317 Vicissitudes (1/2)
Zhang Han[1] was originally an unemployed young adult who loafed and idled around the capital of Da Chu. He came from a poor family and did not amount to much after he grew up, thus, he relied on shady acts for survival.
However, these few years, life in the capital became worse. The capital became emptier and he lost his livelihood. Coincidentally, the imperial army was recruiting and had very low requirements, hence, Zhang Han enlisted.
Zhang Han was doing guard duty at night.
”Recently, many of the lieutenants and generals have changed...Their eyes have a green glow, so creepy looking!”
The cold wind blew and Zhang Han still felt extremely chilly despite wearing his coat. As he shivered in the cold, he thought of the ladies in Chunfeng Brothel.
”Charge!”
Suddenly, shouts could be heard outside the city gates. Zhang Han came out of his trance and was alarmed by the noises.
”There are rebels attacking our city, quickly defend!”
Under the lieutenant's command, Zhang Han wielded his spear and rushed to the city gates. His hands were trembling in fear.
After he climbed up the city walls and looked down, he was utterly panic-stricken.
From the light of the flames, silhouettes of those below could be discerned. However, they were definitely not humans, each of them was oddly shaped and fully armoured. Some of them even had huge pincers as hands and were extremely vicious looking.
”What are you all waiting for? Kill them!”
The lieutenant hollered and a rain of arrows hit the crustacean soldiers' bodies. However, they were useless as only small sparks could be seen when the arrows bounced off their armour.
”The bow is useless, we have to use crossbows, logs and huge rocks!”
”Boom!”
Huge rocks were thrown from the tall city walls and blood splattered everywhere when these rocks landed.
Even though the crustacean army had scale armours, they could not withstand the logs and rocks crushing them.
”These... these are not humans, they are demons! I quit!”
Beside Zhang Han, a soldier was terrified by the scene and attempted to escape.
”Splurt!”
Blood spewed everywhere as Zhang Han's lieutenant smiled ferociously. With just a slash of his knife, the soldier's head rolled onto the ground.
”Those who try to escape will be killed immediately!”
The lieutenant licked the blood off his knife with enjoyment as he appeared extremely satisfied. The green glow in his eyes sparkled as he further commanded, ”What are you waiting for? Continue!”
”Yes, Sir!”
Zhang Han immediately turned his head away as the scene reminded him of the hungry wolf he had seen before when he was young.
The look on the lieutenant's eyes was exactly the same as that wolf's, it was sly and savage looking.
”Kill them all!”
If the 20,000 strong troops were humans, they would have all died when they attacked the city at night.
However, this time around, it was different. The ones attacking were the water dwellers.
With the support of the two Dragon Gods, the water dwellers bravely rushed forward against the raining arrows and logs. Their hands turned into giant pincers or sharp claws as they arrived at the bottom of the city walls and began climbing up.
”Kill!”
One of the crab generals reached the top of the walls and began hammering the wall with his huge pincers. Moments later, part of the wall crumbled and made way for the water dwellers.
The water dwellers immediately rushed forward.
”Die!”
The lieutenant lunged forward and a black glow appeared on his knife, ”Demon Wolf Technique, Moon Sword Flurry!”
”Swoosh!”
The knife was as radiant and as sharp as a waxing moon as it sliced the crab general. A large gap appeared on the crab general's chest at once, tons of blood gushed out and he collapsed onto the floor, revealing his original form which was a tiny crab.
”Hahaha!”
The lieutenant's eyes turned red from savagery as he howled to the moon. Black fur grew out from his face like an evil wolf.
”I'm right, a demon!”
Zhang Han's limbs turned weak. As he looked around, he saw many of them savagely howling. They transformed into dholes, wolves, tigers and leopards and fought against the crustacean army. As he watched the bizarre and motley beasts fought, he thought he was dreaming.
”Ah... haha, that's right, I must be dreaming!”
Even though Zhang Han had seen before the Demonic Beast Swarm that fought against Baili Xuandu's troops, he began to laugh crazily.
Zhang Han then threw his spear onto the ground and walked around aimlessly. Suddenly, a strong man with tiger stripes pounced on him and sank its teeth into his neck. Blood spewed everywhere!
...
While the capital was in chaos, Fang Yuan remained leisurely.
”There are indeed demons in the capital, but how many demons can the Queen possibly gather? 3,000? 5,000? We have 20,000 water dwellers, even if all of them were killed, it is not a pity!”
At that moment, many of the crustacean soldiers were severely injured or had died already. While the Golden Court Dragon God was worried, Fang Yuan was laughing beside him.
”What a cold-blooded and heartless young Dragon God!”
The Divine Demon Queen remained silent as she watched the events unfold.
Although she had powerful abilities, her elemental energy had been severely weakened as she had gone against the heavenly trend. Furthermore, she could not stand a chance against the two Dragon Gods.
”I will remember what happened today! Just you wait!”
Moments later, as she saw more demons were being killed, she could not bear it anymore, she finally let out a sharp shrill.
The demons were alarmed by the shrill and immediately transformed into black vapour as they retreated.
”Heh! The pettiness of women!”
Fang Yuan smirked as he saw such.
If a general could not view the soldiers under him as expendables and became irresolute during the key moment, he had failed as a general.
However, perhaps it was because demons were the ones dying in the brawl, there was no other choice for the Divine Demon Queen.