Firefly Journey

Chapter 297 The World's Attack on Chu (7)

The western border territory of the State of Chu has always been disputed.

The reason is that the western side borders the Kolumbutz Mountains, a region with varied terrain and many orc tribes. Some of them are on friendly terms with the Chu Kingdom, depend on the Chu Kingdom for survival, and are extremely assimilated.

Some were unruly, possessing the most primal indomitable spirit of their orcish bloodline, refusing to submit. These troublemakers were active on the borders of Chu, causing Chu a lot of trouble.

Now, the Seven Gods' allied forces are marching in a grand procession to the western front of Chu. The orc tribes, whether they had submitted or resisted in the past, have all ceased their fighting and are not participating in the war between the two sides.

Many nearby tribes even began a mass migration, fearing they would be caught up in the chaos. It was no joke; one wrong move could lead to the annihilation of the entire tribe. They went as far away as possible.

Before the Kolumbutz Mountains, in front of a gentle peak called Vokal, lies an endless expanse of open plain.

Such terrain is very suitable for large-scale military operations.

The allied forces' encampment at the foot of the mountain was clearly a deliberate design.

The first battle between the State of Chu and the allied forces is about to begin here.

Emperor Zhuang personally led the expedition, and as if in sync with Henry I, he stationed the vanguard of the Chu Kingdom on the other side of the plain, cooperating perfectly.

Both of them knew that the first battle would be extremely fierce, and it would be inappropriate to place it anywhere, as it might harm innocent people.

The State of Chu did not want its cities and people to be harmed, and the Empire did not want to go to great lengths only to end up with ruins and corpses scattered everywhere.

So both sides tacitly chose this plain, so that only the battles between armies would take place, and nothing else would be involved.

The west wind is strong.

The setting sun is like blood.

A breeze blew from the top of Kolembutz Mountain, causing the wild grasses on the plain to bow their heads.

The vanguard of the Chu army was full of vigor, standing tall and proud, a stark contrast to the wild grass covering the plains.

Before a storm is brewing, a fierce wind will surely follow.

Even though no formal conflict has broken out between the two sides yet, everyone on both sides knows that a major battle is imminent, possibly tomorrow or the next second.

Therefore, both sides' camps were on high alert, neither daring to relax for a moment.

On a wild peak far from the nameless plain, Lin Yuanran stood before the cliff, hands behind his back, looking at the military camps on both sides, which were as small as ants.

Behind him, in the dense forest, were dozens of members of the "Night Gunpowder" unit.

Ye Xiao was originally arranged by Emperor Zhuang to be the guard force protecting Lü Jianming in the duchy, and was previously commanded by "Sick General" Li Qiji.

Li Qiji rejoined the army, and Lü Jianming asked Lin Yuanran to take command in his place.

Lin Yuanran knew that this unit was a surprise force, similar to the special forces in the original world, specializing in carrying out special missions and not needing to appear on the battlefield.

As for what kind of special mission, that depends on individual interpretation.

Lin Yuanran believed that no matter how many ordinary soldiers the enemy had, they couldn't change the course of the battle. The key was still the battle between the superhumans.

Most of the Imperial Army's high command are superhumans.

Therefore, Lin Yuanran's initial plan was to find out the intelligence on the enemy officer, then formulate an assassination plan to eliminate him.

He appeared here with "Night Gunpowder" to observe the enemy camp. Unfortunately, they were too far apart, and no large-scale battle had broken out between them, so Lin Yuanran couldn't observe anything.

He was waiting for the moment when the two sides clashed completely. At that time, he would record the outstanding superhumans of the Debasa Empire and then assassinate them when the opportunity arose.

Anyway, he's a "space mage," appearing and disappearing without a trace, making him perfect for assassinations.

……

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The invasion of the Seven Gods' allied forces was common knowledge in the Chu state. Logically speaking, facing an enemy several times one's own size, anyone should worry about whether their country would perish and what their next move would be.

Strangely enough, no one in the State of Chu thought this way.

The young and middle-aged men were even eager to try their luck. The State of Chu enjoyed more than ten years of peace, but no one from Chu had ever forgotten that this peace was built on humiliating compromises.

The defeat at the Battle of Kolumbutz was regarded as a national humiliation by the Chu people. Now, the Debasa Empire has invaded again, and has even joined forces with the Ancestral God Church. Its strength is more than several times that of ten years ago.

But so what?

The people of Chu did not believe in gods at all; they only believed in their emperor, the spear in their hands, and their fellow countrymen.

Yunzhou.

With the entire country on high alert, the laws of Chu relaxed the requirements for military service, and Emperor Zhuang ordered the formation of a new army.

It should be understood that the current Chu army is absolutely incapable of stopping the allied forces' advance, and reinforcements are urgently needed.

Duan Feibai had volunteered to go to the front lines, but Emperor Zhuang refused.

Many years ago, the man named Duan Tiexiong, covered in blood, carried the banner of the Chu Kingdom without falling, until he died and the banner was destroyed. His appearance was truly moving.

As a witness, Emperor Zhuang could not change the past, but he knew that such a person had to leave something behind in this world, otherwise what would be the purpose of his fighting for him?

Just then, Duan Feibai was assigned to return to Yunzhou to recruit new soldiers.

Wealth that does not return home is like walking in brocade at night.

In the past, although everyone knew that a high-ranking official with the talent of a prime minister had emerged from Qingzhu Town, the Duan family had always kept a low profile and never made a fuss about it.

Now that Duan Feibai has returned, at this critical juncture, the people are signing up for the army like crazy, with extremely high enthusiasm.

This high level of enthusiasm was perfectly normal in the eyes of the Chu people. But it seemed rather strange to foreigners.

Orlando is a foreigner, so he doesn't understand the enthusiasm of the Chu people.

So he asked, "During the time I stayed at the Fighting Arena, I also heard some strange tales about the Empire. Among them, the people of the Empire are most afraid of joining the army, believing that it will lead to bloodshed and sacrifice."

To avoid military service, the people of the empire resorted to all sorts of tricks: feigning illness, taking drugs, and even self-harm. I am very curious about the reasons behind this phenomenon in the Chu Kingdom.

As a former citizen of the Empire, I'm curious to know.

Duan Feibai stretched, put down the pen he was using to record names, thought for a moment, and then answered:

"Living is about enjoying life, not being treated like a beast of burden. The empire is wealthy, and those nobles and princes would rather not join the army than live a life of luxury."

Our Chu Kingdom is different; since ancient times, it has been bullied by demons and monsters in turn.

We can't just sit idly by after being beaten, so we'll fight back fiercely. That crushing defeat ten years ago was a humiliating disgrace to our Chu state. Now that we have the chance for revenge, how can we possibly back down?

Orlando never expected the truth to be like this.

Facing the combined forces of the seven gods, the people of Chu still believed they could win and that the state of Chu would prevail. Little did they know that such an action was tantamount to a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"Then why did you come back?"

Mother Duan appeared at the door, holding a food box woven from green bamboo in one hand and leaning against the door with the other.

Duan Feibai said, "This is His Majesty's will."

"And what do you mean?"

"Of course I want to go to the front lines and serve my country," Duan Feibai replied resolutely.

"As the ancient saying goes, Heaven and Earth are the most important, as are the ruler and the teacher. Since Heaven and Earth cannot speak, filial piety is the greatest virtue, and the ruler's orders are secondary."

My son should not be content with mere survival during a time of national crisis, but should follow in his father's footsteps, dedicating his life to the battlefield and dying on the battlefield.

Duan Feibai lowered his head, as if listening attentively to the reprimand.

"I understand."

The woman in plain clothes leaning against the door smiled as she arranged the food she had brought, then sat down to one side, resting her chin on her hand, her smile lingering for a long time.

Orlando looked at the mother and son and suddenly understood something. He then picked up Duan Feibai's pen and crookedly added his own name to the recruit roster.

"What are you..."

"Humans are not plants or trees; how can they be without feelings? After all, I've lived here for several years, and I don't want the State of Chu to become the empire it is now; that would be terrible."

Duan's mother clicked her tongue and said, "At least you still have some backbone."

……

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P.S.: I haven't disappeared; I'm just going through a battle with life. So far, it seems we're evenly matched, so I'll continue to update slowly.