Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Chapter 405: Chapter 341: No One Is Immortal, and No One Cannot Die

But regardless, another day or two was still more time.

The next day, the Wei Kingdom’s army attacked the city with frenzied abandon.

The Northern Wilderness Army continued to hold their ground.

Before they knew it, thirteen days had passed since Xiao Mo began his defense of the city.

The Northern Wilderness Army had started with nine thousand Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry and fifty thousand infantry, including surrendered soldiers. Now, only seven thousand cavalry and thirty thousand infantry remained.

Furthermore, due to the shortage of Spirit Beast Flesh and Blood needed to replenish their Blood Qi, and with the enemy attacking day and night, the soldiers of the Northern Wilderness Army were utterly exhausted.

Yet even so, all Xiao Mo saw in their eyes was the light of unwavering resolve!

"Brother Mo, you should get some sleep. You haven’t closed your eyes for thirteen straight days and nights," Xiao Gui said worriedly to Xiao Mo.

Although Brother Mo was a Golden Core Realm cultivator, he was fighting in major battles every day, which consumed an immense amount of Spiritual Power and stamina.

He could recover some energy by closing his eyes and meditating, but how could that possibly be enough?

Whether for mortals or cultivators, sleep was still the best way to restore one’s Spiritual Power and stamina.

"It’s fine, I’m not tired." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Is there any news from the Twelve Cities of the South?"

"None."

Xiao Gui shook his head.

"Of the Twelve Cities of the South, Mati City should still be in our hands—they can’t have abandoned it. But the other Eleven Southern Cities have now surrounded Mati City.

Xiahou Nan has blocked the road to Yanmen Pass at all costs, even setting up no-fly restrictions along the route with Blood Qi Arrays. We’re truly an isolated island now."

"Mm," Xiao Mo nodded.

Just as Xiao Mo was about to continue reviewing the reports sent by the various generals, Li Jing strode quickly into the City Lord’s Mansion.

"General, Xiahou Nan has sent an envoy," Li Jing said, his expression complicated.

"An envoy from Xiahou Nan?" Xiao Mo paused for a moment, then smiled. "Summon all the generals to the main hall of the City Lord’s Mansion. Let’s welcome their envoy together."

"Yes, sir!" Li Jing clasped his fist in a salute and withdrew.

An incense stick’s time later, Xiao Mo was seated high in the main seat of the City Lord’s Mansion, with the generals of the Northern Wilderness Army standing on either side.

The envoy from Bishui City, accompanied by an attendant, walked up to Xiao Mo and bowed. "I am Yang Zhu, here to pay my respects to General Xiao."

"I wonder what business General Xiahou has? Surely he hasn’t sent me a dress as well?" Xiao Mo said with a smile. "Let me see what color it is, and what kind of material."

"General Xiao jests." Yang Zhu straightened up and spoke slowly, "My general has sent me here to deliver a letter."

As he finished speaking, Yang Zhu produced a letter from his sleeve.

Xiao Mo glanced at Xiao Gui. "Xiao Gui, read General Xiahou’s letter aloud for the generals."

"Yes, sir."

Xiao Gui stepped forward, took the letter, and began to read.

"General Xiao is unmatched in bravery and possessed of extraordinary intellect. Whether in military campaigns or in talent for Martial Dao cultivation, you are a rarity in this world.

Today, General Xiao is trapped in Yanmen Pass, beset by troubles both internal and external. I express my deepest sympathies.

But does General Xiao truly believe you can hold out against my Wei Kingdom for thirty days?

If you continue on this path, I fear a genius will fall, a truly lamentable outcome.

I lament the waste of General Xiao’s talent.

If you were to surrender to my Wei Kingdom, not only would you escape this perilous situation, but the royal title bestowed upon you would surely be greater, not lesser, than the empty title of ’Frost King’ given to you by the Qin Kingdom. Furthermore, my Monarch in the Wei Kingdom would even wed a Princess to you, General Xiao, to demonstrate our sincerity.

Afterward, when my Wei Kingdom counterattacks the Qin Kingdom, all the lands you conquer, General, will be yours to keep."

After Xiao Gui finished reading, all the generals turned to look at Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo chuckled. "The terms General Xiahou offers are truly generous. However, please inform General Xiahou that the Princess of the Wei Kingdom is not as beautiful as the Princess of Qin, so let’s just forget about this whole surrender business.

But if General Xiahou wishes to defect to my Qin Kingdom now, it is not too late.

Otherwise, once Bishui City falls, it will be too late for regrets."

"Since it has come to this, then I can only ask General Xiao to take care of himself." Yang Zhu sighed.

Xiao Mo smiled. "The same to General Xiahou."

"However..." Yang Zhu’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I believe that in a few more days, General Xiao will certainly have a change of heart."

"Hehehe, we’ll see about that when the time comes." Xiao Mo looked at him. "Is there anything else, Envoy Yang? We’re short on food in the city, so I’m afraid we can’t offer you a meal."

"I hear General Lian is still in your custody, General Xiao?" Yang Zhu asked.

"That’s right." Xiao Mo nodded.

"General Lian is General Xiahou’s niece. General Xiahou has asked me to bring some Peach Blossom Wine, her favorite, along with a few dishes. If possible, we hope General Xiao can be accommodating," Yang Zhu said.

"General Lian is a prisoner of my Northern Wilderness Army, and General Xiahou is a turtle in a jar, yet he’s still thinking about sending food to his niece. How touching," Xiao Mo said with a laugh.

"After all, General Lian rode out to battle solely to lessen the pressure on her uncle. My general naturally feels guilty and wishes to make amends where he can," Yang Zhu said, ignoring Xiao Mo’s mockery.

"Leave the wine and food." Xiao Mo waved a hand, not wishing to speak with him further. "Men, see our guest out!"

"Many thanks, General Xiao. We shall take our leave."

Yang Zhu offered a final bow and turned to leave.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

After Yang Zhu had left, Xiao Mo let out a few coughs. He raised a hand to wipe his mouth, and the back of it came away covered in blood.

"General..."

Li Jing and the others said worriedly.

"I’m fine." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Everyone, return to the city walls. Zhao Guang, go and recruit more soldiers from the city. Recruit as many as you can, but it must be voluntary. Do not conscript them by force; forced soldiers are useless."

"Yes, General." Zhao Guang saluted and hurried off to carry out Xiao Mo’s orders.

Xiao Mo took a deep breath, picked up the food container and wine, and walked out of the City Lord’s Mansion’s main hall, heading for the dungeons.

"General!"

The soldiers guarding the dungeons saw Xiao Mo and greeted him with a clasped-fist salute.

"Mm."

Xiao Mo nodded and continued walking.

In the dim, quiet dungeon, the sound of Xiao Mo’s footsteps echoed off the stone walls.

This was Yanmen Pass’s death row, but right now, it held only a single prisoner—a woman, at that.

Lian Li was meditating in her cell. Hearing the sound, she slowly opened her eyes.

When she saw it was Xiao Mo, her sword-like eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if she wished she could run him through with a spear and poke a few holes in him.

"I know I’m handsome, but there’s no need to stare at me like that."

Xiao Mo sat down in front of the cell, opened the food container, and took out the dishes. After carefully inspecting them and confirming there was nothing wrong, he arranged them one by one in front of the gap in the bars and even poured her a cup of wine.

"What are you doing?" Lian Li asked.

"Just as you see, I’m bringing you food." Xiao Mo adjusted his sleeves. "Your uncle had his envoy bring all this. The food container has an Array carved on it, so the dishes are still warm."

With that, Xiao Mo passed the chopsticks through the gap in the iron bars and offered them to her.

Lian Li glanced at the food container, then at Xiao Mo, but did not take the chopsticks.

Xiao Mo paid her no mind and simply rested the chopsticks across the rim of a bowl.

"What did my uncle say to you?" Lian Li asked again.

"What else could he say? He tried to persuade me to surrender, of course. Said that if I surrender now, I’ll be made a marquis and a minister, and they’ll even marry a Princess of the Wei Kingdom to me."

"So, are you going to surrender?"

"What do you think?"

"..."

Lian Li shook her head. "Xiao Mo, you may be shameless, but your talent in the Martial Dao and your strategy in the Military Dao are both among the best in the world. Not to mention you’re still so young. Someone like you shouldn’t die here."

"Then in your opinion, who should die here?" Xiao Mo looked directly into her eyes. "The Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry? Or the common people of this city?"

Lian Li: "..."

"Lian Li, no one is immortal, and no one is indispensable." Xiao Mo took a letter from his robes and tossed it to her.

"What’s this?" Lian Li asked again.

"After I die, take this letter and go find an older man named Huang Shan. Tell him—’Xiao Mo said I have talent and told me to find you to learn the spear. Your disciple is dead, but he’s giving you a new one in return.’"

"Huang Shan... The Spear Immortal?" Lian Li said in surprise.

"I suppose so."

Xiao Mo didn’t answer further. He stood up, dusted off his rear, and started walking out of the dungeon.

Watching Xiao Mo’s retreating back, Lian Li’s brows furrowed, and her hands clenched the hem of her clothes. As he grew more distant, she shouted, "Xiao Mo! Surrender! It’s not too late to surrender now!"

"Surrender?"

Xiao Mo turned around and smiled at Lian Li.

"Oh, I’ll surrender. Of course I’ll surrender."

"Eh?" Lian Li blinked, staring blankly at Xiao Mo. "What... what are you going to do..."

Xiao Mo didn’t explain. He simply gave an enigmatic smile, turned again, and walked out of the dungeon.

「On the fifteenth day of the siege of Yanmen Pass, in the Wei Kingdom’s military camp.」

A soldier rushed into the command tent, shouting, "General, an envoy from the Northern Wilderness Army is here!"

"An envoy from the Northern Wilderness Army?" Guo Xin froze, wondering if he had misheard.

"Yes, General!" the messenger-soldier said excitedly. "The envoy from the Northern Wilderness Army has come to see you, General. Yanmen Pass requests to surrender!"