CHAPTER 392: CHAPTER 383: THE PATH OF NO RETURN!

Among those willing to follow the Princely Heir to Beihai City to open the passage, in addition to the middle-ranking scion of various major families, there were also nearly fifty thousand scion of noble bloodlines!

As the Princely Heir, Wang Shiyu was actually well-recognized in all aspects, but after all, his experience was too lacking!

Duke of Wei had his son at an old age, and Wang Shiyu was younger than many grandchildren of those old people who were of the Duke’s generation. Even though he had been notably trained by the Duke of Wei from a young age and taken part in many battles, showcasing considerable talent and military capability, the fact that his prestige was still insufficient remained!

After Duke of Wei left, Wang Shiyu could barely stabilize the situation, but in a life-and-death situation like the present one, it was almost impossible for him to make final decisions on major issues, even though the proposition he made was the only way out!

However, with reasoned debate, the support of the Duke’s powerful foundation, and a great part of the Duke’s subordinates, the rescue operation for Beihai City was barely established in the end.

All the families were willing to send people, even middle-aged scion with commendable combat prowess, but neither direct heirs nor family heads could be sent; they had to keep the lineage’s flame alive at home.

The families were also willing to send their noble-blooded scion to join the army in battle, all of high quality, but likewise, the most elite batch was still kept close at hand, preparing to break through when the time came.

Wang Shiyu saw this in his eyes, but sighed helplessly in his heart. He was very clear that the reservation was because the families still had choices; in the worst-case scenario, if the city fell, everyone could break out on their own. With a handful of elites protecting the important descendants of the family, there was still a great possibility of breaking out, unfettered by the masses of people and logistical burdens, and heading straight to the Capital City.

Since there was a way out, of course, they could choose not to bet on the slim hope of going to Beihai City, but...

If they ran away, what would happen to the one billion civilians still alive in the city?

Having established thousand-year-old families in the Northern Territory, were they really going to watch as the people of the north all fell prey to the Giant Serpent?

Wang Shiyu could not bear the thought. Despite the opposition of most family elders, he insisted, and for the battle of Beihai City, he forcefully marched out nearly sixty percent of the Wang Family’s armed forces, vowing to fight this battle till the end.

As they departed, countless civilians watched the departing troops with desperate eyes; the entire city was packed with people. Looking across, the ground was covered in spread-out hemp fabric; usually, on a single piece, there would live a family of four or five. Without proper management, the streets reeked, covered in feces and urine...

The once-largest city in the Northern Territory had completely turned into slums, with streets so crowded one couldn’t get out of their doors. The deployment of the army this time required a significant effort to clear the roads.

The people of the Northern Territory were already living a hard life, in a land besieged by bitter cold and constant calamities. In the twenty years since the founding of Great Jin, while every region was recuperating and propagating, the Northern Territory alone had been constantly drafting soldiers and engaging in warfare, never having a single day’s peace. Moreover, this was also the place where demon incidents occurred the most frequently!

Now... were they even being deprived of their basic survival?

Mounted on his Dragon Horse, Wang Shiyu looked at those countless numb eyes and felt a suffocating gloom that made it hard for him to breathe. Heaven has never been kind to man, and this was especially true for the people of the North. Just how many more calamities must they endure before these people can find some peace?

With that thought, he was reminded of what he had seen in Jiangnan.

In that picturesque place, every person was brimming with vitality, smiles everywhere. At sunset, one could see almost no one toiling. People strolled the streets, ascended Daqing Mountain to drink with friends, or simply headed for the cool streams to fish until midnight.

Such an enviable scene...

He had hoped to create a place as beautiful as Jiangnan in the Northern Territory during his lifetime, but now, it seemed there was no chance.

"Depart!" Wang Shiyu took a deep breath and led the way at the front, while the deputy officers organized a long procession according to the previously arranged formation and followed closely behind.

This battle for Beihai City was to be fought swiftly—all were cavalrymen, each carrying only one day’s rations, ready to succeed or perish!

With fifty thousand cavalry, lightly armed and riding fine horses of the Northern Territory, the vanguard’s formation was exceedingly precise. Even the occasional Giant Serpent emerging from the ground during the march was quickly dispatched in an agile and flexible manner, a stark contrast to the previous burdensome task of protecting masses of civilians on their retreat back north.

This left many scion feeling even more restless.

They thought that perhaps, if they broke through and headed to the Capital City now... they might find a way to survive.

Amidst such wavering morale, some of the noble-blooded scion grouped together and quietly separated from the troops, heading directly towards the Capital City!

The leading officers, upon witnessing this, were about to draw their bows and shoot, but the Princely Heir at the front stopped them.

"I’ve said before, this journey to the North Sea is entirely voluntary. Those who wish to leave, let them go!"

With these words, a large number of soldiers who were still hesitating looked at each other, reined in their horses, performed a military salute, and without looking back, followed in the direction of those who had just quietly fled!

"Princely Heir!"

The deputy general, who seemed to be over fifty, spoke gravely, "At such a critical time, how can you issue such an order? The soldiers’ morale will crumble!"

"Let it crumble..." the Princely Heir shook his head, "They’re not meant to be to our death warriors. On this journey to Beihai City, survival is one in ten. Forcing them will not necessarily be a good thing. Those who are willing to fight, come. Those who want to flee... let them flee."

The crowd: "...."

"But where can they flee to?" the Princely Heir looked up at the azure sky, a chill smile on his face, "With the catastrophe imminent and the ancient era reemerging, a glorious age of demons is about to arrive. Where could they possibly escape to?"

"Princely Heir..."

"Those of you who were sent here are not the core of your families. You all possess considerable skills, but due to the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate, you’ve always been below others. Now, if you want to take your subordinates and run, I won’t stop you. After all, when it came to enjoying resources, you were not the ones who received the most. But when it comes to risking your lives, you were chosen. Surely, there’s discontent in your hearts, right?"

"What are you talking about, Princely Heir?" A few deputy generals frowned, "In such a situation, is it the time to worry about these things?"

"It’s precisely because of this situation that we must consider it!" Wang Shiyu said with a wide smile, "I promise you, if we can break through Beihai City and contact Jiangnan, I will vouch for those of you who want to join the Warrior Army!"

"Princely Heir?" Several people were immediately shocked!

"You all must have heard, right?" Wang Shiyu spoke softly, "The Warrior Army of Jiangnan, with its unique promotion secret techniques, does not rely on lineage. Many from the collateral lines in Jiangnan have joined and gained strength surpassing the main line—it’s another way out!"

"But..." Several generals looked doubtful; that was Chen Qing’s territory, and joining the Warrior Army meant pledging allegiance to him!

The intention of the Princely Heir was....

"If Jiangnan can save our northern people, I’m willing to lead in pledging allegiance!"

"That... seems impossible, right?" The deputy general who spoke earlier gave a wry smile, "Not to mention the many noble houses that will oppose, how will the likes of Duke of Wei and Lord Bai Sang view the Princely Heir upon their successful return?"

"They will view it however they view it!" The Princely Heir clenched his teeth, "I was raised by my father, and I know what kind of man he is. If my father were here, he would do the same. If Chen Qing can save people, then he is our Northern Territory’s Emperor!"

"As for the noble houses..." The Princely Heir felt a coldness in his heart, "From the moment they prepared to abandon their people and flee, they no longer deserved to be called noble families!"

----------------------------------

"So, you really did bring someone along?"

Atop the ramparts of Beihai City, a seven-foot-tall elder stood proudly, looking down upon the approaching cloud of dust stirred up by the converging cavalry.

He had just received a message saying that the Duke of Wei’s eldest son’s assassination attempt had failed and had decided to lead people to break through Beihai City and seek reinforcements from Jiangnan.

"Duke of Wei is indeed fortunate..." the elder sighed, "Such an excellent descendant, daring to take the lead in this predicament. If my Hogn’er..."

Upon saying this, the elder’s voice choked up a bit, and the surrounding elders remained silent, clearly aware that he was referring to the Lu Family’s most promising grandson, Lumings, his eldest son in West Sea City.

"What about Jiangnan? Any progress there?"

The elder suddenly turned to another side, where a strange figure shrouded in a black robe stood. Whatever skin was exposed, whether it was an arm or half of a face, was covered in thick scales, and the figure emitted the rotting stench typical of a giant serpent.

"Jiangnan holds a very special power!" The robed serpent said in a hoarse voice, "In today’s world, it’s truly miraculous they can activate such a vast array. It likely won’t last long, though—after all... in this era, it’s impossible for that kind of power to endure!"

"All the better!" The old man sneered, "I’m warning you, you’re bound by a ’Technique’ agreement. The entirety of Jiangnan must serve as a funeral offering for my son. And... that Chen Qing, he must be captured alive; I want him to suffer a fate worse than death!!"

"As you wish!" The serpent turned into a wisp of black smoke and vanished from the spot. In the next moment, the ground began to shake, and the earth writhed like living creatures as countless giant serpents burst forth, converging on Beihai City like a surging tide.

The elder looked at the open city gates and nodded slightly. They had long since prepared Beihai City for this moment, to prevent anyone from Jiangnan from coming to the rescue. With tens of thousands of underground pythons here, if they all emerged, it would be enough to completely turn Beihai City upside down! Not to mention Mother Earth lying in the deepest...

The Duke of Wei’s brave son indeed had courage, but it was a pity. This was a journey with almost certain death—a hellish path. Once they entered this city gate, it was as if entering the serpent’s maw. Forget a fifty thousand strong army; even if the Imperial Court’s million-man army arrived, they would all be doomed to perish here!