Knowing that Han Xin was leaving, I did not kill him. I could have killed Mi Xin and established myself as king, but I honored him as Emperor Yi and willingly put myself in shackles.
But this act of righteousness resulted in being falsely accused and unable to defend oneself.
Was I being rude?
I respected Fan Zeng as my mentor, treated Zhang Liang with respect and humility, and showed great love and respect to the soldiers and common people, rarely scolding them. I even treated the Qin general Li You, who died a heroic death, with courtesy and sent him back to his hometown for burial.
But this courtesy caused me, the king, to lose to the slow and arrogant Liu Ji.
Am I stupid?
Everyone says that I, the King, fell for Chen Ping's scheme to sow discord and abandoned my advisor, but how many people know that it was actually my advisor's plan to turn the tables and deceive everyone?
Peng Yue's guerrilla raids harassed the rear of Chu and plundered its supplies. The generals left behind were no match for him. At that time, it was the critical moment to annihilate Liu Ji in Xingyang. How could I, the king, leave?
The only solution was for Chen Ping's father to secretly return to Pengcheng. However, he managed to deceive the Han army spies by using the plan of returning home, but unexpectedly died of illness on the way, which in turn confirmed Chen Ping's plan to sow discord.
How could the King and his advisor, who have shared years of friendship, turn against each other over a single meal?
It's ridiculous that so many people actually believe it!
When Lord Wuxin died unexpectedly, the Xiang family fell apart. Mi Xin seized the opportunity to take over the Xiang family's military power. Under such a critical situation, how many people in this world could become the leader of the alliance that divided the world under one's own power?
But this wisdom cannot help the king distinguish between loyalty and treachery, nor can it stop the malicious speculations of the world.
Am I faithless?
When the lives of all the feudal lords were in my hands, I still kept my promise and made them kings. What promise has I ever made to others that I have not kept?
But what this letter brought was... numerous betrayals!
Am I incompetent?
Slaying generals and capturing flags was as easy as turning one's hand; at Julu, 30,000 men decisively defeated 300,000 elite Qin troops; at Pengcheng, they decisively defeated 560,000 bandit soldiers of Liu Ji.
Isn't that strong enough?
But Liu Ji escaped with his life thanks to a strange wind and Ding Gu's betrayal, and soon after, he made a comeback...
Why is that?
Xiang Yu's eyes were bloodshot, and the tent was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. But outside the tent, the black horse Wuzhui let out a neigh, as if answering Xiang Yu, or as if it was speaking out for the overlord!
Yu Ji was already sobbing uncontrollably, unable to stop herself from crying with her hands. She slowly walked towards Xiang Yu, but couldn't think of any words to comfort the King of Xiang.
At this moment, the Chu song came from afar again: "The road ahead is vast and uncertain, the sword has no light. I cast aside the sword and turn back, I can return home. My hometown is in sight, why do I hesitate?"
Xiang Yu tried his best to close his eyes, but he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "The Chu song? I can sing it too, Yu. Would you like to hear me sing it?"
"Yes," Yu Ji said, her voice choked with emotion.
Listen carefully.
With strength that could uproot mountains, with spirit that could cover the world!
The time is not right, and the steed will not go.
My steed will not go; what can I do?
Yu Xi, Yu Xi, what can I do?
"Does it sound good?"
Xiang Yu finished singing the last line in a trembling voice, and a smile appeared on his face.
"It sounds beautiful." Yu Ji also smiled knowingly. Indeed, her tearful face was pitiful, and her smile after tears could topple empires. Xiang Yu was completely mesmerized by her beauty.
"King Xiang, we will be breaking through the encirclement tomorrow. Let Yu Ji perform a sword dance to encourage Your Majesty. Please lend me Your Majesty's personal sword." Yu Ji said calmly.
"Excellent! It's been a long time since I've seen you dance. But let's skip the sword dance; I'd like to see the Chu dance from my hometown." Xiang Yu originally wanted to see Yu Ji perform the sword dance, but he suddenly remembered the words of the ghost and changed his mind.
A fleeting hint of disappointment flashed in Yu Ji's eyes, but she smiled and said, "Alright, then let's dance the Chu dance."
Xiang Yu gazed intently at Yu Ji as she danced gracefully, all his worries and sorrows vanishing into thin air, as if he had returned to the beautiful days when they first met...
Before they knew it, the Chu dance had reached its final movement.
Yu Ji gazed at Xiang Yu, slowly stepped back, and softly uttered, "My husband, please allow me to sing a Chu song for you."
But before Xiang Yu could answer, Yu Ji began to sing. Her voice was beautiful, yet it carried a sense of sorrow and despair.
“
The Han army has already seized territory.
Singing from all sides.
The tyrant's spirit has been exhausted.
How can I live a life as a cheap concubine...
"
"Yu! No!"
Xiang Yu's hair stood on end and he lunged forward, but before he could reach Yu Ji, she pulled a delicate dagger from her bosom and plunged it into her own chest with all her might...
Blood stained her dress, and Yu Ji slowly collapsed, only to be caught in Xiang Yu's arms as he rushed over.
"Yu! My Yu! How could it have come to this!" Xiang Yu covered Yu Ji's wound with his hand, but he could not stop the glaring crimson blood from flowing out. "Someone! Someone, quick! Call a doctor! Someone, quick!"
Yu Ji forced a smile. "Husband, stop crying. You know this wound is beyond the help of even a god. Husband, if you feel sorry for me, then give me another blow. I'm in so much pain. Use your sword to give me a quick death. Perhaps my soul can be entrusted to the sword, accompanying you to fight your way out of the encirclement, to Jiangdong, to gather our troops, and to conquer the world once more..."
"Don't talk nonsense! You can still be saved, you can still be saved! Where are the ghosts and gods! Come out! As long as you save Yu Ji, I will grant your request! Come out!" Xiang Yu stared wide-eyed and looked around wildly. There were only some soldiers who dared not approach. There was not a single ghost in sight. Only then did he remember that the ghost had given him advice and left. He had driven it away by his cursing!
"I will, I will, in another world, bless you and Long'er... My husband, I beg you..."
"Ah!!!" Xiang Yu roared, pulled out the dagger, threw it on the ground, and was filled with regret.
Yu Ji's brow relaxed, she smiled, and slowly closed her eyes...
...
"Hiss..." Hao Jiu shivered for no reason, feeling increasingly uneasy. He didn't care about conserving energy and rushed towards the Chu army's fortifications, even though he only had a few units of energy left after the repairs were completed.
However, when he arrived at the central command tent, Yu Ji had already passed away.
"Sorry I'm late." Hao Jiu suddenly regretted leaving after being rejected by Xiang Yu. If she had persisted, perhaps Xiang Yu would have agreed to the bond, and Yu Ji wouldn't have died.
Alas, it's fate. If Liu Ji hadn't gone to Han Xin's camp, I wouldn't have been injured, and I would have been able to get here before Yu Ji committed suicide.
"Please save her... I can grant your request." Xiang Yu's voice trembled slightly; this was his last hope.
Whether or not Yu Ji can be saved, and whether or not the entire army can defy fate, depends on whether this ghost or god has the ability.
Hao Jiu sighed. It was truly rare to see the mighty King of Western Chu humbling himself to beg for help. He probably would have done it if he were asked to kowtow now.
"Sigh, I really want to save Yu Ji, but I don't know how long it will take to revive her. Besides, your situation isn't much better than Yu Ji's right now. Even if you revive her, she might die again during the breakout..."
"You don't need to say anything more. Even if there's only the slightest hope, I'm going to take this gamble." Xiang Yu's eyes showed determination.
"Alright! I, the strongest system, now wish to bind myself to you, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, as my host. From now on, we will share honor and disgrace, and never betray each other. Are you willing?" Hao Jiu initiated the binding process.
"I'm willing!" Xiang Yu readily agreed.
The progress bar rapidly reached its end.
Ding dong, host binding successful!
System achievement task completed, reward: a Super Newbie Gift Pack!
Chapter 23 Breakthrough (Part 1)
Hao Jiu finally found its first host, and it was none other than the unparalleled Overlord Xiang Yu.
But now is not the time to be happy. Xiang Yu is gambling that he can save Yu Ji and help him break through the encirclement.
Wasn't Hao Jiu also gambling? Both Xiang Yu and he were in a precarious situation, and whether they could break out of it depended on how effective this super newbie gift pack really was.
"Open the gift pack!"
bite!
Congratulations on winning:
System Radar (Already Bound) ×1
System-captured item (bound) ×1
Host Newbie Gift Pack (Already Bound) ×1
Flawed Time Reversal Item (Bound) ×1
1 cubic meter of arbitrarily deformable encrypted storage space (already bound) ×1
Hao Jiu's eyes widened. Not only did the system have radar function modules and storage space, but it also had a prop that could reverse time!
Super items are indeed powerful! But why are they flawed?
Hao Jiu cursed the system god in his heart for being stingy, even giving a prop with flaws. But when Hao Jiu opened the God's Shop, searched for these gifts, and calculated the total price, he immediately grinned from ear to ear. It wasn't a waste of money.
The total value of this super newbie gift pack is as high as 1.34 million, and the most expensive item is this flawed time reversal item, which costs 1 million energy points!
Hao Jiu was a little hesitant. This was a super item worth 1 million points, and he was reluctant to use it.
He originally only had 100 yuan, but suddenly he received 1.34 million yuan in fixed assets. However, his partner's wife urgently needed money to save her life, so he had to sell the 1 million yuan fixed assets at a low price. No matter how he thought about it, he felt like he had lost out.
Thinking of this, Hao Jiu decisively searched for items that could revive the dead. There were indeed a few that weren't too expensive, costing around tens of thousands of points, but the conditions for using them were very strict. For example, the body had to be still warm, or the soul of the deceased had to be in hand to clone one, etc.
Of course, Hao Jiu is penniless right now, so even if he met the requirements, he still couldn't afford it.
The key point is that all the items he obtained are bound and cannot be sold to the store. Otherwise, he would have become rich, bought a resurrection coin or something similar for Yu Ji, and still had a lot of energy points left over.
Xiang Yu took a deep breath, "Can you save Yu Ji?"
"Uh, well, I'll give you the newbie gift pack first. You can call me the God of Wine. You don't need to say anything; just think about it and I'll hear you." Hao Jiu wanted to persuade Xiang Yu to revive Yu Ji later when he had enough energy points, but he felt it was a bit unfair.
"Newbie gift pack? What is this? Can it revive Yu Ji?" Xiang Yu suddenly asked.
"No, but it will help in the upcoming battle and can also improve your strength."
To be fair, Hao Jiu thought this newbie gift pack for hosts was pretty good, containing 10 small healing potions, 10 small stamina potions, +10 strength, +10 speed, +10 spirit, and +10 comprehension.
Healing potions and stamina potions are both very useful items, and they cost 10 energy points in the shop. As you can tell from the prices of the four attribute points, they are all good items, and each point costs 1000 energy points.