Chapter 495: Chapter 495: What are you doing here?

Aqila suddenly felt his blood churning, struggling to breathe.

He shouted towards the darkness, “Xue Yifeng, how dare you deceive the Commander! Do your Poisonous Insect Clan no longer wish to live?”

Xue Yifeng, dressed in white, emerged from the night, walking to Zhan Lan’s side. Zhan Lan raised the corners of her lips, “Thank you, Young Master Xue, for your assistance.”

“You’re too kind, General Zhan.” Xue Yifeng nodded slightly.

Suddenly, Aqila saw his cavalry falling one by one in the distance, while the Zhan Family Army, who had been unconscious moments ago, all stood up.

“You!” Aqila wanted to grasp the scimitar in his hand tightly but found himself powerless.

He was completely deceived!

Zhan Lan’s eyes, cold and sharp, looked at the fallen Western Rong cavalry. This matter could be traced back to when she left Ding’an City, the first person she met was Li Sui, and the second was Xue Yifeng.

He secretly went to the small courtyard next to Dugu Yan’s to meet Xue Yifeng, asking him to take Xue Lingling back to the Poisonous Insect Clan first.

After learning about the crimes of the Western Rong Eldest Prince, plus owing a favor to Zhan Lan, and also because Western Rong was thoroughly defeated by Nanjin, the Clan Leader of the Poisonous Insect Clan was naturally willing to help Zhan Lan deal with Western Rong.

Zhan Lan had long prepared this move, always waiting for the right opportunity to act.

Aqila glared at Xue Yifeng fiercely. The Poisonous Insect Clan Young Master had found him, claiming he could deal with the Zhan Family Army.

He had not doubted Xue Yifeng at all, as the clan’s little princess was supposed to marry their Western Rong Eldest Prince anyway.

Unexpectedly, Xue Yifeng dared to boldly feign poisoning the Zhan Family Army.

Dugu Yan came out from the shadows to look at Xue Yifeng. After a few days, this guy seemed somewhat more agreeable.

Xue Yifeng glanced at Dugu Yan, not recognizing her at first, because she had braids on her head, wore a hat, and dressed in alien clan attire, completely resembling a Western Rong person.

It seemed she had lost weight. A woman fighting in battle was not easy. Xue Yifeng’s lips curled into an upward arc, about to greet Dugu Yan when she brushed past him and kicked Aqila in the stomach.

Aqila clutched his stomach in pain as Dugu Yan cursed, “Western Rong scoundrel!”

In fact, Dugu Yan had seen Xue Yifeng smile at her earlier, but she really couldn’t face Xue Yifeng and didn’t know how to respond to his smile.

Zhan Hui, Xiao Chen, Li Sui, and Huang Gun also approached.

Aqila looked ferociously at them, “Your Zhan Family Army is only this many people, it is impossible to occupy the other two tribes. Let me go, it’s still not too late to surrender!”

Zhan Lan sneered, “In the vast desert, if you die there, vultures will be the ones to feast on your corpses. I heard that in such a case, your souls will vanish. You must be looking forward to that, right?”

Aqila felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing Zhan Lan’s words. There’s a legend in Western Rong that those who die in the desert and are eaten by vultures will have their souls disappear forever, never to be reincarnated.

“No! Zhan Lan! You can’t do that. Our Western Rong King won’t let you off. You don’t know, do you? Our Western Rong King has thirty thousand secret cavalry protecting him. You can’t reach the Western Rong Capital, you’ll die trying. You might as well spare us. I’ll plead for you in front of the Western Rong King!”

Aqila urgently said, “You Nanjin people have a saying, ‘one should be forgiving whenever possible.’ If you spare me, I can also help you!”

Zhan Lan’s eyebrows furrowed upon hearing about the thirty thousand secret cavalry under the Western Rong King. Fortunately, she anticipated that Western Rong might hold back some force and sent messengers to request Zhan Beicang to bring reinforcements.

This way, even though the five thousand of them are exhausted, there are still nearly a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers they can use.

Previously, Western Rong’s smaller and larger tribes occupied strategic routes, but now this passage completely belongs to the Zhan Family Army.

They can use the already established supply route to rapidly and unhindered strike towards Western Rong.

Zhan Lan looked coldly at Aqila, beckoning to the Zhan Family Army behind her, “Kill and throw the bodies into the desert.”

“Yes, Main General!”

Aqila looked at Zhan Lan in despair. This woman was indeed as ruthless as the legends said.

Aqila cursed, “Zhan Lan, you will be cursed by the gods…”

Before Aqila could finish his words, he let out a muffled grunt, warm blood spurting out. Aqila’s throat was slit by Li Sui from behind with a sword.

After dealing with the bodies, Zhan Lan looked at Xiao Chen and the others, saying, “Retreat to advance strategically. We must wait for reinforcements and withdraw to the nearest tribe first.”

To retreat in order to advance, requiring patience and maneuvering, advancing through challenging military strategy, turning the indirect into direct, adversity into advantage.

A strategic withdrawal is the only option now.

“Main General, should we withdraw now?” Dugu Yan inquired.

Zhan Lan nodded, “Immediately.”

She allowed Xiao Chen to leak their position to Aqila so that Aqila would come with Xue Yifeng seeking merit.

But there’s no wall that doesn’t let the wind through; perhaps others in the tribes will soon discover their location.

Zhan Lan looked at Xue Yifeng, “Young Master, it’s hard for you to accompany us.”

“Alright.” Xue Yifeng nodded.

Along the way, Xue Yifeng rode alongside Dugu Yan, noticing the wounds on her hands holding the reins.

He recalled the last time in the arena when Dugu Yan faced Tuoba Xiong, her cheek wounds having healed, thankfully without leaving scars.

…

Zhan Lan led her people back to the nearest tribe, which had three thousand Zhan Family Army guarding it. They had been well-rested and immediately allowed the Zhan Family Army who had retreated from the desert’s edge to take a break.

There were also some Western Rong herders in the tribe.

Zhan Lan did not slaughter them, after all, uniting the world can’t rely solely on killing.

In recent days, Western Rong herders discovered that the Zhan Family Army did not harm them, and they began to relax, listening to the occasional bleating of lambs in the peaceful night, and the crisp sound of horse hooves from the stables.

Dugu Yan sat cross-legged on the withered grass, gazing at the stars above.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her.

Dugu Yan turned alertly to see Xue Yifeng dressed in white.

“What are you doing here?” Dugu Yan asked, holding a piece of dry grass between her lips.