Chapter 100

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...

In the wind, the paraglider carried Soren and over a hundred others, flying for several kilometers before slowly descending due to gravity. To land earlier, they even had to pull down forcefully.

All of these over a hundred people were skilled in martial arts. Even Song Bing, who looked delicate, had the level of an apprentice warrior, having received martial arts training.

Therefore, no one was injured during the descent. Minor scratches were nothing to them.

However, because they flew so far, the group landed quite scattered.

Soren took out the bow from his back and shot an arrow into the sky. The arrow then exploded in mid-air, spraying countless red powders.

This signal arrow ordered everyone to gather around him.

Within fifteen minutes, Song Bing, Ye Jingyu, and the hundred family warriors all gathered, not a single one missing.

At this moment, everyone looked at Soren with awe, especially Song Bing and Ye Jingyu. As girls, they had a natural romantic longing for flying, often fantasizing about becoming birds, soaring in the sky, and looking down at the earth.

And now, Soren had helped them achieve this.

Although it was initially terrifying, as they had to jump from a cliff hundreds of meters high, the feeling of falling was quite scary.

However, once the paraglider fully opened, everything became incredibly beautiful.

The sensation of flying was not very fast but very smooth.

To be honest, if not for the urgency, Song Bing would have wished to stay in the sky a bit longer.

Upon seeing Soren for the first time, she almost blurted out, "Next time, I want to fly again, and I want you to take me."

While in the air, she had indeed fantasized. Imagining that it was just her and Soren, sharing one paraglider, and even flying in his embrace, how wonderful that would be.

Thinking of this scene, Song Bing's heart even tingled.

The family warriors looked at Soren with complete admiration and enthusiasm, as if transferring all their admiration for Suo Hanyi to Soren.

Seeing this, Soren felt a sigh of relief. Perhaps the plan to turn a desperate situation into a survival opportunity was not just a double win but a triple win. The third gain was the absolute loyalty of the family warriors.

"Everyone has heard about my bet with Prince Zhi Li: to retake Tianshui City within five months," Soren said loudly. "If we fail to retake Tianshui City in six months, you all know what will happen."

If a rebellion occurs in a feudal lord's territory and the lord is unable to suppress it, the royal family has the right and duty to send troops to help suppress the rebellion.

Therefore, if Soren fails to retake his territory in six months, the kingdom's army will enter Tianshui City under the pretext of suppressing the rebellion.

At that time, the Suo family will lose Tianshui City forever, and Soren will lose everything.

"And how many enemies will we face?" Soren asked. "There are the rebels led by Nur Dan, Zhi Ning's secret elite forces, and Suo Hanyi. These three forces combined will exceed 30,000 troops."

At least 30,000 troops, as Zhi Ning will certainly station his secret army in Tianshui City to control it secretly.

"And how many do we have?" Soren asked. "We only have a hundred people."

Upon hearing this, the previously excited and passionate hearts of those present immediately turned cold.

A hundred people, five months, to defeat 30,000 troops and retake Tianshui City—this was harder than climbing to the heavens.

Soren said, "Within five months, we need to gather at least 20,000 elite troops and need 150,000 gold coins for the military expenses."

Upon hearing this, almost everyone present found it hard to breathe. This was an impossible goal.

Zhi Ning and Zhi Li spent 100,000 gold coins to plan this rebellion in Tianshui City, and this money was only used to arm and reward Nur Dan's 30,000 rebels.

Soren, however, needed to gather 20,000 troops from scratch and use them to suppress the rebellion, so he needed at least 150,000 gold coins.

How much is 150,000 gold coins? It is nearly a year's tax revenue for the Southeast Province, a fraction of the annual tax revenue for the entire Nu Lang Kingdom.

War has always been a gold-consuming beast. 150,000 gold coins is the minimum required.

"Jingyu, how many gold coins do we have now?" Soren asked.

"Eight hundred," Ye Jingyu replied.

Now, Soren only had 800 gold coins left.

Previously, dismissing the household servants, arming the hundred knights, and making over a hundred paragliders cost nearly 3,000 gold coins.

Their journey from the capital to Baiyun County, changing horses every 200 to 300 miles, even though they were trading old horses for new ones, still cost over 2,000 gold coins.

So, the several thousand gold coins Soren had transferred were now down to 800 gold coins.

Soren asked, "In the next five months, we need to use these 800 gold coins to earn 150,000 gold coins, gather 20,000 troops. Do you all have confidence?"

Everyone's hearts were completely chilled. Not only did they lack confidence, but they couldn't even imagine it. It was impossible even in dreams.

"You lack confidence, but... I have it," Soren pointed to his head. "I have confidence, and I am certain. I have a plan. All you need to do is follow me and obey my orders."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was once again stunned.

Including Song Bing and Ye Jingyu, 150,000 gold coins was an astronomical amount. Duke Zhitin, who had operated for half a lifetime, wouldn't have more than 100,000 gold coins.

Now, Soren was saying he would earn 150,000 gold coins in five months, which was completely shocking. This amount was the annual tax revenue of a province with millions of people. Even robbing a treasury wouldn't yield such an astronomical sum.

However, no one thought Soren was exaggerating. Just now, he had performed a miracle, escaping unscathed from the encirclement of 10,000 troops. And in the past few months, he had performed more than one miracle.

Soren said, "Linhai City is now our new battlefield. From now on, follow me and perform another miracle. You don't need to do anything, just obey, obey, obey!"

"Understood," Suo Mu knelt on one knee.

"Understood," all the family warriors drew their swords and knelt on one knee.

"Move out, to Linhai City!" Soren ordered.

Immediately, over a hundred family warriors lined up neatly and marched toward Linhai City, 200 miles away.

...

Running for half a day and a night, the over a hundred people covered 200 miles on foot.

The situation along the way was somewhat strange, as Linhai City did not send any troops to meet them, nor did any troops block their path.

It was as if Linhai City was unaware of Soren's group.

However, this was impossible. Soren's group numbered over a hundred and had passed through many villages and towns.

His father-in-law, Gui Xingfu, could not possibly be unaware of his arrival, yet he pretended to be completely unaware.

This was not a good sign.

Moreover, the suspension bridge over the Nu River was suddenly destroyed, which was even more bizarre.

This was a giant suspension bridge over 100 meters long and several hundred meters high. Building it had cost a fortune and many lives. And in this stretch of the Nu River, there was only one such bridge for over 100 miles.

Perhaps his father-in-law and his fiancée were not welcoming his arrival.

After all, a few months ago, he had received a letter from his fiancée, Gui Qinshe, threatening to kill him if he dared to mention her name again.

However, this was not unexpected. Before coming to Linhai City, Soren had prepared for an unwelcoming reception.

However, the struggle against heaven is endless, the struggle against earth is endless, and the struggle against people is endless. Let alone against his father-in-law and fiancée.

...

At dawn, Soren led his group to the outskirts of Linhai City.

The large city ahead was Linhai City, belonging to his fiancée's family. Like the Suo family, the Gui family was a semi-independent feudal power within the kingdom.

Linhai City had a circumference of several miles and a population of 90,000, slightly smaller than Tianshui City.

Looking at the tall city walls, the family warriors felt uneasy and anxious.

Previously, when they were surrounded on the mountain, their only thought was to break through and escape to Linhai City.

Now, with Linhai City in sight, they began to worry whether the city's lord, Gui Xingfu, would be willing to shelter them, whether he would be willing to help, or even if he would take advantage of their situation and kill them.

"Master, you should hide first and send someone to the city gate to call out. If Linhai City has any ulterior motives, you won't be in danger," Suo Mu said.

"I will go into the city to investigate," Song Bing said. "As a woman, no one will harm me."

Soren shook his head and smiled, "No need."

Then, he went directly to the city gate and shouted loudly, "Kingdom's Count, Lord of Tianshui City, and head of the Suo family, Soren, comes to pay respects to my father-in-law!"

At that moment, many people were entering and leaving the city. Upon hearing Soren's words, they were stunned and stared at him.

This was Soren, the notorious wastrel of the entire Nu Lang Kingdom.

Because Linhai City was isolated by the Nu River, information was relatively closed. Moreover, the capital was thousands of miles away, so Soren's impressive performance in the capital had not yet reached here. In everyone's mind, Soren was still the infamous wastrel.

And their city lord's daughter, Gui Qinshe, was a rare beauty in terms of appearance, temperament, and figure. Not only that, she had a high dragon bloodline talent, making her martial arts skills outstanding among her peers.

Such an excellent beauty was to marry a wastrel like Soren, which was like a flower being planted in cow dung.

Moreover, there were rumors that the Suo family had been destroyed, and their territory occupied by rebels.

They did not expect Soren, the wastrel, to survive. But even if he survived, he was now penniless and a fugitive. As the saying goes, a fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken!

The warriors on the city wall were stunned upon hearing this and carefully examined Soren at the city gate. They had not seen this famous wastrel, but they knew he was very handsome. The young man before them, though a bit disheveled, was indeed very handsome, resembling the rumored Soren.

Thus, the leader of the city wall's warriors did not act on his own and said, "Please wait a moment, I will report to the city lord immediately."

Saying this, he quickly rushed down the city wall, mounted a fast horse, and galloped to the city lord's residence.

Then, they waited with some anxiety.

Soon, they would meet his father-in-law and his fiancée, Gui Qinshe, who had threatened to kill him. The former beauty of the capital's academy.

The city lord of Linhai City, Count Gui Xingfu, did not keep Soren waiting long. In less than half an hour, he appeared at the city gate.

"My dear nephew, my poor dear nephew!"

Before seeing him, his voice was heard. (To be continued.)