Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1834 - 1827: Negotiations Break Down Again

Chapter 1834: Chapter 1827: Negotiations Break Down Again

Jiuyun Shuang suddenly stood up, looked around, and said loudly, "I am one of the four sons of the Jiuyun Clan, favored by the Imperial Court, appointed as the Western Conquest General. In the past, I led troops beyond the border, and now I’ve subdued the three Western Barbarian tribes outside Kyushu. With such illustrious military achievements, I am unwilling to be buried here and am willing to advance and retreat together with all the soldiers. If the enemy retreats out of fear of the Heavenly Dynasty’s majesty, we shall have peace. If the enemy advances aggressively, I am willing to pledge my loyalty to the nation alongside my generals and soldiers."

His words were powerful and immediately inspired everyone present. They all knelt on one knee and responded in unison, "We are willing to advance and retreat with the General!"

Several attendants stepped forward, voluntarily requesting, "General, we have learned the art of the Yanxing Sect and are willing to break through the enemy lines and report back to the interior on our own!"

"This descent is fraught with danger, you..." Jiuyun Shuang hesitated and asked.

"The General need not worry, we have made considerable progress in our practice. The mere Western Barbarians are not worth mentioning," the attendant replied.

"Very well, then I shall dispatch you to break through the enemy encirclement and call for reinforcements. Everything is entrusted to you."

"We accept the orders, and please rest assured, General!"

Several voices responded in unison, then they stood up and began their descent under the cover of night.

As cultivators of the Yanxing Sect, they excelled in this kind of covert task. If the Yipa cavalry did not detect them, they could reliably run back to the interior on foot.

But if discovered by the Yipa cavalry, they would certainly not sit idly by but would actively counter by seizing horses and escaping.

Each of them carried a bow and arrow, descending under the cover of night. The Yipa camp at the foot of the mountain was brightly lit, with patrolling Yipa cavalry bearing torches, preventing anyone from escaping and sending reports.

They had just begun descending when a commotion arose at the foot of the mountain, attracting the nearby patrolling Yipa cavalry.

Apparently, they had been discovered, but these Dongsheng officers were not the least bit cowardly; they immediately drew their bows and shot at the Yipa cavalry, quickly taking down a patrol team.

Then, they expended significant effort to capture two scattered Yipa warhorses. After a brief discussion, they let two companions ride the horses, using the moon to guide their direction, and sped toward the interior.

The remaining people held their ground to cover the retreat of their companions. Surrounded by a large number of Yipa archer cavalry, arrows rained down upon them.

These Dongsheng officers also drew their bows and returned fire. After taking down several Yipa cavalry, they ultimately perished. The Yipa cavalry pursued the two who escaped while severing the heads of the officers, hanging them on the saddles, and parading them around the hill in triumph.

Jiuyun Shuang sat disheveled by the campfire, his eyes closed. This was the darkest moment of his life. Compared to the physical pain, the mental humiliation was even more unbearable.

He was the heir of the Jiuyun Clan in the Northern Province. His father was the most prestigious person in the Northern Province, and his mother was from the State Clan of Yun State. Valued by his older brother, he was summoned to the Capital City by the Imperial Court and entrusted with important responsibilities by Ichuan Fei.

Despite encountering some setbacks along the way, his journey could still be described as smooth sailing.

During the conquest of the three divisions of Yipa, although his brothers died in battle, he eventually succeeded in pacifying the three divisions, fulfilling the mission given by the Imperial Court.

But good times do not last forever, and he eventually encountered the greatest crisis of his life.

Facing the large numbers of ferocious Yipa cavalry at the foot of the mountain, Jiuyun Shuang knew that if he did not receive reinforcements, destruction was almost certain.

He was indeed a cultivator, and many of his attendants were also cultivators.

However, quality could not compensate for the numerical advantage. Even if he could fight a hundred enemies, he was no match for so many opponents.

As the new army reformed by the Imperial Court, the most distinctive feature of this army was that it did not consist mainly of generals who were cultivators as the vanguard, and its combat power was almost entirely displayed by ordinary people.

But this distinction was also its greatest flaw. Without cultivators as the vanguard, it was difficult for them to defeat an enemy force several times their size with only a few troops.

If the Dongsheng officers around Jiuyun Shuang were all generals with high cultivation, even if they couldn’t escape entirely, they could still cover Jiuyun Shuang’s retreat from danger without any problem.

"General, they succeeded!" an officer ran up to him and said excitedly.

"I know..."

Jiuyun Shuang’s voice was low, and he seemed somewhat dejected.

"General, there’s no need to worry. As long as they succeed in reporting, we will certainly not be in danger. Tomorrow, if the enemy attacks vigorously, we will ensure the General’s safety with all our strength."

"You are all exemplary, but what the enemy wants is me alone, so you don’t have to endanger yourselves for this."

"What does the General mean by this? Dawn is approaching, but you speak of defeat lightly. The Western Barbarians are cunning; even if the General submits to them, they would never let us on the mountain go. Therefore, please do not have any intention of compromise, or it will dishonor the nation above and shame the ancestors below, becoming a stain through the ages."

The officer’s tone was very intense. Jiuyun Shuang looked up at him, and his previously desolate thoughts began to churn and boil again.

He suddenly stood up again, glanced around, and said firmly, "Tomorrow we will send another envoy to communicate, stating the benefits and harms. If the enemy does not comply, I will defend with all of you until reinforcements arrive."

"We accept the orders!"

Once again, the surrounding officers responded in unison. The officer said excitedly, "General, I am willing to go alone, please consent."

"Alright, tomorrow you will attempt to persuade surrender!" Jiuyun Shuang nodded slightly.

"We accept the orders!"

The morale of these Dongsheng officers surged again, dispelling the gloom brought on by their companions having been killed and their heads displayed arrogantly by the enemy.

At dawn, the coldest time of the day had arrived. But as visibility improved, the Yipa cavalry at the foot of the mountain began to stir and gathered on the mountain path, ready and waiting.

Hardly able to see the situation at the foot of the mountain, several Dongsheng officers immediately aimed their guns at those Yipa cavalry hanging their companions’ heads.

Apparently overconfident from their victory last night, these Yipa cavalry were caught off guard, having forgotten to maintain a safe distance.

With several sudden gunshots, two Yipa cavalry fell off their horses, and the remaining ones fled hastily to the perimeter, completely ignoring their fallen companions.

According to their prior plan, the Dongsheng officer rode down the mountain slowly, stopping less than forty meters from the enemy line, and shouted loudly, "I have important information to report, please have your Khan come forth."

Soon, the robust leader from yesterday rode out again. He stopped in front of the officer and asked coldly, "What do you want to say?"

"The Manor Lord should be aware that we sent an envoy last night to report that today the Heavenly Army could arrive. If you lay down your arms, the General will not pursue your errors. What do you say?"

"What a joke!"

The robust man flew into a rage and shouted angrily at the officer, "I thought you were here to surrender, but turns out, even as exhausted forces, you remain so arrogant. Even if the Heavenly Army arrives, so what? Our warriors have already placed life and death aside, with family members already lost. If you wish to persist, just offer Jiuyun’s head, and I might consider sparing you."

"Bah!"

Infuriated by his words, the officer couldn’t help but erupt in anger, pointing at the man’s nose and shouting, "You repeatedly insult our General, do you know your crime? The shortsighted Western Barbarians do not fathom the Heavenly Dynasty’s majesty. Should our Heavenly Army arrive in full force, you will all perish. It is only right for you to yield, and respectfully allow our General to descend the mountain!"

The man said nothing further, immediately drawing a bow and shooting at the officer. The arrow struck deeply into the officer’s abdomen.

The officer, quite tough himself, only staggered slightly before lifting his short rifle and firing at the robust man.

This was a rifled short rifle, which immediately toppled the robust man off the horse, though it unfortunately only wounded his shoulder.

The officer could no longer worry about anything else. After firing a shot, he immediately rode back, with arrows continuously flying from behind. However, due to the distance, they merely hit his armor without penetrating.

Negotiations broke down once more, and not long after, the Yipa army launched the first offensive of the day.

This time, they were well-prepared. The Yipa soldiers attacking the mountain carried a large number of shields, which they held in front as they climbed.

While firearms could easily penetrate these shields, bows and crossbows could not; thus, during the first wave of attack, the Dongsheng army atop the mountain keenly felt the pressure.