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Chapter 35: The Hunter and the Prey
【My host, you’re very close to the First Imperial Consort!】
System 12345 squealed in excitement.
【This terrain… It’s a mountain forest, isn’t it? It seems to be the imperial family’s hunting field. Ah, she must be in the hunting mood.】
【My host, I think this is an opportunity for you.】
It excitedly formulated a plan for Shu Yichao.
【The imperial family usually invites nobles to participate in such hunts. This is a good opportunity for the youths to flaunt their skills. Putting all things aside, I can’t imagine anyone being a match for you in terms of looks.】
【It’s fine even if you’re bad at archery. I bet that everyone will fawn over you even if you just shoot down a little rabbit.】
【Go, my host!】
System 12345 cheered.
【It’s time for you to showcase your charisma! Participate in the hunt and make others look at you in a different light! 】
【Better still, if you can find some alone time with the First Imperial Consort, you can gently tell her that you aren’t good at archery and ask her to teach you. She would wrap her arms around you and gently guide you step by step. You can lean against her and relish in her warmth…】
【GAHHH! I’m getting a nosebleed thinking about it!!!】
System 12345 began laughing maniacally to itself.
【My host, I’ll give you a good-looking bow to help you better stand out in the hunt.】
【However, you must tread carefully. The First Imperial Consort is in the habit of digging out people’s eyes… I don’t even know how many people she blinds in a year. You mustn’t fall for her tricks!】
“Ey?” Shu Yichao realized that he had obtained something. “Jeweled Bow? It increases the speed of my arrows by 15%? This is good stuff!”
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Thrilled to receive a new bow, Shu Yichao fired three consecutive arrows at the leader of the Albanian army and his two aides, who had been trying to gather the soldiers together to muster a resistance. All three of their heads popped.
It was his trademark eye sniping.
The deaths of the highest commanders caused the Albanian army to spiral further into chaos, and most soldiers lost their fighting will. They tossed aside their helmets and armor in a panic and tried to flee.
Unfortunately, the Albanian barracks was constructed on highly-defensible terrain, which translated into it being extremely difficult to escape from, especially with their enemies coming from their only entrances.
On the cliff, the First Imperial Consort and her few remaining aides watched with pale faces as the Khitans slaughtered the Albanian soldiers below. This sight reminded her of the hunts she had previously organized.
An army would surround a forested area and herd the prey with fierce roars. The prey would flee in a fluster, but the truth was that there was no chance of them escaping death at all, as hard as they might try.
The hunters were merely toying with their prey.
The carnage beneath reminded her of that, just that the hunters had turned into the hunted.
“Your Majesty, they are coming up!” one of her aides wailed in despair.
“Don’t panic!” the First Imperial Consort shouted in an attempt to motivate her subordinates. “This spot is highly defensible. We’ll be able to hold our ground against our enemies.”
She was not lying. Her group had strategically chosen their escape route.
Just above them was a narrow platform that was just enough to house all thirty of them, whereas the pathway leading up to the platform was narrow and steep, and there was a marsh halfway up the mountain. Only mountain goats could traverse such terrain with ease.
Cavalrymen wouldn’t be able to charge up the mountain. Foot soldiers would be slowly grated down by their firepower. Cannons and catapults weren’t powerful enough to reach the top of the mountain.
The Khitans would suffer heavy losses if they insisted on attacking them.
“Your Majesty, save us!”
Some of the pursued Albanian soldiers spotted the First Imperial Consort and her people were at, so they began flocking over and attempted to climb the mountain while wailing.
Chasing closely behind them were the Elite Horse Archers, who had dismounted to chase their enemies into the forest. Any Ottomain soldier who slowed down would be mercilessly killed with a single stab or slash.
“Your Majesty, should we save them?” an aide hesitantly asked. “They can bolster our forces.”
“That won’t do. We don’t have enough rations” The First Imperial Consort shook her head. “Don’t worry. Not even the Khitans will be able to get up here. It’s likely that they will just encircle this place. We need enough rations to last till the day they leave.”
“…” The others fell silent.
“They are getting close,” the First Imperial Consort said. “Smash them!”
Hu!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Not wanting to waste their few remaining arrows, the Ottomain soldiers picked up nearby stones and tossed them down under the First Imperial Consort’s order.
Pah!
An Albanian soldier who was climbing the mountain with tearful eyes felt a sharp pain on his face and screamed. The sheer impact of the falling rock smashed his face up. He fell backward and crashed into those behind.
This resulted in a domino effect. Those behind lost their balance and tumbled down the cliff too. Many people started rolling down the cliff like an avalanche, resulting in severe losses.
Even the Elite Horse Archers weren’t spared from the calamity.
With rocks falling like a hailstorm and the Albanian soldiers tumbling down the cliff like rolling boulders, everyone had no choice but to retreat from the cliff for the time being.
“Whew!”
“Woohoo!”
Seeing the Khitans suffering a setback evoked cheers of delight from the Ottomain soldiers. Some of them even burst into tears.
It was so tough!
They had previously thought that the Khitans were demons impervious to spears and scimitars, given how easily they had trampled on their forces. However, this little victory taught them that the Khitans were made of flesh and blood too.
“Hu!” The First Imperial Consort exhaled in relief too. It looks like we’re safe for the time being.
Till…
“Raise your shields!”
The First Imperial Consort noticed the approaching blood twin-headed eagle flag and quickly ordered everyone to raise their shields. “The Khitan Caesar is a formidable archer. He might climb to the midpoint of the mountain to snipe us. You must remain vigilant!”
“Hmph!” A single glance at the mountain was enough for Shu Yichao to figure out what was going on. “Did you think that you would be safe on this cliff?”
He leaped onto his steed and began galloping up the mountain cliff.
“Is the Khitan Caesar out of his mind?!” the First Imperial Consort blurted out.
Galloping up a cliff? Did his head get clamped by a water wheel? He’s going to be crushed into meat paste if he falls off!
Yet…
“How is that possible?!”
Much to her surprise, Shu Yichao easily galloped up the steep cliff almost as if he was charging on flat ground. Her eyes nearly bulged out at this unbelievable sight. “H-he—”
While galloping up, Shu Yichao raised his Jeweled Bow and aimed it in their direction.
Alarmed, the First Imperial Consort quickly pulled a wooden shield over to cover herself.
“All the world on one arrow!”
Bam!
The arrow smashed through the thin wooden shield with a terrifying momentum. The First Imperial Consort felt a sharp pain on her face as her vision went dark.
Tok!
Before the frightful eyes of her aides, the First Imperial Consort was sent flying back like the others who had been sniped by Shu Yichao, and she was pinned firmly against the cliff face. The arrow lodged in her eyes trembled with a loud reverberation.
It’s over. We’re doomed.
This was a despairing thought that flashed across everyone’s mind.
【My host?】
【How did the hunt go? How many prey did you catch?】
【…】
【What’s going on?! Isn’t it just a simple hunt? How did you end up thoroughly offending the First Imperial Consort too?】
【Yet another person’s favorability zeroed out!】