The protagonist committed numerous evil deeds.

Chapter 144 Half Moon (8)

"What? Isn't this just tricking us into going to our deaths?"

"I knew it wouldn't be that easy. If there really was such a formation, Yueban wouldn't be in the hands of demons now."

"Did you hear that, Feather Spirit Army! They didn't use us instead of them, so they were just trying to trick us into going to our deaths!"

"Does that mean the first two groups of people are all dead?!"

"Do you think the person who brought Chaoyan here is one of the Feather Spirit Army?"

The Feather Spirit Army soldier noticed that many people were staring at him with hostile eyes, and he couldn't help but take two steps back.

He was just following orders; who knew the actual plan was like this?

However, he didn't rush to leave; he wanted to see how this suicide squad would choose to proceed.

"If we go and die to defeat the Ghost King, what will the Feathered Spirit Army do? Who will be credited for this victory?"

"More than that, by then we'll all be gone. The truth will still depend on their words, and people will just criticize us for overestimating ourselves!"

"Shut up, everyone. Let's hear what General Pei has to say."

"Yes! Let's hear what General Pei has to say."

"General Pei, what exactly is going on?"

"General Pei, you need to give us an explanation."

The crowd began to stir and become dissatisfied, all staring intently at Pei Kuang, wanting an explanation.

Pei Kuang stared at Chao Yan for a long time before finally lowering his head, as if in resignation.

"Actually, I struggled for a long time about whether to say it or not, but in the end I decided not to say it. I can't let you die in despair."

Some people in the crowd were already crying.

Pei Kuang dismounted and took their military flag, all eyes fixed on him.

He then forcefully pointed at the crescent moon, specifically at the military flag planted on it.

"That's His Highness's promise to us! Our Northern Desert lies above Ghost Valley, Danli, and Yunzhong. Demons fleeing from Ghost Valley dare not go to Danli, so they rush to our thirteen tribes of Northern Desert! Now, many refugees in Northern Desert have starved to death!"

"The Moonlit Pass is located between Danli and Yunzhong, with the Northern Desert to the north and Langyang and the South China Sea to the south. If we are stationed here, it will be our escape route! Moreover, the Moonlit Pass is backed by Danli, which is home to the Liang family and Xie Wanzhou! Your Highness promised that once the demonic energy dissipates and spring arrives, our refugees from the Northern Desert can migrate here! And I promise that your families will be among the first to arrive!"

"Of course! If anyone is afraid and wants to give up, I will not blame them. They can lead their horses back to camp now, and I will tell each group of soldiers the truth afterwards."

At this moment, the fear in everyone's eyes as they looked at Yueban had lessened, replaced by longing.

Half-moon is quite a piece of fat meat.

"General! I am willing to die!"

"Me too!"

"We will not be deserters!"

Their voices grew louder and louder, and many of these soldiers had lost their families and were now all alone.

Pei Kuang's gaze swept across their faces one by one, and he suddenly felt regret.

He really shouldn't have doubted them.

Seventy thousand lives is the minimum. If ten thousand people die every day and the person who set up the formation fails to protect them, all of this will be in vain.

He was reluctant to send more people in.

So he had to make sure everything was just right, keeping them hanging on with the hope of survival, letting them get through another day, since they wouldn't be able to escape after that anyway.

"Everyone! I'm sorry, but if we meet again on the road to the underworld, I'll fight you all as you please."

Finally, he looked at Asagao.

This girl is already twenty-five, and she's still crying her eyes out.

He walked up to her, handed her a handkerchief, and said, "When you stormed into the camp and angrily berated His Highness, I noticed that you were quite eloquent. Today, I've discovered that you're not so bad-witted after all; you're no longer the little girl who only knew how to fight and kill."

Seeing that she wouldn't answer, Pei Kuang gently wiped away her tears, a rare occurrence for him.

"This time when we return to the northern desert, the task of comforting the families of the soldiers will be entrusted to you. I don't want to do this kind of thing again. I'm already thirty-two, and I can't let those old ladies embarrass me, otherwise..."

He remembered Chaoyan standing in front of him, shouting, "Our General Pei isn't good-looking to begin with, and you're slapping him in the face. What will he do if he can't find a wife in the future?"

"Go back and get some rest. You'll be among the last batch to enter the city."

General Pei Kuang stuffed the flag and handkerchief into her hand, then turned and left, mounting his horse.

"Lin Hu, you stay here and return to camp with General Chaoyan!"

His words left everyone bewildered. Had General Pei made a mistake? It should be Deputy General Chaoyan or General Chaoyan, not Grand General, since the Crown Prince hadn't appointed him.

Asagao looked up at him, gripping the flag tightly in her hand. What did he mean by that?

Pei Kuang glanced at her, then pulled the horse to the front.

Asagao's heart sank: "General, I'll do it..."

"Asagao! This is a military order!"

Pei Kuang roared, and Chao Yan stopped talking, simply listening quietly to him.

"We, the Iron Cavalry of the Northern Desert, have no deserters, and we are not inferior to cultivators! Who the hell says that only cultivators can kill demons! The vast majority of people living in this world are ordinary people like us. We don't care about the charity or protection of those cultivators. Saving people and killing demons, we'll do it ourselves!"

Clearly, besides demons and cultivators, there are many ordinary people like them who have nothing, so why is the world's prejudice directed at them?

It seems that if you don't have spiritual roots, you're either waiting to be rescued or waiting to die.

They joined the Northern Desert Cavalry because they were unwilling to accept their fate.

Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well take two demons with me before I die!

Everyone looked at Pei Kuang with admiration. Apart from the high and unattainable Crown Prince, this General Pei, who could kill countless demons even without spiritual roots, was the role model they mortals aspired to be.

Pei Kuang gripped the reins tightly as he spoke; their Northern Desert Cavalry desperately needed a major victory!

A true and inspiring victory that belongs to them, mortals, and depends on ordinary people like them who have no spiritual roots at all!

"Today, we, the useless fools others call good-for-nothings who only know how to throw our lives away, will show them that we can kill demons and win battles even without spiritual roots!"

"We want to prove to the world that mortals can also fight against demons!"

"We must set an example for millions of ordinary people in the future! When millions of ordinary people take up arms, demons will no longer dare to oppress us!"

After saying that, Pei Kuang rushed out!

"kill!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill..."

In a short while, all ten thousand soldiers also gave chase.

The Feather Spirit Army general who was responsible for bringing Chaoyan was lost in thought after watching the play when he saw all the horses rushing towards him. Before he could run, he was caught in the herd.

Every soldier from the northern desert who passed by him would tease him, hitting him with their swords, scaring him with their horses, and kicking him.

He only managed to get up in a disheveled state after everyone had run far away.

"Kill! Kill! Kill..."

"No, you!"

He spat out several mouthfuls of yellow earth, and was about to curse, but then he remembered that they were about to sacrifice themselves and forced himself to swallow it back.

He glanced back at Asagao and Lin Hu, who remained where they were, ruffled his messy hair, and then bowed to himself, saying, "General, this humble general will take his leave now."

Seeing that the two were still staring straight at the direction of the moon, he didn't care and quietly flew away.

"Lin Hu, do you think I can compare to the boss?"

Asagao's tone was downcast. Lin Hu shook his head and said regretfully, "Your clumsy tongue is no match for his ability to fool people. Look at how he got everyone all fired up with just a few words. Back in the Feather Spirit Army, I had already reached the fourth rank, and I was still tricked into coming here by him. To be honest, I thought he would be one of our underlings. Your brain is really worrying..."

"Hey! Second brother, do you even know how to comfort people?!"

"Comfort you? You should comfort me instead! I have to go next time. General, do a good job! I need to go pick up those brothers who fought the demon corpses in front of Moonlit City..."

Lin Hu flew forward, and Chao Yan mounted her horse, turned around, and rode back.

She also needs to reassure the troops; the entire camp is waiting for her to make arrangements.

*

"Drive! Drive! Drive..."

Pei Kuang watched the smoke rising from the chimneys in Yueban City, holding the reins in one hand and stroking his warhorse with the other.

He leaned down and whispered in the horse's ear, "This time we'll all have to stay here."