Chapter 118: As Military Strategy Says: Victory Through Surprise Attack—with So Many Of You, Is That Even A Surprise? This General Will Go Alone
Yunnan, Wu Family.
For generations, they were powerful officials. The current head of the family is the Empress’s elder brother. With his own sister becoming Empress, the Wu family naturally wished to enter the Imperial Capital, become officials, and powerful ministers.
But it was obvious that the Emperor, wary of their monopoly on military and civil power, only allowed them to guard the Yunnan border, not to interfere with the Imperial Court’s power.
Despite their unwillingness, they could only endure it.
After all, they had hope: that if the First Prince became Emperor, their Wu family would then be able to hold high positions in the court, and the vast Central Plains Dynasty would belong to their Wu family.
But now, they received news that the First Prince had been bestowed death, which made the Wu family feel as if the sky had fallen, truly a cataclysm.
Jiu’an City.
Wu Yun stood on the city wall, gazing into the distance. Beside him stood a dark-skinned man with a full beard, clad in armor and with a sturdy physique, clearly a formidable general.
That person was the Dag Guang Dynasty’s general—Huo Ge.
He was a powerful and high-ranking military general in the Dag Guang Dynasty, but he had once been defeated by Qin Li. For Huo Ge, his greatest hope in life was to defeat Qin Li.
“Wu Family Head, we have already taken two cities. Why don’t we continue to advance? With our speed and capabilities, taking more cities would be more than enough.” Huo Ge had long coveted the fertile lands of the Central Plains Dynasty.
Wu Yun said gravely, “We cannot advance. This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack, an excellent position. As long as we hold this place and wait for the Imperial Court’s forces to arrive, we will annihilate them in one fell swoop. Then, it will not be too late to advance in full force.”
Huo Ge observed the surrounding terrain and nodded in considerable agreement, “Wu Family Head, we agreed beforehand that after assisting you in achieving your goals, the Dag Guang Dynasty will require the Four Prefectures of Yunnan.”
“General Huo, please rest assured. My Wu family will keep its promise to you.” Wu Yun naturally knew of the Dag Guang Dynasty’s wolfish ambitions to swallow the entire Central Plains Dynasty. By agreeing to hand over the Four Prefectures of Yunnan, he was essentially giving them an extremely rich territory.
In the future, even if the Wu family truly seized power in the Central Plains Dynasty, they would still face the threat of the Dag Guang Dynasty.
But there was no other way.
Things had reached this point; they could only focus on the present. Matters of the future would be dealt with later.
Huo Ge said, “Which of your Central Plains Dynasty will they send this time? Could it be Qin Li? If it is indeed him, that would be truly wonderful. I genuinely wish to avenge my past defeat.”
Wu Yun shook his head, “No. A few days ago, when we raised our troops, I already sent a secret letter to Qin Li, inviting him to join us in this rebellion.”
Huo Ge looked at Wu Yun with surprise in his eyes, then suddenly laughed, “Great General Wu, you truly intend to force your Central Plains Dynasty’s Emperor to his death, hahahaha… If Qin Li doesn’t make a move, I truly don’t know who else in your Central Plains Dynasty is qualified to fight me.”
“The Divine Martial Great General—Lin Fan!!!” Wu Yun said gravely.
“Never heard of him. Seems like an unknown nobody.”
Huo Ge shook his head, his eyes full of disdain. Anyone he hadn’t heard of was treated as trash.
Wu Yun was about to retort, ‘You’re spouting nonsense, do you know the formidable achievements of the Divine Martial Great General? He crushed Tudan of the Mengye Country, and captured the Mongol King amidst ten thousand troops.’
Although he had not seen it personally, only heard of it, he took this matter very seriously and never dared to be careless. He specifically prepared a thousand cavalry for Lin Fan, reserving such elite soldiers to deal with Lin Fan, even if the man possessed divine power.
But in the torrent of cavalry, he could be worn down to death.
As for Huo Ge’s blatant contempt for the Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan, let him continue to be dismissive. If Lin Fan could take care of Huo Ge, that would be the best outcome.
……
“Master, what book are you reading?” Ning Yu noticed that her master was always holding a book while riding his steed.
“A military treatise,” Lin Fan replied.
“Ah!”
Ning Yu was astonished, doubting if she had heard correctly.
Lin Fan said, “Ning Yu, the ancients said, learning is endless. Whatever profession one is in, one should love it. My main focus now is on the position of Divine Martial Great General. When leading troops and fighting battles, how can I not read some military treatises?”
“Then, Master, have you learned anything from it?” Ning Yu asked.
“Heh!” Lin Fan chuckled. “You doubt your Master? You’ve been by my side for quite some time. You should know that I studied law and tested to become a Public Security Bureau Constable. I memorized the laws by heart. As for this mere military strategy, it’s nothing for me; it’s easily within my grasp.”
Ning Yu decisively gave a thumbs up, “Master, you’re simply awesome.”
“Mm.”
Lin Fan nodded with considerable satisfaction at his disciple’s praise.
Several days later.
The grand army entered Yunnan province, not far from Jiu’an City, only ten li away. Deputy General Lu Shan rode his steed respectfully to Lin Fan’s side.
“Great General, where will the army make camp?” Lu Shan asked respectfully. As a commander of the Five Army Camps, now under the Great General’s command, he knew quite a bit about the Divine Martial Great General, and knowing that the Great General originated from a constable, he harbored slight doubts about the Great General’s ability to lead troops.
However, the Great General had led three thousand troops to flatten Heian-kyo, Japan.
He must have some skill.
Lin Fan pondered for a moment, “The art of war states: when marching and fighting, the primary choice for making camp is by a mountain and near water, in a commanding position, but the core objective is to be in an invincible state.”
“Let’s camp there.”
Lin Fan casually pointed to a spot.
Deputy General Lu looked into the distance, puzzled. “General, didn’t you say we should be by a mountain and near water, in a commanding position? This place doesn’t seem to meet the requirements. I believe that location over there is better.”
“Ah, that’s where you’re mistaken. What did I say was the core objective?” Lin Fan asked.
“To be in an invincible state,” Deputy General Lu replied.
“Correct. It is to be in an invincible state. As long as I am present, no matter where we are, that will be an invincible state.” Lin Fan said confidently.
“Yes, your subordinate obeys.” Deputy General Lu said no more and directly ordered the soldiers to make camp, rest, and conserve their energy, as a great battle was likely to erupt tomorrow.
Beside them, Ning Yu looked up with admiration, “Master, when will I be able to be as confident as you?”
Lin Fan said sternly, “Ning Yu, you must read more military treatises. I had never read military treatises before, and I truly didn’t know how shocking their contents were. After reading them, it was like a divine revelation, a sudden enlightenment.”
“Oh.” Ning Yu took out her small notebook and began to record.
Meanwhile, Historian Wang, who had been following along, recorded diligently with a grave expression.
Lin Fan looked at Historian Wang. “Lord Wang, record well. I am responsible for every word I say. I also hope that future generations will learn something substantial from my words on military deployment and strategy.”
Historian Wang replied respectfully, “Great General, please rest assured. Your subordinate will record it truthfully. This is a matter of quelling a rebellion, so your subordinate needs to use plenty of ink to record it, ensuring that everything the Great General does and says is clearly documented.”
For Historian Wang, the matters of the Imperial Court were far less stimulating than accompanying the Great General on his expeditions and recording them.
Those in the Imperial Court engaged in mere verbal combat.
Only the Great General engaged in actual deeds.
Lin Fan nodded with satisfaction.
As Deputy General Lu made arrangements, the soldiers busied themselves. The march thus far had been tiring for the soldiers, and they needed a good meal and some rest.
The main general’s camp.
Lin Fan, as the Great General suppressing the rebellion, sat in the commanding seat. The accompanying deputy generals and brigade generals all stood in the camp, looking at the map before them and discussing animatedly.
“Jiu’an City is easy to defend and difficult to attack. How should we proceed?”
“I think attacking the mind is paramount. Tomorrow, we can challenge them outside the city, letting the soldiers within know that their actions are rebellion, and they will be put on the pillar of shame. I hope they will abandon the dark and embrace the light, and open the gates to surrender.”
“I don’t think that will work. The soldiers here are loyal to the Wu family. They only know the Wu family of Yunnan and not His Majesty. Moreover, Huo Ge of the Dag Guang Dynasty is also here. It’s impossible to make these soldiers surrender.”
The deputy generals and brigade generals discussed animatedly.
Their wisdom in leading troops and fighting battles was fully unleashed.
However, after much discussion, they could not arrive at any solution.
At this moment, Lin Fan felt uncomfortable sitting there. He got up and walked to the rack where the Divine Martial Great General’s armor was displayed. Looking at the imposing and magnificent armor before him, a surge of heat suddenly welled up within him.
The armor before him was a gift bestowed by His Majesty.
The Profound Abyss Divine Martial Armor.
This armor had Profound Abyss iron for its bones, a Profound Abyss ink body with gilded flowing patterns hidden within, a breastplate cast with a Baxia dragon head, shoulder guards shaped like guard dragons holding a dark gold cape, and layered inversely scaled plates, their edges sharp as blades.
The armguards were sturdy, the elbow guards featured sharp spikes, and the back-of-hand armor was covered by a miniature Pulao beast head.
The leg guards had sharp lines, and the knee guards were adorned with ferocious Chao Feng beast heads, exuding majesty and dominance.
Lin Fan walked step by step towards the armor, rolled up his sleeves, and gently wiped the Baxia dragon head on the breastplate. He was truly fond of this armor, even reluctant to wear it.
“Master, why don’t we wear it this time?” Ning Yu said.
Lin Fan waved his hand. “No, no. It’s just suppressing a rebellion, why would I need to wear such armor? Even just looking at this armor makes me feel fierce and overbearing. Ordinary people would feel intimidated upon seeing it.”
Ning Yu pulled on Lin Fan’s arm and pouted, “Master, please wear it just once. Ever since this armor was bestowed by His Majesty, you haven’t worn it. I really want to see it with my own eyes. I can’t even imagine how domineering and handsome you would look wearing it.”
“Master, please, just wear it.”
Ning Yu could tell at a glance that her master really wanted to wear it.
But he probably felt that wearing it would be too ostentatious, hence his reluctance.
As his only disciple, besides learning from her master, she also needed to understand his true inner thoughts and provide assistance.
At this moment, the deputy generals and brigade generals were contemplating how to strategize for the next day. Who would have thought that the Great General and Miss Ning Yu would be discussing this armor?
However, when they saw the armor, they were deeply captivated. Even though they had seen it before, it was still incredibly awe-inspiring.
The armor they wore was ordinary armor, just iron sheets attached to their bodies.
But the Great General’s Profound Abyss Divine Martial Armor was a special item, requiring exceptional craftsmanship. The cost of this armor alone was likely equivalent to that of a hundred ordinary sets of armor.
The deputy generals and brigade generals exchanged glances and nodded in tacit agreement.
“Great General, why don’t you wear it? We are all very eager to see how majestic and overbearing the Great General will look wearing His Majesty’s bestowed Profound Abyss Divine Martial Armor.”
Everyone persuaded him.
It seemed Lin Fan couldn’t resist their pleas.
“Alright, then I’ll change. Put on the armor.”
Ning Yu clenched her fists, visibly excited. The generals quickly sprang into action.
A long while later.
When Lin Fan, clad in the Profound Abyss Divine Martial Armor, appeared before everyone, all held their breath and stared with fear at the being who seemed to have emerged from the abyss.
Some couldn’t help but retreat several steps.
They realized that the Profound Abyss Divine Martial Armor, when worn by the Great General, exuded such terrifying pressure. When the helmet and face mask were lowered, it revealed a pitch-black dragon head, devoid of any emotion.
All it conveyed was that whoever wore this armor was undoubtedly a being with overwhelming killing intent on the battlefield.
Ning Yu covered her mouth, gazing blankly. After a long moment of stunned silence, she exclaimed, “Master, this is too cool! I feel like my heart is about to stop beating.”
Lin Fan walked a few steps within the camp, each step sounding heavy, as if a mountain had appeared before everyone.
Lin Fan gripped his iron rod, his towering, mountain-like figure exuding boundless ferocity.
At this moment, the deputy generals and brigade generals completely understood how much His Majesty favored the Divine Martial Great General. This armor completely encased his body, making him impervious not only to swords and spears but likely even to fire and water.
“I’ve worn it, now take it off,” Lin Fan said.
Ning Yu quickly intervened, “Master, don’t take it off! Now that you’re wearing this battle armor, you’re truly incredibly imposing. I think if you stood before the gates of Jiu’an City wearing this armor, you would surely scare those rebels to their core.”
The generals chimed in, “Great General, Miss Ning Yu is absolutely right. In my lifetime, I have never seen such a domineering and majestic battle armor!”
Faced with everyone’s persuasion.
Lin Fan sighed, helpless, and could only reluctantly agree.
Ning Yu pulled her master out of the camp. The soldiers busy outside, upon seeing this, froze in place, staring as if they had seen a ghost.
*Thump!*
One soldier slumped to the ground, his breathing becoming rapid, as if his throat were being choked, making it difficult to breathe.
“What are you looking at? This is your Divine Martial Great General,” Ning Yu said.
The soldiers snapped back to reality, kneeling down and shouting, “Great General! Great General!!!”
Ning Yu said, “Master, do you see? When you wear this battle armor, you are truly exceptionally majestic and overbearing. Whoever sees it is captivated and awestruck.”
“Is that so?”
Let alone them being captivated.
Even Lin Fan himself was captivated by his current appearance. He was imagining his current self in his mind.
After Lin Fan made a round of the barracks, he returned to the main camp.
But he did not know.
The actions he had just taken had stirred up a storm among the soldiers.
The soldiers discussed and chattered, all awestruck by Lin Fan’s might. Their morale, without them realizing it, had soared.
Night fell.
“Great General, tomorrow we believe challenging the city from the front to test the situation with Wu Yun and Huo Ge is a good idea. What do you think?” Deputy General Lu asked respectfully.
He was so awestruck by Lin Fan’s aura that he dared not look up to meet his gaze. The battle armor itself was imposing, and combined with the Great General’s personal aura, it was truly peerless in history.
They had all come through seas of blood.
Yet now, who could have imagined that a mere set of armor could instill such fear in their hearts?
Lin Fan’s expression was grave, and he pondered.
The generals waited for the Great General’s command.
Lin Fan lifted the tent flap and looked up at the sky. “The moon tonight is very bright, scattering silver frost across the land.”
“General has a good command of literature,” Deputy General Lu flattered.
Lin Fan said, “As the art of war states: ‘We meet the enemy with the orthodox, and win by the unexpected.’ Disrupting the enemy at night and achieving victory through surprise creates fear and breaks their morale.”
Deputy General Lu said, “Does the General mean that we should take advantage of the night to harass the enemy, not allowing the rebels any chance to rest, keeping them in a constant state of mental tension, expecting an enemy attack? The General is truly a master of warfare, attacking the mind first, making them weary.”
“Mm, that is exactly what I mean,” Lin Fan nodded.
Ning Yu, standing beside him, looked at her master with surprise.
She hadn’t expected her master to have truly learned something from the military treatises.
Now, every time he spoke, it was “the art of war states.”
It was logical and unassailable.
Deputy General Lu said, “Great General, your subordinate is willing to lead elite soldiers to harass the enemy.”
“No, you don’t need to go. I will go myself,” Lin Fan said.
Deputy General Lu said, “General, absolutely not.”
“No need to say more. My mind is made up,” Lin Fan said firmly.
Deputy General Lu said, “Since the General wishes to go personally, then your subordinate will immediately mobilize elite soldiers to accompany you.”
Lin Fan waved his hand. “Did you not understand what I said? We act at night to achieve victory through surprise. Bringing so many people, is that still a surprise? That’s called acting openly. I will go alone with my steed. Under the cover of night, who can discover me? The key is surprise.”
“Ah!?”
The generals present looked at Lin Fan in astonishment.
Are we reading the same military treatise, Great General?
“General, this is not acceptable. If you go alone, what if you encounter danger? How can we bear such responsibility?” Deputy General Lu knew the Great General was powerful, but even the most powerful would have limits against an army of thousands. If he were surrounded, it would be too late for regret.
Lin Fan frowned. “Deputy General Lu, if you continue to disobey my orders like this, I will have to get angry. The art of war states: ‘When a general disobeys orders, using him will surely lead to defeat.’ Do you truly want me to send you back to the Imperial Capital?”
“Your subordinate dares not.” Deputy General Lu quickly bowed his head in apology.
“Mm, then stay put. I will go on a surprise attack.” Lin Fan said no more, turned, and walked out of the tent, shouting, “Night Shine.”
Instantly, a steed, entirely black, galloped over.
This steed belonged to Qin Xiang, but now it was his.
Lin Fan mounted the steed, tightened the reins, and galloped away, disappearing into the barracks in the blink of an eye.
Deputy General Lu stared blankly at the disappearing figure under the night sky, unable to regain his senses for a long time. He then looked at Ning Yu. “Miss Ning Yu, where did the Great General’s military treatise come from? Could it be that the Great General misunderstood its meaning due to having no one to guide him?”
Ning Yu frowned. “Don’t talk nonsense. My Master is exceptionally intelligent. He is the one in the Central Plains Dynasty who is best at memorizing laws. How can a mere military strategy be difficult for him? My Master is doing this because he has thoroughly understood the military strategy, even innovating and gaining new insights, surpassing his predecessors, and creating his own new methods.”
When others questioned her Master, Ning Yu would defend him without hesitation.
How could her Master, Ning Yu’s Master, be doubted by them?
……
Jiu’an City.
On the city wall, torches flickered, dispelling the darkness and brightly illuminating the wall.
A group of soldiers huddled within the city walls, resting with their eyes closed, holding their spears. Some soldiers whispered to each other in low voices.
“Brother, do you think this is rebellion?”
“Rebellion? What nonsense! This is overthrowing the old system and establishing a new one. History is written by the victors. As long as we succeed, we will have made contributions to the founding of the dynasty. We are soldiers of the founding of the nation. We may not be crowned kings or appointed prime ministers, but we will certainly not lack glory and wealth.”
“That’s true, it makes sense.”
“Yes, but you’d better be careful. Don’t mention rebellion. If the general hears it, you’ll lose your head.”
Suddenly.
A voice came from outside the city.
“Rebels within the city, I am the Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan. Quickly open the city gates and surrender, or I will not be polite with you!” Lin Fan, riding Night Shine, roared angrily.
This roar was truly effective, startling the rebels on the city wall into a momentary panic. They immediately blew whistles to alert others.
“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”
Seeing the rebels’ large-scale commotion, Lin Fan couldn’t help but smile.
Military strategy is truly interesting.
It indeed made them become so jumpy they mistook grass for soldiers.
Lin Fan dismounted, patted Night Shine’s rear, “Night Shine, it will be dangerous in a moment. You go roam far away for a bit. Come back when your master calls you.”
*Hiss!*
Night Shine turned and ran, clearly understanding that if it stayed here, it might be shot full of holes.
At this moment, the soldiers on the city wall frantically put on their caps and aimed their bows and arrows downwards. But when they looked down, they couldn’t see anyone. Wait… there was a figure over there.
The figure seemed to be emitting a faint glow.
It was difficult to make out.
The rebels were a bit confused. They didn’t understand what was happening. The enemy attack had been announced, but only one person had come?
Soon, the guard general in charge of the city wall hurried over. He looked down, frowning slightly. “Who goes there?”
Lin Fan said, “Your grandfather is the Imperial Court’s Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan. You rebels dare to rebel. Don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. Quickly open the city gates and surrender, and I will spare your lives.”
Hearing this, the guard general’s heart trembled. The Divine Martial Great General’s reputation was indeed thunderous. General Wu was most worried about this person.
However, the fact that the opponent had appeared alone made the guard general feel much more at ease.
They were the defenders now, with tens of thousands of soldiers within the city. For him to break through would be a mere fantasy.
“Hahaha…” The guard general burst into laughter. “Divine Martial Great General, I have heard your name. They say you are very formidable, but are you coming alone now?”
“That’s right.”
“How audacious! It seems the rumors are false. I think this Divine Martial Great General of yours is just an idiot. Coming alone, are you here to seek death?” the guard general shouted angrily.
Lin Fan ignored the guard general and said loudly, “Soldiers within the city, you are subjects of the Central Plains Dynasty. I do not wish for you to err further. Now, lay down your weapons, open the city gates, and come out to surrender. I swear to report to His Majesty and pardon your crimes.”
The guard general angrily said, “Are these words fit for you to utter? You, as the Divine Martial Great General, do not know how to lead troops to attack a city, but instead rush forward recklessly. This is enough to show how foolish you are. If even a fool like you can be made a Great General, it shows that the current Emperor is also a muddle-headed ruler.”
“Since he is muddle-headed, we naturally must serve a wise ruler. Guards, shoot arrows at him! Shoot him to death!”
The soldiers drew their bows and shot arrows without hesitation.
*Swish!*
*Swish!*
Dense arrows rained down upon Lin Fan.
Facing such a volley of arrows.
Lin Fan stood still. The arrows struck his armor, making clanging sounds, but they could not harm him in the slightest.
“You rebels, I gave you a chance, but you did not cherish it. Since that is the case, do not blame me.”
Having said that.
Lin Fan took a step forward, moving like a black streak of light. He charged to the city gate and delivered a powerful kick. With a bang, the city gate collapsed. The soldiers behind the gate looked on in terror, but they didn’t even have time to scream before they were crushed by the falling gate.
“Ah?”
The guard general heard the commotion below and looked horrified. He turned to look down into the city and saw that the figure had already entered the city. He flew into a rage.
“Who opened the city gate? Who opened the city gate!!!”
“General, he kicked the city gate open himself,” a soldier shouted.
“Nonsense!” the guard general roared.
At this moment, Lin Fan walked forward step by step. Clad in his battle armor, illuminated by the moonlight, he was majestic and imposing. The soldiers surrounding him were clearly intimidated by the armor, and none dared to step forward.
With every step Lin Fan took, the soldiers took a step back.
The guard general roared, “Kill him! Anyone who retreats again will be punished by military law.”
Military orders are like mountains.
The soldiers roared, gripped their spears, and charged at Lin Fan.
Lin Fan held his iron rod in one hand, swinging it with wide, powerful arcs.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The soldiers struck by the iron rod were instantly sent flying, their flesh caved in. The soldiers behind them were also caught in the impact, colliding with each other. In the blink of an eye, a vacuum zone formed before Lin Fan.
The soldiers were terrified.
“You rebels, do you truly wish to die?” Lin Fan roared.
Under the cover of night, Lin Fan, clad in battle armor, was overwhelmingly powerful, his might enveloping the area. Blood dripped from his iron rod. It was a decisive opening strike, creating a favorable situation.
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
Not far away, soldiers within the city roared and charged towards Lin Fan.
At this moment, Lin Fan said no more. He turned and transformed into a black dragon, charging into the rebel army and beginning his slaughter.
The guard general on the city wall witnessed the scene below.
The more he watched, the more his heart trembled.
The more he watched, the more fearful he became.
“Is this still human?”
Surrounded by soldiers, he was not at a disadvantage at all. In fact, in such a short time, a large number of soldiers had been killed, and none could approach him.
“Give me arrows.”
The guard general roared at a dumbfounded soldier beside him.
The soldier quickly handed him a bow and arrows.
The guard general drew his bow, aiming at Lin Fan’s back. He had intended to aim for the head, but the opponent’s head was covered by a helmet, making it impossible to penetrate. He then aimed for the legs.
But who would have thought that his legs were also completely covered?
Thinking of this.
He directly released the arrow, which flew towards Lin Fan’s back of the head.
He was confident in his arm strength. Even if he couldn’t shatter the helmet, the impact would surely make the opponent dizzy and disoriented.
*Clang!*
The arrow, which had cut through the night sky, was caught by Lin Fan. Without even looking at it, he threw it back. The arrow shot out, whistling through the air.
*Pierce!*
The guard general stared with wide eyes, horrified, at his pierced chest. His body tilted forward, and he fell directly from the city wall, crashing heavily onto the ground.
Inside the city, in the barracks.
Wu Yun and Huo Ge were both awakened by the sounds of constant fighting in the distance.
“Someone!”
As he spoke, a deputy general rushed in. “General, this is bad! The Divine Martial Great General has already killed his way into the city.”
“What?” Wu Yun was shocked. “How did he get in? What were the guards doing?”
“General, your subordinate doesn’t know either,” the deputy general said with a panicked expression.
“How many men did he bring?”
“One man, only the Divine Martial Great General alone.”
Wu Yun was stunned for a moment, then pushed the deputy general aside and hurried outside. Once outside, he stood at a high vantage point, looking into the distance. The sounds of fighting were loud, and flames flickered.
“Go, immediately tell our men to retreat. Have Huo Ge’s men push forward first, and quickly have the armored soldiers prepare themselves.”
“Yes, General.”
Not long after this deputy general left, Huo Ge, having just dressed, hurried over. “General Wu, what has happened?”
“General Huo, this is terrible. Lin Fan has killed his way in. I fear we have spies within the city. He launched a surprise night attack, causing chaos. If we don’t stop this immediately, the consequences could be dire,” Wu Yun said.
“Damn it.” Huo Ge was instantly enraged upon hearing this. How could he tolerate it? He mounted his steed and headed into the distance.
Wu Yun clenched his fists, his expression grave, and murmured to himself, “Could it be true, as rumored, that he possesses terrifying power that is beyond human comprehension?”
In the distance, at the scene.
Corpses piled up like mountains.
Lin Fan leaped up, landing amidst the rebel army. He grasped the end of his staff with one hand and swept it outwards. The terrifying power was fully unleashed, scattering the rebels everywhere. Some were flung through the doors of civilian homes, rolling inside, startling the residents with their cries of alarm.
When Lin Fan entered the city, the residents heard the commotion. Some secretly peeked through cracks in their windows. Upon seeing the scenes outside, they were already trembling with fear.
The battle armor, with its Profound Abyss ink and gilded flowing patterns, looked like a true god of slaughter. Each strike of his staff claimed the lives of countless soldiers. Some soldiers, when swept away, exploded mid-air, their blood and flesh scattering across the ground.
This scene, in the eyes of the soldiers, was truly like a terrifying purgatory on earth.
“Giddy-up! Giddy-up!”
“Make way!”
A general, clad in armor and riding a steed, charged forward rapidly. He held a long saber, his gaze locked on Lin Fan. “Bold wretch, how dare you come here and act so presumptuously! Take this!”
This general was a valiant and skilled officer under Huo Ge of the Dag Guang Dynasty. As he charged from behind the soldiers, just as he was about to raise his saber and slash Lin Fan to death.
The sight before him startled him, and he quickly reined in his steed.
A sea of blood and a mountain of corpses.
The ground behind Lin Fan was littered with corpses, which deeply shocked him. As he looked at Lin Fan, his grip on the reins tightened further.
His heart was in his mouth.
This was a god of slaughter.
Lin Fan slowly raised his staff, pointing it at the general, and said, “Come, let this general see how capable you are.”
Upon hearing this, the general was so frightened he almost fell off his horse and turned to flee. However, this general was not foolish; he turned his steed back and hid behind the soldiers, waving his hand and shouting, “Kill him!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
The rebels charged forward again.
Lin Fan murmured to himself, “The art of war states: to defeat many with few, one must press the attack with the momentum of a tiger. Am I afraid of you? No, it is you who are afraid of me.”
Lin Fan moved like lightning, his footwork agile, his staff strikes like shadows, dense and impenetrable. Any rebel who came within range of his staff would personally feel the terrifying power of his strikes.
At the same time, his gaze was fixed on the general who had just appeared.
This general clearly noticed Lin Fan approaching him and became so frightened that he quickly reined in his [Truncated: Max tokens]
This general clearly noticed Lin Fan approaching him, frightening him into hastily spurring his horse to flee, but Lin Fan’s speed was extremely fast, as he directly leaped onto the rooftop and sprinted forward.
The general tightly gripped the reins, turned his head to look at the eaves, and showed a look of terror.
“Stop him for me.”
The general roared.
But the soldiers were truly helpless against Lin Fan, who was running wildly on the eaves, and could only watch helplessly. Suddenly, Lin Fan took a step forward, leaped high, and descended towards the horse’s back.
Rumble!
Lin Fan sat steadily behind the general. The horse beneath him clearly felt the immense weight pressing down, struggling to bear it, and stopped running, standing still.
“As a general, how can you desert in the face of battle? Military strategy states: ‘Those who retreat first in battle shall be beheaded.'” Lin Fan’s voice drifted into the other’s ears.
The general’s body was stiff as he straddled the steed, and with every breath, a thick scent of blood filled his nostrils.
He didn’t dare to look behind him.
Not daring to move at all.
The surrounding soldiers surrounded Lin Fan, but no one moved because their general was also present.
Lin Fan said, “Judging by your attire, you don’t look like someone from the Central Plains Dynasty. Are you from the Dag Guang Dynasty?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph, how dare the mere Dag Guang Dynasty covet the Central Plains. I see your dynasty has been living too comfortably.”
“I… I didn’t want to come either. It was our Great General Huo Ge who led the troops here.”
“Great General? What rank are you to dare call yourself Great General like this General?”
Lin Fan grabbed his head and slammed it hard against the ground. The force was immense, and with a *bang*, blood erupted the moment the corpse hit the earth.
“Ah…”
The surrounding rebel army erupted in an uproar, filled with fear.
Lin Fan saw their gazes and nodded with satisfaction, “Excellent. As the military strategy states: ‘He who kills one man and shakes the entire army should be killed.’ This saying is indeed correct. To truly apply military strategy, one must practice it personally.”
It was at this moment that he was thinking of these things.
The surrounding rebels fiercely thrust their spears into the horses’ bellies. Lin Fan stomped on the horse’s back and leaped up. Without another word, he roared, and the arm beneath his armor swelled powerfully.
“Ah!”
A roar of anger.
The iron rod violently struck the ground.
Rumble!
The ground cracked and caved, creating an impact. Rubble, imbued with force, flew in all directions like sharp blades, Hiss, hiss, the rebel soldiers cried out in pain, their bodies pierced by the debris.
“Kill!”
This shout of “Kill!” was bellowed by Lin Fan.
…
After an unknown amount of time.
The sky began to faintly brighten.
Deputy General Lu and the others stood at the entrance of the barracks, watching from afar. The General had been out for a long time; why hadn’t he returned yet? Just as they were at a loss,
a figure on horseback appeared in the distance.
Looking from afar, they couldn’t make out the features, but illuminated by the afterglow, it was undoubtedly the Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan, its gleam betraying him.
As Lin Fan arrived at the barracks.
“Great General, you’ve finally returned.” Deputy General Lu hurried forward, carefully observing and finding the Great General’s armor to be very clean, without a trace of blood, which relieved him.
Lin Fan smiled, “What could possibly go wrong?”
On his way back, he had specifically gone to the river to wash his armor clean. It would be such a shame for such handsome and brilliant armor to be stained with blood. As for the most difficult item to clean, it was the iron rod.
However, with a little effort,
there was no difficulty at all.
Deputy General Lu said, “This subordinate was merely concerned for the General. May I ask how the expedition went?”
Lin Fan replied, “Don’t you agree, military strategy is best learned through practice? This Great General’s trip has been very rewarding. The surprise attack on the rebel army was quite effective. In my opinion, this move of surprise attack has likely terrified them to their very core, making the recapture of Jiu’an City a simple matter.”
Deputy General Lu said, “The Great General’s stratagems are truly brilliant, this subordinate is in awe. A surprise attack at night, the Great General’s might must have left them restless and unable to sleep or eat, and now their morale is likely low and spirits depleted. When the time comes, this subordinate will lead the troops and take Jiu’an City with ease.”
“No hurry. Let the soldiers sleep well and eat their fill. At that time, this Great General will lead you all there,” Lin Fan said.
Historian Wang recorded the events by the side.
【 The Divine Martial Great General’s night surprise attack on the rebel army disrupted their minds, causing their morale to plummet, a true display of masterful generalship. 】
Ning Yu looked at her master, sniffing the air intensely. There seemed to be a faint scent of blood, but not very strong. Having followed her master for so long, she understood him well.
The surprise attack her master spoke of absolutely could not have been simply shouting a few times outside the city.
This was simply not her master’s usual style.
In her understanding, her master’s surprise attacks always involved shouting before the battle, then breaking through the city gates, charging in alone. The rebel army would be greatly alarmed, thinking there was an ambush.
But in the end, they would discover that it was indeed only their master.
Wouldn’t you say that’s surprising? A tactic no one expected.
After a long while.
The soldiers awoke and ate their fill.
“Set off!”
Lin Fan waved his hand, leading the soldiers towards Jiu’an City.
Deputy General Lu continued to issue orders, with scouts investigating the route to prevent enemy ambushes. He still felt that while the Divine Martial Great General’s personal combat prowess was truly formidable, warfare was not solely about individual strength but also about military strategy and formation.
Because of this, Deputy General Lu had to take the matter seriously.
The Imperial Court’s current campaign to quell the rebellion was of great importance and could not afford any setbacks. This was no longer just a matter for the Wu family; the Dag Guang Dynasty was involved.
If the rebellion failed to be quelled,
and the rebels, along with the Dag Guang Dynasty, pushed forward unchecked, then the Central Plains Dynasty would truly face endless peril.
After a long while.
The army was now only a hundred meters away from Jiu’an City.
“Great General, we should stop here, otherwise we will be within arrow range,” Deputy General Lu reminded him.
Lin Fan nodded, “Deputy General Lu’s experience is vast, noticing even such details. He is truly a renowned general.”
“The Great General praises me too highly.”
Deputy General Lu’s mood lifted.
Indeed, at a crucial moment, the Great General was willing to heed his advice.
Deputy General Lu swore in his heart, “Great General, rest assured, even if you are not adept at leading troops in sieges, this subordinate will do his utmost, applying all his learned skills, to secure victory for the Great General.”
