226: Chapter 227 What makes Commander Wang capable?

On the other three chariots beside him, they were packed densely with priests from the Flower City army.

They were chanting incantations incessantly, continuously casting streaks of milky-white Healing Spell upon his body.

Upon discovering he had woken up, several priests nearby immediately let out surprised whispers: "He moved! Minister Lei has opened his eyes!!"

General Zhang Tie, who was shouting at the charioteer to control the horses, heard this and shuddered violently. He immediately turned his head in wild joy and shouted at Strategist Zhu Ge: "Strategist! The Minister is awake! The Minister is awake!!"

However, Strategist Zhu Ge, sitting in his wheelchair, seemed as if he had not heard these cries of joy at all.

He remained staring at the pitch-black marching road ahead.

His body trembled slightly on the violently bumping chariot, yet he did not even turn his head back once.

Lei Lie gasped weakly. Looking at that familiar and slightly thin back on the wheelchair, an indescribable sense of being moved welled up in his heart.

He tugged at his lips, which were as dry as stone, and said in a hoarse voice: "Strategist... your calculations are indeed miraculous... to think you could still find me..."

Hearing Lei Lie's voice, Strategist Zhu Ge finally closed his eyes slightly.

He still did not turn back, only saying in a slightly cold tone: "Do not speak."

"Save your last breath."

Lei Lie felt the domineering coldness inside his body that had already frozen most of his Meridians. He smiled with a sense of relief and self-mockery: "Strategist... it is useless, I know my own condition... however, Wang Shuai has already been killed by my own hands, I..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Strategist Zhu Ge suddenly turned his head and stared at Lei Lie. Those eyes, which were usually gentle and profound, were now full of solemnity: "I said, do not speak!"

Lei Lie was instantly stunned.

He had never seen this Strategist, who was usually gentle and refined, and even somewhat frail, show such an unquestionable expression.

After a brief moment of daze, he cracked a smile and closed his eyes again.

Meanwhile, the army, like silent lightning in the dark night, continued to race forward.

One hundred and twenty li away, at the Hongdao Array transfer node.

The Assault Battalion had successfully brought Lei Lie back.

However, it was merely bringing him back.

Because at this moment, Lei Lie's condition was still extremely difficult.

Inside the large tent where Lei Lie currently resided, dozens of elite priests took turns chanting to heal him, even exhausting all kinds of Spirit Medicine that could be mobilized with the army. Yet, the Dark Nether cold poison within Lei Lie showed no signs of being suppressed; instead, it had a trend of becoming increasingly severe.

"How is it?" Strategist Zhu Ge asked, staring intently at Lei Lie, who had fallen into a coma again.

"The situation is not optimistic..." The head of the priest group sighed and shook his head, "The foreign Spiritual Qi within Lei Lie originates from a Gold Rank existence, its status is higher than ours. Coupled with the fact that it has already devoured a large amount of Spiritual Qi, it is exceptionally strong at this moment, to the point where our poison-dispelling spells have absolutely no room to function."

"Now, continuing to use the Healing Spell can only delay time as much as possible..." Upon hearing this, Strategist Zhu Ge's expression turned cold.

The head of the priest group said to delay time as much as possible; the implication was already very clear.

But...

"You must hold onto Lei Lie's last breath!"

Strategist Zhu Ge said: "Just because we have no way, does not mean Zhou Yun does not!"

Saying this, he shouted in a low voice: "Where is General Zhang Tie?!"

General Zhang Tie, who had been guarding outside the tent, heard the call and immediately lifted the tent curtain and rushed in, kneeling on one knee: "This general is here!"

Strategist Zhu Ge raised his feather fan and pointed outside: "Pass on my military order! Postpone the next three batches of migrating civilians for the core channel!"

"Clear the core channel, you lead the team, take the entire priest group to follow Lei Lie, teleport immediately, straight to Flower City!"

"Understood!"

On the other side, in City Lord Xu Zhen's camp.

A Silver Rank general responsible for leading the army to pursue Lei Lie was kneeling on the ground, trembling with fear, his forehead pressed against the ground, his whole body shaking violently.

City Lord Xu Zhen stood with his back to him in front of the sand table, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping water.

"Before I departed, I instructed you, I want to see a person if alive, and a corpse if dead."

"And now?" He turned around slowly, his eyes devoid of any warmth: "Since you didn't even see a single bone, what face do you have to come back and see me?"

"This general... this general is incompetent!"

The general trembled all over, stammering: "But... but when this general led the troops to find the landing point of that assassin, there happened to be a flock... a flock of carrion crows leaving. So... so this general dares to guess..."

"Dare to guess?" City Lord Xu Zhen sneered and took over the conversation, "Guess what? Guess that the assassin took three of my Dark Nether Wind-Driving Palm, fell from a high altitude, suffered injury upon injury, and after falling into a near-death state... was eaten up by that flock of carrion crows?"

Hearing City Lord Xu Zhen's ice-cold tone, the silver-armored general was so scared that his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, his head banging loudly against the bluestone floor: "This general... this general is guilty! This general is incompetent! Please punish me, my Lord!!"

City Lord Xu Zhen did not look at him again.

He slowly paced to the window of the main tent, raised his head, looked at the night sky, and muttered to himself: "A Silver Rank, having taken three of my strikes and fallen from a high altitude, suffering injury upon injury, it is absolutely impossible for him to have escaped the search."

"But there were no bones at the scene, nor any traces of departure..."

"Then there is only one possibility."

His eyes narrowed slightly, "He was rescued by someone. And the person who rescued him has very high-level methods."

"Combined with the previous raid on Gu City, the Second Young Master did not receive any news before the troops arrived at the city walls..."

"Within this Flower City... it is highly likely that there exists a talent who possesses the ability to conceal tracks!"

Meanwhile, Flower City, a thousand miles away.

At this moment, Flower City was in the midst of unprecedented revelry and celebration.

Just an hour ago, the golden characters of the Heavenly Dao stretched across the nine heavens, and all the common people of the city witnessed with their own eyes the supreme auspicious signs of the Heavenly Dao as Flower City ascended to become a "Lower-Rank City," like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate.

At this time, inside and outside Flower City, lanterns were hung and colors decorated, bright as day.

The old city residents put on their most decent and festive clothes.

Everyone was beating gongs and drums, decorating the streets and alleys extensively, preparing to hold a celebration ceremony that could be recorded in the history of Flower City.

Among all the people in Flower City, Minister Wang Fugui of the Trade Department was the most active and enthusiastic.

After all, the current Flower City was now a Lower-Rank City!

The Spiritual Qi within the entire territory had surged!

A surge in Spiritual Qi would inevitably lead to agricultural prosperity and the flourishing of talent... thereby driving further prosperity in commerce!

How could this not make him happy?

And those million Yellow Turbans refugees who had just joined, as well as the large number of new residents who had just migrated from the Ten Cities, looking at the prosperous Flower City before them, with singing and dancing, hot porridge provided, and orderly conduct, were even more flattered.

"I... I actually... became a citizen of a Lower-Rank City?"

A Yellow Turbans man with a weathered face held hot porridge, his eyes turning red as he looked at the celebrating crowd on the street, muttering to himself: "How does it feel... like during the day I was still in Hell... and at night, I arrived in Heaven?"

Happiness came too fast, too suddenly, causing the sense of belonging of the million new residents toward Flower City, and also toward that Duke of Flower City, to soar straight up.

On the highest terrace of the City Lord's Mansion.

Xia Nuannuan was accompanying Zhou Yun.

She looked at the bustling streets below, with cheers rising one after another, and two pretty dimples appeared on her fair face.

She tilted her head and suggested softly: "City Lord, it is very lively outside. Why doesn't Nuan Nuan accompany you to go out for a walk and take a look?"

Hearing Xia Nuannuan's suggestion, a gentle smile appeared on Zhou Yun's face, "In this conquest of the Ten Cities, Lei Lie and Strategist Zhu Ge have made great contributions. If not for them fighting on the front lines, how could there be the magnificent occasion of Flower City's promotion today? So... let's wait for them to come back first."

Just when the atmosphere in the city was fiery and the singing and laughter echoed through the night sky...

"Hum—!!"

The Hongdao Array transfer node located at the very core of the South Gate Square fluctuated again.

A Flower City officer responsible for guarding the Formation was accustomed to this and immediately ordered: "Quick, another batch of new residents has arrived! Follow me to welcome them!"

However, the moment the teleportation light curtain completely dissipated, the guarding officer was stunned.

Because appearing in the very center of the Teleportation Array were not migrating civilians with their families, but a large group of Flower City priests dressed in standard flowing cloud armor!

And in the center of that group of priests, General Zhang Tie, with red eyes, was trembling as he pushed a wooden cart.

The man lying on the wooden cart had his tattered armor covered with black ice and cracks, and black, rotten blood smeared all over his body. If it were not for his chest still rising and falling in an extremely weak amplitude, he would be no different from a corpse!

"Minister... Lei Lie?!"

After a brief identification, the guarding officer's legs went soft, and his voice went out of shape!

"Lei Lie is seriously injured!! Come quickly!! Lei Lie is seriously injured and dying!! Save him quickly!!"

This scream, like a thunderbolt, exploded loudly in the bustling and noisy South Gate Square of Flower City!

The atmosphere, which was originally singing and dancing, suddenly changed.

Some people subconsciously rushed forward, but were blocked by Flower City soldiers and priests guarding outside the node.

More people froze in place, their smiles not yet withdrawn, but their eyes had already changed.

"What?! Lei Lie is seriously injured?"

"Lei Lie is seriously injured?"

"Impossible! Lei Lie is a Silver Rank powerhouse, who could injure him?!"

Zhou Yun, who was on the high platform of the City Lord's Mansion, immediately rushed there after hearing the commotion from the South Gate.

The crowd at the South Gate saw Zhou Yun's figure and immediately parted like a tide.

And when Zhou Yun saw the miserable state of Lei Lie on the stretcher, he only felt his heart being suddenly gripped by an invisible big hand, almost unable to breathe!

"What happened?" He asked with difficulty: "What, happened?!"

"City Lord!" General Zhang Tie knelt on one knee with a thud, sorrowfully saying: "After Lei Lie and Strategist Zhu Ge took the Ten Cities, they raided Wang Shuai's lair, Gu City, but Wang Shuai escaped through a space teleportation stone."

"Lei Lie and Strategist Zhu Ge obtained intelligence from interrogation, knowing that Wang Shuai would lead the Wang Group's army to return in a few days. Therefore, Strategist Zhu Ge made a decisive decision and ordered the entire army to evacuate urgently with the Ten Cities' residents."

"However... Lei Lie determined that Wang Shuai is Zhou Yun's greatest threat, repeatedly acting as an enemy to Zhou Yun. If not eliminated for one day, Zhou Yun will not have peace for one day, and Flower City will not be at ease for one day!"

"Therefore, Lei Lie hid it from Strategist Zhu Ge... alone, he set an ambush on the only path where Wang Shuai's army would return!!"

"Although the ambush was successful, Lei Lie was also severely injured by a Gold Rank powerhouse of the Wang Group... now, he only has one breath left!!"

As the voice fell, the atmosphere suddenly froze.

On the South Gate Square, the new and old residents and the former Yellow Turbans troops, who were just singing and laughing, felt a tightness in their chests after hearing these few words from General Zhang Tie.

A Gold Rank powerhouse.

Lei Lie actually went to carry out a beheading mission with his own strength, and was subsequently severely injured by a Gold Rank powerhouse!! This was fighting with his life!!

They were in Flower City and did not know what exactly happened on the front lines. They only knew that they had achieved victory and captured the Ten Cities, but they did not expect...

That even the Minister of the Military Department was experiencing such danger!! And they were only focused on celebrating the promotion of Flower City...

And Zhou Yun took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

Although General Zhang Tie's report was only a few words, in his mind, it was as if he had seen one real scene after another—

That was Lei Lie's determination when deciding to carry out the beheading mission alone.

It was Lei Lie's heroism in taking Wang Shuai's head from among ten thousand armies.

It was the danger Lei Lie faced when surrounded by enemy elites.

It was the despair Lei Lie faced when escaping with difficulty, only to be chased by a Gold Rank powerhouse!!

It was even more the pain Lei Lie was currently struggling with on the line of life and death!!

Thinking this way, tears unknowingly climbed to the corners of his eyes.

His voice also trembled with choked sobs,

"What capability does Wang Shuai have?"

"To break one of my great generals?!!"

Zhou Yun's low, hoarse questioning slowly drifted in the night sky, but every word was like a heavy boulder, sinking deeply into the hearts of everyone present.

Most of them felt extremely unfamiliar with the name "Wang Shuai," but this did not prevent them from feeling this City Lord's high regard and heartache for Lei Lie from Zhou Yun's slightly choked and trembling voice.

In the crowd, several elderly Yellow Turbans troops unconsciously clenched their calloused hands.

In the cities they had stayed in before, the big figures were high and mighty, and soldiers and generals were nothing more than grass and chips that could be consumed at any time.

When had any City Lord ever been so out of control because of a general's dying state, and had their eyes turn red in public at a time when the whole city was celebrating?

However, after only a moment, Zhou Yun, sensing the change in atmosphere, slightly curled his lowered fingers, quickly pressing down that fine trembling.

He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, the sadness in his eyes had been completely reined in, leaving only calmness and reason.

"Priest Leader Ye Songlin!"

Hearing the City Lord call his name, the head of the priest group, who was standing beside the wooden cart with an anxious expression, quickly stepped forward, bowed, and cupped his hands: "This subordinate is here!"

"Immediately summon all registered priests in the city, regardless of rank, and have them all assemble at the medical tent!"

Saying this, Zhou Yun flicked his sleeves and turned around, his steps without any hesitation.

While walking quickly towards the City Lord's Mansion, he continued to order: "Order Pharmacist Jiang and his Medical Clinic Disciples to also join the priest group for a consultation!"