The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  After all, it wasn't like he had come away with no achievements.

  And the southwest would still eventually be managed by Xianyu Zhongtong, the Annan Protector-General.

  "Congratulations to user for completing 'The Trial of Destiny: Empire's Dirge'. In killing 420,000 soldiers of the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, user has succeeded in altering the fate of the empire's southwest!"

  Wang Chong was currently seated cross-legged on the summit of the mountain, the voice of the Stone of Destiny ringing in his ear. Bzzt! In a flash of light, countless images began to float in front of Wang Chong's eyes.

  Gallop! The urgent galloping of horses rang out in his ear as the entire course of the southwestern war, from the moment Wang Chong left the capital to his victory over the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, played out in front of him.

  "Congratulations to user for acquiring the new title 'Controller of Destiny'. User's ability to survive, resist the World Constraint, and rule fate have been improved."

  Hwoom! As the Stone of Destiny spoke, a gale stirred over the summit, and countless silhouettes that only Wang Chong could see flashed before his eyes.

  Boom!

  At this same moment, a furious tide of invisible energy emerged out of the depths of space-time, thundering into Wang Chong's body.

  This energy was both cold and hot, imbued with a destructive character.

  "Ah!" Wang Chong let out a soft groan of pain as an intense ache throbbed through his body. In these few seconds, Wang Chong's body grew many times tougher.

  Chapter 640: The Start of Everything, Zhang Qiantuo I

  Chapter 640: The Start of Everything, Zhang Qiantuo (I)

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  Wang Chong's root bone had already reached the Dragon Bone level, but it was only at the most basic Flood Dragon Bone. However, at this moment, Wang Chong's root bone instantly reached the peak of the Flood Dragon Bone level.

  More importantly, Wang Chong could sense that his body had been toughened in other ways besides the improvement to his root bone.

  Ability to resist the World Constraint and rule fate? What are these? Wang Chong wondered in shock. Although he had known of the contents of the reward long ago, he still had no idea what they were improving.

  "Congratulations to user for achieving 'Controller of Destiny'. A new set of rewards has been unlocked."

  Before Wang Chong could come back to his senses, another change took place in his mind. In a burst of golden light, two new reward categories appeared in front of Wang Chong. One represented 'arts' and the other represented 'power'.

  Success! Besides moves and arts, there are even rewards concerning the power of fate!

  As the list of rewards available for exchange appeared before him, Wang Chong inwardly rejoiced.

  "The war of the southwest has concluded. User has killed 420,000 Mengshe–Ü-Tsang soldiers for a reward of 2100 points of Destiny Energy. 60,000 soldiers of the Annan Protectorate army have died, resulting in a deduction of 290 points of Destiny Energy. Congratulations to user for obtaining 1810 points of Destiny Energy.

  "In addition, for completing the 'Trial of Destiny', user is rewarded an additional 600 points of Destiny Energy. In total, user has obtained 2410 points of Destiny Energy."

  ……

  Buzz! The voice in Wang Chong's mind instantly caused his body to shudder, his mind in a daze.

  "2410?!"

  Wang Chong's mouth was wide open in disbelief.

  In the war of the southwest, all his focus had been placed on defeating Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang, so he had never thought about the reward from the Stone of Destiny.

  Wang Chong had never expected to be given such a large reward after the conclusion of the war.

  "How is this possible?"

  Wang Chong sat in a daze, unable to gather his thoughts for quite some time.

  But now that he thought about it, in the war of the southwest, for every 10,000 soldiers of the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army he killed, he could be rewarded with 50 points of Destiny Energy.

  And in the course of the war, he had killed 420,000 Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang soldiers. Probably not even the Stone of Destiny had expected this, resulting in that astonishing reward.

  This had been the most astounding reward he had received since his reincarnation. But when he thought about the significance of the southwest to the Great Tang and to the Central Plains, and about the risks he had taken, Wang Chong felt at ease.

  "I can't believe it!" Wang Chong muttered to himself. At this moment, he suddenly understood the meaning of the Trial of Destiny. Massive risks came hand in hand with massive rewards.

  2410 points of Destiny Energy was enough for him to do many things.

  Tap! Tap!

  While Wang Chong was thinking, he suddenly heard footsteps. Opening his eyes, he saw Old Eagle hurriedly walking over, a carrier pigeon on his shoulder and a rolled-up sheet of paper in his hand.

  "Young Master, a letter. It's from him…"

  Old Eagle's voice became very soft.

  Wang Chong's expression flickered as he took the letter from Old Eagle. After giving it a glance, he quickly stowed it away.

  "No one is allowed to know of this matter besides the two of us. Not even Protector-General or my father can know," Wang Chong gravely ordered.

  "Your subordinate understands."

  Old Eagle nodded and quickly departed.

  Once Old Eagle had left and no one else was around, Wang Chong finally opened the message. This letter had been sent by the long-absent Solitary Wolf, and it contained only a few words.

  'Solitary Wolf pays respects. This subordinate is safe and sound and hopes that Young Master is not concerned. The mission has been completed, ready for Young Master's summons.'

  At the bottom was a row of small characters and Solitary Wolf's unique seal.

  After reading the letter, Wang Chong contracted his fingers and sent a jolt through them, pulverizing the paper into powder.

  Standing up, Wang Chong began to stride down the mountain.

  "Li Siye, follow me!" Wang Chong shouted into the distance.

  "Yes, Young Master!"

  Li Siye, mounted on a Ferghana steed, arrived like a bolt of lightning.

  In the war of the southwest, the one thousand cavalry led by Li Siye had made enormous contributions. Moreover, as the future Invincible Great General, Li Siye held a fervent loyalty for the Great Tang.

  Right now, Wang Chong treated him like his trusted subordinate.

  "Old Eagle, tell Father and Protector-General that I'm taking soldiers out on patrol to calm the people, taking care of some personal matters along the way. If anything happens, inform me by carrier pigeon and I'll come back," Wang Chong said.

  "Your subordinate understands," Old Eagle responded from the distance, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

  Without another word, Wang Chong and Li Siye galloped off with a few elite cavalry.

  The southwest was heavily guarded, the entire population mobilized. The areas bordering Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang were under constant watch by carrier pigeons and eagles, and even civilians were taking part.

  The smallest activity from the border would immediately elicit a response from the Annan Protectorate army.

  Everything had been arranged, and the Annan Protectorate army had its own system, so Wang Chong had nothing to worry about.

  ……

  As Wang Chong rode southeast from the mountain, he passed by many ruined towns and villages. In the past, these places would have been bustling with activity, but they were now all deserted.

  The war of the southwest had lasted for only two months, but it had had an unprecedented impact on the nearly one million civilians living here. Panic had spread everywhere, entire families migrated.

  Thankfully, the war was now over and announcements that all was safe had been posted everywhere. Many people were slowly beginning to return from their hideaways deep in the mounta
ins.

  "It won't take long for all this to recover."

  Wang Chong stopped the White-hoofed Shadow on a city street and looked around him.

  "Hyah!"

  Two days later, Wang Chong stopped outside the walls of a small and remote town.

  "The rest of you stay here. Li Siye, follow me."

  Wang Chong left his guards outside as he entered the abandoned city with Li Siye.

  The walls showed black scorch marks from being burned, and many parts had fallen. Although Wang Chong and the Annan Protectorate army had held down the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang soldiers and limited the damage they could cause, this did not mean that the civilians of the southwest were completely unaffected.

  Whether it was the fleeing Mengshe–Ü-Tsang soldiers in the aftermath or the sporadic battles in the earlier phase, these things had had a significant effect on the cities and villages of the southwest.

  "A small unit of Tibetan cavalry probably passed through here," Li Siye noted from behind Wang Chong, his gaze sweeping over the ruins.

  Wang Chong had said that this was a patrol, but Li Siye didn't feel this way. Wang Chong's goal had been extremely precise, but truthfully speaking, Li Siye still didn't know what Wang Chong's purpose was.

  "When the nest is upset, no egg is left intact. Fortunately, we managed to win," Wang Chong said with deep emotion.

  Only he knew what would have happened if he had not intervened in this war. In that scenario, he wouldn't be seeing just one or two destroyed towns.

  "It's here."

  While talking, Wang Chong suddenly stopped and turned toward a dilapidated room. The walls of the room were pitch-black, and all the chairs, tables, and stools lay shattered on the floor amidst the shards of pottery and pans.

  The sole stove in the room against the wall had also been smashed to pieces.

  "Wait outside. When I need you, I'll call you over," Wang Chong said.

  "Yes, Young Master."

  Li Siye nodded.

  After the war of the southwest, Li Siye's attitude toward Wang Chong had shifted from obstinate disobedience to heartfelt loyalty.

  No matter what Wang Chong said, he would express no objections.

  Wang Chong nodded and entered the room. The room was deserted, but Wang Chong swept his eyes over the room before stamping his foot three times.

  "Is it Young Master?" A barely audible voice came from the ground.

  "It's me. Solitary Wolf, open the door," Wang Chong whispered back.

  Kalala! The sounds of a mechanism could be heard. A few moments later, a floorboard in front of Wang Chong shifted to the side, revealing a dark hole.

  A set of stairs could be seen extending into the darkness.

  Wang Chong slightly raised his clothes before immediately proceeding down the stairs.

  Crackle!

  The sound of a flickering flame could be heard in the gloom, and a dot of fiery light slowly began to brighten in front of Wang Chong.

  "Young… Master…"

  Solitary Wolf's hoarse voice, disheveled hair, and sallow appearance gave Wang Chong a fright. Even from this distance, he could smell the thick stench of blood.

  "Solitary Wolf, what's wrong?"

  Shocked, Wang Chong hurried forward to support Solitary Wolf.

  Cough… cough. "Young Master, be at ease. Those people wanted to kill us, but I've got good luck. I won't be dying yet."

  Solitary Wolf raised his head and gave an ugly smile. His white teeth were striking in the darkness.

  "Don't force yourself."

  Wang Chong glanced at him and suddenly thrust a finger into Solitary Wolf's Shanzhong acupuncture point. He then helped the feeble Solitary Wolf into a chair and stuffed a pill sealed in white wax into his mouth.

  "This medicine can treat your wounds and will help you recover."

  In the light of the fire, Wang Chong was stunned by the sword and saber wounds covering Solitary Wolf's body.

  Cough. "Thank you, Young Master."

  After Solitary Wolf swallowed down the divine medicine that Wang Chong had obtained from the palace, his complexion clearly began to improve. He was no longer coughing as badly, and his skin gradually began to regain a reddish hue.

  "How did you manage to escape? And do you know who your pursuers were?" Wang Chong asked.

  Solitary Wolf gave a bitter smile and then gave a detailed account of the escape.

  Solitary Wolf had spent a long time hiding out in Jiange City before finally spotting a chance and escaping. However, those mysterious black-clothed people had been searching for them the entire time.

  Solitary Wolf had almost died to their swords quite a few times. Thankfully, Zhang Qiantuo had finally woken up and the pair had managed to smoothly escape.

  "You couldn't capture any of those black-clothed people alive?"

  Wang Chong frowned.

  "No, they were all suicide soldiers. If they were defeated and captured, they would immediately bite down on a poison pill in their mouths to commit suicide. I tried to remove the tooth that they had concealed the poison in, but then they bit their tongues, cut their throats, or severed their meridians. Even though I fought with them for so long, I wasn't able to ask them a single thing."

  Solitary Wolf bitterly smiled.

  "In addition, when Young Master achieved a major victory not too long ago, all those black-clothed people completely withdrew, so we don't even have a chance to capture them now."

  The Annan Protectorate army had pasted their announcements everywhere, and Solitary Wolf had clearly seen them.

  Wang Chong instantly fell silent.

  Chapter 641: The Start of Everything, Zhang Qiantuo II

  Chapter 641: The Start of Everything, Zhang Qiantuo (II)

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  "Then what of Governor Zhang? Take me to see him. I have something I need to ask him," Wang Chong said.

  Everything about the southwest war could be traced back to the battle of Jiange. Zhang Qiantuo's raping and murdering Geluofeng's wife and daughter had resulted in all of this.

  Right now, all of the Great Tang believed that Zhang Qiantuo had died in Geluofeng's assault on Jiange. Privately sheltering an important official of the court for personal reasons was a major offense, which was why Wang Chong did not want others to know of this matter.

  Wang Chong didn't even want his own father to know. Wang Chong knew that someone of his father's personality had an eighty to ninety percent chance of reporting the matter to the Imperial Court upon learning of it.

  Given all the misdeeds Geluofeng had committed as a result of this incident, if the Imperial Court knew that Zhang Qiantuo was still alive, the only fate awaiting him would be execution.

  Thus, no matter what, no one could know that Zhang Qiantuo was still alive.

  Suddenly, a low and raspy voice came from within the basement. "Many thanks to Young Master for the kindness of saving my life, but I am no longer Zhang Qiantuo, only a faceless man who is too ashamed to see the world."

  A large figure slowly approached in the fiery light, and upon seeing the man's face, even Wang Chong was given a start.

  "Governor Zhang! What have you done?"

  Wang Chong saw that the figure in front of him had placed a strange black metal mask over his face. This mask had no eyebrows or hair, and seemed to be branded to his flesh.

  If Wang Chong hadn't met Zhang Qiantuo in the capital and recognized his voice, he would have never imagined that the man wearing this metal mask was that meticulous, sincere, and upright Governor of Jiannan.

  "Young Master Wang, this is my own choice. Please do not interfere. Until I find out who murdered my wife and children, who those black-clothed men are, and what is the true identity of that disloyal, unfilial, heartless, and unrighteous bastard who schemed against this Zhang, I will never remove the mask on my face.

  "Alive, Zhang Qiantuo has no face to see the world, and dead, has no face to see his wife a
nd children. Young Master, please no longer call me Zhang Qiantuo. Zhang Qiantuo died in battle at Jiange. All Young Master sees now is a faceless man whose heart is dead. I only have one goal in life: kill those bastards and find out the truth of Jiannan. Before this, I will never fall, never!"

  The faceless man clenched his fists, causing his knuckles to crack, his body to tremble, and his eyes to go red. The anger bursting from his body was like a loathing flame that could never be extinguished. This sight was enough to shock anyone.

  "Milord!!"

  Wang Chong and Solitary Wolf called out in alarm at the same time as they noticed two trickles of tears beginning to flow down the mask. But these were tears of crimson, tears of blood!

  "Bin-er, Tong-er, Wife, wait for me. I'll definitely avenge you! Definitely!!"

  The last words were almost howled out.

  As they looked at the weeping faceless man, Wang Chong and Solitary Wolf were both deeply moved.

  Men did not easily cry, only when they were deeply hurt. This was Wang Chong's first time seeing a proud seven-foot man weeping like this. No one could have imagined that the steely and courageous Governor of Jiannan that he had met in the capital would become this loyal and faceless man, crying tears of blood.

  Even after many years, Wang Chong would still remember this scene.

  "Sir, be at ease! This matter does not only concern Sir, but the entire Great Tang. As long as Wang Chong still breathes, he will definitely help Sir investigate the truth," Wang Chong earnestly said.

  Zhang Qiantuo was a good subject of the Great Tang, and a loyal one as well. If Solitary Wolf had not promptly rescued him, he would have already committed suicide by cutting his throat. An important official of the Great Tang who had guarded the border for decades, he wasn't someone who should have to live like this, his entire family killed, his name reviled, and his face covered in a mask, ashamed to face the world.

  The will of the heavens was clear. Even if they were complete strangers, Wang Chong would never allow this sort of thing to happen to a person of the Great Tang, much less to a loyal subject.

  The former Governor of Jiannan, Zhang Qiantuo, now the faceless man, clenched his fists and declared, "Young Master, my gratitude for your benevolence is beyond words. If my wife and children can be avenged and my name cleared, this faceless man is willing to serve Young Master for the rest of my life, serving as your ox or horse!"