The boats gradually sailed toward Wei's capital, now turned into a vast expanse of water.
Beneath the floodwaters, it seemed as if everything that once belonged to Wei had been overturned.
Looking around, the once-prosperous Wei capital was now nothing but ruins.
Inside the royal palace of Wei
Even though it was the highest point in the city, the floods still caused extensive destruction. The murky river water had already reached the steps of the palace, and below, countless struggling soldiers of the Wei Imperial Guard, palace servants, and maids fought to stay afloat.
On the steps above the floodwaters, in front of the grand palace hall
Gazing upon the vast flood and the devastated capital, Wei Wuji's aged face was filled with despair, utterly devoid of life.
He had lost.
Utterly and completely lost.
At that moment
In his field of vision, a large warship, surrounded by countless wooden rafts and boats, approached the palace hall.
In the past
If an enemy wanted to enter the city from outside, even with no resistance, it would take a long time. But now, there was nothing to stop them. Under the overwhelming flood, everything Wei had built was gone.
The warship, coming from outside the city, followed the current without obstruction, reaching its destination in less than the time it took to burn an incense stick.
Onboard
Zhao Feng stood upright, his gaze fixed on Wei Wuji in front of the grand palace hall.
As the ship docked
The remaining thousands of Imperial Guards surrounding the palace dared not make a move. Numerous Qin soldiers stood on rafts and boats, their bows drawn, arrows aimed directly at the hall.
If they dared resist
They would face a rain of arrows.
Yet
The remnants of the Wei army didn't dare act rashly. Anxiety and panic filled their faces as they watched the encircling Qin forces.
"You've finally arrived."
Wei Wuji struggled to lift his head, looking at Zhao Feng.
"Yes."
"I have."
Zhao Feng replied calmly.
In his eyes, Wei Wuji no longer had the energy or fighting spirit he had displayed a month ago. Gone was the defiant determination to drag Qin down with him.
"Lord Xinling."
"You have lost."
"The state of Wei is doomed."
"And your plan to annihilate my Wu'an Army has failed."
"This time, I entered the city without shedding a single drop of blood."
"Your tens of thousands of elite soldiers have been destroyed. You have no army left to fight."
Zhao Feng's voice was cold, carrying the tone of a victor.
He had some respect for Wei Wuji, but as enemies, there was no room for mercy.
"Yes."
"I have lost."
"I have been utterly defeated."
Wei Wuji let out a bitter laugh, his aged eyes filled with desolation as he looked at Zhao Feng.
"General Zhao Feng of Qin"
"You are truly worthy of your name."
"In the battle of Weicheng, I lost."
"In the battle of the capital, I have lost again."
"I am old."
Wei Wuji sighed deeply.
"Then, at this moment will Lord Xinling surrender or not?" Zhao Feng asked calmly.
Wei Wuji forced a smile, then drew the sword from his waist, pointing it at Zhao Feng.
"Lord Xinling of Wei, Wei Wuji, requests a duel!"
Zhao Feng did not hesitate.
With a single leap, he landed on the steps in front of the grand hall.
Drawing his Longquan Sword
"I, Zhao Feng, Great General of Qin, accept the challenge!"
Zhao Feng spoke firmly.
"Fight."
Seeing Zhao Feng draw his sword, Wei Wuji let out a hearty laugh.
As if he was about to fulfill his final wish.
He charged forward, sword in hand.
However
His body was already old and weak. His attack lacked both power and speed.
Against Zhao Feng, he had no chance of victory.
Zhao Feng stepped forward, thrusting the Longquan Sword
In an instant
Slash!
The blade pierced through Wei Wuji's body.
Wei Wuji's body stiffened, pain flashing across his aged face, but above all, there was a sense of relief.
"I… I have… died for my country."
"My death is honorable."
"To the past kings of Wei… Wei Wuji… has no regrets."
Using the last of his strength, Wei Wuji shouted his final words.
Then, life faded from his body.
He collapsed onto the ground.
A system prompt appeared
"You have slain Wei Wuji, Lord Xinling. Gained 100 full attribute points."
"You have slain a figure possessing the nation's fortune. Reward: One Tier 2 Treasure Chest."
Zhao Feng paid little attention to the notifications.
His gaze turned to the Wei Imperial Guards surrounding the palace.
"Will you fight or surrender?"
His voice was cold.
The moment he spoke
Behind him, the elite soldiers of Qin raised their bows, their arrows aimed at the remaining guards.
They only needed to make a move, and a rain of arrows would follow.
Faced with Zhao Feng's intimidation
"We surrender."
"We surrender..."
One after another, the Wei Imperial Guards dropped their weapons and knelt.
It was clear
Before Wei Wuji's final challenge, he had likely already instructed the remaining guards not to sacrifice themselves needlessly.
Because the fall of Wei was already an irreversible fact.
Even if they all charged forward, it would only mean throwing their lives away.
Seeing the Wei soldiers lay down their weapons and surrender, Zhao Feng nodded, acknowledging their submission.
Then
Zhao Feng turned his gaze toward the Wei court's grand hall and walked forward.
As he took his first step
His guards immediately followed, flanking him on both sides as they advanced toward the hall.
Inside the Grand Hall
King Wei and his court officials had gathered in a state of panic.
Not only them
Many concubines from the palace had also taken refuge there. Being the highest point in the royal palace, the hall was now sheltering nearly a thousand people.
When Zhang Ming led the guards to kick open the hall doors
Zhao Feng stepped in at a steady pace.
The moment they saw Zhao Feng
Every face inside the hall changed drastically.
As the highest-ranking figures of Wei, their eyes showed unmistakable fear when they looked at Zhao Feng.
Zhao Feng took another step forward, and they retreated a step in response, filled with terror.
Even King Wei, sitting on the throne, was no exception.
Zhao Feng swept his gaze coldly across the hall before finally fixing it on the horrified King Wei.
"I will say only one thing."
"Those who surrender kneel."
"Those who do not stand." Zhao Feng said in an icy tone.
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
Just one sentence
Yet the pressure it carried was like a thunderclap.
"I surrender."
"Spare me!"
"I don't want to die."
"General, please spare my life..."
Terrified cries filled the hall.
Immediately after
One after another, Wei officials and royal members fell to their knees.
Though Wei Wuji had ordered the nobility and officials to send their families away from Wei once he knew Qin's attack was imminent, many had remained in the capital.
Not everyone had the means to escape.
In just the blink of an eye
Almost everyone in the hall had knelt.
Looking across the hall
Only a few dozen people remained standing.
"The Great Wei may have fallen, but as ministers of Wei, we will never surrender!"
"Zhao Feng, if you have the courage, kill me! I will never regret it."
"Go ahead and kill me."
"Even if Great Wei perishes today, I refuse to believe Qin will remain strong forever!"
"That's right!"
"Zhao Feng, you are indeed formidable, a brilliant general, but one day, you will outshine your king. When that day comes, the Qin King will not tolerate your existence."
"Even if today's Qin King spares you, his successors will not!"
"Today, we only depart before you do. One day, you will meet a tragic end too!"
"Hahaha!"
"Exactly!"
"Kill us now..."
The remaining few dozen men laughed wildly, fearless of death.
Even though Wei Wuji had ordered them not to die in vain, there were still those who wished to perish alongside their country.
Watching them
Zhao Feng's expression remained unmoved.
Every nation had its loyal subjects and its cowards.
As enemies, he could still respect these men.
Thus
Zhao Feng waved his hand.
Immediately, his guards understood.
They strode toward the unyielding Wei ministers, drew their swords, and in one swift motion heads fell, blood spilled.
In an instant, the dozens of loyal Wei officials were beheaded.
The sight left those kneeling in the hall trembling with fear.
"King Wei, will you surrender or die?" Zhao Feng asked coldly.
Meeting Zhao Feng's icy gaze
King Wei trembled violently.
At that moment
He wanted to be like those loyal ministers and die for his country!
But when that thought surfaced, his body quivered he was afraid to die.
Having lived in luxury, indulged in endless pleasures, and been worshipped by all, how could he possibly possess the resolve to die with his kingdom?
"I... I..."
King Wei hesitated, shaking uncontrollably.
"If you do not wish to surrender."
"I shall grant you the honor of dying with your kingdom."
Zhao Feng spoke indifferently, casting a glance at Zhang Ming.
Zhang Ming stepped forward immediately.
He tossed his sword in front of King Wei.
"As a king"
"If you refuse to surrender"
"Our great general grants you the dignity of a ruler."
"Take your own life." Zhang Ming said coldly.
Looking at the sword before him
King Wei's face twitched.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, many Wei officials looked at him with anticipation.
It was as if
For a king, taking his own life after his country's downfall was the only rightful course.
He hesitated before finally picking up the sword. But as he stared at its sharp edge, his hands trembled.
Still, he forced himself to place the sword against his throat, attempting to slash it across.
But every time he was about to apply force, he couldn't do it.
"This is the king of a nation?"
"A worthless coward."
Zhao Feng scoffed coldly, full of contempt.
Then
Directly snatching the sword from Wei King's hand, Zhao Feng spoke coldly:
"Now, kneel and surrender. Hand over the royal seal, and you shall be spared."
"If not, I will personally send you on your way."
The Dragon Spring Sword was unsheathed without hesitation, pointing directly at Wei King.
There was no doubt he was not joking.
Seeing this, Wei King was completely terrified. He immediately fell to his knees and stammered in fear:
"I surrender! I surrender!"
"Spare me! Please don't kill me!"
At this moment, all the dignity of a king was utterly gone.
Zhao Feng, seeing this, revealed a knowing smile.
From the very beginning, he had no intention of killing Wei King. No matter how incompetent he was, he was still a king. If Zhao Feng were to kill him, he would surely face impeachment from those old officials in Xianyang upon his return.
"Write a royal decree of surrender and affix the royal seal."
"Order the remaining Wei army to surrender to Great Qin."
"If you refuse, you die."
Zhao Feng's voice was firm and decisive.
Then, he turned and instructed his men:
"The capital of Wei is currently submerged in floodwaters, making it temporarily impossible to relocate them. Keep them detained in the royal palace."
"Ensure their survival."
"Once the flood recedes, we will transfer them."
Zhao Feng's tone was deep and resolute.
"Understood!" Zhang Ming responded respectfully.
After one final glance around, Zhao Feng turned and left the grand hall.
As soon as he exited, the Wei ministers inside collectively let out a sigh of relief.
In the presence of Zhao Feng, they felt as if they were standing before a fierce beast, crushed by an unimaginable sense of oppression. The killing intent exuding from his body was so tangible it felt almost solid.
Now that he had left, the entire hall felt much lighter.
However, even with Zhao Feng gone, numerous Qin guards remained stationed inside, watching them like hawks. Any sign of resistance would mean certain death.
Outside the palace hall
Tu Sui and Li You had arrived.
"Greetings, Supreme General!"
The two officers saluted Zhao Feng.
"Report," Zhao Feng instructed.
"The city is flooded, and many have perished," Li You reported.
"However, a large number of people survived."
"After all, the city is vast, and many were able to save themselves by clinging to wooden beams and other floating objects."
"The floodwaters are now beginning to recede, and with an additional push, the city should soon be drained."
"Pass down my command," Zhao Feng ordered.
"Demolish the walls of Daliang's outer city."
"The force of the flood has already weakened them. They will not withstand another surge."
"Moreover, we had already planned for this moment once Daliang collapses, we will use the pre-built diversion channels to block the river flow."
Tu Sui respectfully acknowledged:
"Indeed, the Supreme General had anticipated this outcome from the start. We made the necessary preparations in advance, ensuring a solution to halt the floodwaters once they served their purpose."
"Good." Zhao Feng nodded in satisfaction.
"Daliang has fallen. The next threat we must prepare for is the outbreak of disease."
"Floods are always followed by plagues."
"This must not be taken lightly," Li You reminded.
Hearing the words "plague," Zhao Feng's expression turned grim.
Perhaps in future eras, outbreaks would not be as devastating due to advances in medicine and technology. However, in this era, plagues spread rapidly and were almost impossible to treat.
Diseases of this scale were often fatal.
"Every trade has its masters," Zhao Feng mused.
"The matter of disease prevention shall be handled by those with expertise in this field."
"Immediately consult with the military medical camp to determine the best prevention methods."
"We must do everything in our power to prevent an outbreak."
Zhao Feng gave his orders to Li You.
"Understood!" Li You swiftly responded.
"Where is Quartermaster Kuai Pu?" Zhao Feng called out.
"Present!" Kuai Pu hurried over, his expression serious.
"Send a report to Xianyang detailing the battle situation."
"Furthermore"
"Petition His Majesty to allocate sufficient grain, supplies, and tents."
"The tens of thousands of people in Daliang must be properly resettled."
"Wei has fallen. These people are now subjects of Great Qin, and they must be treated as such."
Zhao Feng's tone was heavy with authority.
"Understood!" Kuai Pu bowed deeply and departed.
At that moment
Zhang Ming quickly emerged from the palace, holding two imperial decrees in his hands.
"Supreme General," he reported.
"The Wei King's surrender edict has been written."
"And here is another edict commanding General Pang Wu and the remaining Wei forces to surrender."
He presented both decrees.
"Excellent." Zhao Feng smiled. "Keep them safe."
"Supreme General," Tu Sui asked respectfully.
"Should we now head to Wei's western frontier to deliver these decrees to General Pang Wu?"
"I will go personally this time."
"My guards shall accompany me," Zhao Feng instructed Zhang Ming.
"Understood!"
Zhang Ming acknowledged the command without hesitation.
"Daliang has fallen."
"The outcome of this war is now crystal clear."
A victorious smile spread across Zhao Feng's face.
The greatest glory in the conquest of Wei--
Was his.
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