Chapter 366: The Situation
Chapter 366: The Situation
September 25, 2017
Lu HaiKong was unaware that as Ding Yuan's troops retreated, news of their battle spread quickly.
After this battle, Lu HaiKong's name became known, but not in the conventional sense. It was the Yi people, rather than NPCs, who paid more attention to this battle, and even their focus differed.
The NPCs were more concerned about Ding Yuan's unfortunate situation. He had just arrived at the mountain fortress when Jiuyuan County was conquered, a truly unlucky turn of events. As for the war between Ding Yuan and Lu HaiKong, it didn't garner much attention from the NPCs. Most NPC families believed that Lu HaiKong was merely a lucky bandit, and if not for this incident, Ding Yuan would have surely defeated him.
The Yi people, on the other hand, were interested in the conflict between Lu HaiKong and Ding Yuan, as it was almost the first battle of the Three Kingdoms' War God, Lu Bu.
When Ding Yuan initially sent his troops against Lu HaiKong, no one expected Lu HaiKong to prevail. After all, Ding Yuan had the terrifying Lu Bu under his command, and he himself was a capable military leader.
But no one anticipated that Lu Bu would be severely injured and barely escape from Lu HaiKong's mountain fortress, nearly meeting his end within its walls.
Although Ding Yuan tried to conceal the battle, it was the biggest event since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and many Yi people were paying attention. It was impossible to hide such a significant event from those who were paying close attention.
In this situation, almost all the more successful Yi people became aware of Lu HaiKong's existence. Of course, there were also those who followed the path of the wandering hero, believing that Lu Bu wasn't that exceptional. Many Yi people began their unique and reckless journeys.
Lu HaiKong wasn't entirely clear about these developments, and for now, he didn't concern himself with them. He was more focused on his mountain fortress.
After Ding Yuan's retreat, Lu HaiKong immediately dispatched the Black Wind Legion and the Third Battalion. The Third Battalion was tasked with guarding the fortress, while the Black Wind Legion needed to join forces with Li Xiong to conquer Jiuyuan County and the Fu Clan.
On Lu HaiKong's side, he finally obtained his long-awaited golden treasure chest, which delighted him immensely.
However, there was something that displeased Lu HaiKong. The rewards for conquering Jiuyuan County by the Fu Clan had not been fulfilled, possibly due to Lu HaiKong's absence from the battle. This was an unfair situation, and he wondered if the rewards for conquering Jiuyuan County's conquest had been merged into the 'Outrage of the Bandits' quest.
Lu HaiKong preferred to believe the latter, but whether it was true or not, it was up to the system to decide. He could only wait patiently.
According to Lu HaiKong's estimation, the 'Outrage of the Bandits' quest would likely be completed only after he was recruited by the government and the mountain fortress's environment became completely stable.
The stability of the mountain fortress depended on Zhang Li's success.
Initially, when Zhang Li came to meet Lu HaiKong, the latter was somewhat surprised.
After all, Zhang Li and Lu HaiKong were supposed to be enemies.
However, the increasingly powerful Lu HaiKong had long stopped considering Zhang Li, a former adversary, as a threat. With Lu HaiKong's strength, eliminating the Zhang family would have been a simple task.
Although Lu HaiKong had disregarded Zhang Li, he couldn't help but take him seriously when he arrived, especially after Zhang Li revealed his intentions.
Zhang Li was like a gambler, and a daring one at that. He would stake millions on a single possibility, even putting himself in perilous situations.
A man of great ambition and cunning, Zhang Li was a rare talent. His abilities were no less impressive than those of the top historical scholars, lacking only in the title they held.
After meeting Lu HaiKong, Zhang Li quickly convinced him with a persuasive argument. This was not a case of being deceived by others' schemes but rather a mutual understanding of aligned interests, leading to a shared decision.
For Lu HaiKong, clearing his name offered nothing but advantages, and the financial cost was not a concern. He was not stingy when it came to necessary expenses.
Compared to being hunted down by the court, the prospect of being exonerated and enjoying a carefree life of wealth was much more appealing. He had no intention of directly challenging the court, especially after witnessing the capabilities of the mechanical beasts employed by Ding Yuan in the opening stages of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
In this context, Lu HaiKong welcomed Zhang Li's arrival and his suggestions. It was only natural for him to be persuaded, especially since he didn't anticipate the financial commitment to be significant.
With their agreement, the conversation between Lu HaiKong and Zhang Li concluded smoothly. Zhang Li was then escorted out of the fort by Phantom Guards.
Lu HaiKong's intention was not to prevent any secrets from leaking but to showcase his strength as a potential partner, especially one with ambition. He believed in maintaining a certain level of intimidation.
It was remarkable to reflect on Lu HaiKong's transformation in just a year. From a gluttonous and playful individual, he had become a decisive and ruthless leader among the Hu Yin Tribe, and now he was becoming adept at navigating plots and schemes.
In the year 169, a particular book provided valuable insights.
Lu HaiKong's growth was attributed not only to his circumstances but also to his inherent potential. Undoubtedly, a certain individual played a significant role in his latter development.
Although Lu HaiKong might not be fully mature yet, there was confidence in his ability to continue growing.
Currently, Lu HaiKong's situation had stabilized after the fall of Jiuyuan County. He now had more time to focus on his growth.
With the pretext of Jiuyuan County, Zhang Rang could easily intervene in Bingzhou affairs. With Zhang Rang's efforts, Lu HaiKong could be seamlessly recruited, albeit with the inevitable association with eunuchs. But what did it matter? Eunuchs were the ideal partners for Lu HaiKong, more so than the influential families and maternal relatives.
Eunuchs, residing within the palace, held little interest in external power. Generally, they could be appeased with gold and silver, allowing Lu HaiKong to maintain his absolute freedom.
Lu HaiKong could continue accumulating wealth, focusing on his development, while awaiting the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
With his name cleared, Lu HaiKong would have even more flexibility in maneuvering during the rebellion.
Thus, Lu HaiKong's current situation was highly favorable, but this depended on Zhang Rang's performance...
(End of Chapter)
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