Chapter 1235: This is too insane (Part 2) [Requesting monthly votes]
Quick Q&A
How heavy is a cloud?
On average, it weighs 500,000 kilograms, roughly equivalent to a hundred giant elephants.
The largest cloud formations can even hold billions of droplets of water!
The wind and rain were raging, and dark clouds loomed over the city, which was most advantageous to Luo Yuan! He also personally demonstrated to Shen Tang what it meant to "the Yellow River's waters come from the sky"! There was no Yellow River here, but there were dark clouds that blocked out the sun. Accompanied by a sudden, deafening clap of thunder, Luo Yuan shattered the clouds with a single strike!
Rumble, rumble.
Beneath the thunder's roar, the faint sound of waves could be heard.
How could there be waves here?
This question was soon answered.
A sudden inspiration struck her, and she abruptly looked up at the sky. Holding her breath, she could vaguely see a gigantic dragon's head emerging from a gap in the clouds, followed by a roar that resounded through the heavens. The dragon then multiplied into dozens in mid-air, swooping down with the force of a raging sea. Its mouth slightly opened, condensing countless slowly elongating water droplets. With a series of splashes, they all shot towards the same target!
Luo Yuan's arrogant voice echoed from the heavens.
Today, the time is in my hands!
He knew that the enemy had orchestrated today's weather, their aim being nothing more than to disrupt the Allied forces' operations, but he didn't care. He understood perfectly well that no matter how much effort and painstaking planning the enemy put in, it was all ultimately to benefit him!
It's not only people from Kangguo who know how to take advantage of favorable circumstances!
Gong Shuwu flashed into the air, gathered his strength, and unleashed a full-force attack.
As the dark light collided with the water jet, steam billowed up, and humid air surged against the ground, compacting the earth repeatedly. Even so, countless "fish that slipped through the net" managed to pass through the obstruction and silently pierce several inches into the ground! Even the rock fragments on the ground visibly sprouted dozens of round holes!
How can this be water that benefits all things without contention?
It's clearly a needle that kills without hesitation!
Shen Tang strode across the water, the swordsman moving with effortless grace, like a wisp of smoke slipping through the gaps in the rain, shattering the lingering smugness on Shen Tang's face. A sword's shadow rose from the ground, piercing the sky: [Smug about what?]
Or rather, what's there to be proud of?
The disdain in his eyes and brows seemed to evoke the same feeling as that of an old friend.
Whenever Luo Yuan made even the slightest progress and mastered a move or two, his "mentor" who had suppressed him for years would casually ask him—What are you so proud of? Is such a trivial skill worth showing your emotions on your face? Is it worth expressing your likes and dislikes on your face?
The view from above made him feel suffocated.
Different people, yet they uttered the same words, bringing him the same humiliation. But times had changed; he was no longer the pathetic ant who eked out a living at the mercy of others! Luo Yuan's breathing grew heavy, his pupils turning a murky crimson—a sign of falling into inner demons!
However, his inner demons were different from those of Gongyang Yongye.
The latter became obsessed with his inner demons, and his blade gradually dulled!
And he seemed to have divine assistance!
With all his attention focused on Shen Tang, he naturally didn't notice that the originally azure water had somehow been tinged with a little crimson. In just two breaths, the crimson spread like a virus, completely altering the appearance of the water dragon. At the same time, the flow of martial energy in his dantian became difficult, an indescribable burning sensation spread through his meridians, and excruciating pain, like being cut a thousand times, shot straight to the top of his head…
This unexpected turn of events caused him to freeze in mid-air for a moment.
He forcibly took a sword strike from Shen Tang.
The sword wound slanted down from the left shoulder, piercing half of the chest and abdomen, all the way to the right abdomen. The armor was torn, revealing the blood-stained inner shirt underneath, with a finger-length piece of flesh turned outwards. Shen Tang felt a little sorry; the nineteenth-rank Marquis of Guannei was indeed a ten-thousand-year-old tortoise, with a very thick shell. Even a full-force sword strike could only damage the surface.
However, she was not discouraged.
If there is a first sword, there will naturally be a second.
Luo Yuan suddenly retreated, and when he caught sight of the waterfall and the source of the water dragon pouring down from the "sky crack," his face turned ashen—the water dragon, which should have been under his control, was acting against his will and was out of control!
Such a basic error of losing control of one's words could not possibly have happened to a 19th-rank Marquis within the Pass! There is only one possibility—
Someone has quietly seized control!
No, that's not all.
Luo Yuan then recalled the inexplicable blockage of his martial energy in his Danfu earlier.
His martial energy was predominantly water-based, and after years of dedicated practice, his internal energy was pure. How could there be martial energy with a conflicting attribute? Upon closer examination, his internal energy was as pure as ever, as if what he had just experienced was merely an illusion.
Shen Tang did not give him time to investigate the truth.
The sword shadows rained down like a storm, forcing Luo Yuan to keep up and unable to focus on anything else. After a while, Luo Yuan's patience ran out—what was an inescapable trap for Luo Que was, for him, a net that could be easily torn apart with a single, all-out strike!
At that moment, he noticed the smile playing on Shen Tang's lips.
A confident and composed demeanor, a smile unique to the victor.
He had seen it countless times in his old friends!
This thought intensified his killing intent! Forcibly suppressing his surging blood and ignoring the sword wounds on his body: [What are you laughing at?]
"Destroying the granary doesn't necessarily require burning it." A smile crept onto the young swordsman's face, and those few words, so piercingly insightful, made Luo Yuan's mood explode. His tone was sarcastic: "Flooding it is also acceptable! Does Lord Luo perhaps think that fate is truly on your side?"
She works so hard and is so busy, how could she possibly be someone else's bride!
He returned the words to Luo Yuan verbatim.
Today, the time is in my hands!
A cloud that has been plotting for a long time can contain much more water than an ordinary cloud, enough to turn an area into a temporary swamp!
"Report—"
Cui Zhi is trying to find out the amount of grain that was flooded.
Ordinary flooding is not a big deal; as long as the grain is dried in time, most of the losses can be salvaged. So what if the grain is dirty? As long as it's edible, it's fine. On the other hand, the Kang Kingdom tried everything—feinting and playing tricks—working all night, but ultimately achieving very little.
He asked, "What news?"
Luo Yuan, who was standing to one side, also looked over.
Upon seeing what the soldier was holding, his expression changed drastically.
Cui Zhi strode forward, grabbed the soldier's wrist, and stared intently at the object held in the soldier's palm. His breathing became heavy and labored as he murmured in disbelief, "How could this be... how could this be! It's only been a short time, how could this happen?"
The soldier held a handful of sprouting seeds in his palm.
The grain and fodder have sprouted.
A wave of intense dizziness washed over Cui Zhi, and he finally understood what the Kang Kingdom had left behind. Fire could be contained, and flooding could be salvaged, but sprouting grain was truly beyond saving! Suddenly realizing something, Cui Zhi abruptly pushed the soldiers away.
He traveled at a brisk pace.
"Open this one, and this one too!"
Without exception, all the grain in the entire granary sprouted!
This scene almost made Cui Zhi grit his teeth.
Swallowing a mouthful of blood, he asked, "How could it sprout?"
Luo Yuan was also amazed. He stepped forward and tore open the grain bags of the supply wagon, and the sprouted seeds poured out all at once. Not a single one was dead in sight: "I've lived for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen so many sprouted seeds. Is this really not for growing grain?"
The better the seed quality, the higher the germination rate.
Farmers meticulously select the plumpest seeds each year to plant for the following year's harvest. No matter how carefully these seeds are tended, a large number will still fail to germinate. How good could the quality of grain procured for military use possibly be?
As long as it's edible and won't kill you, it's fine.
As a result, all of these uneven things sprouted.
Two or three hours of work can achieve the same results as ten or fifteen days of farming by a farmer—this is simply a fantasy! Farmers wouldn't even dare to dream of such a beautiful daydream, yet it has actually come true?
Which link in the chain was the culprit?
Luo Yuan was completely baffled.
He remained calm, even though the pain wasn't on his own: "This batch of grain is completely destroyed. There's no way to salvage it. What the Allies should be wary of right now is whether Kangguo will repeat the same trick."
As long as the location of the granary is exposed, there's no way to prevent underhanded tactics.
They didn't even know what methods the enemy had used to make so much grain sprout in such a short time. How could they defend against it?
Cui Zhi sighed deeply, "Hmm."
I dare not imagine the uproar the news would cause when it reached the main camp.
The King of Qi was furious, and the morale of the allied states was shattered. No one had expected that before the two sides had even officially begun war, they would suffer such a heavy loss at the hands of Kang—the destruction of a granary wasn't fatal, but the real problem was their lack of confidence that it wouldn't happen again! If it happened a few more times, this war would be pointless!
Wash your necks clean and wait for someone to chop them off!
"I have some doubts, and I wonder if you gentlemen can answer them?"
After a moment of deathly silence, an ally broke the silence.
He asked, "How was the granary exposed?"
To put it more bluntly: "Is it that the enemy scouts are truly capable, or is there a traitor among us who cannot be brought to light?"
After saying that, he glanced at the Allied members inside the tent.
This issue has caused a major misunderstanding, and the crowd was outraged, unable to accept such humiliation: "What do you mean by 'a traitor who cannot be brought to light'? This battle concerns our very survival. Who would defy the world and collude with the traitor?"
As he spoke, he pointed around in a circle.
"It's you?"
"It's you?"
"Or is it you?"
After asking around, someone angrily slammed their fist on the table and stood up in protest.
"We have gathered here with our troops, who among us is afraid of death? Instead of thinking about dealing with the traitors, you are all bullying yourselves! If you are suspicious of your allies, aren't you just playing into the traitors' trap and doing what they want? We are here to discuss how to defend against the traitors, not to incite infighting and make our enemies happy while our friends suffer!" This impassioned speech calmed down many of the people who were furious.
Yes, they shouldn't be fighting amongst themselves at this time.
Qi Cang, who witnessed this scene, sneered inwardly—the dog-eat-dog spectacle had never changed from the past to the present, it was truly spectacular! He then glanced at Zhong Lifu, who was quietly bowing his head, and thought to himself, this guy will show his true colors sooner or later!
The traitor was not caught, and the loss of the granary was borne by Qi Guo.
Taking this opportunity, countries proposed that each country manage and distribute its own food supplies.
Unified deployment would make it too easy for the Kang Kingdom to wipe them out in one fell swoop; last night's experience served as a cautionary tale! The Qi Kingdom's ruler could only nod in agreement. As for how to best preserve the grain supplies?
After discussion, everyone suspected that the sprouting of the grain was due to water.
It definitely contains something that can accelerate the growth of grain!
Someone mentioned a detail: "Over the years, it seems that Shen Youli has never been troubled by food supplies. According to folklore, there have been bumper harvests followed by smaller ones in various parts of Kang State. There must be something fishy going on here, and it may be related to the sprouting of food supplies this time."
Shen Tang Wuyou Zhongli Fu: "..."
Well, he's not exactly stupid.
She did indeed tamper with the rainwater, accelerating seed germination and making the damp fodder more prone to rotting, thus easily achieving her sabotage objective. Last night's operation wasn't primarily about destroying the granary; the main goal was to demoralize the Allied forces and give them a taste of their power!
Secondly, it could split the Allies from within.
With Cui Zhi taking the lead, the allied forces actually agreed to coordinate the allocation of supplies, which undoubtedly united the allied forces into one.
Regardless of past grievances, they would temporarily set them aside in the face of a formidable enemy. Cui Zhi acted as a troubleshooter, mediating everywhere, while Liao Jia's attempts to sow discord behind the scenes were no longer very effective. After some deliberation and discussion with everyone, Shen Tang decided to start with securing supplies.
This completely shattered the allied forces' trust in Qi Guo's defense of the granary.
If the Qi state cannot defend itself, it will have to defend itself.
We feel more at ease knowing that the lifeline of food supplies is in our own hands.
This move would fundamentally fragment the Allied forces, increasing the difficulty of management and coordination, making it much easier for Kangguo to defeat them one by one. Shen Tang concealed her smile, took a sip of sake, and keenly sensed that someone was secretly watching her.
She calmly looked back at the past.
Upon seeing that the other person was Luo Yuan, she raised her glass in a distant toast.
Luo Yuan's response was also interesting. Caught peeping, he not only showed no remorse but also nonchalantly averted his gaze, displaying an arrogant and disdainful attitude. Shen Tang didn't take his reaction to heart. According to the law of conservation of mood, if Luo Yuan was in a bad mood, she would be in a good mood. It was normal for him to be in a bad mood after just suffering a defeat.
"Brother Luo, you seem to be having trouble breathing. Would you like to see him?" Gongyang Yongye didn't have a good impression of the Allied leaders. He preferred to read a few medical books rather than listen to their arrogant nonsense. Seeing that there were still some acquaintances present, he felt relieved after last night and took the initiative to greet Luo Yuan, saying, "I cooked two portions. You can have one."
As a self-taught expert in andrology, Gongyang Yongye immediately recognized that Luo Yuan was suffering from the backlash of his incompatible martial energy.
Two tigers cannot share one mountain.
It's rare for two people in the same region to be active within the pass.
As one of the elders of the Eternal Life Sect, Luo Yuan had some understanding of Lao Deng, who lived in seclusion in the southwest, including Gongyang Yongye. He remembered that the former sect leader, Wei Cheng, had also tried to recruit Gongyang Yongye by force, but he turned away after only a brief encounter.
There was no fight, and as he left, he remarked, "What bad luck!"
A rusty knife, the more I look at it, the worse it gets.
Luo Yuan had briefly interacted with Gongyang Yongye, who wandered around, a few times, but they weren't close. He just hadn't expected to work together on this occasion. Luo Yuan was even more surprised that the other party invited him to drink medicine together right away. This made him, who had suffered a loss from carelessness the night before, unable to swallow his pride. He stubbornly said with a sour face, "I'm perfectly fine now."
Finally, I drank that invincible aphrodisiac and nourishing soup.
It tastes strange, but the effect is quite good.
Gongyang Yongye lamented, "Favors are debts, and the hardest to repay. It's utterly shameful that we, at our age, are willing to risk everything to fight against young people in their prime, even though we're of a higher level than them and still lose!"
Luo Yuan gets agitated whenever he hears certain words.
He suppressed his anger: "I haven't lost!"
Gongyang Yongye added casually, "Given the difference in cultivation levels between the two sides, failing to leave anyone's head behind means you've already lost."
Luo Yuan: "..."
These words hit home a little hard.
Gongyang Yongye downed the specially made tonic soup in one gulp: "I once came across a fragment of a book of spiritual writings, which read: 'Talented people emerge in every generation, each leading the way for hundreds of years.' Alas, it's all a lie! Let alone hundreds of years, even the most extraordinary talents can't stay in the spotlight for more than two or three decades."
The updates and iterations are happening way too fast.
It seems that in the blink of an eye, the world has been completely transformed.
And all these old fogies should be swept into the dustbin by the newcomers.
In their brief exchange, Luo Yuan realized that Gongyang Yongye was indeed a broken and rusty knife; every word he uttered exuded a sense of dejection and dejection. No wonder the former leader hadn't wanted to forcibly recruit him into the sect. He disliked this kind of temperament the most: "It diminishes one's own prestige!"
A dignified nineteenth-rank Marquis within the Passes acts like a resentful woman confined to her boudoir, wallowing in self-pity and belittling herself. No wonder he can only waste his lifespan and can't take that crucial step. If I were him, I would have already reached the pinnacle of Marquis!
Gongyang Yongye lightly touched Luo Yuan's medicine bowl with his own medicine bowl.
He left behind the words: "May you and I prosper in our military endeavors."
Neither Gongyang Yongye nor Luo Yuan would risk their lives for a favor, but the battlefield is ever-changing; once war begins, it's a fight to the death, and there's no way to stop or flee at will. Even if they could escape, given their spirits, which of them would willingly choose to live a life of dishonor?
Warriors ultimately find their place on the battlefield.
Having said that, Gongyang Yongye gracefully departed.
Luo Yuan smashed the medicine bowl: "Those mere brats, next time we meet, I'll make sure they never return, never live!"
The Allied forces were wary of Kangguo's unconventional approach.
Rather than passively enduring attacks, it's better to take the initiative and seize control. To avoid any unforeseen complications, the plan was brought forward, with four routes deployed. The first route would be led by a country bordering Kang, harassing their border security and drawing the attention of the Kang royal court.
The true marching routes of the four armies were known only to the Allied leaders, and their battle plans were kept secret from most people. Shen Tang couldn't squeeze into such a setting, and even if she did, she would mostly be an observer. However, that didn't matter; her trusted confidants were extremely valuable!
Besides Miao Ne as a backup plan, Liao Jia can also help.
Stealing classified information couldn't be easier!
Before long, all four intelligence reports were in her hands.
He also appeared openly and honestly before several important officials of Kang State.
Even though Tan Ting was mentally prepared, seeing the top secrets of the southwestern allied forces casually tossed on the table still felt somewhat unreal to him. For a moment, he didn't know whether to admire Kangguo's shrewdness or sympathize with the unfortunate southwestern nations. Logistics and intelligence are the two most crucial aspects of warfare, and the southwestern nations had lost everything in a muddle, making the outcome of this battle largely predictable.
only--
Tan Ting also had concerns: "Is the intelligence reliable?"
Don't let things escalate to the point where you become like Jiang Gan stealing the book, getting tricked and deceived.
To everyone's surprise, the Lord shook his head and said with great conviction: "How could it be reliable? The allied forces of all nations suspect there is a traitor. They haven't made a big show of arresting him openly for fear of alerting him, but they are all frantic behind the scenes. They will never fall into the same trap twice. As long as the matter of the traitor is not settled, they will remain suspicious and paranoid, and when they go crazy, they will even doubt themselves."
He suspected that he was the mole.
He was simply unaware that he had become an inside man.
"Are they all fake news?"
"It's not all fake; it's more like half-truths and half-lies. There's also a plan to lure out the mole. The bait is strong, and only a fool would fall for it." Shen Tang knew that the intelligence was a mix of truth and falsehood, but no matter how many feints there were, the ultimate goal was still to score a goal.
She just needs to know where the goal is!
She can't control the enemy, but she can command them by maneuvering her own people! The enemy wants to find her weakness to exploit it. Does she not understand the enemy's weaknesses, nor her own?
"Half true, half false, is enough."
(ˇˇ)…
Let's switch to a fresh emoticon.
It's rare for me to log into the Big Eyes backend, and I found a reader's message asking if there will be any more side stories for the Empress, and whether there will be a reunion after her reincarnation. I remember mentioning somewhere in my author's notes that there was a hidden easter egg in the Empress's collaboration with the big shot, and that there would be a side story for entertainment.
In the Empress's final dungeon, Pengpeng meets her reincarnated companions. In the final dungeon of the powerful boss, it's mentioned that this world is declining, and the Tenth Elder tricks another independent world into transplanting it (which is the Twin Dimensions second playthrough that Pengpeng played). Therefore, in the Empress's final side story, Pengpeng's inexplicable time travel is because the transplant has been successful (after being disconnected from the internet for many years, she has finally reconnected).
In theory, once Pengpeng finds the coordinates, she can sail there in her warship.
(Royal Family: I feel numb, it's like our ancestor has come back to life.)
(The friends who were reincarnated halfway through their lives and were still minors: all of them have to go back to school to repeat their studies.)
P.S.: By the way, this side story has been delayed for a long time?
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