At first, my vision struggled to adjust due to the excessive speed, causing blurriness. Gradually, my eyes adapted. While close-up scenery still flashed by too quickly to discern details, distant views became roughly discernible. Coupled with the generally clear weather in the underworld today, the scenery was picturesque, like ink wash paintings of mountains and rivers. The underworld mountains were particularly majestic, and the waters flowed with unrestrained grace. It was common to encounter mountains ten thousand meters high, making the scenery even more striking than in the mortal realm, though slightly lacking in color richness.
I focused on form, disregarding color.
Traveling at high speed, I admired the scenery. After half an hour, I estimated I had traveled the equivalent distance to the Yellow River in the mortal world. However, instead of the Yellow River, I encountered a vast desert. After crossing the desert, a large plain appeared. As I was about to quickly pass through, I noticed a corner of the plain shrouded in dark, noxious fumes, a stark contrast to the bright sky. It looked like a city. Was it on fire?
Since I was not in a hurry, I made a wide arc of several kilometers and headed towards it.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a fire. Instead, a battle was underway. Situated on a plain with no defensible terrain, the city seemed exceptionally exposed. Its walls appeared tall, at least seven or eight stories high. Judging by their attire, the attackers were not rebels, but imperial troops, while the defenders were the rebels.
I stopped near the rear of the attacking force and walked towards them.
The scouts quickly spotted me and rode over. I produced my Soul Reaping Token to identify myself. The scouts recognized it, immediately dismounted, bowed to me, and asked which department I belonged to.
"Wu Chengfeng," I stated my name directly.
"Ah! You are the Lord Wu who slew the enemy chieftain and pacified twenty thousand troops in Wusan City the other day!" The scouts knelt before me.
"That's me. Get up and speak," I said calmly. "What are you all doing here?"
"Reporting to Lord Wu, we are here to capture Longmen City under the Prince's command."
"Why are you only attacking from one direction?" I asked, confused. This should be the east gate, and the imperial troops were all here, but I saw no other imperial forces on the other three sides.
"Uh... because we only have three thousand men."
"Three thousand men dare to attack a city? How many rebel defenders are there?" I inquired.
"Also three thousand."
Three thousand attacking three thousand. That was absurd. With equal weapon strength, they absolutely couldn't take the city. At least ten thousand men would be needed to even attempt it. Moreover, if the rebels discovered the imperial forces were only three thousand strong, they would hold the frontal pressure while dispatching two flanking forces to encircle them, putting the imperial army at a disadvantage.
"...Who is in charge here? This is not how you fight a war!" I frowned. "Take me to your leader!"
"Yes, Lord Wu! Please mount your horse!"
"No need. You go ahead, I can keep up." I picked up a tree stump, sat down, and lit a cigarette to rest.
The scouts, looking puzzled, rode back to the camp, repeatedly looking back at me. I marked their auras to keep track of them once they entered the crowd.
Once the scouts' auras stopped moving, indicating they had likely found the commander, I extinguished my cigarette, stood up, activated the Gale Technique, and instantly rushed into the ranks, arriving beside a command post temporarily constructed from wooden scaffolding.
It was more of a platform, about a meter high. The scout was kneeling on it, reporting to a burly commander. The commander, stout and sitting in a wicker chair, was holding a teapot and anxiously watching the battle on the city walls.
"Ah! Lord Wu! How did you get here?" the scout exclaimed in surprise upon seeing me.
The stout commander turned to look at me and scoffed, "You're that Wu Chengfeng?"
"Which Wu Chengfeng?" I leaped onto the command platform.
"I've heard of your deeds. A crooked path, utterly despicable," the commander immediately labeled me.
"Oh? So you are not on a crooked path, Commander?" I asked with a smile.
"Of course not! I am a graduate of the first cohort of Heipu Junxiao. Which cohort are you from?"