Chapter 997: The Ambush
Chapter 997: The Ambush
The battle at Yangyuan City was, from the very beginning, a foregone conclusion.
When Lu Hai Kong's army arrived beneath Yangyuan City, the outcome of the campaign was already sealed.
Although there was a slight disparity in the number of troops on both sides, aside from manpower, whether it was the soldiers' equipment, quality, or the comparison of their commanding generals, from any perspective, Lu Hai Kong completely outclassed Zhang Yan.
The difference between the two sides wasn't just a small gap; from the start, they were never on the same level. In this situation, if Lu Hai Kong wanted to fight, Zhang Yan would undoubtedly be unable to stop him.
On this point, Zhang Yan had tried to argue, but the obvious result remained the same—a crushing defeat.
On Lu Hai Kong's side, from the very beginning, their objective was not just to capture Yangyuan City. Since they had started this campaign, it was best to achieve as much as possible in one battle.
Therefore, Zhang Man Cheng, the overall commander of this campaign, had made two sets of arrangements early on, as instructed by his military advisor.
On one side, Zhang Man Cheng personally led his legion to take Yangyuan City, while on the other, Meng Qui had been waiting nearby, blocking Zhang Yan's path as she prepared to retreat to Ping Shu City.
Seeing the twenty thousand troops blocking their way, both Zhang Yan and Zhang Yan's faces turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
They had originally thought that the legion Lu Hai Kong had brought to conquer Yangyuan City was his entire force, never expecting that there would be another legion waiting here.
"Madman! A complete madman! Is it just because of a betrayal? Why use so many people? Does that bastard Lu Hai Kong really want me dead? By sending all his troops here, what will he have left to face Dong Zhuo?"
Zhang Yan was slightly overwhelmed by her emotions and began cursing on the spot.
Zhang Yan, standing beside her, looked at Zhang Yan with a hint of confusion, feeling that she was acting quite unlike herself. Zhang Yan had always given off an air of serenity and composure, with her emotions rarely showing any fluctuations. But now, her emotions were in a state of extreme upheaval, seeming very different from her usual self.
This made Zhang Yan wonder if this person was an imposter, but Zhang Yan's appearance was the same as before, and the Dao Force emanating from her body was also unmistakable, pure and genuine. There was no doubt that it was indeed Zhang Yan.
Then Zhang Yan thought about their current situation, and he seemed to understand why Zhang Yan's emotions were so volatile at this moment, why she seemed so unlike her usual self. However, despite this understanding, Zhang Yan's respect for Zhang Yan unavoidably diminished slightly.
At the same time, Meng Qui's troops across from them were constantly on the move.
Meng Qui's side was unaware of the situation on Zhang Yan's side. His task was to capture Zhang Yan and her forces, so he didn't bother with any explanations and immediately surrounded them. After enclosing them within the range of his archers, Meng Qui ordered his archers to ready their bows.
The sight of the archers raising their bows startled Zhang Yan and her troops.
Having witnessed the might of the Cloudsplitter Archers, they were now slightly intimidated. The mere sight of the bows and arrows reminded them of the terrifying rain of arrows.
"Retreat! Retreat immediately towards Shangzhou County!" Upon seeing the situation, Zhang Yan, without seeking Zhang Yan's approval, issued a decisive order.
This command caught Zhang Yan off guard, as it implied that they were abandoning their entire defensive line in Dai Prefecture. It was no small matter, considering the significant number of troops they had deployed in Dai Prefecture. Fifty percent of their military strength would be gone just like that.
Even though this territory was acquired, Zhang Yan still felt the pain of losing fifty percent of her military might. Therefore, facing Zhang Yan's order, or rather, suggestion, Zhang Yan hesitated.
During Zhang Yan's hesitation, Meng Qui's voice boomed with anger, "Listen up, you in front! You have three breaths to drop your weapons and kneel on the ground. After three breaths, anyone still standing will be shot!"
As Meng Qui's angry voice rang out, the archers behind him began drawing their bows, ready to fire their arrows at any moment.
Zhang Yan's face paled at the sight, and before she could react, a monotonous sound of horse hooves approached. Zhang Yan and Zhang Yan turned their heads, only to be shocked into a cold sweat!
Riding a yellowish-brown beast and wielding a pair of halberds, a formidable general was charging towards them from the direction of Yangyuan City. The aura of this warrior was awe-inspiring, like a ghost or a god. With such an aura and wielding those weapons, who else could it be but Dian Wei?
At this moment, Zhang Yan was utterly shocked. If it were just the army ahead, they might have found a way to break through, but with Dian Wei joining the fray, their situation was hopeless.
The day before, they witnessed Dian Wei taking down Guan Hai with a single strike. Even Guan Hai was no match for him, so they knew their chances were slim.
With Dian Wei charging towards them, even if they wanted to flee, it was impossible.
Seeing this, Zhang Yan no longer hesitated. She flipped her hand, and a token appeared.
"Gather around me!" she commanded.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang reacted swiftly, immediately moving closer to Zhang Yan's side. After they joined her, Zhang Yan wasted no time and used the item in her hand without hesitation.
It was clear that Zhang Yan had made up her mind to leave, and her willingness to make a tough decision at this critical moment showed a glimpse of her status as a major power in the region.
However, it was already too late to think of escape. Lu Hai Kong knew who they were up against and that they must have items, so he had allowed Zhang Yan to repair the city walls, ensuring the opportunity to confront them now.
As Zhang Yan used her item, a system prompt sounded in her ear:
【The opposing general Meng Qui has used the item [Prohibition Stele]. Within a ten-mile radius, all items except special ones are unusable. Your item usage has failed!】
As this prompt played, Zhang Yan's face darkened like the bottom of a pot as she saw the object floating in Meng Qui's hand, hundreds of meters away.
"Lu Hai Kong, you're ruthless!" Zhang Yan knew that she had no chance. With an army of twenty thousand behind her and Dian Wei in front, without the ability to use items, her situation seemed hopeless.
At this moment, Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang on the side also sensed something amiss. Though they didn't know what was happening, it was clear that Zhang Yan's trump card was useless.
In this dire situation, Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang exchanged a glance, then turned to Zhang Yan and said, "The situation is critical, Holy Maiden. Zhou Cang and I will hold off Dian Wei. You must leave!"
"Yes, Holy Maiden. You're the last hope of the Yellow Turban Army. We can't let anything happen to you." Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang were unwaveringly loyal, but Zhang Yan's expression grew complex. She knew this plan wouldn't work; their strength, though above ninety points, was no match for Dian Wei's.
Moreover, even if they could stop Dian Wei, with items unusable within a ten-mile radius, she couldn't escape.
Amidst these intense emotions, Zhang Yan surprisingly calmed down, even closing her eyes.
Seeing this, Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang thought she had resigned herself to her fate, and their faces paled as they prepared to console her. But at that moment, something incomprehensible happened before their eyes.
"I need your help!" Zhang Yan suddenly spoke with her eyes closed.
Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang were baffled, unsure who she was talking to.
Then, Zhang Yan continued, "You can't refuse. If you don't help, I'll kill myself. After all, this body is yours, and if I die, it's your loss. I can always return to my original body, but you'll suffer. You've reached this level of cultivation through countless opportunities, and even if you can be reborn, can you guarantee you'll make it this far again? You can't be sure."
"Besides, he arranged everything from start to finish. I was coerced by him. It's pointless to be angry with me!"
Hearing this, Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang sensed something, but they dared not believe it, as the implications were terrifying.
All they could do was stare at Zhang Yan, silently watching the unfolding events.
The person Zhang Yan was waiting for seemed unresponsive, and on the other side, Dian Wei was almost upon them. Zhang Yan was now in a panic!
"Must we both die for you to be satisfied...?" Zhang Yan's words trailed off as her eyes suddenly snapped open.
But when Zhang Yan's eyes opened, her aura was completely different from before.
Now, Zhang Yan's aura was elegant and ethereal, a stark contrast to her previous self.
With her eyes open, Zhang Yan glanced at Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang, then with a wave of her hand, a book appeared before her.
The book in her hand flashed with light, and suddenly, the Prohibition Stele in Meng Qui's hand dropped.
Just then, Dian Wei reached their position. Without hesitation, Zhang Yan crushed the token in her hand, and Zhang Yan, Zhang Yan, and Zhou Cang disappeared from Dian Wei's sight...
(End of Chapter)
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