Chapter 996: Forced Retreat! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Abu Muslim and Ziyad glanced at each other, and then these two highest commanders of the Arab army deeply frowned. They had never heard anything about what this red-robed attendant had said, nor did they know that the Behemoths would have such a massive flaw.
”So a Psychic Energy practitioner will be able to very easily control a Behemoth? And the Behemoths are only dying due to being controlled by Psychic Energy for too long?” Abu Muslim asked.
Abu Muslim had never imagined that the Tang Qixi Protector-General would be a Psychic Energy expert. It now seemed apparent that this was why Masil had died.
”That’s not necessarily all.”
Just when Abu Muslim believed that he knew all the secrets, the red-robed attendant hesitantly spoke up once more.
”In truth, in truth… when creating the Behemoths, this point was already taken into account. In order to prevent other Psychic Energy experts from controlling the Behemoths, the High Priest placed a seal on the minds of the Behemoths. All the Behemoths can only submit to Lord Masil and receive his orders. If Lord Masil dies, the seals the High Priest planted in the minds of the Behemoths will explode, and the Behemoths will begin to die off… No one can truly control our Behemoths for a very long time.”
The High Priest!
This name was like a sharp jab to both Abu Muslim and Ziyad. Fear appeared in their eyes, as well as a deep reverence. Every empire would be home to a few extremely unique existences, and the High Priest was one such existence.
Abu Muslim had only heard of the High Priest, but he had never had the opportunity to meet him. It was rumored that the High Priest was over two hundred years old. Abu Muslim had even heard of the High Priest when he was still just a boy. Everything regarding this man was an enigma.
In the Arabian Empire, some people even said that he had obtained Solomon's legacy. Others said that he had learned the secret to immortality.
But no matter which rumor was true, there was one thing that was certain. The High Priest possessed supreme authority within the empire. No governor or Great General would dare to offend him.
In a flash, the area became eerily silent.
”Milord, if it was that person… then it's only to be expected.”
Ziyad's whispered voice finally broke the silence.
“嗯。”
”Mm.”
Abu Muslim nodded, his expression relaxing. Although he would find it hard to escape the blame for the loss of this battle and the death of Masil, if it was related to that person, then his blame would be much reduced. More importantly, if the High Priest really had created so many safeguards, then this battle was still not a complete loss. There was still a chance to seize the city.
Abu Muslim looked forward and commanded, ”Pass on my order. All soldiers, retreat fifty li!”
Ziyad and the other Arab generals were all dumbfounded by this order.
”But, Milord, are we really just giving up?” Ziyad said, clearly unwilling.
The Burning One was dead, the Reaper was dead, and that other Behemoth had died as well. Of the four Behemoths, only the Consecrated was left. If the Consecrated fell, the Arabs would still have a chance to stage a comeback. Ziyad thought that Abu Muslim would at least stick around to watch for any opportunities to counterattack, but to his surprise, Abu Muslim had ordered an unequivocal retreat.
”We are not giving up, only reconsolidating the army. Today's circumstances are extremely unfavorable to us. The four Behemoths were lost, the Skyquaking Army lost half its number, and one hundred thousand soldiers were killed… Whether we want to admit it or not, we can no longer fight today,” Abu Muslim sternly replied.
He was even more unwilling than Ziyad, and as the army's highest commander, Abu Muslim did not have the word 'defeat' in his dictionary. But there was no changing the reality that he had been defeated.
The urgent task now was not to continue harassing the Tang. Only the foolhardy would do such a thing. The most important task was digesting the lessons and experiences of the defeat and seeking out a better chance for a counterattack.
”…Retreat! In this battle, I underestimated that Tang Qixi Protector-General too much. His effectiveness on this battlefield was far greater than I imagined, and he far surpasses Gao Xianzhi. His thoughts, schemes, courage, insight, and calculation ability make him probably the strongest enemy we have ever faced. If Arabia wishes to conquer the east and unite the continent, this person will be our greatest foe.”
Abu Muslim sharply stared at the youth on the shoulder of the giant ape.
At this moment, Abu Muslim felt a slight hint of regret. He had suddenly remembered the scouts he had sent to Qixi. After finishing the scouting of the Western Regions, he had made Qixi and Longxi the next targets. But at the time, Abu Muslim had felt that just destroying Gao Xianzhi and the Anxi Protectorate army would be enough.
He would still have plenty of time to investigate Qixi and Longxi after defeating Gao Xianzhi, so he had not placed too much emphasis on gathering information on these two areas. Even the matter of Fumeng Lingcha being replaced by this youth had not drawn too much of his attention.