Chapter 1050: The Next Step

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The aged hands trembled, but as the initial surprise faded, Danqing Shen curled up his lips, "The enemy commander is Gu Yifan?"

"Yes, or better yet, Zhuo Fan, ha-ha-ha..." Leaning on his chair, Baili Jingwei sighed, his eyes flashing in excitement.

Danqing Shen sighed, "It's hard to believe he's still alive and now becoming our enemy. By the looks of it, Prime Minister, you seem quite happy to find out the same guy you were so insistent on killing last time is now very much alive and in charge of the alliance's military."

"Yeah, I wanted him gone then due to the danger he represented. But after seeing the war truly gone, I felt a sense of loss and regret. Such a good adversary was only met once yet I couldn't even have a true and honest match with him. It was a true shame. Then I found out he survived, and while resentful, the prominent emotion was joy. Now look how soon we are back to fighting each other, and this time we'll have a real match. With the Sword Star Empire against the four lands, besides the experts, are around equal in military might. It comes down to us and our tactics, ha-ha-ha..."

"Though it's clear by Prime Minister's deployment that you have the upper hand. To the point in only a couple steps you will be ready to strike. While he has many steps to compensate for to catch up to sir's deployment. The war looks settled since it started. He'll have a hard time turning it around with so little time at his disposal." Danqing Shen smiled.

Baili Jingwei smiled, "The world isn't fair. I may hold the advantage now, but we both have around the same assets, his almost equal to mine. It's all down to his skill to overcome the danger. Ha-ha-ha, Dragon Cleaving Sword King, who do you think will win this time?"

"Prime Minister, why even ask? Am I not leading the army against northern lands? Do I not want to win?" Danqing Shen's brow shook.

Baili Jingwei gave him a long look then burst out laughing, his eyes shining, "Dragon Cleaving Sword King, I just want to hear your take on it. Last time, the guy had made a truly devious escape from right before our eyes. It's a loss I will never soon forget. I just had him on the ropes, hanging by a thread, so how could I have let him escape?"

Baili Jingwei smiled at Danqing Shen, the latter feeling the cold within.

Baili Jingwei wasn't blaming anyone, but doubt sprouted as to Danqing Shen's role in Zhuo Fan's survival.

Danqing Shen's squinted, his mind processing, while Baili Jingwei was staring back with a cryptic smile.

"Report!"

A sudden shout broke the awkward mood as a soldier rushed in and on his knee. He held three jade slips, "Prime Minister, Sword King, the three lands' battlefields have sent jade slips. The eastern, western and southern armies are all withdrawing. They await Prime Minister's orders!"

Baili Jingwei never left his gaze off Danqing Shen as he chuckled, "The three lands move as one. Then that guy has made his move. Dragon Cleaving Sword King, what do you think of it?"

"Abandoning their borders means they've thrown away their defensive positions. Now we can go straight in and take the lands in one fell swoop!"

Pouring himself a drink, Danqing Shen spoke, "Only such a suicidal action defies logic. The lands' borders falling means the sects and clans are on their own, with nothing standing behind them to help hold their ground. Not even your average man would give such an idiotic decision, let alone that twisted punk. What I think is that a trick is at play here."

Baili Jingwei smiled a nod, "Yes, Dragon Cleaving Sword King is right. With his cunning, he'd never make such a rash decision. He must have a plan, or..."

Baili Jingwei's eyes shone with another possibility, "Give off the image that he has one?"

"What does that mean?"

"Blending reality with illusion is part of warfare."

Baili Jingwei explained, "The three lands' forces have no chance against ours, falling in a year at the latest. But he had given a radical order to disturb our morale, to raise our suspicion where there isn't any and force us to retreat out of caution. This would give them more time to prepare. This might be an empty city tactic."

Danqing Shen nodded, "By going straight in, even if it is the empty city tactic, we'll find out soon anyway. Leaving behind such a defensive position would only lead to a crushing defeat. He's risking too much with such a daring move. And if it's not the empty city tactic, hiding something else, we'll be in danger if we follow and might even suffer heavy losses."

"That's why we'll wait for his next step!"

"The next step?"

"Yes!"

Baili Jingwei smiled in confidence, "He wants to play games with me, but he must entice me first. A mere empty city tactic that might not even play as he wishes is bound to have a follow up. Watching his next move will let me know his intentions. If there's an ambush to it, he will try anything to make me take the bait..."

"Report!"

Another shout echoed and a guard barged in looking anxious, "Prime Minister, His Majesty sent word of an uprising in every domain in the central area. The city lords and the soldiers are having a hard time fighting back. He asks for swift reinforcements!"

"Central area is revolting?"

Danqing Shen cried out in shock, "How? We made sure every area in the central area was secured before marching. None would dare act out so why would they do it now? How is it so serious that not even the city lord's forces can cope?"

Baili Jingwei mulled it over and grinned, "I see it now, a parlor trick. Dragon Cleaving Sword King can't you see it?"

"See what?"

"His linked plans."

Baili Jingwei gave a knowing smile of confidence, "I now know why he used the empty city tactic. He first had them fall back to affect my mental state and hesitate on what to do. Then he had the alliance's spies hidden in the central area cause a disturbance so that I'll be forced to quell it. It would lead to a lower casualty rate on the lands and also strike back at us in this timely manner while we aren't ready. Through this chance, he can even have us surrounded, storming the central area. It will turn our hard plan of attacking them all useless by attacking us in the rear. With the morale in shambles, he will have an easy time turning it around!"

Danqing Shen nodded, "It does seem like it. Prime Minister's wisdom has no bounds. Then His Majesty's request..."

"Report to His Majesty to hold on. In a month I will take the three lands then quell the chaos." Baili Jingwei spoke with a grin.

The soldier bowed and rushed to convey the message.

Danqing Shen spoke, "Addressing it after the three lands won't..."

"Dragon Cleaving Sword King, just how much trouble could some random spies cause anyway? To even think about toppling the core of our Sword Star Empire, ha-ha-ha..."

Baili Jingwei didn't care at all, "It's all Zhuo Fan's tactic to split our forces, but I'm too smart to fall for it. Also, I'll be sure to make him suffer for using the empty city tactic on me. Tell the three Sword Kings to march into the three lands head on. I want them to take their bases within a month!"

"Yes, sir!"

A soldier outside replied and left. Baili Jingwei's eyes flashed with victory at Danqing Shen's pensive expression...

In the Main Hall of Sea Bright Sect, Zhuo Fan lounged in the main seat with unspeakable boredom. Around him were the same oldies frantic and distraught.

"Report!"

A disciple rushed to them and bowed. The others immediately asked, "What is it?"

"There's a report from the front. The central area's Sword Star Empire is under revolt, with the emperor asking Baili Jingwei for reinforcements!"

"What?"

They all stared agape then turned a bright face to Zhuo Fan, "Great, Sir Zhuo! Devil Mountain is incredible to even raise chaos in the central area's heart. Baili Jingwei will now have no choice but go back, ha-ha-ha..."

"But..."

The disciple continued with a pained look, "Scouts say Baili Jingwei isn't heeding the emperor's order, actually telling the other three Sword Kings to press on into the lands. Now the borders have fallen and the armies are advancing towards the lands' bases with nothing standing in their way."

[What?!]

Everyone shuddered, plunged into despair from their high...