"Stanley, take your medicine. Drink all of this."
Stanley Tang stared blankly at his uncle, Leonard Tang. Since last night, Leonard would curse the Wynn Domain constantly, his mind already slipping into madness.
Leonard Tang handed over a bowl filled with thick, black liquid, reeking of blood and rot.
"Uncle, what is this?"
"Don't ask so much, Stanley. You're sick. I boiled herbs for hours—just drink it and you'll get better."
Stanley forced himself to swallow the medicine. Soon after, he drifted into a deep sleep.
Wraithshade entered, surveying the room.
"Looks like I'm beyond saving now."
Leonard Tang coughed violently as black blood dripped from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Wraithshade stepped forward and patted his back.
"I'll find a way to save you. I promise."
Leonard Tang lifted his head slightly, gratitude in his eyes. He had known Wraithshade since he was ten, and now, having lived past fifty, Wraithshade remained unchanged while Leonard grew old and frail. Death was close now.
"Just tell me, how much time do I have left?"
Wraithshade looked at Leonard with deep concern. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Less than a hundred days."
Leonard gave a bitter smile, squatting by the bedside, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Maybe it's only when death is near that a person wonders if they should finally do something good."
Leonard glanced at Stanley sleeping deeply on the bed. To keep Stanley from being driven mad by his chaotic thoughts, Leonard gave him sedatives daily, letting him forget the clan's troubles for a while.
His clan had lost at least sixty thousand people in this war. The fifty or sixty thousand left were mostly the old, weak, women, and children; all the strong young men had gone to fight. When the war ended, the Tang Clan would be but a shadow of its former self.
Leonard remembered his childhood, when he got along well with his elder brother, Thomas Tang. But after Thomas became the heir, their relationship grew distant. Leonard always felt he was stronger and deserved to be chief. This thought persisted until he was thirty, when certain events changed him, and he lost all interest in power, wealth, and women.
Eternal life became his greatest desire. With immortality, he could forever enjoy power, wealth, and women.
Sebastian Zhao spoke as Yuna Ji glanced at the forest ahead—they'd reached the edge of the grasslands. Yuna began ordering the soldiers to hang the corpses of a recently wiped-out small tribe on the trees at the forest's edge. The troops were busy at work.
Alright, sweep the area one more time, then return to the base.
Yuna Ji gave the order, and Lucille Xing called out, urging the soldiers to hurry.
Soon, the trees at the forest's edge were covered with corpses. Yuna Ji led her troops westward.
Ten days had passed. They had been moving across the grasslands, wiping out six northern tribes. Nearly half the northern tribes had been slaughtered, with over forty thousand dead on the plains.
At nightfall, Yuna Ji ordered the soldiers to rest by the forest until noon the next day before moving again. The troops seemed energetic, but resting before battle would be beneficial.
Yuna, I wonder how things are at the base. Joseph Qiao and the others should be alright.
Lucille Xing spoke, Yuna Ji nodded, and Sebastian Zhao smiled.
They shouldn't have suffered much damage—the enemy hasn't made a move. If the base were truly breached, the enemy would try to trap and wipe us out.
When we get back, the supplies Phoenix Yu arranged should have arrived. Once we're equipped, our next attack should go much more smoothly.
Sebastian Zhao spoke, and Lucille Xing glanced at him.
So that's what it is. Sigh... Yuna, didn't we look at it before? It's so hard it can't be worked, and it's heavy—hard to use in battle.
Sebastian Zhao nodded and continued.
Long ago, Joseph Qiao suggested to King Grant that, no matter how hard it was to shape, if you kept working at it year after year, you'd eventually make weapons. Phoenix Yu then had the wild tribes grind those black stones into weapons. Now, there must be over a thousand.
Lucille Xing looked at Sebastian Zhao in surprise, and Yuna Ji smiled.
Let's head back soon. Bone and wooden weapons break too easily. If we can't resupply from the enemy, we can't keep fighting.
At the base, after nightfall, fires burned at intervals along the racks, lighting up the fortress perimeter. Joseph Qiao ordered the soldiers to take turns on guard. If the enemy made a move, the resting soldiers could quickly climb up and defend.
The weather's a bit cold—the enemy should retreat.
Firelight flickered in the tent. Joseph Qiao studied the map carefully while Terry Mao and several generals were cheerful. Only Joseph Qiao looked grim.
Not necessarily—the enemy won't give up the chance to take our base before winter. Don't forget, they outnumber us many times over.
We should just take the initiative and attack instead of hiding like this.
Lily Mao muttered from the edge of the shelter, and immediately several eyes turned toward her.
Oh, I'm just joking, haha.
Terry Mao shot his sister a look, but Joseph Qiao smiled.
We do need to attack; it's our best option. The wind and sand, the morning frost—after so many days, the enemy is worn out. If they haven't attacked yet, their supplies must be running low. They're waiting.
Joseph Qiao, even if we break out, if the enemy surrounds us, we're doomed.
Joseph Qiao nodded, then spoke.
We need to wait for Yuna and her group to return. The enemy's main force is right in front of us. If we're going to break through, we must wait for the coldest morning. We'll split into three groups, use the Stampede Battalion to break the line, then divide and scatter the enemy.
He had spent nearly thirty years desperately chasing these things, and now, facing death, his clan not only lacked an heir but was on the verge of annihilation.
Tell me, what did you see back then? I've never seen you show such fear, not even with Yuna Ji.
Wraithshade's gaze suddenly sharpened as he stared at Leonard.
I intended to use ghosts to suppress Yuna Ji, letting the surrounding soldiers kill her. But the ghosts I released were instantly shredded, and I was injured myself. Inside Yuna Ji, there was something I'd never seen before—a strange monster that could see me and the ghosts. After killing the ghosts, it grinned at me, as if to say: next time, you'll die.
How did it appear?
Leonard asked in surprise. Wraithshade shook his head.
I've seen the Howard Family wield power against ghosts, a force opposite to mine. Humans can resist ghosts, but I don't know the source of their strength. The power I glimpsed in Yuna Ji had no visible origin. Humans are truly mysterious. For now, take Stanley back to the clan.
Leonard nodded and went out to order his soldiers to place Stanley on a horse and take him away, but soldiers from Wynn Domain blocked the way.
What are you trying to do, Commander Bella Liang?
Fuming, Leonard entered Bella Liang's tent and demanded an explanation, but Bella only smiled and shook her head.
This crisis in the northern tribes was our mistake. I know everything Stanley said last night, so I want him to see with his own eyes that we will win this war. The northern tribes need a new leader, and we will fully support the Tang Clan. Rest assured, Elder Tang.
Bella Liang's eyes were narrowed, but his words were earnest, without any hostility.
But you've seen Stanley's condition. He needs to go back and recover.
Bella Liang shook his head.
Even if he goes back, he'll only live in nightmares. I've seen many people driven mad by war—they lose their minds once they return home. The only cure is to defeat the enemy and win the war. That's the only way.
Leonard left, not rejecting Bella Liang's proposal. Stanley's condition was unstable, and he could lose his mind at any moment. Leonard, who had watched his nephew grow up, felt more strongly than ever that he needed to do something meaningful as his own life neared its end.
Do as you wish. Life and death are up to fate. I'm heading to the forest to look for something.
Leonard nodded, silently watching Wraithshade leave. He pinned his hopes on Wraithshade, yet was filled with despair, knowing his own death was near.
Yuna, let's keep heading west. If we go any farther, the enemy's main force might spot us. If Lona Long hadn't been so alert and taken out the enemy scouts, we'd have been exposed.
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