C17 Crisis Returns

“Bring in the messenger from the Eastern Army!”

Ethan’s heart tightened. He had grown to care about this kingdom, about Leng Bing, and about Queen Fei’e.

The messenger who entered was Leng Xue.

She was bloodied, bruised, and barely recognizable. Her once-beautiful uniform was torn, her face gaunt, but her eyes still blazed with fighting spirit. She had clearly fought her way through hell to get here.

“Sir! The Eastern Army has retreated to Guanghan! The capital is under siege! I left with 500 soldiers to beg for help… only three of us survived!”

Leng Xue’s voice shook. No one had expected Ethan’s small force to defeat the Western Turtle Army—they thought he would at best slow them down. But now, looking at his intact army, she saw a miracle.

The east had faced one million enemy troops. Even with Leng Bing’s brilliant tactics, they had lost most of their men. Only 50,000 soldiers remained to defend the capital. The enemy still had over 400,000. Guanghan would fall in less than five days.

“Tell me everything. How long can the capital hold? Is Marshal Leng safe?” Ethan asked gently.

Leng Xue’s eyes reddened. “We can hold five days at most. The enemy has breached the walls twice. We drove them out with our lives… but we can’t last much longer.”

“Hey, beautiful! Don’t worry! My boss is a genius! He wiped out the entire Western Army without losing a single man! And I’m even stronger! When I save your kingdom, you owe me a date!” Howard grinned, leering at Leng Xue.

“Me too! I’m the hero here!” Han Tao jumped in.

“Shut up, you two perverts!” Leng Xue snapped. She was disgusted. How could such lewd men be Ethan’s comrades? She began to doubt Ethan’s character too.

“Get out of here!” Ethan kicked Howard and Han Tao. “Can you act any more shameless?”

Leng Xue was so furious and exhausted that she fainted on the spot.

“Wow! She fainted from my charm!” Howard bragged.

“Please. She fell for my looks! I’m too handsome for this world,” Han Tao said, even more arrogantly.

Ethan almost facepalmed. These two were impossible.

“Knock it off! She’s exhausted because she’s fighting for her country! Prepare to move out! We’re going back to save Guanghan! And wake up that ‘royal consort’ too—we’re settling the score with the Turtle Clan!”

The two female soldiers stared blankly. “Royal… consort?” They hurried away.

“Finally! I’m gonna beat someone up! I’m tired of being a slave!” Howard yelled excitedly.

“Hahaha! Money and girls! Here we come!” Han Tao daydreamed.

Ethan shook his head. These two had definitely been corrupted by the Turtle Clan’s arrogance.

As the army marched, Ethan’s mood darkened. He had ordered all Turtle prisoners executed except Kameda and Bunko. He knew it was cruel, but he had no choice. When Howard and Han Tao asked what happened to the prisoners, Ethan lied and said he had set them free.

His face burned with shame as they praised his mercy. “A real commander shows both strength and kindness.”

Ethan could almost see the ghosts of the dead soldiers swirling around him. He had changed. He had become ruthless.

Leng Xue woke up and stared at the three strange men. Howard and Han Tao hovered around her like hungry wolves. She found them bizarre, but she also noticed something familiar—they acted just like Ethan and Li Yizhu.

And both commanders had faces swollen like pigs, even though none of their soldiers were injured. It made no sense.

But when she glanced at Ethan, she saw sadness and guilt in his eyes. This man was full of secrets—simple on the surface, but deeply complicated.

Li Yizhu finally caught up, annoyed that no one had acknowledged him.

“Hey! Does no one see the queen consort here? I’m talking to you! We can’t just rush in—400,000 soldiers! We can’t fight them head-on!”

Ethan glared at him but said nothing. He had no plan either. His mind felt like a mess.

“Hey, consort! How’s the old queen? You look young for 60!” Han Tao mocked.

“Right! Do you girls take turns picking men like emperors picking concubines? I’m just asking for ‘knowledge’!” Howard added, bowing sarcastically.

Li Yizhu turned purple with anger. He had only married the queen to train safely and regain his clan’s power. No one understood his pain.

But he dared not fight all three. Ethan was too unpredictable, and Howard and Han Tao were strong. He had to swallow his pride.

“How dare you insult Her Majesty! I’ll kill you!” Leng Xue screamed, drawing her sword.

“Ooh! Scary!” Han Tao laughed.

Before Howard could finish, every soldier raised their weapon and surrounded them.

“Kill these insults to the queen!”

Howard and Han Tao panicked and looked at Ethan.

“Touch them, and we leave now. They’re my brothers,” Ethan said coldly. Part of him wanted to leave—to save his friends from this war.

“Yes! We’re going home!” Howard and Han Tao shouted.

Leng Xue froze. Ethan was their only hope. She could not let him leave.

She dropped to her knees.

“Sir, please don’t go! You’re our only hope! I’m sorry! We need you!” Tears streamed down her face.

One by one, the entire army knelt.

Ethan sighed. “Get up. We fight. But you two—no more trouble.”

Howard and Han Tao fell silent. Li Yizhu stared at Ethan with bitter jealousy. The man had the loyalty of an entire army.

After three more days of marching, Guanghan was in sight.

The once-glorious capital was broken, scarred by war. The land around it was flat, with nowhere to hide. Ethan’s army had grown to 50,000 with local recruits, but they were still badly outnumbered.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three cannon blasts. A massive enemy force charged toward them—at least 100,000 soldiers.

“Form up! On my command!” Ethan shouted.

He realized there were no horses in this world. No cavalry. That was their only luck.

“Charge! For our kingdom!”

As the soldiers rushed forward, Howard grabbed Ethan’s arm.

“Boss! The enemy commander… it’s Raymond!”

“What?!” Ethan’s eyes lit up. “HOLD! EVERYONE STOP!”

He stepped forward and shouted at the top of his lungs:

“Raymond! It’s me! Ethan! Your brothers are here! Come out!”

The enemy army slowed. A figure broke free and ran toward them.

“Hahaha! Boss! Is that really you? Have you eaten yet?”

It was Raymond.

Ethan stared, dumbfounded. After everything they’d been through, that was his greeting?

“Sir! Be careful! His voice can kill! His roar has killed hundreds of our soldiers!” Leng Xue warned.

“His voice… kills people?” Ethan remembered Raymond’s strange power in training. Could it be the legendary Demon Sound?

Raymond hugged Ethan tightly. Howard and Han Tao joined in. The four brothers were reunited, laughing and crying.

“Okay, okay! Everyone’s watching! I have to get through to Guanghan. Let us pass. After this, we’re going home. This isn’t our world.” Ethan pulled away, embarrassed by the scene.

Raymond’s smile vanished.

“I can’t do that, boss. I’m not going home. I’m a Turtle general now. I have a wife here. I have a life here. This is where I belong.”

Ethan stared at him, speechless.

His brother had betrayed them.

He had chosen this world over his own.