Amid the towering peaks of Qiaoshan, an elderly figure emerged from the woods. His appearance was somewhat disheveled as he leaned against a tree trunk, patting his chest before glancing back the way he had come.
"...To think that after all these years, that fox is still there," he muttered. "Thankfully, for some reason, its power has greatly diminished. Otherwise, I'd have been walking straight to my doom."
In ancient times, Qiaoshan was the dwelling place of the Jiao clan and was called Jiaoshan. During the era of the Yellow Emperor, it was known as 'Xuanyuan Hill,' from which the emperor derived his name.
In the future, the Records of the Grand Historian would record: The Yellow Emperor passed away and was buried at Qiaoshan. Indeed, Qiaoshan was the site of the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor, a sacred place where emperors and luminaries of Chinese civilization paid homage to him.
The old man patted the object hidden in his robes and smiled. "...Good, good. Despite the twists and turns, I've finally obtained what I sought."
Then his gaze turned southeast, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"I foresaw the descent of an outsider—one I thought would distort human principles and create... opportunities. Yet this outsider's actions align perfectly with the natural order. It's rather unexpected."
"...Ah, well. Even I cannot discern this outsider's origins. I can only hope they don't interfere with the plan. If the mysteries fade completely, I'll truly be powerless."
After muttering to himself for a while, the old man once again confirmed his direction and headed towards the Qin palace in Xianyang.
...
Not long after Liu Ji left Pengcheng, Roy also began mobilizing his troops. Leading an army of seventy thousand, he marched northward toward the territory of Zhao.
Though he commanded two hundred thousand soldiers, the one hundred thousand troops he had absorbed after Xiang Liang's death were poorly trained and thus not trusted by Roy. Therefore, he chose to advance north with the army he had long cultivated in Pengcheng.
Having spent months in Pengcheng, Roy naturally had trusted lieutenants. He dispersed the remaining one hundred thousand troops under their command to defend the Chu territory and stabilize the rear. Despite possessing power beyond mortal comprehension—capable of destroying heaven and earth single-handedly—Roy adhered to conventional methods of conquest during this era of flourishing human order, ensuring no disruption to it.
Roy led the Chu army north and stationed them in Anyang for a brief rest. In the military camp, a pre-battle meeting was underway.
"Currently, the Qin army has the King of Zhao besieged in Julu. The two forces are locked in conflict. The Overlord should keep the army stationed here. If the Qin army defeats Zhao, they will be exhausted, and we can strike when they are weary. If the Qin army is defeated by Zhao, we can march westward directly and seize Guanzhong!"
In the camp, a strategist spoke eloquently, his face alight with excitement as he occasionally glanced at Roy, as if seeking recognition, hoping the Overlord of Western Chu would heed his plan and secure his own future.
Some Chu generals and former rebel leaders nodded in agreement, while others frowned in deep thought. Fan Zeng, after some consideration, shook his head slightly.
Since Xiang Liang's death, this seasoned strategist had become Roy's subordinate, assisting him in resolving many troubles. He had advised Roy to consider his reputation and avoid excessive tyranny, but Roy paid no heed, leaving Fan Zeng helpless.
Just as Fan Zeng was about to urge Roy to ignore the strategist's reckless words, Roy's expression turned icy as he rebuked the man, "...What a fool who only knows empty theories! The situation is already clear—the elite Qin army led by Zhang Han will surely defeat the King of Zhao. If Zhang Han secures Zhao's territory, even if the Qin troops are exhausted, their morale will soar. With Zhao's cities as their stronghold, the weary Qin army will have support. If we attack then, even if we win, it will be a pyrrhic victory!"
"...Moreover, the weather is bitterly cold, and yesterday's heavy rain has worsened conditions. Our army's provisions are already insufficient. If we don't seize the opportunity now to advance and plunder grain from Zhao and the Qin army, we won't need the Qin forces to attack us—we'll bring about our own destruction."
Though the strategist's plan seemed reasonable on the surface, it failed to account for the current circumstances and environment. His proposal was purely wishful thinking.
War is fundamentally about resources. After Xiang Liang's relentless campaigns and excessive militarization, the Chu treasury was already depleted, with no surplus provisions for the army. The Chu people were suffering, and further oppression would likely spark rebellion soon.
Thus, for Roy, the only option was to fight swiftly and sustain the war through conquest. Only by swiftly annihilating the Qin forces in Zhao and capturing Xingyang to seize Qin's granaries could the Chu army secure its rear and truly dominate the realm.
The strategist turned pale with fear under Roy's scolding. Roy's brutality was already well-known to the world. He had dared to execute King Huai of Chu right in front of the high-ranking officials of Chu and the leaders of the rebel army. Now, his reputation was such that it could silence a crying child at night. In the eyes of many, he had become a demon king who killed without blinking, drank blood, and ate human flesh.
Panicked, the strategist quickly knelt and pleaded, "...Spare me, Great King! Spare me!"
"Hmph! If I had listened to you, Chu would have perished. Take him out and give him thirty lashes. If he survives, let him go!"
"Yes!"
With a wave of Roy's hand, soldiers entered and dragged the strategist out.
The others in the military tent remained silent, trembling in fear. They sighed inwardly, thinking how stubborn and self-willed the Great King was. Who would dare to offer him advice now? If their suggestions didn't align with his thoughts, they would surely be punished.
At this moment, they thought of Duke Pei and suddenly felt that he was a man who humbly accepted counsel and was open-minded.
Roy, of course, knew what they were thinking, but this was also part of his plan—to make his name as the Overlord of Western Chu synonymous with that of a demon king during the late Qin period.
'This script feels so much like Code Geass...'
Roy, who had also watched many anime, silently complained to himself. Upon further reflection, wasn't Yu Ji just like C.C.?
Shaking his head to dismiss these irrelevant thoughts, Roy turned to Fan Zeng and said, "...Master Fan, I will assign you a force of several thousand soldiers. Go to Qi territory now."
Fan Zeng, who had just breathed a sigh of relief that Roy hadn't heeded the strategist's advice, was taken aback. "...What do you mean, Great King?"
"Go to Qi and find the King of Qi, who is barely clinging to life. Seize the opportunity..."
Roy didn't elaborate further, simply making a throat-slitting gesture.
Fan Zeng's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, followed by a flicker of joy. He finally understood Roy's plan. This was not about attacking Qin to save Zhao but about annihilating both the Qin army and Zhao. Moreover, since the Chu army was heading toward Zhao, Qi would inevitably let its guard down. Meanwhile, Roy would secretly send a force to Qi territory to completely wipe out the already devastated Qi, which had only a few cities left. It was a ruthless strategy.
But if Roy succeeded, the territories of Chu, Qi, Zhao, and Han from the Warring States period would all fall into his hands. The entire eastern region of China would no longer have any other feudal lords.
"Master Fan will go to Qi, while I will personally lead the main army across the river to Julu to crush the Qin forces!"
Roy stood up, his crimson cape fluttering behind him, and declared with great enthusiasm.