Chapter Nineteen: Annihilation

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Liu Chen stood atop the cliff, his eyes coldly surveying the hellish scene unfolding in the valley below. The firelight cast sharp shadows on his youthful face, carving it into a resolute visage like a sculpture.

“Your Highness, Zhuge Xu is trying to escape!” an attendant urgently reported, pointing toward a group of cavalry breaking through the weaker flames at the valley floor.

Liu Chen narrowed his eyes. He saw Zhuge Xu and his son, surrounded by dozens of loyal guards, desperately slashing at the Shu soldiers blocking their path. The burning general’s banner had been discarded on the ground, trampled underfoot by countless fleeing soldiers.

“He won’t get away,” Liu Chen shook his head.

Everything had been planned. Once Zhuge Xu entered the gorge, his fate was sealed. Only a man destined by heaven—like Sima Yi—could have survived Zhuge Liang’s fire at Upper Valley, which failed to kill the opponent.

Undoubtedly, Zhuge Xu was no Sima Yi.

Zhuge Xu and his son led the remnants of their troops out of the fiery inferno, thick smoke billowing behind them, blotting out half the sky. Amidst the neighing of warhorses, Zhuge Chong’s armor was blackened by smoke and flame. He glanced back at the valley turned hell and croaked hoarsely, “Father, we’ve lost over half our men!”

It was only because Liu Chen’s forces were insufficient that Zhuge Xu and his son had managed to escape.

“Silence!” Zhuge Xu lashed his horse fiercely, bloodshot eyes blazing with fury. “As long as we reach the bridgehead, there’s still a chance to turn the tide!”

The setting sun, as red as blood, shone on the fleeing Wei soldiers. When they finally glimpsed the city walls at the Yinping Bridgehead, still flying the “Wei” banner, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet suddenly, Zhuge Xu pulled the reins hard. The “Wei” banner on the wall crashed down, replaced by a crimson flag bearing the character “Han.”

The city gates slammed shut with a thunderous roar. The drawbridge was raised, and crossbowmen behind the battlements stood ready in tight formation. A young general clad in golden armor and red robes sneered down at them.

“Uncle Zhuge, long time no see,” Deng Zhong shouted loudly, his spear gleaming coldly in the sunset. The opposing voice rang out: “By the king’s special command, I have awaited you here long ago!”

Zhuge Chong, furious, spurred his horse forward, “Deng Zhong, you villain! How dare you betray Great Wei?”

Before he could finish, a wooden gong sounded atop the city wall, and arrows rained down like a storm. Zhuge Xu hastily raised his shield to block them, but footsteps approached rapidly from behind—the Yan Han forces led by Liu Chen had caught up!

“Father, we’re surrounded!” Zhuge Chong’s voice trembled. The two armies slowly closed in like an iron vise, compressing the remaining Wei troops into the narrow strip between the city walls and the pursuing forces.

Liu Chen rode at the forefront, his crimson cape rippling in the wind. Raising his hand, he halted his troops and advanced alone, his voice ringing out: “Zhuge Xu, you have nowhere left to run!”

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Zhuge Xu looked around; his loyal soldiers numbered less than a thousand, all wounded. Suddenly, he laughed wildly, madness creeping into his voice: “Deng Ai! To think you would betray Great Wei! A traitor like you deserves death!”

“Zhuge Xu! This world rightfully belongs to the House of Liu. General Deng has renounced darkness to embrace the light. Your Zhuge clan owes its fortune to House Liu—why now betray the Han?” Liu Chen pointed his spear with righteous indignation.

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Xu’s muscles twitched, a flicker of inner conflict flashing in his eyes before being replaced by a savage glare. He drew his sword abruptly and roared, “Shameless brat! Do not spread lies here! Great Wei is Heaven’s chosen—nothing you do can shake that!”

Liu Chen sneered, clasping his hands politely, “Liu Chen of Zhuo Commandery, at your service, General Zhuge.”

“Liu Chen, King of Northern Shu Han?” Zhuge Xu’s expression changed drastically. He had not expected this young man before him to be Liu Chan’s son, leading the charge, commanding thousands, annihilating his thirty-thousand-strong army, and now trapping him at the bridgehead.

Liu Chen waved his hand. Deng Zhong atop the city immediately understood and waved his command flag. Han crossbowmen drew their bows in unison. The pursuing forces raised their spears, forming an iron forest.

“Father...” Zhuge Chong looked at the cold barbs of arrows all around, trembling: “We...”

“Silence!” Zhuge Xu barked sharply, spurring his horse forward and raising his sword to point at Liu Chen, shouting, “Kill him! If we kill Liu Chen, we can—”

Before he finished, an arrow shot from the city and struck Zhuge Xu’s right shoulder. He groaned, his sword slipping from his grasp, and he fell heavily from his horse.

“Father!” Zhuge Chong hurried down to help him.

Liu Chen slowly urged his horse forward, looking down at the father and son with a cold snort: “Zhuge Xu, do you know why General Deng is willing to submit to Han?”

Clutching his wound, Zhuge Xu gritted his teeth, “He’s just a coward, afraid to die!”

“The ambition of Sima Zhao is known to all. He comes from humble origins and held no hope for the Sima clan,” Liu Chen said calmly.

“Duke Jin is wise and mighty, Heaven’s chosen,” Zhuge Xu retorted.

“A regicide called Heaven’s chosen?” Liu Chen sneered. “When Sima Yi broke his oath at Luoshui and killed Cao Shuang, the Sima family’s reputation was ruined; when Cao Mao was killed, it meant Heaven had rejected the Sima clan.”

Zhuge Xu fell silent.

His face ashen, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, Zhuge Xu struggled to stand. He pushed away his son’s assistance, staggering forward two steps, glaring at Liu Chen, “Victors write history—no need for more words! Kill me if you will!”

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Liu Chen’s gaze was sharp as lightning, his spear raised slightly: “Zhuge Xu, will you surrender?”

“Hahaha!” Zhuge Xu suddenly laughed toward the sky, a tragic note in his voice. “My Zhuge clan has been loyal for generations—how could we...”

Before he could finish, Zhuge Chong suddenly knelt, pounding his forehead on the ground: “Your Highness! I am willing to surrender! Begging you to spare my father and me!”

“Traitor!” Zhuge Xu roared, turning to draw his sword, but his injury made him stagger and fall. Struggling to rise, his eyes blazing with fury, he shouted, “How could the Zhuge family produce such a coward!”

Liu Chen watched coldly, then raised his hand, signaling the crossbowmen atop the city to lower their weapons. He dismounted and approached Zhuge Chong. “Are you truly willing to surrender?”

Pressing his forehead to the ground, Zhuge Chong’s voice trembled: “I... I have long known that Wei’s fate is sealed. The Sima family’s regicide cannot stand Heaven’s justice. Today, seeing your Highness’s might, I know the Han shall rise again!”

“A sharp tongue indeed,” Liu Chen chuckled lightly, turning to Zhuge Xu with a smile: “General Zhuge, your son understands reason better than you.”

Zhuge Xu’s face was pale as death. Suddenly, he drew a dagger from his cloak. Deng Zhong immediately nocked an arrow but was stopped by Liu Chen’s raised hand.

“Father! No!” Zhuge Chong rushed forward but was kicked away by Zhuge Xu.

“I, Zhuge Xu... would rather die than surrender!” He raised the dagger, a cold gleam flashing in the sunset, and fiercely plunged it into his own throat.

“Clang!”

A spear precisely knocked the dagger aside. Liu Chen, now right before him, pressed the spear tip to Zhuge Xu’s throat and sneered, “Want to die? Not so easy.”

Zhuge Xu slumped to the ground, the last flicker of light in his eyes extinguished.