His speculation shocked the other two. They knew Guo Hu didn't believe in what they said now. Sun Shang added quickly before Shangguan San explained, "Your Excellency, those deliverymen don't look like soldiers or guards. They are just ordinary people who can't practice martial arts. But the leading two can do and they are on a par with Shangguan San."

"If so, have you looted the supplies that are sent to border soldiers?" Guo Hu kept asking.

Sun Shang faltered, "We could have, but then..."

"But what?" Asked Guo Hu who looked at Sun Shang after noticing his pause.

Sun Shang continued, "At the beginning, we captured two deliverymen as hostages and everything went well. However, Shuo Ling caught up with us not long after we left for Xiling with their carriages."

"What? You mean Marquis Shuo of Dongling?" Guo Hu stood up when hearing that.

Sun Shang nodded and answered, "Yes."

"I didn't expect Emperor Dongling would dispatch Marquis Shuo here. Then, what happened?" Guo Hu sneered and asked after getting the answer.

The question made Sun Shang lower his head.

Guo Hu put on a poker face and continued, "Let me have a guess. Did he ask you to send all carriages back?"

"Your...Your Excellency, Marquis Shuo is very skilled. We didn't even see clearly what he did but he already killed one of our people. So we had no choice but to send all things back," Sun Shang knelt down and explained.

Seeing that, Shangguan San also knelt down.

Guo Hu turned around and sat down. He said with a smile, "Get up. I didn't mean to blame you. How can you two defeat him?"

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Sun Shang and Shangguan San looked at each other and stood up.

At this moment, Guo Hu's eyes looked so deep as if he was lost in his thought. He said, "You can leave now."

"Yes, Your Excellency," Sun Shang and Shangguan San cupped their hands and replied. Then they walked out.

When they left, Guo Hu closed his eyes.

Two days later, Dongling and Xiling would have a fight. And, His Majesty would go to the battlefield in person tomorrow. They intended to take this opportunity to occupy Dongling's border areas. But unexpectedly, Shuo Ling had come here to join in the fight.

Everyone knew how skilled he was. Simply hearing his name would make ordinary people creep all over.

Although Xiling defeated Dongling last time, he was very clear that they won mostly by luck. Moreover, His Majesty would fight in person this time. He couldn't help worrying about him because Shuo Ling was here, too.

True, he was shocked that Master Zhan helped them defeat the Dongling army merely with ten men with the nightmare worm. Despite that, he didn't fully trust him.

Master Zhan was from Dongling. And even worse, His Majesty trusted him so much. He was afraid that Master Zhan would...

Thinking of this, Guo Hu stood up. He had to go to the imperial palace to inform His Majesty of the news. This was what imperial guards should do.

Then, he walked out of his room and asked people to find a carriage for him. Guo Hu lost no time to rush to the imperial palace.

In the imperial palace

Lan Kuo, Emperor Xiling, was discussing with Zhan You about what they should do after arriving at border areas. When they finished, it was dark.

Lan Kuo directly came back to his palace when Zhan You left.

Just entering the palace, he ordered Yan Hao, a guard near him, "You, bring me my armor that I'll wear tomorrow. I wanna have a look."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Yan Hao nodded and responded. He walked to where Lan Kuo's armor was placed.

And then, he handed it to Lan Kuo and said, "Here you are, Your Majesty."

Lan Kuo gently put his hand on the armor and some memories stirred in his mind.

He hadn't put on the armor again since he was enthroned.

But unexpectedly, he still had a chance to wear it to fight on the battlefield.

Thinking of this, Lan Kuo couldn't help smiling.

But this time, he did so to start his journey of conquering all other countries.

Because now, fairly speaking, he had men with the nightmare worm each of whom could defeat 1,000 soldiers.

Right at this time, the soldier on guard near the door said, "Your Excellency, His Majesty has gone to bed. You'd better come to see him tomorrow."

"I have something very urgent to tell His Majesty. So please go to report that I want to see His Majesty," Guo Hu said.

Hearing that, Lan Kuo frowned. He recognized the voice belonged to Guo Hu, his imperial guard. Why did he come to see him at this hour?

Thinking of this, Lan Kuo ordered loudly, "Let him come in."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the soldier responded.

Then, he turned his head and said to Guo Hu, "Your Excellency, please come in."

While speaking, he opened the door.

Guo Hu nodded and walked in.

Guo Hu walked to Lan Kuo and knelt down with his hands cupped. "Your Majesty."

Taking a look at Guo Hu, Lan Kuo ordered Yan Hao, "Put my armor away."

Yan Hao nodded.

Then, Lan Kuo said to Guo Hu, "Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Guo Hu responded and stood up.

Emperor Xiling sat upright, looked at Guo Hu, and asked, "Why did you come to see me at this late hour?"

"Your Majesty, I have something urgent to report so that I come at this late hour to bother you. Please forgive me," answered Guo Hu who lowered his head and cupped his hands quickly.

Lan Kuo squinted and lifted the corner of his mouth. He asked, "Tomorrow, my army will set off to border areas that are just at my fingertips. How come there will be anything more urgent than that now?"

"What I want to report is right about our battle," Guo Hu lost no time to explain.

Hearing that, Lan Kuo frowned and asked again, "About our battle? What?"

Other than imperial guards, he also sent other people to keep an eye on border areas.

But why didn't he receive any message?

"Your Majesty, Marquis Shuo of Dongling has arrived at border areas!" Guo Hu said.

Hearing Guo Hu mentioned Shuo Ling, Lan Kuo kept knitting his brows and posed another question, "How do you know that? When did he arrive?"

"Your Majesty, my underlings saw people delivering supplies to border camps on their way back, so they intercepted those supplies. But unexpectedly, Shuo Ling caught up with them alone soon after they left. According to the time my underlings came back, I assume Shuo Ling is already in the Dongling's border camp now," Guo Hu continued.

Lan Kuo got flustered. But he calmed down soon.

Shuo Ling was truly skilled. If he had no men with the nightmare worm, Shuo Ling's arrival would make him worried. But he did have men with the nightmare worm now, so he had nothing to worry about. No matter how powerful Shuo Ling was, he was unable to defeat those men with the nightmare worm.

Even if they had military supplies now, so what?

His scouts reported that Dongling soldiers hadn't eaten anything for days. So, even if they had food now, they couldn't become as competent as before in a short time.

Thinking of that, Lan Kuo breathed a sigh of relief and said to Guo Hu, "I see. Thank you for being this considerate. You can leave now if you have no other things to report."

"Your Majesty, I hope you can give a second thought to fighting in person.," Guo Hu frowned to persuade Lan Kuo with his hands cupped.

Before he finished, Lan Kuo already pulled a long face and sneered, "So do you mean I should be afraid of Marquis Shuo of Dongling?"

"I dare not. I don't mean that. Your Majesty, I'm just worried about you," Guo Hu who was frightened by Lan Kuo's words knelt down fast and explained.

Having stood up, Lan Kuo walked to Guo Hu and bent to help him up. He said, "I'm aware of your loyalty. But now, I have sent Dongling a letter of challenge and all my soldiers know I will fight together with them on the battlefield. If I change my mind just because of Shuo Ling, this will demoralize my soldiers."

"I'm so sorry that I'm inconsiderate. Your Majesty, I'd like to take any punishment for this," Guo Hu looked down and said.

But Lan Kuo just patted him on his shoulder and turned around while laughing. He said, "No need."

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry but, could I make a request?" Guo Hu asked.

Lan Kuo sat down, reached out, and gave a sign that told Guo Hu to go ahead.

Guo Hu knelt down again and requested, "Your Majesty, please allow imperial guards to follow you to the battlefield and protect you."

"I really appreciate your goodwill. But after I set off to border areas, I need someone to take care of my court business. I don't trust anyone else other than you," Lan Kuo said after thinking for a while.

Hearing that, Guo Hu put his hands before his forehead and kowtowed to Lan Kuo. "Your Majesty, it's my great honor to have your trust. I swear I won't let you down!"

"Alright, get up now. No need to kneel too often because it will make me look distant to you," Lan Kuo sighed.

Guo Hu stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll take my leave."

Lan Kuo waved his hand and then Guo Hu walked out.

After he left, Lan Kuo ordered Yan Hao quickly, "You, invite Master Zhan here."

Yan Hao nodded and left Lan Kuo's palace, too.

At this moment, Lan Kuo's eyes looked as deep as the vortex. He knew men with the nightmare worm were powerful so he had nothing to worry about. But to be on the safe side, he'd better tell Zhan You about Shuo Ling's arrival so that he could make some preparations.

In the meantime, Zhan You who just went to bed heard that Su Lai, his disciple, was talking to someone outside.

"Is Master Zhan asleep?" Yan Hao asked Su Lai.

Su Lai nodded and replied, "Master just went to bed. Commander, do you have anything urgent to tell him so you come here at this late hour?"

"His Majesty asks me to invite Master Zhan to meet him," Yan Hao nodded and explained.

Hearing that, Su Lai took a look at the room behind and said, "Commander, my master hasn't fully recovered yet. He is asleep and he will set off to border areas tomorrow. If I wake him up now, I'm afraid..."

"Su Lai, come in and help me dress up," Zhan You ordered before Su Lai finished.

Yan Hao cupped his hands and said, "Sorry to bother you, Master Zhan."