Chapter 2137 - 2122: With a Clear Conscience

Chapter 2137: Chapter 2122: With a Clear Conscience

"Keep investigating, keep probing! You must find out clearly how the Heavenly Temple is infiltrating the border people on the Human Demon Battlefield, their detailed strength, and the high command behind them. Remember, do not alarm the enemy."

"As for the overstaffing of fortress garrisons on the Human Demon Battlefield, continue investigating thoroughly as well. Find out the total number of troops each nearby fortress can mobilize.

If possible, try to trace the source of the standard-issue weapons held by these fortresses. Remember, better slow than hasty."

This was Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long’s reply to Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen had secretly reported to Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long both the Heavenly Temple’s rampant proselytizing and recruitment of followers discovered in Dingbian Fortress, and the overstaffing of its garrison.

However, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long’s response was beyond Ye Zhen’s expectations.

Ye Zhen had thought Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long would explode in fury—after all, to tamper with the vitally important hinterland where massive armies gather on the Human Demon Battlefield is no different from tampering with the vital heart of a man.

But Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long’s reaction was so calm it made Ye Zhen’s heart sink.

Ye Zhen had thought that once Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long knew of this, at the very least he would send a Special Envoy, or even dispatch a Great Sun Priest from the Ancestor God Temple to intervene.

Unexpectedly, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long merely told him to continue investigating and not alarm the enemy.

For a moment, Ye Zhen felt as though he was shrouded in layers of fog; he wanted to see clearly what lay around him, yet no matter how he strained he could not.

Ye Zhen felt as if he had already fallen into a vortex full of hidden currents; the more he struggled to break free, the deeper he sank.

As for the prediction about a thousand-year war, Ye Zhen did not report it to Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long.

Ye Zhen definitely did not want his connections with Demon Clan high command to be exposed to Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long.

Last time, a Three-eyed Demon Clan Avatar appeared; although Ye Zhen had explained it clearly, if one more layer of connection to Demon Clan high command were added, who knew whether the Ren Venerate Emperor would start suspecting Ye Zhen.

One must know, those most given to suspicion in this world are emperors.

If the Ren Venerate Emperor began to view Ye Zhen with suspicion, suspecting him of colluding with demons, that would be a catastrophe!

However, the matter of the Demon Clan possibly launching a thousand-year war, Ye Zhen reported to the Grand Governor’s Mansion under the pretext of having extracted it from prisoners under interrogation.

It was just that there was only testimony, with no Shadow Capture Jade Slip, and no living prisoners.

Without a doubt, not only did the Grand Governor’s Mansion refuse to accept Ye Zhen’s intelligence, it even issued a harsh reprimand.

"With such absurd testimony, you of the Heavenly Wave Army of North Sea dare to report? Do you not know this is merely some captured demon, unable to withstand torture, spinning wild fabrications?

Considering that you are over-eager for merit, we will not pursue it this time. If in future you again chase shadows and rumors and disturb the hearts of our troops, be careful, the Military Judge will deal with you!"

"Grand Marshal!"

After reading out the official dispatch from the Grand Governor’s Mansion to Ye Zhen, Liuu Feng wore a bitter smile.

"I’ve long said it—just do all that is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate!"

With that, Ye Zhen sighed lightly. "Come, go with me to see Governor Ni Feng!"

The main camp of the Northern War Zone lay nine hundred thousand li northeast of the Blood River Fortress. Here were stationed three hundred thousand of the Northern War Zone’s main-force troops, all directly under Governor Ni Feng’s command. In both combat power and training, they were top-class.

As for a thorn like Ye Zhen, Governor Ni Feng had no desire to see him, but still made time to meet him once.

First, Ye Zhen’s status was sensitive; second, a prickly fellow like Ye Zhen, if left unseen, might cause trouble for him—trouble either way.

After all, to date, Ye Zhen was the only one who had dared to threaten a Military Judge right in front of the Grand Governor and in front of him, this Governor.

"Governor, take a look at this testimony, and this dossier we’ve compiled." Ye Zhen handed over the fabricated testimony, along with the pattern analysis of thousand-year wars that Liuu Feng had compiled, all to Governor Ni Feng.

Governor Ni Feng focused on it for quite a while before looking up at Ye Zhen. "This matter is grave, but this testimony of yours is meaningless. As for this analysis of the thousand-year war patterns, it does have some logic, but the matter is too weighty—no one can determine from this alone that a thousand-year war is about to erupt."

"But Governor, precisely because it is so grave, that is why I came to you. Once a thousand-year war really breaks out and we have made no preparations, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Ye Zhen was truly anxious. According to Liuu Feng’s research, a thousand-year war lasts at least several years, and at most can drag on over a dozen years.

Yet in previous thousand-year wars, the Demon Clan’s thirty-six most elite Marching Generals typically only entered the fray in the Middle Late Stage of the war.

This time, according to Jii Hua, the war had yet to begin, yet already one Marching General commanding over two million troops had begun moving. The scale of this thousand-year war, even if not unprecedented, would certainly be enormous.

Without the concerted cooperation of the entire war zone, Ye Zhen’s Heavenly Wave Army of North Sea would be far too easily wiped out in such a campaign.

"What is it you want this Governor to do?" After considering for a while, Governor Ni Feng suddenly countered. "But for this sort of intelligence, don’t expect this Governor to report it to the Grand Governor’s Mansion. If such ’three-no’ intelligence were reported, even I would be in for it!"

"Governor, I no longer expect anything from the Grand Governor’s Mansion. I only hope that within your authority, you will conscript elite border people from the fortresses to assist in defense, conscript large numbers of civilian laborers for service, massively stockpile military armory and logistics, recall the garrison farmers, raise the alert level, and comprehensively reorganize the army for war." Ye Zhen said.

The Great Zhou Dynasty fielded over ten million troops on the Human Demon Battlefield.

For the Great Zhou Dynasty, supporting that number of troops created a terrifying logistical burden.

More than ten million soldiers could consume in one day enough grain to equal several great mountains.

Thus, under normal circumstances, half the permanent garrison had to be stationed around to farm garrison lands, to ease the logistical pressure.

Ye Zhen’s demands made Governor Ni Feng frown deeply.

Preparations on such a scale would create enormous movement, usually only undertaken in full-scale war.

Governor Ni Feng shook his head, ready to reject Ye Zhen, but seeing Ye Zhen’s anxious expression, and remembering how hard he was to deal with, he swallowed his words back down.

"This Governor understands your intentions, but the matter is grave. Let this Governor consider it carefully before making a decision. You, go back and await news for now."

Since Governor Ni Feng had said as much, what could Ye Zhen do? He could only return first with Liuu Feng.

Only, both Ye Zhen and Liuu Feng understood very well that Governor Ni Feng’s so-called careful consideration was nothing but a delaying tactic.

This matter was already doomed to go nowhere.

"Sir, no one believes us—what do we do?" Liuu Feng’s face was full of worry.

Sometimes, this sort of situation is the most disheartening—you’ve already deduced the looming great war, yet no one is willing to believe it.

"We still do all that is humanly possible, and leave the rest to fate."

"Once we’re back, send that testimony and your deductions separately to the Governors of each war zone, the two Deputy Governors, and every Marshal we can contact."

Then Ye Zhen added another line. "Forget the testimony; otherwise the Grand Governor’s Mansion will accuse me of disturbing the troops’ morale. Just send out all the pattern analyses you’ve deduced for thousand-year wars and the likelihood of one occurring."

At this point, Ye Zhen let out a long sigh. "As for how many will believe it once they receive it—that only Heaven knows.

There should at least be some who are bright, or some who are timid, right?

And once we’ve done this much, as Grand Marshal, I can face my conscience without shame."

"Yes, Grand Marshal. I’ll see to it as soon as we return!"

"Also, once we’re back, we raise all alert levels at Blood River Fortress to First Level.

Pass orders to the brothers at all strongpoints and Beacon Fire Towers to heighten vigilance. Once there are signs of a Demon Clan attack, if their numbers exceed ours, immediately withdraw at full speed toward the nearest strongpoint or fortress and preserve our strength."

"Furthermore, once we’re back, contact Governor Qiao Fu. I want him, within two months, even if it means paying above market price, no matter what form of payment he uses, to procure for this Grand Marshal not less than one billion crossbow bolts of all types, and as much other military supplies as possible!

And the sooner it’s delivered, the better!" Ye Zhen said.

"Yes, I’ll see to it as soon as we return!" Liuu Feng said.

"Tell him this is a Military Order! If he can’t get it done within two months, this Grand Marshal will have his head!" Ye Zhen’s eyes were filled with stern resolve.

In that instant, Liuu Feng’s expression likewise became incomparably grim and resolute.

Full-scale war preparations had begun!