Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield

Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Unlocking the Sub-Faction Subpanel!

「Nightfall!」

Inside the Senior General’s tent.

”Father,” Wang Ben reported as he walked into the tent, ”the arrangements to move the army back to camp have been made. We only need to wait for the Envoy of the King of Xianyang to arrive before our forces can depart.”

For the past few days, Wang Ben had been organizing the army’s withdrawal. With 100,000 soldiers guarding the border, it was a monumental task. Wang Jian looked up at his son, but his face still held a distant expression, clearly still lost in the day’s events.

”Father, what’s wrong?” Wang Ben asked, noticing his father wasn’t acting like himself.

”Ben’er,” Wang Jian began, then asked suddenly, ”tell me, is it possible for someone to cross nearly a hundred feet in a single instant?”

”Cross nearly a hundred feet in an instant?” Wang Ben looked at his father with a puzzled expression, not understanding the reason for such a question. After a moment of thought, he chuckled and replied, ”To cross that distance in an instant, he’d have to be an immortal or a ghost. That’s beyond human capability.”

Hearing this, Wang Jian nodded in understanding. That single sentence completely dispelled the shock he felt regarding Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng... He is definitely no ordinary man. Could he really be an immortal? Or perhaps he has received an immortal’s inheritance? Wang Jian thought to himself. He could think of no other explanation.

What he had seen with his own eyes was certainly no illusion, and there was no other possible explanation. In this world, belief in immortals had never died out, so it wasn’t strange for Wang Jian to have such thoughts. After all, Zhao Feng’s display had been far too shocking.

”Father, why do you ask?” Wang Ben inquired curiously.

”It’s nothing,” Wang Jian replied with a faint smile, not dwelling on the matter. ”Just a passing thought.”

Besides, no one would believe it if he told them. Seeing is believing, after all.

”Zhao Feng came to see me today,” Wang Jian continued.

”Zhao Feng is truly remarkable,” Wang Ben said with deep admiration. ”He’s being promoted to Deputy General after less than a year of service, all based on his battlefield achievements. I am not his equal.”

”Across the entire army, which War General can compare to Zhao Feng’s meteoric rise?” Wang Jian added with a faint smile.

”Indeed!” Wang Ben nodded in agreement. ”Based on this, his future is limitless.”

”Zhao Feng told me something today,” Wang Jian said suddenly, a complex look in his eyes.

”What was it?” Wang Ben pressed immediately.

With a sigh, Wang Jian slowly explained, ”He said that he and Yan’er have pledged their lives to one another, and he asked me to betroth her to him.”

”What?” Wang Ben was stunned, finding it hard to believe. ”He and Yan’er have pledged their lives to each other? When did this happen? How did I not know? And haven’t Zhao Feng and Yan’er barely interacted?”

”During Bao Yuan’s surprise attack, Yan’er might have died if Zhao Feng hadn’t intervened. Perhaps it began then,” Wang Jian said.

”Father, what are we to do?” Wang Ben said, his brow deeply furrowed. ”His Majesty’s will is to betroth Yan’er to Mr. Fusu. The Wang Family cannot change the royal will. I’m afraid we cannot agree to Zhao Feng’s request.”

Ultimately, it came down to a fear and reverence for royal authority. As subjects, they had no choice but to obey.

Seeing Wang Ben’s panic, Wang Jian stated, ”I have already agreed.”

”You agreed to Zhao Feng?” Wang Ben exclaimed in alarm. ”How will we explain this to the Great King?”

Wang Jian sighed. ”Do you know Yan’er’s temperament?”

Wang Ben thought for a moment before replying, ”Yan’er’s personality is a mix of gentleness and resolve. She has the backbone of our Wang Family’s military heritage and is incredibly stubborn.”

”You know her personality, and so does Zhao Feng,” Wang Jian said, his brow furrowed with worry. ”If the Great King truly orders her to marry the Eldest Imperial Son, I fear Yan’er will not submit. She might do something drastic...”

”That...” Thinking of his sister’s character, Wang Ben had to agree it was possible. A daughter from a family of generals possesses the spirit of a general. For that very reason, she would be all the more unwilling to be manipulated, even if it meant death.

”If it weren’t for the Great King’s intentions, we could certainly let Yan’er and Zhao Feng be together,” Wang Ben said with concern. ”After all, Zhao Feng has proven himself capable and is worthy of her. But if we mishandle this matter with the Great King in the slightest, the Wang Family will be charged with defying a royal decree. How can we risk that?”

”I have already thought this through,” Wang Jian said resolutely. ”Although there are discussions in the Court and the Great King might be fanning the flames to indicate his will, he has not yet spoken explicitly. Ultimately, no clear decree has been issued. This means there is still a chance. I will personally go to the Great King and implore him to change his mind.”

”But what if the Great King refuses to change his mind?” Wang Ben asked.

Remembering Zhao Feng’s determined expression, Wang Jian’s brow tightened. ”If he doesn’t, we will have a major crisis on our hands.”

...

「Under the night sky!」

Outside the main army camp, the area of the Commandant Camp under Commander Zhao Feng was also dotted with campfires.

Inside Zhao Feng’s personal tent, he stood at the head of the space, warming himself by a fire. Five of his Junhou stood to the side.

Zhao Feng gazed at the five men, his expression serious. ”Brothers, there are no outsiders here now. Today, I want to discuss something with you that concerns all of our futures. Of course, after I’ve said my piece, the choice will be yours.”

Wei Quan, Zhang Han, and the other three men exchanged glances before bowing with clasped hands. ”Please speak freely, Capital Commandant.”

Gazing at the five of them, Zhao Feng asked directly, ”Are you willing to pledge your loyalty to me?”

Hearing this, the five men were stunned for a moment. Wei Quan was the first to react, dropping to one knee. ”Wei Quan pledges his loyalty to you, my lord!”

Seeing Wei Quan’s declaration, Zhang Han was the second to kneel. ”Zhang Han pledges his loyalty to you, my lord!”

The other three men quickly followed suit, kneeling and bowing toward Zhao Feng. ”We pledge our loyalty to you, my lord!”

”You don’t have to decide so quickly,” Zhao Feng told the five men, his face stern. ”If you pledge loyalty to me, you will recognize me as your master. Your sole duty will be to me.”

”My lord,” Wei Quan said firmly, ”I’ll waste no more words. I already said I’d follow you for life.”

”The same goes for us,” Zhang Han and the other three men immediately affirmed.

Just then, as the men declared their unwavering loyalty, a prompt appeared on the system panel.

”Successfully recruited subordinates.”

”Host has successfully unlocked the Vassal Forces sub-panel!”

This was precisely Zhao Feng’s goal. He believed that unlocking his own Vassal Forces panel would give him a crucial advantage in building his own power base, which would be of immense use.

His conversation with Wang Jian had made Zhao Feng feel the urgency of his situation. If the King of Qin truly intended to force the marriage, Zhao Feng needed to prepare. He required more than just his own strength; he needed a force that was absolutely loyal to him alone.