Zhang Jiao let out a heavy sigh, feigning helplessness. "I have always trusted my brothers. He said he's already let the person go, so you can leave now, sir!"
Wang Yue snorted, "Do you truly take me, Wang Yue, for a fool? If the General refuses, I fear someone might already be impatient and intend to move against you rebels!"
"We are rebels?" Zhang Jiao scoffed. "A thousand miles of desolation has never been an empty promise. It is I, Zhang Jiao, who has allowed them to eat. What has the court done but incur further casualties?"
"I presume you would rather not associate with me. See him out!" Zhang Jiao stared coldly at Wang Yue and waved his hand, someone immediately moving to escort Wang Yue away.
"The General certainly has a silver tongue. Wang Yue was nearly swayed. Does the General not wish to know who will move against the Yellow Turban Army, and what this catastrophe entails?" Wang Yue chuckled softly. He already had news of Yuan Shu, so staying here was no longer of consequence.
Furthermore, it was Zhang Jiao who should be anxious now.
"General, do not wait until the Yellow Turbans are utterly annihilated to recall my words. By then, all will be lost."
Wang Yue spoke casually as he walked towards the exit, yet Zhang Jiao's heart trembled. He truly couldn't fathom who, besides the allied noble families, could possibly deal with the Yellow Turbans!
With this thought, Zhang Jiao could no longer afford to hesitate. He raised his hand and urgently called out, "Sir, wait a moment. Jiao is willing to ask for your guidance on this matter. Whatever you wish for, I am willing to give."
Wang Yue, whose steps were already slow, completely halted. He turned and leisurely extended a single finger.
"Ten thousand gold, or ten thousand soldiers, I agree to whatever you ask, sir!"
Zhang Jiao breathed a sigh of relief. Either of the two options would merely strain his finances slightly, not cripple him. He could still afford it.
"No, what I desire is a favor from the General. If the General agrees, I will certainly tell you the entire story."
Wang Yue spoke slowly, but Zhang Jiao stubbornly refused. That favor could be anything, and he wasn't sure how it would be repaid.
"Fifty thousand soldiers, or fifty thousand gold, no more." Zhang Jiao said with evident pain.
"Has the General decided? You would rather the Yellow Turbans suffer utter annihilation than grant a favor. These men have truly followed the wrong leader!" Wang Yue spoke coldly, leaving without hesitation. "Under the leadership of you brothers, the Yellow Turbans will eventually be destroyed."
A hushed silence fell around. Zhang Jiao hesitated repeatedly before finally agreeing. Wang Yue smiled and spoke leisurely.
"Has the General heard of the immortal Nanhua, Zuo Ci?"
"I know him. And what of it?" Zhang Jiao's gaze was dazed, he truly didn't wish to speak further with this Wang Yue.
"He has been familiar with me since childhood. I fear he has already reached Lord Lu Zhi. He will persuade Lu Zhi to wage war against Ye Feng, and this will be the reason for the Yellow Turbans' annihilation!" Wang Yue laughed heartily and swaggered away.
"A mere little push to the waves."
"Beneath a toppled nest, no egg remains intact!"
Wang Yue's wild laughter stabbed Zhang Jiao's heart like thorns.
The clown was himself all along.
Being bought and then counting the money.
"Someone, someone!" After several shouts, attendants emerged from both sides. Zhang Jiao took a deep breath and spoke coldly to two Yellow Turban leaders, "You two, each take twenty thousand men and ambush Wang Yue along the way."
"General, this..." the Yellow Turban leaders hesitated, "I fear we are no match for him!"
"If ten thousand men are not enough, then twenty thousand. I want to see how many he can kill!" Zhang Jiao gritted his teeth and spoke coldly.
Not everyone is Zhao Zilong, capable of fighting their way in and out seven times.
The Yellow Turban leaders thought it over. Since they weren't the ones charging into battle, there was no reason to refuse. They nodded, gathered their troops, and followed Wang Yue.
Wang Yue moved with extreme speed. Fortunately, these Yellow Turbans were also elites raised by Zhang Jiao, with two or three horses per man, allowing them to barely keep pace. As they reached a dense forest, Wang Yue suddenly sensed someone tracking him from behind.
"Who are these scurvy dogs, playing tricks from behind? Come out!" His sword moved slightly, and a Yellow Turban leader stepped forward.
"You only have yourself to blame for offending someone you shouldn't have. Attack!"
With a wave of his hand, five to six thousand men, each holding a shield and a long spear, surrounded Wang Yue.
"Kill him!" With a light wave, the Yellow Turbans on the periphery of Wang Yue's position surged forward. Wang Yue, facing this seemingly certain death, couldn't help but roar.
"I believe your ghost stories. What use is a position as Grand Commandant? My life is about to be lost here! I can barely save myself!"
The Yellow Turbans paid him no mind and charged straight ahead. This Wang Yue was indeed a talent. He leaped up, grabbed a spear, and his sword danced up and down, killing several of the inner Yellow Turbans.
"Who else dares to step forward and fight!" Wang Yue shouted, his movements unceasing. For a moment, no one dared to advance.
"Brothers, kill him! The General will surely reward you handsomely, promoting you to higher ranks. This is the moment." The Yellow Turban leader enticed them, and the Yellow Turbans, whose attack had slowed, charged forward as if injected with adrenaline.
Wang Yue, however, was running out of strength. Of course, the Yellow Turbans' lack of chivalry was also a factor.
Wang Yue, covered in blood, laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Today, having one thousand three hundred and twenty-four men accompany me to the grave is worth it!" As if using his last ounce of strength, he propped himself up with his sword and knelt on one knee. "I, Wang Yue, only seek death!"
"Such arrogance! You killed so many of my brothers and still wish for a quick death? You dream!"
The Yellow Turban leader mocked him coldly. Instantly, someone emerged with a lasso, encircling Wang Yue's four limbs and head, pulling it tight. "You want to die? Not so easily."
Wang Yue's face turned red, his limbs twisting. With a "pop~", they were straightened again.
"Today, even the King of Heaven himself couldn't save you. I never thought I, Zhang San, would see such a day."
"Brother, even if the Emperor himself came today, we would make him die here, wouldn't we?"
"As long as you and I are united, the King of Heaven himself couldn't save him!" The two Yellow Turban leaders laughed and pulled the rope from below.
"Whoever can save him, I'll kneel and call them grandpa." One Yellow Turban leader joked.
"Today is your day of death!"
Just as the two Yellow Turban leaders were about to exert force, a faint voice echoed from outside, "But I don't have a grandson like you."
"Who dares to meddle in our brothers' affairs?" The two Yellow Turban leaders roared, turning to look. A dashing young man, holding a Ba Wang halberd and riding a dark-curled horse, stared at them with clear eyes.
"What brash youth from whose family dares to meddle in my business? Scram!" The Yellow Turban leader waved his hand, intending to drive him away.
"Listen carefully, I am Ye Feng, enfeoffed by His Majesty as the King of Chu!" Ye Feng spun the Ba Wang halberd in his hand and dismounted.
"Impressive, but just a show. Today, I'll let you see my prowess, old man." One Yellow Turban leader roared fiercely, charging forward with a long spear. The other, wielding a ghost-head saber, blocked the Ba Wang halberd with his spear while the saber swung towards Ye Feng's face.
"Clang!" The ghost-head saber snapped in two. Seeing the Ba Wang halberd descending, the Yellow Turban leader quickly shouted.
"Watch the spear!"
The long spear spun and flew towards Ye Feng, who could only parry it. Seizing this opportunity, the Yellow Turban leader broke free and ran, while the other was still held by Ye Feng.
The Yellow Turban leader held in Ye Feng's grasp averted his eyes and stammered, "Don't, don't, kill me, I'll agree to anything."
"Who ordered you to kill him?" Ye Feng pointed his Ba Wang halberd at Wang Yue. The Yellow Turban leader's face changed, and just as he was about to speak, he saw the Yellow Turbans dealing with Wang Yue speeding up their attacks.
"No? Save me!" The Yellow Turban leader shouted with all his might. Ye Feng coldly taunted, "If he dies, you won't live either. Let him go, and I'll spare your life!"
"Is that true?"
"Not a word of a lie. Moreover, you have no other choice." Ye Feng's cold remark made the Yellow Turban leader's heart sink halfway. He could only speak, "Brother, quickly release Wang Yue. He... he is someone we cannot afford to offend."
"Bah! Isn't he just a brat? We killed Wang Yue, can't we deal with him? Besides, the merit we'd gain from killing him would be immense. Brother, rest assured, this time next year, I'll offer a cup of wine for you." The Yellow Turban leader's eyes gleamed with greed. "Brothers, attack."
"A dog can't change its ways!" Ye Feng raised his hand and threw the Yellow Turban leader away, knocking over several other Yellow Turbans.
"Brother, I told you he wouldn't attack you. Let our brothers attack and kill him." The Yellow Turban leader said coldly, and the remaining over ten thousand Yellow Turbans surged forward.
Ye Feng's Ba Wang halberd was wielded with great power, and coupled with the physical prowess of Xiang Yu, Yellow Turbans were sent flying continuously. Seeing the situation, the Yellow Turban leader had already lost the will to fight.
In an instant, the Yellow Turban army was reduced by half. The system's voice kept ringing in Ye Feng's mind. The Yellow Turban leader, disregarding everything else, shouted backwards, "Brother, we must leave quickly. We are no match for him."
"Yes, brother. Neither of us are his match. And earlier, you abandoned me alone." The leader spoke coldly.
As soon as the words left his mouth, one of them turned his head. In a flash of lightning, a dagger pierced the former's waist. "Brother, rest assured, this time next year, I will offer you two cups of wine."
"You!" Spitting out a mouthful of blood, the Yellow Turban leader fell from his horse. Ye Feng was busy collecting rewards when he heard someone shout, "The leader is dead! Surrender quickly, and you shall be spared!"
Ye Feng angrily turned towards the source of the sound, but it was too late. The person disappeared in a few strides. Despite Ye Feng's desire to pursue, the distance and the Yellow Turbans in between made it impossible.
Looking at the remaining Yellow Turban leaders, one was slapping his own face, tears streaming down. "Grandpa, I am a beast, I am not human. I shouldn't have done these things. Spare my life."
Seeing Ye Feng's indifferent reaction, the Yellow Turban leader immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing like pounding garlic. Blood streamed from his head.
"Since that is the case..." Ye Feng was about to speak when he heard, "It's a waste of food to keep these people. It's better to kill them all."