SIEGE OF SUI CITY: SOUTHERN GATES OF SUI CITY
The appointed General in charge of watching over the southern gates of Sui City fought fiercely to stave off the Chou Haku army. Though morale was low, he tried his hardest to show that he was still fighting, hoping his men would gain back their full fighting spirit.
"General, we've lost two more commanders! There's chaos at the stairs, and it is spreading deeper into the city." Not even looking back at the Qin soldier who'd updated him on the new development, he dismissed the man's concern. "I will go and correct their units! But more importantly, send 500 men to reinforce those below!" His orders were correct, and they were relayed to the right people.
However, it was not enough because the Sei Chou army had insiders in the city of Sui. Insiders who'd blended themselves and taken up positions in the Sui militia. They'd been waiting patiently for the right moment; the smoke from the war council had been their signal, and they all started to act. Killing high-ranking officers, causing small disruptions in the City of Sui by burning houses and shops.
Sui City had already been on edge when they received news of Qin's Great General Oukotsu's death at the Battle of Nanan; their fraying nerves were eased by the news of Great General Ko Shou coming to aid them in the defence of their city. But now, as things started to descend into chaos, some already started to lose their minds.
At the gates, the insiders rushed down towards where the gates were being manned; they'd started butchering the Qin troops who were in charge of keeping the gate closed.
"Wha-!" "Why?!" "Gahh!!" Screamed the Qin soldiers as they died to the swords' blades of people they'd once looked at as their allies.
"WAIT!!!"
"NOOO! STOOOOPPPP!!" Screamed the men of Qin as they saw the gates being unlocked and thrown wide open, allowing the full cavalry of Chou Haku to charge into Sui City.
….
SIEGE OF SUI CITY: NORTHERN GATES OF SUI CITY
After the southern gates had been opened…
"REPORT! THE SOUTHERN GATES HAVE BEEN OPENED!!! THE CHOU HAKU CAVALRY ARE STREAMING THROUGH THE CITY!!!"
"OOOHHHH!!"
"UOOOHHH!!"
"Lord Chou Garyuu!!!"
"Lord Gyou'un!!!!"
Hearing the good news, the Zhao soldiers cheered, "He's done it again, Gyou'un." Chou Garyuu said with a faint smile; he and Gyou'un sat amongst their cavalry troops awaiting the moment that the northern gates opened for them.
"Sei Chou's ability in warfare only continues to increase," Gyou'un replied as he watched the walls. With the infantry of Gyou'un and Chou Garyuu joining forces to scale the walls, the Qin troops were now being overwhelmed. More and more ladders were being firmly placed; there was no longer fighting to get up the ladders.
"Yet he has not lost that reckless side to himself." Chou Garyuu replied that he'd seen the benefits of Sei Chou's plan but did not think it was wise to place himself at such risk. He'd told Sei Chou just as much before he'd left alongside Kai Kou.
"He feels a heavy burden on his shoulders; that's why he's always pushing the boundaries." Gyou'un had been similar when he was much younger, as the symbol of Rin Shou Jo's martial might, he'd acted recklessly, risking his life continuously in disadvantageous duels and battles.
"Then, is it not on us old men to not allow him to carry that burden all on his own?" Chou Garyuu asked.
Gyou'un inclined his head before raising his glaive high, "MEN OF THE SEI CHOU ARMY!!! ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW THE CHOU HAKU ARMY TO SHOW YOU UP AND GAIN TOP MERIT IN THIS WAR!!!"
"NOOO!!!"
"THEN TAKE THE LET'S TAKE THE NORTHERN GATES IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD SEI CHOU!!!"
"UOOOHHH!!!!"
"OOOHHHHH!!!"
…
SIEGE OF SUI CITY: SEI CHOU AND KO SHOU
"SEI CHOUUUU!!!" As soon as one of the soldiers heard Sei Chou's name, he rushed the Zhao General in blind rage. He was the strategist who'd command the flank against Gyou'un before Shou Hei Kun had taken over. After hearing of his Lord's death, the man had grieved and swore he'd take revenge on Sei Chou the next time he encountered him, and the heavens seemed to have presented him the opportunity.
"Come at me." Sei Chou replied as the man ran towards him, with a great axe in hand. Though he was a strategist, this Qin soldier had never slacked on his martial training; his build was that of a powerful warrior, and he'd previously been one of Okotsu's most reliable cavalrymen.
"DIE!" The man cried out, swinging his axe with everything he had. Sei Chou stepped within range and punched the man's elbow, causing the swing jar to be unstable. Before he powerfully uppercutted the man with his other hand, snapping the man's head backwards. Before punching his throat with another powerful and accurate hit, the three strikes were too fast for the soldier to respond.
Before he'd known it, the man was on his knees, clutching at his throat as Sei Chou unsheathed his sword. "Die." Was all Sei Chou said before beheading the man with a clean swing.
Seeing the powerful martial display from Sei Chou, Ko Shou's head jerked backwards in shock. 'Shouldn't he still be carrying injuries?' He questioned himself. Seeing that no one was coming to rush at him, Sei Chou spread his arms wide. "It's nothing; there's still some more time before Gyou'un and Chou Garyuu get here." He said.
'This… This young man is even more powerful than I'd thought!' Ko Shou, even factoring in the might of Oukotsu, had thought he'd accurately judged just how strong Sei Chou was; what he had just seen sent his mind reeling.
Another person started to walk forward, Sou Ji, the brother of Sou Ka, who had previously been sent to assassinate Sei Chou but failed. Fu Jin had been the one to cut his brother after the deception had not worked. "Do not worry, Lord Ko Shou. I'll kill that man." He wielded a shortened halberd.
"You look familiar; have we met before?" Sei Chou asked, not fully recognising Sou Ji's face but seeing some similarity to another. "You must have met my brother. I will now fulfil his dying wish in his place." The man walked slowly but surely, with a confident giant. Sou Ji seemed calm and composed, but he snapped as soon as he got within range. "BY KILLING YOU!!" His face twisted furiously as he shouted at Sei Chou.
Sei Chou had returned his sword to its scabbard, choosing to fight unarmed. He wanted to shatter the Qin morale completely by showing an unbridgeable gap in martial might. Sou Ji rushed in, swinging his halberd with power and precision.
*SKREECH*
But Sei Chou had moved at the perfect time, stepping just out of the range of the sharp blade, ensuring it did not actually cut through his armour and cut him open. Seeing the exchange from the side, Ko Shou's eyes were wide in astonishment. 'He… Sou Ji succeeded!' Even the strategist with Ko Shou shared the same thought as the Qin Great General.
"To be able to leave a mark on the body of the undefeated warrior…" The momentum of his strike had sent Sou Ji past Sei Chou.
"SOU JI LOOK OUT!" One of Ko Shou's personal guards shouted a warning to the man. But it was too late for Sou Ji, who looked at the shadows on the ground. He saw his own silhouette paused in motion while the other was turning around.
'DAMMIT!' His mind shouted in alarm.
With a powerful punch, Sei Chou hammerfisted directly downwards in the back of Sou Ji's head. Sending Sou Ji's face smashed directly into the stone below, before taking out his sword once more. "Today, I am overjoyed. As I finally have a chance to lecture others, the first rule is never show your back to the enemy." Sei Chou said before thrusting his sword down through the back of Sou Ji's head.
"UOOOHHH!!!!"
"OOOHHHHH!!!"
"Pity, Ko Shou, you only have one rule. Now that both Gyou'un and Chou Garyuu are fired up, the gates are going to be opened." Sei Chou smirked, "There's no escape for you now; even on the off chance that you slip through my fingers, there are three veterans who'd never allow you to get away!"
KO SHOU POV
Standing to the side and being addressed in such a manner had brought a rage out from deep within him. He'd lived a long life on the battlefield; he'd been one of Qin's greatest-ever generals, leading armies of over a hundred thousand to victory. Warriors looked up to him; youngsters aspiring to become soldiers looked at him with awe. As the only Great General who'd earned his way purely on strategy, he'd entered the royal court of Qin.
Before Haku Ki had been named commander of the war to conquer Zhao, it was Ko Shou himself whom King Shou had asked for his opinion on the matter. His King held him in high regard, even allowing him to retire and lead the next new strategist of Qin who'd see his King's dream of conquering the central plains not only stay a dream.
He'd taken on many students and taught them both in politics and warfare, teaching them how to best serve Qin to the best of their abilities.
But today, in this moment, for Ko Shou, it all felt fleeting, as if it were just floating grass in the wind. Glancing at the dead bodies of Qin soldiers he'd seen and remembering those who'd died at the battle of Nanan, Ko Shou sank deep into thought.
'I'm luckier than them, as I have seen the highest of highs. So why… why am I hesitant in the face of this youngster who has yet to see all I've seen?' Looking towards Sei Chou, Ko Shou's hand went to his sword, unsheathing it as he took a few steps forward. He had never truly been a martial man, but he was once just a soldier before he became one of the 6 Great Generals of Qin.
With a face like thunder, Ko Shou's rage came to the fore, beating out the hesitancy that he had felt. "I AM GREAT GENERAL KO SHOU OF QIN! I AM NO COWARD, COME AT ME AND LET'S FIGHT!" He furiously shouted at Sei Chou.
"Your bravery is admirable, like a hero of old. I will definitely grant your wish." The tone of Sei Chou's voice only furthered to irk and get under the skin of Ko Shou, "DID YOU THINK I WOULD BEG FOR MY LIFE! ONLY THE COWARDLY WOULD DO SUCH A THING!"
He watched Sei Chou step forward, walking towards him. They were both about to enter the other's range, and Ko Shou was ready for it.
"Some will say you're a fool for your actions, but I can see the great aura you have accumulated. Ko Shou, this will be your end."
'My end! He says! MY END!' Ko Shou' screamed in his mind, "Who dares to announce my end? Only I say when I am done! You try to lecture me on rules! I know the rules of the game! And it's winner takes all! I will be that victor!" Ko Shou shouted as he thrust his sword at Sei Chou, who was in his range. He watched the blade get closer before bewilderment struck him. The sword no longer moved forward; instead, it dropped slowly to the ground. Ko Shou watched as his sword and arm fell before landing on the floor.
"Wha-" He shouted in alarm before blinding pain shot through the clean cut of his arm.
"Lord Ko Shou!" He was sure his men had shouted it, but to his ears the words were like silent whispers.
"As you said, you know the rules of the game. It's winner takes all!" Sei Chou returned his words to him; Ko Shou felt the cool stone on his knees and only then realised he'd slumped to the ground, his hand slick and wet with his own blood. Raising his head to look up, he saw dark eyes staring into his own.
"NOOOOO!!!" He heard a scream behind him before it all turned to darkness.
KO SHOU POV END
…
NARRATOR POV
With the southern gates being opened and the Chou Haku army entering Sui City, and the death of Great General Ko Shou, all hope was lost for the Qin soldiers and Sui City militia. Their morale hit rock bottom; the northern gates were shortly opened after Ko Shou's death had been announced. Chou Garyuu and Gyou'un entered the Sui city, and everyone opposing the Sei Chou army surrendered immediately.
In the coming days, news of this great victory would reach every corner of the central plains, if there were even a minority of people who'd not believe that Sei Chou was the real deal… After these successive victories, their judgment would be vastly changed.
"After the battle of Nanan and the siege of Sui City, a sentiment started to spread among the masses… The heavens had selected a new God of War… And his name is Sei Chou."
CHAPTER: DONE