pappabearbooks Chapter 393 Qin Mu can actually grill fish?
Chapter 393 Qin Mu can actually grill fish?
The army finally set off early the next morning.
The sound of horns tore through the silence before dawn, and 50,000 elite troops marched in the morning light toward the Moon God Cult's headquarters!
Everything went as Han Zhong had predicted, and the Qin army advanced with unstoppable momentum.
The first pass was breached before noon, and the Moon Goddess cult members guarding the pass abandoned dozens of corpses and fled into the mountains in panic.
The second pass was also breached in the afternoon. Although rolling stones, logs, and hot oil caused some trouble for the attackers, the resistance was quickly wiped out by the iron hooves of the Qin elite troops.
Han Zhong rode his tall horse, gazing calmly at the approaching mountains ahead.
The army he led was the elite of the Qin Dynasty, battle-hardened and extremely powerful.
The hastily armed followers of the Moon Goddess Cult were no match for them.
But he knew in his heart that although these followers were weak in combat, they were extremely fanatical.
They are not afraid of death!
They are truly fearless!
Arrows pierced the chests of those in front, while those behind continued to charge forward, stepping over the corpses of their fallen comrades.
If the knife breaks, smash it with a stone; if you run out of stones, bite it with your teeth.
This reckless fighting style caused a lot of trouble for the army.
Moreover, the Moon Goddess Cult's headquarters was located in an excellent position, surrounded by mountains and with narrow passes, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Therefore, after the initial rapid advance, the subsequent battles slowed down somewhat.
Han Zhong reined in his horse, gazing at the mountain ridge shrouded in twilight ahead, without any impatience.
All of this was within his expectations.
He had already surveyed the terrain and mountains around the Moon Goddess Cult's headquarters, and knew when to let the army relax and when to advance.
He couldn't fight too fast, or it would arouse suspicion; nor could he fight too slowly, or he would lose the lives of his own brothers.
He planned to break through the first two lines of defense of the Moon Goddess Cult before the believers could gather in large numbers, and then stop after the five men "died" in battle.
As dusk fell, Han Zhong ordered his army to set up camp on the open ground outside the first line of defense of the Moon Goddess Sect.
One tent after another was set up, and smoke rose from between the tents, only to be dispersed by the evening breeze.
Patrolling soldiers carried lanterns and moved back and forth around the camp.
Han Zhong stood before the map, gazing at the mountain range marked with dense symbols, pondering each step to come.
He and Xu Longxiang have already made an agreement.
Once the first line of defense is breached, and the five high-ranking members of the Moon Goddess Cult prepared for the second line of defense are killed, then the operation can be stopped.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
War is about strategy.
Although he and Xu Longxiang had agreed, the battle was not something he could do alone.
The soldiers below were unaware of the situation; they only knew how to charge and fight desperately.
Every battle results in casualties.
He didn't want too many of his brothers to die, nor did he want the battle to be too fake.
Ending it too quickly would easily expose his and Xu Longxiang's scheme.
Therefore, it is better to proceed step by step and gradually advance the process.
Most importantly, he also needs to cooperate with Senior Liu Bai, who was sent by His Majesty, and at the most opportune moment, inform Xu Longxiang or personally rescue Xu Longxiang from danger.
This step is the most crucial.
It's extremely difficult.
He needs to plan this carefully.
The curtain was lifted.
His deputy, Zhou Cheng, walked in, his black iron armor covered in dust, and fine beads of sweat on his forehead.
He quickly walked to Han Zhong's side, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed.
"General."
Han Zhong raised his head and looked at him.
"Any new developments on Fan Li's side?"
Zhou Cheng shook his head.
"There are no new developments. We haven't received any news from Xu Longxiang either."
Han Zhong nodded and tapped the map lightly with his finger.
"What about Liu Bai?"
Zhou Cheng shook his head again.
"We haven't received any news yet."
Han Zhong frowned slightly, then relaxed.
They've only been separated for less than a day, so it's normal that they haven't heard from each other.
He lowered his head and continued looking at the map.
Zhou Cheng, however, did not leave.
He stood there, his lips moved, but he hesitated to speak.
Han Zhong noticed his unusual behavior and looked up at him.
"Is there anything else?"
Zhou Cheng stepped forward, his voice very low.
"General, there is another piece of news. The followers of the Moon Goddess Cult already know of our army's arrival. They are gathering in various cities, preparing to protect the Moon Goddess Cult's headquarters. According to scouts, they are already on their way, numbering in the tens of thousands."
Han Zhong's brows furrowed sharply, forming a deep "川" (river) shape between them!
His finger paused on the map, his gaze falling on the area marked with the cities, and he remained silent for a moment.
He had already guessed all of this.
Because the biggest threat to the Moon Goddess Cult is these believers and their followers.
This is also one of the important reasons why the imperial court wanted to eradicate the Moon Goddess Cult.
"This matter should not be underestimated! Although these people are ordinary citizens with weak fighting abilities, once they unite, they are a force to be reckoned with. They will cause us a great deal of trouble!"
Zhou Cheng nodded, his expression calm, even with a hint of excitement.
"General, this matter would indeed be very troublesome in a conventional battle. But for our current situation, it is an opportunity."
Han Zhong's eyes flickered slightly.
"Go on."
Zhou Cheng stepped forward, lowering his voice even further.
"Our original intention was not to completely eradicate the Moon Goddess Cult. We only needed to kill a few high-ranking members of the Moon Goddess Cult before we could retreat. But if we retreated carelessly, His Majesty might hold us accountable. But now, we have these incited people."
A glint of light flashed in his eyes.
"Once their momentum builds, we'll have another excuse to retreat. At that point, even if His Majesty is displeased, he won't blame us too much. After all, it's difficult to defy the wrath of the masses."
Han Zhong's eyes flickered twice, and he tapped his finger lightly on the table.
He thought for a moment and nodded.
"You're right, that makes sense."
Zhou Cheng smiled, a smile that carried a hint of relief.
"Therefore, we only need to break through the first two barriers of the Moon Goddess Cult before these people gather together, and then we can leave here before they are fully assembled."
Han Zhong nodded, his voice steady.
"Send out more scouts now, and make sure you get accurate information about these believers' whereabouts. Otherwise, we might be surrounded during the retreat!"
Zhou Cheng clasped his hands and bowed.
"Yes, General! I'll make the arrangements right away!"
He turned and strode out of the tent.
The curtain fell behind him with a soft "snap".
Han Zhong stood before the map, gazing at the tent flap that was still swaying slightly, his eyes flickering once more.
As things stand, everything that is happening is in their favor.
The gathering of believers gave them an excuse to retreat.
The moon goddess cooperated, giving them the opportunity to achieve merit.
Fan Li, while in the camp, gave them the ability to monitor Xu Longxiang's movements.
With Liu Bai by their side, they had the assurance to annihilate the powerful enemy.
Every step was planned, and every link was perfectly executed.
But for some reason, he still felt uneasy.
That unease was like a thorn stuck in his heart; it wasn't deep, but he couldn't get rid of it no matter what.
He carefully reviewed everything, from Xu Longxiang's nighttime visit to the military camp to the army's departure today, from the promise with the Moon Goddess to Liu Bai's arrival, scrutinizing every detail several times.
Nothing was missed.
There's nothing wrong with it.
He could only attribute it to...
He's just overthinking it all.
He sighed, turned around, walked back to the head of the table, and slowly sat down.
The candlelight burned quietly beside him, casting his long, solitary shadow on the tent wall.
He closed his eyes.
But in his mind, there was still that battlefield, those charging soldiers, Xu Longxiang's face, and Liu Bai's deep, unfathomable eyes.
He opened his eyes, picked up the cup of tea on the table that had gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp.
The tea was bitter, spreading from the tip of the tongue to the throat.
He put down his teacup, stood up, walked to the curtain, lifted a corner, and looked outside.
The night was deep, and the campfire in the camp had burned down to dark red embers.
Patrolling soldiers carried lanterns as they moved between the tents, their footsteps heavy and rhythmic, like a heartbeat.
In the distance, the dark mountains stood tall in the night sky, like a giant beast lying on the ground with its mouth open, waiting for them to walk in.
He lowered the tent flap, turned around, and walked back to the map.
His finger pointed to the location of the Moon Goddess Cult's headquarters, to the red line marking the secret passage, and to the city where believers gathered.
A bitter smile slowly crept onto his lips.
The arrow is on the string, and it must be released.
No matter what lies ahead, he has no choice but to keep going.
.......
at the same time,
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the treetops, casting shimmering gold fragments on the ground.
In the mountains and fields, a stream meanders through the rocks, its waters gurgling softly.
On the open ground by the stream, a bonfire was burning brightly, its orange flames licking the branches propped up on it.
Qin Mu sat on a flat rock, his moon-white robe casually draped over his body, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of his muscular forearm.
He had shed his disguise as Liu Bai and reverted to his handsome yet languid appearance.
He held a branch in his hand, with a cleaned fish skewered on it.
The fish was roasted to a golden brown, with a slightly charred and crispy skin. The oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, making a sizzling sound, and the aroma spread with the smoke.
A roasted chicken and a roasted rabbit were also roasted on the fire nearby.
The chicken skin was roasted to a deep brown color and glistened with oil. Several slits were cut into the rabbit meat, and the sauce seeped into the meat, sizzling and bubbling under the heat of the flames.
Roasted chicken, roasted rabbit, roasted fish—the aromas mingled together, mingling with the refreshing scent of the stream and the fragrance of the grass and trees, transforming this mountain wilderness into an open-air feast.
There was also a very luxurious carriage next to them.
From a distance, they don't look like they've come to fight at all.
It's clearly a young nobleman taking his female companions out for a picnic and spring outing!
The three women stood aside, watching Qin Mu skillfully flip the grill, their expressions varying.
Zhao Qingxue's eyes were filled with shock!
Frost Moon Sword leaned against a nearby rock, her arms crossed over her chest, her knuckles slightly clenched.
She never imagined that Qin Mu, a man of immense wealth and power, the emperor of a nation, who governs hundreds of millions of people, would actually personally grill meat!
What surprised her even more was that he was so skilled at baking, more skilled than any royal chef she had ever seen!
Yunluan's hand slipped from the sword hilt, and a rare look of astonishment appeared on her usually cold face.
She had followed Qin Mu for so many years and never knew that His Majesty had this skill!