Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1497 - 1490: The Death of the Bound Dragon

Chapter 1497: Chapter 1490: The Death of the Bound Dragon

His words had barely faded when Yunji’s hand had already swung down heavily. Accompanied by a series of explosions, a volley was fired again, the scene obscured by white fog. Yichuan Long was hit by several bullets, pain making him groan, his body trembling as he half-kneeled on the ground.

"Brother, brother, ahhh!!!" Yichuan Ying shrieked again, her cries desperate, but this time she couldn’t struggle anymore, for Hu Daoke had already used zip ties to bind her hands behind her back; there was no way she could break free.

"Enough, Yichuan Long, what exactly are you fighting for?" Cheng Ziang questioned loudly, his eyes slowly beginning to redden.

"Isn’t it obvious..." Despite being shot multiple times, Yichuan Long still stood unwaveringly. Even though both legs had been shot, he still forced himself to slowly stand up, though his legs trembled continuously.

"I am the pillar of the Yichuan Clan; if I fall, there will be no hope for the clan’s revival." Yichuan Long grimaced, barely managing a smile.

"You are just a branch clan, why not return to Yin State?" Cheng Ziang felt an ache in his heart, as if something was blocking it, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Yichuan Long, I heard that the Dongsheng Cabinet’s Hundred Chiefs summoned you to court to serve as an official, what reason made you willingly stay with the Yichuan Clan in Jiangzhou?" Yunji crossed her arms, tilting her head to ask.

"Paths differ and cannot be planned together..." Yichuan Long replied vaguely with a faint statement.

"It’s because of Yichuan Ying, isn’t it? Now that we are here to take care of her, why don’t you just roll back to Yin State," Cheng Ziang asked harshly.

"This is my duty, do you understand what duty means? Being the son of Yichuan Hong, it is my duty to fight for this clan, and I fear no death." Yichuan Long said, and let out a painful groan, finally standing up from a kneeling position, but his legs still shook non-stop.

"A toast unaccepted is a punishment to bear." Yunji was thoroughly disappointed, so she gently shook her head, waved her hand to order the continued attack, and then left the scene.

Several more gunshots rang out, and Yichuan Long let out painful roars again, his body staggering backward. Yet he still managed to stand, supporting his battered body from falling by half-kneeling on the ground, his hands tightly gripping the sword hilt.

Seeing him in that state, Cheng Ziang felt fear for the first time. This feeling reminded him of the first time he killed someone. As his experience grew, he had gradually become numb to such things.

Yet now, facing Yichuan Long, he revisited those painful memories, stirring up a long-lost emotion in his heart.

Watching the agonizing screams of Yichuan Long, his limbs began to tremble, his mind growing blank. His hand rested on his waist, yearning to pull out his pistol to end Yichuan Long’s suffering, but he was unable to move, just trembling incessantly.

"Enough, enough, stop insisting, just fall, Yichuan Long..." Cheng Ziang’s voice trembled, emitting a weak sound completely incongruent with his usual demeanor.

"I will not fall; until my eyes close and breath stops, I will stand upon this earth, and no enemy shall bring me down." Yichuan Long grinned again, his teeth filled with blood, which spilled from his mouth as he spoke.

"Is it worth it!" Cheng Ziang shouted, his eyes slowly heating up.

"This is my choice, from the moment I charged forward, I never intended to return alive..." Half-kneeling on the ground, the significantly shorter Yichuan Long raised his proud head, looking disdainfully at the people opposite him.

This obviously infuriated the Demon Clan Cavalry present. The few soldiers exchanged glances, then approached him with their muskets, and together thrust their bayonets through the gaps in Yichuan Long’s armor and into his body.

At that moment, Yichuan Long had no strength to resist, only forcibly enduring the multiple stabs. The Cavalrymen then withdrew their bayonets and stepped back, but the unsupported Yichuan Long still did not fall, instead, he continued to support himself with the long sword he held on the ground.

"Fall down, just fall down, don’t suffer anymore..." Cheng Ziang closed his eyes, sorrowfully speaking.

At this moment, he had lost all hope of rescuing Yichuan Long, who evidently sought death and would not surrender. He only hoped now that Yichuan Long could die a dignified death and not suffer such torment before his demise.

"I can still...hold on... a little longer..." Yichuan Long was struggling to speak, but his trembling body was still persisting.

Blood kept flowing ceaselessly from his wounds, forming a pool of blood on the ground. This was a pool of virus-laden blood, and before the virus lost its activity, anyone in Kyushu who came into contact with this pool could be infected.

"Enough!" Cheng Ziang became angry, pulling out his pistol from his waist and aimed at Yichuan Long, but he hesitated to pull the trigger.

Seeing Cheng Ziang’s actions, Yichuan Long was not afraid but instead showed a smile, seemingly seeking relief through him.

"What am I doing, what am I doing..." Facing the death-seeking expression of Yichuan Long, Cheng Ziang was extremely conflicted. After much hesitation, he could only put the pistol back into its holster.

Seeing Cheng Ziang holstering the gun, Yichuan Long closed his eyes and displayed a rare look of disappointment. Once he closed his eyes, they never reopened, and with his head slightly bowed, he fell into a prolonged silence, clearly close to his end.

Just as everyone thought Yichuan Long was dead, suddenly, he opened his eyes suddenly as if regaining consciousness momentarily.

He first looked towards the nearly unconscious Yichuan Ying in the distance, then towards Cheng Ziang nearby, and uttered his last faint words: "Please... help me..."

After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes then bowed his head. He died in a half-kneeling posture, with his entire body’s weight supported by the long sword he held, which kept him from falling.

In the distance, the cries of Yichuan Ying gradually turned into desperate screams. She collapsed to the ground powerless, staring blankly at her brother who had lost all signs of life, her body jerked violently and she unexpectedly fell straight to the ground.

Seeing this, Hu Daoke quickly squatted down to check, assuring himself she had only fainted, and then breathed a sigh of relief, breaking into a cold sweat.

Cheng Ziang stood still, watching Yichuan Long slowly close his eyes. At the moment he lost signs of life, Cheng Ziang felt, perhaps it was an illusion, a powerful energy erupt from his body, it lingered around his head a few times before reluctantly soaring towards the sky.

"He’s no hero, but indeed a true man, alas..." Cheng Ziang murmured to himself, bowing his head and issuing a long sigh.

After confirming Yichuan Long was dead, the few cavalry soldiers exchanged glances, then wiped the blood from their bayonets, retreating to a safe distance.

"Line up!" At that moment, Cheng Ziang suddenly shouted, startling them all, prompting curious glances toward Cheng Ziang.

"Didn’t you understand when I told you to line up?" Cheng Ziang looked at them, rebuking loudly.

Perhaps it was Cheng Ziang’s scolding that reminded these Demon Clan soldiers of their painful memories, they began to properly sling their rifles across their shoulders and then stood in formation in place.

"Eyes right, face front!" Cheng Ziang continued to voice commands that left a profound impression on the Demon Clan soldiers, and they followed suit.

After completing all this, Cheng Ziang sighed softly, then turned to Yichuan Long and shouted loudly: "Salute!"

With that, he took the initiative, giving a standard military salute to the half-kneeling deceased Yichuan Long. Seeing Cheng Ziang’s example, the Demon Clan soldiers hesitated briefly, then also saluted.

Because no matter what, regardless whether Yichuan Long was an enemy or a friend, his manner of death warranted respect for its tragic heroism.

On the battlefield, mutual respect between adversaries is a common occurrence. After all, each serves their own cause, and as long as one fights bravely, they deserve respect.