Enough! . . .
"Do you comprehend what we should dread the most? Feng Monarch is distributing dan beads to heal his soldiers. He hasn't engaged in the battle yet. Consider this: if we provoke him, and he decides to charge in, can you imagine the fate of our camp? It might just become another lake of his making."
An incensed general fixed a stern gaze on the one who had made the audacious suggestion and retorted, "I assure you, it won't merely be a lake; it will be a watery grave for all of us. If we heed your reckless advice, the repercussions will fall upon us, and it seems you've played an instrumental role in digging our collective grave!"
"You won't escape it either! You dug the hole, and you'll meet your end in it as well! You might as well dig your own grave while you're at it!" The other generals glared at the individual who had proposed the scheme, wishing they could somehow extract the foolishness from him.
Staying in the company of such a fool was an exceedingly perilous proposition. His embarrassment painted his face red as he mumbled, "I was merely...saying it. I wouldn't actually carry it out. I'm not a fool..."
"Shhh..." The others silenced him with their pointed glances.
[Not a fool? Really?]
[Are you absolutely sure about that?]
"Calm down, all of you. Why the shouting? Our top priority should be to devise a solution for this predicament, shouldn't it? Do we need a constant reminder of how formidable and important Feng Monarch is?" Wenren Jianyin exhaled deeply.
Their commander's patience had worn thin, and the generals didn't dare utter another word. They looked as though they were stifling a sneeze.
[This should have been a fair battle between two kingdoms. How could we have foreseen such a twist?]
[It was supposed to be an equitable engagement—plain and simple. Yet, a man of such magnitude has appeared in our path at this crucial juncture.]
[I believed it was a dire situation to face Cha Nantian's son and those assassins. Little did I know that this was not our gravest concern. We're now confronting a living legend.]
[We can't eliminate him. We can't overpower him. We can't provoke him. We're left with no choice but to observe his troops revive themselves time and time again after a brief respite.]
[All they need to do is remain alive. That guarantees they're perpetually prepared and unwavering in their resolve. They recover swiftly from any injuries.]
[We can't hinder their rest. That's a futile endeavor.]
[We must permit our men to rest regardless of how we allocate them into groups!]
[We lack individuals like Feng Monarch. We don't possess those miraculous dan beads!]
[Each soldier leads a different life!]
Wounded soldiers were carried away from the battlefield. Many soldiers met their demise beneath that towering wall...
Some soldiers still clung to life while their comrades bore them away, but ultimately, they succumbed to their grievous injuries in the company of their brethren.
Conversely, on the Kingdom of Chen's side, soldiers were healed regardless of the severity of their wounds.
Kingdom of Lan-Feng continued to hemorrhage soldiers, while the Kingdom of Chen suffered no losses.
"Blast the horns! Retreat!" Wenren Jianyin made this decision after prolonged observation. [I witnessed numerous men sustaining severe injuries, only to emerge unscathed...]
[A multitude of them!]
He sighed.
He recognized that he couldn't persist in this battle any longer. If he were to sacrifice his soldiers, there should at least be a reason to justify it. At this point, it had become meaningless, and he was merely squandering the lives of his troops.
As the horns resounded, the forces of the Kingdom of Lan-Feng withdrew like a receding tide.
Night had fallen.
The battle had raged on for an entire day. Had the Kingdom of Lan-Feng remained oblivious to the Kingdom of Chen's situation, it might have persisted even longer!
At present, both outside and within Iron Peak, an eerie silence reigned. Occasionally, the air was punctuated by the pained moans of the wounded.
Medics bustled around, tending to the injured soldiers within the Kingdom of Lan-Feng's encampment.
In the dim night, a pale silhouette darted out and vanished into the darkness, making its way towards the tower.
Cha Eun Xiao was in the process of preparing vats of miraculous water. Outside, a line of generals awaited their turn.
Each of them clutched a large bucket, substantial enough to eclipse their waists, their collective intention clear: to procure as much of this water as possible.
The properties of this water were nothing short of astounding. Regardless of the severity of one's injuries, a single bowl could restore them to robust health. Some slightly wounded soldiers merely took a brief respite after drinking some of the water, and they were ready to rejoin the fray!
It was nothing short of a miracle.
Who wouldn't want more of it?
"Stand back, General! I was here first!" one general protested, vying for a better position.
"Why don't you step back? Who saw you arrive before us? Don't even attempt to lie!" retorted another, annoyance evident in his voice.
"Hmm... Come on. I have many wounded soldiers!"
"Balderdash! We've vanquished a million men today. We all have a considerable number of wounded ones!"
"Damn it! I've been more than generous to you! Step aside and cease your nonsense!"
"Damn you! What's that? You want a brawl? I'm more than willing!"
Several generals locked eyes, their expressions brimming with a readiness for conflict.
However, this was far from an isolated incident. They had bickered and skirmished over the water all day. When it came to the magical water, no one was willing to yield!
Song Jue, his countenance darkened, entered the scene and wasted no time in berating them, "Shut up, all of you! You ingrates! What in the world is this? Are you seriously contemplating fighting against your own comrades? What's with the profanity? Do you believe you're impressing anyone with your tough talk? Do you genuinely yearn for death?"
The generals stood there, receiving a tongue-lashing from General Song, whose language was notably colorful. They couldn't help but feel ashamed.
[And you're reproaching us? You're the one being impolite here!]
Song Jue bellowed, "Heavens and hells! You wretches! How dare you utter such obscenities in my presence? Over a bit of water? That's sufficient! Can't you comport yourselves like men? Show some dignity, for crying out loud! This is beyond ridiculous! I've had my fill of this!"
The other generals shared a sense of embarrassment.
[I suppose you've provided your fair share of foul language. It's time to let up.]
Nonetheless, Song Jue was renowned for his commanding presence and intensity. No matter what he said, the other generals had little choice but to heed him.
At this juncture, Cha Eun Xiao emerged, exclaiming, "It's ready. Prepare yourselves for the water... Heavens and hells! This is maddening!"
Even Commander Cha joined in the volley of profanities. "You miscreants! Can't you see how much water I've produced? You've even brought over colossal vats... What in blazes do you think you're doing?"
The generals chuckled and offered their apologies, "Please forgive us, Commander! Numerous comrades have sustained injuries... Well... Urh..."