"Alright, that's enough."
"Stop flattering me and take this chance to rest."
Hearing the soldiers' praise, Zhao Feng smiled and waved it off.
With that, he sat down on the ground, and the others followed suit. After a full day and night of intense battle, the Qin soldiers who had stormed into the city were exhausted.
Now that there was a temporary ceasefire, they naturally took the opportunity to rest.
"Status panel," Zhao Feng muttered, summoning his attribute screen.
A day and night of relentless combat had left countless enemies dead by his hand. Zhao Feng had also gathered countless attributes during the fight. While he could feel his strength grow along the way, he hadn't taken the time to review the exact changes in his stats until now.
Taking advantage of the brief pause, Zhao Feng decided to examine his progress:
Age: 16
Strength: 1656 (The higher the strength, the greater the power output.)
Speed: 1234 (Higher speed indicates greater agility.)
Constitution: 914 (The higher the constitution, the faster the recovery rate and the more enduring the stamina.)
Spirit: 923 (A stronger spirit leads to a clearer mind and enhanced concentration. At higher levels, spiritual energy can even detect the world's spiritual essence.)
Lifespan: 86 years and 678 days.
Portable Space: 9 cubic meters.
Cultivation Technique: Dragon Elephant Technique.
Martial Skills: Dragon Subduing Palm, Explosive Fist (beginner level; punches can unleash double the wielder's base strength).
"The strength and speed attributes are the easiest to collect. This battle alone increased them so much. Is there anyone in this world whose strength rivals mine?"
"And I even gained nearly an extra year of lifespan."
"If this continues, immortality won't be a dream."
Looking at his status panel, Zhao Feng felt a surge of excitement.
This day and night of relentless combat had borne fruit, significantly enhancing his attributes.
But there was more.
Four treasure chests awaited him:
Two were earned by gaining 200 all-attribute points.
One came from slaying the Han general.
Another from defeating Zhang Ping.
The latter two figures were high-ranking officials with significant karmic energy, thus yielding treasure chests upon their deaths.
"Pity I can't kill the king. If I could slay the Han King, I might even get a Tier 2 treasure chest."
Looking at the treasure chests, Zhao Feng felt a twinge of greed.
But this thought was quickly dismissed.
In this era, kingship was sacred.
Even an enemy king was no exception.
Without explicit orders from the Qin King, killing a king was not an act of merit but one of treason.
At that moment, General Li Teng's war chariot arrived.
"Welcome, General!"
The ten-thousand-man commanders and deputy generals of Li Teng's main force immediately stepped forward, bowing in respect.
"What's the situation?"
Standing atop the chariot, Li Teng asked calmly.
"Reporting to the General," a deputy replied respectfully, "the Han royal palace is surrounded. No one inside can escape. The palace itself has made no moves. We await your orders for the next step."
"Relay my command," Li Teng ordered, his tone resolute. "Announce to the Han royal palace: I will give the Han King one incense stick of time to decide. If he wishes to live and preserve his family, he must immediately open the gates, surrender, and order his soldiers to lay down their weapons."
"If no decision is made within the time limit, we will storm the palace and leave none alive."
The words were spoken with cold authority.
Upon hearing them, the messengers immediately approached the palace gates and shouted, "By the decree of General Li Teng of the Qin Army: the Han King has one incense stick of time to decide. If he does not surrender within the given time, our army will breach the palace, leaving none alive!"
After the proclamation, several messengers repeated the announcement loudly, their voices echoing throughout the palace grounds.
As the message rang out, the gates of the Han royal palace cracked open just enough for a single person to emerge.
A middle-aged man, dressed in the robes of a Han official and exuding a calm and confident demeanor, stepped out slowly.
Despite facing countless Qin soldiers, each brimming with killing intent, and having arrows aimed at him, the man displayed no fear.
He walked forward steadily, embodying an air of unshakable resolve.
His demeanor was reminiscent of the famed Zhao minister Lin Xiangru, unyielding even in the face of execution.
"This man has courage," Zhao Feng muttered, a hint of admiration in his voice.
"He stands unshaken amidst so many arrows and soldiers eyeing him like prey. Truly a remarkable individual."
The man soon reached Li Teng's chariot. Bowing slightly, he clasped his hands and greeted, "General Li, it is an honor."
"Throughout Korea, only one man is known for such composure and courage."
"You must be the famed Han prince, Han Fei," Li Teng said with a faint smile.
"Titles mean little. They are but empty words," Han Fei replied calmly.
"Since the prince has emerged, I assume you carry the Han King's decree," Li Teng continued.
"Let's not waste time. I am a soldier and dislike beating around the bush. Is the Han King prepared to fight or surrender?"
Han Fei, unshaken, met Li Teng's gaze and asked, "If my king surrenders, how will he and his officials be treated by Qin?"
"That will be decided by the Qin King," Li Teng responded firmly.
"If your Han King had surrendered when our army first approached Han's capital, my king would have shown mercy."
"But now, with Han reduced to its royal palace, any mercy is out of the question. I can only promise your lives will be spared."
Li Teng's words were clear.
If the Han King had surrendered earlier, sparing Qin soldiers from unnecessary casualties, mercy would have been extended.
But now, with the capital fallen and only the palace remaining, Korea had lost all bargaining power.
Hearing this, Han Fei showed no change in expression. Instead, he smiled bitterly and said, "May I request the general grant my king an hour to deliberate? Within that time, he will provide a definitive answer."
"Something's not right."
Hearing Han Fei's request, Zhao Feng immediately felt that there was more to it than met the eye.