Chapter 98

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...

Blocked by a vast river ahead and pursued by tens of thousands of soldiers behind, they were in a desperate situation.

On both sides of the road, dense forests stretched, leaving no path to take.

A few miles behind, over ten thousand rebel soldiers were forming a semi-circular formation, gradually tightening their encirclement.

Solen ordered the abandonment of their horses and commanded all the family warriors to ascend Lingjiang Peak.

Half an hour later, they reached the summit, which was several hundred meters above sea level.

Looking down from the summit, the black mass of over ten thousand rebel soldiers had already surrounded the entire Lingjiang Peak, making it impossible to escape.

Somo and the other family warriors stood on the summit in despair, their eyes filled with anger as they gazed at the rebel soldiers below.

Before ascending the mountain, Somo had strongly advised against it, arguing that while fleeing to the summit might provide temporary safety, it would ultimately lead them into a more desperate situation.

The right course of action, he believed, was for the hundred-odd people to form a tight unit and break through a single point, then head to Tianshui City to join up with Lord Solhani.

However, Solen rejected his advice, insisting that while they could disagree, they must obey orders. If they were unwilling to obey, they could leave or surrender to the rebels.

Thus, Somo and the others, filled with despair, followed Solen to the summit.

Watching themselves fall into a desperate situation, Somo could only think of one thing: a single incompetent general could exhaust an entire army.

In their hearts, the current Solen was even worse than his former self, a dissolute and wasteful young master.

The Solen of the past was only concerned with women and squandering wealth, at least he didn't pretend to know what he didn't, and he didn't give blind commands. His excellent performance in the final exams had filled him with ignorant confidence.

The current Solen, though revitalized, had led them into a desperate situation, bringing the entire family to the brink of disaster.

...

The summit had nothing—no water, not even trees, mostly just exposed rocks.

The over ten thousand rebel soldiers below had already begun to form their ranks, cutting down trees to build simple barriers.

Massive crossbows were being set up at various positions. The soldiers were polishing their swords, ready to attack the mountain at any moment.

"Master, the rebel formation below is not yet stable. If we attack now, we still have a slim chance of survival. We can still protect you and escape," Somo said, stepping forward.

Solen shook his head. "No."

Somo couldn't help but shout, "Then what should we do now?"

"Wait," Solen said.

"Wait for what?" Somo asked, "Wait to die?"

Solen replied, "Wait for Solhani to come."

Somo was so angry he wanted to laugh. This master, who had refused to join Solhani due to personal grudges, now wanted Solhani to come to their rescue. If he had known this would happen, why did he act so differently before?

"Master, Lord Solhani won't come," Somo said. "No one will come to save us. No one knows we are here."

Solen said, "Who said Solhani is coming to save us? He is coming to kill us."

Somo's voice rose. "Impossible. Master, you may not like Lord Solhani, but you cannot doubt or defame his loyalty. Over the past ten years, how much blood and sweat has he shed for the Sol family? Your words not only chill his heart but also ours."

Solen said, "I won't argue with you. The results will be clear soon."

Somo turned and left, afraid that if he stayed, he would burst out in anger. Although Solen was their master, his words were too heartless.

If it weren't for Lord Solhani, Tianshui City would have fallen long ago, and you, Solen, would have been able to squander and cause trouble in the capital?

Now, not only are you ungrateful, but you also defame Lord Solhani. It's completely intolerable.

Solen took a deep breath. Although he knew Solhani held a high status in the hearts of the Tianshui City soldiers, he didn't expect it to be so high. These soldiers regarded him as a savior, a pillar of support.

If they had to choose between him and Solhani, they would unhesitatingly choose Solhani.

The people on the summit were family warriors who had stayed in the capital. The soldiers in Tianshui City probably revered Solhani as a god.

"All Sol family warriors, begin to gather," Somo ordered loudly.

Immediately, over a hundred family warriors began to form a neat line.

Solen's expression changed. "Somo, what are you doing?"

Somo said, "Master, if you doubt Lord Solhani's loyalty, then our loyalty is even less significant. Now, we will prove our honor with our blood. Brothers, charge down and die with the enemy, proving our warrior's honor with our blood."

"Charge, charge, charge..." Immediately, over a hundred family warriors drew their large swords in unison.

Solen said, "I have never doubted your loyalty."

Somo said, "If you doubt Lord Solhani, you doubt us. Which of you here was personally trained by Lord Solhani?"

"I, I, I..."

Immediately, the family warriors present raised their hands.

Somo said, "Although Lord Solhani is the adopted son of the Sol family, he is the leader of the family warriors. Each of us here was personally trained by him, and each of us has been blessed by him. If you doubt his loyalty, you doubt ours. Now, we will use our deaths to wash away the insult you have brought to Lord Solhani."

Hearing Solen doubt Solhani's loyalty, the family warriors present were completely shocked.

Solhani was not only their leader and idol but also their pillar of stability.

Previously, Solen's refusal to join Solhani had already puzzled them. Now, Solen's defamation of Solhani's loyalty had completely enraged them.

Is this a heartless and ungrateful person? Solhani has risked his life for the Sol family, now critically injured, and Solen not only shows no gratitude but defames him out of jealousy?

Such a master, heartless and ungrateful, is not worth following.

Somo drew his large sword. "Master, if you fear death, you can surrender later. We are going to die. If you can, I hope you can apologize to Lord Solhani."

"Charge..." Somo led the charge, leading over a hundred family warriors down the mountain.

Solen drew his sword and slashed a nearby small tree, shouting, "Stop!"

However, Somo continued to lead the family warriors down the mountain, determined to die with the enemy in their anger.

The rebel soldiers below, noticing the situation on the summit, quickly formed ranks. Over a thousand archers and crossbowmen drew their bows.

A single volley would be enough to wipe out the hundred-odd people.

Soningbing suddenly drew her sword and placed it at her neck, shouting, "Stop, or I will die in front of you."

The family warriors, who had always respected Soningbing, immediately stopped when they saw her with the sword at her neck.

Somo quickly knelt. "Miss, please don't do this. If the old master learns that we forced you to die, we will be willing to die a thousand deaths."

Soningbing said, "I know you respect Lord Solhani. I trust him, I respect him, and I don't believe he would betray us."

Somo bowed. "Miss, we are now in a desperate situation. The master is still the master, and we cannot blame him. We don't blame him for not joining Lord Solhani before, and we don't blame him for leading us into this desperate situation. But now, we would rather die standing than live kneeling. We are willing to die to clear Lord Solhani's name. Is that too much to ask?"

Soningbing looked at Solen with her beautiful eyes. "I haven't finished speaking. I completely trust Lord Solhani, even more than I trust myself. But... I trust Solen even more. He is not only my brother but also my master. I trust him without reservation, more than anyone else. So, please give him a chance."

Solen came to Soningbing, took the sword from her hand, and looked at Somo and all the family warriors.

"You don't trust me now, and I understand, because my past actions didn't deserve your trust," Solen said, walking to Somo. "Somo, your actions just now were almost treasonous."

Somo offered his sword with both hands. "If you think I am treasonous, then cut off my head and see if my blood is red."

"I said, I understand that you don't trust me now," Solen said. "But I hope this is the last time."

Solen took the large sword from Somo, then returned it to him, saying slowly, "Somo, the results will be clear soon. The Lord Solhani you speak of is already on his way. If I have defamed him, you can cut off my head."

"If you are still Sol family warriors, then obey my orders. There's no time for mourning. I will lead you to break through and escape to Linhai City, so don't waste time here."

Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at him in disbelief.

To still talk about escaping in such a desperate situation? Is he out of his mind?

In such a desperate situation, a hundred people surrounded by over ten thousand on a lonely mountain top, completely trapped, even a god couldn't save them.

Now, this master is talking about escaping. Is he dreaming?

Solen ignored them, closed his eyes, and felt the wind on the summit, then calculated in his mind.

This place is not far from the sea, and the summit is several hundred meters high, so there is always wind.

Moreover, it is late summer, so the wind is always blowing from south to north.

Solen predicted that the current wind speed is about five on the Beaufort scale, not quite six, with a speed of about 12 to 13 meters per second. This wind speed is not strong, but it is enough.

The height of this mountain is about 600 meters above sea level, and the width of the Nu River is about 120 meters.

Enough, it's enough! Solen had calculated many times in the capital and had felt the wind speed on high mountains. This is even better than he imagined.

"Everyone, put on your backpacks and wait for my orders," Solen shouted loudly.

...

Half an hour later.

Solhani, clad in black armor, and the Lady of Zhining, wearing a black dress and a golden mask, rode their horses into the rebel camp.

Nurdan looked at Solhani in black armor, not knowing who he was, assuming he was the Lady of Zhining's bodyguard.

"Lord, Solen and his men are surrounded on the mountain top, with no way to escape," Nurdan said, stepping forward.

The Lady of Zhining nodded and said to Solhani, "It's your turn to perform."

Solhani nodded and gripped his large sword.

The Lady of Zhining waved her hand, and the hundreds of elite black-armored warriors she brought all stepped forward.

They were all dressed like Solhani.

"Go up and kill everyone, except for Soningbing," the Lady of Zhining ordered coldly.

Immediately, under Solhani's lead, the hundreds of black-armored warriors drew their large swords and charged up the mountain.

The Lady of Zhining, protected by Li Zhu, also followed, as she wanted to see Solen's death.

Bang, bang, bang!

At the same time, the rebel camp sounded the war drums.

...

"They are attacking." On the mountain waist, several scouts saw the black-armored warriors charging up the mountain and immediately rushed to the summit to report.

"All warriors, prepare for battle," Somo shouted, drawing his large sword.

Over a hundred family warriors all drew their large swords, ready to fight.

Solen stood on the summit, looking down.

Below, the hundreds of black-armored warriors formed an attack formation, advancing step by step up the mountain, their formation unbroken. They moved as one.

Each one was clad in black armor, wearing a black bamboo mask, making their faces unrecognizable.

The only one who could be recognized was the Lady of Zhining, as she wore a black dress.

About a hundred meters from the summit, the Lady of Zhining waved her hand, and everyone stopped.

Somo said coldly, "Master, where is the Lord Solhani you spoke of? Are you going to point to one of the masked people below and say it's him?"

Solen looked at the black-armored warriors below and shouted, "Lady Zhining, how have you been?"

The Lady of Zhining laughed coldly. "I've been well. We meet again, but this will probably be our last meeting. Solen, this time you are trapped and will surely die."

Solen said, "Yes, I am now in a desperate situation, with no way out. Before I die, can you grant me one request?"

"Delusional..." the Lady of Zhining said. "Now, I only want to see you die in pain to satisfy my hatred."

Solen said, "Zhining, I once loved you so much. Can't you fulfill my last request before I die?"

The Lady of Zhining, caught off guard by these words, was suddenly shaken and her thoughts were in chaos.

Solen said with deep emotion, "My request is simple. I want to die with a clear conscience. I want to know if it is my most trusted brother who is killing me. Can you make the person next to you remove their mask?"

Upon hearing this, Solhani, who was next to the Lady of Zhining, trembled. This, this is absolutely not possible. If he removes his mask and Soningbing sees him...

How can he marry her? She will surely hate him to the bone.

The Lady of Zhining took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and then said to Solhani, "Remove your mask."

"No, if I remove my mask, I will be completely disgraced," Solhani said, trembling.

"Fear not. Now, everyone around me is my people. At worst, you can kill everyone on the mountain. Then, you will still be the savior of the Sol family," the Lady of Zhining said.

"What about Soningbing? I still want to marry her. If I don't marry her, I can't become the lord of Tianshui City," Solhani said.

"That's easy. Just make her a cripple," the Lady of Zhining said. "A living dead person can still be married, even if she loses all her senses and can't reveal any secrets."

Solhani's heart clenched. Soningbing was the woman he loved most. Make her a cripple? Turn her into a living dead person?

He, he really can't bear it.

The Lady of Zhining said, "You have no other choice."

"Why must it be this way, just because of Solen's request?" Solhani said, his voice hoarse.

"No, I think it will be more interesting if you remove your mask," the Lady of Zhining said.

Seeing Solhani hesitate, the Lady of Zhining said coldly, "Do it immediately, then kill everyone on the mountain and make Soningbing a cripple. Anyway, you can keep her beautiful appearance and body for your own enjoyment."

Solhani panted heavily, his chest heaving.

At this moment, on the summit, Soningbing, Yejingyu, Somo, and all the family warriors were staring at him, motionless.

"Aah, aah..." Solhani roared, then suddenly removed his mask, revealing his heroic face.

Instantly, it was like a thunderbolt struck the mountain.

Soningbing, Somo, and all the family warriors were struck dumb, staring in disbelief at Solhani's face.

Their idol, truly, truly betrayed them, truly fell! (To be continued.)