Night City switched from defense to offense, launching an attack on Eastlyn—just as Prince Nolan had predicted. He knew the news of his injury couldn’t be kept from Prince Damien of Southlyn forever, but two days was enough.
Shaking his injured arm, Prince Nolan said to Serena, “Take it off.”
Serena shook her head in disapproval. “Your wound hasn’t healed yet, and the poison hasn’t cleared.” If it were anyone else, even with the antidote pill, they wouldn’t be able to get out of bed for ten days or half a month.
“This battle will decide everything.” Prince Nolan had no choice. The war between Eastlyn and Night City had dragged on too long; the King of Boats, Northlyn, and even Westlyn were getting restless. If he didn’t return to the capital soon, Eastlyn would be beset on all sides, and then he wouldn’t even be able to fight while wounded.
Besides, this battle was initiated by Prince Damien of Southlyn. Even if Nolan wanted to avoid it, Damien would never agree.
No matter how high your status, as long as you live in this world, there are always things you can’t control. Prince Nolan was no exception.
Serena knew she couldn’t change Prince Nolan’s mind, so she could only try to ease his suffering: “I’ll give you a painkiller injection. Take care of yourself and don’t push too hard.”
“I’ll be fine.” This was only the first step—there was no way he’d fall here. Night City had to be taken.
As Serena removed the bandages, she glanced at his still swollen left arm and sighed almost inaudibly, helping Prince Nolan dress piece by piece. By now, Eastlyn and Night City’s armies had already met on the battlefield.
On Prince Damien’s orders, Night City’s general hurled curses at Prince Nolan, calling him a treacherous minister who crippled the Taishang Emperor, monopolized the court, and plotted to usurp the throne. In Night City’s mouths, Prince Nolan was a tyrant who would kill his father, brothers, and nephews for power.
“Regent Prince? A treacherous usurper dares call himself Regent Prince—what a joke. You Eastlyn lot actually let a man born to curse his mother, who sleeps with his nephew’s wife, harms his own brothers, and bullies a child emperor, take power? Don’t you have anyone better?”
The Eastlyn soldiers were so furious they were about to explode. Unwilling to back down, they fired right back, cursing the Night City general’s ancestors for eighteen generations, along with his mother and his wife. The two Su clan women weren’t spared either.
Su clan women were famous across the Nine Provinces, but in the eyes of Eastlyn’s generals, they ranked lower than prostitutes.
“I heard Night City’s army is led by a traitor from Southlyn, and isn’t he supposed to be the City Lord’s wife’s cousin? If your City Lord can share military power with him, maybe he shares his woman too. Cousins grew up together—your City Lord’s hat must be bright green.”
“Don’t you dare insult our City Lord’s wife! Eastlyn’s dog prince is useless—don’t drag others into it. That woman, if she’s with him today, she’ll be with someone else tomorrow. Ha! Maybe your prince’s hat is a whole pile of green. When we win, we’ll capture that woman and let the brothers see what tricks she used to keep Prince Nolan. I wouldn’t mind tasting what Eastlyn’s dog prince’s woman is like.”
“Word is your last City Lord wasn’t even a real man—so many wives, but not a single child. The previous Lady was only able to have a son after being mounted by a dog. I always thought it was a joke, but now it seems it’s probably true. Just look at your filthy mouths—if you’re not born of dogs, I don’t believe it. When I break Night City, I’ll drag out all your dog sons for a look.”
...
This war of words was part of the battlefield, meant to provoke the enemy’s rage and make them lose control. Night City and Eastlyn hadn’t even started fighting, but the air was already thick with gunpowder—eyes bloodshot, everyone itching to rip the other side’s mouths apart.
Prince Damien stood atop the city walls, seeing the battle about to erupt. He signaled to someone behind him, and immediately a man rode out of the city, whispered a few words to the cursing general, who burst out laughing.
“Even Heaven can’t stand your dog prince. That so-called wise and mighty Regent Prince of yours is lying in his tent waiting to die. No matter how much you shout, it’s useless.”
“Bullshit! Our prince is perfectly fine!” The Eastlyn general refused to back down.
“Fine? Keep lying to yourself. If he’s really fine, where is he? Tell me, how many days since you’ve seen your dog prince? If he weren’t dying, would Night City’s hundred thousand dare to attack?” The moment the Night City general said this, unease spread through the Eastlyn ranks.
“Is something really wrong with the Regent Prince?” Eastlyn soldiers whispered among themselves. Most of them were Prince Nolan’s men—if anything happened to him, Eastlyn’s power would fall to someone else, and their fate would be grim.
If something happened to Prince Nolan, who were they fighting Night City for? Even if they won, there’d be nothing good waiting for them back home.
“The Regent Prince used to come out every day, but it’s true we haven’t seen him these past few days.”
...
Unease and sadness spread quickly, infecting the ranks. Even the lieutenants glanced nervously at their superiors, dreading a confirmation.
Just as Prince Damien had planned, the rumor of Prince Nolan’s injury shook Eastlyn’s morale.
“Enough! All of you, shut up!” The first to restore order was Doudou, who drew his sword and pointed it at the crowd. “What are you squabbling about? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a bunch of women, whining and fussing. What does the Regent Prince’s condition have to do with Night City or this war? Isn’t General Warren Yu here? With him leading us, what’s there to fear?”
“Well said! With me here, what’s there to fear?” General Warren Yu gave Doudou an approving look. “The Regent Prince is fine—I’ll stake my head on it. Just focus on fighting. Win, and Night City’s treasure, wine, and women are all yours.”
“You think you can take Night City? You’re just a three-surname turncoat. If you’ve got guts, call out Eastlyn Nine!” The Yu clan had switched loyalties multiple times, and those who opposed Warren Yu labeled him a ‘three-surname turncoat.’
“Son of a bitch, you dare insult our general? I’ll skin you alive!” Eastlyn soldiers rolled up their sleeves, ready to brawl with Night City’s men.
Among these troops, the veterans had always followed Warren Yu, while the new recruits were trained by him. The ‘three-surname turncoat’ insult was aimed at Warren Yu—and at them. Unable to stand it, they grabbed their spears and shouted, ready to charge.
“Stop! What do you think you’re doing?” Warren Yu still had his wits about him. He barked at the crowd, his tiger eyes bloodshot, glaring coldly at Night City as if it were already doomed.
To betray one’s master again and again was the Yu clan’s shame—Warren Yu hated hearing it most. He leveled his spear at Night City’s gates. “You dog! The Yu clan is loyal to the people of the realm. I will not let you insult us. If I don’t destroy Night City today, I swear I am no man!”
Night City will fall today—not for country, not for Eastlyn Nine, but for the honor of the Yu clan!