Elena waved slightly to her lieutenant, signaling him to step back.

"Ai Zijun, you really know how to set conditions. If you lose, I guarantee I'll make sure you're beheaded!"

Elena gritted her teeth, wishing she could kill Ai Zijun with a single sword strike right now.

Seeing her so angry, Ai Zijun seemed to have expected it. His voice carried a hint of mockery: "You knew all along that I was going to marry you as my queen, so why are you so angry? As the commander-in-chief of the three armies, do you not even have this much courage?"

His words carried a hint of provocation and contempt, as if questioning Elena's courage and decisiveness.

Inside the tent, the atmosphere was tense and heavy, like the calm before a storm.

The conversation between Ai Zijun and Elena was like a battle of wits, with every word concealing a deadly intent.

Elena's eyes were firm, and her voice carried an undeniable determination.

"While your provocation won't work on me, I promise you this time: if Ivanov is really captured by Chen Zhennan, I will marry you and become your princess."

Upon hearing Elena's words, Ai Zijun nodded slightly and stood up calmly.

His figure stood out prominently in the tent, and his voice was calm yet powerful: "Alright, it's settled then."

Ai Zijun was about to leave after speaking, but her steps were stopped by the deputy general next to Elena.

He stopped abruptly, raised an eyebrow, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes: "What does this mean? I came here to talk. It's incredibly rude of you not to let me leave."

His voice carried a hint of coldness, as if he were questioning a dishonest opponent.

Elena stood up, a cold smile playing on her lips, her voice laced with sarcasm: "All's fair in war. Since you're here, don't leave. I don't know if you're telling the truth or not, so I'll just keep you here as a bargaining chip."

Her words carried an unquestionable authority, as if she were issuing an irrevocable command.

Ai Zijun frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the outside of the tent like a sharp sword. He saw dozens of Slavic soldiers drawing their swords and ready to fight.

Knowing that he had no way to escape, Ai Zijun simply turned around and sat down, his movements carrying a hint of open-mindedness and composure.

"Since you, Elena, won't let me leave, then I won't leave. But we can't go back on our promise."

Elena nodded slightly, a hint of determination in her eyes: "I, Elena, keep my word and will not go back on my word."

After saying that, Elena turned around with a smile and walked out of the tent.

After leaving the house, Elena shouted in Slavic, "Order the entire army to stand guard, and send 50,000 troops back to Kurokawa. You must bring Sergei back to me!"

Elena certainly wouldn't sit idly by and wait for her fate. With Ivanov's life hanging in the balance, she was determined to go back and check on him.

However, without Sergei's cavalry, his army of over 200,000 men was unable to gain any speed. He had no choice but to bring back Sergei's cavalry and use them in conjunction with the infantry to repel Ai Zijun's cavalry.

At Elena's command, the 50,000-strong army sped off like a raging flood, their iron hooves shattering the tranquility of the morning.

Ai Zijun saw everything clearly from inside the tent. His expression changed drastically, and he turned around and rushed out of the tent to try to stop them.

But then, countless Slavic soldiers swarmed forward like a tide, their eyes flashing with coldness and determination.

"Elena, what are you trying to do?" Ai Zijun's voice was tinged with anger and anxiety, her eyes filled with worry about what was about to happen.

Upon hearing this, Ai Zijun's eyes widened, his gaze flashing with fury. His voice rose eight octaves: "Elena, I warn you, you are not allowed to burn, kill, or loot in Kurokawa!"

His voice carried an unquestionable authority, as if he were proclaiming an unalterable command.

Elena turned around and smiled, her smile carrying a hint of cunning and confidence.

"The people of Kurokawa have all been sent away, so how can they burn, kill, and loot? I just want to bring Sergei back, so don't worry."

Her voice carried a hint of nonchalance, as if she were talking about something trivial.

Elena shook her head slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of helplessness and determination: "Ai Zijun, you should know that war is cruel. I cannot let Sergei sacrifice himself in vain. Of course, it would be best if he hadn't sacrificed himself yet."

Ai Zijun took a deep breath, his eyes filled with a resolute look: "Elena, if you won't let me leave, then let me write a letter and send it out."

His voice carried a hint of pleading and a touch of determination, as if telling Elena that this was his final bottom line.

Elena shook her head slightly upon hearing this, her eyes filled with a hint of apology and determination: "This request is a bit excessive, I cannot agree to it."

In the tense atmosphere, the argument between Ai Zijun and Elena was like a taut bowstring, ready to explode at any moment.

The conversation between the two was full of tension, each holding a firm position and neither willing to back down an inch.

Just as the two were arguing, a rapid sound of hooves suddenly came from afar, like the beating of war drums.

Elena's gaze was sharp as an eagle's; she spotted a number of cavalrymen galloping toward the military camp, raising clouds of dust and displaying a menacing aura.

Looking up, Elena realized that these cavalrymen were all elites under Sergei's command, but their panicked appearance, like birds startled by a bow, clearly indicated that they had not returned in triumph.

A sense of foreboding welled up in Elena's heart; her brows furrowed, and worry flickered in her eyes.

As the cavalry approached, Elena's worries grew heavier and heavier, like dark clouds looming over her.

Her eyes searched for Sergei among the cavalry, but the result sank her heart to the bottom—she did not see Sergei.

The army automatically parted to make way, and three cavalrymen galloped up to Elena, hurriedly dismounted, and knelt on one knee. Their actions revealed a sense of urgency and panic.

"Reporting to the general, General Sergei has died!" The cavalryman's voice was tinged with despair, his face filled with anxiety and panic, as if the weight of the news was suffocating him.

Ai Zijun stood to the side. Although he couldn't understand what they were saying, he could tell from their anxious tone and panicked expressions that something had happened!

His heart tightened, his brows furrowed, and his eyes flashed with complex emotions.

When Elena heard the news, it was as if struck by lightning. Her face turned pale instantly, and her body swayed slightly. The news had hit her right in the heart.

Her lips trembled, her voice tinged with disbelief: "What did you say? Sergei, he..."

Her voice stopped abruptly, as if something was stuck in her throat.

"General Sergei was killed, yes, it was done by our own people."