Even Zichuan Canxing himself had not realized that he had gradually come to regard his alliance with the Lin Clan as an established fact. Not the slightest worry remained in his mind that it might be false.
What occupied Zichuan Canxing now was how to keep this Lin Family Army here, and how to placate and win over its young commander, who supported neutrality and resisted the alliance.
And this was precisely what Lin Yunfei had sought to achieve by seizing control of the conversation first.
He had cast himself as someone who urgently needed courting and placating, completely diverting Zichuan Canxing's attention, lowering his guard, and drawing most of his thoughts toward himself.
Zichuan Canxing had clearly fallen behind in their exchange. After all, the image Lin Yunfei had fashioned was highly deceptive: blunt-spoken and arrogant, with youth on his side, he could easily be mistaken for a conceited brat fresh out of the nest, the milk still wet on his lips.
That temperament also suited his current position. A young man barely into his twenties, commanding a hundred thousand elite troops-who would not get carried away?
It was hardly surprising that Zichuan Canxing had not grown suspicious. Had he himself commanded a great army at that age, he too would have brimmed with youthful pride.
"Heh, Commander Yunfei, calm down. I had no choice in the matter. Most of our troops in the Southwest have been transferred to the Northwest front to defend against the Flowing Wind Army's offensive. Danya City is already on high alert. When an army of a hundred thousand suddenly appears outside our walls, we cannot afford to be careless. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, allow me to apologize to the Lin Clan, who came willingly to support us!"
With that,