Chapter 552
Chapter 552 The Inept Actor
The sudden turn of events took everyone from the Turkic tribes by surprise. No one could have anticipated that Soranki, the brave warrior from the Ejina Tribe, would fall off his horse and succumb to a fatal blow from a Great Hua soldier, especially when he had seemingly been in a dominating position. The scene was indescribable, eerie even. Three thousand Turkic tribesmen stood in stunned silence, not a whisper among them.
In contrast, the soldiers of Great Hua were ecstatic. Gao Qiu led the celebration, exclaiming, "General Lin's abilities are unparalleled, truly without equal in the world!"
"Unparalleled! Without equal!" echoed five thousand soldiers, lifting their weapons and torches. In the burning glow, their jubilant shouts pierced the heavens.
‘Ah, this Old Gao knows how to whip up a cult of personality,’ Lin Wanrong chuckled softly. He blew away the residual smoke from the muzzle of his gun and stowed it back into his coat. Then he turned his horse slowly towards where Soranki lay. The Turkic warrior was sprawled on the ground, his limbs stretched out in a "大" shape. A gaping hole was in his forehead, blood oozing out, staining the nearby grass and flowers red. Even in death, Soranki's eyes were open wide; he had passed away without understanding how he had been defeated.
Lin Wanrong returned to his troops and laughed loudly. "The fairest duel in the world has been concluded. Soranki is dead! Will you Turkic people not dismount and surrender now?"
"Dismount and surrender! Dismount and surrender!" The Great Hua soldiers chimed in, their spirits high.
The Turkic tribesmen looked at each other in disbelief. They had never imagined that Soranki, the strongest among them in a form of combat they excelled at, would be killed so covertly. They didn't even know what trickery the cunning Great Hua people had used. This was a tremendous blow to their morale. According to the agreement made before the duel, should Soranki lose and die, the three thousand Turkic warriors would have to lay down their arms and surrender—an unbearable humiliation for their wolfish nature.
"You shameless Great Hua people. You used deceit! I, Zozan, will never submit to you!" From the quiet ranks of the Turkic warriors, a furious voice erupted. The man was strong-built, his expression fierce; he was the cavalry leader who had previously rescued Dulhanza. With Soranki's death, Zozan had now become the highest commander of the three thousand Turkic tribesmen.