Turning the clock back a short while—right after Xu Tao and Jehanne rushed off in their respective directions—Wu Zetian calmly stepped out of the castle's vicinity, her black and gold robes fluttering in the strong winds.
She did not run, nor was she in a hurry. She simply walked, as though stepping into a palace courtyard rather than a battlefield.
Yet, with each step she crossed several dozen meters. With only a few strides, she arrived at her destination.
The southeastern wall came into view. It should've been drowned in chaos, and yet what she found was…
"…They fled already?"
The monsters had indeed arrived, but to her surprise no one but her Celestial Beasts were protecting this point. It was close enough that the remaining fighters among the refugees should have been able to reinforce the defenses, but not even a shadow could be seen.
Zetian narrowed her eyes.
