Chapter 1775: You’ve Already Lost!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Thousands of Imperial Army soldiers screamed as they were blasted away and obliterated by the explosion. As the wave of Sword Qi swept through, it scattered blood and severed limbs through the area.
“Careful!”
“Defend!”
Piercing and frightened screams resounded through the sky.
In the end, those statue-like Dragon Guards had still not moved.
But no one had expected those Dragon Guards to be so frightening.
Yet this was far from the most frightening thing, because when that Dragon Guard moved, all the Dragon Guards in front of Taiji Palace slowly turned around, their hands gripping their weapons as they glared with cold eyes.
Boomboomboom!
In the blink of an eye, one wave of Sword Qi after another exploded into the dense ranks of the Imperial Army, raw power erupting into the heavens.
“Aaaaah!”
Howling gales swept out, the area around Taiji Palace began to fiercely quake, and one could hear the plaintive screams of the dead and dying.
These sounds traveled far into the night, and even though no one could see what was happening there, the screams alone communicated the fear and helplessness those soldiers felt before their imminent deaths.
“What, what… what in the world happened? Wasn’t the Saint Martial Barracks broken? What’s going on?”
The Imperial Army soldiers broke out in a cold sweat, their expressions turning panicked.
Death was common on the battlefield, but the sounds of the dying they had heard before were nothing like this, with the fear far surpa.s.sing the pain.
What had these soldiers encountered that would make them scream like this?
Everyone felt unsettled by those screams. Miyasame Ayaka and the others looked in the direction of Taiji Palace in alarm and unease. All they could see from their perspective was dazzling waves of Sword Qi piercing through the darkness.
Even though they didn’t know the exact situation, they had no doubt that w.a.n.g Chong’s judgment was correct. While the Saint Martial Barracks had been broken, the First Prince had not yet managed to get into Taiji Palace. He still had one unimaginably powerful barrier in front of him.
Next to Miyasame Ayaka, Li Heng’s eyes flashed in realization.
“It’s the Dragon Guards!”
Hou Junji stared at w.a.n.g Chong and suddenly broke the silence.
“So, your last resort is the Dragon Guards?”
“Although the Saint Martial Barracks has fallen, Senior has still not won, yes?” w.a.n.g Chong indifferently said.
As he spoke, he took out a piece and slowly placed it behind Hou Junji’s black dragon. The white pieces there were spa.r.s.e, forming a vague p.r.o.nged formation that served as one final and fragile barrier.
Unlike before, this piece landed without a sound, but despite this, one could feel an surging undercurrent that made this piece more dangerous than the others.
At this stage in the game, only the last step was missing.
The board was apparently calm, but the actual situation was fraught with danger. A single piece played incorrectly would result in a complete loss. A complete reversal could happen at any moment.
“Heh, at this stage, you still think you can win?”
Hou Junji shook his head. The explosions and screams in the distance were only getting louder and louder, but Hou Junji was unperturbed. He apparently did not care how many soldiers of the Imperial Army died.
“The Dragon Guards are Taiji Palace’s last defense, and there are only several dozen of them. No matter how strong they are, how many people can they kill? Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand, one hundred thousand?
“No matter how strong they are, a point will come where their strength runs out!
“You want to use the Dragon Guards to buy time so that you can gather more energy from the mountains and rivers to resist my Hundred Thousand G.o.d-Devil Execution Formation? But you only put off the inevitable. You cannot alter the difference in strength, much less your eventual defeat!” Hou Junji nonchalantly said.
His sharp and perceptive eyes had seemingly seen through all of w.a.n.g Chong’s plans.
w.a.n.g Chong looked up and calmly said, “Until the last moment has come, how can Senior know who has won?”
“How truly disappointing. It seems this old man regarded you too highly. The Dragon Guards surround Taiji Palace, so how could this old man not take into account such an obvious factor?”
Hou Junji could only shake his head in disappointment.
“Dragons and serpents dance, signifying a changing of owners.h.i.+p in the realm! Did you think that the Eastern Palace decided to take such significant action without even preparing for something like this?”
As Hou Junji spoke, everyone paled.
The power of the Dragon Guards was unquestionable, and given what was going on in the depths of the palace, their strength had reached an unbelievable level. But if Hou Junji had already accounted for this, then their defeat was imminent.
Creee!
At this moment, a sharp whistle came from the depths of the Imperial Palace, cutting through the darkness.
“Milord, everyone has arrived as you ordered!” an Imperial Army soldier standing next to Fei Yuhan announced with an abrupt step forward, causing Fei Yuhan to s.h.i.+ver in alarm.
This man had been standing next to him for so long, but he had not once noticed his presence. This man was undoubtedly one of Hou Junji’s subordinates.
“I suppose it’s about time!”
Hou Junji smiled as he took a piece from his jar. Miyasame Ayaka, Li Jingzhong, and Li Heng felt their hearts tighten and their breathing freeze. That tiny piece seemed to weigh more than ten thousand jun and catch the eye more than the sun or moon.
Everything fell silent, and time slowed to a crawl.
Bang!
Everyone watched as that piece no bigger than a thumb slowly descended onto the board.
It was clearly an ordinary black piece, no world-destroying artifact, but when it hit the board, everyone felt like they could feel the world quake beneath them.
Creee!
A shrill whistle penetrated through the darkness, and other whistles came in response.
A few moments later, powerful and brutal auras began to emerge from various parts of the Imperial Palace and converge on a single location.
“Look over there!” a soldier from Jinyang Palace called out in alarm, and everyone turned to see what he was looking at.
In the light of the torches, one could see black silhouettes flying toward the depths of the Imperial Palace, but this was not what was so shocking.
A man in black flying through the air suddenly paused atop a wall. His body began to twist, and he raised his head up and howled like a monster. His body began to swell like a balloon, cracking and groaning as it grew to several times its original size.
That terrifying form was not that of a human, and there wasn’t only one…
More and more of those men in black began to transform, fierce flames erupting from their bodies as they howled. Jumping from the wall, they continued toward the depths of the palace.
“What is that?!”
Everyone s.h.i.+vered. Not even the soldiers of the Imperial Army had ever seen such frightening things. Stellar Energy could not modify the body, but the transformations of those men in black had gone beyond the human domain and entered the realm of the bizarre.
“Plans made in the tent decide victory from one thousand li away! You’ve already lost!”
Hou Junji finally stood up from the table, unleas.h.i.+ng a vast sea of energy from his body.
As his energy raged and seethed, his eyes turned into those of a supreme hegemon.
“In addition, I know that you sent men to Taihe Palace, but alas, I’ve already made plans and moved those people away. All your people will find is some soldiers I placed there.
“In addition, while we were playing chess, the Eastern Palace’s men should have already set off for the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy, King Song Residence, and your w.a.n.g Clan Residence. Soldiers have also been dispatched to the First Prince’s opponents in court. If you go back now, you might still be in time.
“Besides that, Zhang Zheng’s army should have arrived at the capital by now and should enter soon. Taiji Palace, the Qian Gate, the Center Gate, the Kun Gate, the capital… You don’t have even the slightest hope.”
Hou Junji looked down on w.a.n.g Chong in contempt. All of w.a.n.g Chong’s reactions in this ‘chess game’ had been within his expectations. Like a moth falling into a spider web, despite his endless struggles, he could never escape.
w.a.n.g Chong was simply too lacking compared to him.
“Your ability in contrast to your age is truly astonis.h.i.+ng, but unfortunately, on the battlefield, there is only victory and defeat. Age is irrelevant!”
Upon saying this, Hou Junji turned around and began to walk away, exuding an enormous pressure that swept over everyone in the area.
Miyasame Ayaka and the others felt despair sweep over them.
They had lost! But it couldn’t be! It was impossible!
Li Jingzhong’s legs gave out, and Li Heng hastily went up to help him. At this time, Li Heng’s face was grave and seemingly extremely weathered and tired.
This immense pressure made Fei Yuhan feel like it was almost impossible to breathe. Hou Junji was like a towering giant, and he blessed his good fortune that they were on the same side.