Nightfall

The Dawn Over Here Is Quiet

The utter defeat of the Royal Court’s main forces caused many tribes to stop following his footsteps. Scattered away on the field, they would inevitably be made captives by the Tang army cavalry. Some unlucky ones may even be taken away by horse thieves.

This terrified him.

This moment, he was made king over all of humanity. The next, he was shot through his cheeks by an arrow on the path to his coronation. Blood flowed everywhere grotesquely — no one could accept this truth easily — his confidence and might were crushed and shattered into particles that cannot be shattered any further.

This terrified him.

To him, the most terrifying of all was when he saw ten thousands of wild horses galloping from the rosy clouds of dawn afar. Witnessing the miraculous things that transpired before him, he just realized that all his triumph, his dream of galloping on the Central Plains, were all in fact a trick — a trick of the Academy, and a trick of that person.

Several years ago, there was a peace talk between the Divine Halls of West-Hill and the Tang. The Golden Tribe was the biggest beneficiary from that negotiation. The annexation of Xiangwan Plains and the coercion to hand over their troops were like a leash around Tang’s neck, no matter how one looked at it. But now, it was apparent that the Tang had intentionally showed their weakness to bait the Royal Court into this risky campaign down south.

“Ning Que, Ning Que, Ning Que…” He silently repeated the name, again and again, each call seeped deep into his bones.

He did not understand. The Academy’s scheme was quite risky. If there were any miscalculations, the plain cavalry could just rush south and take over the Central Plains, so why did the Academy go with it anyway?

Other than ending the bloodline of the Golden Tribe, what else was worth such a risk for the Tang? When did the Academy turn so cold blooded? What type of deep vengeance did that Mr. Thirteen had with himself?

After contemplating silently for a long time, Chanyu’s emotions gradually calmed down.

He had the talent and ambitions. He was defeated by the Tang beyond Guhe, and he had even seen the actual scenery of the Abyss’s destruction. But as an extraordinary great man, how could he accept this willingly?

Regaining his composure, he decided to go for another adventure.

The Tang had set up a trap, and waited patiently for three years, taking a risk to complete an impossible feat. Since they could do it, why couldn’t he risk it too, why wouldn’t he succeed?

He believed that Tengri has not abandoned him yet.

Not long after, the most respected elders of the tribe, A Da, General Lebu, and the high priest, representing the national master, all came into his room. They stared at Chanyu’s silent back while he looked at the sand table.

Chanyu pointed at an inconspicuous city on the sand table and said calmly, “I know the Tang and the people of the tribe have thought that this war is over and that the battle on the other day was the decisive one. But I do not think so. This dusty city is underneath our feet, it is also the final battleground that I have chosen.”

No one understood what he meant. The Royal Court was far from a match of the Tang. Even if they wanted a decisive battle, how would the Tang allow them the chance? In other words, did the Royal Court even deserve this battle?

“The Tang… or should I say the Academy’s aim is to exterminate our tribe. They want to kill every single one of us. Our goal now is to escape their pursuit and return to our homeland.”