I cannot cut the flag.
Suddenly, I had this thought. I had an intuition that those snake people, when retreating from the temporary camp, hadn't forgotten to take this large flag with them. So they must value this flag more than their lives. Now, their gasps seemed to be because I was about to cut the flag.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel a bit smug. If that's the case, then I undoubtedly had an amulet, which was a significant advantage. I turned my right hand a few times, wrapping the rope around my wrist, and pulled up the flag a bit more before continuing to climb upward.
The flagpole appeared quite tall from below, but when viewed from the top, it didn't seem too high. I tied the large flag at the top of the pole to avoid losing my safeguard in case it fell. At the flagpole's peak, Shen Xiping's head was swaying in the wind. I reached out and took Shen Xiping's head, tying it around my waist.
The wind was rustling, and there was a hint of chill at the top of the flagpole. It was only now that I settled down, perching on the flagpole to stabilize myself and survey my surroundings.
The snake people's tents were set up in this open space in the woods. From up here, it extended for several miles, and it was hard to estimate how many snake people were down there. The tents were neatly arranged, extending far into the distance. However, according to the Empire's standards, these tents could probably accommodate at most one or two thousand people. The snake people's tents, however, seemed to accommodate more, with one tent I observed, releasing over thirty snake people.
In the dim twilight, it was challenging to see how many tents there were in total. There were about two or three campfires in between two or three tents. I quickly counted them, roughly estimating that there were thousands of them.
Even if the snake people don't number in the tens of thousands, they probably have five or six thousand, right? But why didn't they use their full strength in our several attacks? I couldn't help but wonder. If the snake people had gone all out in their first attack, we probably wouldn't have been able to hold them off.
The wind was a bit cold. At the top of the flagpole, the large flag flapped in the wind, making a "whooshing" sound, sounding like the flow of water. I looked in the northeast direction,
Seeing that I wasn't going to cut the flag anymore, the snake people seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Several snake people gathered together, seemingly discussing something.
Do snake people speak? I suddenly remembered the sentence I had heard earlier. That sentence was in the Empire's language, and though not very pure, it was still the Empire's language. So, snake people could speak.
Can they speak, or are they just beasts?
I couldn't help but shudder. I used to think of this as a battle against a group of wild beasts, never really holding them in high regard. Now, it seemed like, aside from the differences in appearance, what distinguished snake people from humans? Were snake people cruel? The Republican Army, which claimed humans were supreme, had resorted to cannibalism in the city when they ran out of food. Not to mention the Empire's army, notorious for their ruthless actions. What was there to be proud of as a human?
At that moment, a snake person had already climbed up the flagpole. The flagpole was as thick as a child's arm, and the snake person's lower body was wrapped around it. They held a long spear, and their progress was rather slow.
My Baipie blade was only about a forearm long, more like a short sword, and its length couldn't compare to the snake person's long spear. Even though the snake person was at a disadvantage climbing up from below, their long spear could reach me, while all I could do was defend. In the long run, I definitely wouldn't be their match.
The situation was dire. I had a sudden inspiration, reaching out with my blade to cut off a section of the thick rope, about the length of a person. I tied one end in a tight knot around the blade's ring, and the other end formed a loop around my wrist. Holding the blade's hilt, I focused on the snake person who was climbing towards me.
The snake person stopped a few feet away from me, looking up at me. Its eyes were a cloudy yellow, bearing a kind of indifference, resembling the eyes of the dead. Suddenly, it pushed its hands forward, thrusting the spear towards me.
The spear was aimed at my lower abdomen. With my legs wrapped around the flagpole and the spear's tip approaching, I grabbed onto the flagpole with my left hand and swung my body away by pushing off with my feet.
It was a risky move. Though my left hand still clung to the flagpole, one slip could have led to a fatal fall. However, I succeeded. The snake person's thrust went wide, and the spear was flung outward like a wooden stick.
Now, with only my left hand holding the flagpole, my entire body dangled in the air. There was nowhere to hide, and the snake person probably assumed I was as good as dead. It swung the spear with full force, without restraint.
I took aim at the spear's tip, and my left hand suddenly let go of the flagpole. I grabbed a section of the spear shaft just beneath the tip, and as I swung my feet back and felt them touch the flagpole, I crossed my legs, securing them tightly around the flagpole.
At this moment, my body was nearly horizontal, forming a triangle with the snake person's spear. The snake person was trying to swing the spear outward to throw me off the flagpole. However, it was gripping the spear's butt, and if I exerted a bit of force, it would need ten times the strength to overcome mine. How could it move me?
The snake person naturally didn't understand this principle. It was merely using brute strength to resist me, and I couldn't help but sneer. Even if the snake person had become human, they were still just savages, ultimately lacking in intelligence.
Despite this, the snake person's strength was astonishingly great. I felt that I was struggling to keep up with its one-handed strength. Before the spear slipped from its hand, I shouted, "Now!" and hurled my right-hand blade downward.
These few moves happened in an extremely short time. The snake person had both hands gripping the spear, with its face fully exposed. It had no idea I would pull this off. The Baipie blade descended with a whooshing sound, and it let out a cry of shock, letting go of the spear and grabbing the blade. The Baipie blade passed by it with the precision of a hair, cutting off two of its fingers, but it managed to grasp the blade with both palms.
My left hand's long spear lost its leverage underneath me. Relying solely on my legs to keep my body horizontal, I couldn't maintain the position. My descent began, and my legs clamped onto the flagpole. I struggled to hold on with my legs, but my body was still descending. Originally, the snake person was just three to four feet away from me, and it reached me in no time.
The snake person's grip on the blade was already broken, and the Baipie blade fell like a heavy piece of iron. This time, it took two of the snake person's fingers with it before being caught by both of its palms.
I no longer had the leverage of my left hand's long spear and relied only on my legs. It was impossible to maintain a horizontal position. My descent was imminent, and I was now only an arm's length away from the snake person.
The snake person had both hands clinging to the Baipie blade, leaving its face completely exposed. It had no idea I would pull this off. The Baipie blade, carrying the sound of a violent wind, descended, causing it to cry out in surprise. It let go of the spear and grabbed the blade with both hands. The Baipie blade passed by it, cutting off two of its fingers in the process, but it was quick to catch the blade with both hands.
In a fraction of a second, this all unfolded. The snake person had both hands clinging to the blade, and its face was fully exposed. It couldn't have anticipated my move. The Baipie blade, with the sound of a raging wind, descended, and it let out a cry, releasing the blade and catching it with its two hands. The Baipie blade cut off its two fingers, but it had managed to secure the blade between its palms.
My left hand's long spear lost its leverage underneath me, and I was relying solely on my legs. I couldn't maintain my horizontal position, and my descent had begun. Originally, the snake person was just three to four feet away from me, and it quickly reached me.
At this point, the situation had become extremely critical. My heart was pounding uncontrollably. But, in the end, I had emerged victorious and even managed to obtain a long spear.
The group of snake people gathered around the wounded one, lifting its battered body. Some of them looked upward. The sky was still dark, with a faint glimmer of dawn, but it was clear that those snake people were beginning to feel a sense of dread in their eyes.
I clung to the flagpole with my left arm and gave my right hand a shake. The Baipie blade described an arc in the air and leaped back into my grasp. The blade's edge remained untainted by blood; the blood flowed above it. I wiped it on that peculiar-looking flag, steadied my mind, and felt a newfound sense of courage welling up inside me.
If I had still harbored fear of the snake people deep within me before, that fear had vanished. Perhaps it was because I was facing imminent peril that I no longer cared about life and death.
At that moment, another snake person braved the crowd and began climbing toward the flagpole. By now, I was certain that the large flag held immense importance for them. Maybe, they were after me in a secondary capacity; seizing the flag seemed to be their primary objective. Otherwise, if they intended to fell the flagpole, there would have been no need for such a complex maneuver. The snake people, despite their simplicity, couldn't have failed to see that. I couldn't help but be grateful for making the right choice. If I had merely climbed another high structure, I would have likely been turned into mincemeat.
This snake person climbed slowly. The flagpole had become challenging to ascend after the previous one's blood had made it slippery. But this snake person persevered, inching closer, showing no signs of retreat.
The death of the snake person from before must have put this one on high alert. It moved with extreme caution, its eyes never leaving me. The spearhead remained within inches of its head, ready for a counterattack if I made a move.
I aimed my left-hand spear at it, while my right-hand Baipie blade remained poised. My position, relying solely on my legs gripping the flagpole, was far from agile. I couldn't dodge its spear as I did earlier, so I had to eliminate this snake person before it could pose a threat to me.
That being said, taking down this snake person would not be an easy task.
The snake person's body extended and contracted, much like a snake, as it slowly crawled upwards. The blood from the previous struggle had dried somewhat, so its body wouldn't be as slippery as it had been when it first climbed up, but it was still moving slowly.
When it was about five feet away, it stopped.
This spear was seven feet long, and from this position, it could reach me. My long spear was just as long, and I could reach it as well. The difference was that it could target my legs, while I could target its head.
It seemed to hesitate. It appeared that becoming more human had its advantages but also reduced the beastly fearlessness.
Without waiting for it to think too much, I thrust my spear toward its head. I was above, and it was below, giving me the positional advantage. On top of that, I struck first. Even though it was a snake person with several times my strength, it struggled to cope.
The lower half of the snake person's body was wrapped around the flagpole, but it suddenly shifted its upper body outward, like a branch growing from a tree. My first thrust missed, but I quickly pulled back and struck a second time. I hadn't used my full strength in the first attack, and its upper body had moved, evading my spear. The second thrust was aimed at its chest.
While the snake person's chest wasn't as wide as a human's, it wasn't easy to dodge either. Its upper body extended diagonally from the flagpole, presenting its chest as an easy target. My second thrust, despite using only my left hand, descended from above. It didn't dare to take it head-on and retreated its entire body downward.
I withdrew the spear, taking a moment to rest. My position on the flagpole was extremely advantageous, and the snake people could only attack me one by one. In one-on-one combat, I was confident I could take them down even without the terrain advantage. My only concern was whether the snake people would stop caring about this peculiar flag. If they did, my advantageous position would become a deathtrap, and I would have no choice but to await my fate. Fortunately, these snake people seemed to hold this flag in high regard. When I applied the snake person's blood to the flag, they all seemed extremely resentful, and the snake person that had climbed up was almost entirely focused on the flag.
At this point, the snake person who had retreated a few steps started to crawl up again. It was undoubtedly not satisfied with being pushed back by me. While these snake people had become somewhat human-like and now experienced fear, they were still much more courageous than humans. However, this particular snake person was extremely cautious, making it no easy task to take it down.
I looked up at the top of the flagpole, and it appeared no different from an Imperial Army flagpole. At the very top, there was a pulley meticulously crafted, with ropes running through it. Originally, there were two ropes, one thicker and one thinner. The thinner one was tied to the severed head of Shen Xiping, which I had cut off. The remaining part of that rope lay on the ground. The thicker one remained tied to the flagpole, forming a large knot, and my foot was placed on that knot.
The snake person had moved closer by two steps. It now held its spear with both hands and fixed its gaze on me. I held my spear in my left hand and gripped my blade with my right, my right arm still wrapped around the flagpole. For a moment, neither of us made a move, simply locking eyes with each other.
I couldn't help but shudder. The snake people might resemble humans to some extent, but upon closer inspection, the differences were striking. We were almost face to face, and I dared not look any longer. The snake person's yellow eyes resembled two flames about to ignite.
I don't know what happened, but after a while, I started to feel dizzy and disoriented. My eyelids seemed to have a mind of their own, wanting to close. In the midst of this haziness, my head abruptly cleared, and I realized something was amiss. However, it felt as if my head had been filled with lead, making it almost impossible to lift.
Even if I were tired and drowsy, I shouldn't be feeling like this. I tried to open my eyes, but they stubbornly stayed shut. Deep down, I knew that if I continued like this, it would be a death sentence. In a moment of grogginess, my fingers moved slightly.
My fingers felt bound in some way, but they could still move to some extent. As my right hand twitched, the Baipie blade slipped from my grasp. Even in my half-asleep state, I couldn't help but exclaim in shock. At that moment, I felt a slight stinging in my leg. It wasn't very pronounced, but even a minor pain was enough to snap me out of it. My fingers moved slightly.
Although it felt as if my fingers were bound, I could still manage some movement. With my right hand now empty, my left hand still gripping the spear, I moved my left hand to block the incoming strike. With a sharp "clang," our two spears collided. I felt as if I had been jolted, my whole body shaking as if I had been hit. I barely held on, instinctively grabbing the flagpole with both hands. The snake person's spear was deflected, flying out of its grasp.
Losing my weapon, I knew this was a dangerous situation. The snake person seized the opportunity, thrusting its spear towards me. The spear tip emitted a faint, sharp whistling sound.
That was the sound of the spear tip slicing through the air. This strike was aimed to pierce through me. Gritting my teeth, I let go of my spear with my right hand. My left hand blocked the attack with a sharp "clap," and the two spears collided once again. I felt like I had been violently shaken, my body almost slipping off the flagpole. Instinctively, I clung to the flagpole with both hands, and the snake person's spear was sent flying.
Dropping down by two feet, I was now level with the snake person's spear tip. I quickly reached out my right hand to grab the spear shaft. It was almost identical to what had just happened, but this snake person was faster than the previous one. My hand had just extended, and the spear retracted, leaving my right hand empty.
Was I about to die?
But my right hand was quicker than I had thought. It firmly grasped the rope that secured the flag. There was still a long length of rope, coiled around the flagpole to form a large knot. I grabbed the section of rope from the knot, and the snake person's spear thrust up again.
This time, the snake person attacked not only with the spear but also its body. It must have thought I had nowhere to run and was resigned to my fate. Its spear was aimed at my abdomen.
In the snake person's eyes, that strange flag was probably more important than me, so it saw no need to keep me alive.
I could only hold onto the rope with my right hand while my left hand was empty. Unfortunately, the Baipie knife was strapped to my right wrist, and my left hand, although gripping the handle, had a rope tethered to it that was only about a forearm's length long. So, the knife could reach, at most, my thigh.
At this moment, the snake person's spear was at my abdomen.
I don't know where I found the strength, but I suddenly swung my left hand backward, attempting to cut the rope binding the knife. However, my motion was too forceful, and instead, the knife slashed through the knot securing the flagpole. The Baipie knife broke free, cutting the knot into pieces. The rope I was holding with my right hand suddenly slackened, and I found myself swaying in mid-air.
The snake person's spear was about to strike, and I had no way to evade it. Solely relying on my right hand clutching the rope, I could only gasp for breath. A thought flashed through my mind, and I kicked out forcefully. My foot struck the spear shaft, and my body, like a stone tied to a rope, swung outward. The snake person's strike missed.
This snake person abandoned the caution it had displayed earlier, and its body suddenly leaped up, reaching the top of the flagpole. It was now even higher than me. With one hand, it raised the long spear above its head, poised to thrust it toward me.
In this situation, I no longer had the high ground, and the terrain was entirely against me. I had one hand holding the rope, and I was swinging back towards the flagpole, seemingly an easy target for its strike.
As I swung back toward the flagpole, the snake person lunged with its spear. I tried to sway out of the way, but the attack was too fast. I only managed to avoid a direct hit to my head, but the spear found its mark on my left arm with a "splat." The spear pierced right through, with the tip emerging two inches from the other side. Blood gushed out like a stream, and my left arm felt as though it had been impaled by a large nail and set on fire. Strangely, the pain wasn't as intense as I had expected.
t must be the effect of the Forgetfulness Fruit Powder. When I arrived, I asked the medical officer for some Forgetfulness Fruit Powder. I applied half of it to the wound and ingested the other half. The medical officer had mentioned that Forgetfulness Fruit Powder didn't have the property to close wounds but was incredibly effective in pain relief, especially when ingested. He warned me not to consume too much as it could be addictive. As long as my wound stopped hurting, I didn't care about getting addicted, and I had taken quite a bit of it. Now it seemed to have worked its magic.
When I was just shaken like a leaf in the wind, this spear strike gave me a sudden idea. I gritted my teeth and kicked the flagpole with my foot. The snake person was retracting its spear, and as the spear was pulled out of my left arm, leaving a bloody mess, I didn't care. I swung to the side and, like a spinning top, circled around the flagpole.
With my right hand still holding the rope, these two rounds of spinning were just enough to entangle the snake person. I was confident that it understood my intention as it tried to pull away the rope wrapped around it with its left hand. However, by the time it reacted, I had already completed the second revolution. This time, the rope bound its left hand as well.
Due to the tightness of the rope around my body and the fact that I was hanging from it, the two loops were securely tied. The snake person, though powerful, couldn't free itself. I could hear it making a muffled sound. Without waiting for its next move, I pushed off from the flagpole, spinning around it for two more revolutions.
The strange flag was heavy, but the rope was exceptionally sturdy. After four rounds, I had ascended quite a bit and was near the snake person's chest. Looking up, I saw both its hands were tied up, rendering it immobile, while its head could move freely. It extended its blood-red forked tongue and revealed a mouth full of sharp teeth, as if it wanted to bite me, but it couldn't reach down low enough.
A shiver ran down my spine, and I felt lighter, swinging in the opposite direction.
The remaining length of rope wasn't long enough to make more loops after four rounds, and there was a tendency for it to loosen. When my body moved, it didn't feel right. I clutched the Baipie knife at my side and tried to stab the snake person's chest. I barely pierced through its scales, causing it to let out a loud cry. However, my arm felt weak, and my body was spinning rapidly, making it impossible to continue the attack. The spear had already penetrated my left arm, and though I didn't feel much pain, the injury was severe, and I had little strength left.
I felt myself flying uncontrollably in the opposite direction. The previous four loops that had bound the snake person were now useless. The knife I had held in my left hand was swung around, hitting the flagpole and then thrusting in again, but I couldn't seem to get it to stab properly. Everything blurred in front of my eyes, and all I could see were the green scales of the snake person.
As I completed the third round, I sighed, realizing that there was no turning back. I reluctantly let go of the Baipie knife with my left hand, and it fell to the ground, coming to rest just at my knee level. Looking down, the knife had lost its edge, and both my legs were powerless. There was a not-so-deep wound on my thigh, which was probably the slight stinging I had felt earlier in my daze.
At this moment, I saw the snake person's body sliding downward. Was it coming down to finish me off? I couldn't help but close my eyes, anticipating a fatal strike any moment.
To my surprise, the sliding sound of the snake person continued. I opened my eyes just in time to see the rear end of the snake person's long spear right in front of me. I grabbed it with my left hand, and the snake person didn't resist, only slid down further, leaving a bloody trail in its wake.
What was happening now?
I was a bit puzzled, but then I heard a gasp from the snake people below. My immediate concern, though, was to regain my footing as quickly as possible. I wound my legs around the flagpole and felt a gruesome smell of blood emanating from it. My right hand was being tugged like it was being pulled by someone. I retied the rope to the flagpole and checked my injuries.
Apart from the wound on my abdomen, the one on my leg had closed up, but the left arm was still a mess of blood and flesh, with the skin turned inside out around the wound. Fortunately, the leg wound wasn't too bothersome. I released my grip with both hands, shook my right hand, and the Baipie knife returned to it.
By now, the rising sun was in the east, and the flag was fluttering in the wind. I pulled it down and, with a casual swipe, cut a strip of cloth from the flag to use as a bandage for my wounds. When I cut the cloth from the flag, there was a collective murmur of surprise and anger from the snake people below. I couldn't help but chuckle.
At this moment, several snake people carried the one that had fallen. With the dawn light breaking, I could now clearly see what was happening below. The sight was overwhelming, with at least a thousand snake people. It was like an expanse of shimmering green, resembling the color of water in a shadowy ditch. The one that had slipped down earlier was lying on the ground, still twitching, but its body had been severed almost in half, with its entrails spilling out of the wound.
Initially, I was somewhat confused, but then it hit me. When I was spinning around the snake person earlier, although the Baipie knife couldn't pierce it, it had sliced through its body several times. Immobilized by the rope, the snake person couldn't move, and I had essentially cut it down to the spine.
A close call. I inwardly thanked my lucky stars. At this point, the snake people suddenly parted like a receding tide.
Was someone else coming?
Indeed, a chariot approached, carrying a snake person.
I had always assumed that snake people had a uniform appearance, but upon closer inspection, each had their unique features. This incoming snake person could even be considered somewhat handsome. Of course, it was not human-like handsomeness, but its body was remarkably proportioned. It was clad in soft armor, a rare sight among snake people. Perhaps only the more high-ranking snake people wore soft armor. For snake people, the glossy green scales were equivalent to wearing armor.
The snake person arrived at the foot of the flagpole, jumped off the chariot, and the other snake people prostrated themselves on the ground. This snake person glanced at the snake people's corpses on the ground and then lifted its head to look at me.
What eyes those were! They were like two blazing flames ready to ignite at any moment. I remained still, and suddenly, it pointed at me and shouted, "You killed Batun!"
Snake people can speak!
Although I had suspected it already, seeing it in person was still astonishing.
It was speaking the Imperial language, although not perfectly, it was quite understandable, like something learned from books. I replied, "Who is Batun?"
It ignored me and continued, "Do you know that when you defiled the Fuxi Holy Banner, your death sentence was sealed!"
I didn't understand what it meant, and the snake person turned away from me, yelling loudly to the other snake people, "Fetch firewood!"
At this point, another snake person nearby raised its head and asked, "General Shandu, do you mean firewood to burn?"
The snake person also spoke the Imperial language, although not as well as General Shandu, but it was clear enough. I was startled on top of the flagpole and thought I might have misheard. General Shandu responded, "Yes, fetch firewood! The Fuxi Holy Banner has been defiled, and only the blessing of the Goddess Zhurong can purify it."
The other snake person stammered, "General Shandu, the Divine Laws Master said that the Holy Banner should not be... destroyed."
I glanced at the rather tattered, strange banner with two snake-headed figures wearing ancient clothing that appeared to be moving in the wind. Now with one strip cut off by me, the banner's creatures seemed even more bizarre.
For the snake people, this appeared to be a sacred object. The Imperial empire also possessed many sacred objects, making the snake people seem more human in that regard.
General Shandu commanded, "According to the Divine Laws Master's Rule Seventeen, it is stated that when a sacred object is defiled, the purifying power of Zhurong must be invoked. Go fetch firewood."
Some of the snake people gazed at him dumbfounded, while a few of them went to gather some straw and wood. The firewood they collected was a haphazard assortment, probably freshly cut, and they piled it into a stack almost half the height of a person.
General Shandu raised his head to look at me and shouted, "Bring the Sacred Fire!"
As soon as he said this, no snake person made a move. General Shandu waited for a moment and angrily said, "Have you been listening to the Divine Laws Master's teachings for so long only to be afraid of the power of Zhurong?"
One of the snake people hesitated for a moment, then took a small torch from beside a tent. The torch's flame was dim, about the size of a bean. Such a small flame wasn't likely for illumination but perhaps to make the snake people less afraid of fire. However, this snake person seemed terrified even of this tiny flame, and when they brought it to General Shandu, they appeared almost on the verge of collapsing.
Are the snake people going to burn the flagpole?
I clung to the flagpole, realizing it was a critical moment. I had no idea what General Wuhou would think about the snake people adapting to the presence of fire, and I was unsure if I could escape this tent.
I reached into my pouch. In my pouch, the tightly wrapped package of gunpowder resembled a rice ball. Now, General Shandu approached the stack of firewood with the torch, and the nearby snake people appeared to be avoiding it as though they saw something extremely dangerous.
There was only one way out.
I used my right hand to retrieve the gunpowder package, placed it in my hand, and bit the fabric covering it. I tore it open, and a thin stream of dark gunpowder fell onto the stack of firewood.
General Shandu was lighting the fire, but the torch's flame was tiny, and the firewood wasn't particularly dry. It only managed to kindle a small fire. However, when the gunpowder fell onto the firewood, General Shandu glanced at it as if puzzled.
The firewood didn't look any different. Could it be that the gunpowder wasn't as potent as Zhang Longyou claimed?
I was starting to feel disappointed when suddenly, the stack of firewood emitted a hissing sound, and a fireball leaped out like a living creature, rising to a height of a person. General Shandu was startled and leaped backward, but even so, several spots on their body had caught fire.
The entire stack of firewood was ignited. The explosive force of this gunpowder was much more significant than expected. If left to burn, the flagpole would be consumed shortly. The snake people around the flagpole had retreated about ten paces, all appearing fearful of the fire. However, they weren't as terrified as the day they first encountered fire.
I let go, and I slid down the flagpole. The flagpole was half-dried and sticky with blood, and my descent left a red streak on my armor. As I slid into the fire, I thrust the long spear into the ground with a "thud," halting my fall. I extended the long spear to disperse the burning firewood.
The snake people appeared to be unfamiliar with handling fire, as the firewood was loosely piled atop wooden racks. My long spear thrust into the stack of firewood, and with a shake, the burning firewood scattered. The racks now held only a few scattered twigs, incapable of sustaining the fire.
Seeing the sparks flying out, the snake people dispersed further. But these small stacks of firewood wouldn't last long even if they caught fire. I clenched my teeth, secured the remaining gunpowder, attached it to the tip of my spear, and approached the burning racks. A quick probe with the cloth ignited it immediately.
The gunpowder that hadn't burned inside was going to ignite soon. Looking around and making up my mind, I lifted the long spear and hurled it toward one of the tents to the side.
As the long spear flew, the gunpowder packet on its tip hissed and burst open. The sound wasn't loud but scattered sparks everywhere, much like a large stone thrown into water. Several nearby tents caught fire instantly, and a few sparks landed on the snake people not too far away, causing them to scream and scramble outward.
Amidst the chaos, General Shandu suddenly yelled, "Don't panic! The left camp, extinguish the fire! The right camp, move forward and capture that creature!"
Am I the creature? I found this amusing. However, General Shandu's shout seemed to calm the snake people down, and one group of them rushed toward the burning tents to beat out the flames, while another group advanced.
The snake people were somewhat apprehensive of the fire burning on the ground, but they moved forward with determination.
Surprisingly, General Shandu, despite being a peculiar-looking snake person, had the aura of a great general. I couldn't help but admire him. The Empire had only a few generals of his stature, like Wuhou, Lu Jingyu, and Shen Xiping.
Two snake people had reached the flagpole. A bit of fire still burned below the wooden frame, and these two snake people seemed somewhat hesitant. General Shandu shouted, "Move quickly!"
He rushed upwards.
He had been scorched by the flames earlier, and his armor had a few burnt spots. His face was black and blue. He moved swiftly, even faster than the other two snake people at the forefront, thrusting a spear at me. Using both hands and feet, I rapidly climbed up, narrowly evading the spear thrust. General Shandu yelled, "Hand me the knife!"
One of the nearby snake people said, "General Shandu, according to the sacred teachings, the sacred banner should never be touched under any circumstances."
This snake person's speech was quite fluent, and he was also wearing soft armor. He must have been a leader among the snake people. General Shandu replied, "Four of you, hold the flagpole and cut it down section by section."
I was taken aback, grabbed the flag, and shouted, "Stop, or I will cut this flag into pieces."
General Shandu looked up and said, "Go ahead, the sacred banner has been defiled by this monster, and it can no longer command the entire army."
Another snake person handed over a knife. The snake people's knives were similar in style to the Empire's. General Shandu took it and said, "You guys hold it."
Four snake people surrounded the flagpole, gripping it, while General Shandu began to cut down one section of the flagpole.
The flagpole was quite thick and made of sturdy wood. General Shandu needed to put in some effort to cut through it, and it wasn't going to break with a single strike. However, when he made that cut, I was shaken on top of the flagpole. I reached out to grasp the flagpole to prevent myself from falling.
Though the cut only left a mark on the flagpole, if this continued, the flagpole would inevitably be chopped through.
The long spear I had snatched had already been thrown away, and the snake people were no longer pressing their attack. I doubted they could retrieve the spear now. If I descended, no matter how overconfident I felt, I didn't believe I could defeat the five snake people surrounding me, especially with so many others nearby eagerly watching.
Was I truly at an impasse?
I lifted my head and gazed at the sky. The sun was rising in the east, and it was getting brighter. Looking ahead, the forest looked like a green pond, with High Falcon City visible on the other side. From the top of the flagpole, it seemed like a short distance.
I looked at Shen Xiping's severed head hanging from my waist. His head had dried up, and his face had somewhat distorted, but his commanding aura was still evident.
A renowned general of his time was now an anonymous foot soldier. Death was inevitable, but even then, I couldn't help but smile. Perhaps, after I died, they would hang my head on the flagpole. Maybe Wuhou would even promote me a few ranks, although it would be meaningless as I wouldn't be able to return to my body.
I clenched my teeth and touched my Bai Bi sword. Even in death, I wouldn't let these snake people take my head so easily.
I bent slightly, preparing to release my grip.
The four snake people huddled together, all holding the flagpole, and they had no weapons. I only needed to guard against General Shandu.
As I thought about it, I couldn't help but laugh.
I had oversimplified things. I had three wounds on my body, and even if it were just an unarmed snake person, there was no guarantee I could defeat them. If I jumped down, they might tear me apart before I could do anything.
My hand had already loosened, and I had descended a few feet. One of the snake people next to me called out, "General Shandu, the monster is...be careful!"
General Shandu raised his head, and I shouted, "Now!"
My Bai Bi sword slipped from my hand and flew directly towards his head.
This strike was as fast as lightning and, in a way, my final attack. General Shandu seemed stunned and reached for his weapon to defend, but it was too late. As the strike was about to pierce his head, a snake person beside him suddenly extended his body, catching the blade with one hand. I yanked the sword back with all my strength, and it sliced through that snake person's hand, amputating two fingers.
However, this meant I couldn't hit General Shandu anymore. Without waiting for their next attack, I quickly climbed back up to the top. One snake person appeared as if they wanted to climb up, but General Shandu shouted, "Don't come up!"
Even on the face of a snake person, General Shandu's inability to contain his anger was clear. It yelled, "Two more, guard against this creature!" and lowered its head to continue chopping the flagpole.
It probably didn't expect me to attack at this point.
Two snake people with long spears swam closer and circled around me, while the injured snake person stepped back and was replaced. You could hear General Shandu's blade hitting the flagpole with "thud, thud" sounds.
Suddenly, there was a loud noise from a distance, and a snake person came from the side of the forest, shouting, "General Shandu, attack..."
The snake person's words were incoherent, and they couldn't quite express what they meant to say. I looked in that direction and saw a contingent of cavalry galloping towards us. Judging from their banners, it was the Vanguard Regiment.
Foolish!
I couldn't help but curse under my breath. Even if they attacked like this, the Dragon Scale Army had already suffered a catastrophic defeat. The Vanguard Regiment might be brave, but they likely weren't much stronger than the Dragon Scale Army and were destined for the same outcome. What were they trying to achieve with this suicidal assault? Did the Vanguard Regiment come to rescue me because they believed I wasn't returning? But how could they have known I was trapped at the top of this flagpole?
General Shandu halted his attack and shouted, "Left camp, hold your position here and continue cutting. Right camp, follow me and engage!"
His voice was steady, but I could sense a hint of panic.
Even if the Vanguard Regiment couldn't defeat the snake people, their sudden attack had thrown them off guard.
General Shandu dropped his blade and led a large group of snake people charging into the forest. At this moment, another snake person wearing armor took over the task of chopping the flagpole.
Lu Gongxing's latest attack had been in vain, and I felt a sense of despondency.
The snake person had only made a few more strikes when suddenly, several snake people let out a cry and raised their heads. I wasn't sure what was happening, so I looked up.
I saw a huge black creature, elongated like a flying serpent, rising into the air on the edge of the forest, heading in our direction.
It wasn't a creature. I quickly realized that it was a massive leather kite. It seemed like there was a person on it.
Kites were traditional toys passed down from ancient times. Every year during the early spring Greening Festival, people across the empire went out to the countryside to pay their respects at their ancestors' graves, and children would fly kites. Although it wasn't the Greening Festival yet, the wind was strong enough to fly kites.
But this kite was far from a toy.
The snake people were equally unsure of what it was, and one of them suddenly fell to the ground, shouting, "Bow down... to a god!"
They were likely referring to the "God Fuxi." The shout seemed contagious, as all the snake people immediately prostrated themselves in worship. Even the snake person who had been chopping the flagpole dropped their blade and knelt on the ground.
The serpent-shaped kite reached the side of the flagpole, and I could now clearly see that there was indeed a person on it.
Suddenly, an arrow was released from the kite.
While the kite fluttered unpredictably in the air, the arrow exhibited extraordinary precision, heading directly towards me. Attached to the arrow's tail was a thin cord.
The arrow was almost within three feet of me when I realized there must be some reason behind this. With nothing else at hand, I acted without hesitation. I grabbed the flag, held it up against the wind, and with a "whoosh," the flag unfurled. The two human-snake hybrid figures on the flag were now displayed before the snake people. The arrow was caught by the flag, its point firmly embedded in the fabric.
I retrieved the arrow and grasped it in my hand.
It was an arrow with its head removed, and on the shaft, there was an engraved character, " qing." The upper part of "qing" was shaped like feathers, while the lower part was sealed, forming the appearance of an arrowhead.
This was Tan Qing's arrow! No wonder it was so accurate even in this situation.
I felt a rush of excitement, but then I noticed another thick cord tied to the thin one.
Were they planning to use the kite to take me away?
I couldn't help but admire the person who came up with this idea. This individual was truly remarkable. The idea was unconventional, yet it was entirely feasible. I rapidly pulled in the rope, securing the thick cord in my hand.
However, just then, the snake person who had been chopping the flagpole yelled, "It's a demon in the guise of God Fuxi! Release the arrows!"
The shout was loud, but amidst the snake people's bizarre cries, it didn't seem to have much effect. The snake person leaped from the flagpole structure, grabbed a bow, and shouted, "Fire the arrows!"
I hadn't seen snake people's arrows before. When this snake person loosed an arrow, it flew crookedly and failed to reach the kite, ultimately falling to the ground.
It seemed that snake people might not excel at archery, which might explain why they rarely used arrows.
At this moment, Tan Qing abruptly released an arrow from the kite. His arrow was in a completely different league than the snake person's arrow. It went straight for the snake person, who opened its mouth, sticking out a red tongue, appearing to be petrified.
With a "snap," the arrow hit the ground less than a foot away from the snake person. On the kite, even with Tan Qing's superb archery skills, it had still veered slightly off course.
I felt it was a pity, but without any delay, I grabbed the thick cord in my hand and gave it a tug.
I had expected the cord to be taut, but when I pulled it, the kite descended slightly.
The kite couldn't bear the weight of two people!
At that moment, I felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over my head. I had thought I was saved, but now, all my efforts would be in vain. Unless Tan Qing jumped down by himself, there was no way for me to escape.
Could Tan Qing truly sacrifice himself to save me?
Now, the snake people below had started to rise, some of them taking out bows to shoot at the kite. Their archery skills were inferior to the snake person from earlier. Though I had managed to pull Tan Qing down quite a bit, none of the arrows reached him.
I racked my brain, trying to figure out a way for the kite to carry the weight of two people. However, I couldn't come up with a solution. Suddenly, I heard a sharp whistling sound, and I saw a long spear shooting up.
This spear was much longer than the arrows and was aimed directly at Tan Qing. It had almost reached the kite when it was deflected and veered off. But in doing so, several snake people immediately launched several more long spears. Fortunately, not all of them were skilled in archery, and a few spears fell prematurely. However, one or two did come dangerously close to Tan Qing. If it weren't for the snake people's poor aim, those two spears might have killed him.
At that moment, a long spear whizzed past me. This spear was shot by the snake person wearing armor, and it had considerable force behind it. I gave the spear a swing with my right hand, and the Bai Bi blade flew from my hand and circled around the spear's shaft several times.
In that instant, it felt like my arm was about to be wrenched out of its socket. My whole body shook, and the pain in my shoulder blades was almost unbearable.
By then, I could feel aches all over my body. Had the Forgetful Fruit lost its effect?
I retrieved the blade, grabbed the long spear with my left hand, and gasped for breath. Although I had managed to seize the spear, it had become an unwieldy weapon for me to use. I tied the cord hanging from the kite to the long spear for better grip.
If I couldn't come up with an escape plan soon, I would have no choice but to let go. I couldn't let Tan Qing hover in mid-air much longer.
At this moment, arrows were falling like rain, but they all veered away from the flagpole. Could they still avoid damaging the flag? I looked at the large flag billowing in the wind, now stretched taut like a wooden board.
Suddenly, the snake people erupted in cheers. I looked up and was astonished to see that a long spear had pierced through Tan Qing's body on the kite.
I was shocked. The spear remained motionless on the kite, but the kite started spiraling and descending rapidly. Had Tan Qing been killed? I couldn't help but shout to the heavens, "Tan Qing!"
As if responding to my cry, a figure dropped from the kite.
Tan Qing fell!
My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my throat. He landed right beside the flagpole, and as he fell, the long spear he held was carried upward by the kite, nearly slipping from his grasp. With only a single long spear in my hand, how could I catch him?
I didn't have time to think. I thrust one end of the long spear into the upper-left corner of the flag, and the lower end of the spear's shaft against it. I couldn't bind them together, but I reached out.
On the right side of the flag, there was a wooden stick inserted, with the flag-raising rope tied to it. By sticking the long spear on the left side in a similar fashion, it formed something like an improvised stretcher bed.
I hadn't thought through how I'd catch Tan Qing when he fell from such a height or that his momentum might carry me along. At this moment, I wasn't thinking about any of that. I just extended the flag, intent on catching him.
With a whoosh, Tan Qing's body glided past the edge of the flag, and the spear's shaft didn't even touch him.
In that fleeting moment, which lasted only as long as a lightning strike, it felt like an eternity to me.
Tan Qing had a long spear embedded in his chest, still holding a short bow in his right hand, eyes closed, and a faint smile on his face.
"Tan Qing!"
I shouted loudly, but his body had already landed on the ground with a thud.
As soon as he hit the ground, the snake people surged like a tide. I couldn't see what was happening below, but I could hear the sound of blades and spears piercing flesh.
I clenched my fists, my knuckles white, wanting to strike out with all my might, but there was no place to hit, and I could feel wetness at the corners of my eyes.
A gust of wind suddenly swept through, unfurling the flag, and my body shook atop the flagpole due to the strong breeze.
Tan Qing had fallen. With no one controlling the kite now, even with just me, there was no way to make it fly away, unless I could climb onto the kite. However, if the kite descended to the height of the flagpole, it might not be able to take off. It wasn't time for sorrow now; the immediate concern was how to escape with Shen Xiping's severed head. Otherwise, Tan Qing's death would be in vain.
I looked at the flag, and another gust of wind blew, causing it to billow like a tile. I held on tightly and suddenly a brilliant idea flashed through my mind!
Tan Qing, I owe you one.
I gazed down at the base of the flagpole in silence. The spot where Tan Qing had fallen was now just a bloody mess.
I cut off a section of the rope, tied the two corners on the left side of the flag to the long spear, and adjusted the rope hanging from the kite to the center.
Tan Qing, I will avenge you and kill all these snake people.
Muttering these words in my heart, I cut the flag-raising rope, then grabbed one end of the long spear and placed it horizontally on my shoulder, suddenly standing up.
Maintaining this position at the top of the flagpole was very challenging. However, I only needed to do so for a brief moment.
I stood upright, hooked my left foot onto one corner of the flag, and with a gust of wind, I leaped outward. My right foot hooked onto the other corner of the flag.
Now the flag lay flat against my back, resembling a kite. The weight of the kite above lessened instantly, and it soared into the sky.
Below, there were only cries of astonishment from the snake people. I felt as if the flagpole had dropped like a stone and the flag was lifting into the air, ascending several dozen feet in the blink of an eye.