Strife in Chaos, Chapter Ninety-Five: The Fall of the Han Kingdom, Part II

In Northern Wei City, the moment Cao Cao and the others saw that sky-piercing blood serpent appear, a bad feeling had already taken root in their hearts. And when it began to drink in the blood of the soldiers across the battlefield, the unwavering confidence Cao Cao had once possessed started to crumble bit by bit.

Those around him stared in stunned fear at the one-sided slaughter unfolding before them, and for a time the city walls fell utterly silent.

"My lord, Dian Wei has returned."

At the report, Cao Cao hurriedly turned to meet the battle-worn Dian Wei. "Dian Wei, are you all right?"

Dian Wei thumped his chest. "My lord, I am fine. But we must hurry and reinforce the Tiger-and-Leopard Cavalry, or they will never hold."

By now, Cao Cao was already wavering. Reinforcements? From where? The Tiger-and-Leopard Cavalry was already on the battlefield, and the White Plume Army had gone as well. Of the original one hundred and fifty thousand troops, only seventy or eighty thousand remained. What could they possibly do now? Go and die?

"Chancellor, the situation is most unfavorable to us. I suggest we avoid the enemy's sharp edge and withdraw first to my Shu Han territory before making further plans," Liu Bei said as he stepped forward.

Guo Jia also nodded. "My lord, it truly is not the time to confront Bai Qi head-on. He has used such a heaven-defying technique; there will surely be severe backlash afterward. That will be our chance to turn the tables."

"Not good, the White Plume Army has been defeated!"

At that, Liu Bei rushed back in great alarm, just in time to see the White Jade Sword Guard shatter into pieces.

"Third... brother..." Liu Bei wailed in agony. The sworn brother he had loved like kin, the army he had poured all his effort into forging, everything had vanished in that one instant.

Just as Cao Cao stepped over, he saw the Tiger-and-Leopard Cavalry launch their desperate charge.

"My son... my son!" In that moment, Cao Cao too felt a heart-rending pain. He had wanted Cao Pi to seize command of the Tiger-and-Leopard Cavalry through this battle, but in the end it was nothing more than a vain attempt that brought ruin on both fronts.

Everyone nearby watched Bai Qi slowly advance toward them with the remaining troops at his back. Panic spread quickly, and many had already slipped away in secret.

"My lord, we should go at once!" The attendants around them pulled Liu Bei and Cao Cao to their feet.

The two men also knew the situation well. As leaders, all they could do now was carry their grief and keep living.

"Dian Wei, what are you standing there for?" Cao Cao noticed that Dian Wei still had not moved, with no sign that he intended to leave.

"My lord, Bai Qi is already coming. Someone must go and delay him." Dian Wei's heavy voice carried a trace of iron resolve.

Cao Cao understood what he meant. "No. Lin Xuan is dead, Xu Chu is dead, Pi'er is dead. The only one left beside me is you."

Dian Wei gave Cao Cao a hard shove. "Dian Wei's greatest fortune in this life was meeting you. You are a good lord."

With that, he wielded both halberds and leapt from the city wall.

"My lord, go. Now." With a resolve to die, Dian Wei charged once more toward Bai Qi, whose killing aura filled the heavens.

A black fiend, a dark and boundless radiance, and two sharp short halberds covered in cracks all shot straight toward the death god of the abyss.

Sadly, before the current Bai Qi, what difference was there between a one-star Saint Warrior and an ant?

Seeing the Han army already scattered, Bai Qi finally dispersed the towering serpent, leaving only that snow lotus still exuding its icy chill.

"Brother, has the killing intent been suppressed?" White Lotus caught Bai Qi in time when his body suddenly went weak.

"After devouring two military battle formations, the killing-intent martial essence has probably reached the peak of the martial path. Your snow lotus will have a hard time suppressing it any longer. Still, they withdrew early. I have already forced the killing intent down. Next, so long as their ambush succeeds, the Han Kingdom will be finished." Bai Qi's face had already turned somewhat pale.

At this time, Liu Bei and Cao Cao had just reached the city gates.

"You two, I think we'd better flee separately. The King of Shu escapes from the south, and we from the north," Guo Jia advised.

Liu Bei nodded. "Very well. Chancellor, remember this: I will go first to White Emperor City in the rear to wait, and then I will send word for my second brother to come and meet us."

"Xuande, remember this: the Han Emperor is no longer what he was, but so long as the two of us still live, the Han Kingdom still has hope," Cao Cao said gravely.

Liu Bei nodded. "See you at White Emperor City."

At that moment, Liu Bei believed that in a short while he would still be able to reunite with Cao Cao and fight side by side for the restoration of the Han house. He could never have guessed that this meeting would be his last with Cao Cao.

The next morning, Bai Qi sat quietly in the main hall of Northern Wei City. His face was still somewhat ashen, but the killing aura about him had not diminished; if anything, it had grown even stronger.

"Commander Ying, Commander Wu has returned." The report sounded from the court.

With the announcement, Ying Zhengqin and Wu Zhan entered with heavy steps.

After seeing them, Bai Qi did not even lift his head. "How was it? Did you capture Cao Cao and Liu Bei?"

Ying Zhengqin looked Bai Qi straight in the eye and said in a deep voice, "Cao Cao has been killed by us, but Liu Bei escaped."

Bai Qi slowly raised his head. "Why?"

"Because I did not believe you could take Northern Wei City, so Wu Zhan and I joined our forces and stood ready to support you at any moment." Ying Zhengqin did not conceal or evade anything.

"And now what do you intend to do? The Han Kingdom should have been destroyed by now, but you privately changed my orders and allowed Liu Bei to escape. Or do you think that because you are the Emperor of Qin's son, whatever you do must be right?" Bai Qi demanded sharply.

"General, this matter is..." Wu Zhan had barely begun to speak when Ying Zhengqin held him back.

"This was my own reckless and arbitrary decision. It has nothing to do with Wu Zhan, and even less with my imperial father. I alone will bear all punishment and consequences." Ying Zhengqin's tone was firm.

"Consequences? Because of your mistake, the grand cause of unifying Qin has been delayed. Can you bear such consequences?" Bai Qi pressed mercilessly.

After taking a deep breath, Ying Zhengqin said, "General, continue with the original plan and advance on Luoyang City. I will take responsibility for Liu Bei's side. Before long, you will hear that the Shu Han city has been breached."

"And if you cannot do it?" Bai Qi finally lifted his head and looked at the resolute Ying Zhengqin.

"I cannot fail. Of course, if I truly do fail, my life is yours to take. But the word 'if' does not exist in my dictionary." With that, Ying Zhengqin turned and left the hall.

Wu Zhan, who had not been able to speak until now, finally found his chance. "General, I also bear responsibility for this. I will accompany Commander Ying to Shu Han City and slay Liu Bei."

"Do as you please."

White Emperor City.

After a night of flight, Liu Bei had finally reached the border of Shu Han—White Emperor City.

As soon as he entered the city, he asked anxiously, "Has Chancellor Cao arrived here yet?"

"We have not seen Chancellor Cao."

"Since Chancellor Cao came from the north, it is only natural that he would be a little slower than us. My lord should rest for a while," an attendant urged, seeing how exhausted Liu Bei looked.

"Alas, immediately send someone to Shu Han City and inform General Yun Chang to dispatch troops at once and come reinforce us here." Liu Bei's thoughts were in complete disarray. Both his spirit and body had suffered a heavy blow, and the haggard look on his face had not appeared for a very long time.

"Yes, King of Shu. I will go to Shu Han City with the letter at once."

"Also, send men to keep watch outside the city at all times and receive Chancellor Cao," Liu Bei added.

One attendant said in some confusion, "My lord, if Chancellor Cao dies, it will be all advantage to us and no harm."

"Never speak of this again. I, Liu Bei, would rather fail myself than fail the world. Besides, if Chancellor Cao dies, how will the world see me? At a time of battle, the chief commander has fallen, while I, the second-ranking man who only just arrived in the army, survive. The Han Kingdom is already in this great calamity. However deep my conflict with Cao Cao may be, this is not the time for mutual suspicion," Liu Bei said sternly.

"This servant has thoughtless."

Liu Bei looked up at the dim sky and let out a helpless sigh. "At least Li Qiutong's side still offers a glimmer of hope."

At everyone's urging, Liu Bei returned to his room and prepared to rest for a while. Exhausted as he was, no sooner had he lain down than he sank into deep sleep.

In the study of the Qin Emperor's palace.

News of Bai Qi's victory at Northern Wei City was sent back to Qin by Shadow at the earliest moment. Even the Qin Emperor was astonished as he looked at the battle report that should have been impossible.

"Are you certain this is true?" The Qin Emperor looked at Shadow in disbelief.

"Your Majesty, this report is absolutely true. I witnessed it all myself. Bai Qi's sky-piercing blood serpent was truly terrifying. I estimate that even the Overlord Iron Cavalry would not be able to defeat him without a struggle."

Seeing how certain Shadow was, the Qin Emperor could only accept the result. "So Bai Qi never uses military battle formations because he possesses such a powerful trump card. And that mysterious number-one assassin of the world, White Lotus, turns out to be one of his men as well. By the way, compared with White Lotus, how do you measure up?"

Shadow hesitated for a moment before saying, "Six of one, half a dozen of the other. After all, such things are hard to compare."

Although Shadow said it that way, how could the Qin Emperor, who had seen countless people, fail to notice the change in his expression and tone? Even without being told, he had already guessed roughly what had happened. He could not help thinking to himself, "It seems this mysterious White Lotus is truly no ordinary man."

"Your Majesty, may I speak frankly about something?"

"Go ahead."

"After my contact with Bai Qi this time, I feel that this man is fathomless, both in strength and in purpose. He probably never truly submitted to Your Majesty at all."

After hearing this, the Qin Emperor fell silent. He slowly turned around and stared into the distance behind him, as though pondering something.

After a long while, he finally spoke. "I will take this seriously. In the coming war against Chu, Bai Qi will remain in Han. I will place you within his army. Report any developments to me at once."

"Understood."

"Also, my son Ying Fuqin departed with Li Mi yesterday for the Southern Barbarian lands. You must send men to protect him in secret as soon as possible. I think you also know that the assassins Dark Moon sent to the Southern Barbarian lands and my palace physician Zhao Tianshi have still not returned to this day. So on this trip, you must ensure the crown prince's safety without the slightest mishap," the Qin Emperor added.

"Yes, Your Majesty."