Chapter 165 (1/2)
Chapter 165
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Chu Qiao stood there quietly for a long time until the soldier's voice faded away. The snow accumulated on his face but did not melt. The wind tugged at her sleeves as if to remind her of her old dreams. The sky was desolate and vast. Although the world was big, they had seemingly been abandoned by it. A massive amount of thoughts flashed across Chu Qiao's mind. She thought of the visions they had since young, their determination to make it happen, those passionate moments of anticipation and hope. She thought of the cold, dark prison cell they were locked in many years ago when the young man grabbed her hands and warmed it. Yan Xun had told her many things about Yan Bei with a bright look in his eyes. He painted a rosy picture of the snow, grass, and horses there, along with the Huolei Plains and Huihui Mountains. He said that the civilians there were diligent and kind-hearted, and that there were no conflicts. There was only peace and tranquility, akin to a utopia.
Yan Bei, Yan Bei… Chu Qiao looked up slowly, a stream of tears trickling down her face. She stood upright, her body shaped like a javelin. The snowflakes landed on her shoulder. No one will protect you anymore. Let me do the job instead. We will wait for them to come back.
No one expected Beishuo City to fall this quickly. In barely five days, under the relentless waves of attacks by Zhao Qi, Beishuo City had been utterly annihilated. If not for the tools of defense that Chu Qiao had left behind, Yan Bei would definitely have been colonized by Xia.
At this moment, Cao Mengtong stood on the city walls looking at the Xia troops who were approaching. He felt the ground trembling beneath his feet. There was one thing that he did not manage to comprehend: where had his army of over a million gone to? How had he lost so completely, despite his valiant efforts? However, he had no time to think about this anymore. Lu Zhi dashed to his side and shouted, ”General, time to run! The Xia troops are catching up with us!”
”Run?” Cao Mengtong turned around and asked in a dazed manner. ”Run?”
”Yes!” Lu Zhi exclaimed. ”Xia An has fled with the Beishuo Army already. I heard that Chidu City has not fallen yet. That girl, Chu Qiao, has defended the city with her soldiers. We can escape to Lan City via there. General, be quick. There's no time left!”
”Run?” Cao Mengtong was slow to respond. In just a few days, his hair had turned white. Mumbling to himself, he remarked, ”No way. I can't run.”
”General! That old coward, Xia An, has fled already. He's the general in charge of defending Beishuo. He's gone already. What are we staying here for?”
Cao Mengtong sighed with sadness. He used his old pair of eyes to look at Lu Zhi, replying, ”He can run, but I can't. Lu Zhi, I am the overall commander in charge of resisting the Xia troops. If I run, Beishuo City is finished.”
”Beishuo is finished even if you don't run! General, don't be stubborn anymore!”
Cao Mengtong shook his head. ”No way. Lu Zhi, if you want to run, go ahead.”
Lu Zhi was stunned. ”General, are you really not leaving?”
Cao Mengtong replied with conviction, ”No.”
”Neither am I then!” the boorish man exclaimed. ”It's just death. General, you have groomed me and taken care of me just like my birth father. If I die, I will die with you!”
Cao Mengtong was touched and started to tear. He gave Lu Zhi a pat on the shoulder and remarked, ”You only see the kindness in people when you're in danger. Lu Zhi, I did not groom you in vain.”
”General, please give me 20 thousand troops. I will dash out of the city and fight the enemy to the death!”
”Alright!” Cao Mengtong said. ”I'll give my personal army to you. They are the most loyal soldiers to Yan Bei, and also the most elite troops of the Second Army. Lu Zhi, don't let me down!”
”I will not disappoint you, General!”
An hour later, the northern gates of Beishuo City opened. Lu Zhi, along with Cao Mengtong's personal army, swept the city of all its valuable items and fled. Cao Mengtong stood on the city walls and looked on as his trusted aide left him. He spit out a mouthful of blood, collapsing on the ground.
The Xia army carried out another wave of attacks, causing chaos everywhere within the city. All its civilians ran around in panic. The northern gates were sealed shut by the officials of the Military Law Department under Cao Mengtong's orders, to prevent anyone else from escaping.
Pandemonium, along with the smell of blood and shouts to kill, descended upon the entire city. The Xia army had made their way to within 200 paces of the city. They took out their ladders and began to scale the city gates. As the sun set, the landscape was stained bright red. This was the last assault of the day. The enemy troops let out the signal to charge. They were intent on conquering Beishuo City that very day!
”Surrender! Those who surrender will live!” The Xia army sent about 300 soldiers with loud voices to go beneath the city gates and shout. Some of the civilians in Beishuo City had wanted to open the gates up and surrender but were swiftly killed by the officials. The cries of agony neared. The blood scent of the Xia soldiers was detectable.
”General! General! The third platoon needs reinforcements!” a blood-stained soldier crawled on the ground towards him and exclaimed.
Cao Mengtong looked at him and shook his head slowly. The old general brandished his sword and took two steps forward with a murderous aura around him. How many years had it been since he stepped onto the battlefield? Over these years, he had been mocked and known as a general who was a deserter. The only time in his life where he was courageous, it led to an unbelievably big mistake. From the start, if he had listened to that girl, Chu Qiao… At this instant, thoughts like this flashed across his mind. He shook his head again, laughing at himself. What use was there, thinking about this now? He smiled bitterly and replied, ”I am the last reinforcement.”