Sleepless night

[Hey hey hey, Master, it seems like you've encountered another big shot.]

System 12345 yawned, then exclaimed in surprise.

[Let me see, Bartolou Pasha, the Grand Admiral of the Empire, and Mumoona 's highly trusted right-hand man.]

[Master, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and cozy up to him.]

"It looks like we've got ourselves a high-ranking officer."

When the steppe cavalry dragged Bartolou in front of Shu Yichao, Shu Yichao said so.

After all, Bartolou's armor was top-notch, and the robe he wore was extremely precious.

"Hmph." Bartolou snorted and said, stiffening his neck, "Khitan, don't think you've won."

"You're just taking advantage of a small mistake made by the Sultan and achieving a trivial victory."

"The Sultan's army, each one catching a bundle of reeds and throwing it into the sea, could fill the sea."

"And you, bringing these people, every death means one less, how can you resist the Sultan's endless army?"

"If you had recognized the situation earlier and surrendered obediently, maybe the merciful Sultan..."

"What are you mumbling about?" Shu Yichao indicated that he couldn't understand the Esman language. "Hey, can you afford the ransom or not?"

[Master, I've noticed a problem.]

System 12345 said with some concern.

[Bartolou's attitude towards you isn't very good, huh?]

[This could be bad.]

[He's the Empire's naval commander, a prominent figure in the court. If he doesn't like you...]

System 12345 shuddered.

[Then wouldn't you be in trouble, Master?]

[This kind of person has particularly dirty methods. If you're not careful, you might end up...]

[By the way, it's still nighttime.]

[Hiss—think about it carefully, Master, and find a way to slip away!]

System 12345 exclaimed.

[You're in real danger now!]

"Tsk, tough nut to crack." Although they couldn't understand each other, Shu Yichao inferred from Bartolou's expression that he wasn't keen on paying the ransom.

"You won't even pay for your life."

Shu Yichao waved his hand. "Off with his head."

Crack!

[Oh oh oh oh!!]

[Master, master, Bartolou's goodwill towards you is now at zero!]

[It's too dangerous!]

[How are you, Master?]

[Are you okay?]

[Are you unharmed?]

"The cleanup on land is almost done." Shu Yichao shook off the curved blade in his hand and turned his gaze to the chaos on the Golden Horn Bay, where the Esman fleet was in disarray.

"Next up, it's the sea."

"Haha-haha-haha."

[You have gained a new talent, do you choose it?]

"Huh, leveled up already?"

Shu Yichao scratched his head. "Jade Emperor, Buddha, Sun Wukong... Please bless me a bit."

"Well, funds are a bit tight now."

"I'll make up for the offerings and incense next time."

He pressed the confirm button on the screen.

[You have gained the talent "Night Fighter"]

[Night marching speed +15%, Nighttime troop visibility +20%]

"Well, not bad." Shu Yichao's eyes lit up. "Run faster at night, see farther..."

"Hmm?"

On the rolling waves of the sea, a fleet was sailing in, with a double-headed eagle flag flying proudly atop the lead warship.

It was none other than the Norman fleet led by Emperor Constantine XI himself.

Clearly, the news of Shu Yichao's raid on the Esman fleet had also been discovered by the defenders of Constantinople.

Knowing full well that the Golden Horn Bay absolutely couldn't be lost, Emperor Constantine XI personally led the troops to support Shu Yichao, with their swords aimed straight at the chaotic Esman fleet.

However, Shu Yichao didn't think they were here to support him.

"Damn it! The headhunters are here!"

"Brothers, let's get up there quick!"

"Or we won't even have soup to drink later!"

After some thought, Shu Yichao felt that his few dozen men might be at a slight disadvantage against the more than twenty warships on the opposite side.

So he didn't hesitate to open his personal interface and order the steppe archers in the city to come immediately.

Yeah, quantum transmission, real-time interaction, that's how wild the command system of the World Ablaze was.

————————

"Great King."

The messenger prostrated himself, reporting one heart-stopping piece of news after another.

"Unfortunately, last night we lost a total of sixty-three warships and over six thousand men."

"The warriors stranded in the Golden Horn Bay, despite fighting valiantly under the call of the true god, ultimately couldn't withstand the heathen Khitans' siege and were completely wiped out."

"Except for a few warships that the warriors scuttled themselves, the rest have all fallen into the hands of the heathens."

"The ruthless Khitans left no prisoners behind."

"They severed the head of every brave warrior and stacked them into a pyramid to flaunt their military might at us."

"After Bartolou Pasha fought bravely, he was also summoned by the true god."

"His banners, battle robes, and head are now hanging on the western wall of the city — those damn Normans are holding them up, defying us by desecrating a brave warrior..."

One by one, each piece of news felt like a stab to Mumoona's heart.

Her hands clenched tightly where no one could see, veins bulging.

"Is there more?"

Mumoona's tone was calm.

As if sensing the volcano about to erupt beneath the ice, the messenger trembled and dared not speak.

"Great King, Your Majesty..."

He choked on his words.

"Get out." After a long silence, Mumoona suddenly spoke.

"...?" The messenger lay still, afraid to move.

"I said, get out."

Mumoona repeated.

"I want to rest."

The messenger, as if granted clemency, quickly fled the tent.

Mumoona slowly got up, crawled into her rear tent, and without even taking off her clothes or shoes, lay down on the bed.

"A momentary setback does not mean anything."

She muttered to herself.

"Mumoona, what you need to do now is to rest well."

"And then seize the opportunity in the upcoming battles."

"You still have over a hundred thousand troops, and Western reinforcements won't arrive anytime soon, so the odds are still in your favor."

"A true wise person must dispel the fog from adversity and see the truth."

"Rest, Mumoona."

"Forget about the Khitans and everything else."

Gradually, there was silence in the rear tent, as if the Sultan had fallen into a deep sleep.

Two hours later.

Mumoona opened her blood-red eyes and gritted her teeth, saying, "Khitan people!"

"You damned Khitan people!"

"Damn it all!"

[Hey, Master, it seems like you've distanced yourself from Bartolou?]

[Phew—safe now, safe.]

[Huh, that's strange.]

System 12345 noticed something peculiar again.

[Mumoona's feelings towards you seem to have escalated to the point where she can't sleep at night.]

[How did this happen?]

[Could it be...]

System 12345 speculated.

[She noticed the subtle actions of Bartolou towards you, so she's very worried about you?]

[Hey, I don't understand. Is this system unfixable? Black screen, black screen, always black screen!]

[I can't see anything, just blindly typing away...]