https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-131-The-End-of-the-Battle-Part-2-/13030907/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-133-Obtaining-Another-Warrior-Soul-Stone/13030909/
Chapter 132: End of Battle (3)
Chapter 132: End of Battle (3)
September 25, 2017
...
Dian Wei was a force to be reckoned with in battle, especially to those who had witnessed his non-combat demeanor.
When not fighting, Dian Wei appeared as an ordinary, honest farmer, albeit a bit burly and unattractive. But once engaged in combat, he transformed into a terrifying demon in the eyes of others, a brutal and ferocious monster.
The battle had already attracted the attention of the Hu Yin Tribe, and as dawn broke, many Xianbei people stood by, their faces filled with awe and fear as they watched Dian Wei fight. No one dared to take a step forward, and it wasn't until Dian Wei's battle ended that they witnessed something astonishing. The once mighty warriors in their eyes were now like chicks, effortlessly slain by Dian Wei's might. This sight left everyone who witnessed it chilled to the bone.
Lu HaiKong had realized from the start of the battle that he couldn't compete with Dian Wei's prowess. After taking down a few enemies, he turned to assist Li Xiong and Zhao Hu in eliminating the remaining followers of Hu YinQi.
Surprisingly, even with just three of them, Lu HaiKong, Li Xiong, and Zhao Hu were less efficient against the remaining two to three dozen enemies than Dian Wei. By the time they finished, Dian Wei had also nearly completed his task.
"Congratulations on winning the battle. You and your subordinates have gained 20,000 Allocatable Skill Experience points."
"Congratulations on your victory. Your understanding of Leadership has deepened, and your Leadership skill has improved. Your current Leadership level is 31."
Lu HaiKong had recently discovered something about the campaign mode. When facing NPCs, as long as the enemy's numbers exceeded a hundred, the system automatically triggered the campaign mode, unlike when attacking a fortified camp or refugee camp, where both sides needed to have at least ten members.
Lu HaiKong thought this was a good thing, as it meant more rewards. However, the experience distribution in campaign mode seemed to be based on individual contributions. Lu HaiKong, Li Xiong, and Zhao Hu were considered one group, while Dian Wei was counted as a separate group.
Each of Lu HaiKong's group received 20,000 Allocatable Skill Experience points, while Dian Wei, on his own, gained at least 60,000 or even more skill experience points.
Lu HaiKong didn't mind this arrangement. After the battle, he signaled to Hu YinWen to handle the aftermath while he, along with Li Xiong, Zhao Hu, and Dian Wei, collected the spoils of war and promptly withdrew.
During the battle, Dian Wei's kills rarely yielded any loot, while Lu HaiKong and Li Xiong's victims did. Even so, there were dozens of corpses to search, and the potential rewards were impressive.
However, Lu HaiKong couldn't bring himself to thoroughly loot the bodies under the watchful eyes of the Xianbei people. It would be too brazen. So, Lu HaiKong and his companions only selected a few enemies and collected the items they had dropped.
Hu YinWen, a lover of Han culture and a scholar of Confucianism, was appalled by Lu HaiKong's actions.
Moreover, Lu HaiKong's previous unreserved killing of Hu YinQi's men in front of Hu YinWen had already branded him as a ruthless and savage bandit in the latter's mind. But at the same time, this was also why Hu YinWen feared Lu HaiKong.
In Hu YinWen's eyes, Lu HaiKong was a hot-headed brute who only knew how to solve problems with his fists. If provoked, he could unleash a terrifying fury, as witnessed with Dian Wei's formidable strength. Hu YinWen still vividly remembered that display, and although his rivals were now dead, he needed Lu HaiKong's help to secure his position as the new chief.
Despite witnessing Lu HaiKong's actions, Hu YinWen could only feign ignorance, allowing Lu HaiKong to rummage through the corpses and collect valuables right before his eyes.
After Lu HaiKong finished gathering his spoils of war, he returned to his tent for an inventory, while Hu YinWen had much more to handle.
...
"My Lord, do you think we might anger Hu YinWen by doing this?" Inside Li Xiong's tent, Li Xiong gazed at the small pile of spoils, a hint of unease in his voice.
Li Xiong always felt it unnecessary to provoke Hu YinWen over such trivial gains. After all, Hu YinWen was the next in line to lead the Hu Yin Tribe, commanding over ten thousand cavalry units. In terms of military might, he could easily outclass Lu HaiKong by a significant margin.
More importantly, Hu YinWen was their upcoming trading partner at Black Wind Fort, and they had nearly three hundred thousand goods stored within his tribe.
"He'll definitely be unhappy, but not to the point of being enraged. This guy is a deep schemer. Not only will he not seek revenge, but he might even become more enthusiastic towards us. Who would want to anger a cruel and powerful lunatic capable of killing at any moment?"
Lu HaiKong had his own considerations. His ability to intimidate others was limited, especially when dealing with someone like Hu YinWen, destined to wield immense military power. The only thing that could deter Hu YinWen was Lu HaiKong's formidable personal strength.
To maximize this intimidation, Lu HaiKong had to portray himself as a ruthless and ferocious madman, adopting an attitude of 'Don't mess with me, or I'll kill you.'
In the version of the novel, this was the only way for Lu HaiKong to assert his dominance. By establishing this intimidation, Lu HaiKong and his group could gain more control during their dealings and interactions with the Hu Yin Tribe. After all, they were currently within the tribe's territory, and failing to intimidate them could lead to difficulties.
If Hu YinWen were to mistakenly harbor thoughts he shouldn't, such as Lu HaiKong being the killer of his father or the mastermind behind the internal strife within the tribe, and if he decided to eliminate Lu HaiKong out of anger, the most Lu HaiKong could do would be to break through with Li Xiong and Dian Wei. Even the safety of Zhao Hu would be uncertain, let alone the nearly three hundred thousand goods.
This was one of the reasons Lu HaiKong ordered Dian Wei to kill the group of Xianbei people who emerged from the tent. They were all quasi-warlord-level warriors, belonging to the tribe's upper nobility.
If the Hu Yin Tribe were an army, these individuals would be mid-level leaders, essential for any new chief to quickly stabilize and unite the tribe.
By killing them, Lu HaiKong created a challenge for Hu YinWen. The aftermath of the internal strife lacked resolution, and there was a shortage of people to help Hu YinWen regain control. This directly hindered Hu YinWen's ability to swiftly assume the role of chief, reducing the threat he posed to Lu HaiKong.
While this action might hinder genuine cooperation with Hu YinWen for a while, Lu HaiKong's priority in enemy territory was his own safety.
(Chapter End)
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