The cruelest thing in the world is to find hope in a desperate situation, only to have that hope violently crushed the next second! This phrase perfectly describes Tude's current mood.
Liu Guan took his place and led the charge, inspiring the army with the spirit of burning boats while crossing the river, vowing to fight to the death. This tactic proved effective! Tudege also disguised himself and, escorted by his remaining guards, blended into the chaotic army. The army prepared to break through the encirclement from there.
As long as he can escape and get rid of the pursuit of the Kang Kingdom's troops, he will still have a chance to regroup his remaining forces and make further plans.
The elite troops of the Northern Desert suffered heavy losses, but not to the point of being wiped out, and were not even severely weakened. They still have a chance!
Even if things really come to the worst, Tudege will accept it!
For centuries, hadn't the various tribes of the Northern Desert been oppressed enough by the northwestern kingdoms? Even if they suffered a crushing defeat in this battle, the Northern Desert would at most go into hiding again, sue for peace with the Kang Kingdom, pay tribute, submit, and send hostages. Shen Tang could provide whatever handsome men and beautiful women she wanted!
Despite the humiliation, these procedures were very familiar to the Northern Desert.
As long as Bei Mo slides down his knees quickly enough, admits defeat decisively enough, and adopts a humble enough posture, this matter will be pretty much over.
There's no need to worry that the woman surnamed Shen will be relentless and ruthless, because her enemies aren't limited to the Northern Desert. It's best to stop while the situation is good and end the multi-front war as soon as possible, concentrating forces on one battlefield. Nor is there any need to worry that Shen Tang will annex the Northern Desert, because incorporating the Northern Desert into its territory is tantamount to handing it a national seal—the northwestern kingdoms have been beating the Northern Desert and the Ten Crows for so many years; surely their forces aren't strong enough to annex both regions?
There are reasons why they haven't taken over any acquisitions.
The Ten Crows and the Northern Desert are inhabited by various ethnic groups, each with its own customs and traditions, making them extremely difficult to assimilate. Forcibly annexing them would only allow the two regions to remain peaceful for a decade or two at most, given the frequency of national demise in the Northwest Continent. Once they recover and their former nations fall, the ethnic groups in both regions would be fully qualified to compete for the Imperial Seal.
For hundreds of years, it's not that the Ten Crows and the Northern Desert didn't want to play with the northwestern kingdoms; it's clearly that the northwestern kingdoms refused to accept them. Even a fool knows how ambitious they are. Without the confidence to stabilize their regimes, annexing and absorbing them would be like inviting wolves into the house.
For the northwestern kingdoms, the Northern Desert and the Ten Crows were simply places to gain experience and train their troops. Paying tribute, submitting, and sending hostages during festivals was enough. Want to be one of them, playing cards at the same table? They're all dreaming; they're extremely wary.
Besides these, there are some practical considerations.
The two regions are vast, but their grain production is not high.
If we annex them, the northwestern kingdoms that annex them won't collect much tax, and we'll even have to pay them to prevent them from causing trouble. Anyone with a modicum of sense knows that this is a losing proposition.
The problem facing Bai Tude is not the outcome of this battle, but how he can break through and survive. Only by crossing this threshold will he have the opportunity to decide whether to continue fighting or to surrender.
Based on these factors, Tudego saw hope.
Unexpectedly, a Word of Power will erupt from within the Kang Kingdom's ranks!
A fragment of memory suddenly flashed through Tudege's mind—he was holding a bowl of coarse wheat porridge, sprinkled with some undercooked minced meat, which he was putting into his mouth. The porridge was rough in texture, and you could bite into small pebbles after a couple of chews. The fine sand mixed with the porridge and the undercooked minced meat should have been an unappetizing combination, but the "self" in his memory was actually eating it with satisfaction.
A feeling of "happiness" welled up inside me.
Jump to the scene in your memory.
His field of vision was narrow, and he could only see a small area of the sky and earth.
He was being lifted upwards by a force, and a pair of yellow teeth covered in tartar opened up to reveal a gaping, dark red maw. Tudege could even smell the stench spraying onto his face.
Its big mouth opens and closes.
In the fragments of his memory, he was eaten.
Tudege initially didn't understand what this memory was about, because as the leader, even if the army was truly desperate and their supplies were so scarce that they needed to use human flesh to make up for the shortfall, they would never mix human flesh into their food. It wasn't until Tudege "heard" someone lament: "The meat today is sour and tough..."
The scene then shifts again.
A group of soldiers from the northern desert, missing limbs and broken arms, lay naked on top of each other, their internal organs and bones discarded on the ground.
Not far away, there were countless earthenware urns.
The relatively clean human head bobbed up and down in the boiling soup.
Then, the voice muttered again.
Relieved yet terrified: [Thank goodness I'm not disabled...]
Tudego's spirits suddenly lifted.
Realizing what this strange memory was about.
His first reaction was to think to himself: [Oh no!]
Looking around, Tudege saw that the Northern Desert soldiers, who had just been bloodshot and ready to die, had all changed! Some had a dazed look in their eyes, while others were breathing heavily and rapidly. What they had in common was that they were all clenching their teeth, as if they were enduring and restraining something.
They are trying to ignore these memories.
It is common to encounter illusions and false memories during wartime.
True elites are not only fierce in battle and obedient to orders, but also have firm will, are not easily influenced by external factors, can withstand the test of illusionary words in conventional military formations, do not believe in these unfamiliar memories that suddenly enter their minds, and maintain stable combat power!
Only in this way can they be called elite.
These Northern Desert soldiers, though considered elite, had been ambushed, surrounded, and harassed for so long, yet they still displayed a do-or-die determination, indicating their overall quality was not bad. They had experienced even more bewitching illusionary military formations and spells than "A Dream of Red Mansions," but those illusions were merely fake. The fact that the Northern Desert soldiers used their own remaining troops to make human flesh at the defense of Shexing Pass was undeniably real! The evidence was irrefutable!
In chaotic times, cannibalism is not uncommon, especially in a cruel region like the Northern Desert where natural selection is highly valued.
However, most of them were young men from various tribes with some wealth, so how could they possibly get the raw materials for human flesh?
This is an unspoken, tacit rule.
【A Dream of Red Mansions】tears away the fig leaf, reminding them that this unspoken rule is not without exceptions!
In this desperate battle, how many people were not injured?
Who can guarantee that they won't turn out to be delicious and visually appealing in the future?
Is it really worth it for them to serve as military rations after being wounded?
Those who weren't injured didn't dare gamble that they wouldn't get hurt!
What are you all hesitating and cowardly about?
A loud shout exploded in my ears like a thunderclap.
The speaker was a wounded military officer with a fierce appearance.
This man was strict and ruthless towards his subordinates, and his face was so cold that some soldiers would tremble at the sight of him.
His voice instantly instilled fear in the nearby soldiers, interrupting their chaotic thoughts, but this could not reverse the disastrous rout. In just a few breaths, the clouds above the Northern Desert army surged and churned, then faded at a visible speed!
It was even more depressed and chaotic than before Liu Guan took the lead.
The wounded general was even more enraged upon seeing this.
Consumed by anger, he made a foolish move in his haste.
He slapped away the cowardly deserter with one palm.
His original intention was to make an example of someone to intimidate others and use his accumulated authority to suppress the situation, but the result was the opposite of what he hoped for. Instead of intimidating them, it added fuel to the fire, causing panic to spread like a virus among the chaotic troops. More and more soldiers in the Northern Desert developed a desire to avoid battle, became passive in combat, and even began to crowd together in the rear.
"surrender--"
"I surrender!"
"Please, please don't kill me!"
Amidst the chaos, someone must have opened the floodgates, for others followed suit in droves, some even dropping their weapons. Once the first one appeared, a second and a third followed... this phenomenon radiated outwards from a small sphere.
The wounded general was so angry that he vomited a mouthful of blood.
The situation is completely out of control.
The situation that Liu Guan had worked so hard to create was completely destroyed.
On the battlefield, she was still fighting fiercely.
"Impossible!" Liu Guan screamed hoarsely, her eyes bloodshot, a hint of madness in them. The blade in her hand was nearly worn out from repeated charges. Anger and resentment erupted from her chest, her mind a complete blank. "This is absolutely impossible!"
【A Dream of Red Mansions】works regardless of friend or foe; it works as long as the mental strength of any creature within the spell's range is weaker than the caster's. Liu Guan naturally witnessed that scene. Reason told her that everything was over, but as strong-willed as she was, she refused to accept this reality.
She allows herself to lose, but she won't allow herself to lose in a way that's impossible to turn the tide!
Unfortunately, the situation cannot be controlled by individual will.
The Northern Desert is doomed!
With morale plummeting for the second time, the number of Northern Desert soldiers willing to charge and break through with Liu Guan dwindled sharply. The vanguard was now powerless to advance and faced increasing resistance. Liu Guan's vanguard was caught in an awkward situation—unable to advance or retreat.
The soldiers were sustaining more and more injuries, and more and more were falling to the ground.
But none of them dared to stop.
A slight pause?
The next moment, countless swords, spears, and halberds rushed straight towards his vital points!
The consequence will be a gruesome death!
"Hmm—"
As the number of guards who fell increased, the vanguard defense line began to show weaknesses, and Kang soldiers gradually reached Liu Guan. One of them even slashed Liu Guan's shoulder with a single blow. The force of the blow was extremely heavy; most of the blade was embedded in the flesh, deep enough to expose the bone!
It left a deep mark on the bone.
If it were any bigger, this arm would have to be cut off!
Liu Guan groaned in pain but didn't cry out. Her closest guard, disregarding his serious injury, rushed forward and repelled the Kang soldiers who had broken into the defensive line. He wanted to kill them but was too weak. He could only stand in front of Liu Guan's warhorse and shout angrily at the Kang soldiers, "Come on—if you have the guts, come and kill your grandpa! My head is right here!"
Liu Guan's face was gloomy.
Unable to lift her right arm, she simply switched the knife to her other hand.
Time seemed to drag on on the battlefield. After a chaotic battle, Liu Guan could no longer distinguish whether the blood on her body was from the enemy or her own. Only one thought remained in her mind—it wasn't over yet!
Even if it means death, I cannot die here!
"Senior brother! Now!"
Lin Feng had been keeping a close eye on the situation here.
She had seen what Tudege looked like, so she naturally knew that he was the biggest fish in the Northern Desert army! It was just that the timing wasn't right to directly attack Tudege before, so she could only wait patiently while controlling the [Corpse Vine] to relentlessly interfere with Liu Guan's personal guards.
To obstruct the Royal Guard formation and create gaps.
Now, the time is ripe!
Upon receiving this order, Tu Rong was greatly encouraged!
He couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Finally, it's my turn!"
He was like a jackal stalking its prey. He remained nearby, clearing out the smaller foes from the edges, killing them one by one, two by two, working alongside the jackals to tear apart the enemy's defenses. Though he had some success, this small amount of prey was far from satisfying. His target remained the leader of the prey, patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike decisively and bite off its prey.
He knew the time was ripe when his comrade gave the order.
The pent-up martial energy erupted with a bang.
Enveloped in the aura of martial energy, Tu Rong charged forward like a cannonball. The Northern Desert troops who were trying to intercept him were caught off guard, and their well-preserved defenses were breached by Tu Rong's outburst.
There was only one goal in my eyes—
"Give me your life!"
His killing intent surged, and his very soul trembled with excitement.
"Don't even think about it!"
The few remaining guards, their eyes blazing with fury, fought back, sustaining injuries as they blocked the attack.
They knew that Tudege, who was leading the charge, was a fake.
But as long as Liu Guan is captured alive by Kang Guo, the deception will become reality, and the Northern Desert will truly suffer a crushing defeat! Therefore, even if it's like an ant trying to shake a tree, they must stop the killing move before them! Unexpectedly, they underestimated Tu Rong's condition, causing his blood and qi to flow backward, and they were all sent flying backward.
"A worthless piece of trash!"
Tu Rong started spewing trash talk at the group.
Those guards nearly vomited blood upon hearing this mockery.
Despite his talent, Tu Rong is young and inexperienced. Unless the opponent is a high-level martial artist with a similar cultivation level, he'll struggle against multiple opponents. Fortunately for him, his guards had exhausted too much of their martial energy in the charge and were now in poor condition. This kid got away with it; what right does he have to mock him?
Tu Rong didn't care about any of that.
As long as he gets these kills, the military merit is his. Who cares whether they are killed at full health or with low health?
He yelled in the direction of Tudego.
"This man is Tu Dege. Capture him, and he'll be granted a title and a high position!"
This shout completely covered the surrounding battlefield.
The Kang soldiers, who were already bloodthirsty, were furious when they heard this.
They were restless, as if they'd been injected with adrenaline.
They rushed over here in a frenzy.
Military merit was a powerful tool for getting ahead in Kangguo.
Chu Yao was initially pleased; he had watched his two apprentices grow step by step, and now they had truly established themselves. However, his pleasure didn't last long; Tu Rong's shout changed his expression. He chuckled and scolded, "That brat!"
It's wrong to eat alone, but why not eat alone when you can?
This kid hasn't learned a single bit of my shrewdness.
Then, he sighed, "It's good that he's not naive..."
Those who are less cunning are less likely to be clever and go astray.
At my age, I can still protect them for a few more years.
Chu Yao made sure there were no problems on his end before he could spare the time to check on Shen Tang. It wasn't that he was indifferent to his lord, but rather because—Gong Cheng was a genuine Grand Master of the Eighteenth Rank, but the people beating him up were four skilled fighters!
Four against one, including the high priest of the Gongxi tribe.
If they can lose, it would be unless the Northern Desert forces send down a divine army.
One rank 20 Marquis is not enough.
Chu Yao relaxed slightly.
A short while later, he looked up as if he had sensed something.
A touch of coolness landed on his forehead.
Chu Yao raised his hand and wiped it, revealing a small water stain.
"Is it raining?"
He looked at his palm and murmured softly.
Immediately afterwards, a snowflake fell into my palm and melted.
Chu Yao's body suddenly stiffened.
Besides Yunda, who else is always accompanied by flying snow when they appear?
"Could it be that Kang Jishou has said something offensive again?"
Good words don't work, but bad words do!
＿|￣|●
Today I went out for dinner with my editor, Zhizhi, Xixing, Yuzhu, and Jinhuang in Singapore. We ate at Haidilao and listened to my driving test (Part 3) five times. _(:з」∠)_
I was so engrossed in the passionate discussion and venting that I almost couldn't update.
The title... was brought up in a hurry.
The thought of catching a flight back to China early tomorrow morning, arriving in Shanghai around 3:30 pm (if there are no delays), then rushing with Yunji to Hongqiao to catch the high-speed train, and if everything goes smoothly we might arrive in Wenzhou around 10 pm, then taking a Didi (ride-hailing service) for a little over an hour to get home (actually it would be better to stay in Shanghai tomorrow to recover some energy, but my cousin is getting married on her 30th, I'd rather crawl back to Wenzhou than miss this).
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