19: The Undying Draw Near

“Dong, dong, dong—”

Just as the council was still ongoing in the royal residence, the sudden peal of alarm bells echoed from outside.

Zhi Jiang leapt to her feet, her expression solemn as she gazed out into the darkness beyond the window. She snatched up her weapon, threw on her armor, and prepared to head out.

Chen Longshi immediately realized what was happening and asked, “Have the monsters come to attack?”

“Yes. The bell rings nine long and one short—that means there are quite a few monsters approaching. Sir, please rest for now. I’ll go take a look.”

Chen Longshi replied, “Princess, have you forgotten what I just said? When it comes to giving people hope, the sooner the better—why not start right now?”

On the city walls, torches blazed brightly. A kilometer beyond the walls, a dense forest loomed where countless figures gathered, their outlines visible even in the dark. Those with keen eyes could see faint ghostly flames drifting from beneath helmet visors.

This time, it was clearly different from the usual scattered bands. A warlord-level monster known as the “General of Withered Bones” personally led the army. His minions—undead knights, undead sword-guards, undead archers, and barbarian axe-throwers—formed up in disciplined ranks, restlessly awaiting the order to attack.

Of these, the barbarian axe-throwers were not undead, but a new force: when the King of Chu conquered the mountain barbarians, they became vassals under his rule. Yet they were little different from the undead, their bodies inherently brimming with negative energy, making them even fiercer when fighting alongside the dead. Violent and bloodthirsty by nature, they delighted in slaughter.

To battle the undead was, at worst, to die. But to fight the barbarians meant that even in death, one’s corpse might become their food. Most terrifying of all, the barbarian shamans possessed all manner of strange powers, against which there was little defense.

After years of war with the undead, fear and hatred had long since been etched into the hearts of every soul. Now, as the monsters attacked again, the city’s people grew restless and anxious, a suffocating cloud of dread pressing upon all.

Zhi Jiang led Chen Longshi up to the city wall and addressed the tall, imposing figure stationed there, “General Ji Bu, what is the situation?”

“Reporting, Princess. This time the General of Withered Bones himself leads them, bringing at least three hundred undead and over a hundred barbarians. They’re massing beneath the walls, surrounding but not attacking. It’s hard to guess what they’re plotting.”

Zhi Jiang frowned as she observed the scene, but could discern little. She cautioned, “Withered Bones is cunning—we must not be careless. Have we dispatched scouts to patrol the perimeter?”

“At this hour, sending scouts beyond the walls would be a death sentence. Moreover, a barbarian shaman has been spotted among their ranks. Sending scouts would be suicide, so none have been sent.”

Chen Longshi warned, “Four hundred monsters are enough to wage a small battle. With the city’s defenses, a frontal assault won’t succeed. But I worry they’ll dig tunnels, poison the wells, or set fires—the barbarians excel at such tactics.”

“That is not a concern, sir.”

A cold, imperious voice sounded from behind. Ou Lian, clad head to toe in armor, appeared atop the wall. “Within our city, nearly everyone is trained for battle. The smallest disturbance would trigger a chain reaction—our defenses are impenetrable.”

“Is that so? Then I am reassured.” Chen Longshi smiled amiably at the young swordsmith, unconcerned.

Zhi Jiang frowned but could do nothing. She could hardly rebuke a key city defender for the sake of a stranger. She turned to Chen Longshi, “Sir, you mentioned giving hope to the people. Do you have a plan?”

“My plan is simple—send an elite force out of the city to charge and fight, keeping the wall at their backs. Even if we cannot win, we have a safe retreat.”

“Ridiculous.”

Ji Bu immediately rejected the proposal. “Undead cannot be slain for good—even decapitated, they revive swiftly. Such futile expenditure of life is meaningless. With our elite force, we would have razed the King of Chu’s tomb long ago if that were effective.”

Ou Lian countered, “On the contrary, I rather like this plan. The undead can revive, but not without cost. Endlessly defending will sap our soldiers’ morale. If they want to come, let them come—we’ll kill as many as appear, until they can no longer pay the price for resurrection.”

“Reckless words,” Ji Bu snapped.

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Ji Bu retorted, “No one knows how many undead the King of Chu’s tomb has spawned over the years. But our City of the King’s Heir simply cannot afford to spend lives so carelessly. Are the undead made of clay? Are those who stand atop these walls not your brothers and sisters?”

Ou Lian’s brow furrowed in displeasure, “General, you know I did not mean that. I just believe we cannot afford a war of attrition with the tomb. The situation is worsening, and the undead are acting ever more strangely. Better to risk everything in one desperate battle than be slowly worn down like frogs in boiling water.”

“So, you’re saying we’re afraid to die?”

“...General, you misunderstand. That is not my meaning.”

“Hmph! In any case, I do not support such reckless talk.”

The two men argued heatedly.

Zhi Jiang pressed her slender fingers to her brow, raising a hand to silence them. “Enough. No more words—I have made my decision. General Ji Bu, summon the Chief Advisor to take charge atop the wall. You personally will organize an elite cavalry, and join me for a sortie outside the city.”

Ji Bu hesitated, about to protest, but was stopped by Zhi Jiang.

“I have my reasons. Today we ventured deep into the tomb, and now, by night, they counterattack. Such a rapid response is not like them. Perhaps our actions touched a nerve, or perhaps there’s another reason...” She glanced meaningfully at Chen Longshi, who watched calmly. “In any case, tonight’s matter cannot be settled peacefully. Prepare for battle.”

“At once.”

Ji Bu took his leave. Zhi Jiang turned to Chen Longshi and bowed respectfully, “I must trouble you for your assistance tonight.”

“Princess, you are too kind. Slaying monsters and demons is my duty.”

He found himself admiring this frail, petite woman, still in her teens, who bore the fate of all within the city upon her slim shoulders. Such resolve was rare indeed.

A hundred elite cavalry were quickly mustered. For the first time, Chen Longshi donned their battle armor.

Gleaming armor and silver spear—he cut a dashing figure, the very image of a hero. Even Zhi Jiang found herself regarding him more than once.

Sensing her gaze, Chen Longshi smiled at her.

Zhi Jiang responded with an open, friendly smile and a nod. There was nothing more to it—she had long since pledged her life to the City of the King’s Heir. Her extra glances were merely the simple appreciation of something beautiful.

Yet in Ou Lian’s eyes, it was hard not to read more into it, and his mood soured instantly.

Chen Longshi paid no heed to the others; he was too busy admiring the nearly two-meter-tall warhorse beneath him. These mounts were clearly modified, with bone spurs and blood-red eyes—traits of undead creatures—yet they showed no agitation.

So well-trained were these horses that even an unskilled rider could guide them with ease. Chen Longshi could even sense the pulse of starlight energy from them. “Could these be Star Pets?” he wondered.

The riders slipped quietly out the side gate, circling around the edge of the forest.

A few barbarian axe-throwers patrolled near a riverbank. Among the group, a small, hunched figure in a red cloak, clutching a skull-topped staff glowing green, was busy pouring something into the river.

“This is bad—the barbarians are poisoning the water!” Ji Bu hissed.

Zhi Jiang’s face darkened; she shouted, “Attack!”

There were only thirty barbarian warriors and a shaman, and the open terrain meant they could not possibly withstand a cavalry charge. But at the moment the battle began, there was no hope of hiding from the General of Withered Bones on the other side.

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Chen Longshi remained in the middle of the formation, neither at the front nor rear.

As Ji Bu rode at the vanguard, blade raised to behead a blinded barbarian, a flying dagger flashed past and struck first.

The dagger whirled through the air, piercing the barbarian’s throat with uncanny speed. Black, fetid blood spurted out, and the barbarian staggered before collapsing into the river.

With a shrill hum, the dagger swept through the air, weaving back and forth.

The battlefield was soon filled with the piercing whistles of flying blades. This eerie technique took everyone aback. Were it not known that the mysterious demon-tamer among them was responsible, the soldiers might have hesitated.

Zhi Jiang bellowed, “A prime opportunity—charge! Watch the shaman!”

Within the secret realm, Chen Longshi could finally unleash his telekinesis without restraint.

The barbarian shaman raised his skull staff, chanting in a guttural tongue. The startled barbarians quickly regained their composure, hefted their hand-axes, and hurled them at the cavalry.

Axes whistled through the air; several riders were struck and tumbled from their mounts.

Most axes were deflected by the soldiers’ weapons, but those knocked aside defied the laws of physics, looping back through the air to return to their owners’ hands.

This greatly hampered the cavalry’s charge. The shaman’s staff suddenly emitted a green radiance, enveloping each barbarian in a strange halo.

Bathed in the light, the barbarians howled with frenzied energy, axes swinging wildly.

In the chaos, Chen Longshi spurred his horse forward, thrusting his spear through the chests of two barbarians and hoisting them high.

The barbarians possessed astonishing vitality; black, reeking blood poured from their mouths and noses, and ichor oozed from their wounds. Even so, they did not die immediately. One still managed to hurl his axe at Chen Longshi, but the weapon froze midair.

With a twist of his spear, he tore them apart.

Even fiercer than Chen Longshi were Ji Bu and Ou Lian. Ji Bu, massive and powerful, wielded a heavy hammer like a meat grinder, cutting a path through all who opposed him. Ou Lian, sword in hand, unleashed razor-sharp sword energy with every strike, rending the earth itself. His blade was so keen it even cleaved axes in two.

With these fearsome warriors leading the way, the barbarians’ momentum was quickly crushed. Another cavalry charge finished them off.

The shaman, now unprotected, staggered back in terror, only to be met by Zhi Jiang’s sword swinging for his head. In desperation, the shaman slammed his staff into the ground, a green shield flaring to life around him—but it was no more than a futile last stand.

Ji Bu leapt and brought his hammer down hard, shattering the shield. The hammer’s force did not abate, pulverizing the shaman’s body from head to foot.

Zhi Jiang commanded, “Escort the wounded back to the city. The rest, clear the battlefield quickly.”

Chen Longshi approached the shaman’s corpse and shook his head in disappointment—nothing of value had dropped.