Chapter 1233: This is too insane (Part 1) [Requesting monthly votes]

Bad news...

The soldier delivering the message stammered, looking troubled.

Cui Zhi, who looked tired and weak, took a deep breath and secretly suppressed the discomfort caused by the backlash of his literary energy. The ring of high walls that isolated the fire was created by him. Gong Xi Chou probably saw something and destroyed it when he countered Zhong Li Fu.

Cui Zhi single-handedly withstood the backlash, preventing the other scholars from suffering the same fate. To avoid appearing weak before the King of Qi, he feigned nonchalance, though in reality his blood and qi were churning and his literary energy was flowing backward. His injuries weren't severe, but they weren't minor either, requiring several days of rest. He sternly said, "Speak your mind! Things change rapidly on the battlefield. Are you trying to delay military intelligence by being so secretive?"

Wu Zu could only close his eyes and steel himself to deliver the bad news.

The bad news is—

The original site of the granary has been destroyed and is now a marshland.

The flawless expression of the Queen of Qi finally cracked slightly, and she asked in disbelief, "Ju Ze?"

The Allied forces had long anticipated Kang's plan to raid the granaries, dividing the supplies into several portions and placing them in different areas. None of these locations could be marshes. Marshes were places where water and vegetation gathered; another more common term was swamp. To ensure the grain didn't spoil, the granaries had to be moisture-proof and leak-proof, and built in dry, well-ventilated places.

Why was the granary located in Juze?

The grain and supplies will be moldy and infested with insects in just a few days.

The soldiers could only briefly explain the cause and effect.

While the Kangguo troops were distracting the Allied forces with their antics at the camp, another mysterious force launched a surprise attack on the granary.

Cui Zhi asked, "Even with Lord Luo in command, they couldn't stop it?"

That granary also has a Marquis of the Nineteenth Rank, whose strength is similar to Gongyang Yongye's, stationed there. This person only arrived in the last two days. No matter how advanced Kangguo's intelligence is, there's no way they could know of this person's existence. To launch a sneak attack while he's there?

If Kangguo dares to send people over, then the King of Hell dares to take them away!

The soldiers were mediocre and not qualified to participate in battles of that level, so he only knew the outcome of the battle, not the specific details. Based on the intelligence he possessed, the nineteenth-rank Marquis of Guannei also bore significant responsibility for the granary turning into a swamp.

The corner of the Qi Kingdom's mouth twitched violently.

Upon hearing this, she could only suppress her anger and desire to hold someone accountable.

"Where is Lord Luo?"

Cui Zhi understood her temperament and knew she was seething with anger, so he took the initiative to accept the difficult task. He personally went to contact that Lord Luo to find out the specific cause and effect, and also arranged for manpower to deal with this batch of grain, to see if they could salvage it.

Timely rescue and treatment can save most of the losses.

As dawn broke and the sky turned a pale white, the chaos in the camp finally subsided. Cui Zhi hurried towards the granary, the closer he got to it, the wetter and softer the soil became. Not to mention supply wagons, even a person standing on it would unknowingly sink into the mud, up to their ankles.

Allied soldiers laid the supplies while pushing out the supply wagons.

Cui got off the carriage and raised his hand to refuse help.

The scholar-official also possessed many incantations that enhanced his spirit and lightened his body, ensuring that he could move freely in this marshland and wouldn't suddenly find himself stuck in the mud. It was quite a while before he finally saw his destination.

"Luo Hou".

The man known as "Lord Luo" was a middle-aged man in plain clothes, with standard sword-like eyebrows and a square face, exuding an aura of uprightness. However, when he opened his eyes to look at people, he revealed a pair of pupils with the upper part of the whites showing above the pupils, giving people a sense of cold indifference and world-weariness, as if strangers should stay away.

When Cui Zhi called out to him, he only slightly moved his eyes.

As Cui Zhi approached, the middle-aged man in plain clothes glanced at the hem of his robe. Scholars' robes differed from those of martial artists; the latter preferred narrow sleeves and tight-fitting attire, while scholars sought the most elegant and refined style. Long robes with wide sleeves were standard, the hem often covering the instep, or even extending beyond it, until it dragged on the ground. Cui Zhi's attire was no exception; he could only awkwardly lift the hem of his robe as he walked.

However, his ingrained upbringing and habits made him uncomfortable exposing his feet directly, so the hem of his clothes was pulled up only slightly, and mud and water still got on it, staining it with dark marks. Cui Zhichong, dressed in plain clothes, performed a junior's salute, and the latter nodded slightly.

Then?

Then I ignored him.

Looking at the chaotic scene around him, Cui Zhi asked, "Which formidable enemy came yesterday, capable of causing such widespread destruction in your hands?"

When asked about his opponent, the middle-aged man in plain clothes gave a response.

"A living skeleton, a chattering, mischievous monkey."

The middle-aged man in plain clothes finally showed some emotion, his tightly furrowed brows revealing barely suppressed disgust. Clearly, his experience last night hadn't been pleasant. He had lived in seclusion for so many years, and to be taught a lesson by two young men the moment he stepped out of the mountains was naturally unpleasant. The middle-aged man in plain clothes could only lay bare the unpleasant truth upfront.

"This time, the opponent will be difficult to deal with."

Cui Zhi was startled: "Why do you say that?"

The middle-aged man in plain clothes said, "Because of that living skeleton, the former leader of the Eternal Life Sect was in this form before, and the two have some similar auras. The one last night may have some connection with him."

Cui Zhi: "..."

The middle-aged man in plain clothes said reluctantly, "I was defeated by that man back then and was forced to agree to his unreasonable demands. If the living skeleton from yesterday was his man, I would also be in a difficult position."

His seclusion back then was not entirely voluntary.

Gongyang Yongye was disheartened and wanted to live in seclusion, but he had run into Wei Cheng, a formidable foe. He was seriously injured and barely survived, but his enemies were relentlessly pursuing him, making him hesitant to show his face. His agreement to help Cui Zhi this time was partly due to their ancestral ties—a connection that was enough for him to intervene, but not enough to make him risk his life—and partly because Cui Zhi was a high-ranking member of the Eternal Life Sect…

If Wei Cheng were on the other side, he would have no choice but to stop.

It wasn't because the other party was a cult leader, but because he valued his life.

Since Wei Cheng and his nephew disappeared, the already chaotic Eternal Life Sect has descended into utter turmoil, with its high-level factions becoming increasingly complex. The middle-aged man in plain clothes is considered one of the sect's elders, a henchman personally subdued by Wei Cheng. He resents Wei Cheng and even wants him dead, but he can't defeat him... which is infuriating.

Cui Zhi sighed and said, "I am aware of that."

The middle-aged man in plain clothes took out a somewhat old scroll from his robes, but the ink on it was fresh. The contents were all intelligence gathered from yesterday's battle with the enemy, including their appearance, strength, level of cultivation, strengths, and weaknesses. Cui Zhi could use it to discuss and formulate a targeted strategy with the allies; it would be somewhat useful.

From this intelligence, Cui Zhi also knew why Ju Ze had come.

"If the Allies want to win, that scribe must be killed."

The middle-aged man in plain clothes recalled his experience from last night, and his face darkened even further; it was clearly a very unpleasant experience...

"Scholar?"

"Um."

This story begins a few hours ago.

Since receiving the message from the Cui family, he had rushed to the granary. The middle-aged man in plain clothes was low-key and disliked interacting with others, spending most of his time meditating and cultivating in his private tent. In the latter half of last night, he keenly noticed unusual activity in the direction of the Allied camp.

The scouts returned with news confirming that his perception was correct.

All troops stationed at the granary were mobilized and placed on high alert.

Another Allied general, however, felt this was making a mountain out of a molehill. Not only were the granaries divided into several locations, each one a closely guarded secret. Even if the enemy knew this, how could they possibly have the resources to raid the granaries while simultaneously attacking the main camp?

Night raids often involve reducing troop strength.

However, the Allied generals dared not challenge him.

Killing him was as simple as slaughtering cattle and sheep for a 19th-rank Marquis within the Pass.

As time passed, fires broke out in several places in the direction of the main camp, and scouts brought back increasingly worse news. The allied generals could no longer sit still and wanted to volunteer to lead troops to support the main camp, but the middle-aged man in plain clothes firmly suppressed their request and even earned a contemptuous taunt from him.

[You are all like clay bodhisattvas crossing the river, barely able to save yourselves, yet you want to lead troops to help other places? Save your own lives first.]

Grain storage security is even more important.

Allied generals certainly understood this principle.

But he was more worried about something else.

Allied supplies were centrally managed, but troop deployment was handled separately. He knew perfectly well what Qi Guo had done before forming the alliance. You Guo hadn't even offended Qi Guo yet, and Qi Guo had already destroyed it; Qi Guo's wolfish ambitions were obvious to all. What he didn't understand was how, with a large army stationed in the main camp, and the enemy only numbering a thousand or so, they could so easily create such a commotion?

Unless someone deliberately lowers their guard, lets the wolf into the house, and uses Kangguo to wear down the forces of future enemies and current allies.

From this perspective, everything seems to make sense.

Do you really believe that a thousand or so ambushes from Kang could put the Allied forces under immense pressure and make them feel surrounded? Ha! He might as well believe there's a traitor within the ranks!

Once doubts take root, they are hard to dispel.

The middle-aged man in plain clothes continued to obstruct him in every way, which only exacerbated his dissatisfaction.

This batch of supplies, though nominally belonging to the Allied forces, was actually still Qi's supplies. Whether it was lost or not wouldn't affect Qi's country. However, other countries had sent their elite troops for this alliance meeting. And these elite troops happened to be stationed on the outermost perimeter, in the area targeted by enemy attacks!

With this feeling in mind, the military officers were reluctant to patrol the camp.

As a result, this military general won the grand prize.

A chilling wind blew, and the warhorses neighed in fright.

Seeing this formation, it was clear something was amiss. The Allied general gripped his horse's belly tightly, tightened the reins, and simultaneously issued a low, authoritative command, forcefully silencing the surrounding commotion: [Be on alert!]

No sooner had he finished speaking than a beam of dark light struck down from above.

No matter how swift the general's reaction was, he was still a step too slow. He was hit head-on by the sudden blast of air, and both he and his horse were sent flying several feet away. The horse's hooves left four long tracks on the ground. With the help of the general's horsemanship skills, he barely managed to stabilize himself.

The other soldiers weren't so lucky.

Those closest to the center of the dark light were mostly dead; those a little further away had their internal organs shattered by the shockwave; those even further away managed to unleash their martial energy to defend themselves and survived; the furthest were simply blown off their feet. Once the dust settled, they quickly regrouped.

"Enemy attack!"

The soldiers immediately relayed the intelligence.

The moment the fireworks burst in the sky, the first to react were not the soldiers stationed at the granary, but the enemy soldiers dressed in black!

At this moment, the general also saw who had attacked him.

As I saw it clearly, the hairs on my back stood on end.

That's not a living person!

Beneath the helmet was a translucent pink skull, with two flames once flickering in its eye sockets, the rest of its body covered by a dark and imposing suit of armor. He rode a skeletal horse and wielded a massive sword taller than himself, its back strung with a ring of golden copper rings. When he raised his hand, the copper rings on the back of the sword clanged together with a crisp, eerie sound that sent shivers down even the soul!

This enemy—

Could it be that it crawled out of the King of Hell's palace?

These thoughts flashed through his mind in a split second.

His fear of the unknown was ultimately suppressed by his fighting spirit. He drew his sword: "Whether you're human or demon, I'll chop you down and boil you into soup!"

The skeleton general let out a strange laugh.

[Making soup? Ha, you're like a frog in a well, full of boastful words!]

With a deafening explosion, the general unleashed a powerful strike, colliding head-on with the skeletal enemy general. The skeletal general neither dodged nor yielded, but simply raised his hand to receive the blow. What seemed like a light and effortless movement not only tore through the general's attack but also had the power to counterattack, causing the general's chest and abdomen to churn with blood and a nauseating, sweet taste rising in his throat.

All that remained in my heart was horror and fear.

He couldn't discern the enemy's strength, knowing there was a gap between them, but he hadn't expected it to be this vast! His intuition told him he had to run after the next attack, or his life would be in danger! However, his survival instinct couldn't overcome his will, and he chose to strike a second time!

The warhorse galloped wildly, rushing towards the enemy charging from the same direction like a meteor!

There is no turning back, only death!

He roared, completely releasing his restraints and unleashing a torrent of martial energy that instantly surpassed his physical limits. He concentrated all his power in a single strike, unleashing it the instant the two clashed! Only then did he realize he was shaking a mountain!

The skeleton general's warhorse did not stop for a moment, but he and his warhorse flew backwards like a kite with a broken string!

The man and horse were smashed into the ground, creating a deep crater and dragging out a ditch.

The skeleton general was ready to reap heads with his next strike.

The knife never came down.

The sword's momentum was forced to stop in mid-air.

The middle-aged man in plain clothes tossed the skeleton warrior aside and took two steps forward. The energy of heaven and earth converged upon him frantically, instantly transforming into a rather unremarkable suit of armor: [Killing someone in front of me? Who do you think you are?]

The skeleton general's mouth opened and closed.

He tentatively inquired: "A nineteenth-rank Marquis within the Pass?"

The middle-aged man in plain clothes said, "Exactly! Don't embarrass yourself with your meager strength. Get lost, and I might spare your life!"

The skeleton general sneered: "Do you have a name?"

As he spoke, he raised the large sword in his hand.

As he channeled his energy into the blade, illusory skeletal ghosts crawled across its back, grinning defiantly at the middle-aged man in plain clothes. Putting everything else aside, the sight was quite terrifying. He declared, "I am Gong Shubanbu; my blade does not slay nameless ghosts!"

A middle-aged man in plain clothes: [...]

The young man not only lacks ability, but also has a big mouth.

But he still gave a simple reply: 【Luo Yuan.】

The skeleton warrior seemed quite surprised by his identity.

[Luo Yuan? You're Luo Ben's father?]

The skeleton general revealed his identity, making Luo Yuan even more vigilant.

When he rose to fame, he didn't use the name Luo Yuan. With the passage of time, theoretically no one should recognize him. Those who would recognize him are either enemies or have some connection to the former sect leader, Wei Cheng. Either way, it's a headache for Luo Yuan…

This child must not be allowed to live!

If you can kill them, do your best to eliminate them completely!

Luo Yuan harbored murderous intent, and the skeleton warrior also sensed it.

..(ˇˇ)…

(End of this chapter)