Chapter 81: Prelude to the Final Battle

After defeating and forcing the revolutionary army to retreat, the Han army remained for two days, purging the surrounding "residents who supported the rebels."

Then, they resumed their offensive.

Wang Luo, having confirmed this news from several scouts, stepped out of his tent and ordered every soldier to carry one day’s rations; the entire army began its march.

For the past few days, he had spent most of his time in his tent, dealing with a messy array of matters. Officers and soldiers had performed differently on the recent battlefield, necessitating promotions and rewards. The officers also held conflicting opinions on the next stage of the battle: some hoped to garrison the camp and rely on fortifications to withstand the Han army’s attack, while others wished to retreat temporarily to disengage from the area.

Regardless of whether he agreed with these ideas, he had to listen carefully and show respect so that the officers would continue to offer advice when they had good suggestions in the future. Some commanders and deputies had followed his lead by selecting women from the rear camp to serve them (it was said that some even beat these women). Since he had set the example, he had no choice but to accept it.

Some contractors were also acting in the shadows—Gettini had gone out and had yet to return. That didn't matter; it made no difference if he didn't come back. Rank seemed to have suffered some sort of setback and was in low spirits. Charles had come to see him, though he hadn't understood what the man meant at the time. Thinking back now, it was likely that he was trying to say that if Wang Luo helped him settle a debt, he could identify the traitor in the camp...

There was no time to deal with such trivialities.

Zhou Yingxiong had handled all the foolishness, mistakes, and actions that caused dissatisfaction among subordinates on his behalf. Now that the plan had reached this stage, there was no turning back.

He still trusted his own judgment. As a collective, the enemy's actions were, on the whole, a trajectory that could be predicted and controlled. The final outcome might be good or bad; the way things developed might be favorable or unfavorable to him. Regardless, he was prepared to face it.

Now, there was only one thing to do: defeat the enemy.

----

"He didn't follow the intelligence you sent back this time?" After Wang Luo led the main army out, Zhou Yingxiong called Yang Wentian into his tent.

"Because I made a mistake last time," Yang Wentian leaned back in his chair, looking languid. "According to him, he trusts that I wouldn't lie to him, but he doesn't trust my competence. I might be deceived, or I might just be a fool."

"Whatever. The contract is signed anyway. It’s best if we win, but if we lose, we won't necessarily die, and joining Wuzhou wouldn't be a bad thing."

Zhou Yingxiong frowned at this, saying nothing.

He had never considered the possibility of losing. Since entering this scenario, he had been winning constantly, controlling more and more supplies, commanding more and more troops, and accumulating greater and greater power.

Undoubtedly, victory was expected and taken for granted. The key now was how to win more spectacularly and gain greater benefits; that was what Zhou Yingxiong was considering.

Because Wang Luo sometimes seemed not to calculate how to obtain the maximum benefit at all—even if his command was excellent, this was a flaw. And to make up for this flaw, he had to rely on himself.

So, how could he obtain the maximum benefit? By thoroughly defeating the enemy. Under the current circumstances, the forces were basically evenly matched. Thus, just like before, finding a trap laid by the enemy and using it against them was an instinctive choice for Zhou Yingxiong, who had experienced many similar situations.

As for whether the enemy would fall for the same trick again after having been fooled several times—Zhou Yingxiong did not consider it. In any case, according to Wang Luo, the enemy were creatures who did not think.

There was no reason why Wang Luo could lead the enemy around by the nose, but he could not.

Previously, when such thoughts had vaguely surfaced, Yang Wentian had told Zhou Yingxiong a piece of bad news: during his scouting, he had unfortunately been captured by the people from Wuzhou.

Then, a contract was signed: he had to pass back the intelligence Wuzhou needed, and under any circumstances, if Wang Luo discovered him, he would die immediately.

*This is exactly what I need!* Zhou Yingxiong immediately thought of a way to use it: pretend to compromise and save his life first. Then, use the enemy's trust against them. Just as Wang Luo often did, he would scheme against the enemy and ambush them.

Thus, it was on his suggestion that Yang Wentian’s subsequent meetings and agreements with Wuzhou came to be. As for how to arrange things better? There was no need to rush; since they were currently in a stalemate, they could take it slow.

While he was pondering these things, a subordinate rushed in. "Sir, someone is inciting a mutiny in the camp!"

"Hm? What's going on?"

"It's a teacher. Everyone was resting after training, and she was giving a lecture. Suddenly, in the middle of it, she said: 'You are all spineless! You have the lives of the poor! Nothing you do will be of any use...' She said that if we were smart, we should hurry up and kill Wang Luo and you, then surrender to the Imperial Court! Otherwise, sooner or later, we will all be captured and executed by the Court!"

!!! Was she insane? "Where is she? Take me there!"

----

Lin Feirui sat in the conference room, looking at the clock in the distance.

The vast room was empty now. Huakai sat to her left, and Ling'er sat to her right. The rest of the members had all departed for their missions.

"They will reach their destination in another half hour." Ling'er took off her headset, put down her pen, and reported the news she had just received.

"What's the position?"

"On a hillside more than ten miles northwest of the revolutionary camp. The revolutionary army has set up their formation there and stopped moving forward."

"Planning to stand in formation and solidify their defense again?" Lin Feirui chuckled. "That's all he knows how to do."

"Can the Han army defeat them this time?" Huakai asked from the side.

"A head-on confrontation between the main forces? I estimate it will be a draw again," Lin Feirui replied. "Wang Luo’s style is to occupy an advantageous position, set up a formation, and wait for the Han army to attack. With similar numbers, it is impossible to eliminate him from the front."

"What do you plan to do? Although there is still time..."

"Today is the last chance." Lin Feirui’s tone was slightly anxious. "Is there any news from Gettini?"

"I haven't been able to reach him," Ling'er said. "I’ve been sending a contact signal every half hour."

"Send it every ten minutes," Lin Feirui ordered. "What about the order for Zhou Suyuan?"

"It has been conveyed; she said she understands."

"And the routine contact with Charles?"

"Now? But outside..."

"Everything is set up outside. We three aren't going to the battlefield; all we can do is wait for the result. Contact Charles."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Huakai asked.

"No, if his attitude is too hostile, then you can step in. Start, Ling'er."

"Understood." Ling'er dialed the number, and before long, the other end picked up.

"Is it convenient?"

"I’ve already heard the news about the expedition. Are there any anomalies?"

"You mean Gettini hasn't appeared for several days? You suspect he’s betrayed us again? Fine, I understand."

"Twelve new officers promoted? They probably just got their kill counts on the battlefield anyway. Is the number of soldiers left for defense still one thousand? Around eight hundred... I see."

"Several contractors who went to the ferry have returned... many? One from Rank's side, two from Gettini's? Fine... any other news?"

"The female teachers are arguing? What use is that kind of news!"