"A'Weng is here."
"Come quickly."
Ying Zheng chuckled.
Under his warm gaze, Zhao Qi and his sister rushed toward him.
After spending months together, the two children had completely adapted to being with Ying Zheng, feeling exceptionally close to him perhaps even more so than with Wang Jian.
In the blink of an eye, the two little ones leaped into Ying Zheng's embrace.
"You've grown heavier again."
"My two dear grandchildren are growing up so fast." Ying Zheng affectionately stroked their heads.
"A'Weng."
"We can already recognize over a hundred characters now! Why haven't you taken us horseback riding yet?" Zhao Qi asked with a displeased pout.
Beside him, Zhao Ling also puffed her cheeks, clearly expecting an explanation.
"Just a hundred characters?" Ying Zheng was momentarily surprised.
"A'Weng!"
"My brother and I know 170 characters already!" Zhao Ling declared proudly.
"Right, right, A'Weng almost forgot!" Ying Zheng quickly nodded in agreement.
Perhaps only these two little ones could make the mighty King of Qin nod along so eagerly.
"Then can A'Weng take us riding now?" Zhao Ling pressed on.
"Of course!"
"I promised, and A'Weng never breaks his word." Ying Zheng laughed.
"Then let's go now?" The two children's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I still have some matters to attend to first. Once I've finished and we've had lunch, I'll take you, alright?" Ying Zheng said with a smile.
"Alright!"
The two children nodded enthusiastically.
Just then, Zhao Gao entered the hall.
Bowing respectfully, he reported, "Your Majesty, the rewards for the Zhao family have been prepared. Should they be delivered now, or do you have other instructions?"
"Send them over immediately," Ying Zheng commanded, his demeanor shifting back to that of a ruler.
Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Prepare another generous reward and send it to Zhao Feng's estate in Shacheng. Report back once it's ready."
Zhao Gao bowed. "As you command, Your Majesty."
With that, he respectfully withdrew.
Ying Zheng turned his gaze upward.
"Ah'Fang..."
"Our son is truly exceptional."
"With such talent, even if you didn't want him to return to Xianyang or reclaim his identity, I wouldn't allow it."
"Only he can be my successor."
"Only he can safeguard the unified Qin Empire in the future."
His heart was firm.
No one could change this decision.
Yanggao City, Wei State
After burning for two full days and nights, the fire had finally died out.
The city walls were blackened with soot, and the interior had become nothing more than charred ruins. Everywhere, there was ash and scorched remains, the bodies of those who had perished in the flames.
Looking around, one could still see the twisted postures of those who had struggled in their final moments.
This was the terrifying reality of war.
One blaze had reduced all of Yanggao City to ashes.
Buildings of this era were mostly wooden structures, lacking the steel and concrete of future generations. Now, only a few blackened stone bricks remained.
"Fire and water are merciless."
"If China does not unite, scenes like this will continue to occur."
Standing amidst the scorched remains of Yanggao City, Zhao Feng couldn't help but sigh.
"Master."
"Preliminary estimates indicate that nearly no Wei soldiers escaped."
"The Wei military had sealed the city gates in advance, ensuring that none could flee. Besides the soldiers, tens of thousands of civilians also perished in the flames." Zhang Ming reported solemnly.
"Wei Wuji wouldn't have risked evacuating civilians on a large scale it would have alerted Qin and exposed his plan." Zhao Feng remained calm.
He understood the Wei military's strategy perfectly.
A large evacuation would have raised suspicion, making Qin cautious and rendering their scheme ineffective.
Of course, standing amid such devastation stirred some emotion within him.
But retreating was never an option.
The war was cruel.
If Yan Ting hadn't discovered their plan in time, tens of thousands of Qin troops in Wu'an would have perished alongside this city.
War was about strategy whatever it took to win.
"Has the logistics unit arrived?" Zhao Feng asked.
"Yes, my lord," Zhang Ming replied.
"Ten thousand logistical troops have begun clearing the bodies outside the city and will soon enter to clean up inside as well."
Zhao Feng glanced around at the scorched ruins.
"Order them to bury the remains within the city itself. Once the burial is complete, seal the city. Let time erase it."
Yanggao was beyond restoration.
A mere border city it was not worth the effort to rebuild.
Let it and its fallen inhabitants be buried together, fading into history.
"As you command." Zhang Ming bowed.
At that moment, a physician hurried toward them.
"Chief Military Physician Lin Yi greets the Supreme General."
He bowed deeply.
"What is it?" Zhao Feng turned to him.
"My lord, the chief physician has requested more medicinal supplies. Given the severity of the war, our current stockpile is far from sufficient."
"Additionally, we require a larger supply of strong alcohol."
Zhao Feng nodded. "Zhang Ming, report to the Ministry of Revenue. Have them prepare and send more medical supplies."
"As you command," Zhang Ming responded.
"Good timing."
"I should check on Ying'er as well."
Zhao Feng smiled as he turned and walked toward the field hospital.
This was Zhao Ying's first battle as the chief military physician of the Wu'an army.
He wanted to see how she was faring.
The Field Hospital
Hundreds of military doctors were tending to the wounded.
The cries of the injured echoed through the camp.
After this battle, no Wei soldiers had been taken prisoner.
The great fire had left them with no chance to surrender their side had burned them alive.
Despite the anguished cries, the medical personnel worked in an orderly fashion.
Some were cauterizing blades, others were sterilizing wounds with strong liquor.
Some were amputating and suturing, while others focused on dressing wounds.
Each had their assigned task.
This was a far cry from the chaotic, primitive hospitals Zhao Feng had seen before.
Now, the medical unit was well-structured and efficient, far ahead of its time.
Zhao Ying was among them, meticulously extracting an arrow from an unconscious soldier.
As chief physician, she was responsible for handling the most critical cases.
Her focus was unwavering.
As Zhao Feng stepped into the camp, some of the medical staff and soldiers started to salute him, but he waved them off.
His gaze fell upon his sister.
At this moment, Zhao Ying was not the playful, doting sister he knew.
She was a healer, bringing soldiers back from the brink of death like a goddess of mercy.
"It seems..."
"Ying'er made the right choice saving lives, practicing the way of medicine."
A small smile appeared on Zhao Feng's face.
Without disturbing her, he quietly turned and left.
Why hadn't he joined in treating the wounded?
For two reasons.
First, his duty as Supreme General was to lead the army to victory. The fewer casualties he inflicted on his troops, the fewer would need treatment.
Second...
Now, Zhao Feng had accumulated nearly a thousand merit points, yet he had never used them. These merit points were enough to perfect his mastery of all his martial techniques or directly exchange for thousands of attribute points. However, Zhao Feng had always kept them stored without using them.
"Settle the kill count and collect attribute points."
After leaving the field hospital, Zhao Feng returned to his tent and immediately issued an order.
"The battle is over."
"Settling the attribute points collected from the enemy kills by the host's troops."
"Total enemy kills under the host's command: 42,039. Total attribute points collected: 10,509."
"True Qi collected: 1,349 points."
"Strength collected: 1,421 points."
"Speed collected: 1,123 points."
"Constitution collected: 1,374 points."
"Mental Power collected: 1,345 points."
"Lifespan collected: 3,897 days."
"Congratulations to the host for breaking through 9,000 points in all attributes. Reward: One Tier-1 treasure chest."
"Congratulations to the host for breaking through 10,000 points in all attributes. Reward: One Tier-2 treasure chest."
A notification popped up on the interface.
With all attributes significantly enhanced, Zhao Feng once again experienced the exhilarating sensation of a complete bodily transformation and a tremendous increase in power.
At this moment, just by thinking about it, he could feel an immense, terrifying power coursing through his body.
A single punch, without even using True Qi, would be enough to shatter a city gate into pieces instantly.
With just his physical strength, he could crush a peak-level Grandmaster martial artist.
Of course, that was if such a martial artist even existed.
If he were to unleash his True Qi, he could even contend with the peak of the Great Grandmaster realm.
However, based on what Zhao Feng had seen so far, there seemed to be no martial artists in this world or at least, none that he could perceive.
To truly uncover the existence of such warriors, he would need to reach an even higher level of strength.
"Open the attribute panel."
After his complete breakthrough, Zhao Feng immediately opened his status panel.
Before he appeared:
Host: Zhao Feng
Age: 21
True Qi: 10,272 points (The stronger the True Qi, the more Qi stored in the dantian, and the more powerful the Qi explosions. This level of True Qi is comparable to the peak of the Grandmaster realm.)
Strength: 15,141 (The higher the number, the greater the explosive force.)
Speed: 14,132 (The higher the number, the faster the movement speed.)
Constitution: 12,823 (The stronger the constitution, the faster the recovery from injuries, the greater the stamina, and the quicker the True Qi replenishment.)
Mental Power: 11,834 (Mental power can now extend outward for a hundred feet, absorbing the energy of heaven and earth within that range.)
Lifespan: 197 years + 3,872 days
Merit Points: 989 (Can be converted into free attribute points or skill points.)
Portable Space: 199 cubic meters
Cultivation Technique: Dragon Elephant Technique
"Looking at these stats, if my True Qi increases by one more threshold, I might reach the level of a Great Grandmaster."
"At the same time, that would also mark the limit of my current cultivation technique. Beyond this, I have no further techniques to practice."
Examining his stats, Zhao Feng couldn't help but reflect.
The Dragon Elephant Technique had indeed been a powerful cultivation method when he first acquired it. However, as his overall attributes grew, its benefits became less significant, and he was now on the verge of mastering it completely.
"The impact of cultivation techniques on my strength is limited. My true power comes from collecting attributes."
"As long as I continue fighting, I can keep gathering attribute points endlessly."
"The cultivation technique is just an additional boost. If I'm lucky in the future, I might obtain another one."
With that thought, Zhao Feng quickly moved on, not dwelling too much on it.
"Such a pity."
"Most of the spoils of this battle were destroyed by the fire set by the Wei army."
"Otherwise, the number of attributes I could have collected would be far greater."
"But this isn't bad either I gained an extra ten years of lifespan in one go."
A satisfied smile appeared on Zhao Feng's face.
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the tent.
"Master."
"General Li You has sent a battle report." Zhang Ming entered, holding a report in his hands.
"Read it aloud." Zhao Feng gestured.
Without hesitation, Zhang Ming unfolded the report and read:
"Subordinate Li You respectfully reports: After two days of raids, dividing forces into two units for assault, we have successfully captured five cities of Wei in just two days. Enemy casualties: nearly 3,000 killed, approximately 5,000 captured."
"Currently, I am leading the troops forward in pursuit of further victories. I will not let you down, my lord."
After listening, Zhao Feng nodded calmly. He picked up a piece of cloth scroll from the table, wrote a single line on it, and handed it to Zhang Ming.
"Send this to Li You. Also, tell him not to be reckless in pursuit of merit. This is his first campaign as a commanding officer. If he fails to secure a decisive victory, it will affect his future leadership and authority over troops. Let him make his own strategic decisions, but remind him to proceed with caution."
Zhang Ming bowed immediately. "Understood."
Then, he withdrew from the tent.
Zhao Feng remained expressionless but murmured to himself,
"Li You... transitioning from civil administration to military command... Whether he can remain in the Wu'an Army long-term will depend on his abilities."
"However..."
"I'm more interested in what Wei Wuji will do next."
"With the Sunfire City Plan failing and ten thousand of his troops lost to their fire trap, how will he respond?"
Wei Capital, Daliang
Bang!
A porcelain bowl crashed onto the ground, shattering into countless fragments.
Wei Wuji's hand trembled as he let go of the bowl. His old face was completely contorted, his skin twitching from shock and rage.
"Fifteen thousand troops... completely wiped out?"
"Ten thousand burned to death in Sunfire City?"
"Five thousand encircled and slaughtered by Qin forces?"
"This... This is impossible!"
"I planned everything so meticulously! How could this happen? How could this happen?!"
Wei Wuji's voice was hoarse, his eyes bloodshot with disbelief.
For him, this was the most devastating blow of his life.
He had spent two full years devising this plan to save his nation only to have it completely ruined in an instant.
The fifteen thousand troops stationed at the Sunfire Fortress were supposed to be the backbone of his strategy, yet they had all perished.
"Your Excellency..."
"Of the fifteen thousand troops, only a few hundred managed to escape by sheer luck. The rest are dead."
"And most of them perished within Sunfire Fortress, engulfed by the flames."
"The remainder were annihilated by the Qin cavalry."
"General Long Zhang... has fallen in battle, giving his life for the nation."
The Wei general who came to report had a downcast expression, his tone filled with sorrow.
"How many casualties did the Qin army suffer?"
"Did they manage to enter the city and set it on fire?" Wei Wuji gripped the Wei general's shoulders tightly and asked loudly.
This was his last hope if he could extinguish the Qin army's life force and cut off the Wu'an army, then perhaps the damage wouldn't be so great, and Wei would still have a chance.
But the Wei general lowered his head and hesitated before replying, "After General Long Zhang gave the order to set the city on fire, Qin General Zhao Feng saw through the plan to burn the city. Before the fire could spread, he had already led his troops out of Yanggao City. The fire consumed only our Great Wei soldiers and civilians."
"Yanggao City has been reduced to a wasteland, with over one hundred thousand white bones scattered."
Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji's old eyes narrowed. He stared deeply at the Wei general, his breathing becoming rapid, and then, feeling utterly powerless, he collapsed onto the ground.
In that instant, his spirit seemed to shatter, aging him by several years, and his body became even more frail.
"Your Majesty,"
The surrounding Wei generals rushed forward, noticing the sudden collapse of Wei Wuji. They all gathered around with concerned expressions.
Wei Wuji lifted his head, gazing at the sky outside the hall, his voice hoarse and filled with a sense of hatred, "Heaven, you truly want to destroy my Great Wei, don't you?"
Wei Country Border
Heluo City
The attack on the Hangu Camp continued.
After nearly ten days of relentless assault, both the defending Wei army and the attacking Qin forces had sustained casualties. However, under the suppression of superior weapons, although the Wei army held the advantage of defending their city, their losses were far greater than those of the Qin forces.
Yet, under Pang Wu's strict defense, the Hangu Camp had not been able to breach the city.
The battle was still ongoing.
"General,"
"From the looks of the Wei army's defense, they are already struggling to keep up with the defense."
"Within three days, Heluo City will fall."
Li Xin, the vanguard of the Hangu forces, said with excitement.
He was very confident about breaching the city.
On the war chariot, Huan Yi nodded in agreement. "Wei has no capable generals left. The reason Wei is still holding on is entirely because of Wei Wuji. If it weren't for him, Wei would have already fallen."
"Indeed, Wei Wuji is a capable general."
"He has made many plans to counter my Great Qin."
"I originally thought this city would hold us up for no more than five days, but now it has already lasted for ten."
"The combat strength of the Wei army should not be underestimated," Li Xin agreed.
"Do you know how the situation is in Yunzhong?"
Huan Yi raised his head, looking toward the northern sky, her mind already thinking of something else.
Upon hearing this, Li Xin's face broke into a confident smile. "Don't worry, General. I'm sure the Wu'an Camp is still attacking, just like our army."
"The Hangu Camp's fighting strength is not weaker than that of the Lantian forces; it might even surpass them."
"And the Wu'an Camp is newly formed. In terms of combat strength, they are no match for us at the Hangu Camp. As for their elite troops, the Wu'an Camp is mostly made up of defected Zhao soldiers. Even though there was an example of reorganizing convict troops earlier, with such a large number of defectors, I'm genuinely worried about the possibility of a mutiny within the Wu'an Camp."
"So, I believe the Wu'an Camp will be inferior to our forces."
"This time, the credit for annihilating Wei should belong to the Hangu Camp."
Li Xin spoke with firm confidence, a sense of competition in his tone.
Huan Yi glanced at Li Xin, then said, "Li Xin, you're underestimating Zhao Feng."
"I'm not underestimating Zhao Feng, it's just that the Wu'an Camp's situation is as I said," Li Xin replied with a smile.
Although he harbored some resentment toward Zhao Feng in his heart, he of course couldn't say so openly.
At that moment, a bodyguard hurriedly approached: "General, there is a decree from Xianyang!"
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