Jin Kingdom Falls, Wu Clan's Mongke!

Kaifeng.

The Mongolian army and the Southern Song army had formed a pincer encirclement around Kaifeng. Their combined forces, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, surged like boundless waves capable of destroying heaven and earth.

The fierce slaughter had already lasted two days. With no one clearing away the bodies, the corpses beneath the walls had piled over a meter high. Tens of thousands of bodies lay forever in the icy corners beneath the walls, while scattered weapons had been discarded everywhere, as though cursing this damned age.

Blood had dyed Kaifeng's moat red. Countless fish rejoiced in the water, feasting on a meal they had never enjoyed before.

On Great Song's side.

Shi Songzhi, nephew of Right Chancellor Shi Miyuan.

Though Shi Songzhi was already in his forties, he was not a supporter of war, but a man who favored peace.

Yet imperial orders could not be defied. No matter how unwilling he was, Shi Songzhi could only shoulder this heavy responsibility.

At this moment, Shi Songzhi's long brows were tightly furrowed, and his heart was filled with anxiety.

He was anxious, and he could not afford not to be.

Kaifeng!

The former capital of Great Song!

And when it came to the fall of the Northern Song capital, it was a humiliation that no Song person could ever forget.

The Jingkang Humiliation.

It was a disgrace Song people could not bear to mention, nor could they bear to imagine.

"My lord, something seems wrong," a Song general said quietly, his voice uneasy.

Shi Songzhi frowned as he stared at the brutal battle, lost in thought.

How could he not know something was wrong? The Mongols were clearly far stronger than Great Song's soldiers, yet by sheer coincidence, they had arrived beneath Kaifeng's walls at the same time as Great Song.

What made Shi Songzhi especially uneasy was the Mongols' passive, lackadaisical conduct during the siege.

Such behavior made it impossible for Shi Songzhi not to suspect the Mongols' true intentions.

But suspicion was one thing. Even if he knew there was a pit of fire ahead, Shi Songzhi absolutely could not retreat a single step, because retreat meant death.

They had already reached Kaifeng. The chance to wipe away the Jingkang Humiliation lay right before them.

If anyone suggested retreating at a time like this, they would surely be branded a traitor and a sinner for all ages. When that happened, it would not be Mongol blades that killed them, but the blades of Great Song's civil and military officials.

Shi Songzhi said in a deep voice, "Continue the assault. We must enter the city before the Mongols breach it. At the same time, keep a close watch on the Mongols. The moment you notice any changes in their movements—"

"Yes," the Song general replied respectfully.

"The city gate has fallen!"

Suddenly, a voice like thunder tore through the air.

The Jin soldiers still fighting desperately looked down in confusion, only to see the city gates, which should have been tightly shut, slowly opening.

Shi Songzhi was overjoyed at the sight. Instantly casting aside all his concerns, he shouted, "Soldiers, follow me into the city! Capture the false emperor alive!"

"Kill!"

Seeing the gates fall, the Great Song soldiers were all jubilant and cheered loudly.

For a time, their cheers echoed between heaven and earth.

In the distance.

The corners of Mongke's lips curled upward in a mocking smile.

Enjoy yourselves for a little longer.

"Great Khan, the Song people have already entered the city. Shall we?" A Mongol general looked at Mongke eagerly, barely able to restrain himself.

Mongke said playfully, "Only those who survive to the end are the true victors."

At those words, everyone smiled knowingly.

That was right. Only those who survived to the end were the true victors.

Time passed, second by second.

The sounds of slaughter within the city grew increasingly intense. After entering the city, the Great Song army encountered fierce resistance from the Jin forces. The resistance around the imperial palace in particular was a frenzied, desperate last stand.

But with the city walls lost, the Jin people were doomed to have no chance of turning things around.

After more than an hour of fierce attacks, the Song army finally stormed into the Jin imperial palace. What had once happened to the Song people now replayed itself upon the Jin people as though in a cycle of fate.

Killing, rape, plunder.

This was the revelry of the victors, and the wailing of the defeated.

"Ding! The Jin Kingdom's imperial palace has been breached, and its emperor has been captured. The host's mission has been completed. Wu Clan bloodline has been upgraded. Please choose a bloodline evolution path."

The system's notification sounded beside Mongke's ear.

Afterward, images of the Twelve Ancestral Witches appeared in his mind, along with detailed introductions to their respective bloodlines.

Dijiang: Like a yellow sack, crimson as cinnabar fire, with six legs and four wings, chaotic and faceless. Ancestral Witch of space and speed.

Jumang: verdant as green bamboo, with a bird's body and human face, riding two dragons beneath his feet—the Ancestral Witch of Eastern Wood.

Zhurong: beast head and human body, draped in red scales, fire serpents through his ears, standing upon fire dragons—the Ancestral Witch of Southern Fire.

Mongke stared at the abilities of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and fell into thought.

"I choose the Dijiang Ancestral Witch Bloodline."

After considering it, Mongke quickly made his choice.

Among all martial arts under heaven, only speed was invincible.

Among the three thousand Great Daos, space reigned supreme.

Compared to the other Ancestral Witch Bloodlines, the spatial attribute offered exceptionally obvious advantages in the early stages.

"Host has selected the Dijiang Ancestral Witch Bloodline. Bloodline evolution complete. Host now possesses the Beginner Dijiang Ancestral Witch Bloodline."

As the system's voice faded, Mongke felt his body undergo an enormous transformation.

His already powerful body became even more robust and solid. A faint metallic sheen radiated from his skin, and his bulging muscles resembled a metal sculpture. At the same time, Mongke felt an incomparably vast power appear within him out of nowhere—a power that seemed capable of destroying mountains with a casual backhand.

"Hahaha, good, good!"

Feeling his strength surge in an instant, Mongke could not help but burst into laughter.

His laughter rumbled like thunder, making the Mongolian generals inside the tent feel as though war drums were booming beside their ears. All of them covered their ears in discomfort.

Once Mongke stopped laughing, they looked at one another, their faces filled with shock.

The Great Khan had grown stronger again!

Amid their astonishment, the way they looked at Mongke became filled with fervent devotion.

Mongke rose to his feet and laughed. "Now is the time to wipe out the main forces of Jin and Song and unify the realm. Generals, follow me into battle."

"Yes!"

At his words, all the generals answered excitedly.

Within Kaifeng Prefecture.

Shi Songzhi rode a tall horse, his head held high as he traveled down streets drenched in blood, his heart full of excitement and exhilaration.

It worked!

It really worked!

Kaifeng had been recovered, and the Jin pretender emperor captured!

After this battle, I, Shi Songzhi, shall leave my name in history for all eternity!

"My lord, this is bad, this is bad! The Mongolian army has suddenly launched an attack on our forces, I—" Just as Shi Songzhi was brimming with satisfaction, an urgent cry suddenly rang out in the distance.

Shi Songzhi's face instantly turned deathly pale. He stared at the approaching man in disbelief and demanded urgently, "What?!"

"Haha, let this Great Khan tell you personally."

Before the man could speak, Mongke suddenly appeared not far from Shi Songzhi with more than a dozen riders.

He smiled mockingly. "Fool, did you really think this Great Khan needed Song State's help to destroy the petty Jin Kingdom? To this Great Khan, Jin Kingdom was nothing more than vermin that could be crushed with a turn of the hand. If I had not wanted to deal with all of you while I was at it, why would I have gone through so much trouble?"

Shi Songzhi's expression darkened to the extreme. He had never expected Mongke to be so arrogant, so bold.

At the same time, what truly terrified Shi Songzhi was the thought of the Great Song's main force being completely wiped out in this campaign. Such a blow would be devastating to the Great Song.

The Great Song was in danger!