Moments later, Song Zining arrived near the wars.h.i.+p and sized up this duke-grade vessel with due seriousness. For now at the very least, he had no choice but to look up to the expert who had sunk such a flags.h.i.+p, either killing or subduing its crew. Song Zining said with a solemn expression, “Your Excellency Nighteye, Song Zining seeks an audience.”
“Did Qianye tell you my location?”
Song Zining admitted honestly, “Qianye hides nothing from me because he knows I will only help him and not harm him. For the same reason, I never hold anything back from him.”
“You never hold back anything?”
Song Zining’s expression remained the same. “This… he’s better off not knowing certain things. Qianye is too good of a person. He’s so focused on loyalty and camaraderie that he sometimes forgets what’s good for him. He treats me as his best friend, and I naturally view him as my brother. Some things that are good for him, it’s better that I do it in his stead. There’s really no need to let him know.”
Nighteye said indifferently, “You’re saying this because you’re afraid I’ll take your life one day if I find out certain things.”
Song Zining said righteously, “I have a clear conscience, so there’s nothing to be afraid of. If one day, you wish to kill me because you think I did Qianye wrong, I will not resist.”
“Things that are beneficial for Qianye might not necessarily be beneficial to me. Do you think such tricks can fool me?”
A flash of nervousness emerged on Song Zining’s countenance, but he arched his chest and said resolutely, “The world is chaotic, no one knows everything. I can only guarantee that I have a clear conscience regarding Qianye. I can’t ensure everything else. I have come now, so just attack if you think I have done something to wrong you. I won’t resist.”
Nighteye said calmly, “You can resist all you want. I will never attack you again if you can survive one blow.”
Song Zining laughed wryly, “It’s no use even if I do. Why would I invite humiliation? It’s better if I face death head-on and die with some dignity.”
Nighteye paused momentarily. “You must have done something to be saying these things. You rushed over here to seek a pardon token because you fear my wrath.”
Song Zining shook his head. “Of course not, I have long since transcended the worries of life and death. I came to deliver two pieces of information, one is about Qianye and the other is about you.”
“Speak.”
“Qianye has already gone through the spatial pa.s.sage into the Great Maelstrom.”
The temperature outside of the wars.h.i.+p fell sharply, so much so that Jared couldn’t help but s.h.i.+ver. Song Zining was prepared—a puddle of spring water spread out from beneath his feet, exuding warmth and repelling the chill.
“He went through the neutral lands entrance? Whose idea was that?” Nighteye’s voice seemed calm, but the abrupt coldness proved that she wasn’t as indifferent as she seemed to be.
“It was mine,” Song Zining admitted. An icy blade condensed before him, making for his forehead at lightning speed!
Song Zining cried out, “That place is dangerous, but a great fortune awaits him there!”
The blade stopped just short of Song Zining’s forehead, and a bright drop of blood seeped out from his skin.
Nighteye said in an icy voice, “He’s destined to become a prince even if he does nothing but absorb essence blood all day. What is your intention? Don’t blame me if you don’t have a good explanation for this.”
Song Zining wasn’t afraid. “What can you do? At most, my head will fall to the ground.”
“Is that so? I can also head over to spar with d.u.c.h.ess An. I can a.s.sure you that she won’t live more than three months whoever the victor is.”
Song Zining was shocked. “You dare?!”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Nighteye sneered.
Song Zining glared furiously, but all he could see was the wars.h.i.+p’s exterior as no perceptive technique could penetrate the sh.e.l.l. He actually knew Nighteye was capable of what she claimed. The Song clan’s heavy security was nothing in her eyes. With her Bloodline Concealment, Nighteye could walk the entire empire with relative ease. Even the Song clan ancestor wouldn’t be able to avoid a fight.
At this point, the Song clan was tottering on the verge of collapse and largely reliant on d.u.c.h.ess An for support. Countless people would pounce on the Song clan if she were to suffer intractable injuries.
Song Zining was gradually gaining achievements and recognition, but without enough strength, he still didn’t have the power to subdue people without a fight.
Moments later, Song Zining’s aura dispersed, and he said with a bitter smile, “Fine, I admit defeat.”
Nighteye remained silent.
Song Zining took some time to rearrange his thoughts. “Nighteye, I don’t know what your ident.i.ty was before the awakening. Perhaps you think there are no secrets in this world for you, and that the entire world is under your control, but do you know what Qianye was thinking?”
Nighteye said calmly, “I have no more ties with him since my awakening. His thoughts have nothing to do with me.”
Song Zining paid her no attention and kept on talking, “Back then, he threw away family, brothers, and everything in the Empire just to go and save you. To prevent us from stopping him, he even revealed his vampire ident.i.ty, cutting off all paths of retreat. That night, he charged into the military stronghold and killed Li Fengshui in order to rescue you. The latter was much stronger back then but he died to Qianye in the end. Do you know why?”
Without waiting for Nighteye to reply, Song Zining added, “It was the determination to fight to the death! That night, Qianye went in without the intention of ever coming back out.”
Nighteye fell silent.
"You know more about what happened afterward. He wasn’t joking when he said he’d help you onto the Sacred Mountain. In fact, he’d go into the Great Maelstrom all the same even without my help. I wouldn’t even be able to stop him if he heard about the fortune inside. So, why not just send him in early and help him gain the initiative?”
Nighteye said, “He’s crazy, but must you do the same as well?”
Song Zining laughed out loud. “Us brothers only have a few decades to strive for the best. What if we do crazy things for once?”
Nighteye sighed lightly, and then her tone returned to normal. “What is the second piece of information?”
"Lightless Monarch Medanzo is in the neutral lands, parked in the void just outside the borders. His trip here is for the Great Maelstrom pa.s.sage on paper, but I suspect he came for you. He had planned to buy you from the military after you were captured back then.”
Nighteye said, “That old b.a.s.t.a.r.d has neither the determination to improve nor does he dare to take risks. All he does is discriminate against others in his jealousy. Not only has this embarra.s.sment of the vampire race not improved in a thousand years, but his power has even diminished. It’s not that easy to obtain my bloodline.”
Song Zining replied, “Him waiting in the void outside is a potential danger. If he charges in without consideration for the consequences, even you are not his match. I found a way to buy a shot from the Shattered Moment, and it can be called upon once the Eternal Flame leaves. We must plan this well before I enter the Great Maelstrom because a well-timed shot will teach him a good lesson. I’ll need you to cooperate when the time comes, what say you?”
Nighteye was somewhat surprised. “A shot from the Shattered Moment won’t come cheap. Why would you give me this opportunity?”
Song Zining smiled wryly. “How can I stand by when you’re in danger? Qianye will hate me if something happens to you and I didn’t do my utmost.”
Nighteye replied, “Very well, I’ll remember this favor. Come and find me after the Eternal Flame leaves. I’ll lure Medanzo into firing range.”
Song Zining nodded and, thereafter, the wars.h.i.+p became silent. Jared said, “My lord is tired, please leave.”
After returning to the flags.h.i.+p, Song Zining ordered the vessel to return. He then retired to his chambers without saying anything. A short period in Nighteye’s presence was as tiring as a great battle.
…
At the central frontlines of the void continent stood a st.u.r.dy fortress of steel. Zhao Jundu had built his command center here as it was facing the main forces of the Evernight army. The forward outpost of the fortress was only a couple hundred meters away, a distance Zhao Jundu could easily shoot beyond. This short distance was negligible to a true expert. They could just as easily charge in and a.s.sault the headquarters.
Building the command center here was proof of Zhao Jundu’s att.i.tude. He was welcoming the Evernight experts to challenge him anytime.
The frontlines of the two factions had been in a tug-of-war since the war turned into a deadlock. The empire had been switching out numerous squads under Zhao Jundu’s command, pulling them back as soon as they had suffered one third in casualties and replacing them with a new squad. During this time, at least dozens of armies had been crippled and forced to recuperate in the rear.
The Evernight side had suffered even more damage, basically at two times the empire’s rate. Many powerful tribes had lost all of their young warriors and no longer possessed the power to retaliate.
This casualty ratio caused a fair bit of conflict. Although the Evernight army held the advantage in numbers, they were full of internal strife, and they could no longer ignore the painful losses. The Summit of Peaks was already threatening to withdraw from the alliance due to the disproportionate death of werewolves. Any race would feel pained from losing elite soldiers by the tens of thousands.
The empire’s side wasn’t so calm, either. Many aristocratic families started to cast doubt on Zhao Jundu’s bloodletting strategies. It was indeed a fact that the casualty rate was somewhat higher than average under Zhao Jundu’s command. Hence, many people started to question his commanding skills.
Zhao Xuanji duly suppressed all blame and doubt. At the same time, he continued to enforce the squad rotation plan. Things were kept fair, with the bigger families shouldering greater burdens. So, it was difficult for the families to say anything. The other clans had no reason to speak out since even the Zhang clan was following the plan.
The reason Zhao Xuanji could satisfy the ma.s.ses was the difference in expert casualty rate.