Chapter 738: Taking Control
Chapter 738: Taking Control
September 25, 2017
Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo, riding on their mighty eagles, had barely escaped the pursuit of Gao Lan and Yan Liang. They didn't fly too far, as the eagles, despite being able to carry their weight, couldn't soar too high with them, making them easy targets. Xu Zifu, a scholar, lacked the arm strength to fly higher, and Yuwen Kuo had to assist him throughout the journey.
They didn't intend to flee far away, as the battle, though nearly lost, wasn't over yet. Neither Xu Zifu nor Yuwen Kuo was willing to accept such an ending.
Xu Zifu had prepared multiple escape routes in case of defeat, and he didn't believe that Wang Ti could capture them, especially after they had already evaded him once. He was confident that Wang Ti wouldn't be able to catch them again.
Soon, Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo found themselves in a small camp on the grassland.
It might not be accurate to call it a camp, as it appeared abandoned from both the outside and inside. In reality, it was indeed the remains of a tribal settlement, one of the backup locations Xu Zifu had prepared in advance.
Here, they had stored some food and supplies, and Xu Zifu had also arranged for some of his scattered legion members to be stationed there.
As they stepped into the camp, Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo's faces relaxed into relieved smiles.
"We're safe here for now," Xu Zifu said. "With the concealment this place offers, even if Lu HaiKong's forces exhaust themselves searching, it will take them a long time to find us."
Their goal wasn't to kill them but to conquer the grassland. As long as they remained well-hidden, their enemies wouldn't waste time on them. "We just need to stay here for a while, using the backup plan we prepared. Within half a month, at most, we'll be able to make a comeback."
Xu Zifu's confidence returned as he spoke, a self-assured smile gracing his lips. "By then, Lu HaiKong should be busy dealing with those guys. If we're lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of the grand finale before they find us. They won't locate us until we've achieved victory!"
Xu Zifu's words rekindled Yuwen Kuo's hope, who had been through a series of defeats at Wang Ti's hands.
Despite Xu Zifu's recent setbacks, the image of strength he had built over the past year hadn't completely crumbled. Yuwen Kuo still held a great deal of respect for him.
Just as Xu Zifu finished speaking, a deafening sound of galloping horses suddenly erupted outside the camp. Through their eagles, they saw two fierce generals leading a black cavalry unit charging towards them.
Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo were stunned. They exchanged glances, their faces filled with disbelief. It was impossible; they hadn't seen any cavalry below them while they were in the air.
But there was no time for such thoughts now. Without hesitation, they grabbed the eagle's claws, intending to fly away again. The eagle, understanding their intentions, flapped its wings, ready to take off.
However, just as the eagle's wings started to flap, a thunderous sound reverberated, and moments later, two iron spears, like cannons, blasted towards them. Before Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo could react, the eagle's wings were shattered by the violent impact, rendering it flightless.
Seeing this, both men shuddered. Without hesitation, Xu Zifu waved his feather fan over himself and Yuwen Kuo. Then, they quickly found two horses in the camp and departed, Xu Zifu's silver eyes gleaming.
Interestingly, under the influence of Xu Zifu's feather fan and silver eyes, Dian Wei and Meng Qu, who were in pursuit, seemed to be completely unaware of their presence, allowing them to slip away unnoticed.
The two men, having narrowly escaped death again, soon found refuge in a basin about ten miles from the camp.
Both the meeting between Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo and the camp itself were part of Xu Zifu's planned retreat routes. They were supposed to head to another prearranged camp next, but after being caught twice, Xu Zifu dared not follow his original plan and instead sought refuge in the basin.
Upon reaching the basin, they didn't settle down immediately but acted like startled birds, cautiously scouting the area inside and out. Only after confirming the absence of Lu HaiKong's cavalry did Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo finally relax.
After a long and exhausting night, the two men found a relatively secluded spot in the basin and sat down with their backs against each other. Xu Zifu handed over the dry rations he had prepared, while Yuwen Kuo passed him a bottle of fresh water.
These two could be considered brothers in adversity. During this low point in their lives, they surprisingly didn't blame each other.
Leaning against each other, they chewed on the dry rations, which didn't taste very good, and shared the remaining fresh water, silently sitting there.
Throughout this process, Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo didn't exchange a single word, but the gloom on their faces gradually faded in this moment of silence.
After sitting for about ten minutes, Xu Zifu stretched and stood up lazily.
"A crushing defeat. This is the first time in my life experiencing such a major loss. I really want to meet the person behind Lu Haikong."
As Xu Zifu spoke, Yuwen Kuo's face turned slightly strange, as if he was a bit afraid of what this guy might say.
After all, the previous two times, after this guy's enthusiastic speeches, he was immediately slapped down by others' strength. Now, Yuwen Kuo felt their situation was somewhat similar to Cao Cao's at Huarong Path.
Seeing Yuwen Kuo's strange expression, Xu Zifu couldn't help but smile lightly, "Don't worry, I'm not Cao Cao, nor Zhuge Liang. If I had followed the original plan, I might have been captured by now. But I changed the plan and destination, so we're safe now. Don't worry, he won't be able to find us!"
As Xu Zifu spoke, Yuwen Kuo's scalp tingled. This was the exact moment when the enemy suddenly appeared in the previous two instances after similar statements. And now, this guy was setting himself up for failure again.
Seeing Yuwen Kuo's tense expression, Xu Zifu was about to tease him when, suddenly, the other man couldn't say a word.
At that moment, a young general with red hair and clad in fiery red armor emerged slowly from the basin's waist-high grass, riding a blue warhorse.
"It's you!"
Upon seeing this young general, both Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo's faces changed drastically, filled with fear. Clearly, both of them remembered this intimidating figure.
"Your escape ends here!"
Zhao Er, emerging from the grass, swung his long spear, and the Vermilion Phoenix Spear carried a hint of fire. Within three meters of him, the originally lush grass turned into a scorched patch in a flash of flame.
In the 1619 version, the book is correct!
"You can choose to continue fleeing, but I can't guarantee your survival!"
Zhao Er's terrifying strike struck fear into the hearts of Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo. Both knew that the young general before them was an extremely formidable opponent. With only ten meters separating them, if either Xu Zifu or Yuwen Kuo made any sudden moves, one of them would surely die on the spot.
Zhao Er's formidable strength put immense pressure on the two men. Under this pressure, Yuwen Kuo stood in front of Xu Zifu.
"Wait, I'll hold him off while you find a way to escape. I still have one chance to be reborn, so don't waste it!"
Xu Zifu's heart warmed at Yuwen Kuo's words, but he shook his head, "Give up, we can't get away!"
As if to prove Xu Zifu's words, as soon as he finished speaking, three thousand Black Wind Legion soldiers rode in, and three thousand crossbowmen aimed at them. If they made any sudden moves, they would be greeted by a shower of arrows.
In this situation, Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo had no choice but to surrender.
After their surrender, Zhao Er waved his hand, and a member of the Flame Character Battalion stepped forward, burning two talismans in front of them and handing them two bowls of talisman water.
Xu Zifu's eyes flashed with silver light, and the attributes of the two bowls of talisman water appeared before him.
Minor Sealing Scroll
Talisman Rank: Legendary
Talisman Effect: After consumption, and until a dispelling talisman is used, the user is unable to use items, skills, talents, or internal strength.
Understanding the talisman's effect, Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo wisely didn't resist and obediently drank the talisman water. They had no choice with Zhao Er watching them closely.
After they drank the talisman water, the Flame Character Battalion member took away all their items and escorted them directly to the camp.
The capture of Xu Zifu and Yuwen Kuo signaled that the battle on Wang Ti's side was nearing its end. All that remained were some mopping-up operations, which Wang Ti and Xun You could easily handle with their capabilities.
As the battle on their side was drawing to a close, on the other side, Lu Haikong's solitary battle continued, or rather, it had just begun...
(End of Chapter)
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