Chapter 76: The Unexpected Predator

"Where is Long Cheng'en? I wish... to see him."

When Shangguan Wei saw Shadow Phoenix, he knew he was utterly defeated. The Empress herself had appeared in Fishing Fortress—Murong Xiao was certainly dead. And it was all because Long Chen saw through Shangguan Wei's scheme. Unwilling to accept his fate, he longed to ask Long Chen face-to-face how he had discovered the flaw.

Di Luoxi stared at Shangguan Wei for a long, silent moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Haven't you realized Long Cheng'en isn't here?"

Shangguan Wei was baffled and retorted, "Wasn't the one wearing the ghost mask just now Long Cheng'en?"

That ghost mask originally belonged to Shangguan Li but later fell into Long Chen's hands. Shangguan Wei recognized it and was certain the masked man was Long Chen.

"Zhang Qian, bring Long Cheng'en forth to meet the old General Shangguan," Di Luoxi laughed heartily.

Li Xiannian, Xuan Yi, and Qingyue all wore cold, mocking smiles.

From the crowd, Zhang Qian led out a man masked in ghostly guise. His attire and build were nearly identical to Long Chen's.

"Remove the mask," Di Luoxi commanded. The man took it off, revealing a face entirely unlike Long Chen's.

"An imposter?" Shangguan Wei stared in shock.

"Why?" he muttered, unable to comprehend the need for disguise. Was Long Chen afraid to face Shangguan Wei? Or did he seek to ambush him during battle? Now the fighting was over; there was no need for trickery.

"Long Cheng'en, come out! Hiding like a coward—what kind of hero is that!" Shangguan Wei raved, wildly brandishing his halberd.

Zhang Qian laughed. "Long Cheng'en isn't a hero; he's a eunuch."

Shangguan Wei cursed loudly, "Make him come out and face me!"

Di Luoxi watched Shangguan Wei's madness, lips curled in a cold sneer. "Shangguan Wei, after decades of war, can you not see through this?"

His eyes bloodshot, Shangguan Wei's halberd trembled in his grasp. He had already guessed the truth when he saw the imposter's face wasn't Long Chen's. Long Chen wasn't here—nor in Fishing Fortress. He was in Quarry City!

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. You see me as the cicada, never realizing you are the mantis."

"Long Cheng'en anticipated Murong Xiao would throw all his forces at Fishing Fortress, leaving Quarry City defenseless, guarded only by your precious son and wounded soldiers."

"He's already led ten thousand troops to the city by stealth. By now... you have lost your legacy!"

Di Luoxi laughed wildly.

When Long Chen decided to send a message to the capital for reinforcements, he set his sights on seizing Quarry City. Di Luoxi fought Shangguan Wei to the death at Riverside City, the Empress killed Murong Xiao at Fishing Fortress, and Long Chen led his troops behind enemy lines to seize Quarry City. The hardest part was Di Luoxi's defense—a brutal, bloody battle.

Long Chen had warned Xuan Yi and Qingyue in advance that Shangguan Liang had a fatal weakness and devised a plan for them. Killing one would allow them to kill all four retainers and then help Di Luoxi hold back Shangguan Wei. Once the Empress slew Murong Xiao, Shangguan Wei's fate was sealed.

Thus, with this strategy, two southern Liang generals would die, Quarry City would fall, and it would be a triple victory.

Shangguan Wei stood atop the walls, his halberd quivering, vitality draining from his face as if he had suddenly aged.

"What a calculation..." he sighed.

Shadow Phoenix dismounted and said coldly, "Shangguan Wei, surrender."

Li Xiannian laughed. "The Empress is here—if you won't yield, old thief, then kill yourself."

Before the Emperor, what was Shangguan Wei worth?

On the battlements and beyond, bodies were piled high. Southern Liang's soldiers continued their assault, unaware they had already lost. The war drums still sounded, though now muffled and weary.

Shangguan Wei looked down at the mountain of corpses below and suddenly roared, "You shall be buried with me!"

His halberd surged upward, slashing straight for Di Luoxi's head.

The sudden attack startled everyone. Li Xiannian raised his hammer to block, Zhang Qian's spear intercepted the blow, and Shadow Phoenix's hand produced a claw-like iron hook.

But the halberd did not strike. Shangguan Wei merely feinted, then turned and leaped from the wall, retreating with his army.

With the commander fleeing, Southern Liang's troops collapsed, abandoning siege towers and vehicles, fleeing south on horseback and on foot.

Shangguan Wei rallied a handful of officers and raced toward Quarry City.

"This is bad! That old thief will risk everything to retake Quarry City. Everyone, follow me—support Long Cheng'en!" Di Luoxi saw Shangguan Wei's intentions clearly.

Long Chen had only ten thousand men, and his prowess was less than Shangguan Wei's. Now Shangguan Wei was like a mad dog, ready to fight to the death.

Shadow Phoenix frowned. "The Sacred Mountain remains at Fishing Fortress—I cannot leave..."

Di Luoxi paid no heed. "Help me defend this place; I will go myself."

She quickly led her cavalry ahead, with Li Xiannian and Zhang Qian each commanding troops in pursuit. Xuan Yi and Qingyue, exhausted, could only rest atop the walls.

Shangguan Wei fled toward Quarry City, Di Luoxi chasing close behind, slaughtering thousands of retreating soldiers along the way. Corpses littered the countryside.

Quarry City.

Clad in armor, Long Chen stood atop the north gate's battlements, now master of the city.

A few hours earlier, Long Chen had led a hundred men disguised in Southern Liang uniforms and banners, tricking the defenders into opening the gates.

As a Southern Liang general, Long Chen was intimately familiar with their codes and signals. The banners and armor of the Tianwei Legion were easy to acquire—after last night's raid, they cleaned some of the spoils.

Once inside, Long Chen immediately slaughtered the gate guards and commanded his army to enter.

Shangguan Xiu was resting and recovering in the official residence, but upon hearing the commotion, he rushed out with a broadsword, only to encounter Long Chen.

Shangguan Xiu, once at the early Martial Sovereign stage, had been nearly crippled by Li Xiannian's hammer. With a single blow, Long Chen ended him.

After slaying Shangguan Xiu and the city's governor, Long Chen's ten thousand troops occupied Quarry City.

He waited atop the wall for Di Luoxi's reinforcements.

With Quarry City secured, Riverside City would no longer stand alone in the south, allowing for true mutual support.

After a long wait, he saw a dozen Southern Liang generals galloping toward him.

"Shangguan Wei?" Long Chen was surprised to see the leader was Shangguan Wei himself.

"He's not dead?"

By Long Chen's plan, the Empress would first kill Murong Xiao and then Shangguan Wei. What had happened?

"Prepare to defend!"

No time to wonder, Long Chen immediately arranged his forces. Though the attackers were few, Shangguan Wei led them. Even after a day of killing, he was a Martial Sovereign; Long Chen dared not be complacent.

A starved camel is still larger than a horse, and Shangguan Wei was now a madman, his fighting spirit at its peak.

Not far behind him, Di Luoxi and Li Xiannian pursued with their armies.

"The Princess is here!"

The soldiers atop the wall were startled at Shangguan Wei's arrival, but seeing Di Luoxi behind him, their fear vanished.

Clearly, Shangguan Wei was being hunted.

But Long Chen saw it differently. If Shangguan Wei were merely fleeing, he would not come straight for Quarry City.

So his true purpose was...