It doesn't matter what the lord is.

Takis understood the feelings of the Yunyang soldiers very well.

What would it matter if he won? In his past life, he had both admired and despised the Lord of Yunyang. He had bowed down to him because he appreciated him, and he had also been indignant because of the serious shortage of military supplies during the war. But in general, he was loyal to Yunyang, just like Asilante and Kalpas, who were all loyal to Yunyang.

But he had never hoped that Yunyang would lose as much as he did now, for the sake of the people of Yunyang and for the 40,000 border troops he left in the south.

After thinking it over, Takis sighed, drew the sword from his waist, and took a step forward. He was a soldier, not a hero. If he could really let go, he would have stayed in the south. A soldier's duty is to obey orders, no matter whether the order is correct or not, and no matter who gave the order.

Takis did not intend to tell Lord Yunyang about the army's problems, but he planned to lead his elite border troops to launch another charge to boost morale. Up to now, Yunyang only had the advantage in terms of manpower, which was on the surface. In places that Lord Yunyang could not see, Yuxi City was already far ahead. This last desperate charge was the only thing he could do for Yunyang.

I hope that from now on, neither of us owes each other anything.

The sun was shining brightly, and the armies on both sides were still fighting mightily. The sound of armor colliding with each other seemed to break the eardrums. The soldiers of Yuxi City began to show signs of becoming more courageous as they fought more fiercely, because they were carrying a heavier burden on their shoulders, and because they believed that they had a clearer path and a brighter future.

The commander of the Wangdong First Division, Juanbai, lowered his spear and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Takis was leading his guards to charge over here, and the two of them glanced at each other briefly across the sea of ​​people.

59. A turn of events

When elite forces fight against elite forces, the fight must be fought to the fullest.

Lord Yunyang was very satisfied that Takis could lead the charge voluntarily and did not hide his own troops at the end. Although Lord Yunyang felt a little troubled that he could not defeat the enemy with three times the number of troops, he did not think about it further. Perhaps he was subconsciously unwilling to believe that the army he trained himself would be so vulnerable, and still had a certain trust and fantasy in these people who had always been under his command.

Takis and Selaginella met head-on, and the elite soldiers of each other hacked and killed each other. Selaginella's realm was relatively low, but with the protection of the military formation, he could definitely fight with Takis. Although he didn't cross several realms to kill Takis, this kind of duel between generals was originally more symbolic than practical.

Objectively speaking, the combat effectiveness of the Southern Frontier Army is still very strong. After all, they have experienced many wars and have never relaxed. The Southern Frontier Army is defending Yunhai, and Yunhai has not had any disputes with other territories for many years. If other troops were stationed in such a peaceful area, it would be easy for them to become corrupt. This shows that Takis is indeed a capable person. There are very few generals in the world who can be prepared for danger in times of peace.

However, the guards around Juanbai were all brothers who had fought with him in the Wangdong Camp, so they were not at all weak against the experienced southern border troops. The two sides instantly raised the intensity of the normal war to a higher level. Juanbai had a flexible mind. He knew very well that he could not retreat at this time, and he had to face it with gritted teeth. As the saying goes, the brave wins when they meet on a narrow road. In this kind of ace-to-ace battle, whoever loses will have a devastating blow to their own morale. Yunyang can't afford to lose, and Yuxi City doesn't want to lose either.

The Selaginella spear pointed at Takis and said coldly:

"My brothers and I, who among us has not been homeless and hungry? The food and porridge we have now is all given by the Lord of the City! Now we have a chance to ensure that our families and friends will have enough food and clothing for generations to come. What should we hesitate about? Even if we lose our lives on the battlefield, it doesn't matter. Countless people will remember our names in the future!"

Selaginella let out a breath, as if she had returned to the time when she tied her headband and moved forward courageously.

"Wangdong First Division! Follow me and attack!!"

Shouts of killing were heard everywhere, and the morale of the Yuxi City side was also greatly boosted. No one held back. The two sides were fighting in a mess. Takis wanted to shout a few slogans, but he couldn't say them when they came to his lips. "I have received Yunyang's grace for generations" and "I should die for my loyalty" were words that once sounded a bit important, but unfortunately Kalpas shouted first, and was scolded by Lid after he finished shouting, so Takis was no longer interested.

He never sincerely believed that Yunyang would win, so naturally he had nothing to say to encourage the soldiers. He just calmly held his sword and marched forward, charging at the enemy's formation, setting an example for the soldiers. As for how many people would follow him, he could not guarantee it, and he no longer cared.

The sun is shining brightly, with no wind or rain.

Takis slashed at Selaginella's spear with his sword. The two were very close. At that moment, Takis could see the light in Selaginella's eyes. That light reminded him of an old friend he had met before. That person also had a high position in Yunyang's army, but was framed and imprisoned because of his overly upright attitude. Takis was not yet a general of Yunyang's border army that year. He chose to protect himself because no one could save him.

The Selaginella spear blocked Takis's sword. The angry soldiers of Wangdong's First Division had already charged into Yunyang's army formation, sounding the clarion call for a counterattack. Even Yunyang's border troops were somewhat unable to resist their offensive. These people seemed to have endless power in their bodies. If there were no border troops to stop them, they would have continued to kill their way to the center formation where the Yunyang lord was, to Lingyun City, and to other territories, until the world became what they wanted it to be, or until they all died on the battlefield.

so good.

Takis laughed.

A Yunyang soldier broke through the siege and stabbed him in the shoulder. Takis also raised his right hand and cut off his head with a sword. Blood gushed out like a fountain, but the other Yuxi City soldiers did not stop. They still attacked with all their might, risking their lives to give their companions a chance to win.

Takis was soon wounded. Lord Yunyang realized that something was wrong and immediately sent someone to call him back, but Takis did not listen to Lord Yunyang's order. The southern border troops were declining sharply, and it was unknown how many people died at the hands of Yuxi City. Takis was unwilling to retreat. He had made up his mind that victory or defeat did not matter. Only fighting to the death could make him feel better.

The soldiers of Wangdong's First Division pushed forward, and the Black Armor Division gradually showed its edge. Heavy armor has a great advantage in this kind of defensive counterattack. The heavy armor sacrifices mobility but also gains high defensive attributes. The weapons carried by Yunyang's soldiers are very ordinary. The seemingly violent offensive has brought very limited damage to the Black Armor Battalion.

The Xuanjia Division, Wangdong 1st Division and Wangdong 2nd Division moved forward at the same time and began to shake Yunyang's army.

It was at this time that more turmoil appeared in Yunyang's army. More and more people began to lose their fighting spirit, and officers had to spend more effort to prevent their men from fleeing. The Yunyang lord felt his heart skip a beat, but he kept telling himself that it wouldn't happen. He had spent so much effort to train them, and promised them all kinds of rewards before the war. Yunyang's army would not be so easily dispersed.

Fang Shisan took a deep breath, gripped the armrest of the wheelchair tightly, and a smile appeared on his face.

She waited.

No matter how furiously the Lord of Yunyang scolded the generals around him, no matter how the soldiers restrained their soldiers, it was useless. When only one person wanted to escape, this person would be considered a coward. But if the number of soldiers who wanted to retreat in an army exceeded a certain ratio, then it didn't matter what the others thought. In the prisoner's dilemma, betraying the other party can always get the greatest benefit. When every soldier can't trust his companions, the actions they take are often surprisingly similar.

As Reed had said to her one evening:

——"In war, sometimes it's not about who rushes faster, but who can last longer."

Yunyang's army was powerful and had many famous generals. The border troops had considerable combat effectiveness, and the other soldiers had also undergone basic training.

But it was useless. The Yunyang lord could only give them material things, such as better weapons, more sufficient food and better training. But there was one thing he could not give them, and that was the belief in winning the war. They looked like a mature army, from the battle formation to the armaments, but behind the bright and beautiful appearance, the Yunyang army was still a mess.

Even if the world has the ability to build a tower out of sand, it will inevitably end up being destroyed by an ant hole.

60. Big win

"My Lord, the left wing has begun to collapse!"

"My Lord! The northern border troops were ambushed, and General Asilante sent a message saying that he cannot get back for the time being!"

"My Lord, retreat! Please retreat immediately! The enemy is coming this way—"

Lord Yunyang stared at the scene in disbelief. The army, like a black wave, collapsed in front of him and fled in different directions. He punished his rebellious son, opened the treasury, and spent all his money to build this army. However, this army that carried all his hopes failed to respond to his wishes. Lord Yunyang clenched the whip in his hand. He never thought that one day he would face such an ending. The foundation of Yunyang was dissipating bit by bit in front of his eyes, and finally ceased to exist.

The generals who were still loyal to Yunyang came to him desperately, reporting the situation of the army and asking him for advice. But the Lord of Yunyang was in a state of blankness for a while. He stared blankly at Takis, who was in the front, being hacked to the ground after exhausting his strength. The southern border troops fought hard but could not stop the powerful soldiers of Yuxi City.

Lord Yunyang could feel his luck draining away from him, and the balance of victory was not on his side. The soldiers of Yuxi City were like gods, constantly attacking his army, while the army of Yunyang was weakening at a speed visible to the naked eye. The courage they had spent so much time to accumulate was completely lost in just a few minutes.

The tide is over.

"My Lord, a decision must be made."

A general rushed over to block several arrows for Lord Yunyang and said loudly:

"People's hearts are scattered. There's no point in continuing the fight! If we don't leave now, even the lord might be caught. By then, it will be too late!"

Lord Yunyang finally came to his senses and angrily pushed away the general who grabbed his arm. He gasped for a few times and said with difficulty:

"I know! Let's go back to Lingyun City immediately! As long as I'm alive, Yunyang will not be destroyed... There are still many people loyal to me, and I can borrow troops from other territories! The lords who fought on the battlefield with me are still alive, and they will help me..."

Lord Yunyang grabbed the reins tightly, turned around urgently, and shouted loudly:

"All troops, listen up and return to Lingyun City—"

Lord Yunyang didn't know how many people would be willing to follow him. Most of the soldiers started to flee with this sentence. A few people followed Lord Yunyang and fled to Lingyun City. Yunyang's army was in chaos. Lid watched this scene in the crowd, his eyes were neither sad nor happy, as if he was watching something very ordinary.

Juanbai breathed hard while holding his spear, while Mingqian put down his longbow. The soldiers of Yuxi City were still chasing the defeated troops of Yunyang. It would be a waste if they didn't take the military merits that came to their door. Fang Shisan did not stop them immediately, but issued a ceasefire order later.

"There's no need to chase after it anymore."

Fang Shisan said calmly:

"Gather the troops and don't rush to attack Lingyun City. Give priority to attacking other cities. As long as the officials in the city are willing to surrender, Yuxi City can try to exempt them from punishment. Except for the main culprit, no one else will be held accountable. The cities that have been captured will be pacified according to the previous methods. We don't need to worry about the specific matters. Let the Prime Minister do it."

The generals of Yuxi City nodded in agreement and began to carry out Fang Shisan's orders.

Lingyun City is the strongest city in Yunyang, so it is still very difficult to fight. In this situation, there is no need to take Lingyun City first, and it doesn't matter who holds the city. After the defeat of Yunyang this time, a large number of deserters will definitely return to their hometowns and exaggerate the strong fighting power of Yuxi City. In addition, the fact that Yuxi City treated the people well before was widely circulated, so it can be expected that there will be very few people willing to resist.

When Yuxi City completely took over Yunyang's territory, the remaining Lingyun City would collapse on its own.

For many territories, the main city is a symbol, just like the capital is a symbol for the Kingdom of Eternal Heaven. However, Yuxi City does not need such a symbol, because at this moment, the people's hearts are with Lide. Even if Lide decides to make Yuxi City the new main city, the people will willingly support this decision.

The battlefield was littered with broken corpses. The army rushed to a new battlefield, while Lid and Alayya stayed in this place.

Reed saw Takis, who was dying, in the sea of ​​corpses in the Dead River.

The Yunyang general's armor was tattered, and his cloak was in tatters. After seeing Lid, he stroked the stubble on his chin and made a rare joke:

"I was planning to sneak away among the corpses, but I didn't expect to be found so quickly."

Takis opened his eyes wide, looked at Lid, and said with a smile:

"You win, kid. Yunyang is yours."

Lid also smiled and replied:

"Really? I don't really feel that."

Takis opened his eyes and looked at the sky above his head, with a tone of relief:

"Is that so... It seems that you are just as lazy as the rumors say..."

Lid crossed his arms over his chest and continued:

"Is laziness bad? Human greed is infinite. It is the most precious quality of human beings, and also the most deep-rooted weakness. As for me, as you said, I will soon get all of Yunyang. But am I really much happier now than when I was a playboy in Lingyun City? I don't have a clear feeling. Unless I can go out and play whenever I want like before, and there are countless capable people behind me who are willing to stay there to cover me. I have no interest in power. It should be a stepping stone for me to do things, not a goal I pursue."

Takis laughed as if he had heard a funny joke, and tears came to his eyes.

He coughed up some blood and said intermittently:

"What a luxurious idea... If Lord Yunyang knew... Haha... But that's impossible. Whether it's a lord or a king, it's difficult for them to leave that position without permission."

Reed replied calmly:

"Yes, that's why I need someone to help me. In order to prevent myself from falling into this vicious circle, I need someone to do a lot of things for me. Takis, I think you are doing a good job as the general of the southern border army. Do you want to continue doing it in the future?"

Takis' eyes suddenly widened.

Lid nodded and said to himself:

"I guess that's your agreement. Delis, come and treat him."

The elven princess walked over slowly with graceful steps, trying not to step on the corpses on the ground, cast a healing spell indifferently, then knocked on Reed's head as a sign of her dissatisfaction with his direct orders to her, and then walked away indifferently again.

Emerald green light surged, and Takis's injuries began to slowly heal.

He looked at Reed in disbelief, but Reed just smiled and held out a hand to him.

61. For greater ambition

Peace on earth.

After the collapse of Yunyang's army, there was no more back-and-forth. The superiors often overestimate the loyalty of the people to them, thinking that they will be loyal to them from beginning to end. However, this is not the case. As long as there is a chance, the people will choose the superiors who are beneficial to them. The truth that water can carry a boat but can also overturn it has been true since ancient times.

The general of the northern border army, Asilante, committed suicide, and the general of the southern border army, Takis, defected to Yuxi City. The remaining 40,000 southern border soldiers all supported the judgment of the commander, and no one planned to continue fighting with the current Yuxi City. Since then, Yunyang no longer has any large-scale forces, and all cities have basically surrendered.

This period was also a time when Li De was deeply troubled. The high-ranking officials of Yuxi City united to play a joke on him and collectively changed their address to Lord. Every day when Li De went out to see He Yue, He Yue would bow 90 degrees and say in a serious tone:

"Greetings to the Lord."

Lid hurriedly slipped out, but when he met Felita, Yunye, Shuang and others on the way, everyone had the same reaction. Even Alayya learned bad habits, and every morning when she delivered food, she would first say "Please have dinner, lord", and then quietly stand by.

Later, He Yue made a couplet and posted it on the door of Lid's room.

The first couplet is: Work diligently and conscientiously day and night to govern the country.

The second line is: Everything goes smoothly and steadily, and the country will be unified for eternity.

The horizontal banner reads: Long live the Lord!

Every morning when Lid woke up, he saw these people standing on both sides of the yard with their hands clasped together to welcome him. It was like some kind of evil religious ritual, and the Abyss Church would call it an expert. Finally, Lid couldn't stand it anymore, so on a dark and windy night, he secretly tore down the couplet on the door and wrote another one to hang up.

The first line is: Spend your days happily, comfortably and happily.

The second line is: The nagging mother-in-law procrastinates and does nothing.

The horizontal banner reads: It’s up to you.

He Yue frowned after seeing this, and her fists stiffened unconsciously. However, when she thought about how hard Li De had worked during the battle, He Yue could only sigh and acquiesce to Li De's slacking off. Li De was not polite either, and under the pretext of going out for inspection, he took Alaiya around Yunyang, which was completely a public-funded tour.

For half a month, He Yue hadn't seen Lid.

When Li De finally came back, He Yue immediately arrested him in the name of a party. During the meal, Fang Shisan first reported to Li De about the recent situation: except for Lingyun City, all other cities have been annexed. There is no doubt that Li De has become the actual controller of Yunyang, and Yunyang is under the control of Yuxi City.

"Of course, many things still need to be resolved."

After Fang Shisan finished his report, He Yue had to do the evil. Some things can only be raised by him as the Prime Minister of Internal Affairs, after all, power always comes with responsibility. He Yue looked at Lid who was cutting steak with a knife and fork, and said slowly:

"The first is the livelihood of Yunyang. Although we have tried our best to avoid a protracted war with the Lord of Yunyang and have secured a glimmer of hope for the people of Yunyang, the situation is still not optimistic. The previous practice of the various princes exhausting all resources has destroyed a considerable amount of farmland, and this year's autumn harvest may not be optimistic. The food and grass shipped from the demon clan can solve the immediate problem, but if we want to ensure that next year's spring plowing can proceed smoothly, we must now start to restore the destroyed farmland."

He Yue raised his second finger and continued:

"The second is the identity issue. Not long ago, I wrote to Wumi and asked about the situation in the capital. Although the king did not send troops to help Lord Yunyang, he did not seem to intend to recognize our legal status and planned to treat us as thugs. His goal should be to label us the same as the rebels and make us a thorn in the eyes of other territories. This matter can be big or small, and the key lies in how it is handled. The worst result is that we openly express our support for the rebels and join forces with Huang Yan and others."

He Yue raised his third finger and said to Lid:

"Finally, let's talk about our future development direction. Lid, we have talked a lot about future ideals in the past, such as making our people live better and saving more people... Do those still count now?"

He Yue asked three questions in a row, but from the reactions of the people present, it can be seen that the importance of these three questions is undoubtedly increasing. The last one is the question that He Yue wants to ask the most. In fact, everyone present also wants to hear Lid's answer. There are people in this world who are very interested in the scenery on the top of the mountain, but most of them choose to rest after climbing to a certain height. Because continuing to climb is very tiring, but stopping is very pleasant.

The reason why everyone started calling Lid "Lord" in advance was actually to test his reaction.

Here, Lide has an absolute position. Even if he doesn't say it, everyone actually works around him. Looking back at Lide's previous life, the main family that had a grudge against him was Yunyang's family. Now that Yunyang's situation has been settled, Lide has also put his mind at ease. So whether he is willing to move forward will be a major issue that affects the future development direction of Yuxi City.

To this question, Lid’s answer is:

"I think none of you would like to stop here."

Everyone present was stunned for a moment, and then they all smiled.

Lid also smiled. He wiped the black pepper juice from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, put his hands on the table, stood up, and continued: