Chapter 1013: Xu Rong's Breakthrough
Chapter 1013: Xu Rong's Breakthrough
September 25, 2017
As the top commander under Dong Zhuo, Xu Rong was not a mere figurehead.
Although Xu Rong's first formal appearance did not showcase his talents, he was directly overwhelmed by Zhang Mancheng. His second appearance was even more unfortunate, as he encountered Wang Ti, who had also recently ascended to the top-tier commander rank. Despite employing all his tactics, Xu Rong was overwhelmed once again.
The formidable army of 200,000 soldiers, which had been advancing aggressively, was on the verge of disintegration within less than five days. Xu Rong was left completely deflated.
It could be said that Xu Rong's battle record was rather dismal.
However, despite his poor record, Xu Rong's true abilities were undeniable.
His command attribute had already reached 89, just one step away from the pinnacle of top-tier commanders.
These consecutive failures did not plunge him into despair; instead, they served as a catalyst for his breakthrough to the top-tier commander rank in the depths of desperation.
At this moment, a power was coalescing within him, and his attributes and commander traits were undergoing a transformation.
Xu Rong, however, was unaware of his state. From the moment he turned around, his entire focus had shifted away from himself.
His sole concern was to live up to Dong Zhuo's trust in him. He was determined to either lead as many of his brothers to safety as possible or inflict maximum damage on the enemy.
With this unwavering conviction, Xu Rong strode into Dong Zhuo's military camp.
As Xu Rong stepped into the camp and witnessed the situation within, his brain buzzed with a loud 'buzz'. Time seemed to slow down, and he began to perceive the world from a different perspective.
When he saw the blazing flames, heard the roars of the demonized soldiers, and sensed the cries of the ordinary troops, the sensation of slowed time vanished. His heart began to pound fiercely, and the power that had been accumulating within him since he left Jia Xu's side burst forth.
At this moment, Xu Rong was unaware of the nature of this power. Instinctively, he spread his arms wide, and his eyes emitted a dazzling light.
Amidst the brilliant glow, a force similar in nature to Wang Ti's surged forth from his body, soaring into the sky.
In this instant, Xu Rong achieved a true breakthrough, becoming one of the few top-tier commanders in the world.
...
"Has that guy broken through?"
Sensing the surge of power, Wang Ti, who was about to overwhelm the Xi Liang Iron Cavalry, narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Dong Zhuo's camp and knew exactly who had achieved the breakthrough after several days of confrontation.
However, Wang Ti did not feel overly concerned. The tide had turned, and even with Xu Rong's breakthrough, it was too late to change the outcome.
"This farce should come to an end!"
As Wang Ti spoke, he turned to face the Xi Liang Iron Cavalry before him, ready to lead his army to crush Hua Xiong's forces completely.
Just then, on the other side, Hua Xiong, who had been on high alert, suddenly narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as if listening intently. A moment later, his expression changed drastically.
"Full retreat!"
Hua Xiong acted as if he had just received a command. After a loud shout, he immediately led the Xi Liang Iron Cavalry in a ninety-degree turn and fled.
Wang Ti's eyes narrowed in surprise at Hua Xiong's sudden action. He had been confident in overwhelming Hua Xiong, but now, with Hua Xiong's retreat, Wang Ti could only unleash a few volleys of arrows before being left with no other options.
At the same time, on the other side, within Dong Zhuo's grand army camp,
Xu Rong had just spread his arms wide, having just broken through to the top-tier commander rank.
At that moment, a rider emerged from the flames, swiftly approaching Xu Rong.
Although the rider moved at an incredible speed, there was not a trace of killing intent on him, nor could there be. This person was none other than Zhang Xiu, who had just been pursuing Zhao Er alongside Hua Xiong.
Xu Rong, despite his dazed state, could still recognize the person before him. He did not hinder Zhang Xiu's approach and allowed him to come to his side.
"General Zhang, your arrival is most opportune. Help me gather the troops, and let's fight another battle!"
Xu Rong spoke hastily amidst his busy state.
However, he never expected Zhang Xiu to act without hesitation. He swiftly approached Xu Rong, his speed undiminished.
Xu Rong was momentarily stunned by this development, sensing something amiss. Although Zhang Xiu showed no signs of hostility, before Xu Rong could comprehend the situation, Zhang Xiu struck him with a palm across the neck, knocking him unconscious. Then, grabbing Xu Rong, he threw him onto his mount and rode out of the camp in a cloud of dust.
At the same time, several li (a Chinese unit of measurement) away from Dong Zhuo's massive army camp, Jia Xu stood alone on a slightly elevated spot, his eyes no longer gleaming with their previous intensity.
Gazing at the Dong Zhuo camp ahead, illuminated by raging flames, a peculiar expression appeared in Jia Xu's eyes.
"A top-tier cavalry, a top-tier commander, and a top-tier strategist. Lu Hai Kong has indeed invested heavily here. This battle was not lost in vain."
Although he spoke these words, there wasn't much disappointment on Jia Xu's face. In truth, they hadn't suffered significant losses, and in Jia Xu's opinion, Dong Zhuo had even gained a slight advantage.
Ever since Jia Xu arrived at Dingyang City, he knew that their chances of victory in this battle were slim.
Precisely for this reason, he had initially advised Xu Rong to turn around and retreat without engaging in battle.
But Jia Xu also understood that Xu Rong wouldn't retreat, and neither would anyone else. This battle had to be fought!
Whether considering their original plan or Dong Zhuo's reputation, they had to engage in this battle. Therefore, from the beginning, Jia Xu's advice wasn't meant to be heeded; it was just the start of his grand scheme.
Xu Rong had always believed that Jia Xu's cunning plan was designed to defeat Wang Ti. In reality, it wasn't. From the very start, Jia Xu's scheme was tailored for Xu Rong himself.
In the 1619th chapter of the novel, it is clearly stated!
Since Jia Xu knew from the outset that this was an unavoidable battle with no chance of victory, he had been calculating from the start how to lose with value and without regret.
To lose with value and without regret—this sounded like a nonsensical joke, but Jia Xu made it happen.
His cunning plan used the lives of tens of thousands of Dong Zhuo's infantry as a price to help Xu Rong break through and become a true top-tier commander.
Tens of thousands of infantry for a top-tier commander—no matter how you looked at it, this battle was not a loss for them.
The final act of Zhang Xiu taking Xu Rong away and Hua Xiong's retreat were both ordered by Jia Xu. He had the ability to give commands from a distance, compelling these two previously insubordinate individuals to follow his instructions obediently.
Hua Xiong's retreat saved tens of thousands of Xi Liang Iron Horses, although they suffered some casualties, it wasn't too severe.
As for Zhang Xiu taking Xu Rong away, it ensured Xu Rong's safety, and the preservation of tens of thousands of Xi Liang Iron Horses. With a top-tier commander in hand, they had not lost much in this battle.
Moreover, there was another reason why Jia Xu had Zhang Xiu take Xu Rong away. If Xu Rong hadn't been taken away, he would have gathered Dong Zhuo's army to consolidate their strength.
This should have been the right thing to do, but at this moment, consolidating their forces was not in their best interest.
The tide had already turned, and Xu Rong's attempt to consolidate his forces would only invite defeat. Wang Ti's forces would turn the tables and disperse their newly gathered strength.
Even though Xu Rong had reached the top-tier level, the forces under his command were not on the same level as the other side. Consolidating their forces at this point would only lead to the needless deaths of many soldiers.
However, if Xu Rong left, Dong Zhuo's army would fall into disarray.
Even if tens of thousands of soldiers were killed, burned, or transformed, there would still be nearly tens of thousands scattered across the ground.
In such a situation, Wang Ti would not be able to completely annihilate them. Later, Jia Xu could regroup them, and with luck, they might even be able to gather nearly tens of thousands of infantry again, reducing their losses even further.
Jia Xu took one last deep look in the direction of Dingyang City, then turned and left, intending to end this unavoidable battle.
Just as Jia Xu turned to leave, on the walls of Dingyang City, Xun You gazed down at the battlefield illuminated by raging flames. A faint smile appeared on his lips, "Now that we're here, how can we just leave like this?"
You think you can just intimidate us and then run away? Did you ask Xun You for permission?
Even if you did ask, he wouldn't agree. Shi Zhi Cai and Xun You hadn't forgotten how Lu Hai Kong was bullied by Li Ru and his associates in Luoyang when he was alone.
They took advantage of the strategist's absence to bully their lord, and now that he had returned, it was time to set things right.
As Xun You spoke, a cavalry unit clad in black armor and clothing emerged.
Meanwhile, within Dong Zhuo's army camp, the Iron Blood Cavalry, who had been fighting tirelessly, also began to make their move.
At the same time, a woman dressed in white, as pure as snow, emerged from the darkness...
(End of Chapter)
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