwood City garrison, he probably wouldn't care even if they were his own people.
For the divine object on the Ice Block.
This former Great Shang Imperial Preceptor is very likely to stake everything on this battle.
Greenwood City won today, but that doesn't mean it suffered no losses.
Tomorrow, the battle will be even more brutal.
The Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye, which had not yet been closed, swept over the soldiers present.
Ying Bing saw the boy pause, then reached out and smoothed out his wrinkled collar.
They agreed to go out for dinner, but as Li Mo walked, his direction involuntarily changed.
The two walked across the city walls ravaged by war and descended to the central command tent. Several generals were visibly missing, yet they were still diligently handling military affairs.
Qu Sheng sat there with a furrowed brow, reading the battle report.
"Commander."
Li Mo stood at the door and spoke softly.
Qu Sheng realized that he wanted to speak privately, so he got up and came out.
After a moment of silence, he forced a smile:
"Today was a major victory; our casualty ratio was one to five."
"Commander Qu, is it possible that the Prince of Southern Pacification... wasn't going to come in the first place?"
Silence.
Li Mo had just used his Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye to see that some soldiers died on the eighth day, and some on the tenth day.
If the Prince of Southern Pacification were to come, it would be impossible for soldiers to still be dying on the tenth day.
Qu Sheng paused for a moment, then lowered his eyelids, his once proud head bowing slightly.
"Young Hero Li is right."
"His Majesty recently issued a decree ordering the Prince to return to the capital to report on his duties."
"I sent the Young Marquis to invite the Prince, hoping to find an excuse for him to return to a safe place. I also wanted you, Young Hero Li, to leave with me, until I witnessed your ability to come and go freely and traverse thousands of miles."
"If the Prince were to come, the Greenwood Camp wouldn't be in such dire straits of food and pay. But I can't say that. If I did, the brothers' spirits would be broken."
A thoughtful glint flashed in Ying Bing's clear eyes.
Upon careful consideration...
The Prince of Prince of Southern Pacification was a powerful cultivator with a strong Dharma Body, and one of the few divine generals in the world, making him comparable to the Seventh Realm expert in the army.
His death was abnormal in itself.
Li Mo opened his mouth.
Before he could speak, Qu Sheng pointed to the demon king's head on the city gate:
"Back then, when the Prince was still External Scene Realm, he and his brothers slew that Sinister Crocodile. Afterward, he stayed here and personally worked with his brothers to build this Greenwood City in the vast swamp. Standing here, it's as if all the comrades who died on this land are still here."
"Even if the city falls in the end, I will die before the people."
"My lords, the battlefield is ruthless, and war is never a means to achieve glory. You have both witnessed this. If, when you soar through the heavens in the future, you have a little more compassion in your hearts, then my death will have had some meaning."
A hero draws his sword in a single day, and another ten years of calamity befall the people...
These words involuntarily came to Li Mo's mind.
Let's go.
Qu Sheng patted Li Mo on the shoulder and spoke for the second time.
After saying that, he rubbed his face and walked back to the military camp with a confident look on his face.
"Young Hero Li Master Li just said that he'll be sending us a second wave of supplies soon!"
They've even come up with an excuse.
But the generals probably never imagined that this would be the second lie told by Commander Qu, whose word was law.
They all clenched their fists, as if they could see the dawn of victory.
"Ice Block, I'm hungry, let's go eat."
"Um."
Ying Bing pulled her hand back from the Big-Headed Doll with its large head, which was about to take out the candy.
Today, Little Li wasn't in the mood to cook.
It was just simple dry rations, meat and vegetable soup, the same food the soldiers ate.
"Ying Bing, shall we leave?"
Li Mo, holding the bowl, suddenly looked into the distance with a relaxed expression. "Anyway, this city can't be defended. We've done everything we could, and we've given it our all."
"Do you really think that way?"
Ying Bing stared intently at him.
"Um."
You lied to me.
She moved closer, and Little Li, who could smell the delicate fragrance, knew it without even turning around.
Those eyes, like ice mirrors, must seem to be able to see right through people's hearts.
"? I don't."
"Then do you dare turn around and look me in the eyes when you say it?"
"I wouldn't dare!"
Li Mo was stubborn all over, and a pair of cold, delicate hands reached to his cheeks and turned his head around.
The gaze of the Ice Block, forced version.
"You're trying to trick me into leaving first, then stay here alone until the city really falls before you leave, right?"
"... Wow, Ice Block, you're so smart!"
Having his thoughts exposed, Little Li touched his nose.
That's outrageous. Does Ice Block possess Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye?
Okay, that's not the point.
At this moment, Cold Fairy pursed her lips, her eyes revealing a hint of displeasure, and a faint mist lingered in them.
Angry.
She hadn't said anything yet, but he knew what that look meant.
What right do you have to make this decision and ask me to leave you?
Please give me some money, mwah~