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It was a neurotoxin that could completely paralyze the central nervous system in an extremely short time, causing muscle paralysis, numbness in limbs, and making people gradually lose the ability to breath on their own, ultimately leading to suffocation and death.
This was a specially developed neurotoxin from the research institute, several times more potent than similar neurotoxins available in the market. It typically took effect in three seconds for an average person, but for an expert like Tian Lang, Gu Jiao gave him ten seconds.
However, ten seconds had passed.
He was still tenaciously holding on!
The strength of his grip on Gu Jiao's neck showed no signs of weakening.
Due to his injuries, he couldn't exert his full force, but even so, he continued to maintain his grip, making it difficult for Gu Jiao to breathe.
There was only one dose of this drug. Once it was used, it was gone.
Moreover, even if there were more, Gu Jiao couldn't access it at the moment.
Gu Jiao decided to directly gouge his eyeballs.
Unexpectedly, he chose to let go of Gu Jiao's red-tasseled spear at this moment, and with a hand drenched in blood, he swiftly targeted Gu Jiao's acupoints.
Gu Jiao's hand, in the process of gouging his eyes, froze in mid-air.
A single thought filled Gu Jiao's mind.
It was over.
Her life and death was now up to him.
Tian Lang threw Gu Jiao into the snow. Instead of picking up the red-tasseled spear on the ground, he drew a dagger from his boot.
The neurotoxin began to take effect. Gu Jiao's eyes rolled dizzily as she observed his trembling hand gripping the dagger.
He might not have the strength to stab her.
Tian Lang indeed couldn't stab her, but he was still capable of slitting her throat.
The dagger was sharp as a razor, effortlessly cutting through anything. He sat down beside Gu Jiao, trembling as he aimed the dagger at her neck.
Gu Jiao felt a deep chill at her throat.
The blade was about to cut open her delicate neck.
However, in that instant, the neurotoxin inside Tian Lang's body finally took full effect. His hand trembled, and the dagger fell beside Gu Jiao's ear. He fell on his knees before collapsing on top of Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao: "..."
Tian Lang lay horizontally on Gu Jiao's body, his head facing downwards in the snow.
He was quite heavy.
The sky was once again sprinkled with snowflakes, not heavy but accompanied by a biting northern wind, piercing the face like knives with extreme cold.
Gu Jiao, immobilized by her sealed acupoints, lay in the snow unable to move.
The neurotoxin paralyzed Tian Lang's breathing, eventually turning him into a lifeless body.
However, Gu Jiao's body also began to stiffen gradually.
She gazed at the swirling snowflakes and the obscure and boundless sky. Listening to the howling cold wind rushing by her ears, she gradually lost sensation bit by bit due to the freezing temperature.
It must be said that the route chosen by the Imperial Son-in-law was a great one. Besides her, no one else would find them.
In the vast snowy plains, amidst the endless expanse, who could possibly see two tiny figures lying in the snow?
After an unknown period, light snow turned into a heavy snowfall.
The bloodstains and traces were covered by vast expanses of snowflakes. A thin layer of snow covered both Gu Jiao and Tian Lang.
……
The battle in Lingguan City was over. The attack started from the period of xushi(7-9pm) when the snow stopped falling, and ended completely when the period of haishi(9-11pm) arrived.
In just one period, this battle concluded.
The Gu Family Army gathered all its superior forces, overwhelming the remnants of the previous dynasty's 30,000 troops with an absolute advantage in numbers and strength.
Yi Wang was injured, and the Imperial Son-in-law, with 5,000 troops, escorted him to escape from the other side of Lingguan City.
Among the remaining 25,000 troops, 5,000 died on the battlefield, and 20,000 became prisoners of war.
The majority of these 20,000 captives were able-bodied men from various border regions. They were either followers of the Living Buddha or were coerced and lured by Yi Wang, becoming part of the rebel army.
Of course, there were also some descendants of the high-ranking and aristocratic families from the previous dynasty serving under Yi Wang's command. Ironically, when Yi Wang fled the city, he did not take them with him.
Gu Changqing, donned in silver armor and cloak, rode on a tall steed similarly adorned in silver armor. Behind him was the well-organized cavalry unit of the Gu Family Army.
The infantry remained at the city gate, clearing the battlefield and forming patrols to hunt down the remaining surviving remnants of the previous dynasty.
This wasn't the first time Lingguan City had been at war.
The most dreadful incident was when the State of Chen's army captured it not long ago. On that day, similar to today, a vast number of State of Chen's cavalry broke through Lingguan City's defenses, capturing the city's defenders.
They had also galloped through the streets.
They abducted women and captured able-bodied men, committing acts of arson, murder, and plunder without restraint.
As the flames of war rose again, Lingguan City trembled in fear.
Every household shut its doors and windows. Upon hearing the sound of horses' hooves, nobody dared to check who had won. They all cowered in their homes, terrified.
But the horse hooves approached and then faded away. There were no screams of women, no roars of men, and no clamor of soldiers breaking into homes to plunder.
Finally, a brave young man cautiously opened a door crack to take a peek outside.
He saw the flag of the State of Zhao fluttering in the night and cold wind, with the military banners of the Gu Family Army shielded behind the State of Zhao’s flag.
"It's the Gu Family Army!" He shouted loudly.
Upon hearing that it was the Gu Family Army, the people felt a glimmer of hope. However, they were not bold enough to immediately step out onto the streets. Instead, they opened a crack in the door to take a look outside.
The Gu Family Army marched from the west end of the street to the east, heading towards the Prefect's Mansion.
They didn't disturb any of the city's residents, nor did they seize any livestock on the roadside.
They upheld strict military discipline, exuding an air of righteousness!
Gradually, people began to emerge from their homes. Initially, it was just one person, but eventually, a large group of them slowly gathered, curiously following the Gu Family Army towards the Prefect's Mansion.
By this time, the Prefect's Mansion was completely surrounded by the Gu Family Army.
General Zhang Shen thoroughly searched inside and outside the Prefect's Mansion, capturing dozens of Yi Wang's advisors and eliminating several thousand soldiers of the State of Chen's army who couldn't retreat from the city in time.
As Gu Changqing led the cavalry to the gate of the Prefect's Mansion, the common folk also joined in.
Suddenly, from a nearby courtyard, General Zhang Shen brought out a bald-headed monk dressed in a monk's robe.
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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