At 2:00 a.m., in the wilderness of the Central Plains, the Qingshan Hao's path was blocked by a dense swarm of floating airships.
Li Shu stood on the deck, looking at the comrades before him. "You are all rising talents in the Li military. Do you know why you are still alive?"
Among these officers were fellow disciples who had once trained together at Autumn Leaf Villa. They had beaten up Qing's Shadow Candidates together, drunk together, raced cars together, and walked together down that sunset-drenched road outside Autumn Leaf Villa.
The other officers were young talents Li Shu and the others had cultivated within the military, all under the age of thirty-five.
Before the officers could answer, Li Shu continued, "Because even the family head did not know what the Li family's future would become after he left. You are the future of the Li family. He carefully selected each of you and had me take you all away from City No. 18. He hoped you would live, but I think he would prefer for the people of the Li family to live with dignity. Soldiers should die on the battlefield, wrapped in horsehide. Today is the perfect time."
The officers said nothing, nor did the shipborne soldiers behind them.
Li Shu said calmly, "Board the ships and prepare to meet the enemy. Commander Li Changqing and I will remain aboard the Qingshan Hao with you all. We will not retreat a single step."
This was an especially brutal pre-battle mobilization. Li Shu did not deceive them by saying they still had hope, reinforcements, or a chance at victory.
Because everyone standing here was an elite of the military, all capable of judging the situation. Deception was meaningless.
So Li Shu chose to tell the truth: if they had