Chapter 2666: First, Have Some Appetizers

That grinning Panlong General kicked Lord Zhongsun Peng hard in the back again, yanking his hair backward—

With a sharp crack, Lord Zhongsun Peng's head was torn clean off.

The headless corpse fell to the ground, less than half a chi from the prisoner.

He Lingchuan had not a drop of blood on him; he pointed at the prisoner before him: "Except him, execute the rest."

In this battle, we take no surrender.

The Panlong warriors immediately drew their weapons and advanced.

Hearing their comrade's anguished cry, the prisoner's chin trembled involuntarily.

He Lingchuan tossed the Crown Prince of Bolang's head before him, then ordered Zhuang Yinan to lift his restraint: "Carry your Crown Prince's head back to Fushanlie and tell him I've long missed him—here's a greeting gift. The rest can wait."

The prisoner didn't know how to react; he wanted to spit out a few harsh words, but the Crown Prince's fate lay at his feet, and this vicious enemy slaughtered without blinking—what if he changed his mind?

Impelled by some unseen force, he stammered: "You, what's your surname?"

He Lingchuan revealed a smile he thought handsome, but to the prisoner it resembled a demon's:

"No need for surnames—I am the Tiger-Wing General of Panlong."

……

The Merfolk prisoner clutched the Crown Prince's head and stumbled away.

He didn't look back, as if evil spirits pursued him.

In the dim woods, a thick scent of blood hung in the air; He Lingchuan lifted his head and drew a deep breath.

It had been long since he personally took the field to slay foes, since the Dragon God War ended.

Cold steel and warhorses—this is war's own scent, and he found himself missing it.

For over a decade, he had longed for the Panlong world, precisely because here he was no emperor, burdened with billions of livelihoods, nor calculating gains and losses in foreign affairs.

Here, he could joyfully be himself, a pure warrior.

He could even revert to that He the Butcher who made enemies tremble at the mere mention of his name.

Zhuang Yinan stepped closer and whispered: "I thought the General would keep Lord Zhongsun Peng as a hostage."

An enemy Crown Prince isn't something you can just grab. If the Tiger-Wing General had kept Lord Zhongsun Peng, perhaps later he could negotiate with Fushanlie. Seeing the southern Panlong wilderness about to erupt in battle, if Lord Zhongsun Peng could buy even a little breathing room, it might not be bad.

Shawei grunted: "What use is that fellow?"

Zhuang Yinan ignored him.

He Lingchuan smiled: "Lord Zhongsun Peng has led troops and fought battles, but has no remarkable achievements to show—evidently he's not skilled in this way."

Those with heavenly talent for warfare are one in a thousand li.

"The Bolang King surely knows his eldest son's caliber, yet still shoved him onto the most dangerous Panbei front—shows how little weight Lord Zhongsun Peng holds in the Bolang King's heart." He Lingchuan said lightly, "Besides, Bolang ranks low among the Bekka vassal states—not strongest in national power, not producing warriors of courage, nor skilled in land warfare. The Panlong wilderness offers them no room to maneuver. You think, capturing a Bolang Crown Prince could fetch what good terms for Panlong?"

"As for Fushanlie—" He Lingchuan paused, "I've also prepared several great gifts for him; Lord Zhongsun Peng's head is merely an appetizer, let him nibble on it first."

"Understood." Zhuang Yinan and the others heard, secretly shocked.

Meaning, the General has another way to deal with Fushanlie, no need to keep Lord Zhongsun Peng as hostage.

The Bolang Crown Prince had his head lopped off by the General, yet is only called "appetizer"?

Then how substantial is the great gift the General intends to send Fushanlie?

Earlier the prisoner also said a new Bekka army would arrive via giant turtle within three days; thus He Lingchuan used sorcery to contact Zhong Shengguang, requesting reinforcements.

And Zhong Shengguang replied that news came from the southern Chong State: several more Bekka battalions had landed and assembled at Shada Port, likely Fushanlie's follow-up forces.

Regarding the Bekka armies' "borrowing passage," from Shada Port south to the several countries bordering the wilderness, none uttered a sound.

After Bekka seized the Mao River Plain, they knew they'd have to face Bekka directly. Though Bekka's troops marched straight onto their soil, if they dared say "no" to Bekka, this great army would likely punish them before even reaching the Panlong wilderness.

Bekka had just landed at Shada Port and taken Chong State outright, giving no time to surrender—precisely to achieve that "kill the chicken to scare the monkey" effect; even states friendly with Ling Mountain dared not obstruct their advance.

But taking advantage of the Bekka armies sailing and crossing the sea, Panlong also begged Ling Mountain to dispatch sea demons to harass them—cannot let them land smoothly.

Panlong is a land nation, with no sea tribes at home; this is a disadvantage now.

Ling Mountain also hoped Panlong would hold out longer, and indeed sent two batches of sea tribes to encircle and harass the Bekka fleet, which indeed inflicted considerable losses.

Ling Mountain's sea demons were very brave.

However, Bekka's great army this time also brought sea tribes along; this time, both sides fought joyfully underwater.

Bekka's army lost over a dozen ships, while Ling Mountain's sea demons also suffered heavy casualties.

Later, when transporting troops, Bolang dispatched vast numbers of water tribes to escort all the way.

In short, Ling Mountain's obstruction could only slow Bekka's great army's steps, not truly stop them from landing.

Seizing this opportunity, Panlong also adjusted troops and commanders, preparing to dispatch more forces to the southern wilderness.

The Tiger-Wing General has returned; with his ability he could command hundreds of thousands of elite troops, and Zhong Shengguang would not waste such talent.

Before the main armies of both sides arrive, now it's merely a clash of the vanguards. Whoever can hold their formation, even press the enemy back, opens the front for the main forces' expansion behind.

As for He Lingchuan beheading the Bolang Crown Prince, Zhong Shengguang heard it and was somewhat surprised, but did not question it.

The front situation is complex; the Tiger-Wing General's actions always have measure—he must have his reasons, and Zhong Shengguang trusts his judgment.

He Lingchuan slept five years; upon return, all of Panlong City still trusted him undiminished.

Thereafter, He Lingchuan left Zhuang Yinan behind, ordering him to guard the Snail Source while awaiting reinforcements, while he himself took Shawei rushing to Fululu Gully.

Given his understanding of Fushanlie, this fellow won't wait for the main army to fully assemble before setting out; thus in the next two days, Panlong must surely destroy Huye Chan's army, hold Fululu Gully, and push the battlefield southward, to seize the initiative in this war.

How to deal with Fushanlie, He Lingchuan indeed has a plan in mind. But for these plans to succeed, the premise is that he must give Fushanlie a heavy blow to unseat him.

When the person is insignificant, their words carry little weight.

After all, the Battle of Liangchuan and Yuheng City is long past; he needs to reawaken Fushanlie's unpleasant memories.

The premise for a strong one to speak kindly with you is that you first display extraordinary strength.

Only when Fushanlie again regards him as a truly worthy dreadful foe can He Lingchuan effectively launch the next step of his plan.