Chapter 1017: The Harvest
Chapter 1017: The Harvest
September 25, 2017
With Lu Bu's retreat, Lu Hai Kong's battle against Dong Zhuo had finally come to an end.
Dong Zhuo had marched with 200,000 troops, their momentum fierce and intimidating, but they did not leave with their tails between their legs. Instead, they were utterly and completely defeated, forced to flee for their lives.
The 200,000-strong army arrived as a cohesive force, but when they left, not a single organized unit remained.
Whether it was the Xi Liang Cavalry, the Flying Wolf Cavalry, or the tens of thousands of infantry, all those who managed to escape alive were scattered and disorganized.
Xun You's forces, including the Iron Blood and Black Gale troops, as well as Wang Ti's infantry, were not idle in the face of this situation. They sprang into action to deal with the scattered Dong Zhuo soldiers.
If these soldiers could directly escape from Bingzhou, it would be one thing, but if they became lost within Bingzhou, they would all face the fate of being captured or killed without exception.
The soldiers' plight was dire, and the fate of the military commanders was not much better.
Among the captured commanders from Dong Zhuo's army was Hua Xiong, who had only recently been released. Lu Bu had just enough time to take Xu Rong and Zhang Xiu with him, leaving the rest behind. Additionally, several other commanders were also captured in the chaos of the battle.
Most importantly, Jia Xu, a top-tier strategist, was also among those captured. His capture was the greatest gain for Lu Hai Kong's side in this battle.
It could be said that Dong Zhuo's side suffered a crushing defeat, thoroughly dominated and humiliated by Lu Hai Kong's forces.
The battle had just concluded, and this news had not yet spread. Aside from those who had personally experienced the war, Lu Hai Kong was the first to know the outcome.
After Xun You's side completed their mission, they promptly reported to Lu Hai Kong through the intelligence system of the Shadow Guards and Xi Zhi Cai.
Simultaneously, as Xun You's report reached Lu Hai Kong, the system itself provided him with a detailed and intuitive summary of the battle's outcome.
[Your subordinate commander, Zhao Nanli, has captured the top historical general, Hua Xiong. You have obtained a Legendary Treasure Chest! (There will be no further chest rewards for capturing this general again!)]
[Your subordinate commander, Wen U, has captured the top historical general, Zhang Xiu. You have obtained a Legendary Treasure Chest!]
[Your subordinate commander, Moonshadow, has captured the top historical strategist, Jia Xu. You have obtained a Legendary Treasure Chest!]
[Your legion has defeated Dong Zhuo's legion of 200,000 (including the Xi Liang Iron Horses and Flying Wolf Cavalry). You have obtained a Mythical Treasure Chest!]
The system directly provided Lu Hai Kong with a comprehensive and clear report of the battle's results: the capture of two top-tier generals and a top-tier strategist, along with the annihilation of 200,000 troops.
This not only brought Lu Hai Kong the reward of one Mythical and three Legendary Treasure Chests but also dealt a severe blow to Dong Zhuo.
After this battle, there were no longer two top-tier powers in the world. The only top-tier power left was Lu Hai Kong himself!
The saying goes that a tall tree catches the wind, and some things cannot be hidden, no matter how hard one tries. Sometimes, attempting to conceal one's strength is not a wise strategy. Lu Hai Kong now found himself in a situation where he was surrounded by enemies from all sides.
Previously, Lu Hai Kong had tried to hide his strength, but to no avail. The winds of fate still blew against him, leading to the Three Heroes Surrounding One Tyrant scenario.
Since this was the case, Lu Hai Kong decided to reveal his true strength in this battle.
With two top-tier commanders, nearly ten top-tier generals, four pseudo-top-tier legions, a million-strong army, and Bingzhou's resources to support his lavish spending, Lu Hai Kong's displayed power had reached an unprecedented, heaven-defying level.
With such formidable strength, Lu Hai Kong had nothing to fear.
Although Lu Hai Kong did not yet have the ambition to conquer the world, he needed time to develop and a stable environment. He did not want to constantly face situations where he was surrounded and attacked by mindless mobs, as it hindered his growth. In such circumstances, Lu Hai Kong had no choice but to demonstrate his power and establish stability through force!
After this battle, no one would dare to provoke Lu Hai Kong again. He could now focus on developing his strength, biding his time until he had accumulated enough power for a grand display, sweeping away all opposition and dominating the world!
Of course, before Lu Hai Kong could enjoy this period of stability and development, he needed to first resolve the aftermath of this event.
With his strength unleashed and the war nearly won, it was time to reap the fruits of victory.
Before Lu Hai Kong could claim his spoils of war, however, there was one more matter to attend to—the last remaining troublemaker, the one who had been the most exuberant in his defiance.
...
At this moment, Baron Yuan was unaware that Dong Zhuo had suffered a complete defeat, nor did he know that Lu Hai Kong had set his sights on him.
Baron Yuan was in high spirits, though a hint of tension lingered.
He was not in Bohai City, nor was he at the forefront of the campaign against Lu Hai Kong. Instead, he had arrived in Ye City.
Indeed, at this critical juncture of the Three Heroes Surrounding One Tyrant, Baron Yuan had left his logistics duties in Bohai City and was not at the frontlines overseeing the battle. Instead, he had made his way to Ye City.
And he was not alone; with him were his top general, Zhang He, and his chief strategist, Ju Shou.
Baron Yuan's appearance in Ye City was intriguing enough, but what made it even more interesting was that he had brought his top strategist and general to the city, which was currently under Yuan Shao's control. This was clearly not a friendly visit.
It was evident that Baron Yuan had come with malicious intent, targeting Yuan Shao.
In truth, from the very beginning, Baron Yuan's true purpose in forming this alliance was not solely directed at Lu Hai Kong.
In the original version of the book, it was all there to see.
For Baron Yuan, the ideal scenario would be to defeat Lu Hai Kong without killing him, leaving him severely weakened but still standing. This way, Lu Hai Kong and Dong Zhuo would remain in a stalemate, which was the most favorable situation for Baron Yuan.
This ideal scenario, however, hinged on one crucial condition: Baron Yuan's ability to successfully defeat Yuan Shao.
Baron Yuan did not object to others vying for territory, or at least, not to the same extent as he did with Yuan Shao. On one hand, Yuan Shao's methods of contention disgusted Baron Yuan, and on the other, Yuan Shao posed a significant threat to him.
Baron Yuan had a vast network of Yuan family forces under his command, which formed the foundation of his power. Although he had been diminishing their importance over the years, it was not an easy task to accomplish, and even if he succeeded, it would be akin to cutting off his own arm.
With Yuan Shao in the picture, Baron Yuan had to keep this arm intact, or else he might lose control of it at any moment. This was the greatest challenge Baron Yuan faced and a significant factor hindering his development.
In his view, this was the reason why, despite controlling most of the prosperous Jizhou, his economy had always lagged, allowing Lu Hai Kong to surpass him.
If Baron Yuan wanted to rise, and rise quickly, he could not afford to discard this power; he had to utilize it.
To harness this power, Yuan Shao must die.
Baron Yuan had gone to great lengths, employing every means to unite the Three Heroes against Lu Hai Kong, all as a smokescreen. His true intention was to tie up Lu Hai Kong's hands and blind his eyes, allowing him to eliminate Yuan Shao and fulfill his grand ambition.
So far, his plan had proceeded smoothly.
Although Lu Hai Kong had dominated Zhang Yan's forces, he was still locked in a stalemate with Dong Zhuo. Given their respective strengths, it was unlikely that a victor would emerge within a few months, presenting the perfect opportunity for Baron Yuan.
Moreover, Baron Yuan had already set up a secret plan, and the time had come to put it into action.
Baron Yuan gazed at the direction of the Governor's Mansion in Ye City, his eyes gleaming with confidence as he said, "After today, Yuan Shao will cease to exist, Ye City will return to my grasp, and I will obtain the greatest capital for my rise!"
(End of Chapter)
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