Chapter 1180: The Siege Begins
Chapter 1180: The Siege Begins
October 18, 2017
To be honest, Lu Hai Kong had absolutely no regard for this massive coalition army that had gathered against him.
This was evident from the almost mocking tone of his personal letter. Although it seemed written to provoke, it genuinely reflected Lu Hai Kong's true feelings.
After his encounter with the foreign demons, Lu Hai Kong no longer viewed the original powerhouses of the Three Kingdoms world as worthy opponents. It wasn't a matter of having high standards, but the current Lu Hai Kong possessed the strength to effortlessly defeat the coalition.
Precisely because of this overwhelming power, Lu Hai Kong didn't bother with the so-called coalition army. Let them form alliances and attack if they wished; he didn't care. He was ready to face any tricks they had up their sleeves.
With this detached mindset, Lu Hai Kong had no fear of the coalition army's approach. He didn't even bother fortifying most of the eight passes of Luoyang, calmly sitting in the city and watching Dong Zhuo's forces bluff.
On the other side, the coalition forces had initially arrived with great momentum, confident that their strength would easily overcome Lu Hai Kong.
However, as they marched through the mostly unguarded eight passes of Luoyang and witnessed the officials appointed by Lu Hai Kong showing no fear of their arrival, the coalition's confidence began to waver.
Lu Hai Kong's bold stance was unmistakable, clearly indicating his lack of concern for the coalition.
Under these circumstances, the coalition couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Ever since Lu Hai Kong's debut, he had never lost a battle, and to some, he was an invincible war god.
Of course, some believed Lu Hai Kong was merely bluffing, but regardless, upon witnessing his bold stance, the coalition's advance slowed significantly.
These forces genuinely feared Lu Hai Kong, but despite their hesitation, they were already committed. They had to proceed, even if it meant holding their noses.
So, their steps slowed, but they continued inching closer.
In mid-March, the coalition forces gathered in Yangcheng and Yicheng, and they set out towards Luoyang. However, it wasn't until mid-April, nearly a full month later, and with most of the eight passes of Luoyang undefended, that they finally converged outside Luoyang.
An army of 1.5 million, with several hundred thousand troops controlling the passes of Hulao, Hanguguan, and Guangcheng, which Lu Hai Kong had intentionally left unguarded, allowing the coalition to enter. The remaining million troops lined up outside Luoyang.
The coalition's camps stretched for dozens of miles, and it took them three days to set up their camps and arrange their formations. Finally, the eastern and western coalition armies had successfully united outside Luoyang.
Although the two armies had united, and their camps were set up, for the three days since their arrival, they had been busy arranging their camps and conducting internal meetings.
For three days, the coalition showed no signs of attacking Luoyang and made no attempts to communicate with Lu Hai Kong.
On the one hand, managing a million-strong army from over a dozen factions was no easy task. On the other hand, Lu Hai Kong's behavior along the way had been peculiar.
They couldn't help but feel a mix of concern and hesitation, still pondering their strategy for the upcoming battle.
Before they could come up with a plan, Lu Hai Kong took the initiative.
On the third day of the coalition's arrival at Luoyang, a message reached the coalition camp: the gates of Luoyang had opened, and a cavalry unit was approaching them, led by none other than Lu Hai Kong himself.
This news sent shockwaves through the coalition army.
No one expected Lu Hai Kong to dare to leave the city and approach them with their million-strong army at the gates.
However, this coalition was different from the previous one. The previous coalition had nearly a hundred warlords, while this time, there were fewer participants.
Aside from the eight NPC warlords—Dong Zhuo, Liu Bei of Yizhou, Cao Cao of Yan Province, Sun Jian of Jiangdong, Liu Biao of Jing Province, Ma Teng and Han Sui of Liangzhou, and Tao Qian of Xuzhou—there were only four other lords: Yuan Hong of Jizhou, Sun Qing and Ye Wen of Qingzhou, and Meng Hu of Nanman. Together, they formed a coalition of just twelve warlords.
Although stronger individually, the coalition was smaller in number, and those who survived were exceptional. Many had encountered Lu Hai Kong before and understood him well.
They knew that Lu Hai Kong's visit was not for battle but for negotiations. Upon learning of Lu Hai Kong's actions, the coalition quickly reached a consensus and took action.
In the coalition, nearly all top strategists, warlords, and elite troops were gathered.
The coalition moved accordingly, preparing to meet Lu Hai Kong outside Luoyang, both outside the city and their own camps.
However, they underestimated Lu Hai Kong's decisiveness. Before they could mobilize, Lu Hai Kong arrived with his troops, standing quietly outside their camps with around 2,200 soldiers. From Lu Hai Kong down to the lowest-ranking soldier, they exuded calmness, as if the million-strong enemy coalition were merely paper tigers.
Gazing at this army, Lu Hai Kong felt a surge of emotion.
Initially, Lu Hai Kong had planned to teach these forces an unforgettable lesson, but upon learning the news from Cheng Yaojin, he had to reconsider.
"I hope these guys will be reasonable," he thought.
Chapter end
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