Chapter 2120: Old Brother's Style

Dong Rui’s small monkey had slipped away unnoticed. It charged towards the soldiers, transforming into a giant ape over ten feet tall. Wielding a purple-gold staff, it instantly smashed two heads into pulpy watermelons.

He Yue instinctively touched his shoulder. Just moments before, the chubby little monkey had been squatting there. He never imagined it was such a ferocious demon.

Realizing the danger, two Ya Kingdom soldiers turned and fled into the forest, but they both collapsed within a couple of steps.

He Yue didn't clearly see how they died, only sensing something streaking through the air.

Within moments, the Ya Kingdom soldiers on the hilltop were wiped out. The giant ape then shrunk back to monkey size and returned to the Snail-Toad. It resumed cracking melon seeds, but the way others looked at it had irrevocably changed.

Dong Rui now grandly occupied the hilltop, leading He Yue to the best vantage point for observation.

The Ya Army and the Dragon God Army were locked in a fierce, indecisive battle below.

Dong Rui pointed, saying, "There are several battlefields at Hundred Hills Spring today, and this is the largest. Your brother is there."

The vast army was sprawling. Even with Dong Rui pointing it out, He Yue still had to search for a long time before he finally spotted the commander's banner.

The distance was too great for him to see his brother's figure; he only knew his general location.

The entire battlefield appeared to be a chaotic melee, but closer observation revealed it was divided into several distinct units. Some interwove, others clustered together, advancing and retreating in a dynamic exchange.

After observing for over thirty minutes, He Yue suddenly noticed that the battle line was gradually shifting southward, pushing towards the Dragon God Army's rear.

Was the Dragon God Army being overwhelmed by the Ya Army?

Having commanded troops and fought battles on the Yan Kingdom battlefield, He Yue possessed excellent discernment. He could tell from the Ya Army's tactics that they were fierce, brave, and skilled fighters who also followed orders and cooperated exceptionally well.

In contrast, the Dragon God Army's vanguard seemed unable to suppress their opponents and could only fight while retreating.

Dong Rui asked He Yue, "I don't understand military strategy very well. What do you make of the fighting below?"

"The Ya Kingdom's military commanders are truly formidable," He Yue exclaimed. "If an army like this were deployed on the Yan Kingdom battlefield, my father and I would likely struggle to hold our ground." Now, they were his elder brother's opponents. "Although the Dragon God Army is steadily retreating, it seems to be doing so without falling into disarray?"

On such a large-scale battlefield with this level of chaotic combat, retreating without falling into disarray is extremely difficult.

Whether due to poor command transmission or unstable morale, even the slightest oversight could turn a strategic withdrawal into a full-blown rout.

Yet, looking down from their vantage point, the Dragon God Army's formation remained remarkably stable.

Dong Rui shrugged, as if to say, "Is this supposed to be unusual?"

He Yue glanced at Dong Rui, whose relaxed demeanor prompted him to ask, "Mr. Dong, aren't you worried?"

He Yue himself had only participated in such a large-scale battle once.

The more people involved, the more chaotic the scene, the more variables, and the harder it is to predict victory or defeat. Yet, Mr. Dong was calmly cracking melon seeds with the monkey. Was he really that confident in the Dragon God Army?

Dong Rui chuckled, "What's the use of worrying? On such a massive battlefield, even if I personally intervened, it wouldn't change the outcome."

"Mr. Dong is very optimistic."

He was remarkably unconcerned.

"Come, let's crack some together," Dong Rui said, offering him a handful of melon seeds. "Do you think your brother doesn't have good odds?"

He Yue took the melon seeds and held them in his palm. "Ordinarily, a newly established nation with unsettled foundations wouldn't rush into external wars. However, my brother's actions cannot be measured by ordinary standards."

He Chunhua's empire was also conquered through battle, but after the establishment of Shen Kingdom, it focused entirely on production and development, temporarily refraining from external conquests.

This period of peace and recuperation was truly crucial.

"'Foundations unsettled'?" Dong Rui burst into laughter. "Those words simply don't apply to your brother. He is the Great Emperor of Nine Hells, the Dragon God Incarnate. Across the entire Glimmering Gold Plains, no one holds greater prestige than him—not even immortals."

The so-called 'unsettled foundations' typically refer to a lack of public support, insufficient prestige, and a struggling economy. A newly established nation should indeed use various political and economic means to develop its people's livelihoods and establish its authority.

Insufficient prestige also means the army's combat strength will be weak.

However, the Great Emperor of Nine Hells and his Black Armored Army and Dragon God Army face virtually none of these issues. Their prestige was established over two years ago and remains unshakable in the hearts and minds of the Glimmering Gold military and populace.

The vast Glimmering Gold Plains were conquered through sheer force of arms.

"Your apprehension merely stems from hearing about the Ya Kingdom's powerful military."

He Yue spoke frankly: "Yes! I heard even the Mou Kingdom had no effective means against it."

His elder brother had just established the nation and was already directly confronting such an opponent. It would be strange if he weren't worried.

"It's not just you," Dong Rui said meaningfully, "all the surrounding nations, including Mou Kingdom and even the Ya Kingdom itself, think so. But to know who is stronger and who is weaker, don't you have to fight a few good battles first?"

Who can be intimidated by mere threats, bluster, or empty words?

You have to test it to see if it's a mule or a horse.

He Yue commented fairly, "From what I see, the Dragon God Army is already very strong."

He knew the Dragon God Army had only been established recently and wasn't yet a battle-hardened elite force. For them to engage in such a back-and-forth battle with the regional Ya Army was already remarkable. "Given time, they would be truly formidable."

"'Is that so?' Dong Rui smiled. 'The phrase He Xiao hates most is "given time." His plan is to win right here, right now, immediately!'"

"..." This was indeed his elder brother's style. So, even becoming emperor hadn't changed him.

He looked at Dong Rui and suddenly asked, "Mr. Dong, what is your position in the Cang Yan Kingdom...?"

"'Me?' Dong Rui said, cracking a melon seed. 'I'm just a free man, with no official post or title. I'm merely your brother's friend.'"

He Yue was moved by this, and bowed to Dong Rui with clasped fists. "A close friend of the emperor is a national guest! Mr. Dong must be an extraordinary person to deserve such exceptional courtesy from my brother!"

How transcendent was the status of a national guest? No official post didn't necessarily mean no power.

Flattery was always effective, and Dong Rui's lips curved into a happy smile. He then cleared his throat and said, "There are two who receive such exceptional courtesy; you'll see the other one later."

The Snail-Toad suddenly turned its head, switching its view, and everyone saw nearly a hundred Ya soldiers rushing towards them from a mountain behind.

"Oh, the annoying ones are here," Dong Rui said, patting the Snail-Toad. "Let's move somewhere else."

On such a battlefield, he avoided letting his demon familiar confront an army alone.

The Snail-Toad obediently descended and departed before the enemy arrived.

Soon, Dong Rui selected another hilltop.

As the Snail-Toad moved, the main body of the Dragon God Army also retreated to a V-shaped pass, with their formation narrowing at the rear. It looked as if they were about to switch to a defensive posture.