Chapter 355: Start Once You’re Ready
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
I heard that this Nangong Hao guy is at some Icy Monkey Settlement. It should be quite near to my Thunderous Lion Settlement, why not I directly…
****!
Fang Zhengzhi thought this way. Hence, naturally, he prepared to carry it out.
The next few days, Fang Zhengzhi began to split his army into two paths, doing a "sweep" around the perimeter of the Thunderous Lion Settlement. Each path had almost ten thousand troops.
This caused the examinees who slipped through the net to feel extremely pained.
Attacking two thousand with ten thousand?
Was there truly a meaning in this?
Denial, shame. Yet, ultimately, helplessness.
It was simply impossible to defend against an army five times the size. The only thing they could do was to surrender one by one, then, give up their army.
As Fang Zhengzhi began his sweep, the Southern Mountain Range, in which the undercurrent had always been surging, finally stirred up a torrential storm.
Envelopes followed by envelopes of military reports were delivered into the tent of Crown Prince Lin Tianrong, causing him to live the past few days rather unhappily.
"Fang Zhengzhi eliminated Lue Qing, his army has expanded to thirty-four thousand troops."
"Fang Zhengzhi eliminated Chen Dongping, his army has expanded to thirty-six thousand troops."
"..."
Looking at the never-ending letters of military report, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong's expression was extremely dark. His expression remained gloomy and solemn, and completely lost the mood to appreciate his flowers like he did everyday before.
Time passed very quickly.
Five days later, the number of troops under Fang Zhengzhi's command had reached the terrifying amount of forty-one thousand. It also meant he commanded almost seventy percent of the entire military strength in the combat examination.
On the other hand, Fang Zhengzhi finally began to enjoy the treatment of a commander in chief.
In the huge stone house, each of the military commanders quietly stood in two rows by the side, and beside them stood gloomy scholars.
They were all examinees eliminated by Fang Zhengzhi.
Hence, naturally, they could only follow Fang Zhengzhi. Regardless of whether they were willing or reluctant, they had no choice but to follow him until the end of the combat examination.
Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu were also standing in the stone house at this moment.
These few days, it could be said that Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu's hearts had suffered extreme torment. However, if they wished to ensure that they would smoothly pass the combat examination, the only thing they could do was to help Fang Zhengzhi.
Because, they were eliminated by Fang Zhengzhi.
The rules of the combat examination were based on a competition, level-based system. For example, if examinee A was eliminated by examinee B, then, examinee A would be in one level below that of examinee B.
If examinee B was eliminated by another person, then, examinee A would drop another level.
In other words.
Wu Feng had eliminated a bunch of examinees. As long as Wu Feng's ranking remained first in the combat examination, these examinees would gain their rankings based on the order of elimination.
However, the current situation was that Wu Feng had been eliminated by Fang Zhengzhi.
In this case, the examinees that Wu Feng had eliminated before had now entered Fang Zhengzhi's circle. If Fang Zhengzhi was eliminated by other examinees, they would likely have no hope left in the combat examination.
Hence...
The best course of action was for Fang Zhengzhi to attain first place. This would enable their rankings to be higher.
Of course, the gloomiest person of all was Wu Feng. He had initially planned to take down Chen Feiyu in one fell swoop, However, he had never imagined that he would be eliminated by Fang Zhengzhi.
It went without saying that this was a huge tragedy.
"Pass down my order, ask all of the troops guarding the Yan Ya Settlement and Shi Zun Settlement to assemble at the Thunderous Lion Settlement!" Fang Zhengzhi gazed down at the rows of armoured military commanders and gave his order.
"Asking all of them to assemble at the Thunderous Lion Settlement?!"
When the gloomy scholars heard Fang Zhengzhi's words, they instantly became even more miserable. At this moment, they were all hoping for Fang Zhengzhi to gain a high ranking.
Yet, Fang Zhengzhi ordered everybody to assemble?
What was the meaning of this!
"General, if all the troops were called to assemble at the Thunderous Lion Settlement, it is equivalent to giving up control over the Yan Ya and Shi Zun Settlement?" When General Wang heard Fang Zhengzhi's words, he instantly got a shock.
He had fought together with Wu Feng before, hence, he knew very clearly how important and hard to attack the Yan Ya and Shi Zun Settlements were. Now, the settlements were already under their control.
Giving them up like this…
Would that be a little silly?
"Oh, I know. Then let's give it up." Fang Zhengzhi said dismissively.
"Fang Zhengzhi, what are you trying to do? If you don't want to participate in this exam properly, can you not eliminate me? Now that you already control three main settlements, at the very least, you would be able to attain second place!" Wu Feng finally couldn't control himself anymore.
Not mentioning that the settlements he had put in so much effort to conquer were delivered into Fang Zhengzhi's hands.
Fang Zhengzhi actually threw them away just as if he was throwing rubbish into the trash?
How could he accept this feeling!
"What are you doing? You are already eliminated. You wish to rebel? Pass down my order, gather some dung." Fang Zhengzhi glanced at Wu Feng in despise and immediately brushed off Wu Feng's opinion.
"Please don't!"
"Fang Zhengzhi, please reconsider!"
"We are all willing to help you."
When the scholars heard this, they became truly anxious. If Fang Zhengzhi lost the territory, and it was picked up by others, they were really about to suffer.
The scholars couldn't understand. The military commanders also exchanged glances among one another, completely unable to guess what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking.
Just like how General Wang felt deep down inside, they all felt that this order by Fang Zhengzhi was a little stupid.
However…
Was Fang Zhengzhi stupid?
This was an extremely serious question.
If Fang Zhengzhi was said to be stupid, then, how could he take down both Chen Feiyu and Wu Feng in one day? Furthermore, didn't this mean that all these people who lost to Fang Zhengzhi were even more stupid?
However, if Fang Zhengzhi wasn't stupid, then this order was simply equivalent to giving up the combat examination ranking he already attained.
They had absolutely no clue of what he was thinking.
Each of the military commander shook his head, simply unable to understand.
Of course, Fang Zhengzhi knew what the scholars and the commanders were thinking. However, it wasn't necessary for them to understand. Because, if they knew about the current situation in the Southern Mountain Range, they would probably have made the same decision.
Every citizen a soldier.
This meant that every main settlement was filled with soldiers of the Southern Mountain Range.
Fang Zhengzhi indeed possessed over forty-thousand troops at this moment, and have control over seventy percent of all the troops in the combat examination. However, compared to the Southern Mountain Range's "every citizen a soldier", it was the difference between an ant and an elephant.
Controlling territory?
Controlling three main settlements indeed seemed extremely glorious. However, once the military force was divided, when the Southern Mountain Range began their plan, these forty-thousand troops wouldn't even be able to defend themselves at all.
Fang Zhengzhi's thoughts at this moment were extremely simple.
If every citizen is a soldier.
Then, I will gather all my soldiers in one place and unite all the troops. As for controlling territory, I have a powerful military force, what do I fear? The combat examination hadn't ended yet!
General Wang really wished to attempt to convince Fang Zhengzhi once more.
However, Fang Zhengzhi was the true examinee of this combat examination. He didn't have any power to interfere. Hence, he could only carry out Fang Zhengzhi's order.
Wu Feng also wanted to speak. However, he was already eliminated.
Then, what else could he say?
…
News of Fang Zhengzhi recalling all the troops guarding the Yan Ya and Shi Zun Main Settlements quickly spread once again into Crown Prince Lin Tianrong's ear.
This caused Crown Prince Lin Tianrong to become somewhat speechless.
"What is this guy Fang Zhengzhi thinking?" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong had a strange feeling that if Fang Zhengzhi continued to play on like this, there would be a huge impact on the Southern Mountain Range plan.
However, Fang Zhengzhi was an examinee of the combat examination.
As the chief examiner and crown prince, passing down orders to interfere with the decision of an examinee was completely unacceptable.
Hence, the only thing he could do was to wait.
Wait indefinitely!
…
A few days later.
The military forces in the Yan Ya and Shi Zun Main Settlements finally gathered at the Thunderous Lion Settlement.
Taking advantage of these few days, Fang Zhengzhi had eliminated another examinee. His military strength had reached a terrifying forty-three thousand troops.
Fang Zhengzhi did a calculation.
There were a total of fifty-eight thousand troops participating in the combat examination. After subtracting the two thousand in Nangong Hao's hands, fifty-six thousand remained. And now, he had forty-three thousand.
The amount of troops remaining outside were no more than thirteen thousand.
Then…
It was about time to start!
"Pass down the order, the entire army shall travel towards the Icy Monkey Settlement!"
"General Fang, do we need to leave people to guard the Thunderous Lion Settlement?" When General Wang heard Fang Zhengzhi's words, cold sweat formed on his back as he reminded softly.
Even he knew how horrifying Nangong Hao was.
This battle!
Whether they were able to win was truly a question mark. Hence, leaving some troops to guard the Thunderous Lion Settlement to leave a path for them to retreat was undoubtedly the best choice.
"Don't leave, don't leave even a single soldier." Fang Zhengzhi immediately replied without even giving it a thought.
…
The grand army pressed towards the Icy Monkey Settlement.
Following Fang Zhengzhi's order, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong finally fell from his chair to the ground. He had thought that Fang Zhengzhi would challenge Nangong Hao.
However, he never imagined that Fang Zhengzhi would be running over so soon.
Furthermore…
Most importantly, Fang Zhengzhi had actually given up control over the Thunderous Lion Settlement. The entire army pressed towards the Icy Monkey Settlement. How was this still an examination?
This was simply a battle of life and death.
"Stop him, we must stop him. Xing Qingsui hadn't reached the Thunderous Lion Settlement? Pass down my orders, write out to immediately disqualify Fang Zhengzhi from the combat examination!"
"Crown Prince Your Highness, Fang Zhengzhi's qualification to participate in the combat examination was personally given by the Emperor, would this action…" When one of the generals sitting in the military tent heard this, he instantly received a huge shock.
"Compared to the Southern Mountain Range plan, does it matter if we disqualify Fang Zhengzhi from the combat examination? I will write a letter to explain to my Emperor Father about this, pass down the order immediately!"
"Roger!"
…
Within Princess Shan Yu's tent.
As a piece of news arrived, Princess Shan Yu's dark eyes finally flashed with a captivating glow. Cloud patterns began to appear on her wheat-coloured skin.
"Attack the Icy Monkey Settlement? Are you sure?"
"I am sure, a hundred percent sure!" The soldier arriving with the news replied confidently.
"Alright, does Third Brother know about this news?" After Princess Shan Yu received the soldier's confident reply, she stood up from the chair and asked once more.
"Replying Princess, after I received this news, I immediately passed it on to Noblelite. Noblelite should have received it by now, I believe he would pass down the orders in a moment's time." The soldier instantly replied.
"Ha ha ha… not bad. After waiting for so long, it is about time for me to get some exercise!" When Princess Shan Yu heard the soldier's words, she finally smiled. Her smile was radiant, just like a beautiful and charming black rose.
…
As the main settlement that was closest to the Sagely Mountain City, it could be considered the most heavily guarded place among the main settlements.
If the Thunderous Lion Settlement was a huge fortress.
Then, the Icy Monkey Settlement would be a tusk below the Sagely Mountain City of the Southern Mountain Range.
The area it occupied wasn't too big. However, it stood overbearingly in a vast open space. There were no geographical advantages such as trees or mountains that shielded it.
However, it was indeed a tusk of the Southern Mountain Range.
Because, right in front of the Icy Monkey Settlement, there was a wind valley. It was a wind valley formed by nature.
The separation of a valley was like two completely different worlds. Within the wind valley, it was completely bleak. After the wind valley, it was the bustling and thriving Icy Monkey Settlement.
Within the Icy Monkey Settlement, in a huge stone house constructed with very strong stone, Nangong Hao, who was dressed in a white scholarly robe, sat quietly in front of the window, holding a book filled with ancient scriptures in his hand.
The words of the ancient scripture in his hand seemed to be somewhat different compared to the words of the Great Xia Dynasty. It's shape seemed somewhat strange. However, Nangong Hao seemed deep in concentration.
"Young master." An armoured military commander knocked softly on the main door of the stone house. After which, he gingerly made his way into the stone house.
"Yes. Where is Fang Zhengzhi now?" Nangong Hao didn't raise his head. Instead, he continued to read the ancient scripture in his hand, even mumbling it softly with his lips.
"I believe he would reach the wind valley in another two days' worth of journey." The commander replied.
"Alright."
"Do we need to make preparations?"
"No need, just do what you are supposed to do."
"Understood."
The commander nodded, after which, he retreated respectfully. After walking out of the main door of the stone house, the expression on his face turned firm and determined. That was a form of arrogance.
Compared to his respectful attitude just now, it was an entirely different form of arrogance.
…
In the dark night, a black figure bounded swiftly. After a few bounds,, the black figure stopped on top of a protruding mountain rock.
The black figure that stood on top of the rock stopped.
He reached one hand into his pocket and fished out a yellow map.
After one glance, he kept it back into his pocket. After which, his entire body lay completely flat on the ground. Pressing his ear to the ground, he listened quietly for a while.
Then, he turned and the tip of his foot shifted right by an inch and leapt off the mountain rock.
He continued to dash.
…
Fang Zhengzhi had never truly commanded an army, nor did he have the experience of leading over forty-thousand soldiers. However, the military commanders did.
Military movements and tactical formations were as routine as eating. Even though they weren't very familiar with the geographical landscape of the Southern Mountain Range, it didn't matter much.
Because, Fang Zhengzhi had Teng Shisheng leading the way.
In addition to that, he already possessed the ability to determine the locations of beasts by listening to the sounds around them. In addition to the powerful clearing power of forty-thousand troops, smaller beasts simply didn't pose any form of a threat to them.
Hence, along the way, he didn't face any significant obstacles.
Two days later, over forty thousand soldiers approached the enemy city and arrived at the natural defence of the Icy Monkey Settlement.
The Wind Valley!