After flying for only a short moment, Longjiu arrived at the war-torn front line with Bai Li.
She seemed to have a thorough understanding of the situation.
Without a word, she dove straight toward the main command tent where Baining was located.
The Vampire soldiers on the city walls had clearly received their instructions.
Seeing her, they did not go on alert but instead bowed in salute, allowing the giant Dragon to land without hindrance.
The Dragon Wings slammed onto the ground, causing a powerful wind to scatter.
Longjiu transformed into her human form at that moment, staying close to Bai Li’s side.
She reached out to gently wrap an arm around her waist, carefully shielding her in her embrace.
“Stand firm, don’t fall.”
The slight breathlessness from flying made Longjiu’s voice carry a faint rasp, yet it was extremely gentle.
Her gaze swept across the entire camp.
She saw Vampire patrols riding skeletal horses, moving in an orderly fashion around the city.
The archers on the arrow towers shifted their guard with crisp, efficient movements.
At the prisoner camp by the gate, captured human soldiers received their porridge with dejected expressions.
Although the Vampire soldiers kept a strict watch, they did not mistreat them in the slightest.
The military discipline was rigorous, and order reigned.
Bai Li steadied herself by holding onto Longjiu’s arm, then gently broke free from the slightly tight embrace.
She looked toward the main tent, her voice trembling with urgency.
“Where is Baining? Isn’t this… the humans’ West City? Have you already conquered it?”
Longjiu raised an eyebrow.
She took Bai Li by the wrist and led her toward the main tent, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness.
“It’s more than just West City. She even took South City along with it and captured the human’s West City Defender alive. However — “
She paused intentionally, lowering her voice as she added, “Whether that general is currently alive or dead is hard to say.”
Bai Li cried out silently in her heart:
‘Baining, this naughty child, she not only hid the attack on the humans from me but took two cities so quickly!’
‘Oh, my former human neighbors and elders… I hope you are all safe…’
Just as the thought crossed her mind, the curtain of the main tent was whipped open, and Baining’s figure quickly emerged.
She wore a practical battle skirt, her long hair tied high in a ponytail, though a stray lock hung loosely by her temple.
She had clearly rushed over from the interrogation room.
Her gaze bypassed Longjiu and landed directly on Bai Li.
The fierce aura from the battlefield in her eyes softened instantly.
Her steps slowed abruptly three steps away, and even her breathing lightened.
“Bai Li?”
Baining called out softly, her tone carrying a tenderness never heard on the battlefield.
“You didn’t suffer any grievances on the way, did you? That fellow Longjiu didn’t fly too fast with you, did she?”
Longjiu immediately spoke up with dissatisfaction, her tone full of sisterly rivalry.
“Heh, of course I protected my daughter perfectly. I put more heart into it than you do commanding armies on the battlefield, okay? Right, Queen Lilith?”
Baining didn’t bother bickering with her and reached out her hand directly toward Bai Li.
“Come inside first. It just so happens that the West City Defender has confessed. I’ll let you hear the true, ambitious intentions of those humans.”
Bai Li was led into the main tent by Baining, with Longjiu following close behind.
Longjiu closed the tent flap behind them, completely sealing out the clamor and the scent of war from outside.
The interior was simply furnished.
A detailed map of the war situation was spread across the center of a long table, with the locations of West City and South City marked prominently with blood-colored crystals.
Wax-sealed secret letters were weighed down next to them.
At the corner of the table, a disarmed human general was bound.
His hands and feet were shackled by special chains made by the Vampires.
His face was as pale as paper, yet he still held his neck stiff, putting on an act of preferring death over surrender.
“Damned Demon Race! Kill me or carve me as you wish, but you want to get information out of my mouth? Wishful thinking!”
The general saw Baining and a flash of fear crossed his eyes, but he still braced himself and shouted sternly.
Baining sat down behind the long table and pointed to a chair next to her, saying to Bai Li, “Sit.”
Then she looked at Longjiu.
“You sit as well. It’s perfect for you to act as a witness.”
Longjiu did not take a seat immediately.
Instead, she pulled Bai Li’s chair closer so that she was right next to her before finally sitting down by her side.
Her arm rested naturally behind Bai Li, keeping the girl firmly within her field of vision, protecting her meticulously.
Looking at the stubborn general before her, Bai Li couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity.
She knew he was a loyal and righteous man fighting to protect his homeland, but at this moment, she was already standing on the side of the Demon Race.
She could only remain silent in her discomfort, as it was not appropriate to speak.
Baining’s gaze lingered for a moment on Longjiu’s arm wrapped around Bai Li before she turned to the general.
Her voice instantly became as cold as ice.
“I have no interest in forcing a confession out of you through torture. I will only ask you three questions. Answer them well, and I will release you back to the human camp to deliver a message. Answer poorly, and I will have your vice-general and the families in West City watch with their own eyes as you are strangled by the Blood Rose.”
The general’s face changed drastically, and he roared in anger.
“You! You dare touch my family — “
“When you burned down the Demon Race villages and slaughtered the elderly, the weak, and the children, did you ever stop to think that they had families too?”
Baining asked coldly.
Her words were quiet, but they carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
“First question — is humanity’s true goal the Vampire Territory, or the entire Demon Race?”
The general clenched his teeth, refusing to speak.
But when Baining raised her hand to signal her personal guards to bring in the vice-general, he broke down instantly and blurted out:
“It’s the entire Demon Race! Marshal Sok said that the Demon Race has only just achieved National Restoration and their foundation is unstable. We were to take the Vampires first, then annex the Dragon Race, and finally destroy the Succubus, unifying The Continent!”
Bai Li’s breath hitched.
Her small hand tightly clutched her skirt, her heart filled with shock.
Longjiu’s eyes also darkened instantly, and a faint, scorching aura of Dragon Flame surged around her.
“So it really is like that… The old accounts from ten years ago haven’t even been settled, and they dare harbor such thoughts again!”
“Second question,” Baining said, ignoring the pressure of the Dragon Flame as she continued in a low voice.
“How many hidden troops do you have in East City? Where exactly are they deployed?”
“30,000 men! All of them are lying in ambush in the Blackstone Canyon outside East City! The Marshal calculated that you would follow up your victory by attacking East City. At that time, the hidden troops would strike at once. No matter how brave and skilled your Vampires are in battle, you would be completely surrounded!”
The general poured out everything in one go.
Baining pressed her fingertip heavily on the location of Blackstone Canyon on the map and looked at Longjiu, her tone calm.
“You’ve arrived at the perfect time. A frontal charge from the Dragon Race is exactly what is needed to break the ambush in the canyon.”
Longjiu nodded.
“My Dragon Knight Order can be assembled within half an hour. However — I have a condition.”
“Speak,” Baining said.
“During the charge, Bai Li must remain within my sight.”
Longjiu looked up, her gaze firm.
“The canyon terrain is complex and rugged. I’m afraid some stragglers might slip through and harm her.”
“No,” Baining immediately refused flatly.
“The canyon is the front-line battlefield; stray arrows have no eyes. She must stay in the main tent, guarded by my personal guards who will not leave her side for a single step.”
“No matter how powerful your guards are, I won’t be at ease. She must be watched by me personally!”
Longjiu would not budge an inch.
Seeing that the two were about to argue again, Bai Li hastily spoke up to mediate.
“I’m not going to the canyon, you two…”