Chapter 705
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Chapter 705
One of these days, I will learn to think before I speak and never make a fool of myself again.
Hopefully before I literally die of shame and embarrassment. Much as I love obsessing over plans for every conceivable possibility, the moment I find myself without one, I tend to go all out on the improvisation, which rarely ever ends well. Learning to Heal is the only reason Im still alive after making so many bad decisions while under the gun, and I feel like Ive made another. Demanding an Enemy surrender was ballsy enough as is, but now it sounds like Im intentionally mocking them, when in fact I would very much like to put a diplomatic end to the hostilities here and now. I doubt itll actually happen, but Ill never know unless I try, and Im off to a terrible start. Ridicule is hardly the best way to convince my foes that its in everyones best interests to take a step back, but my foots already firmly ensconced in my mouth so theres nothing to do except talk around it.
It wouldve been nice to have more time to think things through, but after Taduk finally remembered to tell us that the Central Citadel was under heavy attack, Ive been running on all cylinders with no time to breathe much less consider all the angles. Time waits for no man, and much as I would love a week or two to rest and recuperate before diving right back into the thick of things, the calamity is upon us here and now. Its time to nut up or shut up, but Im not great at either of those things, so I gotta do what I gotta do.
The stifling silence does little to ease my humiliation, but at least it means the fighting has stopped, if only so everyone in the Citadel can collectively wince in second-degree shame. Yans muffled laughter doesnt help either, but I love the sound of her throaty chuckle and the heat of her body pressed against mine, so Id say its totally worth. It feels like an eternity since Ive held her in my arms, and I am so grateful to have her in my life, much less be married to such an amazing woman. Yan was the first to notice I was hiding within my fugue state, but rather than out me and try to force me back to consciousness, she quietly let me know in no uncertain terms that she knew I was there, but would wait for as long as it took. Her tender love and quiet support showed me the foolishness of my ways and gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get over my fears and move on. Im still terrified that everyone I know and love will one day learn I am a fraud, and only slightly less terrified that everything Im currently experiencing is merely an illusion crafted by Zhen Shi, but Yans patience and love showed me just how stupid my behaviour was, hiding from everyone and everything just because I was afraid to lose any more. As if that werent enough, shes also set me on the path towards understanding that I am neither my past nor my present, not a pretender or intruder, but someone who is neither and also both, Rayne and Rain combined, a person I have yet to truly figure out, and theres nothing wrong with that.
What I do know is that I love Yan with all my heart, and cannot imagine a life without her. The same goes for Mila and Lin-Lin, even Li-Li and maybe Luo-Luo, though Im still not sure where I stand with either one of them, but one thing is certain: I am a lucky man when it comes to love.
Everything else, not so much, but thems the breaks, right?
So, the infamous Legate Falling Rain finally sees fit to reveal his lofty presence, and his first call be to demand this Princes surrender. You be bold and insolent as rumours say. Very well. This Prince accepts your invitation to discussion, and hopes the Legate will not disappoint. Speaking in a slow, ambling drawl that makes him sound cordially folksy, the Lord of Martial Peace reveals his presence atop the roof of the banquet hall, the same one the Legate used for his banquet way back when. Actually, now that I think about it, that wasnt so far back, but it feels like an eternity has passed since I had to justify my continued existence before the Legate and all of the outer provinces. Most believed I was of more use dead than alive, a fondly remembered hero and martyr rather than a crippled eyesore with more authority than Martial power. I still dont understand why everyone thinks a person who spends all their time learning how to hit people harder would make for a good administrator or commander, but Ive long since given up on trying to find sense in oh so many of the decisions people make.
That being said, Gongsun Qi would appear to be the exception to the rule, brilliant tactician, outstanding Warrior, and able minister wrapped up in one. Though his methods are more brutal and merciless than I can stomach, one cannot argue against results seeing how he single-handedly put a stop to the cyclical rebellions of the West, saving Heavens knows how many lives in the process. What would I have done in his place? Im not entirely sure, but considering the woes the West faced since inception, Im not sure I couldve done any better than the infamous Lord of Martial Peace. It wasnt just a lack of food and water that caused strife in the West, but rather the need to conserve what they did have in order to prepare for the worst. Its one thing to look down at a spreadsheet and calculate how we need to cut back to half-rations in order to survive, and another all-together to tell a man with starving children that theyll have to eat even less than the meagre share they were already provided so that the vast majority of people could survive the next few months.
How many half-measures did he have to enact to save the lives of the many at the cost of a few? How many times did he dispatch soldiers to defend precious food and water from starving civilians who were sick and tired of watching their children go to bed hungry? The Prince of Barbarity, they called him, when in fact, the Emperor was the barbaric one, limiting the resources of an entire province it so desperately needed in order to secure a better price on precious ores. Small wonder Gongsun Qi turned against the Empire after having given so much of his life to the cause. I cannot imagine how he felt when the Emperor closed the borders not even a day after the Defiled broke through. Decades of hardship and sacrifice rewarded by bitter betrayal and abandonment, the fight given up without even making an attempt to save the West.
Then again, what else could the Emperor have done, aside from going back in time and being a better ruler to his people? What would I have done if I were in his place, having learned the Defiled had broken through into the outer provinces? Im not sure. When the West fell, North and South were still reeling from months of uninterrupted assaults upon their respective Border Walls, and Central was so fractured that appointing a single Colonel General to command all their armies wouldve resulted in civil war. There was no way to send aid to the West without further weakening the remaining outer provinces, so the Emperor chose to sever a limb and cauterize the wound rather than fester or bleed out. Sure, things turned out better than expected since then, but only through a series of near miracles and unfortunate events, and though the outer provinces are finally united under one commander, thats more of a fluke than anything else. Hideos betrayal and the death of the Southern Colonel General are the only reasons Shuai Jiao was able to snag the title of Commander General with minimal concessions. If Mitsue Juichi had never stepped down, Ryo Dae Jung would not have been left alone to bear the full weight of Shuai Jiaos attentions. As for the North and South, Nian Zu was never one to covet power and authority, so he wouldve always acted in the best interests of the Empire, but Marshal Quyen Huong had to make concessions since his highest ranking officer fell in battle, making his entire province seem the weakest of the three.
Given how well things turned out for him, my gut tells me that the ascetic wannabe monk turned Commander General cannot be trusted. Despite his efforts to serve the people, Shuai Jiao has shown his true colours as a man of ambition and opportunity, something I shouldve already known. No one could have risen to his lofty heights without support aplenty, especially in the cutthroat political world of Central, so Im sure Shuai Jiao has plenty of plans in place to ensure he keeps his lofty powers even after the Defiled threat is gone and he renounces his military rank as promised. Especially now that theres no Ryo Dae Jung to stand in his way, the people of Central might even beg Shuai Jiao to keep his mantle of Commander General, or at least step down and become the sole remaining Colonel General of Central, which might well have been his goal all along.
Ryo Dae Jung seemed like a good man, one who loved his wife and children dearly. A political animal, sure, but he never used his daughter to pressure me, even though Im sure Ryo Dain couldve beat me black and blue any time she pleased, nor did he renounce me after my unfortunate crippling. For his loyalty, the Sword King was rewarded with an early, untimely demise, and I can only offer a quiet prayer for this good man and curse myself for not making it here a day earlier.
How much time did I waste, locked away in the Void? How much further would I be, had I not tried to run and hide from all my problems like the coward I am? I told the Abbot there can be no wrong steps along the Martial Path, because regardless of our mistakes, they are still capable of altering our perception and perspective, but there are times when it feels like I failed and faltered a whole lot more than I shouldve. Whos to say I wont screw up again and get everyone in the Citadel killed? Despite my lofty title, I am no commander of soldiers or even an able administrator, just a child with the good fortune to be surrounded by people of talent and good conscience.
...Excuse me, inner monologue, but child? Ahem. No. I am old as fuck. Okay, not really, but never in all my years here in the Azure Empire, have I ever, considered myself a child.
Fucking Zhen Shi. How does he do it? How is he always whispering in my ear? No, not even whispers, because he only rarely feeds me direct lines like he just did. Instead, he silently tugs at my heartstrings and leads me deeper into the pits of self-loathing and despair before offering me that one final push to try and tip me over the edge. Such a loathsome and insidious foe is difficult to guard against, if not impossible, and I find it surprising he hasnt turned more Imperial Officers to his cause. Maybe theyre more steadfast in their determination or Im just weak and impressionable, but I keep falling for the same damn tricks time and time again. A sympathetic foe here, a sprinkle of doubt and uncertainty there, followed up with a big helping of contempt and general derision directed inwards, and bam, we got a stew cooking.
Is he here right now, hiding somewhere in the crowd, watching me even as he whispers lies into my ears? How much does he know about me and who I really am? Clearly, he doesnt know about my past lifes memories, or at least doesnt realize I identify myself as a transmigrator first rather than a native of these lands, else Id have to imagine hed take a wildly different approach. How easy would it be to drive a wedge between myself and the people of the Azure Empire? All hed have to do is remind me of how different our morals and sensibilities really are and hed have all the ammunition hed need to turn me against them. Many of the people under him have been lured by the false promise of doing harm in the name of good. Gen, Yo Ling, Mao Jianghong, Goujian, and Gongsun Qi to name but a few, and I could easily see myself trying to conquer the Empire if given the right motivations. Or rather, if someone put the right spin on the right motivations to cloud my perspective and draw me deeper into sin until I had no choice but to stay true to my Path lest I be consumed by doubt and contrition.
Thats Zhen Shis Modus Operandi after all. When you stop and think about what hes done, he doesnt really seem all that scary. I even told him as much to his face, that Id figured out his tricks and they would no longer work, but he just took a short breather until I let my guard down so he could hit me with the same damn moves to similar success. The worst part is, I have no one to blame but myself, because at the end of the day, Zhen Shi is neither a mind-reader or mind-controller, just an emotionally abusive and manipulative son of a bitch who knows how to get the reaction he wants. Its so... normal and mundane, yet also almost impossible for me to defend against except by remaining ever vigilant against my own melancholic nature, which is easier said than done. I cant just stop being gloomy and start being upbeat, because Im just built different from the rest. The best I can do is surround myself with good people and hope I go before they do, because I fear for the day when Falling Rain has nothing left to lose, because it means Ill also have nothing left to protect.
Introspective matters for another day, however, as right now, I have a battle to stop. The soldiers of Central are exhausted but not yet spent, their heads high and weapons in hand as I leave Yan and step off the balcony to meet my foe face to face. Grandpa Du is first to Send his objections, followed by Yan, Naaran, Hongji, and a whole host of others including even Shuai Jiao from afar, but I will not hide from my foe, not while he stands in plain sight. Fancy clothes, embossed armour, and honking big glaive aside, Gongsun Qi is not an imposing man, slim of build but broad of shoulder with the airs of a man who works with his hands. Not a scholar, not a soldier, but a craftsman and labourer, thats the impression I get from him at first glance, one that is as far from the truth as humanly possible. The Prince of Barbarity is a superlative Warrior and tactical genius who is not to be underestimated, but as Zhen Shi was so kind to remind me, Gongsun Qi does not kill and slaughter for his own perverse pleasures.
Everything the Lord of Martial Peace does has been in pursuit of a goal, order and prosperity for his people. The internecine warfare in the Western Province cost him all his family and friends, and he has worked his entire life to ensure this would not happen to others, only for the worst to pass as the Defiled broke through and the Emperor abandoned his people. No, Gongsun Qi is not a monster by birth, but by circumstance and good intentions, a just and honourable man who walks his Path of Necessary Sacrifice with the firm conviction of a true believer.
Which is why Im pretty sure he wont kill me out of hand while we chat, but just to be safe, I pick out a spot on top of the gate-house where I reunited with Yan to stand while we chat. Cloud-Stepping slowly in that direction, I scan the surroundings for Concealed Wraiths or Demons, but it comes up clean, if not entirely safe. At only seventy metres or so away from the Lord of Martial Peace, we might as well be just slightly out of arms length given how quickly we both can move, but Imperial morale could use a boost, and what better way than to show them I am stronger than ever before. Slow, even steps bring me across the empty air in a calm, casual manner, and I spot more than one soldiers gaze is filled with admiration or disbelief, both of which foster hope and jubilation amidst this grand trial and tribulation, one which has left many a soldier in despair.
If only I knew how I was doing this, then I too could share in that hope and jubilation...
Bold indeed, Gongsun Qi eventually says, offering me another small nod of respect. But perhaps not so insolent after all. There be a fine line between confidence and arrogance, so let this Prince gauge where you stand. Slowly raising his left hand, he holds it high overhead for a single second, one that stretches into eternity as I realize what he intends, but its already too late to do anything about it. All forces. Attack.
And with that, the Lord of Martial Peace and Prince of Barbarity is upon me, and there is no more time to think.
There is no retreat, so I dive forward instead, knowing my protectors are but a step away, a step which might as well be a mile considering the circumstances. Unity lances out to pierce through empty air as Gongsun Qi casually avoids the counter thrust while landing atop the gatehouse and delivering a powerful slash which hurtles unerring towards my neck. Blocking is not an option, so I continue forward and slip to the side, or try to as my foe pivots to keep me locked in his sights. A quarter circle is all I can manage before this maneuver is no longer of use, because if I slow down long enough to continue circling around him, Gongsun Qis attack will arrive to separate my head from my shoulders. Its a matter of angles, and he currently holds the advantage, so I dive upwards into the air in an effort to avoid this killing blow. Anticipating my actions even before Ive decided upon them, he Cloud-Steps up over me to retain our difference in height, our feet so even we might as well be standing on solid ground.
But we arent, which is important, because so much of a Martial Warriors strength comes from contact with the ground beneath them.
Ive used this effect many a time, pushing with my feet and rotating my hips to put more power into a swing, and while Gongsun Qis movements are unparalleled and wholly without a flaw, now that his feet are no longer touching the ground, the amount of power he can add to the swing is limited to what he can output with his upper torso combined with Amplification. Still a significant amount, but not something I cannot match through clever use of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp, which I unleash through Peace, drawing it from its sheath after releasing Unity instead of recovering from my failed counter.
Sword meets glaive in a crashing exchange. Muscles tear and bones crack as I come out on the losing end, but not so badly as to die from the first hit. Rather than resist even more, I go with the flow and Cloud Step away from the strike, bleeding and injured from a single exchange, but still alive and in the fight. Broke my hand, fractured my arm, tore my bicep and triceps both, and thats just the worst of my injuries, which goes to show how greatly I am outmatched. My version of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp is nowhere near equal to Mitsue Juichis, but its still capable of amplifying my strikes to ridiculous levels, and yet my foe is still able to easily overpower my greatest hit with almost laughable ease. To make matters worse, its much easier to attack than defend, and unlike my earlier clash with the eyebrowed monk, Gongsun Qi has no protege to protect or weakness for me to exploit.
None of which is enough to make me admit defeat.
Feigning weakness and disorientation until the very last moment, I dodge and Deflect the hasty follow-up attack, one less than half as powerful as the initial strike due to the complications of aerial combat. Few Martial Warriors care to practice such maneuvers, which is why I chose to bring our match here, because any shared disadvantage lessens the disparity in our strengths. Reaching out as my foes glaive whizzes harmlessly by me, I loop three fingers around one of the nine rings inserted into the back of the blade, the bottom-most one closest to the base. Exhaling to release any and all tension, I give in to momentum and let the glaive carry me away from my foe even as he tries to grab my throat with a free hand. Releasing the ring at the apex of the swing, I Cloud Step down and away while flipping about, only to change directions and bolt back towards the safety of my allies with the Lord of Martial Peace hot on my heels.
Our minor exchange took place within the blink of an eye, so quickly most of the audience wouldve missed it, but my dependable grandmother slash Mother-in-Law is even quicker. Glaive and halberd collide in a thundering crash, one that is repeated more times than I can count in the span of a second, but then a series of deafening roars drown out all else, and my close brush with death comes to an end as the recently renewed hostilities come to a standstill once more.
Blood sprays and bodies fly in the silent aftermath, a high-pitched ring the only thing I can hear from being so close to the explosion. Even in the throes of Enlightenment, my eyes were not able to track what happened even though mentally I know it could only be one thing. A few steps away, a cloud of smoke dissipates to reveal none other than the Lord of Thunder, Lei Gong, his dishevelled beard standing on end as he cackles at the destruction he just unleashed. In his arms sits a massive bronze tube that is the source of his awe, sealed at one end, open at the other, and moulded in the shape of a sinuous, menacing dragon spitting hot fiery death at his foes. An appropriate look for a Runic Cannon, and I can see that the scales, claws, eyes, and even the nostrils all serve some sort of purpose in the myriad array of runes carved into the cannons frame, enabling the magical weapon to unleash a twenty kilogram projectile at close to half the speed of sound. All of this was only possible with OuYang Yuhuans genius efforts, my poached bell-makers attention to detail, and Luo-Luos uncanny ability to smuggle people and goods to anywhere she needs them. The Runic Cannon was to be her weapon of last resort, one she intended to use to defend the Districts, but upon seeing how dire the Central Citadels situation had become, she committed her hidden card to the battle out of fear and desperation, a decision Im glad I didnt have to make.
For in doing so, she has unleashed death and destruction on a scale few in this world have ever experienced before.
Even though Gongsun Qi was able to block and even Deflect the cannonball aimed at his body, the Defiled soldiers behind him were not fortunate enough to escape death. While the point of impact is barely larger than the cannonball is wide, the projectiles momentum carried it far through the packed Enemy lines. Wherever it passed, death followed soon after as brawn and Runic Armour proved no match for dense iron and unmatched velocity, the cannonball bouncing down the line and pulping flesh and bone until its momentum was finally spent. Difficult to say how many it killed, given what little remains of those who stood in its path, but the number easily ranks in the dozens, if not the hundreds at a minimum.
And being the Number One Runesmith of the North, OuYang Yuhuan did not stop after making one, singular cannon.
Woodsman Yelu Shi. Radiant Fist Wugang. Daxian the Virtuous. Bastard Liu Gan. Each of them carry a cannon which they use to similar results, their concentrated fire wiping out an entire section of the Defiled army in the blink of an eye. Then, before the horror of what Ive unleashed has yet to take root, they load a second cannonball into each of their weapons and fire again, and again, and again, slowed only by the need to load their cannons for another shot. A mundane cannon takes minutes to reload, to pack the gunpower, set the charges, and whatever else a regular cannon needs, but with a Runic Cannon, the cannonball only needs to roll down the length of the barrel and reach the base of the cannon before it is ready to be fired. Imperials stand frozen in shock and awe as five men kill thousands without blinking, racking up kills as easily as breathing and sending the once fearless Defiled fleeing in panicked droves. Lei Gong and Liu Gan even have wide smiles stretched across their rugged faces, the former luxuriating in the satisfaction of finally living up to his thunderous name while the latter relishes in his vengeance which was long since coming.
I didnt even know the former leader of the Crossbone Corsairs had joined up with GangShus Azure Ascendants, but beneath his sadistically gleeful expression, I can feel his pain and resentment bubbling up. This is a man who hates the Empire almost as much as Gongsun Qi, but the difference is, Liu Gan hates the Defiled even more, which is why he killed his younger brother, Yo Ling. He saw what Defilement did to the only family he had left, and he chose to take a stand against it, even if it cost him everything he held dear.
Unable to spare the effort to kill me any longer, Gongsun Qi retreats and tries to rally an effective defence and maybe take out the cannon-bearing Warriors, but it seems Zhen Shi has already given up the fight and withdrawn all his Spectres, Demons, and Demonic Warriors. My part is done here, so I retreat under close guard to find Yan, hold her close to soothe my shaking nerves, and bear witness to what I have wrought. Men and women die in droves and countless Demons are formed in the aftermath, a horrific nightmare which shakes me to my Core, but even more frightening is how so many Demons are still unable to clear away the carpet of corpses forming on the ground. These efforts do deny me the ability to Devour the recently released Spectres and easily replenish my spent reserves of usable Heavenly Energy, and I have to wonder if this is coincidental or by ingenious design. How much does Zhen Shi truly know? Is he able to create Demons at will? How else will he deny me the power I require?
Within minutes, the booming roars of the Runic Cannons and the whistling howls of their deadly payloads are no longer able to drown out the screams of the dying, and I shudder to think what might happen once others uncover the secrets of cannon creation and start utilizing them en masse. I survived for almost an entire second against Gongsun Qi and the Empire has won the battle today, but at what cost? Only time will tell, and I fear history will not look kindly upon me once the implications become clear. Today, I have forever changed the face of war, and not for the better. No longer do Peak Experts represent the pinnacle of strength, their position taken away by cold iron etched with indecipherable inscriptions, which is both good and bad at the same time. I dont know if the world is ready for this, but the outer provinces might well have been doomed without it, so I guess theres no point arguing about my intent. Not that it even matters, as the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I cannot help but wonder if Ive taken yet another step down the wrong Path, the same path men like Yo Ling and Gongsun Qi sought to pursue. One which I know can only end in pain and suffering, but then again, isnt that just life?
Suffering without end.
Woooo. Victoryyyy...
Chapter Meme
- End of Volume 38 -
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Chapter 705
One of these days, I will learn to think before I speak and never make a fool of myself again.
Hopefully before I literally die of shame and embarrassment. Much as I love obsessing over plans for every conceivable possibility, the moment I find myself without one, I tend to go all out on the improvisation, which rarely ever ends well. Learning to Heal is the only reason Im still alive after making so many bad decisions while under the gun, and I feel like Ive made another. Demanding an Enemy surrender was ballsy enough as is, but now it sounds like Im intentionally mocking them, when in fact I would very much like to put a diplomatic end to the hostilities here and now. I doubt itll actually happen, but Ill never know unless I try, and Im off to a terrible start. Ridicule is hardly the best way to convince my foes that its in everyones best interests to take a step back, but my foots already firmly ensconced in my mouth so theres nothing to do except talk around it.
It wouldve been nice to have more time to think things through, but after Taduk finally remembered to tell us that the Central Citadel was under heavy attack, Ive been running on all cylinders with no time to breathe much less consider all the angles. Time waits for no man, and much as I would love a week or two to rest and recuperate before diving right back into the thick of things, the calamity is upon us here and now. Its time to nut up or shut up, but Im not great at either of those things, so I gotta do what I gotta do.
The stifling silence does little to ease my humiliation, but at least it means the fighting has stopped, if only so everyone in the Citadel can collectively wince in second-degree shame. Yans muffled laughter doesnt help either, but I love the sound of her throaty chuckle and the heat of her body pressed against mine, so Id say its totally worth. It feels like an eternity since Ive held her in my arms, and I am so grateful to have her in my life, much less be married to such an amazing woman. Yan was the first to notice I was hiding within my fugue state, but rather than out me and try to force me back to consciousness, she quietly let me know in no uncertain terms that she knew I was there, but would wait for as long as it took. Her tender love and quiet support showed me the foolishness of my ways and gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get over my fears and move on. Im still terrified that everyone I know and love will one day learn I am a fraud, and only slightly less terrified that everything Im currently experiencing is merely an illusion crafted by Zhen Shi, but Yans patience and love showed me just how stupid my behaviour was, hiding from everyone and everything just because I was afraid to lose any more. As if that werent enough, shes also set me on the path towards understanding that I am neither my past nor my present, not a pretender or intruder, but someone who is neither and also both, Rayne and Rain combined, a person I have yet to truly figure out, and theres nothing wrong with that.
What I do know is that I love Yan with all my heart, and cannot imagine a life without her. The same goes for Mila and Lin-Lin, even Li-Li and maybe Luo-Luo, though Im still not sure where I stand with either one of them, but one thing is certain: I am a lucky man when it comes to love.
Everything else, not so much, but thems the breaks, right?
So, the infamous Legate Falling Rain finally sees fit to reveal his lofty presence, and his first call be to demand this Princes surrender. You be bold and insolent as rumours say. Very well. This Prince accepts your invitation to discussion, and hopes the Legate will not disappoint. Speaking in a slow, ambling drawl that makes him sound cordially folksy, the Lord of Martial Peace reveals his presence atop the roof of the banquet hall, the same one the Legate used for his banquet way back when. Actually, now that I think about it, that wasnt so far back, but it feels like an eternity has passed since I had to justify my continued existence before the Legate and all of the outer provinces. Most believed I was of more use dead than alive, a fondly remembered hero and martyr rather than a crippled eyesore with more authority than Martial power. I still dont understand why everyone thinks a person who spends all their time learning how to hit people harder would make for a good administrator or commander, but Ive long since given up on trying to find sense in oh so many of the decisions people make.
That being said, Gongsun Qi would appear to be the exception to the rule, brilliant tactician, outstanding Warrior, and able minister wrapped up in one. Though his methods are more brutal and merciless than I can stomach, one cannot argue against results seeing how he single-handedly put a stop to the cyclical rebellions of the West, saving Heavens knows how many lives in the process. What would I have done in his place? Im not entirely sure, but considering the woes the West faced since inception, Im not sure I couldve done any better than the infamous Lord of Martial Peace. It wasnt just a lack of food and water that caused strife in the West, but rather the need to conserve what they did have in order to prepare for the worst. Its one thing to look down at a spreadsheet and calculate how we need to cut back to half-rations in order to survive, and another all-together to tell a man with starving children that theyll have to eat even less than the meagre share they were already provided so that the vast majority of people could survive the next few months.
How many half-measures did he have to enact to save the lives of the many at the cost of a few? How many times did he dispatch soldiers to defend precious food and water from starving civilians who were sick and tired of watching their children go to bed hungry? The Prince of Barbarity, they called him, when in fact, the Emperor was the barbaric one, limiting the resources of an entire province it so desperately needed in order to secure a better price on precious ores. Small wonder Gongsun Qi turned against the Empire after having given so much of his life to the cause. I cannot imagine how he felt when the Emperor closed the borders not even a day after the Defiled broke through. Decades of hardship and sacrifice rewarded by bitter betrayal and abandonment, the fight given up without even making an attempt to save the West.
Then again, what else could the Emperor have done, aside from going back in time and being a better ruler to his people? What would I have done if I were in his place, having learned the Defiled had broken through into the outer provinces? Im not sure. When the West fell, North and South were still reeling from months of uninterrupted assaults upon their respective Border Walls, and Central was so fractured that appointing a single Colonel General to command all their armies wouldve resulted in civil war. There was no way to send aid to the West without further weakening the remaining outer provinces, so the Emperor chose to sever a limb and cauterize the wound rather than fester or bleed out. Sure, things turned out better than expected since then, but only through a series of near miracles and unfortunate events, and though the outer provinces are finally united under one commander, thats more of a fluke than anything else. Hideos betrayal and the death of the Southern Colonel General are the only reasons Shuai Jiao was able to snag the title of Commander General with minimal concessions. If Mitsue Juichi had never stepped down, Ryo Dae Jung would not have been left alone to bear the full weight of Shuai Jiaos attentions. As for the North and South, Nian Zu was never one to covet power and authority, so he wouldve always acted in the best interests of the Empire, but Marshal Quyen Huong had to make concessions since his highest ranking officer fell in battle, making his entire province seem the weakest of the three.
Given how well things turned out for him, my gut tells me that the ascetic wannabe monk turned Commander General cannot be trusted. Despite his efforts to serve the people, Shuai Jiao has shown his true colours as a man of ambition and opportunity, something I shouldve already known. No one could have risen to his lofty heights without support aplenty, especially in the cutthroat political world of Central, so Im sure Shuai Jiao has plenty of plans in place to ensure he keeps his lofty powers even after the Defiled threat is gone and he renounces his military rank as promised. Especially now that theres no Ryo Dae Jung to stand in his way, the people of Central might even beg Shuai Jiao to keep his mantle of Commander General, or at least step down and become the sole remaining Colonel General of Central, which might well have been his goal all along.
Ryo Dae Jung seemed like a good man, one who loved his wife and children dearly. A political animal, sure, but he never used his daughter to pressure me, even though Im sure Ryo Dain couldve beat me black and blue any time she pleased, nor did he renounce me after my unfortunate crippling. For his loyalty, the Sword King was rewarded with an early, untimely demise, and I can only offer a quiet prayer for this good man and curse myself for not making it here a day earlier.
How much time did I waste, locked away in the Void? How much further would I be, had I not tried to run and hide from all my problems like the coward I am? I told the Abbot there can be no wrong steps along the Martial Path, because regardless of our mistakes, they are still capable of altering our perception and perspective, but there are times when it feels like I failed and faltered a whole lot more than I shouldve. Whos to say I wont screw up again and get everyone in the Citadel killed? Despite my lofty title, I am no commander of soldiers or even an able administrator, just a child with the good fortune to be surrounded by people of talent and good conscience.
...Excuse me, inner monologue, but child? Ahem. No. I am old as fuck. Okay, not really, but never in all my years here in the Azure Empire, have I ever, considered myself a child.
Fucking Zhen Shi. How does he do it? How is he always whispering in my ear? No, not even whispers, because he only rarely feeds me direct lines like he just did. Instead, he silently tugs at my heartstrings and leads me deeper into the pits of self-loathing and despair before offering me that one final push to try and tip me over the edge. Such a loathsome and insidious foe is difficult to guard against, if not impossible, and I find it surprising he hasnt turned more Imperial Officers to his cause. Maybe theyre more steadfast in their determination or Im just weak and impressionable, but I keep falling for the same damn tricks time and time again. A sympathetic foe here, a sprinkle of doubt and uncertainty there, followed up with a big helping of contempt and general derision directed inwards, and bam, we got a stew cooking.
Is he here right now, hiding somewhere in the crowd, watching me even as he whispers lies into my ears? How much does he know about me and who I really am? Clearly, he doesnt know about my past lifes memories, or at least doesnt realize I identify myself as a transmigrator first rather than a native of these lands, else Id have to imagine hed take a wildly different approach. How easy would it be to drive a wedge between myself and the people of the Azure Empire? All hed have to do is remind me of how different our morals and sensibilities really are and hed have all the ammunition hed need to turn me against them. Many of the people under him have been lured by the false promise of doing harm in the name of good. Gen, Yo Ling, Mao Jianghong, Goujian, and Gongsun Qi to name but a few, and I could easily see myself trying to conquer the Empire if given the right motivations. Or rather, if someone put the right spin on the right motivations to cloud my perspective and draw me deeper into sin until I had no choice but to stay true to my Path lest I be consumed by doubt and contrition.
Thats Zhen Shis Modus Operandi after all. When you stop and think about what hes done, he doesnt really seem all that scary. I even told him as much to his face, that Id figured out his tricks and they would no longer work, but he just took a short breather until I let my guard down so he could hit me with the same damn moves to similar success. The worst part is, I have no one to blame but myself, because at the end of the day, Zhen Shi is neither a mind-reader or mind-controller, just an emotionally abusive and manipulative son of a bitch who knows how to get the reaction he wants. Its so... normal and mundane, yet also almost impossible for me to defend against except by remaining ever vigilant against my own melancholic nature, which is easier said than done. I cant just stop being gloomy and start being upbeat, because Im just built different from the rest. The best I can do is surround myself with good people and hope I go before they do, because I fear for the day when Falling Rain has nothing left to lose, because it means Ill also have nothing left to protect.
Introspective matters for another day, however, as right now, I have a battle to stop. The soldiers of Central are exhausted but not yet spent, their heads high and weapons in hand as I leave Yan and step off the balcony to meet my foe face to face. Grandpa Du is first to Send his objections, followed by Yan, Naaran, Hongji, and a whole host of others including even Shuai Jiao from afar, but I will not hide from my foe, not while he stands in plain sight. Fancy clothes, embossed armour, and honking big glaive aside, Gongsun Qi is not an imposing man, slim of build but broad of shoulder with the airs of a man who works with his hands. Not a scholar, not a soldier, but a craftsman and labourer, thats the impression I get from him at first glance, one that is as far from the truth as humanly possible. The Prince of Barbarity is a superlative Warrior and tactical genius who is not to be underestimated, but as Zhen Shi was so kind to remind me, Gongsun Qi does not kill and slaughter for his own perverse pleasures.
Everything the Lord of Martial Peace does has been in pursuit of a goal, order and prosperity for his people. The internecine warfare in the Western Province cost him all his family and friends, and he has worked his entire life to ensure this would not happen to others, only for the worst to pass as the Defiled broke through and the Emperor abandoned his people. No, Gongsun Qi is not a monster by birth, but by circumstance and good intentions, a just and honourable man who walks his Path of Necessary Sacrifice with the firm conviction of a true believer.
Which is why Im pretty sure he wont kill me out of hand while we chat, but just to be safe, I pick out a spot on top of the gate-house where I reunited with Yan to stand while we chat. Cloud-Stepping slowly in that direction, I scan the surroundings for Concealed Wraiths or Demons, but it comes up clean, if not entirely safe. At only seventy metres or so away from the Lord of Martial Peace, we might as well be just slightly out of arms length given how quickly we both can move, but Imperial morale could use a boost, and what better way than to show them I am stronger than ever before. Slow, even steps bring me across the empty air in a calm, casual manner, and I spot more than one soldiers gaze is filled with admiration or disbelief, both of which foster hope and jubilation amidst this grand trial and tribulation, one which has left many a soldier in despair.
If only I knew how I was doing this, then I too could share in that hope and jubilation...
Bold indeed, Gongsun Qi eventually says, offering me another small nod of respect. But perhaps not so insolent after all. There be a fine line between confidence and arrogance, so let this Prince gauge where you stand. Slowly raising his left hand, he holds it high overhead for a single second, one that stretches into eternity as I realize what he intends, but its already too late to do anything about it. All forces. Attack.
And with that, the Lord of Martial Peace and Prince of Barbarity is upon me, and there is no more time to think.
There is no retreat, so I dive forward instead, knowing my protectors are but a step away, a step which might as well be a mile considering the circumstances. Unity lances out to pierce through empty air as Gongsun Qi casually avoids the counter thrust while landing atop the gatehouse and delivering a powerful slash which hurtles unerring towards my neck. Blocking is not an option, so I continue forward and slip to the side, or try to as my foe pivots to keep me locked in his sights. A quarter circle is all I can manage before this maneuver is no longer of use, because if I slow down long enough to continue circling around him, Gongsun Qis attack will arrive to separate my head from my shoulders. Its a matter of angles, and he currently holds the advantage, so I dive upwards into the air in an effort to avoid this killing blow. Anticipating my actions even before Ive decided upon them, he Cloud-Steps up over me to retain our difference in height, our feet so even we might as well be standing on solid ground.
But we arent, which is important, because so much of a Martial Warriors strength comes from contact with the ground beneath them.
Ive used this effect many a time, pushing with my feet and rotating my hips to put more power into a swing, and while Gongsun Qis movements are unparalleled and wholly without a flaw, now that his feet are no longer touching the ground, the amount of power he can add to the swing is limited to what he can output with his upper torso combined with Amplification. Still a significant amount, but not something I cannot match through clever use of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp, which I unleash through Peace, drawing it from its sheath after releasing Unity instead of recovering from my failed counter.
Sword meets glaive in a crashing exchange. Muscles tear and bones crack as I come out on the losing end, but not so badly as to die from the first hit. Rather than resist even more, I go with the flow and Cloud Step away from the strike, bleeding and injured from a single exchange, but still alive and in the fight. Broke my hand, fractured my arm, tore my bicep and triceps both, and thats just the worst of my injuries, which goes to show how greatly I am outmatched. My version of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp is nowhere near equal to Mitsue Juichis, but its still capable of amplifying my strikes to ridiculous levels, and yet my foe is still able to easily overpower my greatest hit with almost laughable ease. To make matters worse, its much easier to attack than defend, and unlike my earlier clash with the eyebrowed monk, Gongsun Qi has no protege to protect or weakness for me to exploit.
None of which is enough to make me admit defeat.
Feigning weakness and disorientation until the very last moment, I dodge and Deflect the hasty follow-up attack, one less than half as powerful as the initial strike due to the complications of aerial combat. Few Martial Warriors care to practice such maneuvers, which is why I chose to bring our match here, because any shared disadvantage lessens the disparity in our strengths. Reaching out as my foes glaive whizzes harmlessly by me, I loop three fingers around one of the nine rings inserted into the back of the blade, the bottom-most one closest to the base. Exhaling to release any and all tension, I give in to momentum and let the glaive carry me away from my foe even as he tries to grab my throat with a free hand. Releasing the ring at the apex of the swing, I Cloud Step down and away while flipping about, only to change directions and bolt back towards the safety of my allies with the Lord of Martial Peace hot on my heels.
Our minor exchange took place within the blink of an eye, so quickly most of the audience wouldve missed it, but my dependable grandmother slash Mother-in-Law is even quicker. Glaive and halberd collide in a thundering crash, one that is repeated more times than I can count in the span of a second, but then a series of deafening roars drown out all else, and my close brush with death comes to an end as the recently renewed hostilities come to a standstill once more.
Blood sprays and bodies fly in the silent aftermath, a high-pitched ring the only thing I can hear from being so close to the explosion. Even in the throes of Enlightenment, my eyes were not able to track what happened even though mentally I know it could only be one thing. A few steps away, a cloud of smoke dissipates to reveal none other than the Lord of Thunder, Lei Gong, his dishevelled beard standing on end as he cackles at the destruction he just unleashed. In his arms sits a massive bronze tube that is the source of his awe, sealed at one end, open at the other, and moulded in the shape of a sinuous, menacing dragon spitting hot fiery death at his foes. An appropriate look for a Runic Cannon, and I can see that the scales, claws, eyes, and even the nostrils all serve some sort of purpose in the myriad array of runes carved into the cannons frame, enabling the magical weapon to unleash a twenty kilogram projectile at close to half the speed of sound. All of this was only possible with OuYang Yuhuans genius efforts, my poached bell-makers attention to detail, and Luo-Luos uncanny ability to smuggle people and goods to anywhere she needs them. The Runic Cannon was to be her weapon of last resort, one she intended to use to defend the Districts, but upon seeing how dire the Central Citadels situation had become, she committed her hidden card to the battle out of fear and desperation, a decision Im glad I didnt have to make.
For in doing so, she has unleashed death and destruction on a scale few in this world have ever experienced before.
Even though Gongsun Qi was able to block and even Deflect the cannonball aimed at his body, the Defiled soldiers behind him were not fortunate enough to escape death. While the point of impact is barely larger than the cannonball is wide, the projectiles momentum carried it far through the packed Enemy lines. Wherever it passed, death followed soon after as brawn and Runic Armour proved no match for dense iron and unmatched velocity, the cannonball bouncing down the line and pulping flesh and bone until its momentum was finally spent. Difficult to say how many it killed, given what little remains of those who stood in its path, but the number easily ranks in the dozens, if not the hundreds at a minimum.
And being the Number One Runesmith of the North, OuYang Yuhuan did not stop after making one, singular cannon.
Woodsman Yelu Shi. Radiant Fist Wugang. Daxian the Virtuous. Bastard Liu Gan. Each of them carry a cannon which they use to similar results, their concentrated fire wiping out an entire section of the Defiled army in the blink of an eye. Then, before the horror of what Ive unleashed has yet to take root, they load a second cannonball into each of their weapons and fire again, and again, and again, slowed only by the need to load their cannons for another shot. A mundane cannon takes minutes to reload, to pack the gunpower, set the charges, and whatever else a regular cannon needs, but with a Runic Cannon, the cannonball only needs to roll down the length of the barrel and reach the base of the cannon before it is ready to be fired. Imperials stand frozen in shock and awe as five men kill thousands without blinking, racking up kills as easily as breathing and sending the once fearless Defiled fleeing in panicked droves. Lei Gong and Liu Gan even have wide smiles stretched across their rugged faces, the former luxuriating in the satisfaction of finally living up to his thunderous name while the latter relishes in his vengeance which was long since coming.
I didnt even know the former leader of the Crossbone Corsairs had joined up with GangShus Azure Ascendants, but beneath his sadistically gleeful expression, I can feel his pain and resentment bubbling up. This is a man who hates the Empire almost as much as Gongsun Qi, but the difference is, Liu Gan hates the Defiled even more, which is why he killed his younger brother, Yo Ling. He saw what Defilement did to the only family he had left, and he chose to take a stand against it, even if it cost him everything he held dear.
Unable to spare the effort to kill me any longer, Gongsun Qi retreats and tries to rally an effective defence and maybe take out the cannon-bearing Warriors, but it seems Zhen Shi has already given up the fight and withdrawn all his Spectres, Demons, and Demonic Warriors. My part is done here, so I retreat under close guard to find Yan, hold her close to soothe my shaking nerves, and bear witness to what I have wrought. Men and women die in droves and countless Demons are formed in the aftermath, a horrific nightmare which shakes me to my Core, but even more frightening is how so many Demons are still unable to clear away the carpet of corpses forming on the ground. These efforts do deny me the ability to Devour the recently released Spectres and easily replenish my spent reserves of usable Heavenly Energy, and I have to wonder if this is coincidental or by ingenious design. How much does Zhen Shi truly know? Is he able to create Demons at will? How else will he deny me the power I require?
Within minutes, the booming roars of the Runic Cannons and the whistling howls of their deadly payloads are no longer able to drown out the screams of the dying, and I shudder to think what might happen once others uncover the secrets of cannon creation and start utilizing them en masse. I survived for almost an entire second against Gongsun Qi and the Empire has won the battle today, but at what cost? Only time will tell, and I fear history will not look kindly upon me once the implications become clear. Today, I have forever changed the face of war, and not for the better. No longer do Peak Experts represent the pinnacle of strength, their position taken away by cold iron etched with indecipherable inscriptions, which is both good and bad at the same time. I dont know if the world is ready for this, but the outer provinces might well have been doomed without it, so I guess theres no point arguing about my intent. Not that it even matters, as the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I cannot help but wonder if Ive taken yet another step down the wrong Path, the same path men like Yo Ling and Gongsun Qi sought to pursue. One which I know can only end in pain and suffering, but then again, isnt that just life?
Suffering without end.
Woooo. Victoryyyy...
Chapter Meme
- End of Volume 38 -
Chapter 705One of these days, I will learn to think before I speak and never make a fool of myself again.Hopefully before I literally die of shame and embarrassment. Much as I love obsessing over plans for every conceivable possibility, the moment I find myself without one, I tend to go all out on the improvisation, which rarely ever ends well. Learning to Heal is the only reason Im still alive after making so many bad decisions while under the gun, and I feel like Ive made another. Demanding an Enemy surrender was ballsy enough as is, but now it sounds like Im intentionally mocking them, when in fact I would very much like to put a diplomatic end to the hostilities here and now. I doubt itll actually happen, but Ill never know unless I try, and Im off to a terrible start. Ridicule is hardly the best way to convince my foes that its in everyones best interests to take a step back, but my foots already firmly ensconced in my mouth so theres nothing to do except talk around it.It wouldve been nice to have more time to think things through, but after Taduk finally remembered to tell us that the Central Citadel was under heavy attack, Ive been running on all cylinders with no time to breathe much less consider all the angles. Time waits for no man, and much as I would love a week or two to rest and recuperate before diving right back into the thick of things, the calamity is upon us here and now. Its time to nut up or shut up, but Im not great at either of those things, so I gotta do what I gotta do.The stifling silence does little to ease my humiliation, but at least it means the fighting has stopped, if only so everyone in the Citadel can collectively wince in second-degree shame. Yans muffled laughter doesnt help either, but I love the sound of her throaty chuckle and the heat of her body pressed against mine, so Id say its totally worth. It feels like an eternity since Ive held her in my arms, and I am so grateful to have her in my life, much less be married to such an amazing woman. Yan was the first to notice I was hiding within my fugue state, but rather than out me and try to force me back to consciousness, she quietly let me know in no uncertain terms that she knew I was there, but would wait for as long as it took. Her tender love and quiet support showed me the foolishness of my ways and gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get over my fears and move on. Im still terrified that everyone I know and love will one day learn I am a fraud, and only slightly less terrified that everything Im currently experiencing is merely an illusion crafted by Zhen Shi, but Yans patience and love showed me just how stupid my behaviour was, hiding from everyone and everything just because I was afraid to lose any more. As if that werent enough, shes also set me on the path towards understanding that I am neither my past nor my present, not a pretender or intruder, but someone who is neither and also both, Rayne and Rain combined, a person I have yet to truly figure out, and theres nothing wrong with that.What I do know is that I love Yan with all my heart, and cannot imagine a life without her. The same goes for Mila and Lin-Lin, even Li-Li and maybe Luo-Luo, though Im still not sure where I stand with either one of them, but one thing is certain: I am a lucky man when it comes to love.Everything else, not so much, but thems the breaks, right?So, the infamous Legate Falling Rain finally sees fit to reveal his lofty presence, and his first call be to demand this Princes surrender. You be bold and insolent as rumours say. Very well. This Prince accepts your invitation to discussion, and hopes the Legate will not disappoint. Speaking in a slow, ambling drawl that makes him sound cordially folksy, the Lord of Martial Peace reveals his presence atop the roof of the banquet hall, the same one the Legate used for his banquet way back when. Actually, now that I think about it, that wasnt so far back, but it feels like an eternity has passed since I had to justify my continued existence before the Legate and all of the outer provinces. Most believed I was of more use dead than alive, a fondly remembered hero and martyr rather than a crippled eyesore with more authority than Martial power. I still dont understand why everyone thinks a person who spends all their time learning how to hit people harder would make for a good administrator or commander, but Ive long since given up on trying to find sense in oh so many of the decisions people make.That being said, Gongsun Qi would appear to be the exception to the rule, brilliant tactician, outstanding Warrior, and able minister wrapped up in one. Though his methods are more brutal and merciless than I can stomach, one cannot argue against results seeing how he single-handedly put a stop to the cyclical rebellions of the West, saving Heavens knows how many lives in the process. What would I have done in his place? Im not entirely sure, but considering the woes the West faced since inception, Im not sure I couldve done any better than the infamous Lord of Martial Peace. It wasnt just a lack of food and water that caused strife in the West, but rather the need to conserve what they did have in order to prepare for the worst. Its one thing to look down at a spreadsheet and calculate how we need to cut back to half-rations in order to survive, and another all-together to tell a man with starving children that theyll have to eat even less than the meagre share they were already provided so that the vast majority of people could survive the next few months.How many half-measures did he have to enact to save the lives of the many at the cost of a few? How many times did he dispatch soldiers to defend precious food and water from starving civilians who were sick and tired of watching their children go to bed hungry? The Prince of Barbarity, they called him, when in fact, the Emperor was the barbaric one, limiting the resources of an entire province it so desperately needed in order to secure a better price on precious ores. Small wonder Gongsun Qi turned against the Empire after having given so much of his life to the cause. I cannot imagine how he felt when the Emperor closed the borders not even a day after the Defiled broke through. Decades of hardship and sacrifice rewarded by bitter betrayal and abandonment, the fight given up without even making an attempt to save the West.Then again, what else could the Emperor have done, aside from going back in time and being a better ruler to his people? What would I have done if I were in his place, having learned the Defiled had broken through into the outer provinces? Im not sure. When the West fell, North and South were still reeling from months of uninterrupted assaults upon their respective Border Walls, and Central was so fractured that appointing a single Colonel General to command all their armies wouldve resulted in civil war. There was no way to send aid to the West without further weakening the remaining outer provinces, so the Emperor chose to sever a limb and cauterize the wound rather than fester or bleed out. Sure, things turned out better than expected since then, but only through a series of near miracles and unfortunate events, and though the outer provinces are finally united under one commander, thats more of a fluke than anything else. Hideos betrayal and the death of the Southern Colonel General are the only reasons Shuai Jiao was able to snag the title of Commander General with minimal concessions. If Mitsue Juichi had never stepped down, Ryo Dae Jung would not have been left alone to bear the full weight of Shuai Jiaos attentions. As for the North and South, Nian Zu was never one to covet power and authority, so he wouldve always acted in the best interests of the Empire, but Marshal Quyen Huong had to make concessions since his highest ranking officer fell in battle, making his entire province seem the weakest of the three.Given how well things turned out for him, my gut tells me that the ascetic wannabe monk turned Commander General cannot be trusted. Despite his efforts to serve the people, Shuai Jiao has shown his true colours as a man of ambition and opportunity, something I shouldve already known. No one could have risen to his lofty heights without support aplenty, especially in the cutthroat political world of Central, so Im sure Shuai Jiao has plenty of plans in place to ensure he keeps his lofty powers even after the Defiled threat is gone and he renounces his military rank as promised. Especially now that theres no Ryo Dae Jung to stand in his way, the people of Central might even beg Shuai Jiao to keep his mantle of Commander General, or at least step down and become the sole remaining Colonel General of Central, which might well have been his goal all along.Ryo Dae Jung seemed like a good man, one who loved his wife and children dearly. A political animal, sure, but he never used his daughter to pressure me, even though Im sure Ryo Dain couldve beat me black and blue any time she pleased, nor did he renounce me after my unfortunate crippling. For his loyalty, the Sword King was rewarded with an early, untimely demise, and I can only offer a quiet prayer for this good man and curse myself for not making it here a day earlier.How much time did I waste, locked away in the Void? How much further would I be, had I not tried to run and hide from all my problems like the coward I am? I told the Abbot there can be no wrong steps along the Martial Path, because regardless of our mistakes, they are still capable of altering our perception and perspective, but there are times when it feels like I failed and faltered a whole lot more than I shouldve. Whos to say I wont screw up again and get everyone in the Citadel killed? Despite my lofty title, I am no commander of soldiers or even an able administrator, just a child with the good fortune to be surrounded by people of talent and good conscience....Excuse me, inner monologue, but child? Ahem. No. I am old as fuck. Okay, not really, but never in all my years here in the Azure Empire, have I ever, considered myself a child.Fucking Zhen Shi. How does he do it? How is he always whispering in my ear? No, not even whispers, because he only rarely feeds me direct lines like he just did. Instead, he silently tugs at my heartstrings and leads me deeper into the pits of self-loathing and despair before offering me that one final push to try and tip me over the edge. Such a loathsome and insidious foe is difficult to guard against, if not impossible, and I find it surprising he hasnt turned more Imperial Officers to his cause. Maybe theyre more steadfast in their determination or Im just weak and impressionable, but I keep falling for the same damn tricks time and time again. A sympathetic foe here, a sprinkle of doubt and uncertainty there, followed up with a big helping of contempt and general derision directed inwards, and bam, we got a stew cooking.Is he here right now, hiding somewhere in the crowd, watching me even as he whispers lies into my ears? How much does he know about me and who I really am? Clearly, he doesnt know about my past lifes memories, or at least doesnt realize I identify myself as a transmigrator first rather than a native of these lands, else Id have to imagine hed take a wildly different approach. How easy would it be to drive a wedge between myself and the people of the Azure Empire? All hed have to do is remind me of how different our morals and sensibilities really are and hed have all the ammunition hed need to turn me against them. Many of the people under him have been lured by the false promise of doing harm in the name of good. Gen, Yo Ling, Mao Jianghong, Goujian, and Gongsun Qi to name but a few, and I could easily see myself trying to conquer the Empire if given the right motivations. Or rather, if someone put the right spin on the right motivations to cloud my perspective and draw me deeper into sin until I had no choice but to stay true to my Path lest I be consumed by doubt and contrition.Thats Zhen Shis Modus Operandi after all. When you stop and think about what hes done, he doesnt really seem all that scary. I even told him as much to his face, that Id figured out his tricks and they would no longer work, but he just took a short breather until I let my guard down so he could hit me with the same damn moves to similar success. The worst part is, I have no one to blame but myself, because at the end of the day, Zhen Shi is neither a mind-reader or mind-controller, just an emotionally abusive and manipulative son of a bitch who knows how to get the reaction he wants. Its so... normal and mundane, yet also almost impossible for me to defend against except by remaining ever vigilant against my own melancholic nature, which is easier said than done. I cant just stop being gloomy and start being upbeat, because Im just built different from the rest. The best I can do is surround myself with good people and hope I go before they do, because I fear for the day when Falling Rain has nothing left to lose, because it means Ill also have nothing left to protect.Introspective matters for another day, however, as right now, I have a battle to stop. The soldiers of Central are exhausted but not yet spent, their heads high and weapons in hand as I leave Yan and step off the balcony to meet my foe face to face. Grandpa Du is first to Send his objections, followed by Yan, Naaran, Hongji, and a whole host of others including even Shuai Jiao from afar, but I will not hide from my foe, not while he stands in plain sight. Fancy clothes, embossed armour, and honking big glaive aside, Gongsun Qi is not an imposing man, slim of build but broad of shoulder with the airs of a man who works with his hands. Not a scholar, not a soldier, but a craftsman and labourer, thats the impression I get from him at first glance, one that is as far from the truth as humanly possible. The Prince of Barbarity is a superlative Warrior and tactical genius who is not to be underestimated, but as Zhen Shi was so kind to remind me, Gongsun Qi does not kill and slaughter for his own perverse pleasures.Everything the Lord of Martial Peace does has been in pursuit of a goal, order and prosperity for his people. The internecine warfare in the Western Province cost him all his family and friends, and he has worked his entire life to ensure this would not happen to others, only for the worst to pass as the Defiled broke through and the Emperor abandoned his people. No, Gongsun Qi is not a monster by birth, but by circumstance and good intentions, a just and honourable man who walks his Path of Necessary Sacrifice with the firm conviction of a true believer.Which is why Im pretty sure he wont kill me out of hand while we chat, but just to be safe, I pick out a spot on top of the gate-house where I reunited with Yan to stand while we chat. Cloud-Stepping slowly in that direction, I scan the surroundings for Concealed Wraiths or Demons, but it comes up clean, if not entirely safe. At only seventy metres or so away from the Lord of Martial Peace, we might as well be just slightly out of arms length given how quickly we both can move, but Imperial morale could use a boost, and what better way than to show them I am stronger than ever before. Slow, even steps bring me across the empty air in a calm, casual manner, and I spot more than one soldiers gaze is filled with admiration or disbelief, both of which foster hope and jubilation amidst this grand trial and tribulation, one which has left many a soldier in despair.If only I knew how I was doing this, then I too could share in that hope and jubilation...Bold indeed, Gongsun Qi eventually says, offering me another small nod of respect. But perhaps not so insolent after all. There be a fine line between confidence and arrogance, so let this Prince gauge where you stand. Slowly raising his left hand, he holds it high overhead for a single second, one that stretches into eternity as I realize what he intends, but its already too late to do anything about it. All forces. Attack.And with that, the Lord of Martial Peace and Prince of Barbarity is upon me, and there is no more time to think.There is no retreat, so I dive forward instead, knowing my protectors are but a step away, a step which might as well be a mile considering the circumstances. Unity lances out to pierce through empty air as Gongsun Qi casually avoids the counter thrust while landing atop the gatehouse and delivering a powerful slash which hurtles unerring towards my neck. Blocking is not an option, so I continue forward and slip to the side, or try to as my foe pivots to keep me locked in his sights. A quarter circle is all I can manage before this maneuver is no longer of use, because if I slow down long enough to continue circling around him, Gongsun Qis attack will arrive to separate my head from my shoulders. Its a matter of angles, and he currently holds the advantage, so I dive upwards into the air in an effort to avoid this killing blow. Anticipating my actions even before Ive decided upon them, he Cloud-Steps up over me to retain our difference in height, our feet so even we might as well be standing on solid ground.But we arent, which is important, because so much of a Martial Warriors strength comes from contact with the ground beneath them.Ive used this effect many a time, pushing with my feet and rotating my hips to put more power into a swing, and while Gongsun Qis movements are unparalleled and wholly without a flaw, now that his feet are no longer touching the ground, the amount of power he can add to the swing is limited to what he can output with his upper torso combined with Amplification. Still a significant amount, but not something I cannot match through clever use of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp, which I unleash through Peace, drawing it from its sheath after releasing Unity instead of recovering from my failed counter.Sword meets glaive in a crashing exchange. Muscles tear and bones crack as I come out on the losing end, but not so badly as to die from the first hit. Rather than resist even more, I go with the flow and Cloud Step away from the strike, bleeding and injured from a single exchange, but still alive and in the fight. Broke my hand, fractured my arm, tore my bicep and triceps both, and thats just the worst of my injuries, which goes to show how greatly I am outmatched. My version of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp is nowhere near equal to Mitsue Juichis, but its still capable of amplifying my strikes to ridiculous levels, and yet my foe is still able to easily overpower my greatest hit with almost laughable ease. To make matters worse, its much easier to attack than defend, and unlike my earlier clash with the eyebrowed monk, Gongsun Qi has no protege to protect or weakness for me to exploit.None of which is enough to make me admit defeat.Feigning weakness and disorientation until the very last moment, I dodge and Deflect the hasty follow-up attack, one less than half as powerful as the initial strike due to the complications of aerial combat. Few Martial Warriors care to practice such maneuvers, which is why I chose to bring our match here, because any shared disadvantage lessens the disparity in our strengths. Reaching out as my foes glaive whizzes harmlessly by me, I loop three fingers around one of the nine rings inserted into the back of the blade, the bottom-most one closest to the base. Exhaling to release any and all tension, I give in to momentum and let the glaive carry me away from my foe even as he tries to grab my throat with a free hand. Releasing the ring at the apex of the swing, I Cloud Step down and away while flipping about, only to change directions and bolt back towards the safety of my allies with the Lord of Martial Peace hot on my heels.Our minor exchange took place within the blink of an eye, so quickly most of the audience wouldve missed it, but my dependable grandmother slash Mother-in-Law is even quicker. Glaive and halberd collide in a thundering crash, one that is repeated more times than I can count in the span of a second, but then a series of deafening roars drown out all else, and my close brush with death comes to an end as the recently renewed hostilities come to a standstill once more.Blood sprays and bodies fly in the silent aftermath, a high-pitched ring the only thing I can hear from being so close to the explosion. Even in the throes of Enlightenment, my eyes were not able to track what happened even though mentally I know it could only be one thing. A few steps away, a cloud of smoke dissipates to reveal none other than the Lord of Thunder, Lei Gong, his dishevelled beard standing on end as he cackles at the destruction he just unleashed. In his arms sits a massive bronze tube that is the source of his awe, sealed at one end, open at the other, and moulded in the shape of a sinuous, menacing dragon spitting hot fiery death at his foes. An appropriate look for a Runic Cannon, and I can see that the scales, claws, eyes, and even the nostrils all serve some sort of purpose in the myriad array of runes carved into the cannons frame, enabling the magical weapon to unleash a twenty kilogram projectile at close to half the speed of sound. All of this was only possible with OuYang Yuhuans genius efforts, my poached bell-makers attention to detail, and Luo-Luos uncanny ability to smuggle people and goods to anywhere she needs them. The Runic Cannon was to be her weapon of last resort, one she intended to use to defend the Districts, but upon seeing how dire the Central Citadels situation had become, she committed her hidden card to the battle out of fear and desperation, a decision Im glad I didnt have to make.For in doing so, she has unleashed death and destruction on a scale few in this world have ever experienced before.Even though Gongsun Qi was able to block and even Deflect the cannonball aimed at his body, the Defiled soldiers behind him were not fortunate enough to escape death. While the point of impact is barely larger than the cannonball is wide, the projectiles momentum carried it far through the packed Enemy lines. Wherever it passed, death followed soon after as brawn and Runic Armour proved no match for dense iron and unmatched velocity, the cannonball bouncing down the line and pulping flesh and bone until its momentum was finally spent. Difficult to say how many it killed, given what little remains of those who stood in its path, but the number easily ranks in the dozens, if not the hundreds at a minimum.And being the Number One Runesmith of the North, OuYang Yuhuan did not stop after making one, singular cannon.Woodsman Yelu Shi. Radiant Fist Wugang. Daxian the Virtuous. Bastard Liu Gan. Each of them carry a cannon which they use to similar results, their concentrated fire wiping out an entire section of the Defiled army in the blink of an eye. Then, before the horror of what Ive unleashed has yet to take root, they load a second cannonball into each of their weapons and fire again, and again, and again, slowed only by the need to load their cannons for another shot. A mundane cannon takes minutes to reload, to pack the gunpower, set the charges, and whatever else a regular cannon needs, but with a Runic Cannon, the cannonball only needs to roll down the length of the barrel and reach the base of the cannon before it is ready to be fired. Imperials stand frozen in shock and awe as five men kill thousands without blinking, racking up kills as easily as breathing and sending the once fearless Defiled fleeing in panicked droves. Lei Gong and Liu Gan even have wide smiles stretched across their rugged faces, the former luxuriating in the satisfaction of finally living up to his thunderous name while the latter relishes in his vengeance which was long since coming.I didnt even know the former leader of the Crossbone Corsairs had joined up with GangShus Azure Ascendants, but beneath his sadistically gleeful expression, I can feel his pain and resentment bubbling up. This is a man who hates the Empire almost as much as Gongsun Qi, but the difference is, Liu Gan hates the Defiled even more, which is why he killed his younger brother, Yo Ling. He saw what Defilement did to the only family he had left, and he chose to take a stand against it, even if it cost him everything he held dear.Unable to spare the effort to kill me any longer, Gongsun Qi retreats and tries to rally an effective defence and maybe take out the cannon-bearing Warriors, but it seems Zhen Shi has already given up the fight and withdrawn all his Spectres, Demons, and Demonic Warriors. My part is done here, so I retreat under close guard to find Yan, hold her close to soothe my shaking nerves, and bear witness to what I have wrought. Men and women die in droves and countless Demons are formed in the aftermath, a horrific nightmare which shakes me to my Core, but even more frightening is how so many Demons are still unable to clear away the carpet of corpses forming on the ground. These efforts do deny me the ability to Devour the recently released Spectres and easily replenish my spent reserves of usable Heavenly Energy, and I have to wonder if this is coincidental or by ingenious design. How much does Zhen Shi truly know? Is he able to create Demons at will? How else will he deny me the power I require?Within minutes, the booming roars of the Runic Cannons and the whistling howls of their deadly payloads are no longer able to drown out the screams of the dying, and I shudder to think what might happen once others uncover the secrets of cannon creation and start utilizing them en masse. I survived for almost an entire second against Gongsun Qi and the Empire has won the battle today, but at what cost? Only time will tell, and I fear history will not look kindly upon me once the implications become clear. Today, I have forever changed the face of war, and not for the better. No longer do Peak Experts represent the pinnacle of strength, their position taken away by cold iron etched with indecipherable inscriptions, which is both good and bad at the same time. I dont know if the world is ready for this, but the outer provinces might well have been doomed without it, so I guess theres no point arguing about my intent. Not that it even matters, as the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I cannot help but wonder if Ive taken yet another step down the wrong Path, the same path men like Yo Ling and Gongsun Qi sought to pursue. One which I know can only end in pain and suffering, but then again, isnt that just life?Suffering without end.Woooo. Victoryyyy...Chapter Meme- End of Volume 38 -
