Chapter Forty-Two: The Appearance of the Black Armored Army

A thousand peaks and ten thousand ridges pierced straight into the clouds, so that standing atop them, it seemed one could reach out and pluck the sun, moon, and stars. Steep mountains loomed on either side, and the only road was the vast plain that stretched between them.

Stone City was, without question, a strategic location coveted by every military leader. Yet, alas, its remoteness and lack of any meaningful value meant that even the mighty Han Empire had no time to concern itself with such outlying places.

He ordered his troops to find a concealed spot where they could observe Stone City’s every move within their line of sight, but Zifan did not immediately station soldiers there; instead, he departed for a deserted place.

He opened the system marketplace...

With each update, the system’s gold coins were now calculated by adding together the number of enemies Zifan himself had slain and those killed by his troops.

Every general was clearly marked, and the greater their worth, the more coins they required.

At that moment, the biggest bounty belonged to that old villain Dong Zhuo—fully one hundred thousand system gold coins. Since the uprising, Zifan had accumulated only four hundred thousand coins, so when he saw Dong Zhuo’s head shimmering before him, it was like beholding a priceless treasure.

“Purchase three units of Xue Family Troops, summon!”

“Purchase three units of Iron Pagoda Cavalry, summon!”

“Purchase three units of Imperial Guards, summon!”

These three forces possessed ranged, assault, and defensive capabilities; they could strike and shoot from afar. After these purchases, Zifan’s four hundred thousand coins dwindled to just one hundred forty thousand.

In an instant, two cavalry units and one close-combat force appeared before Zifan, arrayed in perfect order.

One had to admit, the system’s products were extraordinary: every soldier stood eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, with cold, sword-like brows and piercing eyes that exuded an overwhelming aura.

Yet, when the commander left his troops behind and departed alone, he could not escape the notice of a certain dark, stout fellow.

Dian Wei followed Zifan’s footprints, tracking him step by step, and just as Zifan emerged alone, their eyes met.

“Uh, I just came out for a bit of fresh air, hehe…” Dian Wei scratched his round head, his face brimming with awkwardness, yet curiosity sparkled in his eyes.

Zifan always brought him unexpected surprises, and this solitary departure surely hid some secret.

Zifan blinked a few times, cleared his throat, and sighed, “I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly.” He waved his hand and strode back into the canyon. “Come along.”

Dian Wei followed Zifan into a secluded gorge, and before long, a vast clearing opened before them.

Before Dian Wei could marvel, he was greeted by row upon row of perfectly formed troops—over ten thousand strong. Each soldier rode a towering Xiliang warhorse, their faces solemn, their blades gleaming in the sunlight.

“This—!”

Page 2 of 3

“Wow...!”

“My goodness!”

It was akin to a Rolls-Royce among carriages—just look at the configuration, the steeds, each detail the finest in the army.

Zifan stood motionless, tranquil as a still pond, seeming half-asleep, half-dead, as placid as water. Yet a sly grin at the corner of his mouth shattered that calm façade.

He raised his right hand, then touched the back of his head. Instantly, every soldier raised their weapon skyward.

“Kill!”

A single shout of murderous resolve echoed through the heavens, and a surge of killing intent swept forth.

Zifan looked with satisfaction upon this tiger-wolf army, then turned to Dian Wei, who stood stunned, stars in his eyes. “Well, are you pleased with my troops?”

Such a force, dazzling and fierce, nearly blinded Dian Wei’s titanium dog eyes. To a warrior, a fine army was a sharp sword, and someone like Dian Wei could not help but covet this force.

“Master, are these troops prepared for me?”

“No.”

Before Dian Wei’s joy could bloom, Zifan’s reply doused his hopes like a bucket of cold water.

...

When Dian Wei swaggered off with the army, all the soldiers of Youzhou were instantly captivated. Ding Feng, who was cleaning his horse nearby, hurried over.

Yue Feng’s initial thought was to select elite troops from the Youzhou ranks, but after thorough inspection, nothing seemed amiss—these troops appeared to have materialized out of thin air.

Yue Feng stepped forward and asked, “Master, where did these troops come from?”

Zifan did not answer directly, but gave a vague reply: “They are divine soldiers granted by Heaven. From this day forth, they shall be named the Black Armored Army.”

Though Zifan spoke plainly, to Yue Feng’s ears it was proof of his master’s deep foresight—he had already prepared a hidden tiger-wolf force.

Yue Feng was not as single-minded as Dian Wei; the sudden appearance of this army only confirmed that his master commanded hidden might. Indeed, his master was still the same master, and the thought made him a little excited!

Yue Feng could tell at a glance how terrifying this army would be on the battlefield—a weapon capable of laying waste to the world.

He examined the cavalry’s equipment: each carried fifty arrows, ready to defend at any moment. Their offensive weapon was the long-handled horse lance, while some wielded pecks, hammers, axes, whips—various crushing weapons.

On the left, each soldier’s waist was equipped with a long bow or crossbow; their sword was razor sharp, and behind them were five or six short spears, their purpose uncertain.

Page 3 of 3

Looking at the weapons in their hands, the blade was like a mirror, its cold gleam reflecting a face pale with shock. The edge was forged from superior dark iron, its core a flowing chill—the hallmark of the finest craftsmanship.

Their armor was even more astonishing: the rare Radiant Armor, with metal discs on chest and back, polished to a mirror-like finish. In sunlight, it reflected dazzling rays, hence its name—“Radiant Armor.” “When the light meets the sun, the world shines bright.”

Who could not love these three armies...

A few crows flew overhead, and Zifan’s face twisted with malice. “Someone, shoot them down!”

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

Before his words finished, three sharp arrows streaked through the air like meteors.

Everyone’s gaze fixed on the arrows’ flight—so fast, so fast…

Dian Wei stroked his chin; even an ordinary soldier could accurately shoot down a crow in the sky—how could that be?

Yue Feng stared in awe, afraid to miss this extraordinary moment.

Before their eyes, all three arrows struck the crows.

“Reporting to Master, I hit the crow’s head.”

“Reporting to Master, I hit the crow’s body.”

“Reporting to Master, I hit the crow’s tail.”

“This, this...”

The instant they spoke, the previously restless army fell silent. Zifan’s eyes widened; Yue Feng nearly choked on his own saliva.

Moments later, a soldier brought the crow corpses as proof—each exactly struck in head, body, and tail.

Dian Wei drew a sharp breath. What kind of monsters were these!

The scene was too marvelous to imagine...

With such a force, the child of the Shanyu would be captured as easily as picking up a stone. Everyone’s mind conjured visions of the future.