Chapter 2119: 百丘源

Then, everyone continued to hide in the bushes, waiting quietly.

During this time, another group of Yaguo patrol soldiers ambled over, but everyone remained still until they left.

He Yue quietly asked, "What are we waiting for?"

"We're waiting for someone to meet us," Tao Zi said. "Once he arrives, you'll be safe."

About a quarter of an hour later, another patrol team approached.

Just as they drew near, the jungle suddenly rustled!

He Yue's heart pounded, and the patrol soldiers were also startled, drawing their swords and spears.

They turned around, only to see a blue-faced monkey sitting on a branch.

It was so fat that the branch bent under its weight, yet it leisurely ate mulberries, completely ignoring the patrol soldiers and their weapons.

"Is it a monster?"

"Doesn't look like it, just a monkey." This patrol team cursed under their breath, put away their weapons, and gradually walked away.

Only then did the monkey let out a "squeak."

Then, a giant creature emerged from underground!

"A... a snail!" The guards behind He Yue also recoiled in surprise. It was an enormous snail, its shell as large as a thatched hut.

However, this snail surprisingly had four long legs, and its skin was slimy and smooth, making onlookers feel uncomfortable to their core.

They drew their swords, the sound of metal clashing, and positioned themselves protectively in front of He Yue.

"Don't be afraid, this is a Snail Toad, here to meet us," Tao Zi said, leaping out of the bushes and gesturing for everyone to follow.

Only then did He Yue notice that a person was standing under the giant creature's hard shell. Their appearance and clothes were very ordinary, making them indistinguishable in a crowd.

But here, it was quite striking.

"Mister Dong," Tao Zi bowed respectfully to him. "The person has arrived."

Then she told He Yue, "This is Mister Dong Rui, an attendant of the Great Emperor. You can simply follow him; the journey will be absolutely safe."

Since He Lingchuan had revealed his identity to the world, Dong Rui no longer needed to conceal himself, thus openly resuming his true name.

As He Yue observed him, Dong Rui also waved He Yue over. "Come here, everyone!"

He didn't need to verify authenticity; one look at the young man's face showed a three or four tenths resemblance to He Lingchuan, indicating they likely shared the same father.

Tao Zi, meanwhile, waved goodbye to He Yue and vanished into the jungle.

With the handover complete, she was returning to Yangshan Archipelago.

He Yue and the others were led by Dong Rui into the Snail Toad's interior.

Before the next round of patrol soldiers arrived, the Snail Toad burrowed downwards, sinking into the ground.

Everyone marveled at the Snail Toad's amazing 200-plus-degree panoramic view from its interior. With such a treasure capable of burrowing thousands of miles underground, it was no wonder Tao Zi had said their journey would be absolutely safe.

Dong Rui smiled as he looked at He Yue. "So you're He the Second? You seem much more honest, unlike your brother, who's as cunning as a ghost."

He Yue awkwardly touched his nose. From Mister Dong's words, he didn't sound like his elder brother's subordinate.

"Ah, that gesture is also like him." The monkey peeled a broad bean, which Dong Rui snatched and ate.

"Mister Dong, how is the battle at Hundred Hills Source progressing?"

"Yaguo has been infuriated by our attacks and is sending more troops here," Dong Rui bared his teeth. "Once we take Hundred Hills Source, the waterways from here will lead to Yaguo's main strongholds."

"Is my brother alright?"

"He's doing great," Dong Rui laughed. "With a war to fight, he's full of vigor every day. However, the Yaguo people launched an attack two hours ago, and your brother is leading the army to meet them, so he's temporarily unavailable to see you."

He Yue rubbed his hands, unable to contain his excitement. "If only I could watch this great battle!"

"Why not?" Dong Rui gave the Snail Toad a command, and it immediately changed direction. "Once we reach Hundred Hills Source, you'll have a good view."

The Snail Toad traveled underground for a long time, and Dong Rui chatted with He Yue for just as long. He wasn't usually talkative, but this was He Yue, He Lingchuan's younger brother.

As dawn broke, the Snail Toad emerged from the ground.

Then, Dong Rui pointed downwards. "Look!"

Everyone gathered at the Snail Toad's transparent shell, all gasping in awe.

Yaguo's territory was primarily plains, where the land was not fertile enough for anything but grass, making it natural pastureland. Thus, Yaguo's tribes were historically nomadic. However, Hundred Hills Source was an exception; this area was covered in rolling mountains and had very complex terrain.

Unlike typical mountains, the hills here were generally small and beautiful. The reason it was called "Hundred Hills Source" was due to the unique shape of its mountains, as if someone had used a blade to level the peaks of large mountains one by one and placed them on the ground.

Therefore, ordinary people didn't need to climb hundreds or thousands of feet to see the beautiful scenery atop the mountain peaks; they could simply view it from the ground.

There were over seven hundred such small hills, with the shortest being only a few dozen feet and the tallest not exceeding a hundred feet. This place was like a museum of hills, prompting everyone who visited to marvel at the wondrous hand of creation.

However, this terrain provided various covers for both sides in battle.

Previously, the Dragon God Army had attacked across vast, open plains, where there was little room for cunning tactics; opponents simply engaged head-on, with only formations and troop arrangements being somewhat important.

But at Hundred Hills Source, commanders on both sides had many more tricks they could employ.

This was not only a sacred place for Yaguo but also a crucial vantage point for the entire central-eastern part of Yaguo. If it were lost, Yaguo would be greatly disadvantaged in subsequent wars.

Therefore, the Hundred Hills Source battle was the most intense since the war began.

Both sides had committed over a hundred thousand troops here, and reinforcements were continuously arriving.

He Yue arrived on the battlefield at this moment.

As he was the Nine Underworld Emperor's younger brother, Dong Rui naturally couldn't let him risk his safety personally, so the Snail Toad chose a mountain peak to surface.

From its elevated position, He Yue's gaze was immediately drawn to the swarming battlefield below.

Two armies were locked in fierce combat here.

But Dong Rui said, "Oh, wait, your brother isn't here. Move!"

The Snail Toad submerged once more.

He had spent a long time away from the front line to pick up He Yue, and upon returning, he wasn't sure where He Lingchuan was.

Hundred Hills Source was vast, so he maneuvered the Snail Toad to surface in various locations, changing spots four or five times before finally saying with satisfaction, "This time, it should be correct."

He Yue was speechless.

Mister Dong's methods were miraculous, but his sense of direction seemed less than stellar.

This time, the Snail Toad stopped at a mountain peak within the inner zone, higher than the previous ones, offering an excellent vantage point. From the summit, they could perfectly overlook the largest and most intense part of the battlefield.

However, the spot was already occupied. As soon as the Snail Toad surfaced, shouts erupted nearby.

Both warring factions sought to occupy the highest points for observation.

He Yue saw four or five soldiers standing on the hilltop. The Snail Toad suddenly surfaced about twenty feet away from them, startling them greatly.

These soldiers instinctively attacked, and one of them moved to blow a warning whistle.

Swords and spears poked at the Snail Toad's outer shell, leaving only a few faint white marks. In recent years, He Lingchuan had been generous with experimental funding, and Dong Rui had spared no expense in building up the Snail Toad's defenses.

As the Snail Toad extended its head from its shell, He Yue saw a red blur flash by, and the whistler was gone.