The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

"This kid will probably surpass me soon."

Watching Qin An's departing figure, Luo Kai murmured to himself, but there was no trace of jealousy in his eyes; instead, they were filled with anticipation.

He picked up the kettle, took a sip, and thought to himself, "If I nurture him well, he might really become an asset to the Luo family in the future. Even if he doesn't, it's not a loss to have made a friend like him."

Luo Kai has now realized that Qin An is becoming increasingly powerful and outstanding, and is beginning to shine with his own unique brilliance.

My own little temple may not be able to accommodate a great Buddha like Qin An.

He didn't mind too much about it; on the contrary, he was quite optimistic about Qin An's future.

Moreover, after spending so much time with him, he had come to understand Qin An's character.

This is a person of great loyalty and compassion.

Even if there is a better future, they will never forget the kindness they have received.

I'm treating this as an investment now, and who knows, it might bring unexpected returns in the future.

……

Qin An's rest period lasted only five days. That morning, he was instructing cavalry drills on the training ground when a personal guard rushed over.

"Commander Qin, the Colonel wants you to go to the central command tent immediately, saying there is an urgent mission."

Qin An felt a chill run down his spine. He instructed Wang Hu to continue training and then strode towards the central command tent.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy. Luo Kai sat in the main seat with a gloomy face, while five centurions stood on either side with their hands at their sides, each looking tense.

"Everyone's here, so I'll get straight to the point." Luo Kai picked up a document, his voice low, "The order has been given that my unit will march with the main army to attack the heart of Baekje and participate in the siege."

"Attack a city?" Commander Zhang exclaimed in surprise. "Which city?"

"Pingxiang City!" Luo Kai uttered three words.

The tent fell into a deathly silence.

Pingxiang City was an important town in Baiji. Its city walls were three zhang high, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. It has always been a strategic location fought over by military strategists.

Everyone knows that siege warfare is always the most brutal, often resulting in mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

"My lord," Commander Li said in a trembling voice, "Pingxiang City is so well-fortified, our five thousand men... I'm afraid it won't be enough."

"It's not our 5,000-strong force," Luo Kai shook his head. "It's advancing with an army of 200,000. But even so, the danger of the siege will not be reduced in the slightest."

The five centurions looked at each other, their faces filled with fear.

They had all crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and knew all too well how low the survival rate was for the first batch of soldiers who rushed onto the city walls during a siege.

Qin An stood silently to the side, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the knife at his waist.

He had experienced many battles, but this was the first time he had witnessed a large-scale siege.

He could imagine the scene of arrows raining down and stones falling like hail, and his heart couldn't help but feel heavy.

"Military orders are absolute. This matter is settled, and we cannot shirk our responsibilities," Luo Kai said in a deep voice. "You will all go back, count your numbers, prepare provisions and weapons, and depart promptly at the crack of tomorrow morning."

Everyone nodded silently, bowed, and withdrew. Only Luo Kai and Qin An remained inside the tent.

"Qin An!" Luo Kai looked at him, his tone softening slightly, "You need to be extra careful during this siege."

"Rest assured, sir, I understand."

"Good that you understand!" Luo Kai sighed. "Large-scale battles are not like small-scale conflicts. Arrows have no eyes, and swords are merciless. Never rush forward just to claim credit. Only by preserving your life can you have a future."

Qin An felt a warmth in his heart and nodded, saying, "I will remember."

The next morning, the sound of bugles pierced the sky, and the 200,000-strong army, like a giant dragon, slowly marched into the heart of Baekje.

Luo Kai's force of five thousand men appeared exceptionally small within the massive army formation.

Qin An's cavalry, acting as the vanguard, led the way.

He reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, gazing at the endless army formation, a sense of awe welling up within him.

Banners fluttered, armor gleamed, and soldiers marched in unison, their footsteps making a resounding "thump-thump" sound as if the earth itself were trembling.

The grain transport convoy stretched out end to end, like a long snake.

The siege equipment was pulled by oxen and horses, gleaming with a cold metallic luster.

"It's truly spectacular," Han Quan exclaimed as he moved closer to Qin An.

Qin An nodded, his gaze sweeping across the military formation.

He saw the different units advancing in an orderly fashion, the messengers riding swift horses weaving through the ranks, and the generals commanding with composure from the high platform.

All of this made him deeply realize how precise and complex the operation of a large-scale war is.

"Do you know who our commander is?" Qin An asked.

"I heard it's General Yuwen Shu," Han Quan replied. "He's a famous general of Daxing, and it's said he's won many battles."

Qin An's heart stirred.

He had long heard of Yuwen Shu's name; it was said that he was both wise and brave and had fought many major battles.

This is a rare opportunity to witness his conducting artistry firsthand.

During the march, Qin An deliberately observed the army's deployment.

He discovered that Yuwen Shu had divided his army into three parts: the front, the middle, and the rear. The front army was responsible for clearing the way and reconnaissance, the middle army was the main force, and the rear army was responsible for escorting provisions and equipment.

Communication between the various armies was smooth and their cooperation was excellent. Even when they encountered small groups of Baekje troops harassing them, they could react quickly and defeat them.

"That's really impressive," Qin An thought to himself.

He used to only know how to charge into battle, but now he understands that the true way of a commander lies in strategizing and winning battles from afar.

A few days later, the army arrived at the outskirts of Pingxiang City.

Standing on high ground, Qin An looked into the distance and saw Pingxiang City situated on a plain. The city walls were tall and majestic, the moat was about ten zhang wide, and the city walls were covered with flags, with the figures of soldiers faintly visible.

"This city is not easy to attack." Luo Kai came to Qin An's side, his brows furrowed.

"Indeed." Qin An nodded. "For such a fortified city, besieging it without attacking might be the best option."

"It's not that easy," Luo Kai said with a wry smile. "I heard that His Majesty has already personally led the expedition and is overseeing the battle from the rear. His Majesty is pressing hard, so General Yuwen will probably have no choice but to launch a direct assault."

Qin An's heart sank.

The emperor's presence overseeing the battle signifies that the war cannot be delayed and a full-scale assault is inevitable.

He gazed at the city walls of Pingxiang, as if he could already see the impending bloody battle.

The army set up camp outside Pyeongyang City, stretching for dozens of miles, with smoke rising from the chimneys, facing the Baekje garrison on the city walls.

When news of Yuwen Shu's summons of his generals arrived, Luo Kai and Qin An were studying a map of Pingxiang City.

"Let's go check on the commander. You'll come with me." Luo Kai stood up.

"Me too?" Qin An asked, somewhat surprised.

"Hmm." Luo Kai nodded. "It will be good for you to broaden your horizons. Besides, you might even run into Commander Zhang."

Commander Zhang's real name was Zhang Xu. He was Luo Kai's direct superior and a formidable general.

Qin An followed Luo Kai to the vicinity of the commander's tent, where he saw that the area was heavily guarded and filled with generals in armor.

Upon learning that Zhang Xu had returned from the meeting, Luo Kai immediately went in to inquire about the situation.

Qin An waited outside the tent.

He stood under a large tree, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers around him.

These men were far more elite than his own men, and they carried an aura of ruthlessness.

Clearly, the closer one is to the top leadership, the more elite troops and capable generals they have at their disposal.

"A commander of ten thousand? I wonder when I'll ever get to that position?"