Chapter 1983: Lip Guns and Tongue Swords

For a matter this critical to the nation's economy and the people's livelihood, shouldn't you have issued a public notice first, and prepared a proper handover, before taking action?

You just sealed it off like that, with absolutely no warning whatsoever?

Are you expecting us to just drink the northwest wind and starve?

The people of Shanjin are fierce; some city and county government offices were immediately besieged by commoners, angrily demanding to know why their livelihoods were suddenly being cut off.

The second order issued by the King of Perou was a massive conscription for war preparation, to "defend the homeland," requiring an army of thirty thousand to be assembled within two months.

Peiguo borders Perou, so this news reached the ruler of Peiguo first.

Boss Situ He felt a heavy weight in his heart: "His sudden targeting of Yangshan is a declaration of stance to the Heavenly Gods."

Perou's actions are a posture in themselves. It has already picked a side, already made its own choice.

If it fully aligns with the Heavenly Gods, what will the Allied Forces do?

The Allied Forces led by the Boss Situ clan have a loose relationship among members; aside from sending troops against Pixia and mutual defense, there are hardly any binding mandatory obligations. Perou does not need to report to Boss Situ He which Heavenly God it chooses to worship.

But the Nine Nether Great Emperor has already declared to the world that he will never coexist with the Heavenly Gods. Once the Dragon God Army moves to punish Perou, will the Allied Forces intercept or not?

If they don't intercept, there is a mutual aid pact among Allied Forces members;

If they do intercept, it's a joke — they fundamentally cannot stop it!

Boss Situ He knows even better that since Perou has made up its mind, its offensive posture today will be very strong.

Does this guy harbor ill intentions toward him, the Alliance Leader, as well? Would he...?

At this moment, someone outside announced:

"The King of Perou arrives—"

The King of Perou strode in, his gaze sweeping across everyone, still as casual and unreserved as ever as he bowed to Boss Situ He: "Marshal Boss Situ!"

Boss Situ He rose and returned the bow.

"Since everyone is here, let's not waste time and begin the discussion." Boss Situ He sat down. "King of Perou, you initiated this meeting; what important intelligence do you have to share with us face-to-face?"

"Before we speak of intelligence, there is another matter." The King of Perou produced a letter. "The Pixia chieftain has requested peace talks again."

Boss Situ He said coolly: "They still haven't given up?"

The King of Perou said seriously: "I know Marshal Boss Situ has a blood feud with them, but since General Zhongwu returned to Pixia, we have failed to take Ducheng several times over, and our army was forced to retreat eighty li. Continuing to drag this out serves no purpose."

Before Boss Situ He could speak, the Kan clan chieftain chimed in: "It's been two years; everyone here knows their own suffering. War has drained the people and emptied the treasuries. Now the external environment has changed drastically, and an imminent crisis looms. The war against Pixia really should not continue."

These words truly voiced the hearts of the leaders present. They all had grievances with Pixia, but how many "regardless of cost" scenarios exist in the world? Economy, livelihood, governance — these are the top priorities they hold as rulers. If fighting to the death for years yields no result, and drags on until the national treasury is depleted, the people are destitute, and even their own rule is shaken, then this hatred can be set aside for later — ten years is not too late.

Besides, the most terrifying invader on the Shanjin Plains right now is no longer Pixia, but the Nine Nether Great Emperor!

The King of Perou pointed at the Pixia letter: "The letter states that if the Allied Forces immediately withdraw and cease hostilities, Pixia is willing to pay one million taels of silver, plus five cities."

The terms have escalated; originally Pixia only offered three cities and five hundred thousand taels.

For Pixia to fight one against seven for this long and still produce five hundred thousand taels, that was scraping the bottom of the barrel.

"Pixia's grain is exhausted, its manpower spent. No matter how capable General Zhongwu is at warfare, he cannot conjure food and drink for a large army." Boss Situ He said seriously, "The war against Pixia will definitely end before summer!"

"Marshal Boss Situ, you said half a year ago that Pixia wouldn't last until spring." The Yutu clan leader jerked his chin outward. "Now, the peach blossoms are about to bloom."

"General Zhongwu has returned, yet Pixia still seeks peace, and so urgently — doesn't that prove it can't hold on either?" Boss Situ He looked at the King of Perou. "War is just a contest of who can endure to the end?"

"Could it be that Pixia wants to end the war early precisely because it fears the Nine Nether Great Emperor, to preserve some strength for the coming crisis?" The King of Perou smiled without warmth. "Someone like Marshal Boss Situ, who completely disregards the threat of the Nine Nether Great Emperor, is a rare sight in Shanjin."

In truth, the question of whether to continue the war against Pixia had already been argued five or six times in these regular meetings.

Boss Situ He also had a way to pivot the topic: "I heard that Perou is undertaking massive construction, building Hundred Battle Heavenly God temples everywhere? Is this the patron deity assigned to you by the Lingxu Gods?"

The King of Perou didn't dodge: "Correct. Perou is favored by the Hundred Battle Heavenly God, and will welcome the first True God in the Allied Forces' territory!"

His face was full of smugness, knowing everyone must be envious of Perou.

The Shanjin Plains teem with all sorts of minor god factions, but the lofty Lingxu Gods previously only favored Yaoguo, never giving the Allied Forces a proper glance. The Boss Situ clan had strived for so long in vain, yet the Hundred Battle Heaven's favor went to Perou.

And that is the Hundred Battle Heaven, one of the True Gods of the Lingxu pantheon. What an immense honor!

For a time, two major cities in Perou were both decked with lanterns and colored banners, filled with joyous atmosphere.

"A Heavenly God's favor does not come without reason." Boss Situ He said quietly, "What price must you pay, what conditions must you accept, to exchange for the Hundred Battle Heavenly God's grace?"

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The King of Perou snorted: "In the past, when Miaozhantian bestowed favor on Yaoguo, no conditions were set either."

"You've got it backwards." The ruler of Yanguo spoke up. "Yaoguo originally worshipped the Shali Heaven; Miaozhantian wanted to snatch it away, so it was Miaozhantian who had to give Yaoguo benefits! Besides, the Nine Nether Great Emperor has openly declared a crusade against Heavenly God forces in Shanjin. You didn't invite them earlier or later, but chose now to invite the Hundred Battle Heavenly God — aren't you just setting up a target for the Nine Nether Great Emperor?"

The King of Peiguo sighed: "We'll be dragged into it when the time comes."

The King of Perou's eyebrows nearly shot up: "Heh, haha! You really think the Heavenly Gods can't handle that madman, the Nine Nether Great Emperor?"

The King of Peiguo was about to retort with sarcasm, but Boss Situ He hastily raised a hand: "Stop, stop!"

This is also an old recurring argument at Allied Forces meetings; bring it up once and they argue once, and once they start there's no end to it, and the meeting is wasted.

"Let's just get to the main business quickly. King of Perou, what is your important intelligence?"

The King of Perou fished a letter from his sleeve and slapped it onto the table with a *pa* sound:

"Right here!"

Boss Situ He reached out to take it, but the King of Perou stopped him: "Wait, let the others look first."

The ruler of Baoxin, sitting closest to the letter, conveniently picked it up.

One look and his brows knitted tighter and tighter; he occasionally glanced up at Boss Situ He, making the latter's heart pound with unease.

Boss Situ He hadn't seen the letter's contents, but that brown background with black border envelope, and the pale blue stationery, looked very familiar.

Very much like the stationery used in the Boss Situ Manor!