Chapter 89: Soldier Against Soldier

Duke Gale, wrapped in a plain robe with a headscarf like many of the Sand People, bore signs of wear and tear on the edges of his robe. A curved sword hung at his waist, its scabbard worn smooth by time, clearly having weathered many years.

If not for his dramatic entrance and the overwhelming pressure that suffused the entire area, no one would have guessed that this old man, appearing no different from an ordinary nomadic hunter, was the renowned Duke Gale who had made his name across the continent.

The duke took slow, deliberate steps toward Qian Ye. Qian Ye remained motionless, silently watching him approach to within a hundred meters—safe distance for a general-tier warrior. He then moved closer to thirty meters, the striking range for most warriors, until the duke finally stopped, standing before Qian Ye, close enough to touch.

The duke’s fingers, with their unusually large knuckles, twitched slightly, and the curved sword at his waist responded with a sharp, whistling sound.

At this distance, any burst of primordial force could injure his opponent. From his title alone, it was clear that Duke Gale excelled in speed and explosive power. At such close quarters, victory or defeat hung in the balance.

Qian Ye didn’t even bat an eyelash as he said, “Your men crossed the line, and they must pay the price.”

“Boy, there are no lines here. Where my warriors are, that is the line.”

“If you put it that way, your line just retreated a few hundred meters.”

A glint flashed in Duke Gale’s eyes as he said gravely, “You’re provoking me, boy! Are you declaring war on me?”

“War is inevitable, but after meeting you, I think we can discuss the terms of engagement.”

“How do you propose we fight?”

“Let our subordinates fight, and neither of us will interfere,” Qian Ye suggested.

Duke Gale burst into laughter. “Do you really think you are my match? Why should I listen to such a foolish suggestion?”

Qian Ye smiled slightly. “Duke Bone thought the same way, and now he’s dead.”

“Hmph! That incompetent and mad Bone cannot be compared to me. You don’t really think defeating Bone means you can defeat—wait, what?”

Duke Gale’s face suddenly changed, and in a single step, he retreated over a hundred meters, moving almost as swiftly as Qian Ye’s void blink. In that instant, the blood essence in Qian Ye’s chest surged, forming a crimson moon. The sudden surge in aura made Duke Gale instinctively retreat.

“Vice-Duke!” Duke Gale’s voice wavered.

“Just a little more, but just a little.”

Duke Gale narrowed his eyes. “So, you killed Bone while still a Marquis of Honor.”

“At the time, it was a stroke of luck, but now, my strength has grown, and killing him again would be much easier.”

“Bone is Bone, and I am I.”

“I’m not alone; I have it.” Qian Ye pointed to the floating Ancestor Temple in the air.

Duke Gale’s pupils constricted, and he sniffed the air around the temple. His face darkened. “Still alive?”

“Only a trace of will. If you’re interested, would you like to come in and see?”

“That’s impossible.”

“I thought the duke would come uninvited.”

Qian Ye’s words carried a deeper meaning, and Duke Gale understood. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I still have the upper hand.”

“Add it, and you can’t stop me. I can raze all the cities in your territory, and you can’t stop anything I do. But remember, I wasn’t here originally.”

Duke Gale’s eyes flickered. Qian Ye’s words hit a sore spot. The duke knew that even though Qian Ye now had a powerful army and vast territory, he was an outsider, with his roots and core forces not entirely here.

This meant that if both sides engaged in a no-holds-barred battle, Duke Gale would lose all his core interests, while Qian Ye’s losses could be replenished. Unless, of course, Duke Gale crossed the continent to find trouble in the neutral lands.

Duke Gale said slowly, “If neither you nor your flagship participate, I won’t either.”

“On my ancestor’s spirit, I swear?”

“On my ancestor’s spirit, I swear.”

After exchanging oaths, Duke Gale took a step back and transformed into a whirlwind, disappearing in an instant.

The wolf army below was left in confusion, looking to their superiors for orders to attack or retreat. With the central command and several chieftains wiped out by Qian Ye, dozens of leaders of equal rank remained, unsure of whom to follow. Even the strong ones among them were uncertain who should take the lead.

Qian Ye, somewhat surprised, observed the battlefield, which offered an unexpected advantage. He had assumed that the tactical discipline of Duke Gale’s tribesmen would be better than Bone’s, but their command structure was still far inferior to the Qin Empire.

With this unexpected turn, the allied forces had already set up defensive positions, using mobile armor plates to form a small steel fortress.

Those dispatched to the continent were either elite or rebellious, and even the rebels were a kind of elite. With a defensible position and ample ammunition, they would not fear a horde of primitive wolves, even if outnumbered several times.

Moreover, after seeing Qian Ye force Duke Gale to retreat, everyone was boiling with enthusiasm, eager for a good fight.

Of course, even in their fervor, they weren’t foolish enough to abandon their fortifications and charge the wolves. The Wind Wolves were not the primitive tribes Qian Ye had conquered before; they were armored.

After the chaos, the wolf army finally reorganized. Several wolf leaders appeared, taking over command. They were Duke Gale’s trusted lieutenants, compelled to take control as the army struggled to coordinate.

Despite Qian Ye and the Ancestor Temple’s onslaught, the wolves still numbered over a hundred thousand. The allied private army, along with the thousands of wolves Qian Ye sent, totaled just over twenty thousand. The five-to-one advantage made it hard for the wolves to give up.

After regrouping, the wolf ranks sounded long, mournful horns, and waves of warriors advanced, pressing toward the allied defenses.

The battle erupted.

The Wind Wolves unleashed their full fury, surging like a tide against the fortress, while the defenders fought back desperately. But they found, to their despair, that the wolves were too numerous, too many to kill even at maximum speed. After several waves, many wolves breached the defenses and stormed the temporary fortress.

Primitive wolves might lack equipment, but they were deadly in close combat. Being swarmed by these wolves would lead to heavy casualties. The brave private soldiers, upon noticing, divided some to engage in melee, but they never got the chance. The thousands of wolves Qian Ye sent, armed with shields and axes, met the invaders and slaughtered them on the spot.

These wolves, clad in heavy armor, wielded shields and axes of superior quality, making short work of the poorly equipped Wind Wolves. Their training and equipment were superior, leading to a lopsided victory.

With Qian Ye’s elite wolves protecting them, the private soldiers could unleash their full firepower, mowing down the Wind Wolves in waves.

But the numerical disparity was too great, and the fortress soon had multiple breaches, the defenses teetering.

Just then, a fleet of floating ships appeared above the battlefield, opening fire. Continuous explosions swallowed the Wind Wolves. This motley fleet included various types of ships, from new warships to cargo vessels fitted with cannons.

Though varied, the fleet numbered in the dozens, with hundreds of guns. Even with smaller calibers, the collective firepower was formidable.

In moments, the Wind Wolves suffered heavy casualties, unable to advance or retreat.

The wind howled again, carrying Duke Gale’s angry voice: “Qian Ye, you broke your promise!”

Qian Ye replied coldly, “I only said I and the Ancestor Temple wouldn’t participate. I didn’t say other ships couldn’t. If you find it unfair, bring your fleet.”

Duke Gale, seething, said, “Fine, wait and see. I’ll show you that the continent isn’t your playground!”

“I look forward to it.”

The mournful horns sounded, and the Wind Wolves, unable to withstand the dual assault from air and ground, began to retreat.

It was too late. Qian Ye’s fleet pursued, raining fire on the fleeing wolves. Some ships even lowered to use machine guns, exploiting their aerial superiority.

Most of the fleet came from the noble houses, assembled with escort ships and converted transports. The nobles valued quality over quantity, and airborne forces were crucial. Combined, the dozen houses fielded a formidable fleet.

Against a regular fleet, they would be no match, but here, the Wind Wolves had no comparable air power. Qian Ye’s initial move decimated their central command, leaving them defenseless against air strikes.

The allied fleet, confident, chased the wolves for hundreds of kilometers, dispersing them before returning.

This battle reclaimed all the occupied Jade Sea territories and pushed into Wind Territory for several kilometers. The private soldiers, however, had no intention of retreating, seeing each two kilometers conquered as a gain. As Duke Gale said, where the warriors stood, so did the border.

But this battle sobered the once arrogant private army, understanding the need for Qian Ye’s five thousand heavily armored wolves.

After the battle, the commanders wrote two letters. One, to the empire, requested reinforcements, acknowledging the terror of Duke Gale and the need to counter his many strong wolves.

The other, to Qian Ye, after praising him, asked for a few thousand more heavy wolves, offering additional equipment in exchange.

Qian Ye, having returned to the Sapphire City, accepted the request with a smile.

The battle with Wind Territory was, in Qian Ye’s view, unimportant. Until he faced Duke Gale in a decisive battle, the outcome was uncertain. But advancing another hundred kilometers into Wind Territory was feasible. Duke Gale had to swallow this loss.

Reading the letter, Qian Ye noted the casualty count: seventy thousand enemy dead, with only a few thousand captured.

An interesting number.