Not long after the envoy of the Qin army arrived, Zhang Han personally left the city. Dressed in plain clothes and holding the tiger tally bestowed upon him by the Second Emperor of Qin, he entered the camp gate and, upon seeing Roy, knelt directly before the representatives of the other allied armies.
"Your guilty subject, Zhang Han, pays homage to the Overlord of Western Chu!"
Roy carefully observed this famous general of the late Qin dynasty. He appeared to be in his thirties, with a resolute and determined face. Had he not served under a ruler like the Second Emperor of Qin, his abilities could have very well crushed all the rebel forces of the late Qin era.
Alas, the Mandate of Heaven was no longer with Qin. Whether Zhang Han's submission was genuine or feigned no longer mattered at this point.
"Hahaha, rise quickly! How can there be any guilt when a general forsakes darkness for light?"
Roy descended the steps and personally helped Zhang Han to his feet.
Seeing Roy's "benevolence" and "forgiveness," Zhang Han immediately knelt again, tearfully denouncing the misdeeds of Zhao Gao and the Second Emperor of Qin. He called Zhao Gao a treacherous villain and the Second Emperor a tyrant for the ages, lamenting how he had been forced by them to endure countless hardships and live in misery. He claimed he had long wished to surrender but feared Roy would not accept him. His words were so moving that listeners would grieve and onlookers would weep.
Roy smiled outwardly but inwardly scoffed. These famous civil and military officials from history all seemed to be Oscar-worthy actors, capable of crying on demand. It was as if the inability to burst into tears on the spot was a sign of incompetence.
Despite his inner mockery, Roy put on a sorrowful expression, and the other representatives of the allied forces also wept in sympathy. For a moment, the entire Chu army camp was filled with melancholy.
After a while, Roy helped Zhang Han up again, and this time, the latter did not refuse.
"General Zhang brings 300,000 troops to surrender—this is a great merit. In my capacity as the Overlord of Western Chu and leader of the allied forces, I hereby confer upon you the title of King of Yong!"
"Thank you, Overlord!"
Zhang Han was overjoyed. He had expected to be granted only a marquis title, never imagining he would be made a king of a different surname.
"A few days ago, I received news from the Marquis of Wu'an in Guanzhong. She has already entered the region. King Yong, what do you think of the current situation in Guanzhong?"
Roy clasped his hands behind his back as he walked back up the steps and posed the question to Zhang Han.
After a brief moment of thought, Zhang Han replied, "...Guanzhong has long been devoid of military strength. I had previously heard rumors in the army that Zhao Gao and the Second Emperor were dead, but I initially thought it was propaganda spread by the Overlord. However, since the Marquis of Wu'an has indeed invaded Guanzhong, it is likely that the Second Emperor and Zhao Gao are truly dead. Now that Qin has fallen, there is no Great Qin left in this world."
As he finished speaking, Zhang Han sighed deeply. He reflected on how the First Emperor, with his extraordinary vision and prowess, had wielded his sword to command the clouds and brought all the feudal lords to their knees. Yet, not long after his death, the empire that was meant to last ten thousand generations had completely collapsed.
Great Qin had perished!
When these words left Zhang Han's lips, the representatives of the allied forces present all wore expressions of joy. Had they not risen in rebellion precisely to overthrow this tyrannical Qin? Now that Great Qin had fallen, they had fulfilled their historic mission.
But immediately afterward, unease crept into everyone's hearts. With the world now without a ruler, countless heroes would vie for supremacy. And among the feudal lords, the one most likely to become the sovereign of all under heaven—the next emperor—was none other than the Overlord of Western Chu standing before them!
For a moment, some stared intently at Roy, while others worried for their own lord. A mix of emotions filled the Chu army's tent, creating an indescribable tension.
"King Yong, I now entrust you with a mission."
Roy suddenly spoke up.
Zhang Han's spirits lifted. Knowing he wouldn't be trusted immediately after his surrender, he recognized this as his test.
He immediately prostrated himself and said, "...Speak, Overlord!"
"I now command you to lead the surrendered Qin army, conquer the Zhao territory, and kill the King of Zhao!"
As soon as these words fell, the tent became so silent one could hear a pin drop. Everyone wore expressions of shock. Roy's words were like revealing the dagger at the end of the map—having just helped the King of Zhao defeat the Qin army, he now ordered the Qin forces to turn around and destroy Zhao. His ruthlessness and ambition were laid bare in this moment of domineering authority.
Zhang Han took a deep breath, awed by Roy's words and presence. Kneeling on the ground with his head bowed and hands clasped, he replied, "...As you command!"
...
Several days later, in the capital of Zhao, the King of Zhao sat in his palace as the battle cries of the Qin army echoed outside. His eyes burned with rage, bloodshot and trembling as he gripped a dagger, shouting hoarsely, "...Xiang Ji!! I wish I could tear your flesh from your bones and drink your blood!!"
Had Roy been present, he might have retorted: Why curse Xiang Ji when this has nothing to do with Roy?
Not long ago, the King of Zhao had exhausted every effort to hold back the main Qin forces, all so the Chu army could defeat them and allow Zhao and Chu to form a pincer attack. It had been a resounding victory—100,000 Chu troops crushing the 400,000-strong Qin army, leading to the surrender of Qin's main forces and the fall of the Qin dynasty. It was a magnificent epic in the annals of history.
But before the King of Zhao could savor the fruits of victory, the Chu army joined forces with the surrendered Qin troops and swiftly conquered Zhao, now advancing to the gates of his palace.
"You treacherous, faithless villain!!"
No matter how raw his voice grew or how pitiful his cries, the King of Zhao knew his fate was sealed. Before the Qin and Chu armies could reach his throne, he plunged the dagger into his own neck, ending his life.
With Zhao destroyed, Fan Zeng soon delivered news that the barely surviving state of Qi had also fallen. Meanwhile, Liu Ji, advancing westward toward Guanzhong, had incidentally wiped out the Han state. Now, the entire northern region was left with only the territories of Yan and Liaodong. Though these lands correspond to modern-day Northeast China and the Beijing area, in this era, they were barren wilderness with sparse population and little wealth. Once the Central Plains and Guanzhong were secured, they could be conquered at any time.
Thus, after the fall of Qin, the situation across the land gradually clarified. Anyone with foresight could see that destiny favored Chu—the Overlord of Western Chu stood the greatest chance of becoming the new emperor and founding a new dynasty.
After destroying Zhao, Roy ordered the Chu and Qin armies to march toward Guanzhong, preparing to join forces with Liu Ji. But when the army reached Xin'an, he suddenly issued a shocking command that stunned the world.
Just as the legendary "God of Slaughter" Bai Qi had once buried alive the surrendered Zhao troops, this Overlord of Western Chu now ordered the massacre of all 300,000 surrendered Qin soldiers in Xin'an, ensuring these sons of Guanzhong would never return home.
In an instant, the world trembled in horror and despair at the cruelty and tyranny of the Overlord of Western Chu.
The name of the Overlord of Western Chu had already become synonymous with the Demon King.
But at this moment, Roy couldn't be bothered with the world's opinion of him. Riding his steed Wuzhui and accompanied by Yu Ji, he arrived at Qiaoshan Mountain—the site of the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum.
No matter how vast the world or how many heroes it held, none could compare to a single smile from the Beauty Yu!