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"Boss... has Duke of Ying truly rebelled?"

Already outside the Capital City, the deputy at the East Gate quietly asked his superior.

"How would I know?" the one being questioned was the Imperial Army Deputy General, who commanded the Imperial Army at the South Gate.

"You... don’t know?" his subordinate was taken aback. They were withdrawing the troops so readily without knowing?

"What’s the matter?" the deputy general turned to look at his subordinate. "Do you also want to meddle in that situation by any chance?"

"Uh... that’s not it..."

"Isn’t that right?" the deputy general tapped his subordinate’s head.

"We in the Imperial Army follow military orders. We had no choice but to enter the city when the Duke of Yan’s orders came through.

Now that the Duke of Ying is dead, what are you insisting on?

Do you want to get involved in this deadly affair? "

"Did you not see? Who was the Duke of Ying? He lost his head so easily, right under our noses. What kind of being was the one who struck him down? For someone to take the lives of two dukes amidst thousands of troops as simply as eating or drinking, can we afford to provoke them?"

"They give us a way out and you still want to get involved... looking to die?"

The subordinate was left speechless by the rebuke, but he still hesitated. "But... what if Your Majesty returns and blames us for contributing to the chaos..."

"Blame us for what?" the deputy general scoffed.

"It was already suspicious for the Duke of Yan to summon us to the Capital City to attack the Ghost Temple without valid reason. Who knows if what he said was true or false? Even if Your Majesty returns and truly sorts things out, he can’t blame us.

And if we had died for His Majesty earlier, do you think he would remember you? "

"Uh...."

"Look at how little we’re paid, how insignificant our positions are.

We just need to do our duty, why risk our lives for nothing?

Is it worth it?" the deputy general patted his subordinate’s shoulder.

"Let’s return to our camp in peace and don’t even look back at the Capital City.

Whatever the gods and immortals inside are up to, it’s none of our business.

Whether it’s the victor or the vanquished, we’re the Imperial Army; we serve whoever takes the throne. What’s the problem with that?"

"My lord... you’re making sense..."

"Right?" The deputy general, sounded triumphant, and was about to lead his three thousand men grandly away from the South Gate.

But just as they reached the gate, they saw a single rider approaching rapidly.

The deputy general’s brow furrowed. Just as they were about to safely withdraw from within the Capital City, he did not want any complications.

"Are you Deputy General Zhang Hao?" a deep voice called from afar, causing Zhang Hao to startle, and hesitated momentarily before dismounting to pay his respects. "It turns out to be Patriarch Weichi; what brings you here?"

"Duke Ying has been killed, why have you all stood by and done nothing?" Weichi Peng asked directly.

"The Duke of Ying spread false military orders, deceiving the Imperial Army to rebel. Fortunately, a skilled person stopped it. Patriarch Weichi, were you unaware?"

Weichi Peng’s face darkened with anger. "Zhang Hao, you’re not a fool. Do you really believe that?"

"This humble one’s words carry little weight; whether to believe or not doesn’t matter.

The Imperial Army obeys military orders only.

.." Deputy General Zhang Hao looked coldly at him.

"If General Weichi has military orders to direct us, present them now, and naturally, I’ll listen to you.

Do you have any such orders, General Weichi? "

Weichi Peng’s face turned even darker upon hearing this.

Military orders for the Imperial Army could only be issued by His Majesty or the head of the Imperial Guards.

His Majesty was currently far away in Yun City, and the head of the Imperial Guards, Duke of Yan, had just died. Where would they get new orders?

It was clear the man before him wanted to shirk responsibility. But based on his father’s prediction, this Imperial Army unit was most likely to be clean!

Zhang Hao came from a minor family. He had made no small name for himself in battle under his father’s command in the north.

Though not a vassal family of the Weichi Clan, his father respected Zhang Hao’s talents and recommended him to join the Imperial Army, becoming one of the four deputy generals.

His Majesty took the opportunity to express his approval of him and even placed many sons of lesser families within this South Gate Imperial Army unit, creating an independent force not reliant on the major clans.

And because this was a force His Majesty intended to cultivate, independent of the major clans’ direct control, the selection of personnel was especially cautious.

So if those with influence wanted to plant their people in it, the Imperial Army at the South Gate would have been the riskiest, and therefore, the least likely to be considered.

Naturally, that did not mean it was absolutely safe, but at this critical juncture, perfection could not be expected. Some risks simply had to be taken.

"Zhang Hao, for years you have been valued by His Majesty. Among so many from the great clans coveting spots in the Ghost Temple, His Majesty has not forgotten about you. Now that the Capital City is in trouble, do you really intend to stay on the sidelines?"

Zhang Hao was taken aback. When did Weichi Peng become so astute? He even realized Zhang Hao was intentionally staying out of it?

"General Weichi sent you?" Zhang Hao sighed.

"My father trusts you."

"Cut the crap!" Zhang Hao gave the other party a cold look, "The old general should know how I am: get paid for the work I do, and that’s always been my style. Your Majesty has indeed treated me well, but it’s only just that, nothing more.

I can fulfill my basic duties, but if you expect me to risk my life. .. No way!"

"Being cautious and preserving oneself is safe, although it might not always work in chaotic times," Weichi Peng said gravely, "My father can see that you’re doing it intentionally. Can’t Your Majesty and those scheming in the Capital City see it too? Maybe you can save your life this time by not getting involved, but in the future, no matter which side wins, you won’t be trusted again.

You fought your way up step by step to where you are today.

My father said you were very daring on the battlefield back then, but now you’re not? "

"That’s because there was a chance of winning, right.

" Since it came to this, Zhang Hao no longer beat around the bush and said directly, "Back then on the battlefield, it was because there was at least a forty to fifty percent chance of winning. Soldiers on the battlefield lead a life where they might not see the next day. If you don’t fight, there’s no guarantee you’ll survive, let alone find glory. "

"But this time is different. I, Zhang, am not going to be part of any desperate attempts!"

"There is a chance of winning..." Weichi Peng said as he rode over on his horse.

"Where does the chance come from?" Zhang Hao asked, puzzled.

"That Mu Ye who killed the Duke of Ying just now... is dead!"

"What?" Zhang Hao was stunned. He had heard that Mu Ye could kill the Marquis An Qing in the blink of an eye, with creatures that could kill the Duke of Ying just as fast, and Mu Ye’s own deadly power. With such forces, he didn’t believe the Imperial Army could resolve anything.

"How did he die?"

"He killed himself!"

"Killed himself?" Zhang Hao was startled but then immediately realized, "Wei Gongxing?"

Others might not know what Wei Gongxing was capable of, but he knew. A few years ago during the Northern Expedition War, he was the deputy general serving by the side of the Patriarch Weichi. In desperate times, their group relied on Wei Gongxing’s commands to turn defeat into victory...

If it’s that kid, perhaps he does have the courage.

"But... there is another, even more terrifying fellow..."

"I know!" Weichi Peng nodded, "Including those red-eyed ones, they are all formidable. But you must have noticed something off too, those red-eyed individuals are all new. These newcomers, including Wei Gongxing, were just Fifth Rank a few days ago, but in just one or two days, they acquired such capability. You also possess a Martial Spirit; do you think that’s possible? "

Zhang Hao fell silent. His own Evil Spirit also felt doubtful, for it seemed unreasonable to him that Mu Ye could kill Marquis An Qing instantly. Now, Wei Gongxing’s body couldn’t even exert one ten-thousandth of the power of Mu Ye. Logically, he couldn’t have beaten Marquis An Qing!

"They definitely possess some terrifying power."

"It is terrifying, but this power is not reasonable!" Weichi Peng said hauntingly, "If there weren’t severe side effects, they would have already swept the world with such power instead of waiting until now."

"Does General Weichi know what the side effects are?"

"I don’t know..." Weichi Peng answered honestly, shaking his head.

Zhang Hao was immediately speechless—then what are you talking about? Even if there are major side effects, what can we do without intelligence? I’m certainly not going to confront them head-on.

"But Wei Gongxing must know!"

"He’s already dead; where are you going to find him?" Zhang Hao looked at the other party in astonishment.

"In the path of the dead." Weichi Peng patted the impressive black horse he was on; only then did Zhang Hao notice that the horse Weichi Peng rode in on was the Ghost Horse!

"Even if you have that thing, are you sure you can find Wei Gongxing? And even if you do, are you certain that Wei Gongxing got to the bottom of their side effects?"

"General Weichi..." Zhang Hao stated firmly, "I won’t gamble my brothers’ lives along with you!"