Chapter 91: A Golden Opportunity [1]

As Shou Bu Kun followed Jun into a tall building, the sky had already darkened. The streets were empty, with no people to be seen outside.

Of course, many of them were inside restaurants or taverns, drinking and celebrating that they had reached a point in life where they could consider themselves victorious.

The building they were heading towards housed Jun's shadowy intelligence unit.

As soon as he entered, Jun glanced at a servant who led him up the wooden stairs behind him.

Shou Bu Kun glanced around, noticing that the ground floor of the building was nearly empty, with only a few maids and servants sitting casually. His instincts, however, warned him of danger, making him immediately cautious.

"Why are you so careful?" Shou Bu Kun was wary but didn't slow his pace, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Without looking back, Jun said, "I don't trust anyone who doesn't serve me. You're either my servant or a potential enemy I must eliminate. Sorry, but that's just how I think."

"I can understand that way of thinking..." Shou Bu Kun, a veteran warrior who had won countless battles, now served as Ei Sei's most trusted hand. He knew well that enemies could be lurking even in the most unexpected places. "But even if you trust no one, you have to risk relying on allies."

Jun slowly nodded, understanding the sentiment.

With his personal army not exceeding one hundred thousand soldiers, Jun knew he would need to form alliances in the mountains. Once that alliance was forged, he planned to strike a deal with Ei Sei. However, at this moment, he needed to find a way to support Qin, which was facing an unprecedented catastrophe.

That was why he had asked the king to send his most trusted servant.

If this crucial piece of information were to be stolen, it would backfire tremendously.

As Jun mulled over these thoughts, they reached a secret door at the back of the room.

Shou Bu Kun hesitated for a moment before entering, his eyes sweeping the wide space before him. There was a massive stone table in the center, surrounded by hundreds of people writing letters destined for unknown recipients. It was clear that this communication system was sophisticated.

"I made a promise to your king that I would fight once for his cause and secure whatever he desired from these lands," Jun said as he approached the stone table and sat down. "I thought Ei Sei would ask me to eliminate his enemies in the court, which would be as easy as sweeping the floor for me and my followers. Yet he hasn't asked anything of me so far, which has only piqued my curiosity these past few days."

"What are you getting at?" Shou Bu Kun wasn't sure where Jun was going with this.

"I have information that may give you a better chance to mount an offensive against the looming war," Jun said, pointing to the map on the table where armies from every neighboring country were positioned along Qin's borders.

"This is..."

"My sources say that during the alliance between Zhao and Qin, while Qin was expanding its borders, Zhao's prime minister, Ri Boku, was working behind the scenes with Chu's prime minister, Shun Shin Kun."

Although Shou Bu Kun knew the answer, he still asked, "What's their goal?"

"Their goal is to form a coalition army consisting of all the warring states, with the sole aim of destroying Qin. Their plan has a high chance of success, especially with the recent waves of discontent in Wei and the neighboring states Qin has been invading."

Jun pointed at the map, showing that the coalition's forces would easily exceed half a million soldiers, posing a serious threat to any plans Qin currently had.

Why was Jun sharing this? Simple: if Qin lost, everything he had built so far would be destroyed. Years of hard work would go to waste, and the Asura Clan would suffer deeply from the fallout.

"This can't be..." Shou Bu Kun was stunned by what he was seeing.

Jun indicated the battlefield and said, "My strategists have simulated the outcome of this battle, and they believe the best way to defend the country is to abandon all outposts and gather as many troops as possible at the walls of the Kankoku Pass, the northern route leading to the capital city of Kanyou."

The greatest generals and grand generals of Qin—Mou Gou, Chou Tou, Duke Hyou, Ou Sen, Mou Bu, Kan Ki, and Tou—were to be stationed with their armies to form a defensive force around the Kankoku Pass.

Jun, of course, would remain in the rear, acting as the last line of defense for Qin. If the enemy failed to set foot on their land, Jun would then launch an invasion to capture Zhao.

Either way, it was a battle they could win. If successful, they would have Zhao under their feet. If not, at least they would defend Qin to the very end.

"Are you certain of this?"

"Indeed, it's best if you return immediately and deliver this information to the king. My soldiers will escort you safely," Jun said, ensuring Shou Bu Kun wouldn't be ambushed on his way back to the palace.

"No matter how much I try to understand you, you always manage to surprise me," Shou Bu Kun admitted with a hint of admiration.

Jun smiled faintly and replied, "I'm unpredictable. I'm just trying to ease things a bit for you. Besides, when I return to Qin, I'll help the king eliminate his enemies who are pressuring him."

"What?"

"They're already on the move. You should return as quickly as possible to stay ahead of time," Jun said, pouring a glass of wine and raising it in a toast to Shou Bu Kun.