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Xiao Pengthian continued to ask, “I wonder what brings the North Prince to such a filthy place to see me, is there something you want to extract from my lips?”

Lu Chen offered a faint smile and then said, “This prince may know more about your Sky Wolf King tribe than you do, do you think there is anything I need to learn from your mouth?”

Hearing Lu Chen’s words, Xiao Pengthian’s mind was instantly filled with the image of one person.

At first, he didn’t take it seriously, thinking that Wu Yuan was merely hiding money in secret, but now he had basically understood what was going on. The erroneous information they had collected about the North Prince mostly came from the trade convoys of Wu Yuan and his associates, leading them to severely misjudge the situation in North City.

If they had known about the roughly fifty thousand heavy cavalry in North City, they would never have dared to charge headlong into Yan County like this, even without those mysterious weapons that could explode, the fifty thousand heavy cavalry alone would be enough to meet their three hundred thousand-strong barbarian army head-on.

Under such circumstances, even if they were to conquer North City, the Sky Wolf King tribe would suffer heavy losses, they might covet the land of North City, but they would never make such a huge sacrifice just for a piece of territory.

With a sneer, Xiao Pengthian said, “Is the North Prince here specifically to witness my plight, to take pleasure in it?”

Lu Chen said, “This prince does not have such a hobby.”

“I am here to propose a deal to you.”

Xiao Pengthian frowned.

“A deal? What kind of deal?”

Lu Chen asked directly, “Would you like to become the Sky Wolf King?”

Hearing Lu Chen’s question, Xiao Pengthian seemed to understand something and then sneered coldly, “Does the North Prince think I would betray the Sky Wolf King tribe just to cling to life? Ridiculous! As a warrior of the Barbarian Tribe, one can only die standing, never living on one’s knees!”

Lu Chen was not at all surprised by Xiao Pengthian’s response and said indifferently, “Indeed, death is the easier path, but have you considered, if you were to die, what would become of the hundred thousand barbarian captives, your wives and children in the Sky Wolf King tribe?”

“Without those hundred thousand barbarian men, the Sky Wolf King tribe would be left with nothing but the elderly, weak, and sick, wouldn’t it? Ten years from now, it’s hard to say if the Sky Wolf King tribe will even still exist.”

At these words, Xiao Pengthian’s mind shuddered.

Instantly, familiar faces flooded his thoughts.

If he and the hundred thousand barbarian captives were to die, there would truly be no men left in the Sky Wolf King tribe.

While it might appear they had assembled a three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian Army, in reality, excluding the small contingent from the North Fre King, the Sky Wolf King tribe had called up almost all the battle-ready barbarian men to muster that army.

This southern invasion constituted a gamble for them; in the eyes of the Sky Wolf King tribe, if they took North City, according to the queen consort’s vision, they would no longer need to roam for pastures and would have endless supplies of food, never again fearing hunger or cold.

So, almost everyone was particularly enthusiastic about moving south.

They originally thought with the Aristocratic Families of Great Sum and Prince Lu Shuyun restraining the royal court, taking North City would be a piece of cake, but the outcome turned out to be the dire situation they faced now. Additionally, without the men, the winter would be even harder for the Sky Wolf King tribe.

North Land is vast, and the Sky Wolf King tribe is not the only one there.

Without the men, when winter comes, the other tribes will surely plunder the Sky Wolf King tribe.

Especially the North Fre Tribe.

Since the North Fre King was getting on in years, he did not join them in the southward campaign, and he was still alive.

The North Fre King had long coveted the beauty of Xiao Wenyao, and if he learned that the Sky Wolf King’s three hundred thousand-strong army was gone, he would likely lead the soldiers of the North Fre Tribe straight to the royal court of the Sky Wolf King.

By then, let alone Xiao Wenyao, even the queen consort might be captured by the North Fre King.

If the Sky Wolf King tribe were to lose even their queen consort, then the tribe would truly be finished.

With that thought, Xiao Pengthian’s expression kept changing, and Lu Chen could tell he was struggling internally.

After a long pause, Xiao Pengthian asked, “If I agree to cooperate with you, will you release those hundred thousand barbarian soldiers?”

Lu Chen immediately said, “That’s out of the question.”

Xiao Pengthian said with a cold laugh, “What’s the point of the North Prince telling me all this? Is he trying to amuse himself?”

Lu Chen continued, “Indeed, I have no intention of simply letting those hundred thousand captives go free, but I can relocate the entire Sky Wolf King Tribe to North City. Moreover, if among those captives there are those who perform well, the North Prince would consider allowing them to be reunited with their families.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Pengthian felt a jolt in his heart.

What was the Sky Wolf King Tribe’s ultimate goal in attacking North City?

Wasn’t it to take over the land of North City?

To relocate there and settle down.

If the North Prince really meant what he said, and that was his true intention, then even if Xiao Pengthian cooperated with the North Prince and became a traitor to the Sky Wolf King Tribe, he wouldn’t feel there was anything wrong with it.

Better than starving or freezing to death on the plains or being plundered by the North Fre King.

Xiao Pengthian asked, “How can I be sure you’re not luring the Sky Wolf King Tribe to North City just to annihilate us, to cut the grass and remove the roots, to kill us all?”

‘It seems that cutting the grass and removing the roots is something you people of Great Sum like to do the most.”

Lu Chen had anticipated Xiao Pengthian’s worries and replied directly, “Even if you don’t agree to cooperate with us, I can easily find the royal court of the Sky Wolf King. You’ve heard of Wu Yuan, haven’t you?”

Hearing this, Xiao Pengthian’s face darkened, and he said coldly, “He is indeed your man! I should have split his head with an axe when I had the chance!”

Lu Chen said, “General Xiao, don’t you think it’s meaningless to say these things now?”

Xiao Pengthian fell into silence and said no more.

Seeing that the conversation had reached its end, Lu Chen turned around and said, “General Xiao can take some more time to think it over. I have plenty of time. Whenever you come to a decision, let me know. Also, I’d like to remind General Xiao one more thing: winter is approaching, and your tribe doesn’t have much time left.”

As his words fell, Lu Chen turned and left the prison cell.

Meanwhile.

In the North Land, the royal court of the Sky Wolf King.

The beautiful Yelv Nanyan was reclining lazily on a couch, sighing lightly, “Indeed, no matter how you furnish a tent, it can never match the comfort of a Great Sum bed.”

“Alas, I wonder if the King has taken North City yet.”

Just then, Xiao Wenyao lifted the tent flap and entered, saying, “Queen, have you received any news about my father and the others?”

Xiao Wenyao was already planning her escape to Great Sum. The moment North City was taken, she intended to head straight to Great Sum, never to return to the North Land.

She had prepared herself for hardship, preferring to endure in Great Sum rather than marry the North Fre King, the filthy old man who never bathed for life.

Yelv Nanyan answered, “There’s no news for now, but it should be soon.”

Yelv Nanyan remembered their deal with Prince Lu Shuyun. Since the Sum Emperor had to guard against rebellion from the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum, he would likely not send too many soldiers northward. Thus, the thirty thousand-strong army led by the Sky Wolf King could easily take over all of North City.

At that moment, a man’s voice suddenly came from outside the tent.

“Queen, something terrible has happened!!!”

Following the voice, a disheveled Wu Yuan entered the tent, knelt on the ground, and cried out, “Queen, the sky is falling!!!”

Seeing Wu Yuan in this state, Yelv Nanyan immediately had a bad premonition, her eyebrows knitting together as she hurriedly asked, “Wu Yuan, what has happened?”

Choking back tears, Wu Yuan reported, “Our caravan was originally heading to Yan County to receive the King’s spoils of war, but we heard that the King’s army of thirty thousand has been defeated by the North Prince. The King died in battle under the walls of Yan County, twenty thousand soldiers have been killed, and another hundred thousand have been taken captive by the North Prince!!!”

Upon hearing Wu Yuan’s report, both Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were struck with immense shock, their faces turning deathly pale without a trace of color.

Yelv Nanyan collapsed onto the couch, her hand trembling uncontrollably as she murmured to herself, “How… how is this possible…”