Chapter 786: Frontline

At this moment, at the front line.

Though referred to as the front line, it was already quite far back, as the true front line… had been largely destroyed by the earlier Human Dao surprise attack.

Song Kingdom was completely annihilated; not a single bacterium survived, and all Earth Spirits, along with all life upon them, had been entirely wiped out by the Human Dao seizing the opportunity.

Indeed… completely wiped out.

The Human Dao seized the moment of internal strife among the Baiyue Kingdom Lords, striking precisely, like a surgical knife piercing a gap with perfect accuracy, then opening the cavity.

Decapitation, city slaughter, destruction of Earth Spirits—all in one go, taking less than two hours, then swiftly retreating back into the towering ramparts of the Southern Border.

The Human Dao suffered approximately three hundred casualties, a battle loss ratio of about three hundred to one billion.

Their actions were so swift and precise that the disorganized Baiyue forces had no way to resist.

In the instant before the disorganized masses could react, they decapitated the Kingdom Lord, annihilated numerous Prefects and high-ranking officials, slaughtered the entire country within two hours, and then systematically withdrew to defense.

Aside from sporadic resistance causing a few casualties, the entire operation was flawless, seamless.

The closest reinforcements and strongholds didn't even have time to gather; by the time they slowly set out, the Human Dao had already finished their work and gone home for dinner.

This battle directly instilled fear in everyone in the Baiyue Kingdoms, from the lowest soldiers to the highest Baiyue Kingdom Lords.

How could one possibly contend with such a country?

They were simply not on the same level!

At this moment, Zhang Xu, an eighth-rank Martial Artist serving as a grassroots commander, was facing such fear.

He walked into his camp and looked around.

Zhang Xu was a Junwei of Great Deer Kingdom; he considered himself the most capable among his peers, and his subordinates were all elites he had personally selected, the most combat-effective squad in Great Deer Kingdom.

Just like now—

In Zhang Xu's camp, the soldiers were comforting each other; though fearful, they had not collapsed.

But many of his colleagues, at this moment, had collapsed in morale, even preparing to abandon resistance.

Zhang Xu frowned, walked out, and shouted at the fearful soldiers: “Stand up, what do you look like!”

He still commanded considerable prestige among the soldiers; at his shout, many soldiers immediately perked up, though they still looked a bit weak, at least they stood straight.

Zhang Xu went up and asked: “What’s going on with the next camp? Why do they have wine?”

He asked this because Zhang Xu had already seen it: in the neighboring camp, soldiers had begun to drink wildly, and even the Junwei was among them, everyone drinking merrily.

“Junwei… do we even need to say?” The soldiers said with a bitter smile.

This left Zhang Xu speechless.

Yes, did it need to be said?

Morale had certainly collapsed, even the Junwei's state of mind had broken, so he simply didn't care anymore; everyone might as well live for today and drink while they could.

Zhang Xu shook his head and turned to leave.

After leaving, he found the quartermaster.

The quartermaster also looked dispirited, but upon seeing Zhang Xu, he immediately stood up and said: “Junwei, you’re here? Do you have any plans?”

The quartermaster was Zhang Xu’s confidant and naturally understood his Junwei’s character very well; he probably wouldn’t indulge in drink like the camp next door.

Zhang Xu walked over and said: “Tonight… don’t worry about logistics. Take out thirty percent of the reserved meat; everyone can have a good meal, something good to eat, it can also lift spirits.”

“Yes,” the quartermaster immediately nodded.

“Also, Spiritual Artifacts, disposable Talismanic Incantations, arrows, and such, should all be placed at the very front. If battle begins, prioritize their use,” Zhang Xu instructed.

“I understand, so… Junwei, we still have to fight, don’t we?” the quartermaster asked somewhat nervously.

“Whether we fight or not isn’t up to us; what we need to do is prepare for battle,” Zhang Xu shook his head, turned again, and left, as he was on inspection and wouldn’t stay in one place for too long.

After inspecting the training ground and logistics, he now ascended the watchtower.

There was a magical art on the watchtower called the Thousand-Mile Mirror, capable of seeing things a thousand li away, used for observing military affairs.

However, after ascending and activating the spell, all he saw was a vast wilderness and scattered trees.

In Great Deer Kingdom, he could naturally only see the border of Song Kingdom, as a thousand li was not too far, truthfully; at least on this level of battlefield, being able to scout a thousand li only meant being able to see the immediate surroundings clearly.

But he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Zhang Xu shook his head; just yesterday, the Thousand-Mile Mirror still showed a prosperous Song Kingdom, still trading with Great Deer Kingdom, with bustling crowds at the border, as various transactions and material exchanges were smoothly conducted under the guidance of the two countries' Kingdom Lords due to the war.

Yet, in just one day, only one day, there was no longer any living soul in the entire Song Kingdom.

Aside from a chilling sensation, there was no other feeling.

He then directed the Thousand-Mile Mirror towards the sky.

Looking at the sky, the Thousand-Mile Mirror could clearly perceive the Gale Wind Layer and the numerous air routes above it.

Yes, there used to be air routes; the Gale Wind Layer of the world was very lively, with many cultivators navigating through it, like main thoroughfares, bustling, even with floating palace complexes visible.

But now, there was nothing; the news of the Baiyue great war had spread to many parts of the world, so those capable of traveling across the world deliberately avoided Baiyue, lest they be caught in the crossfire.

No one dared to come to the war zone.

And Zhang Xu, with his eighth-rank limited knowledge, didn't know what the world outside Baiyue was like, but just by looking, he understood that the situation here was probably not good; everyone was avoiding this place.

Moreover… besides that, he could also see spherical automatic cruise Spiritual Artifacts.

There were an enormous number of them; he alone saw over a thousand.

He had already received information about these from above.

These objects were called ‘Heavenly Palaces’; they were the things that previously created the lava lake, cut open the battlefield, and caused the great explosion.

As long as these things launched an attack, this entire camp would turn into a pool of lava.

However, it seemed the Prefects had intervened, preventing the Heavenly Palaces from approaching and limiting them to observation, not direct attack.

But… they couldn’t get out.

Once they went out, these Heavenly Palaces would instantly vaporize Zhang Xu’s proud elite squad.

There was no chance of victory to be seen.

When Zhang Xu thought of this, he felt his mind waver, irritable.

A war with no chance of victory, a certain-death war, and very likely to die without value.

How could such a battle be fought?

No wonder those guys next door chose to drink wildly.

Just as Zhang Xu was sinking into this mood, a communication spell suddenly sounded in his ear.

The spell said: “Frontline Army, Vanguard Camp Junwei, Zhang Xu, right? I am in your camp, come see me quickly.”

Is it the Prefect?

The Prefect was calling him.

A Prefect, a seventh-rank expert, why would he personally contact him?

But since it was a direct contact from a superior, it naturally couldn't be refused, so Zhang Xu immediately said: “Yes, this subordinate is currently inspecting the watchtower, coming right away.”

Zhang Xu quickly descended and arrived at the training ground; sure enough, the Prefect had truly arrived.

He hurried over, knelt on one knee, cupped his hands, and bowed his head: “Vanguard Camp Junwei, Zhang Xu, greets the Prefect!”

“No need for formalities, Junwei Zhang, everyone else is so dispirited, yet only your camp is still standing guard, training, and patrolling; it shows that Junwei manages his troops well in peacetime,” the Prefect said.

“Your Excellency flatters me; these are merely duties within my purview,” Zhang Xu replied, though he didn't understand why, and didn't claim credit.

“This is not flattery. Alas, now look at them, where do they resemble people who can get things done…?” The Prefect sighed, looking at the dispirited soldiers.

But he didn't criticize those people.

There was no need, because he knew why, and he knew it couldn't be changed.

“However, in contrast to them, it becomes clear that Junwei is a capable person. Now, to reverse the situation, a crucial task needs to be entrusted to Junwei. Junwei… are you willing to accept this mission in a time of crisis?” the Prefect said.

“Reverse the situation?” Zhang Xu's eyes widened.

What? In this situation, there was still hope for reversal? Was this a joke?

“Yes, the Kingdom Lord’s side has already sent down orders. Think about it, the Kingdom Lord is a fifth-rank master; do they not have a solution? Our frontline is just a temporary setback, not a complete defeat,” the Prefect said. “It’s just that, at present, we still need a little bit of an opportunity.”

“I observe that among the entire Great Deer Kingdom, only Junwei’s camp can bear this heavy responsibility.”

Listening to the Prefect speak thus, Zhang Xu took a deep breath.

There was actually… still a chance to win?

So, he immediately said: “Zhang Xu, I wish to hear the details!”

“Above the Kingdom Lord, there are also Invoker from Shaman God Mountain. Although you don’t know what Shaman God Mountain is, you… saw that battle before, didn’t you?” the Prefect said.

That battle?

Zhang Xu recalled; a battle that could be referred to so vaguely… there was probably only that one from a few days ago, right?

That giant who lifted four thousand five hundred li of land, and the gray flames that destroyed everything.

That battle, merely watching from afar, filled him with profound shock, a shock akin to humanity's first landing on the moon, looking back at their own planet.

Standing on the moon and looking at Earth, one would realize that the world they once thought was ‘everything’ was in fact so tiny, that vast world, all its nations and rich history, were concentrated on that small blue sphere.

And around the blue sphere, was endless darkness.

This was Zhang Xu’s thought at the time.

His perceived ‘entire world’ was easily shattered by that battle.

Now, he finally knew what kind of existence had brought about that battle.

Shaman God Mountain… Invoker.

“Then… what should I do? Please instruct me, Prefect,” Zhang Xu immediately asked.

“To activate the original Grand Ritual, we need to capture the node three thousand li away. The original Song Kingdom node would have been fine, but unfortunately…” The Prefect shook his head.

Li Qi’s original design included the location of Song Kingdom, but now that Song Kingdom had become like this, the original node naturally couldn’t be used.

“So… relying on us, to advance three thousand li? That’s impossible,” Zhang Xu immediately asserted.

It wasn’t that he was cowardly, but that it was genuinely impossible; in the current situation, the moment they stepped out, they would be vaporized by the Heavenly Palaces.

“Of course, it won’t just be you. The Prefects, the Kingdom Lords, and even a master from the Dao Sect will take action, but we can’t spare hands. We must find an elite force. After selection, we’ve chosen Bailin Kingdom’s White Rhinoceros Army, your Vanguard Camp, and Donghua Country’s Imperial Guard vanguard, etc., about seventeen teams. Junwei Zhang, are you willing to charge?”

Zhang Xu immediately raised his head: “There is no reason to refuse! For the expedition to Song Kingdom, please allow me to be the vanguard.”

He didn't speak with much emotion, but his Battle Intent was clearly revealed.

“You will charge out under our protection. We will stop the powerful experts, and you will need to break through the enemy’s defenses, finally arriving to use this formation diagram to activate the node, and then you will be safe.”

“Safe?” Zhang Xu was astonished.

What was happening? How would they be safe? Wasn’t this a suicide attack?

Just hearing the plan, he already knew the dangers involved.

He had personally witnessed the power of the Human Dao army; how difficult would it be to defeat them? Even if the experts on both sides traded blows, they were inferior to the enemy in morale, military skills, and even in all aspects.

Advancing three thousand li was already so difficult, even relying solely on luck.

Assuming they were truly lucky enough to complete the mission, in Zhang Xu's conjecture, they would have no chance of returning.

This was a battle where leaving meant certain death, but even knowing this, he had made his decision.

But after making up his mind, suddenly hearing ‘safe’, he let out an ‘ah’ and looked at the Prefect in front of him in confusion.

“Don’t be so surprised. This isn’t sending you to your deaths… uh, no, at least, after you succeed, there’s still a chance of survival. The Grand Ritual you are to activate connects the entire Baiyue. The object of the sacrifice is Invoker himself. In other words, this is an upgraded version of the Mountain and River Grand Formation.”

“So, as long as it’s activated, the entire great formation will block the Human Dao outside, and you will survive.”

“Succeed and live, fail and die. This time, even the Kingdom Lord must risk his life. I will also personally resist the Heavenly Palaces’ bombardment. As for matters on the ground, that will be up to you,” the Prefect said.

Zhang Xu gritted his teeth and nodded: “I dare not say I will never fail the mission… I can only say that this subordinate will do his utmost.”

The Prefect patted Zhang Xu’s shoulder and said: “With your words, I am at ease. All supplies and resources you need, just ask for them. Get ready and prepare. After tomorrow, at midnight, will be your time to act.”

“Yes,” Zhang Xu nodded, then turned and ordered the orderly to beat the drums and assemble!

As the war drums sounded, Zhang Xu’s camp began to stir.

And the other military camps, whether drunk, celebrating, fearful, or dispirited, also heard the sound of war drums that did not belong to them.

The eyes of the entire camp turned towards their location. (End of this chapter)