Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
When Jufeng left Yang City, he did not take Liu Xing with him. He believed that Liu Xing would be just as safe by Politeness's side as he would be by his own. Moreover, when it came to Yanhuang Martial Arts, Politeness was more suited to be a mentor, honing Liu Xing on the battlefield and maximizing his potential.
Liu Xing was a piece of uncut jade; within ten years, he would undoubtedly become the most exquisite pearl under the starry sky!
Jufeng did not return directly to Pingcheng. The situation in the Northeast continued to unfold according to established strategies, slowly infiltrating while waiting for the Unification Alliance's counterattack before making his move. Instead, he headed straight for Zhao City, a contested area where Hua Gang and the Unification Alliance clashed.
Zhao City, known in ancient times as Longcheng, has always been shrouded in mystery regarding its connection to the famous poem about Longcheng. It is renowned as one of the Three Yan Ancient Capitals and serves as a crucial transportation hub and battleground. Hua Gang had retreated multiple times but maintained a strong presence at this strategic location. However, if reinforcements did not arrive soon and the Unification Alliance's offensive continued unabated, it would likely not hold out for long.
Accompanying Jufeng to Zhao City were Zhu Yao and Chang Guohong, who led the Starlight Ranking, along with Tang Haoran, who wielded a knife in his left hand. His return to Yang City was merely to add leverage against the assassins of Heroic Journey. Now that the hidden dangers in the dark had been eliminated, a good blade naturally needed to return to the battlefield to sharpen itself through bloodshed.
Hua Gang's base in Zhao City was an old factory. The term "old" referred only to the weathered walls and rusted exterior; inside, the factory was vast. Aside from some outdated equipment and workshops, most of the living quarters had recently been renovated. Hua Gang had around six hundred members stationed here, with additional personnel scattered across various other bases in Zhao City, bringing their total number to over a thousand.
Following Tang Haoran's lead, Jufeng wound his way into the factory and arrived at a two-story new building where he met the remaining elite members of Hua Gang.
Elder Yuan had returned to Yang City for nurturing. Currently, Yu Jianyuan was in charge here. Having worked closely with Hua Gang's new leader, he was now in his thirties and served as an unofficial king among Hua Gang's ranks aside from the top ten leaders. Yu Jianyuan inherited strong traditions from Hua Gang; he sought neither fame nor profit and avoided intrigue. With both literary talent and martial prowess, he was deeply respected by Hua Gang's members. He slightly bowed and performed proper etiquette, and Jufeng naturally reciprocated with humility; their palms met in mid-air, unsure of what sparks might fly.
"Hua Gang's Yu Jianyuan! I have long heard of your great name, Feng Shao. Please take a seat."
Jufeng politely sat down at Yu Jianyuan's gesture. The warm-hearted person seemed well-suited for leadership—at least for communication.
"Brother Yu knows that Feng Shao has an extraordinary relationship with Irin King. However, Hua Gang has greatly benefited from Feng Shao’s generosity; if Brother Yu does not express gratitude, I would feel quite uneasy. Therefore, here I must bow to Feng Shao for all your kindness; Hua Gang will certainly remember it deeply!"
Jufeng quickly stood up and helped Yu Jianyuan straighten up from his bowing position. Regardless of whether this act was genuine or not, not everyone would be willing to bend down like that. In Huaguo, there had always been a bad habit of idolizing prideful living regardless of wealth or poverty; however, Jufeng never agreed with this notion—what difficulty was there in standing tall? A true man is most admirable when he can bend and stretch!
"Brother Yu is being too polite. Feng and Hua Gang share common enemies; it is only right that we form an alliance and support each other. If it weren't for Hua Gang's restraint, Hurricane would not have achieved such results in the Northeast. I have come this time to discuss how I can assist Hua Gang further so that we can advance together and achieve success on both fronts—forcing Mu Zhongde to reveal his cards."
Despite the ongoing conflict with the Unification Alliance, they had yet to touch upon their core strengths—a concern that both Jufeng and Flower Snow Moon had long harbored. Mu Zhongde had promised substantial rewards for allies willing to conspire together; however, the foundation of the Unification Alliance remained hidden beneath the surface in the Northwest, which is why both Hurricane and Hua Gang were proceeding cautiously.
In light of the current situation at the Hua Gang, Yu Jianyuan's expression suddenly darkened. The onslaught from the Unification Alliance and Prairie Wolf had been too sudden and fierce, leaving Hua Gang severely battered. If it weren't for that, they wouldn't have to endure such humiliation now.
"Feng Shao must also be aware that the Unification Alliance and Prairie Wolf are at our doorstep. The situation in Zhao City has become urgent, and tonight is likely to be the day of reckoning. Hua Gang's chances of victory are slim."
The members gathered in the pavilion were all leaders within Hua Gang, so these words could be spoken candidly in front of them. The valiant man Tang Haoran also looked dispirited, as he could imagine how difficult the circumstances had been for Hua Gang in recent days.
Jufeng fell silent upon hearing this, pondering how to resolve this crisis. After a brief moment of silence among the crowd, a rough voice suddenly rang out, booming through the air and startling many who were unprepared.
"Look at you all with your long faces, looking worse than if your mother had died! What a disgrace! It's just a Unification Alliance and a bunch of wolf cubs. When they come tonight, I will be the first to issue a military order: if I don't kill every last one of them, I won't leave Zhao City!"
Just as Zhang Fei once shouted at Changban Slope, Wu Li's words roused everyone in the room. Some members who had been disheartened began to rally in agreement, and soon the fire of determination blazed brightly within the pavilion!
Wu Li, one of the Three Dragons of Hua Bang, was skilled with his mountain cleaver. In battle, he was truly a king of decapitation. Unlike Tang Haoran's delicate left-handed blade work, Wu Li's mountain cleaver swung wide and fierce, turning him into a living meat grinder amidst the chaos of battle.
Jufeng shifted his gaze from Wu Li and felt somewhat uplifted by his words. He turned to Yu Jianyuan and said, "Brother Yu, there is a saying in military strategy: 'When contending for territory, one should follow closely behind the enemy.' I believe the key lies in that word 'behind.' Although we are outnumbered, let us not forget that courage makes one invincible. If our brothers can fight like Brother Wu here, then perhaps we can still have a chance!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Jianyuan immediately perked up. After pondering for a long time without results, could it be that this Underworld Young Master had a brilliant strategy? "Feng Shao, I would like to hear more."
"I interpret 'behind' in military terms as follows: we should closely follow the enemy's movements. When they have just captured a city and have not yet established their foothold, we strike suddenly. A weary army can be defeated. However, since our two forces are now facing each other without any city to attack, we must create an opportunity for ourselves. Tonight's assault by the Unification Alliance presents us with the best chance."
Yu Jianyuan carefully considered Jufeng's words; a clever person does not need to lay everything bare—just a hint will suffice. He fell into deep thought as silence enveloped the pavilion; not a single person dared to interrupt him. Yet the gloom on everyone's faces began to lift as they anticipated a turnaround in their fortunes.
After some time, Yu Jianyuan emerged from his contemplation with an unreadable expression on his face. "So Feng Shao means we should split our forces and use part of our brothers as bait?"
"Exactly. However, those brothers serving as bait must prepare themselves for certain death. We are already at a disadvantage in numbers and will need to hold off at least twice our number for two hours or more. Even though we will be on the defensive, these brothers' lives remain precarious."
Yu Jianyuan fell silent again, knowing deep down that this strategy was indeed the best way to defend Zhao City. Yet sacrificing countless brothers weighed heavily on his conscience; how could he bring himself to make such a decision?
Jufeng observed the situation and realized there was little he could do. After all, they were members of Hua Gang, and as an outsider, how could he persuade them? However, since it concerned the overall situation, he could only exert a bit of pressure at the right moment.
"Brother Yu, no matter what method you choose tonight, since I, Jufeng, am here, I will fight alongside the Brothers to the bitter end!"
With Jufeng's declaration, Yu Jianyuan felt he could no longer hesitate. He understood that while it was not entirely appropriate to keep Jufeng here, desperate times called for desperate measures. The skilled fighters he brought were far superior to those of Hua Gang, significantly increasing their chances of victory.
"Good! A general's success is built on countless sacrifices. For the restoration of Hua Gang, we have already shed so much blood; how can we show mercy now? Wu Li, inform the other Brothers at the outposts to gather here. Record the family situations of the Brothers—those without ties can stay, while those with families should prepare. Once I finish discussing the specifics with Feng Shao, we will all take action."
"Understood!" Wu Li, tall and robust, clasped his fists and strode out of the pavilion. Jufeng and Yu Jianyuan then began discussing their subsequent plans.
This battle would determine their fate!
(To be continued)
Comment 0 Comment Count