Start with a red name

When the last battle on the island ceased, the long, agonizing night that had been agonizing for both sides finally came to an end.

The dawn of the tenth day of the month finally arrived.

From Geng Xuan to a former member of the Black Wind Gang and now a member of the Black Wind Army.

Everyone who participated in this night raid could personally feel that it was far more difficult than any previous operation.

That was much easier than the last time when they swallowed two Xuanyou Iron Cavalry units of two thousand each, like "swallowing dumplings".

Before taking action, the significant differences in "quality" between the two sides were taken into consideration.

In addition to the surprise attack plan, Geng Xuan also used his special abilities to create an even greater advantage for the Black Wind Army.

The large number of Xuanyou Iron Cavalry that remained on "Huangwei Island" for a long time, except for a very small number.

The vast majority are no different from ordinary cultivators.

They were not wearing armor.

The mounts, the Xuanyou horses, were also placed in stables and carefully tended by dedicated grooms.

Armor and weapons were either collected and stored in a unified manner or entrusted to specialized servants for maintenance and care.

Weapons and weapons cannot be used on the island without permission.

The only exception is the standard weapons specifically provided in the training grounds, and these must be returned before leaving and cannot be taken elsewhere, especially to the campsite.

The purpose of doing this was, of course, to facilitate Liu Mu and others' management of their troops.

However, it must be said that this was undoubtedly good news for the Black Wind Army, which had launched a surprise attack on the island.

It can be said that the Black Wind Army, by taking the enemy by surprise, had all the advantages.

Their own strength is not bad either.

Both the individual strength of each person who landed on the island and the overall scale of the operation have laid the foundation for a crushing victory.

However, the actual situation was that, apart from the initial unstoppable momentum and the wildfire-like momentum at the beginning of the landing on the island, as the forces on the island gradually reacted, the advantage was gradually weakened, and they slowly fell into a stalemate and entanglement.

This was not due to being targeted by one or even a few powerful figures.

Because these people, no matter where they are on the battlefield, can only be arrogant for a short time. They will soon have their chests torn open and their heads pierced by heavy iron-feathered arrows that seem to tear through the night sky.

In a very short time, after either killing or subduing the core members led by Liu Mu, Geng Xuan, wielding a longbow, wandered around the island like a true ghost.

Neither our side nor our side knew his whereabouts.

The only thing they could feel was the sudden barrage of arrows that wiped out those who were not with Liu Mu and the others, but were scattered elsewhere on the island—those at the first realm of perfection, as well as an even larger number of enemies at the peak of the marrow refinement stage.

Logically, after he single-handedly removed all the toughest obstacles, the advantages that the Black Wind Army had established since the surprise attack on the island should have accumulated and grown into an unstoppable force.

But the truth is, despite having so many advantages, the Black Wind Army's edge is slowly dulling, as if it has sunk into layers of quagmire.

Geng Xuan, who was watching from the sidelines, was also puzzled at first.

Gradually, it dawned on me.

This is not due to the obstruction of one or a few powerful figures, but rather to a deeper, more fundamental problem.

On Huangwei Island, there are 20,000 Xuanyou riders.

Although most of them were not wearing armor, nor were they with their mounts.

Although, before the night attack, he was still in the midst of a massive riot that swept across the entire island.

But the fundamental qualities ingrained in their bones have not been lost.

When the battle against foreign invasion begins, even if most people are at a loss, as long as a small number of them come to their senses and act in accordance with military regulations and orders, they can lead the others to follow orders and move in a whirlwind.

There were also 10,000 servants, either privately owned or belonging to a particular unit or battalion.

They might serve as personal guards, or be responsible for taking care of the Xuanyou horse, protecting weapons, and so on.

Although they held low positions, their strength was not weak.

When danger comes, they have a greater determination and courage to face death than many professional riders.

Even if the command center of "Huangwei Island" fails, the entire "brain" is hijacked by Geng Xuan alone.

However, when the Black Wind Army, which launched a night raid on the island, failed to secure victory before the other side could react, even operating on instinct alone was enough to unleash terrifying power.

Conversely, the Black Wind Army's strengths lie in small-team harassment and winning battles when the wind is favorable.

Although this situation has been greatly improved with one life-or-death collision after another.

Even disregarding the improvement in cultivation level, their combat skills, especially their awareness of large-scale army operations, are already much stronger than during the bandit era.

However, when faced with the "top experts" in this field, the disparity in their abilities immediately becomes apparent.

On the surface, the Black Wind Army's power is spreading unstoppably across the entire island.

They launched a massive attack.

They achieved a continuous stream of victories.

The defending troops on Huangwei Island were on the defensive the entire time and suffered continuous defeats.

Upon closer examination, the Black Wind Army's advantages are not as clear as they appear on the surface.

The island's garrison, in its constant reactive response, gradually consolidated its increasingly dispersed forces.

Only Iron Wolf, along with a few other high-ranking military officers who had a comprehensive view of the situation, and a very small number of people with keen battlefield intuition, sensed the unusual atmosphere at the very beginning of the shift in the wind.

Even so, they could only try their best to turn the situation around while patiently holding on.

After noticing this change, Geng Xuan became less anxious.

For him, this just meant that more members of the Black Wind Army would die.

He can afford this price.

Moreover, only under such circumstances can those with special talents and abilities in the "battlefield" truly stand out, like bright pearls exposed to his sight.

Although he possessed the "art of reading minds" which allowed him to roughly discern people's true character, he could not use this method to determine whether a person truly possessed talent, or even great talent, in a particular field.

Let alone an outsider like him, it's difficult for anyone to see their own talents clearly.

When the overall environment is favorable, everyone naturally becomes courageous and strives for excellence.

Many people even have the misconception that my achievements today are entirely due to my own talent, ability, and arduous efforts.

When others themselves think this way, and objective reality corroborates this view, Geng Xuan, without in-depth understanding, naturally couldn't possibly see a different answer.

Only at this moment, when things appear to be going well on the surface but are actually in a state of turmoil underneath, is the difference between "real gold" and "fake gold" truly revealed.

For this reason, after pulling out all the hardest nails, Geng Xuan was no longer in a hurry to continue "doing it personally".

He secretly controlled the situation, allowing the Black Wind Army to maintain a superficial overall advantage.

While still having some free time, he would occasionally have a "heart-to-heart talk" with Liu Mu and the others, keeping them firmly in place.

They were neither allowed to escape nor allowed to interfere with the battle.

In addition, he also took time to conduct intermittent patrols around the entire "Huangwei Island".

Ensure that the entire coastal area, especially those ships anchored at ports and docks, is under our control.

With the elite forces eliminated or forcibly kept off the battlefield by Geng Xuan, the outcome of this night battle was already predetermined for the Huangwei Island defenders who were still struggling to hold out.

Their responses were nothing more than "the struggle of a corpse."

There's no way to escape.

The port, docks, and ships were all under the control of the Black Wind Army.

Even if one wanted to jump into the sea to escape, there was simply no such opportunity in the midst of close combat with the enemy.

If tens of thousands of people all went mad and turned to flee into the sea, facing a pack of mad dogs chasing after them, the Black Wind Army, who were most skilled at this, would only have a chance of 20-30% jumping into the sea alive at most.

Moreover, even if they were to jump into the sea, it would only be the beginning of a new round of hunting.

Among the Black Wind Army that Geng Xuan brought to Huangwei Island, many had "part-time" or even "full-time" roles as water bandits. Their advantage in the water was greater than that on land.

The defenders of Huangwei Island, who had been slowly bleeding out of the island, couldn't even manage this step.

At first, they managed to turn the tide somewhat thanks to their superior large-scale combat awareness compared to the Black Wind Army, inflicting heavy casualties on the Black Wind Army.

But in the end, these were all just "the struggles of corpses." Without "brains," they relied entirely on existing military regulations and orders, as well as their most primal instincts.

No matter how bad the Black Wind Army's level is, they still have a "head" in their head. Moreover, this "head" is taking advantage of this opportunity to evolve and grow wildly.

And then there's Geng Xuan, that despicable mastermind, who is deliberately using this battle to put the Black Wind Army through a new round of extreme training.

It was a long night for both the Black Wind Army and the island's garrison.

It's not easy to live to see the sun rise on the tenth day of the lunar month.

As the warm, yellow sun, as round as a soft-boiled egg, rises from the sea, it shines on the devastated and ravaged Huangwei Island.

As you can see, besides the crisscrossing corpses lying randomly all over the island, there are also bodies slumped on the ground.

If it weren't for their heavy breathing and the violent heaving of their chests, one might easily mistake them for the corpses scattered throughout the battlefield.

After resting for a while, these people gradually stood up and began to move the corpses and clean up the battlefield.

The continuous killing throughout the night had almost exhausted the physical strength and energy of both sides, but Iron Wolf and his men, who had already taken over the authority to handle the follow-up matters, did not let them rest.

Instead, he continued to wield the whip.

At this moment, Geng Xuan reappeared in front of Liu Mu and the others.

He looked at Liu Mu and asked, "You seem to have something you want to say to me?"

Liu Mu did not speak, but looked at the longbow in his hand.

The bowstring, which was originally taut, now seemed somewhat loose.

The "two arms" connected to the bowstring also look a bit awkward, lacking the smooth and beautiful aesthetic that should have been achieved in one go.

The reason for all of this is actually very simple.

That is, overuse in a short period of time.

Without proper maintenance, it can only unleash about 40-50% of its full power at best.

Based on Liu Mu's experience, the bow was already on the verge of breaking and the string snapping.

He was very clear about the quality of this longbow.

In less than a night, it has been tormented to this extent. One can imagine what it went through last night.

"How many people did you kill with this bow last night?" Liu Mu asked.

Geng Xuan thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "There were too many people, I can't remember clearly."

Liu Mu stared at Geng Xuan intently for a while before saying:
"This battle has exposed your true level."

Upon hearing this, Geng Xuan asked curiously, "Oh, how so?"

"It's terrible," Liu Mu said bluntly.

As if that wasn't strong enough, he added, "Absolutely terrible!"

"Uh..." Geng Xuan was taken aback by the other party's straightforward and clear comment and didn't know how to respond.

"For this night raid, you must have mobilized more than 10,000 people, right?" Liu Mu asked.

"Thirteen thousand." Geng Xuan thoughtfully provided the standard answer.

"Judging from their abilities, they are all quite strong."

"If we only consider individual strength, he is even about one level higher than the average level of the island's garrison."

"Their fighting spirit is also very strong."

From what I observed, not a single one retreated in the face of battle, nor did they flinch in fear of death.

"The teamwork is also excellent even in small teams of less than 100 people."

At this point, Liu Mu paused, then suddenly changed his words:

"No, it's not just good, it's exquisite! ... Without years of tacit understanding, it's impossible to achieve such exquisite coordination."

Liu Mu shook his head slightly, his expression extremely complex, as if he were praising and envying.

As a general, seeing such troops was like a greedy person seeing a treasure; he couldn't help but want to possess them.

Finally, Liu Mu looked at Geng Xuan, his expression becoming even more complicated: "And you too!"

He even seemed to be gritting his teeth as he uttered those three words.

"You single-handedly carried out a decisive decapitation of 'Huangweidao'."

This left the defending side with 20,000 to 30,000 troops, but unable to mount any effective response on a strategic level.

Without a forward-looking perspective, one can only passively defend oneself and take things one step at a time.

"And when you attacked, the island was in disarray, with howls echoing through the camps at night."

It was just one final, gentle push away before it collapsed with a deafening roar.

"With all these advantages combined, even if you put a pig there, it should be able to secure victory in a short time."

But what is the reality?! At this point, Liu Mu's face once again showed a look of heartache and indignation.

It's not that I'm disappointed in you.

He didn't really want to see the Black Wind Army achieve a crushing victory.

He was like a seasoned card player who saw someone with an incredible hand of bombs and a pair of jokers, manage to force a stalemate, and finally win by a narrow margin.

Even as an opponent, it would be difficult to resist seeing this situation.

The key point is that we lost to such an opponent.

This is really discouraging!

Hearing his almost humiliating comments about the Black Wind Army, Geng Xuan was not angry. Instead, he smiled and nodded gently.

"I understand. You think the Black Wind Army's command is poor, and they've wasted a good hand, right?"

The Black Wind Army?

Liu Mu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "That's right."

Geng Xuan suddenly said again:

"What do you think if I gave you the cards to play?"

Liu Mu was taken aback, looked at Geng Xuan, and asked, "You want to recruit me now?"

"Isn't it obvious? If I haven't kept you here until now, what else could it be for? To send you back to Dong Guan and continue to be my enemies?" Geng Xuan retorted.

"Uh……"

Liu Mu was speechless.

Not only did he think it made a lot of sense, but the other three people next to him also couldn't refute it.

This is something both sides are well aware of.

However, some strange thoughts still inevitably arose in Liu Mu's mind.

But isn't it a bit too hasty to bring up such a topic?
Isn't that a bit too frivolous?
Geng Xuan looked at Liu Mu and suddenly chuckled:

"Let's assume, let's make an assumption... I'm moved by your loyalty to Dong Guan, so I'll release you now so you can continue to serve him."

What do you think will be your fate?

What will happen?
Not much!
In a worse situation, they would be blamed for losing tens of thousands of troops, bear the responsibility for the loss of soldiers and generals, and might even be suspected of treason.

In slightly better circumstances, they would be marginalized and relegated to a mere henchman, holding a sinecure or idle position.

"Will there still be an opportunity to lead a region and command tens of thousands of troops like this?" Geng Xuan asked again.

What are you thinking!

Such opportunities can only be found in dreams.

"Then what are you still hesitating about?" Geng Xuan asked in return.

He remembered a sentence that said, "I only want to be the county magistrate's wife; I don't care who the county magistrate is."

Moving it here would be quite appropriate. (End of Chapter)