Zhan's pov.

"They are heading towards the tribe," Sylvester said, while Roland gathered his weapons and ordered his soldiers to prepare themselves.

"We are going to protect the Solmara tribe!" Roland declared. "Kill anyone who dares harm that tribe, and make sure not a single member of the tribe gets hurt."

All the soldiers prepared for battle.

I clenched my fists.

Since Yibo himself was coming, this had to be the king's order. And if Roland was going to fight against Yibo, then this was a clear act of rebellion.

I turned toward Kairos and Ayla.

"Both of you go back to the capital and inform Prince Simon about this. Tell him to also send a message to Duke Ashvald and ask him to be ready. Roland is not going to back down, and this fight is going to be the beginning of the rebellion."

Both Ayla and Kairos hurriedly left.

I grabbed my sword, and Haoxuan immediately stood beside me, ready to assist me. Ziyi came with me as well.

I stood before Roland and spoke,

"I will come with you."

Roland glared at me and said,

"I hope you won't become an obstacle for me. I know you are close with Yibo, but I will not spare him if he dares harm my family."

With that, he walked ahead, and I followed him.

Thankfully, we reached the tribe just in time.

Just before Yibo and his soldiers could attack.

Roland and his men stood directly in front of the tribe, facing Yibo's soldiers.

"General Roland," one of the soldiers said.

When I looked at him, I realized he was not from Yibo's usual team. I knew almost every soldier under Yibo, and this man was unfamiliar.

"We are here under the emperor's orders. This tribe has been sheltering rebels, and we are here to punish them for their crimes."

Roland asked coldly,

"And what proof do you have?"

The man answered,

"We captured a boy named Gareth who belonged to the tribe, and he tried to assassinate the emperor."

Roland clenched his fists.

"Where is that boy?" His voice had turned grim.

I knew he was worried about Gareth. From what Roland had told me, the boy was only fourteen years old.

My heart clenched when I imagined what these people must have done to him.

"That boy is dead."

I heard Yibo's voice.

Finally, he stepped forward from behind his soldiers, Adrian right beside him.

The moment I saw Yibo, my heart dropped.

A strange sense of déjà vu hit me.

Yibo's eyes were red. His face was pale. His lips looked dry, and there was something crazed in his expression.

He looked exactly like he had in my past life before killing himself.

"What?!" Roland roared with fury.

Yibo answered in a deep voice,

"I said he is dead."

Something was very, very wrong with him.

"He was just fourteen," Roland growled.

Yibo replied, "If he was only fourteen, then this tribe should not have sent him to assassinate the king."

"The tribe did not!" Roland shouted. "Where is the body?"

Yibo smiled faintly.

"Probably inside the stomach of some wild animal by now."

"WANG YIBO!" Roland roared as he drew his sword.

Yibo sighed. "Careful, General. I am not here for you. I am here for those traitors. Move aside, or you will also be branded a traitor for siding with rebels and going against the emperor's orders."

Roland spat, "Fuck you."

Yibo sighed once more.

"Last chance."

Roland refused to move.

"I will kill you, Yibo."

Yibo drew his sword as well and roared, "Attack them and kill every single person here! Make sure no one leaves this place alive!"

And just like that, the battle began.

Roland charged straight at Yibo, and the two engaged in a brutal fight. Their swords clashed violently as both aimed for each other's lives.

Roland was powerful and unpredictable. His attacks were full of aggression.

Yibo, on the other hand, was strategic and swift. Every movement of his blade was precise.

I unsheathed my sword too, but instead of attacking, I focused only on defending myself from the soldiers.

I needed to find a way to force Yibo and his men to retreat.

But how?

I turned toward Ziyi, who seemed to have read my thoughts.

"I have an idea," she said.

Suddenly she started a fire and threw several herbs into it. Thick smoke began spreading into the air.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Ziyi smiled.

"Remember the potion I made everyone drink before coming here?"

I nodded.

"That potion was an antidote against this smoke. This gas is going to make those soldiers sick. Soon they will have headaches and nausea and won't be able to fight properly."

I smiled at her.

She truly was a genius.

Suddenly I heard movement behind us.

When I turned, my eyes widened.

The people of the Solmara tribe were rushing toward us, and behind them—

A pack of wild boars.

Yibo's soldiers were already beginning to grow weak, and panic spread among them the moment they saw the beasts.

"Commander!" the soldiers shouted in fear.

I looked toward Yibo.

He struck Roland harshly and pushed him back, but before he could continue, I stepped in front of him and attacked.

Roland moved to attack Yibo again as well, but before I could stop him, Adrian jumped in front of Roland, and the two began fighting each other.

I looked back at Yibo.

Now that I was close to him, I could clearly see how terrible he looked.

He looked like he was barely holding himself together.

My heart ached.

His eyes looked crazed, and I could barely recognize him.

This did not look like my Yibo.

The way he attacked me, the way he looked at me—

It felt as though he did not even recognize me.

"Yibo," I called softly but that did not work so I said in a calm voice,"Darling."

Something shifted in him immediately.

His eyes changed, and for a brief moment I caught a glimpse of my Yibo again.

"What happened?" I asked.

I watched his every movement carefully, every breath, desperate to understand what was wrong with him.

"Yibo," I called again.

This time his attacks weakened.

He finally looked at me.

Really looked at me.

His eyes filled with tears.

"Zhan..."

"Yes, darling," I said softly. "It's me."

"Zhan..." Yibo whispered as he stepped back and lowered his sword, as if he had finally returned to his senses. "I... I am sorry."

Suddenly he grabbed his chest, his face twisting in pain.

I stepped toward him.

"Yibo—"

Before I could finish, Yibo suddenly coughed blood and began shaking violently.

"YIBO!"

I rushed toward him, but before I could reach him, someone attacked me.

Thankfully Haoxuan stepped in and saved me.

"Commander, we have to leave!" Adrian shouted as he grabbed Yibo. "We need to retreat! Our soldiers are falling sick, half of them are dead, and we are outnumbered!"

"Commander, please!"

Yibo looked at me as if he wanted to say something.

But before he could, Adrian shook him again, and finally Yibo roared,

"RETREAT!"

His soldiers immediately turned around and fled.

But I could not forget the look in Yibo's eyes.

Those pleading eyes.

"After them!" Roland roared.

But I stepped in front of him.

"No!"

Roland got right in my face.

"Move. I want that man dead. I want his head."

"Roland, you will get your chance when we attack the capital. Besides, we need to prepare for the actual war. News that you disobeyed the emperor's orders will soon reach the capital. And the news that I sided with you will also spread."

"My family and your family are still in the capital."

"The Solmara tribe is already seen as traitors, and now we will also be branded traitors. We need to return to the capital before Yibo does. Please."

Roland glared at me furiously, but he knew I was right.

In the end, he shoved me hard before storming away.

Once he was gone, Ziyi came toward me and grabbed my arms.

"Zhan."

I looked at her.

She looked terrified.

"Yibo is in danger."

"I know. Roland wants to kill him."

"No, not that." Ziyi shook her head.

I stared at her.

Something else was threatening Yibo.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He is dying," Ziyi whispered. "For some reason, the curse he is under is slowly killing him. Something must have happened that activated it."