Urban God of War: The Live-in Son-in-law

Dugu Ming understood; it wasn't important whether he could make these two thousand soldiers retreat. The Northern King was only interested in the process itself.

For once he produced the Southern King's Order to command these soldiers to withdraw, he would stand on the moral high ground. If the soldiers retreated, all would be well. But if they dared to advance despite the order, that would be rebellion and insubordination, punishable by death according to the law.

At that time, when Northern King Ye Feng made his move, it would be entirely justified!

"I'm going to make them withdraw right now!"

After saying this, Southern King Dugu Ming, dragging his weary body, walked out of the main gate. Then, holding the Southern King's Order, he faced the dense crowd of soldiers in the bamboo forest and roared loudly, "The Southern King's Order is here, I command you, retreat swiftly back to your posts. Anyone who disobeys will be revolting, and the defiant shall be executed without mercy!"

Xiao Jingyuan, who had already been untied by that time, laughed upon seeing this, sneered and said, "Dugu Ming, do you really need to be so naive? Things have come to this point, and you still delude yourself into commanding them? Do you think these soldiers will still heed your orders?"

Dugu Ming trembled with fury. Although he had been psychologically prepared, seeing the two thousand soldiers remain unmoved by his command and completely ignoring his order still infuriated him.

Domain Lord Hengling laughed heartily, saying, "Dugu Ming, your position as the Southern King is nearly invalidated. Now, all the soldiers in the base camp follow the orders of the Four Great Guardian Realm Kings. You might as well save your breath!"

Dugu Ming gritted his teeth and turned to Ye Feng with a bitter smile, "Northern King, I've carried out your instruction and issued the command. But as you can see, I've been completely sidelined now, and I'm afraid it's impossible to reverse this situation!"

With those words, Southern King Dugu Ming, a man barely into his forties who should have been in the prime of his life, slumped to the ground, overcome by a deep sense of powerlessness.

Ye Feng's expression remained as calm as ever, as tranquil as if Mount Tai were crumbling before him without causing him to bat an eye. Compared to him, the Southern King seemed far inferior.

The Great Protector shouted, "Soldiers, heed my command! These people have trespassed into the Southern Territory Base Camp, brutally killed the Southern Territory's soldiers and guards, and now they even plot to murder the Southern King. They must be executed without mercy!"

"How presumptuous! By daring to attempt the assassination of the Northern King, it seems you wish for death. Damn it, I'll wipe you all out this instant!" Sima Zhantian roared in a fury, ready to charge with his great saber.

Ye Feng gestured for him to be calm and then turned to the Great Protector, word by word, "Great Protector, I caution you, if you don't want to become a criminal of the Southern Territory, then quickly withdraw these soldiers. Do you really believe they can take me down? I have yet to strike only because I value the lives of these soldiers.

If you continue down this misguided path, then you can't blame me for what happens next!"

The Four Protectors burst into laughter upon hearing this. The Great Protector said coldly, "What's the matter, Ye? Are you threatening me? Look at the situation you're in. Do you really still think you're the former Northern Border King? Let me tell you, you're nothing more than a stray dog now, and what's more, you're a stray dog with a broken leg!"

Ye Feng's eyebrows twitched, and a strong killing intent surged through him. The reason he had endured thus far was not out of fear, as he had said himself; it was out of concern for the lives of these two thousand soldiers.

In the Northern Border, almost every soldier knew that the Northern Border King loved his troops like his own children, sometimes even more than his own life. Unfortunately, those present regarded this sentiment as a joke.

"So you really refuse to order a retreat? Do you truly not believe that I, with my bare hands, can annihilate them?" Ye Feng issued a chilling challenge.

"Do you think we'd believe that? Indeed, your followers have commendable combat power, but do you think you can really withstand these two thousand elite soldiers? Moreover, once a melee starts, they'll have to watch out for you, the crippled wretch!" Xiao Jingyuan sneered repeatedly.

Ye Feng shook his head and sighed inwardly. It seemed that today, he would have to demonstrate his true power and show them a lesson.

Of course, if it weren't for being pushed to this point, Ye Feng wouldn't wish to act. Although there were differences between the North and South, the soldiers of the Southern Territory were also valiant men of the nation. He would have preferred that even if these men were to die, it would be on the battlefield rather than being buried in the midst of such sinister power struggles.

Ye Feng slowly raised his hand, about to issue an order.
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"I believe him!"

However, right at that moment, Lan Youzhong, the Grand Commander from the Southern Territory, suddenly stepped forward and declared loudly, "You may not believe, but I do, I believe he has the strength!"

The Four Protectors were incensed upon hearing this. One of them snapped, "Lan Youzhong, do you not realize what you're saying? Dare you defy and oppose the four of us?"

Lan Youzhong snorted coldly, "Oppose and defy you? That's a joke. I, Lan Youzhong, have always followed the orders of the Southern King only. You four are merely Protectors, with no authority to command troops. What right do you have to speak to me, the Grand Commander, in such a manner?"

"You..." The Four Protectors were so angry they were at a loss for words.

The scene suddenly shifted, and even Ye Feng was surprised, not understanding why the chief commander of the Southern Territory would make such an abrupt change.

"Lan Youzhong snorted, "Whatever schemes you have among yourselves, I can't be bothered to deal with, and it's not my place to manage. But one thing is clear, don't treat the lives of the soldiers as expendable. The Northern King is right; they are my men, and I'd rather they die on the battlefield than under some vile conspiracy."

With these words, the imposing figure of the Southern Territory's chief commander waved his hand grandly, turned around, and left, before pulling out his own Token.

"All soldiers, heed this order: Withdraw immediately, return to your units. Those who disobey will face military law!"

"It's the Grand Commander's military order, and the Southern King issued the same command just now. What on earth is going on? If that's the case, why did the Four Protectors still order us to come?" The soldiers discussed amongst themselves.

"Who cares? We can't fathom the affairs of these high-and-mighty figures anyway. But one thing I do know is that the Four Protectors don't have the authority to deploy us. His recent command was based only on the prestige of the old Southern King, but it was against common sense."

"Right, Commander Lan loves his soldiers like his own children. We must heed his orders. Withdraw, we're withdrawing now!"

"Indeed, withdraw, everyone withdraw, back to your posts!"

In a flash, the two thousand elite soldiers arrived quickly and left just as swiftly, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Only then did Lan Youzhong turn and step back inside. What surprised everyone was that this chief commander didn't report back to the Southern King; instead, he walked straight up to Ye Feng, bowed, and said, "Previously, as your defeated adversary, you spared my life. Now, by ordering the soldiers to withdraw, I've repaid the favor. From now on, we owe each other nothing, agreed?"

Ye Feng couldn't help but laugh, looking at the big man with growing satisfaction. Indeed, Lan Youzhong truly had courage. He nodded, "Alright, we shall do as you say, we owe each other nothing!"

With that, Lan Youzhong turned abruptly, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Jingyuan and the other two Domain Lords, and finally glaring at the Four Protectors. He barked, "Gentlemen, I, Lan, am a soldier and a simple man. I don't understand all these maneuvers and I have no desire to get involved. If you ask me to go to battle and kill the enemy, I, Lan, won't even bat an eyelash.

But these filthy acts, I, Lan, will have no part in. Farewell!"

Having said his piece, Lan Youzhong immediately turned to leave.

"How insolent! You're just a mere commander, and you really think you're some invincible War God?" It was then that the Hengling Domain Lord spoke up.