"There are so many weapons here, I can't take them all, or my storage space will run out," Zhao Feng muttered, glancing at his personal storage space, now about one-third full with a chaotic pile of items.
For Zhao Feng, the mess didn't matter he could retrieve anything with precision, even in the clutter.
"I'll leave the long weapons like spears and halberds. Short weapons, crossbows, and armor are non-negotiable. I can squeeze those in," Zhao Feng decided quickly.
He strode to where nearly a thousand iron swords were stored and swept them into his storage space. Next were the crossbows and battle armor, all packed away.
With those items added, his storage was now 99% full, crammed to the brim. If the items hadn't been stacked chaotically, he wouldn't have been able to fit so much.
As for the remaining long weapons, Zhao Feng left them behind due to a lack of space.
"With these weapons, I can secretly recruit and arm a thousand fully equipped soldiers," he thought, immensely satisfied.
This treasure vault had truly paid off. Moreover, even if someone from the army came to inspect it later, they would never suspect him. One person couldn't transport so many weapons.
"Now, let's see the so-called Spirit Pill Chamber. Could there be spirit pills in this era? Or are they just poisonous pills made of heavy metals?"
Zhao Feng moved toward the final chamber, his expectations low.
In this era or in any ancient time kings dreamed of immortality, but the so-called elixirs of life were usually nothing more than poisons. History recorded that Qin Shi Huang had died of heavy metal poisoning from consuming too many such pills.
Entering the Spirit Pill Chamber, Zhao Feng was greeted by the faint aroma of medicinal herbs.
"It smells like they've used a lot of valuable herbs in the concoction, but they've all been wasted. After their so-called refining, they've turned into poison," Zhao Feng thought dismissively.
"These treasures are better left for Li Teng to mess around with."
Scanning the room, Zhao Feng saw many jars of pills but felt no interest. After ensuring there was nothing else hidden in the chamber, he left and continued deeper into the secret passage.
If King Han had truly fled the palace and even Han Fei was unaware of it, this passage was likely his escape route.
This was Zhao Feng's best and possibly only chance to catch him. Capturing the king would earn him unparalleled military merit, leading to a significant promotion.
In the Royal Palace of Han
As the surrendered Han soldiers gradually withdrew from the palace, Qin's elite soldiers took complete control.
In the grand hall of the Han Court, General Li Teng stood with a group of officers behind him.
"The capital of Han has fallen completely into our hands. Congratulations, General, for achieving the extraordinary feat of destroying a kingdom!" one subordinate exclaimed in excitement.
However, Li Teng's expression remained serious. "King Han has not yet been captured. Only by capturing him can we declare Han's complete annihilation."
"General, rest assured."
"Our troops have sealed off the entire city, and a cavalry unit has been sent to pursue him. Even if King Han has fled Xinzheng, he won't get far. We'll catch him," another officer assured.
"Let's hope so," Li Teng said with a sigh.
If King Han truly escaped, this monumental victory would lose some of its glory.
A fugitive king could rally other nations, giving them a pretext to unite against Qin. That would be disastrous.
"Gentlemen," Li Teng addressed the officers, "if King Han has escaped Xinzheng, where do you think he would go?"
"General," one officer replied immediately, "he would most likely flee to Wei."
"Why not Chu?" Li Teng countered.
"Chu has always been considered a land of barbarians. Moreover, Han shares close ties with Zhao and Wei as the Three Jin States. If King Han escapes, he will likely seek refuge in Wei and then move to Zhao for further protection.
"As for Chu, its relations with Qin are relatively good. King Han wouldn't dare enter Chu, nor would he venture into such a wild land."
Li Teng nodded with a faint smile. "I think so too."
"General, rest assured. With our cavalry's strength, we will surely capture King Han," the officer reassured.
At this moment, Li Teng turned to Chen Tao.
"General Chen, your Wanjiang Battalion played a crucial role in this siege, especially Zhao Feng. His extraordinary strength in breaching the gates was pivotal. Without him, the fall of the capital wouldn't have been so swift," Li Teng said.
Chen Tao stepped forward respectfully. "General, you are correct. If not for Zhao Feng, our army would not have breached the city so quickly. The honor of this victory belongs to him."
Inwardly, Chen Tao wished the glory had gone to Liu Wu, but Qin's strict merit-based military system left no room for falsehood. Any deceit regarding military achievements could lead to severe consequences.
"Zhao Feng is truly remarkable," Li Teng said with a smile.
"It seems you were fortunate to have him transferred to your command."
Chen Tao quickly responded, "Indeed, General. I owe much of this victory to Zhao Feng. Without him, I would not have earned this merit."
"After this campaign, Zhao Feng deserves a promotion," Li Teng continued.
"This achievement has already been reported to the central military command. His role in breaching the gates alone is enough to justify an advancement in rank."
Chen Tao acknowledged with a respectful bow. "In Qin's army, merit and ability take precedence. Zhao Feng's talents leave me no grounds for objection."
Yet deep down, Chen Tao was filled with regret.
Sigh.
"If only I had sent Zhao Feng earlier instead of holding him back and letting Liu Wu lead the charge..."
"My battalion wouldn't have suffered so many casualties. And now, I've likely alienated Zhao Feng."
Chen Tao couldn't shake the thought.
This battle had shown everyone Zhao Feng's unparalleled strength and potential. His choice to prioritize his trusted soldiers over the main battalion wasn't entirely unreasonable, but it had likely strained their relationship.
Considering Zhao Feng's rapid rise, it was only a matter of time before he surpassed Chen Tao in rank and authority.