Chapter 1488: Pushing the Limits (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Yang Ying was somewhat irritated.

If others heard this, they would probably think she was being hypocritical, having gotten away with something so good. A true warrior lets their fists do the talking. Yang Ying's arrow, fired in full view of everyone, not only dampened the enemy's spirit but also propelled her into the ranks of Kang Kingdom's top generals, destined to become "Marquis Yang" someday. However, knowing who her partner was this time would make it all clear.

Kang Shi coughed several times in a row.

"General Yang, please don't be impatient. Everything is preordained."

He didn't know what his lord was thinking, insisting on throwing him out. And to make matters worse, he was ordered to lead troops with Yang Ying to pursue the remnants of the allied forces who had vanished without a trace. Didn't his lord consider that they were fighting in unfamiliar territory, and their understanding of the terrain was far inferior to that of the central allied forces? The central allied forces could disappear into the mountains as if they were back home, while the Kangguo troops were like they were in a maze.

How can I catch up with them?

This job is more suitable for Qin Gongsu or Gu Wangchao.

The former, needless to say, once he activates [Clouds and Mist], his literary energy merges with the mountain mist, and no bird or beast within the range of the Scholar's Way can escape his surveillance. The latter, the Scholar's Way, is an even more powerful tool for capturing people. But the lord cherishes these two and refuses to let go.

Kang Shi thought this way and complained about it.

Shen Tang said, "What you said makes a very good point."

Theory alone is useless; practical application must also be considered. Qin Li's [Cloudy Sky and Foggy Earth] is indeed a powerful tool for battlefield reconnaissance, revealing details that even scouts cannot see. However, the problem is that the enemy uses tunnels, effectively neutralizing Qin Li's scholarly approach, making pursuit largely inefficient. Gu Chi's scholarly approach is not countered, but it is limited by distance.

You can't hear the voices from a distance.

And this distance range...

Even inexperienced ground scouts and reconnaissance soldiers could detect enemy tracks within this range. After much deliberation, Shen Tang decided to keep the sickly Kang Shi by her side. Kang Shi, that plague god, was fast, agile, and incredibly resilient; she wasn't worried about letting him roam freely: "...Besides, Ji Shou's scholarly way isn't just about harming his own people. It all depends on who's tougher."

Looking at Kang Shi's impressive military record over the years, one can see that his scholarly approach not only proved effective against his lord but also against his enemies. It's just that Shen Tang was lucky enough to survive, while his enemies, less fortunate, met their demise. Consider this: did others occasionally fail in their pursuit of the enemy, while Kang Shi always seemed to run into them? Regardless of the process, just looking at the result, how many people became stepping stones on his path to power?

Kang Shi: [...]

I wasn't comforted at all.

Because it happened so suddenly, Kang Shi was handed over to Yang Ying.

Kang Shi: [Why not Marshal Chu or General Wei?]

It wasn't that Kang Shi disliked Yang Ying, but rather that he had collaborated with Chu Jie, Wei Shou, and the others many times, and they knew each other well, developing a certain level of understanding and cooperation. They didn't mind each other, making their teamwork smoother. This also meant they could quickly remedy any unexpected situations that might arise.

He wasn't very familiar with Yang Ying.

Shen Tang said: "Because if you're slow, you'll miss out."

If it weren't for her special favoritism towards Kang Jishou, remembering to take him with her wherever she went to war and assigning him all sorts of duties, Kang Shi would have been relegated to the sidelines. Any military officer with a choice would not have considered Kang Shi as their first choice among scholars.

Kang Shi: [...]

He looked at Yang Ying, and Yang Ying looked at him.

The former felt a little guilty for no reason.

Yang Ying said, "This is the third time we've looked at this tree."

Kangguo dispatched 15,000 elite troops to pursue the allied forces in the central region, while Yang Ying's side was allocated 5,000 soldiers. These 5,000 elite troops carried only three days' worth of rations and water; if they still hadn't achieved anything after three days, they would have to give up. Ground and air scouts worked together, but they found not only no trace of the enemy, but not even a single living person along the way.

In other words, she may have to rely on the Air Force for her journey.

Until a scout brought back new information.

She saw three special markings on a tree.

Ground scouts, while surveying the surrounding area, would leave unique internal markings, characteristic of the Kang Kingdom, on conspicuous and distinctive surfaces such as rocks, mountain walls, and vegetation. These markings were formed using martial energy, requiring the scout to condense a thin film of martial energy, tens of times finer than a human hair, to write on them, and the markings had to remain for at least fifteen days to be considered合格 (qualified). Different markings represented different information and were never repeated.

This tree, however, has three repeated marks.

Scouts wouldn't make such a basic mistake.

This indicated that something nearby was interfering with their basic judgment, or that someone had covered up the scout marks, causing the scouts to repeatedly mark the same object. Yang Ying then ordered his men to narrow the search area: "Focus on this tree and search carefully!"

Yang Ying waited patiently for news.

The scouts indeed discovered traces of the enemy's spell array, but the attached spiritual energy was very faint, making it impossible to determine the exact direction.

When you're down on your luck, even drinking water can cause problems.

Yang Ying's pursuit was fraught with difficulties. During the chase, she inadvertently triggered an enemy illusionary trap. She had to dismantle the traps while continuing the chase, and the sheer number of traps made her question her existence. Meanwhile, the Allied forces in the central region, who had been using the time spent setting traps to escape, were already free to roam. These illusionary traps weren't particularly lethal; they only interfered with directional judgment, causing the army to circle back and forth, making Kang Shi's dismantling of the traps extremely frustrating.

"Have we stepped on every trap along the way?"

It's like there's a trap every two steps.

Is this density level unscientific?

Yang Ying unfolded the map and examined the markings. Each marking was a spell array, and when strung together, they pointed precisely to the direction the strategist had predicted the enemy's retreat. The Central Allied forces, wanting to disrupt the pursuers, naturally laid numerous traps along this route.

Kang Shi: "..."

Yang Ying sighed and put away the map: "It seems possible."

Kang Shi chuckled and comforted him, "At least this proves we didn't go in the wrong direction. What's the big deal about setting up more? We can just tear it all down."

Yang Ying: "..."

The logic is sound, but it doesn't sit well with me. Kang Shi's words are like telling Yang Ying not to worry about the traps everywhere; just step on them all, and they'll be cleared away. If possible, Yang Ying would still prefer to avoid the traps altogether…

Kang Shi gradually realized that something was wrong.

"The person who set up the illusion array is a master in this field."

Different scholars and writers have different habits when setting up formations, and they always have their own little tricks. Even with the same illusion formation, different scholars and writers will have different details in their arrangement. Kang Shi broke several illusion formations but found that the style was extremely consistent, so they should have been left by the same person.

Not only the same person, but also the same time period.

Although these illusion arrays are not complex and can only delay the enemy for thirty to fifty breaths at most, their cumulative effect is quite considerable. How much spiritual energy would it take for the same person to set them up?

"...While it's true that a single, effective tactic can be incredibly useful, the biggest taboo on the battlefield is using the same move over and over again; it makes it too easy for the enemy to find a weakness. Yet, the ones who set up the formation are using the same method to ambush us..."

An exam paper is supposed to have one hundred questions, but when you open it, you find that all one hundred questions are copied and pasted from the same type, without even changing the data. Wouldn't students find it easier and easier to complete the exam? Is this a trap deliberately set by the enemy, or is there some other conspiracy?

Could it be a traitor within the enemy ranks?

Upon stepping into the illusion array again, Kang Shi began to hesitate.

Yang Ying revealed Kang Shi's inner thoughts.

"It's more like they deliberately lured us here."

Will they find juicy prey or an even bigger trap?

Kang Shi was unsure, but he chose to take a gamble.

Yang Ying: "...A little gambling is harmless fun, but excessive gambling is harmful to health."

Kang Shi, the Minister of Justice, had a peculiar hobby that was known throughout the court. While others spent their holidays either sleeping at home or going hunting with friends in the spring, or, if they were in the mood, engaging in refined pursuits like the "Floating Wine Cups on a Winding Stream" banquet, Kang Shi was different. He was very keen on going to gambling dens.

At the height of the anti-gambling crackdown in Kangguo, even the four provincial governors couldn't locate casinos, but Kang Shi could pinpoint their exact location with a mere sniff. After gambling to his heart's content, he would overturn the tables, report to the authorities, and have the casino shut down and searched. This behavior even made it impossible for the Censorate to take action against him.

Did he knowingly break the law?

Yes.

But did his reporting of the casino backfire?

Too.

The subordinate departments of the Four Guards Prefecture harbored deep resentment towards Kang Shi, even fearing his absences. Despite their meticulous efforts to sift through gambling dens, Kang Shi always managed to find some slipping through the net. His ability to find them meant dereliction of duty, and the Censorate, frustrated by their inability to locate Kang Shi, turned their anger towards them, subjecting them to a severe dressing-down at every morning court session. Although Yang Ying wasn't a victim, her old friend, who worked in a subordinate department of the Four Guards Prefecture, had her spring and winter bonuses—half-year and year-end bonuses—deducted indirectly because of Kang Shi.

_(:з」∠)_

Yang Ying felt a lump in her throat for her friend.

Kang Shih's political enemies were truly his own doing.

"What are you afraid of? What we're most worried about right now is not being able to find the enemy, and what we're most afraid of is the enemy slipping away from us!" Kang Shi spoke eloquently about profound principles, but he really hit Yang Ying's sore spot.

I'm not afraid of being ambushed by the enemy, I'm afraid of losing what I've already gained.

"But it's not good to be led by the nose by the enemy like this." Even on the enemy's home turf, we must take the initiative.

Kang Shi waved his hand: "Leave this to me."

As the actual user of the prestigious VVVVIP Luck Black Card, Kang Shi is a guaranteed winner in every gamble! His scholarly approach isn't just for direct confrontation; it also includes the ability to attract good fortune and avoid misfortune. With a single move, he can pinpoint the enemy's exact location.

Yang Ying: "Why didn't you use it before?"

If used, it can save you from stepping on many illusion traps.

Kang Shi gave his reasons: "First, I don't use it often; second, it only tells you the specific direction, not the layout along the way, so if you're unlucky, you'll still fall into a trap; third, I just wanted to save the master some expenses."

Use the Lord's Luck Black Card as little as possible.

Kang Shi would occasionally feel sorry for her.

Yang Ying: "...But you still used it."

Kang Shi said, "It means that the flowers should be used and the plants should be used."

He truly used the power of the master to his advantage.

There was absolutely no extravagance or waste.

Yang Ying: "..."

Countless complaints were forced to be swallowed back down.

I feel even more sorry for my Lord.

Yang Ying: "It has not been easy for our lord to overcome all obstacles along the way."

Well, don't ask where the thorns came from.

Kang Shi deliberately pretended to be deaf and dumb, as if he hadn't heard anything, and focused on perceiving the correct direction until a wisp of perception arose in his mind.

“General Shengmei, Kan position, 730 steps.”

After saying that, a cold sweat and lingering fear broke out on his back.

This distance is too close.

The fact that the surface scouts haven't found anything yet means that the enemy has either laid a very clever trap in the tunnels, or the tunnels are located quite deep underground. It's indeed not easy for scouts to detect movement through the thick soil and sand. Yang Ying didn't hesitate at all, drew his sword, and his martial energy surged wildly, pouring all his powerful martial energy into the blade, plunging it more than ten feet into the ground.

The earth shook and mountains trembled, and sand and dust flew everywhere.

Yang Ying prepared to deliver the second blow.

It would be best if the tunnel collapsed, then there would be no need to dig a pit to bury people.

Her plan failed, and several beams of light shot out from the ground, attacking Yang Ying in perfect unison. Two of them possessed a power far greater than hers. The men were filled with shock and rage, eager to kill Yang Ying: "You insolent brats, don't be so arrogant!"

Seeing Yang Ying's strength only fueled his killing intent.

As for the five thousand elite troops—

"You two can hold off these pursuers for a while, I'll kill this man. We'll buy ourselves as much time as we can—" While the combined morale of five thousand elite troops could surely kill them, the dense vegetation obstructed their vision, and the terrain wasn't flat, preventing the pursuers from unleashing their full fighting power. Instead, they could use the terrain to their advantage to buy time; they weren't far from the exit.

The exit is just behind the two mountains.

It won't be easy for the pursuers to get past them.

Kang Shi rode on his warhorse, watching them silently.

I have to say, the Lord's black card is still the most useful.

"General Shengmei, let's divide them up."

Yang Ying could focus on fighting the enemy, while Kang Shi directed his soldiers to intercept the remaining few. If they coordinated well, they should be able to achieve victory with minimal losses. However, Yang Ying interpreted his words differently. She said, "No need, you go after them."

These words stunned not only Kang Shi.

The enemy general who was delayed and covered the rear was also dumbfounded.

If someone stronger than them said this, that would be one thing, but how dare Yang Ying, whose strength and realm can be seen through by them, say such a thing?

"You brat, what a big mouth you have."

This isn't a case of a newborn calf not being afraid of a tiger.

What's even more shocking is that Kang Shi actually nodded.

Without any hesitation, he waved his hand, ordering the soldiers to raise the signal flag and commanding all five thousand men to follow him without exception. Yang Ying's deputy general was an old comrade of Yang Gong from Xiaocheng, and upon seeing this, his heart skipped a beat. However, being a military officer, he could only obey orders.

The army completed its directional adjustment in less than two breaths.

This ability to move thousands of people in perfect unison was something even the Allied generals, as the opposing side, had to admire. Kang Shi didn't turn around, but he could feel the peculiar martial energy emanating from the air, an energy completely different from Yang Ying's usual martial energy.

You can still faintly hear Yang Ying saying something.

"You outnumber us and have the upper hand—"

In terms of archery skills, Yang Ying was among the top generals of Kang State. While she wasn't a master archer and couldn't execute a volley of ten thousand arrows, she could easily lure her prey into her trap with a hundred arrows at once.

"But I also have a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy!"

A sharp arrow was mixed in with hundreds of golden lights.

First, deal with the two who are more imposing than her, so they don't have a chance to cooperate and pose a threat. After taking them down, you can then deal with the others with peace of mind.

The whole thing took no more than fifteen minutes.

As Yang Ying adjusted his breathing and went to chase after the army, a phantom slowly floated out from underground. Looking at the several corpses on the ground, whose throats had been slit and hearts pierced by Yang Ying's finishing blows, and who were dead beyond any doubt, he said: "The Time Arrow is truly a rogue's method. Tsk tsk, they died unjustly."

Without prior precautions, encountering Yang Ying would be a recipe for disaster.

"Who told them to be so arrogant?"

Lin Su struggled to crawl out of the crevice and patted the mud off his body. Although he hadn't been buried alive, he had injured one of his legs.

His scholarly skills allowed him to conceal his presence at crucial moments, and Yang Ying didn't have time to go underground and finish off the remaining survivors, which is why Lin Su escaped death. He looked at his leg and sighed, "What bad luck, of all places, it collapsed there..."

Normally, it shouldn't have hit him.

But it just fell short by a tiny bit.

The illusory figure said, "Your forehead is dark, indicating a bloody disaster is coming."

It doesn't stay black all the time; it just suddenly turns black out of nowhere.

Lin Su: "...Tsk, weird."

The phantom figure gazed at the departing army's tracks, stroking his chin: "I just observed that the Kang Kingdom's soldiers are indeed highly disciplined, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are completely obedient. But why is their pursuit so slow?"

The ancestor Lin in front of us said he left clues for the pursuers.

As a result, the Allied forces were about to withdraw completely before they finally caught up.

At this rate, the 5,000 men chasing after them are very likely to run into the Allied reinforcements coming to meet them. 5,000 against 22,000! What's the difference between Kangguo's move and plunging headfirst into the enemy's main camp?

"Kangguo's army is probably going to be wiped out."

ヾ(■_■)

Lemonade with 30% sugar is really sour...