Start with a red name

Chapter 349 A mistake
This day was February 19th.

10 PM.

The entire "Black Wind Army" mobilized.

More than two hundred miles to the south, there were ships that blocked out the sky and gathered in ever-growing numbers.

They are making meticulous preparations for the next clash, which will take place in two or three days.

In this situation, the "Black Wind Army" directly abandoned the sand islands that were used as anchor points.

Apart from the ships damaged in the previous naval battle, all other vessels were put to use, and all supplies and provisions were moved onto the ships before nightfall.

Then, after dark, everyone split into six groups and quickly dispersed to the waters to the east, north, and west, all stopping quietly in the waters more than 20 miles from the shore.

Five of them have around 8,500 to 8,600 people each.

Three of them were led by Liu Mu, Song Mingzhu, and Tie Lang, who were all at the peak of the fourth realm.

They are located in the due east, due north, and due west directions, respectively.

The other two groups are each led by three individuals who have reached the third level of mastery.

They are located in the northeast and northwest directions respectively.

The remaining individuals at the second and first realms of perfection were also evenly distributed among the five teams according to their strength.

Through their various operations, the Black Wind Army amassed a total of 34,919 Xuanyou horses and over 40,000 suits of armor.

The reason there were more armor pieces was not only due to some stockpiles, but also because thousands of Xuanyou horses had died.

This time, Geng Xuan held nothing back and used them all.

These five teams, each with 8,500 to 8,600 men, were each equipped with 6,400 cavalry, totaling 32,000 cavalry.

The last team consisted of over five thousand people, with only a few at the peak of the Marrow Refinement stage, and only two thousand nine hundred riders of the Xuan You Horse.

It is the smallest in scale and the weakest in strength.

However, the ships of this team were anchored in the southeast, and their target was the most difficult to conquer—Dong Guan's main camp.

The team was not uneasy about this arrangement; on the contrary, everyone was excited and invigorated.

This was because, after more than a month, Geng Xuan, the irreplaceable leader of the "Black Wind Army," finally "came out of seclusion" again and personally led his team into action.

After each team anchored in the designated waters, they waited quietly.

Liu Mu, Song Mingzhu, Tie Lang, and the others all looked up at the sky, their eyes following the trajectory of the waning crescent moon across the night sky.

When the sharp, axe-blade-like crescent moon rose to a certain height, around the middle of the Hai hour (9-11 PM), the six fleets simultaneously sprang into action, like six arrows released from a bow, rushing towards the shore.

The hour of Hai (9-11 PM) is also known as "Ren Ding" (meaning "people's rest"). Even with the strictest vigilance, at least more than half of the troops would be asleep.

But many others are unusually lucid.

In the various military camps stationed along the coast of Xuanqinghai, there are a large number of people on duty and on guard, constantly watching for any movement around them.

Inside the barracks, more than half of the tens of thousands of Xuanyou Iron Cavalry were fully armored, sitting back to back with their comrades, their eyes half-open, in a light sleep.

Handy weapons are kept in the most easily accessible places nearby.

In this state, they can fully switch into "battle mode" within a few breaths.

In addition, in these military camps, mostly in the corners and edges, there was another group of people who were in a state of extreme alertness.

Although everyone lay quietly and obediently on their respective bunks, if one had eyes that could see through these tents, one would have noticed that bright and alert eyes were wide open and ears were perked up, trying their best to keep an eye on everyone's movements outside.

These people were mostly auxiliary soldiers, and also "Canglang people" who believed in "Canglang Heaven".

……

Hongyun Post Station.

It is located on the eastern shore of Xuanqinghai Lake, about a thousand miles north of the Hanghe River.

Looking east and south from this location, you'll find the most densely populated and prosperous area in the entire Xuanzhou.

At this moment, this place became the site where Dong Guan personally led tens of thousands of troops to garrison, holding the enemy's vital point and cutting off their possibility of breaking out to the south after landing in Xuanzhou.

If he weren't incapable of creating clones, he would also like to personally oversee that "key point" on the western shore of Xuanqing Sea.

This was to ensure that the enemy could not flee south to Youzhou.

This is not only to avoid too much damage to our own base, but also to limit the enemy's supply channels as much as possible.

After repeated analysis and estimation, the biggest weakness of this enemy force was its limited supplies.

From the moment they began to integrate the bandits of the two states, they followed the path of "using war to sustain war".

Whether it was the bandits of Erzhou, the garrison on Huangwei Island, or the former "Shuimen Army" on both sides of the "throat waterway," their food supplies were extremely limited.

Intense battles also lead to greater depletion of energy than usual.

Even if all the supplies in these places were seized by the enemy, it would not be enough to sustain their operations for long.

Regardless of the enemy's next move, securing supplies is a problem they will inevitably have to face.

Therefore, cutting off the enemy's possibility of easily obtaining supplies by moving south and forcing them to flee to the desolate and vast north was a strategic consensus reached by Dong Guan and his subordinates.

However, although the order of command has been made clear on how to fight.

But Dong Guan's expression remained tense.

Even his "rounded" figure has become much thinner compared to a month ago.

At this moment, Dong Guan was staring at a simple map in front of him.

Although the map is simple, the situation of the enemy and ourselves is marked very clearly.

At this moment, the enemy forces were clearly surrounded.

But looking at this situation map that showed "the advantage was in my hands," Dong Guan's brows furrowed even more.

After a long while, he finally looked up at the crowd and asked:
"What do you think this thief is plotting?"

If we only look at the changes in the situation between the two sides in recent days, the next development seems very clear.

Under sustained pressure from our side, the enemy's forces will be continuously depleted, and the waters available for them to maneuver will become increasingly narrow.

The game seemed to have passed the middle game and was heading towards the endgame, where the outcome was already decided.

However, it is clear that Dong Guan does not believe this at all.

Not only him, but also his trusted advisors and strategists did not believe it.

After a moment of silence, one of them spoke:

"I've thought of a possibility."

Dong Guan's gaze sharpened, but he didn't look up at the speaker. He kept his eyes fixed on the situation map in front of him and said in a deep voice, "Speak!"

"The enemy is likely using themselves as bait... The real key to victory or defeat lies not in Xuanqinghai, but elsewhere," the man said.

Upon hearing this, Dong Guan instinctively felt a chill run down his spine.

It felt as if an invisible dagger was slowly approaching my heart.

Then, he felt incredibly irritable.

"Explain yourself clearly, where is 'elsewhere'?"

This is not a new insight.

As early as last month, after our navy easily captured "Nightlight Island" and completely sealed off the enemy in the Xuanqing Sea, some people had already raised this possibility.

As our navy continues to advance, this conjecture is repeatedly brought up during each post-game review.

But the most crucial question is, where exactly is this "elsewhere"?

If this problem isn't solved, then this is all just empty talk.

The man cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Dong Guan and said:
"If I'm not mistaken, this 'elsewhere' most likely comes from another state."

The possibilities for Haozhou, Yuanzhou, and Minzhou, which border us, are even greater than the other four prefectures.

"Among them, Haozhou and Yuanzhou are the most prominent."

"Haozhou? Yuanzhou?" Dong Guan murmured.

"Yes, it's Haozhou and Yuanzhou, and I think Yuanzhou is more likely."

The man nodded and continued:

"I count as a person, and people count as me."

"Last year, we made preparations for our southward campaign for a full year."

Although we have tried our best to cover it up, such a big commotion makes it easy for anyone to find clues if they are interested.

Moreover, we've deployed many of our resources deep into both states.

"I think we not only noticed it, but also developed a response!"

"...For example, many of our important plans in Yuanzhou were ruined by a newly emerging 'Giant Bear Gang', weren't they?"

Previously, I thought this "Giant Bear Gang" was just another newly rising force within Yuanzhou, or perhaps the resurgence of an old force, using a different name to be reborn.

Such a "giant bear gang" would at most add another entry to Dong Guan's "list of enemies," and they could settle the score later when it was more convenient.

It's not worth specifically targeting or cracking down on.

"But considering the recent changes in Yuanzhou and the appearance of this group of thieves, I have some new ideas."

"Tell me about it," said Dong Guan.

The man took a deep breath and solemnly said:

“Within Yuanzhou, it is very likely that another powerful ruler like King Liu Wu has emerged!” Dong Guan, whose gaze had been fixed on the situation map on the table, suddenly froze.

After a moment, he suddenly looked up at the person who had spoken and said in a deep voice, "Why do you think that?"

He had carefully studied the life of King Wu of Liu.

In terms of the size of the territory he occupied, his achievements surpassed those of King Wu of Liu.

However, after careful comparison, he had to admit in his heart that in some aspects, King Liu Wu was superior to him.

If you were in that situation, and placed yourself in Yuanzhou, where the game started in hell, it would be difficult to reach the heights of King Liu Wu.

It was precisely because of the appearance of King Liu Wu that the military leaders of the other eight states reached a tacit understanding to lock down Yuanzhou.

We can no longer give Yuanzhou Haojie a chance to rise to the top!
This is why Yuanzhou is in its current state.

This was a very successful, but also very ruthless, move.

Dong Guan believed that even if King Liu Wu were to be resurrected, it would be difficult for him to replicate his past achievements in Yuanzhou.

Yuanzhou today no longer has the fertile ground for heroes to display their martial prowess!

Now, his trusted advisor said that another "King Liu Wu" had emerged in Yuanzhou. How could this not make him feel alarmed?
This person looked at Dong Guan and said:

"Your Majesty, you must not have noticed the news coming from Yuanzhou recently, have you?"

"Oh, what happened in Yuanzhou?" Dong Guan asked.

During this period, his energy was completely focused on Xuanqinghai, and he could hardly pay attention to the situation in other parts of Xuanyou and Xuanqinghai. How could he have the mind to care about the changes in other states?
This man bowed to Dong Guan and then said:
"According to our plan for Yuanzhou last year, starting from the first month of this year, a great famine affecting at least several million people will break out in Yuanzhou."

However, the actual number of starving people was far less than we estimated.

Moreover, the existing starving people did not wander aimlessly; instead, the "Giant Bear Gang" mobilized a massive amount of manpower and resources to transport them all to the southwest of Yuanzhou.

"These starving people not only did not cause a great upheaval that engulfed the entire Yuanzhou, but were instead organized by the 'Giant Bear Gang' to carry out a comprehensive dredging of the Zhushui River, which had been dry for hundreds of years."

"...I've specifically verified this; from the time the Five Emperors created the world, observing the entire land, this is an unprecedented undertaking!"

At this point, the man glanced at Dong Guan, whose face was growing increasingly grim, and said softly:
"Do you think it's possible to accomplish something like this without a hero like King Wu of Liu behind it?"

Dong Guan remained silent.

As a military commander who controls both Xuan and You provinces, Dong Guan has a deep understanding of the difficulty of handling these matters.

Each of these items, taken individually, was something that a small local warlord could not have accomplished.

Yuanzhou, who "disabled his own martial arts," was even less likely to do so!

"In this world, for every spear there is a shield."

"The eight states thought they had cleverly locked down Yuanzhou."

"But I never imagined that, given enough time, someone would eventually find their own way to break through this barrier!"

"What's even more frightening is that such a being has completely 'disappeared' from our sight."

"Fortunately, this famine gave us a glimpse into the situation."

"Otherwise, we would still be in the dark, not knowing who the real enemy is!"

The man looked at Dong Guan, whose face was grim, and continued:

"Think about it, what is the biggest change that this group of thieves brought about?"

Of course, the meticulously planned southward strategy was forced to stop.

Dong Guan did not answer the question, but gritted his teeth and said, "Are you saying that the enemy is very likely to come from the south of the Hang River?"

The man lowered his brow slightly and said softly, "We must be on guard."

As the navy continued its advance and its forces moved northward, the banks of the Hang River became more sparsely populated than ever before.

Of the hundreds of thousands of troops besieging the bandits in Xuanqinghai, the army that Dong Guan is currently leading is the closest to the Hanghe River.

If the enemy were to come from the south of the Hang River at this moment, they could easily pierce his anus.

Thus, the actions of the bandits in Xuanqinghai can be reasonably explained.

They used themselves as bait, taking advantage of his deep-seated hatred, to divert his troops northward, further and further away from the Hang River.

Thinking of this, Dong Guan couldn't help but shudder.

Just then, a loud noise came from outside.

The camp, which had been very quiet just moments before, seemed to awaken rapidly, with various noises reaching the tents one after another.

This sudden change caused everyone to immediately stop talking.

One of the people near the door immediately got up and walked outside.

The person had barely taken a step when he turned back, followed by a hurried figure.

The man immediately bowed to Dong Guan and reported, "Your Majesty, the bandits have appeared... They landed two miles north of the camp."

Dong Guan suddenly stood up and hurriedly asked, "Can you tell the size of the bandits?"

The person who reported back said:
"The total strength is over five thousand, with about three thousand cavalry."

"……Well?!"

Upon hearing this, Dong Guan was stunned and stood there dumbfounded.

With such a large troop strength, it's really hard for him to feel any sense of crisis!

What kind of confidence makes these thieves think that a mere few thousand people dare to provoke them?
The next moment, Dong Guan quickly left the tent, climbed up a nearby arrow tower in a few steps, and looked north.

The camp was brightly lit, and the waters a few miles away were barely visible.

Although it's not very clear, only a blurry outline is visible.

Based on Dong Guan's experience, he could tell at a glance that the reporter's judgment was correct.

The number of bandits who landed was indeed only about five thousand, and the number of cavalry was only about three thousand.

Just as Dong Guan frowned and watched all this, the three thousand iron cavalry had already completed their formation.

Then, they began to charge towards their own camp.

"Da da da--"

As the Xuanyou horse galloped, the commotion instantly spread throughout the military camp.

This doesn't look like a night raid at all.
At that moment, the military camp beneath them had also fully awakened.

The noise of the Xuanyou horse running was even greater than that of the horse opposite it.

Soon, a torrent of steel rushed out from one side of the military camp and headed straight for the other side.

Faced with such a tough response, the three thousand iron cavalry showed no intention of slowing down or avoiding them, and continued to accelerate forward.

Dong Guan frowned as he looked at the strange scene before him, but he didn't seem to care much about the impending collision.

Not only were the troops too few, but the landing site they chose was also too close to the military camp, so the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry's advantages could not be fully utilized.

Before they could even get into full speed, they had to stop in front of the fence riddled with chevaux-de-frise.

Not to mention, more than half of our own cavalry are ready to act at any time.

Such night raids cannot harm our side in the slightest.

Therefore, Dong Guan was quite puzzled by what was happening before his eyes.

Combining the ideas that had just emerged from his discussion with his advisors, he felt a heavy weight in his heart.

This is also what puts the most pressure on him from the group of thieves in front of him.

Compared to the strength it displayed, its style of doing things was what troubled and troubled him the most.

Unpredictable and unfathomable.

There is absolutely no way to predict their next move.

Even though the situation was clearly in his favor, he remained uneasy, as if an unexpected turn of events might occur at any moment.

"when--"

Just then, a piercing sound entered my ears.

Dong Guan snapped out of his daze and looked in the direction of the sound.

Then a long spear shot towards the camp from a distance, piercing through several tents before embedding itself deeply into a thick pillar.

In the distance, just before the two torrents of steel were about to collide, two cavalrymen bumped into each other first.

Meanwhile, the cavalry general on our side, who was charging ahead and possessed the cultivation of the third realm, had his long spear knocked away by the opponent's sword the moment the two sides clashed.

An ordinary-looking knife.

The same unremarkable sword techniques.

He easily neutralized a powerful and deadly attack.

They also put their own cavalry general in a desperate situation.

Dong Guan couldn't help but feel his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.

Sure enough, the next moment, a flash of silver light streaked across the sky, and the head of their own cavalry general flew high into the air.

"boom--"

The two torrents of steel immediately collided head-on.

(End of this chapter)