usatvline Chapter 217 Gone
Chapter 217 Gone
"The Regent is here! The Regent is here..."
Fearful screams rose and fell, spreading rapidly like a tidal wave.
The soldiers of Bei Li, who had been arrogant, suddenly became listless, as if doused with a bucket of ice water.
Some experienced veterans, gazing at the imposing Southern Xia Black Armor Guards clad in heavy black armor, couldn't help but recall the brutal scenes from their clashes with the Regent a few years ago.
A chill seemed to shoot straight up from the soles of my feet, instantly spreading throughout my body.
The veterans were pale, their desire to retreat growing stronger, and even the hands holding their weapons began to tremble slightly.
Just then, a furious shout rang out: "What are you panicking about!"
The sound was like the roar of a lion, making everyone's eardrums ache.
Everyone turned around to look, and saw their ruler, Sima Yu, riding out from behind several soldiers and generals on horseback.
Sima Yu's face was terribly gloomy, and his cold gaze swept through the crowd like a venomous snake, as if searching for the trace of a specific person.
For a moment, the entire battlefield fell silent; everyone was terrified and dared not utter a sound.
However, in this tranquil atmosphere, where one could almost hear a heartbeat, time did not last long. A panicked, tearful voice suddenly shattered the silence: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, something terrible has happened..."
The sound grew clearer and clearer as it approached, and everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
A soldier with tattered armor and a terrified expression was stumbling towards them, waving his arms as he ran, as if trying to grasp at the last straw.
"What's going on? How can you be so flustered!"
Sima Yu, sitting on horseback, frowned unhappily, his sword-like eyebrows tightly knitted together, his eyes fixed intently on the disheveled soldier.
The soldier finally reached them and collapsed to his knees with a thud. Gasping for breath from running so fast, he stammered, "They're here! Lots of people! It looks like...yes, yes, yes..."
As he spoke, his body trembled uncontrollably, as if he had been terrified by some horrific sight.
Despite his fear, he forced himself to remain calm when he met his superior Ma Yu's cold and sinister eyes.
"What's going on?" Sima Yu urged impatiently.
"Nuguan Pass, it's gone..."
The soldier managed to utter those words with a trembling voice.
Although it was only four short words, it struck Sima Yu like a bolt from the blue, instantly freezing his expression.
For a moment, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned, and no one could believe what they were hearing.
"You audacious madman! How dare you spout such nonsense here!"
The commander standing next to Sima Yu was the first to recover. His eyes widened in anger, and he shouted, "Guards! Drag this enemy spy who is spreading heresy away and execute him!"
Before he finished speaking, several soldiers rushed out, swords in hand, and quickly approached the soldier.
"No, no, no, Commander An, spare me! Everything I've said is true, not a single word is false! The Southern Xia army is advancing towards us like a whirlwind..."
The soldier was so frightened that he turned pale and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy.
Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, he suddenly widened his eyes and looked into the distance in great fear.
Following his gaze, everyone saw a round thing rolling rapidly along the ground, leaving a trail of shocking bloodstains.
"Your Majesty, please do not listen to this man's nonsense! Nu Pass is strategically important and easy to defend, but difficult to attack. Southern Xia is already at its last gasp and simply does not have enough troops to attack our city gate!"
Commander An's gaze was firm, and he didn't even blink. His words were full of confidence.
Just then, a middle-aged man covered in blood rode slowly towards them on a fine horse.
The man was clad in armor, exuding an imposing aura; he was none other than the Protector-General of Bei Li.
"Commander An is absolutely right. The defenses of Nu Pass were meticulously planned and arranged by the strategist and General An. How could those extremely foolish Southern Xia people possibly break through them?"
The Protector-General shouted.
It should be noted that General An was a founding father of the Northern Li Kingdom, and his status was extremely prestigious. Back then, he even had the strength to rival the Regent!
However, before he could finish speaking, the Protector-General's brows suddenly furrowed tightly, as if he had thought of something extremely dangerous and terrifying.
But when he saw the panicked expressions on the faces of the Northern Li soldiers around him and the king's gloomy and uncertain face, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
"unless……"
After a long while, the Protector-General spoke again, but he only managed to utter two words before stopping.
Upon hearing this, Sima Yu, who was standing to the side, furrowed his brows even more, his anger barely contained, like a volcano about to erupt.
He bit his lip tightly, and veins bulged on his forehead, as if he wanted to vent all his anger and anxiety.
His next words were practically squeezed out from between his teeth: "Unless it's him..."
These few words, however, exploded in everyone's ears like a thunderclap, causing everyone present to feel a sudden sinking feeling in their hearts.
Just then, the rapid sound of horses' hooves shattered the suffocating silence.
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a soldier holding a red flag riding a fine horse, galloping towards them like lightning.
The soldier, his face filled with panic, shouted impatiently before his horse had even come to a complete stop, "Report!"
Sima Yu and the others were all shocked and hurriedly went to greet them.
The leading general asked anxiously, "What happened? Tell me quickly!"
The soldier, panting heavily, stammered, "Report! A troop of soldiers is approaching this way."
Upon hearing this, the faces of the commanders present turned deathly pale, and an ominous premonition welled up in their hearts.
However, under the terrified gazes of the surrounding soldiers, they had no choice but to feign composure and try to maintain their outward dignity.
"Can you tell whose men they are?"
One of the commanders asked, his voice trembling slightly.
The soldier who delivered the message swallowed hard, composed himself, and replied, "It seems so, like the Black Armor Guards under the Regent of Southern Xia."