Chapter 786
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Chapter 786
As the final thunderous volley from the Runic Cannons rang out, Hongji clenched his fists and made ready to greet the Enemy with a belly full of remorse.
How did it all come to this? Their grand army of veteran soldiers fighting tooth and nail against an endless horde of unwashed Defiled on the recently reinforced yet already crumbling walls of Shi Bei, a slow but sure death by a thousand cuts. Had Hongji known the Enemy valued the city so highly, he would have abandoned it as quickly as he abandoned Pan Si Xing and made his way to Meng Sha with all haste, where he at least had the option to withdraw his soldiers by ship and live to fight another day. Though everyone knew there would soon come a reckoning for their bold offensive push into the West, no one could have predicted the Defiled would come in such great numbers to Shi Bei. Either the Defiled hosts were far more numerous than even what the most liberal estimates put them at, or the vast majority of the foreign, father-loving bastards had gathered here outside Hongjis walls. Millions upon millions at the very least, with bodies stretching as far as the eye could see and beyond, there seemed no end to the Defiled as they charged in from all sides in a maddened, near-suicidal effort to retake the city.
Perhaps the cunning Uniter knew something Hongji and his allies were unaware of, some hidden strategic value to the city that had thus far gone overlooked, but if that was the case, then Shi Beis advantages were well hidden indeed. When Nian Zu captured the city, it had merely been a forward staging ground for the Defiled offensive. One of many mind you, and a poorly situated one at that, with the only benefit being its middling position along the border between West and Central, which was why no one expected the Enemy to value it so highly. Even then, Hongji knew there would be a siege and made ample preparations in advance, setting the Spring and Autumn Consortium to raising the walls and Exarch Gam to leveling the ground all around Shi Bei. Most other General Officers of the Western offensive thought him overly cautious for doing so, but Hongji knew the Enemy would retaliate here at Shi Bei, because their pride and rage demanded it.
What he didnt know was that they would throw everything they had and more at Shi Bei. It was madness, sheer madness to commit so many troops to secure this worthless prize at so high a cost, for even though the Enemy hordes outnumbered the Imperial Army by a fair margin, Hongjis forces amounted to almost a fifth of those stationed at the recently raised Western Wall. An army of this size was rarely seen even in the history books, an elite crusading force rallied by Legate Falling Rain to retake the West and drive the Enemy out of the province, yet now the Defiled were delivering themselves to die upon Imperial blade and bolt alike.
And die they did, in droves and masses unlike anything the world had ever seen before.
On the first day of the siege, the Irregulars played a huge role in stymieing the tides of unwashed heathens, unleashing a torrential downpour of bolts in an arc over the walls without any need to even see the Enemy to kill them. A single Bekhai archer every twenty-thousand Irregulars made this even more effective, one Khishig to Scry and scout out the biggest clumps of tribesmen to direct their crossbows at, and for a time, there was little the soldiers standing on the raised, reinforced concrete walls needed to do besides dispatch the odd straggler who had the good fortune to weather the storm unharmed. Tens of thousands of Defiled fell and were trampled underfoot as the Irregulars unleashed death upon them from afar, and it went on until the Enemy finally pulled back come nightfall.
Only for a second army of Defiled tribesmen to rotate in and immediately renew the attack on Shi Bei.
No longer could Hongji afford to spend his ammunition so freely, for it was clear the Traitor Commander was intent on drowning his forces in a sea of corpses, with tribal savages making up the lions share of the sum. A plan which had no regard for life, Defiled or Imperial alike, and hardly the sort of grand strategy one would expect from a brilliant commander like Bai Qi, but its effectiveness lay not in its efficiency, but its simplicity. With the Imperial soldiers exhausted from fighting endless waves of Defiled, this made Bai Qis cunning maneuvers that much more difficult to counter, whether it be a lightning fast Chosen offensive on one wall in a concentrated effort to topple it, or scattering Wraiths amongst his horde before sending Demons into the fray to draw out Imperial Peak Experts to be assassinated. Hongji was at his wit's end warding off all of Bai Qis plethora of stratagems, but all his best efforts could only amount to so much, and regrettably, it was far from enough. In this long, drawn-out match of wits and endurance, Hongji had slowly but surely been losing control of the battlefield, suffering several defeats where he should have emerged victorious and failing to punish his opponent when he held the upper hand. With all the fighting going on, he barely had time to eat, sleep, or piss much less come up with countermeasures for Bai Qis next gambit, whereas the Lord of Martial Peace needed only shuffle his armies about and send a fresh wave of screaming tribesmen into the fray before devoting the rest of his time and attention to dismantling Shi Beis defenses.
Thankfully, Bai Qis personal appearances were few and far between, as he seemed more than content to pay this hefty butchers bill and in no rush to overrun Shi Bei. Day turned into night, then day and night came again, and again, and again, and again, but still the fighting continued unabated. The Enemy fought in shifts and came at all hours of the day and night, howling bloody murder as they assaulted the walls of Shi Bei in their crazed efforts to retake the city, but the Warriors of the Empire rose to the occasion and held the walls with little more than courage and grit. It was astonishing to see the Defiled relentlessly throwing their lives away without any care for their personal safety, and the death count was easily in the millions by now, yet still more tribesmen poured in from all over the province to take part in this endless siege. The Enemy had always been a mad bunch, but even this level of crazed disregard seemed out of sorts for Defiled, especially in light of the lacking tactical, economic, and strategic value of Shi Bei. Between this and Bai Qis infrequent appearances, almost as if to reassure his foes he was still here, Hongji suspected there was far more at stake than a mere city, but he would be damned if he had the time or energy to go tugging at loose threads.
Seven days into the siege, the Irregulars ran out of bolts and were relegated to manning the catapults, which used up the last of their ammunition only two days later. The Bekhai arrows lasted much longer, since there were far fewer archers than there were Irregulars and Akanai had been planning on turning Shi Bei into an Imperial supply station. For that, she needed scouts, and her scouts needed arrows, and having prepared well in advance, this meant her Khishigs were still firing arrows up until the eleventh day of the siege. From there on out, the only ranged weapons left to the Imperials were the devastating Runic Cannons, not because Hongji had a sizable cache of cannonballs, but because of how easy the ammunition was to make. There wasnt a single stray nail or pot left in Shi Bei that hadnt been melted down and repurposed, and the last of it had just been fired into the crowd, one final volley before the Legates Cannons fell silent for good. Right now, those Runic devices were being passed over to trusted Divinties from the Saints Tribulations Mountains to ensure those wondrous weapons stayed out of the wrong hands, for Hongji could see no outcome in which his forces emerged from Shi Bei alive.
A bittersweet conclusion, but one he would see through to the end, and he took pride in having played a part in this grand battle, even if his contributions had been limited in scope. Today marked the fifteenth day of consecutive fighting, and now that the Runic Cannons could no longer be used, it also marked the beginning of the end. Without ranged weapons to whittle their numbers down, the Enemy was free to attack on their own terms, whether it be surging in from all sides or making a feint to draw out the reserves before unleashing a concentrated strike elsewhere. Worst of all, the defenders of Shi Bei didnt even have the illusion of hope anymore, for it was clear no reinforcements were forthcoming. Though Hongji had been unable to Send out a request for reinforcements, his communications blocked by some Enemy working of Domain, he had scouts and messengers aplenty whod been stationed outside Shi Bei before the attack began and would have undoubtedly informed Commander General Shuai Jiao of their dire straits. Even allowing for time to gather troops and sally forth, any reinforcements should have already arrived several days ago at the latest, or at least word of them should have come to bolster their flagging spirits. Instead, there was no word from Commander General Shuai Jiao or the respective commanders of the Northern and Southern Citadels, meaning the Grasping Vine had left them for dead.
Only now did Hongji recognize the irony in Shuai Jiaos moniker. In nature, vines were commonly found growing from larger trees, encircling the timber giant and siphoning nutrients and sunlight away from its host in an almost parasitic dynamic. No doubt Shuai Jiao saw this as an opportunity to not only discredit Legate Falling Rain and rid himself of his greatest rivals, but also as an opportunity to seize control of not just Central, but North and South as well. Never let it be said that his ambitions were not great, for he was a Central politician born and bred, and as a man of Central himself, Hongji did not mean this as a compliment.
Regardless of the outcome however, he was proud to have fought alongside such brave Warriors of the Empire. His fellow General Officers had been gracious enough to cede overall battlefield command over to him, but hed done little more than arrange a shift schedule for the various units before throwing himself into the fray like all the others. Once he set boots on the ground in the battlefield, it was easy to see how lacking he was in comparison to the true heroes of this era, for even a random Peak Expert likely contributed more to the battle than he did, yet still the soldiers cheered as he approached the battlements once more, for what he presumed might well be the last time.
Better if they saved those cheers for the likes of Baatar, whose overall contributions on the battlefield were second to none. Seeing him trade blows with anyone less than a Peak Expert was no different from watching a veteran bully a child, and it was oh so satisfying to watch as he ran roughshod over the opposition. Wraiths, Chieftains, and Demons alike stood no chance against him, for Baatar was the embodiment of fury and wrath, a true domineering Warrior of the North. His heroic presence alone gave the defenders of Shi Bei hope, for once he set foot on the walls, it signalled the start of his nigh unstoppable advance along the battlements. With sword and bardiche in hand, he would pick a direction and tear into his foes to cut a bloody swathe through the Enemy, intent on taking a long, circuitous route all around the outer perimeter of the defenses as if going out for a stroll.
The first time he accomplished so staggering a feat, the chorus of cheers shook all of Shi Bei, for it seemed as if none could stand against the Bloody Fanged Wolf, not once he set his mind to task. Though others could have done the same, few could have accomplished it in so domineering a manner, for it was no slow slog through the Enemy ranks while making headway in one direction and losing ground in the other. No, instead, Baatar moved like a beast on the hunt, cleaving his way through the Defiled as if scything down weeds and vegetation in search of more suitable quarry and leaving the Enemy dazed and shocked in his wake. Wherever he went he struck like an avalanche to buy time and respite for the weary defenders, and they loved him for this as much as they venerated him for his unparalleled combat strength.
The second time Baatar attempted this, he was ambushed by none other than Bai Qi himself, the Enemy Commander harbouring a grudge from their clash in Pan Si Xing, but one which was left to fester as Akanai also made her presence known. In one, singular strike, she did more to boost morale than the combined efforts of all other Living Legends in Shi Bei, for even as Baatar blocked Bai Qis hidden strike at great cost, Akanai drove her Crescent Moon Halberd through her foes chest. Not even Runic Armour could defend against her Ground-Shrinking Strike, shattering apart before her domineering thrust and heavily injuring Bai Qi in the process, forcing the traitors Half-Demon guards to retreat with their wounded Commander in tow.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
That had been nine no, ten days ago, and Bai Qi wasnt seen for another three days, and he didnt attack for another five, showing just how grievous the traitors injuries truly were, and how close to death hed been. In contrast, Baatar was back in the thick of things later that same evening, where he continued to raise morale through his tireless and unyielding example, and Hongji suspected the city might well have already fallen if not for the Bloody Fanged Wolf. This wasnt to say the other Living Legends were sat around twiddling their thumbs. Far from it, for Exarch Gam, Lieutenant General Du Min Gyu, and Colonel General Nian Zu were each a force to be reckoned with as they wrought death and destruction from on high. Though there was no official count being kept, each of them likely killed far more Defiled and Demons than Baatar, but while the manner in which they fought was most awe-inspiring indeed, they used skills and abilities far beyond what the common soldier could relate to. Inspirational as it was to see Exarch Gam stretch his hand out and open up a sink-hole underneath the sand, or Du Min Gyu soar into the skies and unleash a series of explosions which sent blood and viscera flying into the air, or hear the whistle of Nian Zus Shooting Star and the meteoric impact as it crashed into the Enemy ranks, in the eyes of the common soldier, those Peak Experts might as well be gods, so far out of reach mere mortals didnt dare to even dream of reaching such lofty heights.
In contrast, Baatar fought with sword and polearm and nothing else, his movements speedy and sublime yet still recognizable, which made him more than just a domineering hero, but a goal to pursue even if one had no chance of ever surpassing him. Baatar was a Warriors Warrior, a man who rose to the Peak using tools available to every soldier present without a Blessing or Talent to help him stand out, an achievement which made his accomplishments shine that much brighter to those who shared his hardships. No longer would one have to hope for Insight or Awakenings from the Heavens to stand out, for they only needed to look at Baatar and see how far their current Path and tools could take them, a shining example which gave hope and confidence to everyone fighting in Shi Bei.
Such a shame that Jeong Hyo-Lynns efforts were unable to have the same effect, for her prowess was not one whit inferior to Baatars. While Akanais style was more suited for duels, the Sword Saint shone brightest in chaotic melee, but for reasons different from Baatar. Where he dominated his foes through raw strength and speed, Hyo-Lynn defeated her foes through superior skill alone, striding into battle with her three blades a-dancing as she switched between them with effortless grace. So elegant and dignified she made the Painted Dancer look like a clumsy, club-footed oaf, the Sword Saints clothes remained untouched as she held her ground atop the battlements, the only visible open space in all the city. No matter how many tribesmen charged in, Hyo-Lynn cleared them away in the blink of an eye as she stepped and twirled above their corpses like an exquisite fairy descended down from the Heavens above.
And therein lay the rub. Though a mother thrice over and recent widow to boot, the Sword Saints beauty was nigh unmatched, a radiant flower in full blossom that every man yearned to pluck and take in hand. Thus, rather than inspiring awe and admiration with her phenomenal martial skills, it made the men around her feel small and insecure in comparison through no fault of her own, a handicap she and every other woman on the battlefield could never escape from. Masculine pride was a fragile thing because the world so very often trampled upon it, forcing even the most powerful of men to swallow their pride and smile in the face of indignity, so Hongji understood why some would feel personally slighted upon seeing a Warrior woman of any repute, for it was supposedly the mans job to defend and protect, whereas the womans job was to nurture and cherish.
Moving so many bodies about might sound like a simple affair, but it still took time for everyone to shuffle into place. While his forces dealt with the remaining Defiled stragglers, Hongji watched the Enemy forces for signs of a trick or scheme about to be unveiled. Perhaps Bai Qi wanted a captive audience when he brought the Legates head out, but he hardly seemed the type for such needless pageantry, especially at such a high cost in momentum. The minutes passed slowly, but still the withdrawal continued, and it wasnt until a full half hour passed that he realized the Enemy was not just pulling back from the siege, but lifting it entirely to disperse west and south. Why?
Seizing this moment to rest his troops, Hongji stood vigil with the most well-rested soldiers of the bunch, alongside all the remaining General Officers who were too curious to let sleeping dogs lie. In the intervening time, Hongji bandied words about with Akanai, Baatar, Nian Zu, and Du Min Gyu about what might have brought all this about, but they were just as confused as he was, which was reassuring in some small way.
Then the ground began to shake with a rumbling roar, and shared ignorance was no longer so reassuring.
At first, only a select few noticed the subtle disturbance, and Hongji only noticed their distraction after the fact, such as how Akanais gaze snapped northward several seconds before Baatar and Du Min Gyu followed suit. Hongji glanced in the same direction without any idea what was going on, but when he saw the clouds of dust and shifting horizon, he was amazed by his ability to ignore the wall trembling beneath his boots. The roar grew louder at a steady and speedy pace as the distant motion grew closer and closer without growing more distinct, until suddenly the world snapped into focus and he realized what he was seeing, at which point his body began trembling as well.
Outside the walls of Shi Bei, the fearless and indomitable Defiled broke ranks and fled in all directions, the same savages whod spent the last fifteen days throwing themselves at the wall in utter defiance of death now screaming in pure terror and dread. Dozens Demonified before his eyes, transforming into all manner of unnatural and horrific monsters of nightmare and sin, only for the unholy abominations to flee as well once the Fathers foul attentions fell away. Despite all their best efforts to get away, there were too many Defiled packed together in one place and their progress was slow and arduous at best, and Hongji saw many a tribesman trampled underfoot by his or her comrades.
And Hongji could scarcely blame them, for surging towards them from the horizon was a veritable wall of water which towered high over the city itself, a massive wave carving a furrow through the sands whilst howling in booming fury as if the Azure Sea itself had reached out from two-hundred and fifty kilometres away to swat away the Defiled threat. Most inconceivable of all was the fact that he spotted the sails of an Imperial frigate poking over the crest as it was carried along by the wave, and Hongji could only wonder just which Divinity was powerful enough to accomplish so terrifying a feat and crazed enough to violate the treaty in so audacious a manner.
Abandon Ship!
A familiar voice sounded out as Hongji struggled to make sense of this madness, but rather than focus on who it might be or the many figures jumping out of the ship, he could only watch in stupefied awe as the hurtling wave fell apart and missed Shi Beis walls by the thinnest of margins to collapse on the open sands instead. Water washed over everything in sight, a deluge which burst out in all directions and slammed into the retreating Defiled as well, but Hongji had no time to appreciate the incidental damage as it appeared as if the rising tide would soon overflow into Shi Bei as well. Thankfully, the walls held firm as the waters receded to reveal the Enemy army in complete disarray, to say nothing of the grisly scene of where the ship landed and promptly exploded into kindling, while taking a good number of Defiled along with it, but the casualties were few and far between, at least as far as he could see.
Err... Legate Falling Rain here, requesting permission to enter Shi Bei. The booming voice sounded out for all to hear, then fell to a mumble emanating from right next to Hongji. Though I suppose its a little late for that. Turning towards the sound of the voice, he found the Legate standing with hands behind his back in what he seemed to think was an inspiring pose, but really only made him look awkward and stilted, as if he had a stick in his ass and a crick in his neck, but was trying and failing to act natural. Brigadier Hongji? Earth to Brigadier Hongji? Thats your cue to respond.
Jolted out of his stupor by instinct and habit, Hongji fell to his knees so quickly it would be a miracle if they were only bruised and not cracked, but everyone else in the city knelt alongside him, so no one heard him make a fool of himself. This servant greets Legate Falling Rain, he intoned, not daring to look at the young dragon anymore, for his senses warned him of danger and power absolute. Then, the sensation faded, so quickly he wondered if hed imagined it, only to return in full force as Hongji snuck a peak at the Legates face and saw a tired expression of impatience and unease. Shi Bei is yours to command.
All rise and as you were. Military Command will remain with Brigadier Hongji. The Legates hands reached out to clasp Hongjis which were still stuck together in a salute, but the young dragon lifted him up to his feet as easily as plucking a ripe apple from a tree. Better get your troops ready, because I think theyre about to attack again. Having switched to a more conversational tone, the Legate no longer felt the need to pose, though why that would be the case was baffling to the extreme, since every eye inside Shi Bei and out was watching his every move. Offering Hongji a sheepish grin, the Legate offered the faintest of shrugs alongside an apologetic grimace and said, Sorry for scaring you. I didnt really think that whole plan through and none of my Sendings were getting through. Truth be told, I didnt even think this would work. At first, I just wanted to bring all the water I bound with me, because I figured Id need it, but there was a lot more than I expected and I didnt have anywhere to put it all. Then Lin-Lin suggested I try making a river, which was really a lot easier than it sounds. Its like making waves in a tub, start small and build it up slowly, plus Meng Sha has that natural sea wall which really helped things along. Anyway, once I got over that initial hurdle of the first couple of kilometres, it was actually all downhill from there. Literally, meaning Central slopes ever so slightly downwards all the way to Shi Bei, which was just really, really convenient.
The Legate was rambling, but only because he was exhausted, Hongji could see this now, and understandably so given hed called upon a wave of water to carry him and a ship halfway across the Central Plains. In doing so, hed created a river even wider than Shi Bei itself that stretched all the way behind him, though it would likely recede in time as the sand and sun did their respective work. Actually, itd already been done, with the water fading away even faster than it arrived, and only then did Hongji understand what the Legate was talking about. This wasnt actually water, but Water Chi, which in and of itself was just unbelievable. How could any one person, even a Divinity beloved by the Heavens, have so much Chi?
Oh no. The Treaty. Did the Legate just break the Treaty to make a grand entrance? Surely not, but oh, Mother Above
Breathe. The Legates calming voice shook Hongji out of his panic, and he blinked as he met the young dragons eyes. So tired, but so kind too, not to mention calm and collected, as if everything were going perfectly to plan. Sorry, he said, flashing that sheepish grin once again. I know its a lot to take in, but Im here now and the Enemy is about to attack again, so I would really appreciate it if you filled me in on whats been going on.
By your command, Legate, Hongji replied, launching into a military report out of habit and instinct, for his mind was unable to do much else. The Legate was here and apparently a Divinity, but he had no army save for a ship-full of Peak Experts. And a wagon of pets, which he brought to a battlefield for reasons beyond Hongjis comprehension. Cannonballs too, plenty of them, and Hongji split off his focus to Send word to have the Cannons brought back, but the Legate was three steps ahead. Even before Hongji finished giving his order, the first Runic Cannon rang out, and he followed the sound to find the Lord of Thunder cackling from the battlements as he reloaded his Cannon with glee.
Perhaps Shi Bei wasnt so doomed after all. Hongji couldnt say why he felt this way, because the Legate had not brought many reinforcements, and though it appeared as if hed ascended to Divinity, that only brought more complications to bear. Once again, Hongji was reminded of his poem; When Gods stride out to meet in battle, Heaven and Earth are torn asunder, and Mortals can do naught but persevere.
For if the Legate were truly a Divinity, then hed broken the Treaty with his arrival, yet this alone was not enough to strike fear into Hongjis heart. He knew the young dragon well, had seen the full measure of the man, and he knew that Falling Rain would not so casually risk the lives of everyone in Shi Bei. There was no need to panic, no need to despair, for the Legate was here, and all would be well.
Not a logical conclusion to make, Hongji had to admit, but it was how he felt now, standing in the presence of greatness. Falling Rain had come, and the tides of war would turn against the Enemy once more.
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Chapter 786
As the final thunderous volley from the Runic Cannons rang out, Hongji clenched his fists and made ready to greet the Enemy with a belly full of remorse.
How did it all come to this? Their grand army of veteran soldiers fighting tooth and nail against an endless horde of unwashed Defiled on the recently reinforced yet already crumbling walls of Shi Bei, a slow but sure death by a thousand cuts. Had Hongji known the Enemy valued the city so highly, he would have abandoned it as quickly as he abandoned Pan Si Xing and made his way to Meng Sha with all haste, where he at least had the option to withdraw his soldiers by ship and live to fight another day. Though everyone knew there would soon come a reckoning for their bold offensive push into the West, no one could have predicted the Defiled would come in such great numbers to Shi Bei. Either the Defiled hosts were far more numerous than even what the most liberal estimates put them at, or the vast majority of the foreign, father-loving bastards had gathered here outside Hongjis walls. Millions upon millions at the very least, with bodies stretching as far as the eye could see and beyond, there seemed no end to the Defiled as they charged in from all sides in a maddened, near-suicidal effort to retake the city.
Perhaps the cunning Uniter knew something Hongji and his allies were unaware of, some hidden strategic value to the city that had thus far gone overlooked, but if that was the case, then Shi Beis advantages were well hidden indeed. When Nian Zu captured the city, it had merely been a forward staging ground for the Defiled offensive. One of many mind you, and a poorly situated one at that, with the only benefit being its middling position along the border between West and Central, which was why no one expected the Enemy to value it so highly. Even then, Hongji knew there would be a siege and made ample preparations in advance, setting the Spring and Autumn Consortium to raising the walls and Exarch Gam to leveling the ground all around Shi Bei. Most other General Officers of the Western offensive thought him overly cautious for doing so, but Hongji knew the Enemy would retaliate here at Shi Bei, because their pride and rage demanded it.
What he didnt know was that they would throw everything they had and more at Shi Bei. It was madness, sheer madness to commit so many troops to secure this worthless prize at so high a cost, for even though the Enemy hordes outnumbered the Imperial Army by a fair margin, Hongjis forces amounted to almost a fifth of those stationed at the recently raised Western Wall. An army of this size was rarely seen even in the history books, an elite crusading force rallied by Legate Falling Rain to retake the West and drive the Enemy out of the province, yet now the Defiled were delivering themselves to die upon Imperial blade and bolt alike.
And die they did, in droves and masses unlike anything the world had ever seen before.
On the first day of the siege, the Irregulars played a huge role in stymieing the tides of unwashed heathens, unleashing a torrential downpour of bolts in an arc over the walls without any need to even see the Enemy to kill them. A single Bekhai archer every twenty-thousand Irregulars made this even more effective, one Khishig to Scry and scout out the biggest clumps of tribesmen to direct their crossbows at, and for a time, there was little the soldiers standing on the raised, reinforced concrete walls needed to do besides dispatch the odd straggler who had the good fortune to weather the storm unharmed. Tens of thousands of Defiled fell and were trampled underfoot as the Irregulars unleashed death upon them from afar, and it went on until the Enemy finally pulled back come nightfall.
Only for a second army of Defiled tribesmen to rotate in and immediately renew the attack on Shi Bei.
No longer could Hongji afford to spend his ammunition so freely, for it was clear the Traitor Commander was intent on drowning his forces in a sea of corpses, with tribal savages making up the lions share of the sum. A plan which had no regard for life, Defiled or Imperial alike, and hardly the sort of grand strategy one would expect from a brilliant commander like Bai Qi, but its effectiveness lay not in its efficiency, but its simplicity. With the Imperial soldiers exhausted from fighting endless waves of Defiled, this made Bai Qis cunning maneuvers that much more difficult to counter, whether it be a lightning fast Chosen offensive on one wall in a concentrated effort to topple it, or scattering Wraiths amongst his horde before sending Demons into the fray to draw out Imperial Peak Experts to be assassinated. Hongji was at his wit's end warding off all of Bai Qis plethora of stratagems, but all his best efforts could only amount to so much, and regrettably, it was far from enough. In this long, drawn-out match of wits and endurance, Hongji had slowly but surely been losing control of the battlefield, suffering several defeats where he should have emerged victorious and failing to punish his opponent when he held the upper hand. With all the fighting going on, he barely had time to eat, sleep, or piss much less come up with countermeasures for Bai Qis next gambit, whereas the Lord of Martial Peace needed only shuffle his armies about and send a fresh wave of screaming tribesmen into the fray before devoting the rest of his time and attention to dismantling Shi Beis defenses.
Thankfully, Bai Qis personal appearances were few and far between, as he seemed more than content to pay this hefty butchers bill and in no rush to overrun Shi Bei. Day turned into night, then day and night came again, and again, and again, and again, but still the fighting continued unabated. The Enemy fought in shifts and came at all hours of the day and night, howling bloody murder as they assaulted the walls of Shi Bei in their crazed efforts to retake the city, but the Warriors of the Empire rose to the occasion and held the walls with little more than courage and grit. It was astonishing to see the Defiled relentlessly throwing their lives away without any care for their personal safety, and the death count was easily in the millions by now, yet still more tribesmen poured in from all over the province to take part in this endless siege. The Enemy had always been a mad bunch, but even this level of crazed disregard seemed out of sorts for Defiled, especially in light of the lacking tactical, economic, and strategic value of Shi Bei. Between this and Bai Qis infrequent appearances, almost as if to reassure his foes he was still here, Hongji suspected there was far more at stake than a mere city, but he would be damned if he had the time or energy to go tugging at loose threads.
Seven days into the siege, the Irregulars ran out of bolts and were relegated to manning the catapults, which used up the last of their ammunition only two days later. The Bekhai arrows lasted much longer, since there were far fewer archers than there were Irregulars and Akanai had been planning on turning Shi Bei into an Imperial supply station. For that, she needed scouts, and her scouts needed arrows, and having prepared well in advance, this meant her Khishigs were still firing arrows up until the eleventh day of the siege. From there on out, the only ranged weapons left to the Imperials were the devastating Runic Cannons, not because Hongji had a sizable cache of cannonballs, but because of how easy the ammunition was to make. There wasnt a single stray nail or pot left in Shi Bei that hadnt been melted down and repurposed, and the last of it had just been fired into the crowd, one final volley before the Legates Cannons fell silent for good. Right now, those Runic devices were being passed over to trusted Divinties from the Saints Tribulations Mountains to ensure those wondrous weapons stayed out of the wrong hands, for Hongji could see no outcome in which his forces emerged from Shi Bei alive.
A bittersweet conclusion, but one he would see through to the end, and he took pride in having played a part in this grand battle, even if his contributions had been limited in scope. Today marked the fifteenth day of consecutive fighting, and now that the Runic Cannons could no longer be used, it also marked the beginning of the end. Without ranged weapons to whittle their numbers down, the Enemy was free to attack on their own terms, whether it be surging in from all sides or making a feint to draw out the reserves before unleashing a concentrated strike elsewhere. Worst of all, the defenders of Shi Bei didnt even have the illusion of hope anymore, for it was clear no reinforcements were forthcoming. Though Hongji had been unable to Send out a request for reinforcements, his communications blocked by some Enemy working of Domain, he had scouts and messengers aplenty whod been stationed outside Shi Bei before the attack began and would have undoubtedly informed Commander General Shuai Jiao of their dire straits. Even allowing for time to gather troops and sally forth, any reinforcements should have already arrived several days ago at the latest, or at least word of them should have come to bolster their flagging spirits. Instead, there was no word from Commander General Shuai Jiao or the respective commanders of the Northern and Southern Citadels, meaning the Grasping Vine had left them for dead.
Only now did Hongji recognize the irony in Shuai Jiaos moniker. In nature, vines were commonly found growing from larger trees, encircling the timber giant and siphoning nutrients and sunlight away from its host in an almost parasitic dynamic. No doubt Shuai Jiao saw this as an opportunity to not only discredit Legate Falling Rain and rid himself of his greatest rivals, but also as an opportunity to seize control of not just Central, but North and South as well. Never let it be said that his ambitions were not great, for he was a Central politician born and bred, and as a man of Central himself, Hongji did not mean this as a compliment.
Regardless of the outcome however, he was proud to have fought alongside such brave Warriors of the Empire. His fellow General Officers had been gracious enough to cede overall battlefield command over to him, but hed done little more than arrange a shift schedule for the various units before throwing himself into the fray like all the others. Once he set boots on the ground in the battlefield, it was easy to see how lacking he was in comparison to the true heroes of this era, for even a random Peak Expert likely contributed more to the battle than he did, yet still the soldiers cheered as he approached the battlements once more, for what he presumed might well be the last time.
Better if they saved those cheers for the likes of Baatar, whose overall contributions on the battlefield were second to none. Seeing him trade blows with anyone less than a Peak Expert was no different from watching a veteran bully a child, and it was oh so satisfying to watch as he ran roughshod over the opposition. Wraiths, Chieftains, and Demons alike stood no chance against him, for Baatar was the embodiment of fury and wrath, a true domineering Warrior of the North. His heroic presence alone gave the defenders of Shi Bei hope, for once he set foot on the walls, it signalled the start of his nigh unstoppable advance along the battlements. With sword and bardiche in hand, he would pick a direction and tear into his foes to cut a bloody swathe through the Enemy, intent on taking a long, circuitous route all around the outer perimeter of the defenses as if going out for a stroll.
The first time he accomplished so staggering a feat, the chorus of cheers shook all of Shi Bei, for it seemed as if none could stand against the Bloody Fanged Wolf, not once he set his mind to task. Though others could have done the same, few could have accomplished it in so domineering a manner, for it was no slow slog through the Enemy ranks while making headway in one direction and losing ground in the other. No, instead, Baatar moved like a beast on the hunt, cleaving his way through the Defiled as if scything down weeds and vegetation in search of more suitable quarry and leaving the Enemy dazed and shocked in his wake. Wherever he went he struck like an avalanche to buy time and respite for the weary defenders, and they loved him for this as much as they venerated him for his unparalleled combat strength.
The second time Baatar attempted this, he was ambushed by none other than Bai Qi himself, the Enemy Commander harbouring a grudge from their clash in Pan Si Xing, but one which was left to fester as Akanai also made her presence known. In one, singular strike, she did more to boost morale than the combined efforts of all other Living Legends in Shi Bei, for even as Baatar blocked Bai Qis hidden strike at great cost, Akanai drove her Crescent Moon Halberd through her foes chest. Not even Runic Armour could defend against her Ground-Shrinking Strike, shattering apart before her domineering thrust and heavily injuring Bai Qi in the process, forcing the traitors Half-Demon guards to retreat with their wounded Commander in tow.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
That had been nine no, ten days ago, and Bai Qi wasnt seen for another three days, and he didnt attack for another five, showing just how grievous the traitors injuries truly were, and how close to death hed been. In contrast, Baatar was back in the thick of things later that same evening, where he continued to raise morale through his tireless and unyielding example, and Hongji suspected the city might well have already fallen if not for the Bloody Fanged Wolf. This wasnt to say the other Living Legends were sat around twiddling their thumbs. Far from it, for Exarch Gam, Lieutenant General Du Min Gyu, and Colonel General Nian Zu were each a force to be reckoned with as they wrought death and destruction from on high. Though there was no official count being kept, each of them likely killed far more Defiled and Demons than Baatar, but while the manner in which they fought was most awe-inspiring indeed, they used skills and abilities far beyond what the common soldier could relate to. Inspirational as it was to see Exarch Gam stretch his hand out and open up a sink-hole underneath the sand, or Du Min Gyu soar into the skies and unleash a series of explosions which sent blood and viscera flying into the air, or hear the whistle of Nian Zus Shooting Star and the meteoric impact as it crashed into the Enemy ranks, in the eyes of the common soldier, those Peak Experts might as well be gods, so far out of reach mere mortals didnt dare to even dream of reaching such lofty heights.
In contrast, Baatar fought with sword and polearm and nothing else, his movements speedy and sublime yet still recognizable, which made him more than just a domineering hero, but a goal to pursue even if one had no chance of ever surpassing him. Baatar was a Warriors Warrior, a man who rose to the Peak using tools available to every soldier present without a Blessing or Talent to help him stand out, an achievement which made his accomplishments shine that much brighter to those who shared his hardships. No longer would one have to hope for Insight or Awakenings from the Heavens to stand out, for they only needed to look at Baatar and see how far their current Path and tools could take them, a shining example which gave hope and confidence to everyone fighting in Shi Bei.
Such a shame that Jeong Hyo-Lynns efforts were unable to have the same effect, for her prowess was not one whit inferior to Baatars. While Akanais style was more suited for duels, the Sword Saint shone brightest in chaotic melee, but for reasons different from Baatar. Where he dominated his foes through raw strength and speed, Hyo-Lynn defeated her foes through superior skill alone, striding into battle with her three blades a-dancing as she switched between them with effortless grace. So elegant and dignified she made the Painted Dancer look like a clumsy, club-footed oaf, the Sword Saints clothes remained untouched as she held her ground atop the battlements, the only visible open space in all the city. No matter how many tribesmen charged in, Hyo-Lynn cleared them away in the blink of an eye as she stepped and twirled above their corpses like an exquisite fairy descended down from the Heavens above.
And therein lay the rub. Though a mother thrice over and recent widow to boot, the Sword Saints beauty was nigh unmatched, a radiant flower in full blossom that every man yearned to pluck and take in hand. Thus, rather than inspiring awe and admiration with her phenomenal martial skills, it made the men around her feel small and insecure in comparison through no fault of her own, a handicap she and every other woman on the battlefield could never escape from. Masculine pride was a fragile thing because the world so very often trampled upon it, forcing even the most powerful of men to swallow their pride and smile in the face of indignity, so Hongji understood why some would feel personally slighted upon seeing a Warrior woman of any repute, for it was supposedly the mans job to defend and protect, whereas the womans job was to nurture and cherish.
Moving so many bodies about might sound like a simple affair, but it still took time for everyone to shuffle into place. While his forces dealt with the remaining Defiled stragglers, Hongji watched the Enemy forces for signs of a trick or scheme about to be unveiled. Perhaps Bai Qi wanted a captive audience when he brought the Legates head out, but he hardly seemed the type for such needless pageantry, especially at such a high cost in momentum. The minutes passed slowly, but still the withdrawal continued, and it wasnt until a full half hour passed that he realized the Enemy was not just pulling back from the siege, but lifting it entirely to disperse west and south. Why?
Seizing this moment to rest his troops, Hongji stood vigil with the most well-rested soldiers of the bunch, alongside all the remaining General Officers who were too curious to let sleeping dogs lie. In the intervening time, Hongji bandied words about with Akanai, Baatar, Nian Zu, and Du Min Gyu about what might have brought all this about, but they were just as confused as he was, which was reassuring in some small way.
Then the ground began to shake with a rumbling roar, and shared ignorance was no longer so reassuring.
At first, only a select few noticed the subtle disturbance, and Hongji only noticed their distraction after the fact, such as how Akanais gaze snapped northward several seconds before Baatar and Du Min Gyu followed suit. Hongji glanced in the same direction without any idea what was going on, but when he saw the clouds of dust and shifting horizon, he was amazed by his ability to ignore the wall trembling beneath his boots. The roar grew louder at a steady and speedy pace as the distant motion grew closer and closer without growing more distinct, until suddenly the world snapped into focus and he realized what he was seeing, at which point his body began trembling as well.
Outside the walls of Shi Bei, the fearless and indomitable Defiled broke ranks and fled in all directions, the same savages whod spent the last fifteen days throwing themselves at the wall in utter defiance of death now screaming in pure terror and dread. Dozens Demonified before his eyes, transforming into all manner of unnatural and horrific monsters of nightmare and sin, only for the unholy abominations to flee as well once the Fathers foul attentions fell away. Despite all their best efforts to get away, there were too many Defiled packed together in one place and their progress was slow and arduous at best, and Hongji saw many a tribesman trampled underfoot by his or her comrades.
And Hongji could scarcely blame them, for surging towards them from the horizon was a veritable wall of water which towered high over the city itself, a massive wave carving a furrow through the sands whilst howling in booming fury as if the Azure Sea itself had reached out from two-hundred and fifty kilometres away to swat away the Defiled threat. Most inconceivable of all was the fact that he spotted the sails of an Imperial frigate poking over the crest as it was carried along by the wave, and Hongji could only wonder just which Divinity was powerful enough to accomplish so terrifying a feat and crazed enough to violate the treaty in so audacious a manner.
Abandon Ship!
A familiar voice sounded out as Hongji struggled to make sense of this madness, but rather than focus on who it might be or the many figures jumping out of the ship, he could only watch in stupefied awe as the hurtling wave fell apart and missed Shi Beis walls by the thinnest of margins to collapse on the open sands instead. Water washed over everything in sight, a deluge which burst out in all directions and slammed into the retreating Defiled as well, but Hongji had no time to appreciate the incidental damage as it appeared as if the rising tide would soon overflow into Shi Bei as well. Thankfully, the walls held firm as the waters receded to reveal the Enemy army in complete disarray, to say nothing of the grisly scene of where the ship landed and promptly exploded into kindling, while taking a good number of Defiled along with it, but the casualties were few and far between, at least as far as he could see.
Err... Legate Falling Rain here, requesting permission to enter Shi Bei. The booming voice sounded out for all to hear, then fell to a mumble emanating from right next to Hongji. Though I suppose its a little late for that. Turning towards the sound of the voice, he found the Legate standing with hands behind his back in what he seemed to think was an inspiring pose, but really only made him look awkward and stilted, as if he had a stick in his ass and a crick in his neck, but was trying and failing to act natural. Brigadier Hongji? Earth to Brigadier Hongji? Thats your cue to respond.
Jolted out of his stupor by instinct and habit, Hongji fell to his knees so quickly it would be a miracle if they were only bruised and not cracked, but everyone else in the city knelt alongside him, so no one heard him make a fool of himself. This servant greets Legate Falling Rain, he intoned, not daring to look at the young dragon anymore, for his senses warned him of danger and power absolute. Then, the sensation faded, so quickly he wondered if hed imagined it, only to return in full force as Hongji snuck a peak at the Legates face and saw a tired expression of impatience and unease. Shi Bei is yours to command.
All rise and as you were. Military Command will remain with Brigadier Hongji. The Legates hands reached out to clasp Hongjis which were still stuck together in a salute, but the young dragon lifted him up to his feet as easily as plucking a ripe apple from a tree. Better get your troops ready, because I think theyre about to attack again. Having switched to a more conversational tone, the Legate no longer felt the need to pose, though why that would be the case was baffling to the extreme, since every eye inside Shi Bei and out was watching his every move. Offering Hongji a sheepish grin, the Legate offered the faintest of shrugs alongside an apologetic grimace and said, Sorry for scaring you. I didnt really think that whole plan through and none of my Sendings were getting through. Truth be told, I didnt even think this would work. At first, I just wanted to bring all the water I bound with me, because I figured Id need it, but there was a lot more than I expected and I didnt have anywhere to put it all. Then Lin-Lin suggested I try making a river, which was really a lot easier than it sounds. Its like making waves in a tub, start small and build it up slowly, plus Meng Sha has that natural sea wall which really helped things along. Anyway, once I got over that initial hurdle of the first couple of kilometres, it was actually all downhill from there. Literally, meaning Central slopes ever so slightly downwards all the way to Shi Bei, which was just really, really convenient.
The Legate was rambling, but only because he was exhausted, Hongji could see this now, and understandably so given hed called upon a wave of water to carry him and a ship halfway across the Central Plains. In doing so, hed created a river even wider than Shi Bei itself that stretched all the way behind him, though it would likely recede in time as the sand and sun did their respective work. Actually, itd already been done, with the water fading away even faster than it arrived, and only then did Hongji understand what the Legate was talking about. This wasnt actually water, but Water Chi, which in and of itself was just unbelievable. How could any one person, even a Divinity beloved by the Heavens, have so much Chi?
Oh no. The Treaty. Did the Legate just break the Treaty to make a grand entrance? Surely not, but oh, Mother Above
Breathe. The Legates calming voice shook Hongji out of his panic, and he blinked as he met the young dragons eyes. So tired, but so kind too, not to mention calm and collected, as if everything were going perfectly to plan. Sorry, he said, flashing that sheepish grin once again. I know its a lot to take in, but Im here now and the Enemy is about to attack again, so I would really appreciate it if you filled me in on whats been going on.
By your command, Legate, Hongji replied, launching into a military report out of habit and instinct, for his mind was unable to do much else. The Legate was here and apparently a Divinity, but he had no army save for a ship-full of Peak Experts. And a wagon of pets, which he brought to a battlefield for reasons beyond Hongjis comprehension. Cannonballs too, plenty of them, and Hongji split off his focus to Send word to have the Cannons brought back, but the Legate was three steps ahead. Even before Hongji finished giving his order, the first Runic Cannon rang out, and he followed the sound to find the Lord of Thunder cackling from the battlements as he reloaded his Cannon with glee.
Perhaps Shi Bei wasnt so doomed after all. Hongji couldnt say why he felt this way, because the Legate had not brought many reinforcements, and though it appeared as if hed ascended to Divinity, that only brought more complications to bear. Once again, Hongji was reminded of his poem; When Gods stride out to meet in battle, Heaven and Earth are torn asunder, and Mortals can do naught but persevere.
For if the Legate were truly a Divinity, then hed broken the Treaty with his arrival, yet this alone was not enough to strike fear into Hongjis heart. He knew the young dragon well, had seen the full measure of the man, and he knew that Falling Rain would not so casually risk the lives of everyone in Shi Bei. There was no need to panic, no need to despair, for the Legate was here, and all would be well.
Not a logical conclusion to make, Hongji had to admit, but it was how he felt now, standing in the presence of greatness. Falling Rain had come, and the tides of war would turn against the Enemy once more.
Chapter Meme
Chapter 786As the final thunderous volley from the Runic Cannons rang out, Hongji clenched his fists and made ready to greet the Enemy with a belly full of remorse.How did it all come to this? Their grand army of veteran soldiers fighting tooth and nail against an endless horde of unwashed Defiled on the recently reinforced yet already crumbling walls of Shi Bei, a slow but sure death by a thousand cuts. Had Hongji known the Enemy valued the city so highly, he would have abandoned it as quickly as he abandoned Pan Si Xing and made his way to Meng Sha with all haste, where he at least had the option to withdraw his soldiers by ship and live to fight another day. Though everyone knew there would soon come a reckoning for their bold offensive push into the West, no one could have predicted the Defiled would come in such great numbers to Shi Bei. Either the Defiled hosts were far more numerous than even what the most liberal estimates put them at, or the vast majority of the foreign, father-loving bastards had gathered here outside Hongjis walls. Millions upon millions at the very least, with bodies stretching as far as the eye could see and beyond, there seemed no end to the Defiled as they charged in from all sides in a maddened, near-suicidal effort to retake the city.Perhaps the cunning Uniter knew something Hongji and his allies were unaware of, some hidden strategic value to the city that had thus far gone overlooked, but if that was the case, then Shi Beis advantages were well hidden indeed. When Nian Zu captured the city, it had merely been a forward staging ground for the Defiled offensive. One of many mind you, and a poorly situated one at that, with the only benefit being its middling position along the border between West and Central, which was why no one expected the Enemy to value it so highly. Even then, Hongji knew there would be a siege and made ample preparations in advance, setting the Spring and Autumn Consortium to raising the walls and Exarch Gam to leveling the ground all around Shi Bei. Most other General Officers of the Western offensive thought him overly cautious for doing so, but Hongji knew the Enemy would retaliate here at Shi Bei, because their pride and rage demanded it.What he didnt know was that they would throw everything they had and more at Shi Bei. It was madness, sheer madness to commit so many troops to secure this worthless prize at so high a cost, for even though the Enemy hordes outnumbered the Imperial Army by a fair margin, Hongjis forces amounted to almost a fifth of those stationed at the recently raised Western Wall. An army of this size was rarely seen even in the history books, an elite crusading force rallied by Legate Falling Rain to retake the West and drive the Enemy out of the province, yet now the Defiled were delivering themselves to die upon Imperial blade and bolt alike.And die they did, in droves and masses unlike anything the world had ever seen before.On the first day of the siege, the Irregulars played a huge role in stymieing the tides of unwashed heathens, unleashing a torrential downpour of bolts in an arc over the walls without any need to even see the Enemy to kill them. A single Bekhai archer every twenty-thousand Irregulars made this even more effective, one Khishig to Scry and scout out the biggest clumps of tribesmen to direct their crossbows at, and for a time, there was little the soldiers standing on the raised, reinforced concrete walls needed to do besides dispatch the odd straggler who had the good fortune to weather the storm unharmed. Tens of thousands of Defiled fell and were trampled underfoot as the Irregulars unleashed death upon them from afar, and it went on until the Enemy finally pulled back come nightfall.Only for a second army of Defiled tribesmen to rotate in and immediately renew the attack on Shi Bei.No longer could Hongji afford to spend his ammunition so freely, for it was clear the Traitor Commander was intent on drowning his forces in a sea of corpses, with tribal savages making up the lions share of the sum. A plan which had no regard for life, Defiled or Imperial alike, and hardly the sort of grand strategy one would expect from a brilliant commander like Bai Qi, but its effectiveness lay not in its efficiency, but its simplicity. With the Imperial soldiers exhausted from fighting endless waves of Defiled, this made Bai Qis cunning maneuvers that much more difficult to counter, whether it be a lightning fast Chosen offensive on one wall in a concentrated effort to topple it, or scattering Wraiths amongst his horde before sending Demons into the fray to draw out Imperial Peak Experts to be assassinated. Hongji was at his wit's end warding off all of Bai Qis plethora of stratagems, but all his best efforts could only amount to so much, and regrettably, it was far from enough. In this long, drawn-out match of wits and endurance, Hongji had slowly but surely been losing control of the battlefield, suffering several defeats where he should have emerged victorious and failing to punish his opponent when he held the upper hand. With all the fighting going on, he barely had time to eat, sleep, or piss much less come up with countermeasures for Bai Qis next gambit, whereas the Lord of Martial Peace needed only shuffle his armies about and send a fresh wave of screaming tribesmen into the fray before devoting the rest of his time and attention to dismantling Shi Beis defenses.Thankfully, Bai Qis personal appearances were few and far between, as he seemed more than content to pay this hefty butchers bill and in no rush to overrun Shi Bei. Day turned into night, then day and night came again, and again, and again, and again, but still the fighting continued unabated. The Enemy fought in shifts and came at all hours of the day and night, howling bloody murder as they assaulted the walls of Shi Bei in their crazed efforts to retake the city, but the Warriors of the Empire rose to the occasion and held the walls with little more than courage and grit. It was astonishing to see the Defiled relentlessly throwing their lives away without any care for their personal safety, and the death count was easily in the millions by now, yet still more tribesmen poured in from all over the province to take part in this endless siege. The Enemy had always been a mad bunch, but even this level of crazed disregard seemed out of sorts for Defiled, especially in light of the lacking tactical, economic, and strategic value of Shi Bei. Between this and Bai Qis infrequent appearances, almost as if to reassure his foes he was still here, Hongji suspected there was far more at stake than a mere city, but he would be damned if he had the time or energy to go tugging at loose threads.Seven days into the siege, the Irregulars ran out of bolts and were relegated to manning the catapults, which used up the last of their ammunition only two days later. The Bekhai arrows lasted much longer, since there were far fewer archers than there were Irregulars and Akanai had been planning on turning Shi Bei into an Imperial supply station. For that, she needed scouts, and her scouts needed arrows, and having prepared well in advance, this meant her Khishigs were still firing arrows up until the eleventh day of the siege. From there on out, the only ranged weapons left to the Imperials were the devastating Runic Cannons, not because Hongji had a sizable cache of cannonballs, but because of how easy the ammunition was to make. There wasnt a single stray nail or pot left in Shi Bei that hadnt been melted down and repurposed, and the last of it had just been fired into the crowd, one final volley before the Legates Cannons fell silent for good. Right now, those Runic devices were being passed over to trusted Divinties from the Saints Tribulations Mountains to ensure those wondrous weapons stayed out of the wrong hands, for Hongji could see no outcome in which his forces emerged from Shi Bei alive.A bittersweet conclusion, but one he would see through to the end, and he took pride in having played a part in this grand battle, even if his contributions had been limited in scope. Today marked the fifteenth day of consecutive fighting, and now that the Runic Cannons could no longer be used, it also marked the beginning of the end. Without ranged weapons to whittle their numbers down, the Enemy was free to attack on their own terms, whether it be surging in from all sides or making a feint to draw out the reserves before unleashing a concentrated strike elsewhere. Worst of all, the defenders of Shi Bei didnt even have the illusion of hope anymore, for it was clear no reinforcements were forthcoming. Though Hongji had been unable to Send out a request for reinforcements, his communications blocked by some Enemy working of Domain, he had scouts and messengers aplenty whod been stationed outside Shi Bei before the attack began and would have undoubtedly informed Commander General Shuai Jiao of their dire straits. Even allowing for time to gather troops and sally forth, any reinforcements should have already arrived several days ago at the latest, or at least word of them should have come to bolster their flagging spirits. Instead, there was no word from Commander General Shuai Jiao or the respective commanders of the Northern and Southern Citadels, meaning the Grasping Vine had left them for dead.Only now did Hongji recognize the irony in Shuai Jiaos moniker. In nature, vines were commonly found growing from larger trees, encircling the timber giant and siphoning nutrients and sunlight away from its host in an almost parasitic dynamic. No doubt Shuai Jiao saw this as an opportunity to not only discredit Legate Falling Rain and rid himself of his greatest rivals, but also as an opportunity to seize control of not just Central, but North and South as well. Never let it be said that his ambitions were not great, for he was a Central politician born and bred, and as a man of Central himself, Hongji did not mean this as a compliment. Regardless of the outcome however, he was proud to have fought alongside such brave Warriors of the Empire. His fellow General Officers had been gracious enough to cede overall battlefield command over to him, but hed done little more than arrange a shift schedule for the various units before throwing himself into the fray like all the others. Once he set boots on the ground in the battlefield, it was easy to see how lacking he was in comparison to the true heroes of this era, for even a random Peak Expert likely contributed more to the battle than he did, yet still the soldiers cheered as he approached the battlements once more, for what he presumed might well be the last time.Better if they saved those cheers for the likes of Baatar, whose overall contributions on the battlefield were second to none. Seeing him trade blows with anyone less than a Peak Expert was no different from watching a veteran bully a child, and it was oh so satisfying to watch as he ran roughshod over the opposition. Wraiths, Chieftains, and Demons alike stood no chance against him, for Baatar was the embodiment of fury and wrath, a true domineering Warrior of the North. His heroic presence alone gave the defenders of Shi Bei hope, for once he set foot on the walls, it signalled the start of his nigh unstoppable advance along the battlements. With sword and bardiche in hand, he would pick a direction and tear into his foes to cut a bloody swathe through the Enemy, intent on taking a long, circuitous route all around the outer perimeter of the defenses as if going out for a stroll.The first time he accomplished so staggering a feat, the chorus of cheers shook all of Shi Bei, for it seemed as if none could stand against the Bloody Fanged Wolf, not once he set his mind to task. Though others could have done the same, few could have accomplished it in so domineering a manner, for it was no slow slog through the Enemy ranks while making headway in one direction and losing ground in the other. No, instead, Baatar moved like a beast on the hunt, cleaving his way through the Defiled as if scything down weeds and vegetation in search of more suitable quarry and leaving the Enemy dazed and shocked in his wake. Wherever he went he struck like an avalanche to buy time and respite for the weary defenders, and they loved him for this as much as they venerated him for his unparalleled combat strength.The second time Baatar attempted this, he was ambushed by none other than Bai Qi himself, the Enemy Commander harbouring a grudge from their clash in Pan Si Xing, but one which was left to fester as Akanai also made her presence known. In one, singular strike, she did more to boost morale than the combined efforts of all other Living Legends in Shi Bei, for even as Baatar blocked Bai Qis hidden strike at great cost, Akanai drove her Crescent Moon Halberd through her foes chest. Not even Runic Armour could defend against her Ground-Shrinking Strike, shattering apart before her domineering thrust and heavily injuring Bai Qi in the process, forcing the traitors Half-Demon guards to retreat with their wounded Commander in tow.Updated from novelbin.comThat had been nine no, ten days ago, and Bai Qi wasnt seen for another three days, and he didnt attack for another five, showing just how grievous the traitors injuries truly were, and how close to death hed been. In contrast, Baatar was back in the thick of things later that same evening, where he continued to raise morale through his tireless and unyielding example, and Hongji suspected the city might well have already fallen if not for the Bloody Fanged Wolf. This wasnt to say the other Living Legends were sat around twiddling their thumbs. Far from it, for Exarch Gam, Lieutenant General Du Min Gyu, and Colonel General Nian Zu were each a force to be reckoned with as they wrought death and destruction from on high. Though there was no official count being kept, each of them likely killed far more Defiled and Demons than Baatar, but while the manner in which they fought was most awe-inspiring indeed, they used skills and abilities far beyond what the common soldier could relate to. Inspirational as it was to see Exarch Gam stretch his hand out and open up a sink-hole underneath the sand, or Du Min Gyu soar into the skies and unleash a series of explosions which sent blood and viscera flying into the air, or hear the whistle of Nian Zus Shooting Star and the meteoric impact as it crashed into the Enemy ranks, in the eyes of the common soldier, those Peak Experts might as well be gods, so far out of reach mere mortals didnt dare to even dream of reaching such lofty heights.In contrast, Baatar fought with sword and polearm and nothing else, his movements speedy and sublime yet still recognizable, which made him more than just a domineering hero, but a goal to pursue even if one had no chance of ever surpassing him. Baatar was a Warriors Warrior, a man who rose to the Peak using tools available to every soldier present without a Blessing or Talent to help him stand out, an achievement which made his accomplishments shine that much brighter to those who shared his hardships. No longer would one have to hope for Insight or Awakenings from the Heavens to stand out, for they only needed to look at Baatar and see how far their current Path and tools could take them, a shining example which gave hope and confidence to everyone fighting in Shi Bei.Such a shame that Jeong Hyo-Lynns efforts were unable to have the same effect, for her prowess was not one whit inferior to Baatars. While Akanais style was more suited for duels, the Sword Saint shone brightest in chaotic melee, but for reasons different from Baatar. Where he dominated his foes through raw strength and speed, Hyo-Lynn defeated her foes through superior skill alone, striding into battle with her three blades a-dancing as she switched between them with effortless grace. So elegant and dignified she made the Painted Dancer look like a clumsy, club-footed oaf, the Sword Saints clothes remained untouched as she held her ground atop the battlements, the only visible open space in all the city. No matter how many tribesmen charged in, Hyo-Lynn cleared them away in the blink of an eye as she stepped and twirled above their corpses like an exquisite fairy descended down from the Heavens above.And therein lay the rub. Though a mother thrice over and recent widow to boot, the Sword Saints beauty was nigh unmatched, a radiant flower in full blossom that every man yearned to pluck and take in hand. Thus, rather than inspiring awe and admiration with her phenomenal martial skills, it made the men around her feel small and insecure in comparison through no fault of her own, a handicap she and every other woman on the battlefield could never escape from. Masculine pride was a fragile thing because the world so very often trampled upon it, forcing even the most powerful of men to swallow their pride and smile in the face of indignity, so Hongji understood why some would feel personally slighted upon seeing a Warrior woman of any repute, for it was supposedly the mans job to defend and protect, whereas the womans job was to nurture and cherish.Moving so many bodies about might sound like a simple affair, but it still took time for everyone to shuffle into place. While his forces dealt with the remaining Defiled stragglers, Hongji watched the Enemy forces for signs of a trick or scheme about to be unveiled. Perhaps Bai Qi wanted a captive audience when he brought the Legates head out, but he hardly seemed the type for such needless pageantry, especially at such a high cost in momentum. The minutes passed slowly, but still the withdrawal continued, and it wasnt until a full half hour passed that he realized the Enemy was not just pulling back from the siege, but lifting it entirely to disperse west and south. Why?Seizing this moment to rest his troops, Hongji stood vigil with the most well-rested soldiers of the bunch, alongside all the remaining General Officers who were too curious to let sleeping dogs lie. In the intervening time, Hongji bandied words about with Akanai, Baatar, Nian Zu, and Du Min Gyu about what might have brought all this about, but they were just as confused as he was, which was reassuring in some small way.Then the ground began to shake with a rumbling roar, and shared ignorance was no longer so reassuring.At first, only a select few noticed the subtle disturbance, and Hongji only noticed their distraction after the fact, such as how Akanais gaze snapped northward several seconds before Baatar and Du Min Gyu followed suit. Hongji glanced in the same direction without any idea what was going on, but when he saw the clouds of dust and shifting horizon, he was amazed by his ability to ignore the wall trembling beneath his boots. The roar grew louder at a steady and speedy pace as the distant motion grew closer and closer without growing more distinct, until suddenly the world snapped into focus and he realized what he was seeing, at which point his body began trembling as well.Outside the walls of Shi Bei, the fearless and indomitable Defiled broke ranks and fled in all directions, the same savages whod spent the last fifteen days throwing themselves at the wall in utter defiance of death now screaming in pure terror and dread. Dozens Demonified before his eyes, transforming into all manner of unnatural and horrific monsters of nightmare and sin, only for the unholy abominations to flee as well once the Fathers foul attentions fell away. Despite all their best efforts to get away, there were too many Defiled packed together in one place and their progress was slow and arduous at best, and Hongji saw many a tribesman trampled underfoot by his or her comrades.And Hongji could scarcely blame them, for surging towards them from the horizon was a veritable wall of water which towered high over the city itself, a massive wave carving a furrow through the sands whilst howling in booming fury as if the Azure Sea itself had reached out from two-hundred and fifty kilometres away to swat away the Defiled threat. Most inconceivable of all was the fact that he spotted the sails of an Imperial frigate poking over the crest as it was carried along by the wave, and Hongji could only wonder just which Divinity was powerful enough to accomplish so terrifying a feat and crazed enough to violate the treaty in so audacious a manner.Abandon Ship!A familiar voice sounded out as Hongji struggled to make sense of this madness, but rather than focus on who it might be or the many figures jumping out of the ship, he could only watch in stupefied awe as the hurtling wave fell apart and missed Shi Beis walls by the thinnest of margins to collapse on the open sands instead. Water washed over everything in sight, a deluge which burst out in all directions and slammed into the retreating Defiled as well, but Hongji had no time to appreciate the incidental damage as it appeared as if the rising tide would soon overflow into Shi Bei as well. Thankfully, the walls held firm as the waters receded to reveal the Enemy army in complete disarray, to say nothing of the grisly scene of where the ship landed and promptly exploded into kindling, while taking a good number of Defiled along with it, but the casualties were few and far between, at least as far as he could see.Err... Legate Falling Rain here, requesting permission to enter Shi Bei. The booming voice sounded out for all to hear, then fell to a mumble emanating from right next to Hongji. Though I suppose its a little late for that. Turning towards the sound of the voice, he found the Legate standing with hands behind his back in what he seemed to think was an inspiring pose, but really only made him look awkward and stilted, as if he had a stick in his ass and a crick in his neck, but was trying and failing to act natural. Brigadier Hongji? Earth to Brigadier Hongji? Thats your cue to respond.Jolted out of his stupor by instinct and habit, Hongji fell to his knees so quickly it would be a miracle if they were only bruised and not cracked, but everyone else in the city knelt alongside him, so no one heard him make a fool of himself. This servant greets Legate Falling Rain, he intoned, not daring to look at the young dragon anymore, for his senses warned him of danger and power absolute. Then, the sensation faded, so quickly he wondered if hed imagined it, only to return in full force as Hongji snuck a peak at the Legates face and saw a tired expression of impatience and unease. Shi Bei is yours to command.All rise and as you were. Military Command will remain with Brigadier Hongji. The Legates hands reached out to clasp Hongjis which were still stuck together in a salute, but the young dragon lifted him up to his feet as easily as plucking a ripe apple from a tree. Better get your troops ready, because I think theyre about to attack again. Having switched to a more conversational tone, the Legate no longer felt the need to pose, though why that would be the case was baffling to the extreme, since every eye inside Shi Bei and out was watching his every move. Offering Hongji a sheepish grin, the Legate offered the faintest of shrugs alongside an apologetic grimace and said, Sorry for scaring you. I didnt really think that whole plan through and none of my Sendings were getting through. Truth be told, I didnt even think this would work. At first, I just wanted to bring all the water I bound with me, because I figured Id need it, but there was a lot more than I expected and I didnt have anywhere to put it all. Then Lin-Lin suggested I try making a river, which was really a lot easier than it sounds. Its like making waves in a tub, start small and build it up slowly, plus Meng Sha has that natural sea wall which really helped things along. Anyway, once I got over that initial hurdle of the first couple of kilometres, it was actually all downhill from there. Literally, meaning Central slopes ever so slightly downwards all the way to Shi Bei, which was just really, really convenient.The Legate was rambling, but only because he was exhausted, Hongji could see this now, and understandably so given hed called upon a wave of water to carry him and a ship halfway across the Central Plains. In doing so, hed created a river even wider than Shi Bei itself that stretched all the way behind him, though it would likely recede in time as the sand and sun did their respective work. Actually, itd already been done, with the water fading away even faster than it arrived, and only then did Hongji understand what the Legate was talking about. This wasnt actually water, but Water Chi, which in and of itself was just unbelievable. How could any one person, even a Divinity beloved by the Heavens, have so much Chi?Oh no. The Treaty. Did the Legate just break the Treaty to make a grand entrance? Surely not, but oh, Mother AboveBreathe. The Legates calming voice shook Hongji out of his panic, and he blinked as he met the young dragons eyes. So tired, but so kind too, not to mention calm and collected, as if everything were going perfectly to plan. Sorry, he said, flashing that sheepish grin once again. I know its a lot to take in, but Im here now and the Enemy is about to attack again, so I would really appreciate it if you filled me in on whats been going on.By your command, Legate, Hongji replied, launching into a military report out of habit and instinct, for his mind was unable to do much else. The Legate was here and apparently a Divinity, but he had no army save for a ship-full of Peak Experts. And a wagon of pets, which he brought to a battlefield for reasons beyond Hongjis comprehension. Cannonballs too, plenty of them, and Hongji split off his focus to Send word to have the Cannons brought back, but the Legate was three steps ahead. Even before Hongji finished giving his order, the first Runic Cannon rang out, and he followed the sound to find the Lord of Thunder cackling from the battlements as he reloaded his Cannon with glee.Perhaps Shi Bei wasnt so doomed after all. Hongji couldnt say why he felt this way, because the Legate had not brought many reinforcements, and though it appeared as if hed ascended to Divinity, that only brought more complications to bear. Once again, Hongji was reminded of his poem; When Gods stride out to meet in battle, Heaven and Earth are torn asunder, and Mortals can do naught but persevere.For if the Legate were truly a Divinity, then hed broken the Treaty with his arrival, yet this alone was not enough to strike fear into Hongjis heart. He knew the young dragon well, had seen the full measure of the man, and he knew that Falling Rain would not so casually risk the lives of everyone in Shi Bei. There was no need to panic, no need to despair, for the Legate was here, and all would be well.Not a logical conclusion to make, Hongji had to admit, but it was how he felt now, standing in the presence of greatness. Falling Rain had come, and the tides of war would turn against the Enemy once more.Chapter Meme
