Chapter 220: The Counterattack Begins
Chapter 220: The Counterattack Begins
September 25, 2017
At Lu Hai Kong's Mountain Camp.
After dealing with Gao Shun, Lu Hai Kong didn't waste time savoring the spoils of this war or delving into his unfocused research on the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique. Instead, he wholeheartedly immersed himself in managing the affairs of the camp.
First, he stepped forward to appease the locals and spread the joy of victory.
Then, Lu Hai Kong helped Wang Jun arrange various matters within the camp, assigning the Second Battalion to the fortress wall and deploying a fifty-strong group of Bandit Bodyguards at the city gate.
After settling these matters, Lu Hai Kong took a brief rest. On the third night after the battle, Lu Hai Kong, accompanied by Dian Wei, directly left the camp, riding their horses towards Dingxiang Prefecture with vengeance on their minds.
Lu Hai Kong had never been one to swallow his anger. His initial tolerance of the Imperial Court was solely for the camp's development. Now that Wang Hao was hell-bent on seeking death, Lu Hai Kong had no reason to spare him.
Lu Hai Kong's camp was only a few dozen kilometers away from Wang Hao's Hengling City. In a matter of hours, Lu Hai Kong and Dian Wei could reach the city on horseback.
Upon arriving at Hengling City, Lu Hai Kong didn't bother with any pretense. He charged straight through the city's main gate.
In terms of scale, Hengling City was undoubtedly larger than Lu Hai Kong's camp, being home to a population of fifty to sixty thousand. However, due to its location on the plains, unlike Lu Hai Kong's camp, which only needed one side to be fortified, constructing a wall around Hengling City would be an enormous project. Thus, despite being established much earlier than Lu Hai Kong's camp, the fortress wall remained unfinished at this time.
The city's main gate was merely a wooden structure, easily shattered by a single blow from Dian Wei.
Lu Hai Kong and Dian Wei rode their horses through the city, their presence striking fear into the locals' eyes, as they made their way towards the City Lord's Mansion.
Lu Hai Kong's group made no attempt to conceal their intentions, and soon enough, Wang Hao received word of their arrival. Initially, Wang Hao was terrified, knowing that Lu Hai Kong had decimated their five-thousand-strong Allied Forces. How could he, alone, stand a chance?
But then, he received news from his subordinates that Lu Hai Kong had only brought two men. Wang Hao's eyes lit up.
Two men dared to come to their deaths? Did he think they were mighty warriors like Lu Bu and Dian Wei? Even if they were, could they not be surrounded and defeated?
Wang Hao immediately wanted to mobilize his troops to surround and kill Lu Hai Kong, but the Mid-aged Scholar dissuaded him. While the scholar lacked military expertise, he understood people. He knew that Lu Hai Kong's bold move must have a backup plan. Perhaps these two were just bait, intended to lure Wang Hao into concentrating his forces.
Persuaded by the scholar, Wang Hao chose the most humiliating yet safest option. He gathered all the troops in his territory to guard the City Lord's Mansion, while also sending a messenger to Dingxiang Prefecture for aid.
Although this was the most cowardly approach, it was also the safest. The scholar estimated that Lu Hai Kong must have brought along his Bandit Army. Hengling City's cavalry, though present, consisted of inexperienced recruits with little combat prowess. Lu Hai Kong's Bandits had defeated even their most elite cavalry, so there was no point in sending these green recruits to their deaths. It was better to wait for reinforcements.
With Wang Hao offering little resistance, Lu Hai Kong and Dian Wei marched directly to the City Lord's Mansion.
Looking at the heavily fortified City Lord's Mansion, surrounded by layers of guards, Lu Hai Kong's lips curled into a disdainful smile.
"I thought you, Wang Hao, were someone of significance. You had the audacity to plot against me twice. First, you seized Heifeng Fort, then you incited the Elite Family Alliance to raid my camp. It turns out the mastermind behind these grand schemes is a coward?"
Inside the mansion, Wang Hao's face flushed with anger upon hearing these words. "Attack! Kill this arrogant brat!"
"My Lord, please calm down," the Mid-aged Scholar said, gently restraining Wang Hao. He called out to Lu Hai Kong beyond the fortress wall, "Lu, there may be a misunderstanding between us. Whether it's the matter of Heifeng Fort or the Elite Family Alliance, it's the greed of our subordinates at work. My lord was unaware of their actions."
"Guards! Guards!"
Before the scholar could finish his sentence, a gust of strong wind blew, frightening Wang Hao and the scholar. Soldiers nearby quickly raised their shields to protect them.
The next moment, an iron halberd came crashing down from above, knocking down a group of soldiers. Fortunately, Dian Wei had thrown it high and didn't see the people below, so no one was directly hit. Still, it scared Wang Hao and the scholar, prompting them to retreat into the courtyard, away from the fortress wall.
"I didn't come all this way to listen to your empty words," Lu Hai Kong said with an air of dominance. "I have one command: immediately, right now, release Li Xiong, or I'll level this City Lord's Mansion to the ground today!"
Inside the City Lord's Mansion, the scholar and Wang Hao were still shaken, but they scoffed at Lu Hai Kong's words.
The City Lord's Mansion was guarded by nearly two thousand elite soldiers, and it had additional defensive measures. It would take thousands of soldiers to breach such a well-fortified mansion. Lu Hai Kong's threat to level it was laughable.
In the 169th chapter of the novel, there is no error in this version!
"It seems this guy is indeed after Li Xiong," the scholar thought. "Li Xiong is indeed crucial to him. Without Li Xiong, communication between his camp and the outside world would be cut off. That's why he can't do without Li Xiong. But he's being too reckless, thinking he can demand Li Xiong's release with just a few hundred Bandits."
"My Lord, rest assured," the scholar said. "The Bandits aren't skilled in attacking such fortifications. They won't be able to break through, and once the Dingxiang reinforcements arrive, these Bandits won't escape. Your greatest worry will be eliminated."
Hearing these words, Wang Hao's pale face regained some color. He instructed his subordinates to relay a message to Lu Hai Kong.
Soon, a person cautiously approached the fortress wall and shouted to Lu Hai Kong, "My lord says Li Xiong is tied up in the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion. If you have the guts, come and save him."
Wang Hao's audacity was surprising, challenging Lu Hai Kong even when he held the upper hand.
Upon hearing this, a cruel smile appeared on Lu Hai Kong's face.
"Since you put it that way, I can't back down now," Lu Hai Kong said.
Chapter end
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