Chapter 605: Marching Out
Chapter 605: Marching Out
September 25, 2017
Anger is an intriguing emotion; it can cause some people to lose their rationality and make regrettable decisions.
It can also unlock the mental barriers of the weak, granting them courage and enabling them to take actions they desire but dare not attempt.
However, whether it's the former or the latter, the outcome is often not favorable.
Fortunately, Lu HaiKong was neither of these, but a unique third type.
The severe injury of Xi ZhiCai ignited a fire of fury within Lu HaiKong, but it didn't cloud his judgment. Instead, it gave him a clear goal: to annihilate the Yellow Turban Army!
Within these three days, Lu HaiKong swiftly made all the necessary preparations, from mobilizing the troops to gathering provisions. He executed everything with precision, and his anger didn't lead to any mistakes. On the contrary, his fury inspired his entire army, keeping them at peak morale throughout the mobilization.
Lu HaiKong was angry, yet he remained rational—a state he maintained at this moment.
However, Lu HaiKong's sudden action baffled many, leaving them wondering why he had decided to take such a step. Even Dong Zhuo, who had just reached an understanding with Lu HaiKong, was perplexed.
Not only Dong Zhuo but also Li Ru was utterly confused by the situation.
Lu HaiKong had initially adopted a bystander's attitude, clearly intending to delay the end of the Yellow Turban Rebellion to take advantage of the chaotic times and gain more resources and benefits. But now, in the blink of an eye, he had become a killing machine, determined to wipe out the Yellow Turban Army at all costs.
Li Ru couldn't make sense of this sudden change.
This was normal, as even Lu HaiKong had only made up his mind three days ago after Xi ZhiCai's severe injury. If Li Ru could figure it out, it would be a miracle.
However, whether or not Li Ru could understand Lu HaiKong's actions wasn't crucial. What mattered was that Lu HaiKong's current actions put them in a very passive position.
Dong Zhuo's plan was not to take action now. He had just secured control of Qu Liang's army of over a hundred thousand, and he hadn't even consolidated his grip on them. The army lacked the necessary provisions and supplies for battle. Asking them to march out at this time was a joke.
Lu HaiKong had his reasons for his anger, and Dong Zhuo had his own considerations. Therefore, Dong Zhuo's side strongly opposed Lu HaiKong's decision to march out.
On the same day that Lu HaiKong sent someone to inform them, Dong Zhuo dispatched a messenger to Lu HaiKong, politely requesting him to postpone the march to Julu and give them some time to prepare. However, Lu HaiKong didn't even bother to discuss it and directly sent Dong Zhuo's messenger packing!
Dong Zhuo was displeased with Lu HaiKong's assertive behavior, and it left them puzzled and deeply troubled.
While Dong Zhuo was struggling with this issue, Lu HaiKong's preparations proceeded unexpectedly smoothly, even finishing a day earlier than planned, thanks to his complete dedication to the task.
After completing the troop mobilization and gathering provisions, Lu HaiKong left a force to protect Xi ZhiCai and directly led the army toward Julu County.
This move by Lu HaiKong left Dong Zhuo in a state of extreme distress.
Ji Zhou, Wei Chou, Qu Liang—Dong Zhuo's camp.
At this moment in the camp, several core members of Dong Zhuo's forces sat together, frowning as they listened to the intelligence report from Li Ru.
"We had a few scouts in Lu HaiKong's camp, but not many. Two days ago, when Lu HaiKong was still making preparations, our scouts were completely eliminated, leaving us in the dark about the situation in Handan. We can only analyze based on the limited intelligence we have."
"Among the information we have, the most crucial piece is undoubtedly the report from six days ago, stating that Lu HaiKong forcefully emerged from Julu. A careful analysis of this report reveals many intriguing aspects worth pondering."
"Why did Lu HaiKong go to Julu? Why did he enter discreetly and then emerge with such force? Is there a connection between his Julu trip and his recent actions...?"
Li Ru's deductions were fascinating, but unfortunately, those present weren't in the mood to listen to the details.
Dong Zhuo furrowed his brows and interrupted, "Enough, just get to the point. Don't waste time on unnecessary details. Tell us how we should deal with this situation right now."
"We currently lack the necessary provisions, and their preparations aren't complete. We can't take action now, and if Lu HaiKong marches out, we can only watch. We've exerted so much effort to gain control of this hundred-thousand-strong army, and it's not meant to be held back while Lu HaiKong takes the glory."
In reality, Dong Zhuo's mood hadn't been great since the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
The plot involving the Yellow Turbans had significantly changed due to the involvement of the Outsiders. Originally, Dong Zhuo was supposed to succeed Lu Zhi in eliminating the Yellow Turban Army, earning great merit during the rebellion, which would have served as a foundation for his later rise to power.
In the end, the outcome was not as expected. He did replace Lu Zhi, but soon after, Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun arrived. What was even more outrageous was that after Huangfu Song's arrival, he directly took over Dong Zhuo's position, which greatly displeased Dong Zhuo.
This directly led to Huangfu Song taking credit for the early achievements on the Yellow Turban battlefield, which already made Dong Zhuo unhappy. To make matters worse, during the Guangping Battle, his Xi Liang Cavalry suffered a loss of one-third, causing him to fly into a rage. He then activated his ultimate weapon, Li Ru.
Li Ru did not disappoint him. Within half a month of his arrival, he became the commander-in-chief of Ji Zhou, controlling tens of thousands of soldiers. On the other hand, Dong Zhuo also learned that Zhang Jiao was on the verge of death, and the Yellow Turban Army was on the brink of disintegration. With victory seemingly within reach, Lu Hai Kong suddenly burst out with killing intent.
If it were anyone else, Dong Zhuo might not have been too concerned. After all, the strength of the Yellow Turban Army was evident, and it would be difficult for anyone to defeat them easily.
However, the situation was different when Lu Hai Kong appeared. This guy had given him too many surprises, or rather, shocks. Dong Zhuo genuinely worried that Lu Hai Kong might annihilate the Yellow Turban Army with a single move, making the army he had spent so much effort to control a laughingstock. The merit he sought for advancement would also be gone.
In this situation, Dong Zhuo was naturally anxious.
"My lord, please don't panic. Lu Hai Kong is coming with great momentum. Unless we can find out the reason for his sudden outburst, it's unlikely that he will be persuaded. However, since he has already dispatched his troops, we don't have time to investigate anything."
"But since he has chosen to march towards Qu Liang, we have two options before us."
(A book with the words 'One Six One Nine One Book One' on it. The version is correct without any mistakes!)
When Li Ru mentioned the two options, Dong Zhuo's eyes lit up. "Speak!"
"The first option is to let him pass without interference. As far as I know, Lu Hai Kong's forces only number a few tens of thousands, which is a small force. Even if Lu Hai Kong has the ability to reach the heavens and penetrate the earth, it's impossible for him to capture Guangping, let alone Julu, in a short time."
"According to our intelligence, Guangping City has tens of thousands of elite soldiers. Although there are undercurrents within, if Lu Hai Kong approaches, they will definitely unite against outsiders. Do you think it's possible for a few tens of thousands of troops to capture a city defended by tens of thousands of elite soldiers?"
"Even if he has such strength, it will still take some time, right? We can use this time to prepare for our own troop deployment!"
Li Ru only arrived after the Guangping Battle and had only learned about Lu Hai Kong through intelligence reports. He had not witnessed Lu Hai Kong's terror firsthand.
However, this did not mean that he underestimated Lu Hai Kong. He just couldn't imagine how a mere few tens of thousands of troops could possibly capture a city defended by tens of thousands of elite soldiers, which also had a well-established defense system.
As soon as Li Ru made this suggestion, the entire camp fell silent.
"Mr. Li, all your arrangements... General Lu had twice captured Liang Qi and Ye City with just a thousand cavalry, and both times within a day..."
"General Hua, I am aware of those two battles, and Li Ru has investigated them thoroughly. The reason Lu Hai Kong was able to capture those two cities was because he had already opened the gates of Liang Qi and Ye City at the very beginning of his operations, and his cavalry's strength was astonishing."
"As for Guangping City, you should also know that the defenses there are extremely tight. It's impossible for Lu Hai Kong's scout team to open the gates. Therefore, I personally believe that it's unlikely for Lu Hai Kong to capture Guangping in a short time."
Li Ru's analysis made sense, but Dong Zhuo and the others still hesitated slightly. After all, Lu Hai Kong was no ordinary man.
Lu Bu pondered for a moment before speaking, "Mr. Li, is there a piece of intelligence you might not be aware of?"
"Please, General Lu!"
"During the Guangping Battle, Lu Hai Kong had died and revived twice. Once, I witnessed it myself. Zhang Liang had pierced Lu Hai Kong's head with a spear, but moments later, not only did he revive, but his strength also increased significantly. He instantly killed Zhang Liang, whose strength was several times greater than mine!"
Upon hearing this, Li Ru's eyebrows furrowed. "I had also heard about this, but I thought it was just a rumor. Since General Lu witnessed it personally, this matter should be indisputable. In that case, Lu Hai Kong does seem to possess some demonic power. It's possible that he might quickly capture Guangping."
Li Ru quickly changed his tone, partly because what General Lu said was indeed unbelievable, but more importantly, Dong Zhuo had been frowning, clearly dissatisfied with Li Ru's suggestion. Therefore, Li Ru gracefully offered the second suggestion.
"In that case, we can only try to delay them when their army reaches Qu Liang and delay them for some time."
(End of Chapter)
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