Escape from the Abyss

Mia gazed intently at the figure of the man disappearing beyond the city gates, letting out a deep sigh before falling silent for a moment. Finally, she spoke softly, "Your Majesty, the land beyond the city is not part of our kingdom. Recklessly sending troops to pursue him may lead to misunderstandings with the Elven race. Right now, we have no good options…"

Li Haotian understood this well. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he hissed, "One day, I will personally sever Ronald's head!"

With a gentle sigh, Mia replied, "Your Majesty, I've observed this man's cunning as he fights and escapes. He's no longer the same; he strategizes and makes decisions with a level of skill that has improved immensely. Now that he has fled the kingdom, he's like a roc soaring into the sky, a dragon escaping to the sea. He may very well carve out a path for himself in the future."

Li Haotian's expression darkened at her words. "Oh? Are you perhaps regretting this?"

Mia shook her head with a smile. "Dreamrain never regrets her decisions. Your Majesty's talent and strategy far surpass his. Otherwise, he wouldn't be fleeing in such disarray."

"Dreamrain simply thinks that, since it has come to this, we might as well do him a favor and let him go. One, it will lull him into a false sense of security; two, we can probe his intentions."

"Let's see what his next move will be. The lands outside are all under the Elves' domain. As long as we know where he lands, we can simply offer more tribute to the kingdom next year…"

"Good! You are indeed sharp, Mia. No matter how strong the rebels are, they can't match the Elves. We can simply use them as a tool to eliminate Ronald!"

Li Haotian wasn't a fool; he quickly grasped the situation. With a cold chuckle, he said, "Come, let's go see off the prince."

"Retreat! Quickly withdraw towards the First Canyon!"

Liu Long shouted commands to the Royal Guards. Suddenly, from the distance, the sound of thundering hooves reached them. Straining his eyes, he saw riders with red capes billowing in the wind, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Hurrying over to Ronald's side, he clasped his fist in salute. "Your Majesty, General Fan is here to assist us."

Ronald nodded. "Good. Let's retreat towards the First Canyon according to our original plan."

Moments later, Fan Qingyue arrived on horseback with fifty Royal Guards, followed by over two hundred warhorses. Upon entering the city, Ronald had ordered Fan Qingyue to disguise her men as horse traders to deliver the warhorses outside, avoiding drawing too much attention. With this fresh force joining them and the horses to ride, everyone felt a sense of relief after the recent grueling battle.

"General Fan, I salute you!"

Fan Qingyue dismounted and knelt on one knee, performing a deep bow. Seeing Ronald covered in blood yet uninjured, a weight lifted from her heart.

Ronald nodded and said, "General Fan, is the ferry prepared as I instructed?"

Fan Qingyue flushed and spoke softly, "I followed your orders to find a ferry. I discovered several idle fishing boats belonging to the Elves at a dock on the Yun Cang River. I intended to buy them at a high price, but…"

"But what?" Ronald asked with a neutral expression.

Fan Qingyue replied honestly, "The Elves disdain trading with us humans. In desperation, I had no choice but to chop down trees by the river and make several bamboo rafts."

Hearing this, Ronald sighed lightly. "You did well. The Elves have always looked down on others. One day, I will make them understand their arrogance."

Pausing for a moment, he turned to Liu Long and said, "We shouldn't linger here. Everyone, help the injured brothers mount their horses and head to the First Canyon."

However, Liu Long didn't move, as if he had something to say.

Ronald raised an eyebrow, asking, "What's wrong?"

Liu Long kept his head down, his expression unreadable, but his low voice broke through the tension. "Your Majesty, over ten of our brothers… have sacrificed themselves…"

Ronald suddenly shouted, "Liu Long! I ordered you to get the injured brothers on their horses! Didn't you hear me? Execute the command!!"

"Yes!" Liu Long replied loudly. He looked up at Ronald, and on that impassive face, he saw a hint of sorrow shimmering in his steadfast eyes.

"Your Majesty…"

Fan Qingyue called softly, sensing Ronald's current state of mind.

Not just her, but everyone—every soldier of the Royal Guards who had survived the ordeal—could feel it. They revered their king, feeling that unspoken sadness wash over them…