Chapter 394: The Thirty-seventh Day in the Struggle for Supremacy World (End)

Bai Ji's gaze was completely and involuntarily drawn to An Yi in that moment.

He watched An Yi's rock-steady, commanding stance, the taut, smooth, powerful curve of his arm as he drew the bowstring all the way back, and those clear, sharp eyes fixed on the target...

His heart pounded out of control, a surge of pride, infatuation, and love flooding through him.

His Chuwei—no matter the time or place—was always so dazzling, so... captivating.

An Yi held his breath and steadied his mind.

The bow was drawn taut as a full moon, the arrow nocked and ready.

His gaze swept past the chaotic battlefield and the charging cavalry, locking onto the "Du" command banner flying high behind Du Yu—the symbol of Diezhou's authority!

Now—!

"Whum—!"

The bowstring snapped with a sharp crack!

The arrow became a streak of black light nearly invisible to the naked eye, tearing through the air with a sharp whistle, crossing the battlefield with astonishing speed and precision!

Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

Du Yu was deflecting a stray arrow when he suddenly felt a deadly wind from above! He looked up in terror—

"Crack!"

A sharp crack echoed in his ear!

That powerful arrow struck with unerring accuracy at the joint where the flagpole met its top!

The hardwood flagpole, thick as a bowl's rim, was snapped clean through by that single shot!

The "Du" banner, symbol of Diezhou's army and Du Yu's authority, hung in the air for a moment, then groaned and crashed heavily to the ground!

"The banner has fallen!!"

"The general's command banner has fallen!!"

"We're defeated! Defeated!!"

In an instant, the Diezhou army—already demoralized by internal strife and allied betrayal—seemed to have its last shred of spine ripped out!

Seeing the command banner shot down with their own eyes, the soldiers' last shred of courage to resist collapsed instantly!

Shouts of alarm, cries of despair, and the clatter of weapons being dropped filled the battlefield!

Du Yu felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. Watching his banner fall, he knew the tide had turned for good.

An Shu laughed heartily: "Big brother, you're truly a god among men!"

Comments:

"Ahhhhhhh! So badass! Is this even humanly possible?"

"My lord! My lord! Ohhhh! My lord!"

"Ugh ugh ugh~ F*ck! That felt so good!"

"That hit the spot for me too!"

"Ever since I got my three Sinovac shots, I love watching this stuff! So satisfying! Fight! So satisfying!"

"That arrow! What a shot!"

"..."

An Yi: "..."

"Charge—!!!"

Seizing this golden opportunity, every division of the An family's army erupted with earth-shaking roars and launched the final assault!

Already holding the advantage, they pressed the attack even harder the moment the enemy's morale shattered!

Du Yu, desperately shielded by his personal guards, tried to break out to the rear—only to run head-on into fresh troops bearing the "Shi" banner coming in from the southwest, plus "Yan" forces closing in from the south.

Caught between two forces, with no way out!

He took a closer look—it wasn't Shi or Yan at all, but clearly Mao Hua, the famous general serving under An Chuwei!

Mao Hua was already pumped that his lord had shot down the banner with one arrow—today, he was going to take Du Yu alive!

The sun sank in the west, its blood-red rays painting Black Stone Slope, where corpses littered the ground and blood ran in rivers.

The battle was finally winding down.

Du Yu was cornered by Mao Hua on a low hill, with only a few blood-soaked, wounded loyal guards left at his side.

Around them, layer upon layer of An family soldiers stood with spears and blades ready.

An Yi, flanked by Bai Ji, Cha Jiang, and a large escort of elite guards, rode slowly to the front of the lines.

From his elevated position, he looked down at Du Yu—disheveled, barely standing, leaning on his blade—his face still wearing that gentle expression, as if he weren't here to see a defeated general but to meet an old friend.

"General Du," An Yi said, his clear voice cutting through the evening wind to reach Du Yu, "at this point, do you still want to resist in vain?"

Du Yu raised his head, glaring at the figure on horseback—so young, so infuriatingly handsome—his eyes burning with defiance.

"An Chuwei!" Du Yu roared, his voice hoarse. "You bribed my men, didn't you! Damn it! You didn't win fair and square! What are you going to do with me?"

An Yi chuckled softly, his smile a strange blend of beauty and cruelty under the blood-red sunset.

"Won unfairly?" He tilted his head slightly, as if genuinely considering the question. "General Du, in this chaotic world, it's like beasts fighting—life and death, everyone uses whatever means they have. When you swallowed up Zhou Meng, did you fight with honor and righteousness?"

Du Yu was left speechless, his chest heaving, his face ashen. "Hmph! Enough! I admit I'm no match for you!"

Mao Hua's eyes bulged with fury: "How dare you!"

Calling himself "your lord" in front of the actual lord?! Did he have a death wish?!

An Yi stopped looking at him, sweeping his gaze over the remaining soldiers, and raised his voice: "Drop your weapons! Surrender and live! Resist, and you'll be killed without mercy!"

The signalmen beside him shouted the order in relay.

As the words landed, a "clatter" rang out—a Diezhou soldier dropped his sword.

Then came a second, a third... the clatter of weapons hitting the ground rang out in succession.

Even some of the personal guards beside Du Yu, after a visible moment of hesitation, slowly lowered their weapons.

An Yi waved his hand.

Soldiers stepped forward, binding the stunned Du Yu and hauling him away.

The rest of the surrendered soldiers were also put under separate watch.

Days later, An Yi's army entered Wunan City, the seat of Die Province, without a single drop of blood spilled.

Atop the city walls of Wunan, the "Du" banner, battered by the trials of war, had been replaced with a brand-new black "An" banner, snapping proudly in the clear autumn sky.

An Yi stood at the highest point of the city wall.

The fierce autumn wind stirred his wide sleeves and the hem of his cloak. He stood as straight as a pine, his gaze distant, gazing out over Die Province's vast lands beyond the walls, and further still, toward the smoke-wreathed rivers and mountains of the realm.

Bai Ji stood by his side, also gazing into the distance. He turned his head, watching An Yi's profile, watching the wind lift the strands of hair at An Yi's temples, watching those thousand miles of rivers and mountains reflected in his eyes...

His Chuwei had claimed another province! One step closer to the ultimate seat of power!

An Yi spoke: "Die Province is secured, and the southern flank is now free of worry. Next..."

He did not finish, but Bai Ji already understood.

Next came the push east to contend for the Central Plains, and the drive north to pressure the Guanzhong region.

"Wherever you go, Ji will gladly serve as Chuwei's vanguard," Bai Ji replied in a low voice, his tone resolute.

An Yi turned his head, glancing at him. The golden light of the setting sun pooled in his eyes, rippling with warmth. He reached out and gently squeezed Bai Ji's fingers.

"Of course," An Yi said with a faint smile.

A low laugh rumbled from Bai Ji's throat. Yeah, of course.