"That wouldn't be good for Mi Liayi. It looks like I'll have to break my promise to Wu Xun after I become the King. Those who don't surrender... Will be dead," Long Chen muttered, looking at the unconscious bodies lying on the ground.
"Until the time comes, I'll use all I have to make it easier for me to take over without risking fighting blindly," he continued as he smirked.
As he waited, he saw his army coming in his direction from a distance. That's what he had told them since he had expected the Dragon Squad Members to have surrendered by now.
Even though he said that he came here to kill them all with brute force, his actual plan was to make the Dragon Squad a part of his own army. As he knew that people would be more prone to believing that he was going to kill in one final assault then the chances of having Dragon Squad surrender, he didn't tell them.
In his mind, the suspicions and the resistance around his second plan were going to be much more than it was around the plan he talked about. Keeping that in mind, he decided to hide his actual plan, arranging everything in such a way that it played out naturally. He was sure that no one was going to question anything when it actually happened.
"What happened here?" the Eldest Prince asked Long Chen as he looked at the bodies on the ground. "Are they dead? Where is Master Vermilion?"
"He's helping Wu Xun handle things. As for them, they're only unconscious. They'll be our prisoners from now," Long Chen replied, stunning the Eldest Prince while pointing at the bodies lying on the ground.
The men of the army were shocked; however, they followed Long Chen's command and tied the men, keeping them unable to move even if they woke up.
"I'm going ahead. You guys can follow behind. Kill the soldiers that don't surrender and arrest the ones that do. Only the Dragon Squad members are allowed to join us for now," Long Chen gave a brief to the Eldest Prince before he called for his Spirit Eagle. Sitting on the Spirit Eagle, he flew away towards the Royal City of the Sunai Kingdom.
Landing above the base of the Dragon Squad, he saw a few unconscious men lying on the ground while Wu Xun was talking to some men. Vermilion was standing in the back, keeping an eye on everyone.
Instead of landing like last time, he jumped off of the Spirit Eagle, taking a powerful entry as he came down.
"Most of the Dragon Squad seems to be with us. The outcome is better than I thought," Long Chen muttered, placing his hand on Vermilion's shoulder.
" It feels odd working with the guy who was our enemy, but if it stops the bloodshed, it's better," Vermilion said, glancing at Long Chen.
"That's what I want too. I don't want there to be more bad blood between the two kingdoms since I don't want to rule with force. I want the Unified kingdom to be as stable as it could without its two halves thinking like they're each other's enemies," Long Chen replied, talking about his real goals.
"I want a Kingdom that would remain stable like a rock even if one day, I'm not here. I can't win with bloodshed to achieve that. Oppression will place a deed of hatred in Sunai Kingdom's people. A fair ruler is what I want to look like," he continued.
"With this path, you might achieve it, but shouldn't you be like a Scary King to keep them in control? Without the Dignity, will they still respect you?" Vermilion inquired, raising a concern.
"You're telling me to use a show of force. Don't worry; I'll have the opportunity to show force when the time comes," Long Chen said, smilingly.
Wu Xun came to Long Chen after dealing with the others.
"They have agreed to join you as well. Now, over ninety percent of the Dragon Squad has pledged allegiance to you. As for the other ten percent..." Wu Xun glanced at the unconscious people on the ground before he stopped speaking.
"Don't worry. They'll be safe. As for their allegiance, I'm sure you'll be able to work something out after the Kingdoms are unified," Long Chen said, casually.
Two Dragon Squad Members and Two Phoenix Organization Members will escort the Dragon Squad Prisoners back. The rest of us will go to the Royal Capital! I'm not waiting anymore. We'll finish it at once before finishing everyone close to the King," Long Chen replied, telling Wu Xun to come with him.
It was also going to be a way to test the loyalty of the Dragon Squad Members that had defected to the other side.
****
The King of the Sunai Kingdom was sitting on his throne inside the Royal Hall with his ministers.
"We haven't received any updates from the border recently. What's happening, Minister Wen! Have your Soldiers forgotten that they need to send daily reports?" The King asked one of his ministers.
"I don't know, Your Majesty. I've been concerned as well. I have sent my men to investigate what's happening and why we aren't getting updates. It might be because they are too involved in war. Anyway, my men should've reached the border by now. We'll soon get the updates," the old aged minister replied.
The King opened his mouth to say something when the doors of the hall were opened. A servant barged inside, sweating.
"Impudent! Don't you know how you should enter? We're in an important meeting right now! You can be hanged for this disrespect!" the King thundered, looking at the servant who had barged inside.
"Your Majesty! My punishment can wait! You need to escape first! The Royal Palace is under attack! The Phoenix Organization and the Dragon Squad Members are here! Escape!" the servant told the King.
"Hah, why should we escape. If the Dragon Squad Members are here as well, they can deal with those pesky Phoenix Brats. I do wonder why the two Squads brought their fight to the Royal City, though. Did the Phoenix Organization Members sneak inside, and the Dragon Squad chased them here? Anyway, it will be handled by them. Send more of our guards to help the Dragon Squad even more," the King declared.
"Y-your Majesty! The guards are dead! And the Dragon Squad isn't fighting the Phoenix Organization! They're helping them! Master Wu Xun is leading the charge against us! You need to run!" the guard thundered.