I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 668 The Imperial Guard's Gravedigger! Defying the Righteous and the Rebellious!
When couples who have been together for many years talk about the past, they always have a special feeling.

Especially at the Zhenbei Tower that year, it was the first time that the two of them truly and completely revealed their feelings for each other.

The meaning is quite different.

Seeing Han Shao solemnly admitting he was a "born traitor," Gongsun Xinyi was half amused and half moved.

indeed.

If he wasn't a born rebel, how could he have the audacity to 'steal' her away after knowing she was born with the destiny of a phoenix?

As for his self-praise of his "accurate judgment of people," Gongsun Xinyi was somewhat uneasy.

To be honest, back then, it wasn't a matter of whether she was good at judging people or not.

She was simply blinded by someone's outstanding appearance, which led to her reckless actions later on.

Deep down, her greatest expectation for Han Shao was simply to successfully take over the Zhenliao Army from Gongsun Du.

But the final result was completely unexpected.

Gongsun Xinyi sighed inwardly, then, fearing that Han Shao would see through her 'superficiality,' she quickly straightened her expression and solemnly changed the subject.

"What are you going to do next?"

Han Shao saw through her thoughts, but knowing she was shy, he didn't say anything, and just smiled.

"My dear wife, you only need to sit here with me and wait quietly."

Time has passed, and he no longer needs to do many things personally.

Furthermore, the outcome of this battle was actually predetermined.

If it weren't for Gongsun Xinyi's desire to relive the battlefield, he wouldn't have even shown his face.

Everything can be left to his subordinates.

It must be said that Han Shao, who was observing the battlefield of a million Shura from the sidelines, was even more dazzling in Gongsun Xinyi's eyes than when he led hundreds of remnants of his army in a desperate charge on the grasslands.

So much so that her gaze, fixed intently, shone even brighter than it had back then.

……

Nightmare!

For Gongye Jin, this brief half-day was undoubtedly the biggest nightmare of his life.

Limbs torn to pieces by the Mountain-Shaking Cannon.

In the chaos, there were mountains of corpses, trampled on one another, and swords drawn, and streams of blood flowing freely.

It has already transformed this valley into the most tragic hell on earth.

Gongye Jin's eyes were vacant, and his powerful celestial soul seemed to have been ripped from his body at this moment, leaving only an empty shell on this tragic battlefield.

"Attack! Attack! Attack!"

"As long as we can take down those mountain-shaking cannons, we can win this battle! And I can win again!"

Hearing Gongye Jin shout out this military order almost unconsciously, the few remaining Imperial Guard generals around him couldn't help but smile bitterly.

攻？
What should we use to attack?

The young men, from the bottom up, were perfect targets for those Yan bandits!
They are lambs to the slaughter, rushing forward to their deaths!
Look at the bodies of those young men rolling down the mountain!

The boys really did their best!

And these generals, it's not that they didn't use all their magic to change the course of the battle!

Instead, the Yan bandits on those mountain peaks had already taken precautions. Not only were there countless powerful warriors guarding the pass, but they also had powerful formations that they had prepared in advance. They were no match for them at all!

"General! Break through! Lead the men and break through!"

Several Imperial Guard generals clasped their hands and bowed, almost pleading.

Upon hearing these words, Gongye Jin seemed to be provoked, his already gloomy eyes instantly turning bloodshot and ferocious.

"Break out? I haven't been defeated yet, why would I need to break out?"

As he spoke, a terrifying aura suddenly emanated from his body.

"Or are you... afraid of death and want to disobey orders?"

In order to eliminate Han Shao, his mortal enemy, in one fell swoop, Ji Yin even went so far as to use the imperial dragon energy to enhance his campaign.

Therefore, Gongye Jin's cultivation level at this moment is comparable to that of the ninth realm Taiyi to a certain extent.

Under such immense pressure, even those Imperial Guard generals, whose cultivation was not weak, were bent over.

After a moment, they finally had to sigh.

"That's it, that's all."

"General, we obey your orders! We'll be off now!"

After saying this, the group straightened their armor and resolutely took to the air.

But just as they were flying into the air, they couldn't help but stop and shout loudly at Gongye Jin.

"General!"

"We are willing to die today, but we beg the general to have pity on our sons and leave some seeds for our Imperial Guard!"

As soon as the words fell, they didn't hesitate any longer and rushed straight towards those hilltops.

Such heroic and valiant spirits have certainly not tarnished the prestige of the Da Yong Imperial Guards, which have stood for over two thousand years!
Unfortunately, being in such a desperate and tragic situation, how could a few generals possibly control or change it?

A terrifying arrow, brimming with fiery light, pierced through the void and went straight through the chest of one of the Upper Three Realms Imperial Guard generals.

In an instant, the realm of law shattered, and the sky was stained with blood.

In an instant, it was ignited and burned to ashes by the fierce heavenly fire.

In the end, only dust drifted down from the sky.

However, this tragic scene has occurred far too often on the battlefield today, and few people even pay attention to it, nor are they shocked or saddened by it.

Until a certain moment, as one of the generals exploded his own Celestial Domain, he cried out in a hoarse voice.

"General! This battle is hopeless, there's no way to turn the tide! Take the men and go!"

The terrifying primordial energy unleashed by the self-destruction of the Celestial Realm raged across the heavens, along with the blood-soaked roars of the Imperial Guard generals before their deaths.

This drew countless stares from the battlefield.

The battlefield fell silent as people looked at the path that had appeared after several mountains had been blasted flat.

A moment later, everyone's eyes instinctively turned towards the direction of the central army.

Before their eyes, the central army, which had been filled with generals, now had only a few lonely figures. Everyone who had been stunned by the Yan bandits suddenly came to their senses.

This battle is truly beyond saving...

In an instant, an unprecedented sense of desolation filled everyone's hearts.

Just yesterday, they were full of confidence.

He felt that even if the Yan bandits were powerful, they would surely be reduced to dust by his million-strong army.

Many people couldn't help but laugh bitterly at themselves.

The Yan bandits are still the same Yan bandits—powerful and invincible.

Even if they number in the millions, they are nothing but clowns.

"General..."

The location of the central command.

The commander of the personal guards beside Gongye Jin looked at the path of life that had been created by the self-sacrifice of an eighth-realm celestial being, and then looked at Gongye Jin.

Gongye Jin, who seemed to have been shaken by the earth-shattering roar, gradually focused his bewildered gaze.

"What do you want to say?"

Upon hearing this, the commander of the personal guards hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't help but whisper.

"General, if we continue fighting, the Imperial Guards will be wiped out..."

Three hundred thousand.

This is almost all of the Imperial Guards' assets.

If they were all lost here, not only would the Imperial Guards of the Divine Capital, which had dominated the Great Yong Dynasty for over two thousand years, be completely wiped out, but the entire defensive force of the Divine Capital would also be largely depleted.

At that time, Gongye Jin will be the greatest sinner of our time!

Those powerful families who control the Imperial Guards will not let him go.

Even Ji Yin, who placed all his trust in him and entrusted him with such a heavy responsibility, would not let him go.

Did Gongye Jin not expect any of this?
Ha! How could he not have thought of that?

And it is precisely because he wants it that he is unwilling to admit defeat!

At this moment, he had completely become a gambler who had lost everything at the gambling table, only thinking about risking everything in order to win back a game and turn defeat into victory!
It's a pity, as anyone who's ever been to a gambling table knows.

People like this, and people in this situation, will only gamble more and more and lose more and more, until they lose everything.

"Is...is it really impossible to win?"

Upon hearing Gongye Jin's question, which sounded like a dying struggle, the commander of the personal guards gave a bitter smile.

win?
How to win? What can we use to win?

From the very beginning of this battle, they were trapped like turtles in a jar. It was already a blessing from heaven that they were able to find a sliver of hope for survival. And yet the general still managed to... win?

If it weren't for his status and cultivation level, the commander of the personal guards would have only wanted to rush up and slap Gongye Jin to bring him to his senses.

Just as he was wondering how to respond, Gongye Jin suddenly sighed.

"Enough, let the men break through..."

……

Is the distance of a mountain wide?

It is naturally broad.

However, compared to the large army trapped in the mountains, it did not seem to have much space.

Especially when countless defeated soldiers swarmed toward that path of survival, even the widest road seemed narrow and cramped.

Then a heartbreaking and tragic scene unfolded.

Driven by the instinct for survival, former comrades who should have given their lives trampled each other and brandished knives.

Just then, the giant cannons that were originally scattered in various valleys adjusted their muzzles and focused their fire on the path to survival.

Almost instantly, a bloody storm that defied description was unleashed.

When most of the Imperial Guards had passed through the escape route and stopped to look back, their faces showed no joy, only endless sorrow and bitterness.

Looking back on their actions along the way, some wept bitterly, some broke down and screamed, and some seemed lost in thought. But relatively speaking, they were still lucky.

Because behind them, countless allied forces from powerful clans and noble families were still struggling in that terrifying, bloody inferno.

In order to survive, blood ties, years of friendship, and reason were all thrown to the back of their minds.

"Alas, after this battle, the noble families and powerful clans of the world will be nothing but a pile of loose sand..."

To call them a disorganized mess would be an understatement.

Without significant mutual benefits to bridge the gap, it's possible they could become enemies.

After all, they had witnessed firsthand the chaos and the infighting among powerful clans, with one clan even wiping out the entire other.

And this is not an isolated case.

……

A brutal escape from death.

No one knows exactly how many of the army members who managed to escape that desperate situation survived.

After all, nobody has time to care about this right now.

Not only were the mountain-shaking cannons overhead like a persistent ailment, but the black-armored figures of the Yan bandits had also appeared behind them.

So they could only flee in a panic, running along the path of survival.

During this time, the Imperial Guards, who were originally positioned at the front of the battle, intended to integrate the main force and lead the way.

In this situation, how could the various armies, already terrified and panicked, possibly heed the orders of the central army?
In the end, they turned around and dragged the remnants of the Imperial Guard, who were the central army, into a state of chaos, turning everyone into headless flies, running around in all directions.

"General, what do we do now...?"

Upon hearing this, Gongye Jin, who had barely recovered some of his vitality after a night of fleeing, sighed softly.

"Let's shake off the Yan bandits pursuing us first."

If a group of people encounter a bear, all they need to do is run as fast as the people next to them.

Once the bear has eaten its fill, the others will be able to survive.

As long as we can shake off the pursuers and allow him to lead the remaining troops into Hulao Pass, this battle can still be fought!

Having figured this out, Gongye Jin's eyes, which had been lifeless, gradually regained their light.

However, the moment he finished speaking, a loud bang suddenly rang out in front of him, instantly extinguishing the light in his eyes once again.

"Not good! General, there are enemies ahead!"

Gongye Jin, whose face was already ashen, gave a bitter smile.

“I am not blind; I can see.”

……

In August, it's normal for the river to be foggy in the morning.

The only abnormal thing is that the fog is too thick.

It even extends to the riverbank.

It wasn't until the roar of a giant cannon shattered the morning mist that everything that had been hidden by the fog was revealed to everyone in its entirety.

The sight of the densely packed layers of black armor along the riverbank was enough to send chills down one's spine.

Not to mention that behind those countless black-armored formations, there were also massive warships, resembling small towns, stretching across the great river.

"It's over..."

The faces of the scions of noble families were pale, but devoid of color.

Before the black-armored army on the other side could even make a move, someone let out a panicked scream the instant the cannon fired.

"The Yan bandits are ruthless, run!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the hundreds of thousands of remaining soldiers, who were barely held together, instantly fell apart.

The sudden turn of events seemed to have startled even the black-armored tigers and wolves on the other side.

But after a moment of stunned silence, a cold, merciless snort quickly followed from the central army.

"attack!"

……

"General, leave quickly!"

"If we wait for the Yan bandits to surround us, I'm afraid there will be no chance of survival..."

Upon hearing this, Gongye Jin shook his head.

"You go."

Those around him were taken aback by what he said.

"General, you..."

Gongye Jin glanced back at them, and his expression was no longer gloomy, but instead regained some of his former refined elegance.

"I have fled again and again, and I really don't want to flee anymore."

"If you can escape, then escape. If you really can't escape, then... surrender."

Having said that, he ignored those around him and rode alone slowly towards the opposing army formation.

In fact, he really didn't know what to say to these people.

Guilt? Shame? Utter disgrace?

Have it.

After all, to be precise, ten thousand people lost on the banks of the Ji River ten years ago, and another ten thousand were lost on the banks of the Ji River ten years later.

And then add the 300,000 of today.

Gongye Jin single-handedly destroyed the entire imperial guards that had existed for over two thousand years.

Such a 'feat' is unprecedented, if not unparalleled.

Even if Ji Yin were truly so magnanimous as to spare the life of this incompetent good-for-nothing.

What face does Gongye Jin have to live in this world?
So, rather than go back alive and suffer humiliation, it's better to die on this battlefield.

In the blink of an eye, Gongye Jin's warhorse accelerated, then traversed the void and headed straight for the magnificent warship on the river.

He could sense the unique aura of the treasure ship.

Powerful and majestic.

If one were to use the secret method of observing qi to gather one's divine eye, one could even see that within that vast, rising royal aura, a distinct imperial might had already condensed.

Traitor! Traitor!
It should have been nipped in the bud when the late emperor was still alive!
What a pity! What a pity!
Now that the traitor's power is firmly established, it's too late for regrets!
Gongye Jin sighed, drew his sword, and shouted.

"Swallow—"

Before the word "thief" could be uttered, it was interrupted by a voice.

"General, it's been a long time."

Looking at the short, stocky figure blocking his way, Gongye Jin was stunned and momentarily lost in thought.

"Cao Wu?"

Looking at this junior whom he had once greatly admired and even almost accepted as a disciple, Gongye Jin's joy lasted only a moment before he frowned and said.

"You... have rebelled? Are you trying to obstruct me?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Wu remained noncommittal.

"General, you flatter me."

"What is favorable? What is unfavorable? Those who understand the times are the heroes."

"Your Majesty does not regard Cao Wu as lowly or humble, but regards him as a pillar of the state; he is a wise king of our time."

"If the emperor had not been so foolish and misled by treacherous and stingy men who sought to harm my king, how could we have suffered this calamity of war today?"

In short, his king was innocent and not a rebel.

It was all out of necessity.

After saying that, Cao Wu changed the subject and smiled gently.

"General, you are exceptionally talented and can serve as a good teacher to Cao Wu."

"My king also greatly admires this. Why don't we abandon the darkness and join my king in cleaning up the court of corrupt officials? What do you say?"

It is customary to persuade someone to surrender before the battle.

Gongye Jin never expected that the person standing in front of him would be his old friend Cao Wu.

After giving him a long look, Gongye Jin suddenly asked a question.

"After the Battle of Jishui, are all your little brothers still alive?"

Seeing Cao Wu nod, Gongye Jin nodded slightly with some emotion.

"To be honest, it's all because of my incompetence that I've dragged you good lads down with me."

"Over the years, I have deeply regretted this."

Upon hearing this, Cao Wu was about to wave his hand and say, "The disastrous defeat at the Ji River was not the general's fault," but was interrupted by Gongye Jin.

"Very well, since that's the case, I will grant you a great achievement and good fortune today, as a way to atone for your past mistakes."

"Secondly, this also fulfills the bond of kinship between us from back then."

Cao Wu was taken aback, wondering what Gongye Jin meant by those words, when he saw Gongye Jin suddenly place the blade in his hand against his neck.

“Take my head and go to your king to claim credit.”

"This defeated general has been repeatedly defeated by your king, and I have no face to meet him."

Upon seeing this, Cao Wu was greatly alarmed.

"General! No!"

Before he could finish speaking, the blade had already slung around his neck.

The enormous head flew up and landed right in front of Cao Wu.

Meanwhile, the beacon of the Celestial Realm that had been separated from him after his fall also fell on Cao Wu.

After a moment of stunned silence, Cao Wu sighed and bowed respectfully to Gongye Jin's headless corpse.

"Respectfully bidding farewell to my teacher."

……

(End of this chapter)