"What are we going to do?" the Division Generals despaired.
"We should surrender while we have the chance!" One was visibly shaken from the memories of Guanhuang. It was something no one would ever forget!
"You should know our fate if we surrender," another replied bitterly. The last time someone surrendered, they were brutally tortured for any useful information before being physically and mentally broken. Ultimately, they were sold into slavery and died a gruesome death. Stories like this were commonplace throughout the ages. It was clear that surrendering was not an option.
"I have family back home, so I can't afford to die here!" Others were willing to abandon their posts and rush back home, especially with the chaos unfolding now. There was no telling what the situation in their hometowns might be. Watching their numbers dwindle, the remaining Division Generals were further demoralized.
"We should retreat. We can't defend the Quiton Gates like this," someone suggested to the agreement of others.
"And where can we retreat to? Most of the territory behind us is undefendable," another pointed out. Since the Samfeng Province was the closest point to the Alzar Kingdom, it naturally had the focus on building and maintaining defendable locations. All the frontier provinces were like this and formed the core defensive network for the Xingyuu Empire. That was their chief weapon against invasions! However, behind those frontier provinces were the vast and defenseless core provinces. A strong invading force would run rampant once inside. That was why retreating might truly be 'a step backwards'!
"Unless you want to die, we need to retreat!"
"Our reputation won't be the same after this," a disheartened sigh came. "Moreover, deserting our posts won't go unpunished. We'll certainly suffer for it."
"We can think about that later. Are we all in agreement to retreat then?"
"Yes!"
"I agree."
"Let's go!"
They were about to file out the door when someone said, "We'll only get annihilated if we retreat now. We have a better chance fighting it out instead." The people at the door looked back to find another group of people rallying around the speaker. There seemed to be two prevailing opinions amongst the Division Generals.
"How can you say that? They have the Featherwind Sect with them!"
"So what? We have almost three hundred thousand soldiers here! Combine that with the Li Family's two hundred thousand, and that's almost half a million people! We'll be the laughingstock of the empire if we retreat now!"
"Who cares about numbers? Did you see what they did in Guanhuang? They destroyed the entire capital! How are we supposed to face against that?"
"We still have a chance if we fight, but no chance if we run! That's a fact!"
Both sides continued to argue, but no winner arose. In the end, those that wished to retreat and those that wished to fight did so with their own divisions. This effectively fractured the once cohesive three hundred thousand strong army into countless different units. Of course, it was not that simple. One problem was that of the Jian and Jun Family armies. They were not officially a part of the Xingyuu Empire's Tai Feng Army, and thus they operated under different rules. With their generals missing and their territory endangered, they had no more reason to stay. Most of the Jun Family's army left to reinforce their territory, while the Jian Family's army left entirely. Almost eighty thousand people disappeared like that. The second problem was that the armies were not cohesive themselves. Facing against a monumental threat like the Featherwind Sect and the Alzar Kingdom simultaneously, while losing their own generals before the battle began would scare anyone. Numerous soldiers snuck out and deserted in a flash, reducing their numbers even further. A conservative estimate would say less than two-fifths of the army remained!
"They're not giving up…" Xiuying remarked sadly.
"I half-expected it wouldn't, though I hoped it would. The purpose of our message was to warn everyone and scare them away from fighting. If they haven't left yet, then we must assume they're prepared for the consequences… I hope they have no regrets," Ming replied.
Hearing this, Elizabeth shouted, "Begin the invasion! We shall capture the Quiton Gates today!"
As expected, the battle was extremely one-sided. Elizabeth, Freon, the Ten Dawns, and entire squadrons of Arcanists boarded the Featherwind Sect's ship and took to the skies. They were accompanied by a swarm of hundreds, if not thousands, of glider squadrons. Elizabeth pulled her bowstring back as her Magic Energy exploded out in a vast white blast and a razor-thin arrow formed between her fingertips. Like a valiant heroine leading her army to victory, she unleashed the first strike! Bang! A humongous monsoon of wind surged forth like a tsunami! The Peak Gaseous Fog spell Eclipsing Theatre activated! Freon did the same with his Infernal Dragon, as did the Ten Dawns and the Arcanists did with their own spells. Immediately, the fortress was bombarded by an unimaginable number of spells creating an unimaginable number of explosions. The defenders were helpless to resist because a mobile attack platform was too unfair! Once the battlefield cleared, the glider squadrons dove in to secure the walls. The battle was quick, but intense, culminating in the gates being drawn and allowing the main army to invade. Two hours later, the Quiton Gates finally fell. The Alzar Kingdom won!
"What? The Quiton Gates fell?" Lady Hong-Lan Li shouted, aghast. The Quiton Gates was famous for repelling uncountably many invasions over the centuries. It had a strong geography, a strong location, and a strong fortress. Considering almost three hundred thousand people manned the gates, it was absurd to think they could lose. Just what happened? She could not imagine it.
"What about our own forces? Has Unit Commander Yi Loon attacked the kingdom's forces yet?" Lord Fengji asked with a sharp gaze.
"About that, Unit Commander Yi reported that his army met with unexpected delays, so they could only depart today. They should encounter the kingdom's forces in the coming days."
"…Did he report any irregular?"
"No, he hasn't. I heard rumors that Imperian Qiang and the Imperial Princesses survived the Battle of Liguang. Do you think they hold any water?"
"Why? Are you nervous about your position?" the man sneered while waving his fan.
"Of course, not!" the woman paled, shocked she was seen through that easily.
"If Imperian Qiang is indeed alive, then I wouldn't be surprised if he played a role in delaying our forces. Summon the matriarch of the Loon Family. I wish to question her brother's intentions."
"I understand. What about the Alzar Kingdom then?"
"We'll continue the attack. It doesn't matter if it's supply routes, outposts, or even a small force. As long as we can harass them, it's fine. We can't let them capitalize on their victory to defeat the Imperial Council. If that happens, then we're done for. Contact the Imperial Council and urge them to hurry up and regroup. We can't buy them much time."
"Understood, I'll pass that message along." Lady Hong-Lan bowed before leaving. Once she was outside though, her face contorted in disgust. Imperian Qiang surviving was one thing, but aiding the Alzar Kingdom too? She had nothing, but contempt for a cockroach like him. She walked off with a belly full of anger.
Inside, Lord Fengji waved his fan frowning. "Things aren't going according to plan, are they?" someone suddenly remarked. The room was supposed to be vacant, but the voice was clearly real. It seemed to come from every direction at once, making it impossible to pinpoint directly.
Lord Fengji was unsurprised to hear the voice and replied, "Even I didn't expect this to happen. The Siege on the Quiton Gates went beyond my expectations."
"We should prepare for the possibility that the Imperial Council loses. We wouldn't want to be caught on the losing side after all."
"I know. That's why I'm hoping our attacks will impede their march south. It's unsustainable to maintain a large army deep in enemy territory, especially for one as big as the kingdom's."
"They probably understand that too, so I imagine they'll charge directly for Yongtein to decapitate the Imperial Council. This will be a race against time."
"Naturally. How ironic that a war spanning five centuries culminates in a race against time. The gods must be laughing at us from above."
"Whatever happens next, we must preserve the future of the Li Family. That is our first and only priority. I'll entrust you with the rest, Fengji," the voice gradually faded away.
The man snapped his fan shut. "Of course… brother."