Chapter 628: Chapter 380: Six Different Blueprints_2
These days passed quickly, and now it looked like a military camp. The surrounding trees had disappeared, replaced by towering machines. Some of them were pulled in their original form by experts. Yan Xiaobao watched the army with satisfaction, noticing a few dots in the sky — tiny, fast-flying specks.
He fully understood that these were enemy scouts who had just appeared; Yan Xiaobao smirked and glanced at his army once more. "Right on time," he said with satisfaction, retrieving a drum from his storage stone and beginning to beat it rhythmically. The drumbeats reverberated across the now-empty plains, drawing the attention of many experts. They all looked around vigilantly with keen and wary gazes, spotting the dots in the sky. Some of them transformed into their original shapes, soaring high into the sky to confront the scouts, while the rest quickly gathered, forming ranks and standing before the machines. Their energy surged, for this was their first encounter with the human army.
"Hey, Zhen Junjie!" one of the scouts exclaimed, pointing a finger toward the dark cluster visible on the horizon. "Look at that—I think we’ve found the army!" he said. His heart raced as he cautiously scanned the area, remaining on high alert, fearing that flying beasts might suddenly appear behind them to set an ambush before they had time to react.
Another scout named Zhen Junjie was also surveying the distance. His brows furrowed upon spotting the towering structures behind the army. The sky-reaching buildings filled him with dread. Another thing he was particularly wary of was his bird.
Zhen Junjie and the other scouts rode magical beasts — creatures tamed long ago specifically for the use of the Imperial Army. But now, as they headed toward the beast tribe, who knew if these beasts might suddenly rebel?
"Let’s split up here," Zhen Junjie said, pointing to the cluster of beasts drawing closer and closer. "Let’s find out if we can survive this. You head back now. Tell them the beast tribe is approaching, and they have machines. I’ll see if I can gather a more detailed report," he continued. His companion, willing and decisively turning to leave, flew away, while Zhen Junjie’s eyes turned back ahead as he pressed onward toward the beasts before him.
"For the Empire!" He tightened his grip on the reins of the Flying Eagle he rode, nudging it gently to accelerate its speed. Approaching the army, he noticed several beasts suddenly rising into the sky. These beasts were clearly eagles and various predatory birds, all watching him and waiting for him to come within range, yet none moved forward to meet him.
Realizing this, Zhen Junjie decided not to advance further. Instead, he veered to the side, circling over them. As he discerned that, although this army was far smaller than theirs, every one of these beasts was at least King-level. They all seemed to be kings or higher, and he knew his army could not compare.
Zhen Junjie flew on the outskirts of the enemy’s army, his heart lodged in his throat as he constantly scanned his surroundings. He worried that he might overlook one bird that could suddenly appear behind him — sealing his fate and ensuring he would never return home to warn the Emperor.
While flying over the army, he saw astonishing war machines. Crossbow cannons, resembling their own machines, filled his view. However, many were designs he had never seen before. Just the sight of them was enough to intimidate him.
The spring visible at the corner of the army sent chills down his spine. The towers made him concern for his own walls — if they wielded fire, those catapults would be terrifying. Fearing he should not linger any longer, the scout urged his bird higher into the air, attempting to escape the territory now claimed by the beasts at maximum speed. As he prepared to leave, the sharp cries of birds echoed behind him, making his entire body numb with fright.
All of these experts were kings! He himself was merely a Master-level expert, not even a master nor a duke. How could he possibly survive an attack by so many kings?
Just as he resigned himself to his fate, he heard a piercing whistle. When he glanced down, his gaze fell upon the most beautiful man he had ever seen. That man held a drum in his hands, his hair white like freshly fallen snow, his eyes deep blue like the sea, and his skin pale like a delicate white orchid.
Etched into his heart was the image of this stunning young man standing amidst the beast tribe, his demeanor casual yet commanding. With a single whistle, the bloodthirsty and ferocious beasts halted their attack. A solitary whistle controlled countless King Ranking experts. Overwhelmed with fear, Zhen Junjie realized that one person—if they were even human—could command the entire beast tribe with just their voice. The thought alone plunged him into despair. These were no ordinary beasts; they built colossal war machines and displayed coordination that far exceeded expectations.
"Impossible... A person working with beasts as if it were natural," Zhen Junjie muttered, blaming himself for even considering such a notion. Collaboration between humans and beasts made no sense, yet he could not deny the reality before him. The beasts acted like disciplined soldiers, the war machines were unlike anything he had ever seen, and the beautiful human presence haunted his mind.
"Thinking about it won’t solve anything," he grumbled to himself as he pushed onward toward the camp with all his might. He had to warn the Emperor and the Great Marshal about this army. However, the farther he flew, the more his thoughts drifted back to the striking young man who commanded the beasts. What if he were their leader? Yet, he seemed anything but domineering. Could he merely be a war expert they had accepted into their ranks? Zhen Junjie became lost in his thoughts, so deeply that he failed to notice his companion—the one he had sent away—flying alongside him.
The companion glanced at Zhen Junjie but chose not to speak. Seeing the creased brows and intense focus in Zhen Junjie’s eyes, he understood that he had witnessed something truly shocking. Whatever he had seen had evidently been terrifying enough to leave Zhen Junjie deeply disturbed.
Silently, the two flew side by side for several days, eventually returning to their army. Only then did Zhen Junjie’s eyes brighten as he pushed his bird to its limits. He headed straight for the tent belonging to the Great Marshal.
The Imperial Army’s Great Marshal was the Emperor’s uncle. A seasoned warrior who had dedicated his life to the military, he was well-versed in the art of war and possessed unparalleled insight. Despite the Spanish Empire having never gone to war before the mountains divided the kingdom, the Great Marshal had read extensively about military strategy. As a young boy, he trained alongside soldiers, understanding early on the significance of being part of an army.
This Great Marshal resided in a tent at the army’s outskirts. If the beast tribe were to attack, he and his men would immediately retreat to the capital and take up defensive positions. However, in the absence of imminent danger, he had to oversee the various experts stationed outside the castle walls. Should these experts turn against them—whether due to misfortune or other reasons—they would pose a significant threat to the Empire. Fortunately, these experts were soldiers who achieved the highest honor during their service, sacrificing their lives for the Empire.
Most of the Empire’s most loyal soldiers had long since departed for different delegations of the Divine Domain. Others had succumbed to illness or old age, never having seen combat and thus never proving their worth. The new recruits were meticulously taught the intricacies of war, yet their knowledge was only theoretical. They all aspired to become exemplary soldiers who could fight for the Empire. These soldiers now stood on the brink of their first war, eager to prove that they indeed possessed what it took to serve their kingdom with distinction. All were prepared to risk their lives for the Empire.
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