Chaotic World Book

This is Zhao Changhe's last madness in the capital.

...

In fact, the person most eager for the Northern Expedition was Zhao Changhe himself. He knew better than anyone that waiting for the recovery of Longevity Heavenly God to its peak would bring chain reactions. It wouldn't just mean a new strong enemy at the Imperial Realm Second Layer, but it would also rapidly solidify the divisions within the Hu people, making all aspects harder to deal with.

To put it bluntly, if the Hu God were at its full strength, causing slaughter through divine descent, the Great Han could fall apart within days. In the struggles of human tribes, no one would help you; in her eyes, Hu and Han certainly have no difference. If there's any favoritism, it would only be towards Zhao Changhe? Um... isn't that a bit too conceited.

Back on New Year's Eve, when Zhao Changhe just arrived in the capital, he told Tang Wanju, "Isn't our return meant to discuss military affairs?"

In fact, he wanted to set out on the same day he returned.

However, the military is not like the Worldly Society where one can just grab a sword and head out. The pace of human warfare couldn't match his; he could only wait until everything was ready and endure his inner anxiety, settling down to celebrate the new year.

In fact, the Hu people might not have wanted to delay either; it would've been best to head south two months earlier. At that time, the Great Han was at its weakest, short of soldiers, funds, and provisions, even lacking officials, in a state where it could collapse in a single battle. Unfortunately, the Hu people also had a pile of issues then; Longevity Heavenly God and Bo'e were seriously injured, and the Ba Tu Tribe was still in the Southern Desert, with the Northern Border covered in snow, ice forming everywhere, making warfare impossible due to both internal and external factors. Thus, they could only borrow a path from the Guanglong light cavalry, hoping to settle things in one battle, but it was thwarted.

By the time the Ba Tu issue was resolved, Bo'e and Longevity Heavenly God had recovered to some extent; looking south, the Great Han was visibly rapidly recovering as well. Where once Huangfu Shaozong had only over ten thousand elite troops, there were now over a hundred thousand ready to fight... although the armies and provisions were gathered from around the world, leaving the actual internal situation very empty, one could foresee the future where, given a few more years, the powerful military could make Tie Muer shiver.

Moreover, with Zhao Changhe's abnormal speed of rising in strength, after a few more months, would Longevity Heavenly God still be able to suppress him and his women? No one dared to guarantee it.

Tie Muer won't allow the Great Han to continue recovering; he also wants a decisive battle.

This is a battle that both sides desire.

On the twenty-second day of the first lunar month, the Great Han Empress Xia Chichi grandly inspected the troops at the battlefield.

"I know, there are quite a few voices within the court and society, saying that I and King Zhao are overindulging in warfare, unwilling to let the people rest. They say even in ancient times, Emperor Han Wu didn't insist on the Northern Expedition when so impoverished, and that taking a few more years to recuperate is rational. They call this rushing into things like Yuanjia, saying that the Hu people prefer us being so hastily northward-oriented."

"Indeed, these are the words of seasoned elders, very reasonable... However, times have changed, and past understanding can no longer apply in today's world."

"If normally people didn't have an intuitive feeling, then just twenty days ago, the Chaotic World List was a reminder from the Heavenly Dao. Now, with gods and demons in chaos, the battle situation is one of divine descent across thousands of miles, entirely different from the past. King Zhao's divine descent can vanquish Earth List entities, but if the Hu God comes south and Jiuyou looks east, would your heads still be intact in your sleep?"

"Do you expect King Zhao to sit in the capital like the former emperor, to protect you? Or do you pray to all the gods and Buddhas, hoping someone will protect you? Outside the capital, who will safeguard the empire and its people?"

"No gods or Buddhas can protect you. The Holy Sect from Emperor Ye downwards have incarnated into the mortal world to lead us in protecting ourselves. Protecting mountains and rivers is our duty, not of any gods or Buddhas! If speaking of gods and Buddhas, with Emperor Ye and the Four Symbols present, we are the gods and Buddhas!"

"Currently, we are weak; however, the Hu God is also wounded, the Divine Axe is absent, and there are internal conflicts between the Divine Hall and Golden Horde; aren't they also at their weakest?"

"King Zhao single-handedly moved through battles, stabilized Ba Shu, threw Central Pass into chaos, drove out Bodhisattva and slew the Tao Venerable, securing the west of Han Valley with no worries."

"As for the rest, isn't it what we ought to do?"

"We must seize this timely opportunity, harness the courage of the entire empire, deploy the army with axes and halberds, break through the Holy Mountain, level Hanhai, drag the Hu God down from Longevity Heaven, hang the head of the Han King at the city gates, and from then on, this Jiangshan will be secure for a thousand years because of this battle!"

"Now, with the Vermilion Bird Venerable from the Holy Sect as the commander of the army, leading a million troops, we strike directly at the Hu court. This battle will be victorious! I have arranged a triumphant feast in the capital, waiting for everyone's safe return!"

"Victory! Victory! Victory!" The cries of hundreds of thousands shook heaven and earth.

Zhao Changhe and Huangfu Qing stood beside Xia Chichi in full military attire, watching her impassioned speech with strange expressions, unsure whether there were more absurd points or more surprises in their hearts.

Because this kind of speech, even if asked to do it, they wouldn't be able to... Yet it indeed had some inciting power, stirring even their own blood, let alone the soldiers, each showed eyes full of battle intent.

Indeed, some roles require talent...

The army began to set off one after another, flags fluttering, heading north.

Xia Chichi stood before Zhao Changhe, gazing into his eyes for a long time before softly saying, "Saying victory, everyone hopes for victory. But everyone knows, on the battlefield, blades and swords have no eyes, who knows how many soldiers will meet the end... Even you and your master..."

She paused, taking a deep breath: "Even if defeated, as long as you live, we can maintain our defenses, however the situation won't become too dire. Don't get hot-headed and fight to the death with anyone, even if it means mutual destruction..."

In front of everyone, Zhao Changhe gently embraced her, kissing her forehead: "Your husband is hardy, not so easy to die."

"I don't need others' heads in my tent, only you."

Huangfu Qing stood by with his spear in hand, looking rather displeased as he watched the two. What about me? I'm his master and stepmother, couldn't you at least say a few words of concern? I am the commander...

...

This was the first formal expedition Zhao Changhe joined with the big army.

It was probably the only time for everyone involved—ten of thousands of soldiers going to war without conscripting civilians for logistics. On the surface, it looked just like a light cavalry advancing through enemy territory, living off the land on their journey north.

However, this unfamiliar sight is likely to lead the enemy into critically underestimating our capabilities.

Neither the time it took for our troops to prepare nor the speed of our march gave them any indication. The Han army was already advancing beyond the mountain passes, and within merely a few days had reached the heart of the Southern Desert, the former territory of the Ba Tu Tribe.

The tribes in the Southern Desert, having defected to rely on Tie Muer once the Ba Tu Tribe was driven away, were suddenly confronted by the presence of the Han army without any preparation. Not a single messenger managed to escape to report back, leaving Tie Muer oblivious to the massacre of entire tribes...

The most in humane aspect of this was that not one person from these tribes escaped to report back; Tie Muer did not even know that some tribes had been exterminated... The vast distance across the Northwest Desert and Gobi these past three days, left Ba Tu, eating dust, rejoicing at this cruel revenge.

Most appalling was that even the eagle, secretly hidden high in the sky, was not spared by Zhao Changhe's divine sense; even a bird was not passed over?

Inside the tent, Tie Muer sat in silence for a long time, slowly ordering: "Communicate with the tribes to act according to the plan."

"Yes."

"Now, with the elder Shi Jian of the Divine Brilliance Sect leading the forces into the Central Pass three days ago, not even daring to make a move..."

"Li Shentong..." Tie Muer remained in silence for a long time. To his horror, based on instinctual apprehension, he released eagles to survey the situation, only to discover the eagle was gone.

"Which was hidden thousands of feet high, and Zhao Changhe's divine sense could already reach this extent, not even sparing a bird?"

Tie Muer remained silent for a long while in the tent, then slowly said, "Relay the orders to the tribes to act according to the arrangements."

"Yes."

"And tell them that if Zhao comes west again, they should capture his daughter and make her a chamber pot!"

"They might really not dare to move..."

"Why?"

"Three days ago, the Divine Brilliance Sect elder Li Shentong led his people out of the mountains to march on Hanzhong."

"Li Shentong..." Tie Muer remained silent for a long time, then slowly said: "Send orders to all tribes to act as planned."

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PS: Tonight at midnight, the first card pool for Chaotic World Book goes live, seems it's been delayed a bit emmmm.