Chapter 1032: Duel at the Board

Chapter 1032 -253: Duel at the Board

On the battlefield, the mocking laughter of the Alien Race Monarch was still echoing inside the Golden Tent.

Like a loud slap, it landed across Shuchi’s self-important face.

He forced down the fire in his chest, his tone chilling: “Whether it’s the Wusun Shaman or the Kuokuochu Shaman who makes a move, I want that bearded dog to stop barking this instant.”

Shuchi knew that the Mana of Kuokuochu, that Heaven-Connecting Shaman, far surpassed that of the current “Beiqi” Wusun Shaman.

But it was rare that he ever had to ask the other man for anything.

If the Wusun Shaman was a blade not so sharp but easy to control, then Kuokuochu was a vicious edge that might bite its master at any moment. What Shuchi sought to build was his own Shuchi Wulus, not to erect a theocracy for Kuokuochu.

In the end, it was Kuokuochu who made the move.

The Wusun Shaman took his place in the Golden Tent, sitting in town to protect Shuchi’s safety.

“That’s far enough, Losa Khan.”

The Heaven-Connecting Shaman, wearing a Bronze Mask and draped in a wolfskin Cloak, came to stand before Losa.

Every time he saw this aged Eastern Wizard, Losa had the illusion that he was standing before a boundless, shoreless sea.

He smiled. “I haven’t laid a hand on your people.”

“Don’t play word games, Losa Khan. I could turn this Castle into rubble without lifting my hands. That would also be ‘not taking action’, but I will not do so, because this private agreement is fragile, and hard-won.”

If the Extraordinary on both sides stopped restraining themselves and chose to strike at the mortals of their respective camps, the outcome would be unacceptable for both.

“Heh, I’ll grant you that much sense.”

The Emperor, astride his massive horse, neatly turned his mount around.

Staring at Losa’s seemingly unguarded back, Kuokuochu instinctively raised the Magic Staff in his hand, but he instantly felt a powerful sense of danger, as if the moment he struck, a life-and-death crisis would inevitably descend.

The corner of Kuokuochu’s mouth curled beneath the mask. “Interesting.”

He cast his gaze toward the “First Army” halted behind him. “Continue the siege. From now on, the enemy’s Demon Dragon and Casters will no longer stand in your way.”

Ivan, fully armed, heard that crystal-clear transmitted voice and let a wry smile appear on his face.

Morale—once it drops, can it really be lifted again by such a light, airy sentence?

This old bastard might wield transcendent might, but he understands war too?

The wry smile on Ivan’s face quickly froze.

Because reality proved—he actually could!

Breaths within the formation grew rougher, the Armor on their bodies light as air, the leather-covered Shields on their heads seeming as thin as paper. Ivan felt his blood boiling.

In his eyes, reason and bloodlust mingled and thickened, turning muddied. “Brother, feels like we’ve been hit.”

Fulk let out a repressed low growl. “Ivan, the magic potion we drank earlier seems to be rioting. Damn it, that old bastard wants us to hack these Sassanid dogs to death!”

After years of brawling across the Central Asia steppes, Ivan and Fulk had crossed paths with many Mages.

Because they had truly learned how terrifying a threat a powerful Caster could be.

They also knew full well that in this world, aside from Extraordinary Power, so-called ‘Demon-Blocking Golden Crossbow Arrows’ would have no Effect whatsoever on the nightmare in their hearts—that Demon Dragon clad in red-black Scale Armor.

So they had always chased after Extraordinary secrets—magic potion, Spellbook, they had tried everything.

Though the Effect was meager, there had been some gains in the end, hadn’t there?

At the very least, he and Fulk now possessed Strength and recovery far beyond ordinary men; in Fulk’s distant western homeland, this Power was called the “Werewolf Curse” — a Curse without side effects.

But now, Ivan felt that this so-called “without side effects” might need quotation marks.

“I can barely hold it…”

Ivan clenched his teeth, his pupils turning into a beast’s Amber hue.

Fulk beside him glanced over, startling Ivan, for beneath Fulk’s Helmet he saw a pair of beast-eyes even madder than his own, and black hair bursting out in wild clumps like weeds.

“By the Holy Fire!”

Ivan swore under his breath. None of them knew that, on the back of every Contract Army soldier about to mount the wall, a half-transparent wolf-head tattoo had appeared—but they all understood this was the handiwork of that “Heaven-Connecting Shaman.”

Boom—

Bestial instinct crashed down over reason.

The Charging formation quickened their pace, and their ranks grew far more scattered.

Yet the attacks raining down from above grew ever more negligible; even with Crossbow Arrows piercing their eye sockets, these First Army troops still would not halt their Charge.

Bang—

A Cloud Ladder with barbed hooks slammed against the city wall. The defenders inside the city hacked madly at those hooks, then used push-poles to shove the ladder away. This crude Siege Weapon no longer posed any threat to Hovezan, who was fully prepared for battle.

Losa had just returned to the battlements. Sensing the shift in the flow of qi, he didn’t even turn his head.

Instead, a knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I knew you wouldn’t stay so honest. Good—because neither will I.”

Rolling logs, hurled stones, Crossbows.

Hovezan’s defenders vented the fury in their hearts. They roared and bellowed; down below, enemies were constantly tumbling into the surging Moat. The progress of the siege seemed frozen, unable to gain a single inch.

Bang—

A Cloud Ladder with barbed hooks slammed against the city wall. The defenders inside the city hacked madly at those hooks, then used push-poles to shove the ladder away. This crude Siege Weapon no longer posed any threat to Hovezan, who was fully prepared for battle.

Losa had just returned to the battlements. Sensing the shift in the flow of qi, he didn’t even turn his head.

Instead, a knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I knew you wouldn’t stay so honest. Good—because neither will I.”

Rolling logs, hurled stones, Crossbows.

Hovezan’s defenders vented the fury in their hearts. They roared and bellowed; down below, enemies were constantly tumbling into the surging Moat. The progress of the siege seemed frozen, unable to gain a single inch.

Bang—

A Cloud Ladder with barbed hooks slammed against the city wall. The defenders inside the city hacked madly at those hooks, then used push-poles to shove the ladder away. This crude Siege Weapon no longer posed any threat to Hovezan, who was fully prepared for battle.

Losa had just returned to the battlements. Sensing the shift in the flow of qi, he didn’t even turn his head.

Instead, a knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I knew you wouldn’t stay so honest. Good—because neither will I.”

Rolling logs, hurled stones, Crossbows.

Hovezan’s defenders vented the fury in their hearts. They roared and bellowed; down below, enemies were constantly tumbling into the surging Moat. The progress of the siege seemed frozen, unable to gain a single inch.

Bang—

A Cloud Ladder with barbed hooks slammed against the city wall. The defenders inside the city hacked madly at those hooks, then used push-poles to shove the ladder away. This crude Siege Weapon no longer posed any threat to Hovezan, who was fully prepared for battle.

Losa had just returned to the battlements. Sensing the shift in the flow of qi, he didn’t even turn his head.

Instead, a knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I knew you wouldn’t stay so honest. Good—because neither will I.”

Rolling logs, hurled stones, Crossbows.

Hovezan’s defenders vented the fury in their hearts. They roared and bellowed; down below, enemies were constantly tumbling into the surging Moat. The progress of the siege seemed frozen, unable to gain a single inch.