Chapter 907: The Tiger's Lair
Chapter 907: The Tiger's Lair
September 25, 2017
At the Tiger's Lair, also known as Hulao Pass.
The massive army of nearly a million soldiers, led by Lu HaiKong, had finally arrived after a three-day journey of less than a hundred li. The pass was in complete chaos, with the vast army barely managing to set up camp.
The army, a chaotic mess, included dozens of warlords' soldiers, twisted and tangled together, creating a spectacle from the top of the pass.
Even the fierce generals under Dong Zhuo, known for their lack of discipline, couldn't help but show disdain in their eyes as they surveyed the disorganized mass.
Could this unruly mob possibly challenge their lord? It seemed like a joke.
From above the pass, Dong Zhuo and Li Ru stood out amidst the chaos. They exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
Despite having intelligence about Lu HaiKong's army, Dong Zhuo and Li Ru were surprised by the disarray of the coalition forces under Lu HaiKong's command. This was not the kind of army they expected from Lu HaiKong.
There's a saying, "The one you know best might not be your friend, but your enemy." This seemed to fit the situation between Dong Zhuo and Lu HaiKong perfectly.
Dong Zhuo and Lu HaiKong had met on the battlefield during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and had a certain understanding of each other.
Dong Zhuo knew that Lu HaiKong was skilled in elite tactics, but he was surprised to find that Lu HaiKong's command abilities were not as lacking as he had thought. Perhaps leading a million-strong army was a challenge, but not to this extent.
They pondered, and it seemed there were only two possible explanations. One, Lu HaiKong was deliberately showing weakness, and the other, the coalition was not cooperating with Lu HaiKong.
Given that Lu HaiKong had only arrived a few days ago, the second explanation seemed more plausible. But if Lu HaiKong was their opponent, they needed to be cautious.
As Dong Zhuo observed Lu HaiKong's army, the coalition forces at the pass were equally stunned. They had expected the defending soldiers at the pass wouldn't be that elite.
Many of the warlords, especially the Outsider Lords, were surprised. They had been keeping an eye on Dong Zhuo, knowing his army was primarily cavalry-based, with some elite infantry. But they hadn't expected such a high concentration of elite soldiers at the pass.
So, they had assumed the defenders at the pass wouldn't be that formidable. But upon arrival, they were shocked to discover the defending soldiers were far more elite than they had imagined. Some with broader knowledge even recognized the soldiers as the elite North and South Armies, usually stationed in Luoyang.
Upon learning this, most of the warlords lost confidence in their ability to win this battle.
Despite the North and South Armies' reputation for being elite, their recent defeats were due to the incompetence of the Han Emperor, Ling, and their own foolish decisions.
The North and South Armies were originally stationed in Luoyang, and their specialty was city defense, not engaging in open battles against the world's top cavalry forces in the plains. Engaging in such a battle was not a wise choice.
In that situation, despite their elite status, being defeated was inevitable.
But in the plains, they were no match for Lu HaiKong's army. However, when it came to city defense, the situation would be different. Could Lu HaiKong's [Ironblood Cavalry] take on the city? They'd be in for a world of pain.
Even without the ability to open the city gates, Lu HaiKong's (pseudo-top-tier) [Ironblood Cavalry] would still face a formidable challenge.
Moreover, a more serious issue arose. The Outsider Lords received intelligence that Huangfu Song seemed to be under Dong Zhuo's control. If this city defense battle was to be led by the last renowned general of the Eastern Han, their defeat seemed almost certain.
In this situation, even usually calm warlords like Liu Bei and Cao Cao started to lose their composure.
Nearly all the warlords approached Lu HaiKong, hoping he wouldn't make a rash decision and order an immediate attack on the city, which would undoubtedly lead to heavy casualties.
Lu HaiKong anticipated the arrival of the anxious warlords.
Facing the group of nervous warlords, Lu HaiKong calmly assured them that everything was under control. He wouldn't act recklessly, as he understood the significance of this battle.
Seeing Lu HaiKong's rare willingness to communicate and his assurance, the warlords breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that although Lu HaiKong was domineering, he wasn't without a brain. He wouldn't make any foolish decisions.
In the Tiger's Lair, Lu HaiKong stood tall, his chest puffed out with pride. The lords who had accompanied him were just about to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that Lu HaiKong was about to make a grand promise to take the Tiger's Lair.
But before they could exhale, Lu HaiKong's hand slammed down on his chest, the sound echoing through the air. The lords looked at each other, their faces pale and eyes wide.
"Relax, this is nothing," Lu HaiKong said, his voice cold and confident. "I'm going to go to the Imperial Court and request the Emperor to bestow the title of King upon me. I'll give you all of He Jin's territory as a reward, and you'll serve me forever!"
With these words, the Tiger's Lair erupted in shock.
Lu HaiKong turned towards the Tiger's Lair, his eyes glinting with determination. He knew that this was a bold move, but he was confident in his abilities.
"What do you truly want?" asked Dong Zhuo, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity and suspicion.
Lu HaiKong's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes fixing on Dong Zhuo with an icy gaze. "My demands are simple. Since you want to apologize, I'll accept it, but I want the hand that injured Princess He as a token of your sincerity."
"You!" Dong Zhuo's face paled, his anger rising.
"What did you say?" Lu HaiKong's voice turned cold. "Do you think you can bully my woman? I advise you to cut off your hand now, or else wait until I conquer the Tiger's Lair, and it won't just be a matter of an arm."
In truth, neither of them genuinely intended to negotiate. Dong Zhuo's offer of a mere hand as compensation seemed inadequate to Lu HaiKong.
Lu HaiKong's smile widened, his gaze never wavering. "I'll give you thirty minutes to consider. After thirty minutes, either see your hand or I'll launch the attack!"
With that, Lu HaiKong turned his back on the stunned Dong Zhuo and returned to his own legion...
(End of Chapter)
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