SBCEJM -Chapter 78 The War God is Severely Injured! Your Majesty, Shall We Choose a Marshal by Martial Contest?

“Your Majesty! Emergency military report from the Northern Desert—eight hundred li express!”

A eunuch hurried forward, holding a sealed envelope high above his head. The fire seal on it had been stained black with blood, a chilling sight.

Wang Dehai’s expression changed instantly. He quickly stepped forward, took the letter, and hurried it to the imperial throne.

Xiao Juechen tore open the seal and pulled out the letter.

The entire hall fell into dead silence. The only sound was the faint rustle of paper unfolding.

Xiao Juechen scanned the few lines on the page. His fingers tightened inch by inch around the paper until the thin sheet was crushed and distorted.

Bang!

With a dull thud, he slammed the letter onto the dragon desk.

“A Xiongnu general named Tiemujia has appeared. Fierce beyond measure. Within three days, he led an army of a hundred thousand and broke through three of our border cities!”

“General Chu engaged him in battle and was severely wounded. Our entire army has now retreated to Yanmen Pass.”

“He has submitted a memorial pleading for punishment and requests the court to urgently send a commander to reinforce the front!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Golden Throne Hall erupted like boiling oil into which a stone had been thrown.

“What?! General Chu has been defeated?”

“Impossible! General Chu is the War God of our Great Xia!”

“We’re finished… even General Chu lost—who else can go now?”

Panic spread through the officials like a plague.

【Oh my god! Even Great Xia’s War God got taken down? Who exactly is this Tiemujia? System, hurry, dig up his entire ancestry!】

Feng Zexuan’s internal alarm bells rang loudly—her gossip radar fully activated.

【Scanning… beep! Host, this guy is a monster!】

【He’s the illegitimate son of the Xiongnu khan. He was raised by wolves in the wilderness since childhood. At eighteen, he killed the alpha wolf barehanded, subdued the pack, and unified all northern tribes by force alone.】

【He doesn’t fight conventionally—he specializes in ambushes and decapitation strikes. His martial strength is absurdly high. Rumor says he can tear tigers apart with his bare hands!】

【Tear a tiger apart?! Is he even human?! Then isn’t Great Xia doomed?!】

Xiao Juechen’s expression grew darker as he listened to the inner voice.

He stood up from behind the dragon desk, gaze like blades sweeping over the chaotic officials below.

“When a national crisis arrives, which of you lords is willing to share my burden and lead the army to war?”

The hall instantly fell silent.

Civil officials turned pale. This had nothing to do with them—yet they feared the fall of the nation.

Military generals lowered their heads in shame.

They knew their own limits clearly. If even General Chu had lost, sending them would just mean certain death.

Prime Minister Lin Zhengyan stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, I suggest we urgently mobilize troops from Jiangnan and Sichuan, combining forces to reinforce the front—”

“Combine forces?”

Xiao Juechen let out a cold laugh and cut him off.

“Prime Minister Lin, do you think Tiemujia will sit there drinking tea while waiting for you to assemble your army? He broke three cities in three days! By the time your troops reach Yanmen Pass, the banners on the city walls will already be those of the Xiongnu wolves!”

【Exactly! Pure textbook armchair strategizing! By the time your troops arrive, the grass will be three meters high!】

Xiao Juechen felt a surge of irritation in his chest, almost wanting to draw his sword and kill someone.

【System, is there really no one in the entire court who can fight?】

【There is—but…】the system dragged its tone deliberately.

【Stop stalling, just say it!】

【Far away yet right in front of you—host, it’s you yourself!】

In an instant, many officials’ eyes subtly shifted toward Feng Zexuan.

Right.

Young Master Feng practices martial arts outside the palace gates every morning. His skills… look quite impressive.

Great Xia might actually have hope!

【Me?!】Feng Zexuan was stunned.

【System, I know you have a filter on me, but war isn’t just about fighting! Otherwise why bother training armies?!】

【Host, you alone might not be enough—but you have me. A super cheat-level strategist.】

【Are you insane? I’m just a Hanlin compiler! I can barely carry my own books—okay, I can carry them—but a civil official becoming Grand Marshal? Do you think His Majesty’s brain is broken or what?!】

【Host, your martial skill is exceptional, and with my strategic support, you are the chosen one!】

【As for whether it makes sense… that depends on whether you dare to make it make sense.】

Xiao Juechen heard everything clearly. A decision formed instantly in his mind.

He needed a stepping stone—one that would allow “Feng Zexuan” to legitimately step forward.

At that moment, the Minister of War, Zhao Yong, stepped forward and knelt.

“Your Majesty! We have raised troops for a thousand days—now is the time to use them! Since our great generals are injured and the nation is in danger, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!”

“Get to the point!” Xiao Juechen snapped impatiently.

“Th-this minister proposes… we follow ancient tradition and hold a martial contest at the training ground to select a commander! No distinction of rank or civil/military status—whoever is strongest shall be appointed Marshal!”

“This is absurd!” several generals objected. “Military affairs are not a child’s game of martial arts!”

But Xiao Juechen suddenly struck the armrest of the dragon throne.

“Good! We will do as you say!”

He could not hide his excitement.

Isn’t this the perfect excuse?

“Pass my decree! One hour from now, a martial arena shall be set up in the palace training ground!”

“All officials of Great Xia may participate! Whoever stands at the end of the arena shall be personally appointed by me as Grand Marshal of the campaign!”

One hour later, at the imperial training ground.

Yellow sand covered the ground, banners whipping loudly in the wind.

Xiao Juechen sat high on the command platform. Civil and military officials stood on both sides, watching with mixed expressions.

In the arena below, only a dozen or so participants stood scattered.

Apart from a few eager young officers, there were even two civil officials hoping to make a name for themselves.

“Lord Feng, look at them—they can barely walk straight. Not even as steady as you when you fly over rooftops in the mornings!”

“Exactly! With your skills, you’d knock them all flat in no time!”

Several Hanlin Academy colleagues whispered excitedly, looking at Feng Zexuan with anticipation.

【Hahaha! Host, told you to keep a low profile. Now you’ve been showing off every morning like a walking spotlight. Can’t hide anymore, can you?】

The system laughed gleefully.

Feng Zexuan: …

【Host, don’t hesitate anymore.】

The system’s tone suddenly turned serious.

【If you don’t step forward, the Great Xia defense line will be torn apart.】

【Xiongnu cavalry will sweep south—burning, killing, looting—millions will die, blood will flow for thousands of miles. Can you bear that scene?】

Images were directly projected into Feng Zexuan’s mind.

Burning villages. Desperate cries of women and children. A black wolf banner flying over a ruined city.

【But… I’ve never killed anyone before.】

Even though Feng Zexuan had lived in this world for eighteen years and possessed overwhelming martial strength, deep down she still held the mindset of a modern person who believed in the rule of law.

Killing was a line she had never crossed.

The system continued.

【In this era where human lives are as cheap as grass, if you don’t kill the enemy, they will kill you—your family, and the innocent people you want to protect. This is a threshold you must cross!】

Feng Zexuan clenched her fists, nails digging deep into her palms.

Pain shot through her.

A surge of heat rushed from her chest to her head.

Right. She could not retreat.

Behind her were the lights of ten thousand homes.

She had nowhere to step back to anymore.