Chapter 9: The Fall of the Bronze Pillar
Bab 9: Kejatuhan Pilar Perunggu
News of Chentang Pass's fall reached the Shang capital, sending shockwaves through the royal court. King Zhou, however, refused to accept the reality of his situation. He ordered the construction of more torture devices and increased the persecution of anyone who questioned his leadership.
Berita tentang jatuhnya Pass Chentang mencapai ibu kota Shang, mengirimkan gelombang kejut melalui istana kerajaan. Raja Zhou, bagaimanapun, menolak untuk menerima kenyataan situasinya. Dia memerintahkan pembangunan lebih banyak perangkat penyiksaan dan meningkatkan penganiayaan terhadap siapa pun yang mempertanyakan kepemimpinannya.
The infamous Bronze Pillar stood in the center of the palace courtyard, a symbol of the king's cruelty and madness. Prisoners were forced to embrace the heated pillar, their screams echoing through the palace walls. The court officials lived in constant fear of becoming the next victims.
Pilar Perunggu yang terkenal berdiri di tengah halaman istana, simbol kekejaman dan kegilaan raja. Para tawanan dipaksa memeluk pilar yang dipanaskan, jeritan mereka bergema di dinding istana. Para pejabat istana hidup dalam ketakutan konstan menjadi korban berikutnya.
Jiang Ziya, learning of these atrocities, decided that the time had come to strike at the heart of the Shang Dynasty. He assembled his most trusted warriors and prepared for the final assault on the capital. The moral imperative was clear: the tyrant must be stopped.
Jiang Ziya, mengetahui kekejaman ini, memutuskan bahwa waktunya telah tiba untuk menyerang jantung Dinasti Shang. Dia mengumpulkan pejuang paling tepercayanya dan mempersiapkan serangan terakhir ke ibu kota. Imperatif moral jelas: tiran harus dihentikan.
The Zhou army approached the capital with determination. The city's defenses were strong, but the morale of the defenders was low. Many soldiers had witnessed the king's cruelty firsthand and questioned their loyalty to such a ruler.
Pasukan Zhou mendekati ibu kota dengan tekad. Pertahanan kota kuat, tetapi moral para pembela rendah. Banyak prajurit telah menyaksikan kekejaman raja secara langsung dan mempertanyakan kesetiaan mereka kepada penguasa seperti itu.
Inside the city, resistance movements began to form. Common people and lower-ranking officials secretly communicated with the Zhou forces, offering intelligence and assistance. The king's grip on power was slipping, and his own people were turning against him.
Di dalam kota, gerakan perlawanan mulai terbentuk. Rakyat biasa dan pejabat tingkat rendah secara diam-diam berkomunikasi dengan pasukan Zhou, menawarkan intelijen dan bantuan. Cengkeraman raja pada kekuasaan semakin lemah, dan rakyatnya sendiri berbalik melawannya.
The final battle for the capital began at dawn. Zhou forces attacked from multiple directions, overwhelming the disorganized Shang defenses. Nezha and Yang Jian led the charge, their supernatural powers cutting through the remaining resistance.
Pertempuran terakhir untuk ibu kota dimulai saat fajar. Pasukan Zhou menyerang dari berbagai arah, membanjiri pertahanan Shang yang tidak terorganisir. Nezha dan Yang Jian memimpin serangan, kekuatan supranatural mereka memotong sisa perlawanan.
King Zhou, realizing that his reign was over, retreated to his palace. He ordered his servants to build a great fire, choosing death over capture. The Bronze Pillar, symbol of his cruelty, stood empty as the tyrant met his end. The Shang Dynasty had fallen, and a new era was about to begin.
Raja Zhou, menyadari bahwa pemerintahannya berakhir, mundur ke istananya. Dia memerintahkan pelayannya membangun api besar, memilih kematian daripada ditangkap. Pilar Perunggu, simbol kekejamannya, berdiri kosong saat tiran menemui ajalnya. Dinasti Shang telah jatuh, dan era baru akan segera dimulai.