As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 288 Who is the hunter? Who is the prey?
The situation took a sudden turn when billowing black smoke rose from the direction of the granary, triggering a series of chain reactions. Several arrows were stuck in his armor, but Wang Huai, covered in blood, remained calm.

The future is completely collapsing, the army is already showing signs of disintegration, and it looks like they are about to lose.

He glanced at the flags fluttering on the city wall, where Xu Zhongling was watching him with great interest.

Wang Huai lowered his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice, "Withdraw!"

"withdraw?"

Is there still hope if we withdraw?
The subordinate general twitched the corner of his mouth.

However, in the military, orders are paramount.

With Wang Huai's order, the demoralized Blood-Clad Army began a hasty retreat.

"Hahahahaha!"

"we won!"

"We've defeated Wang Huai!"

"Chase!"

"Come on!"

They watched as the blood-clad army fled in disarray.

Xu Zhongling's army, however, had a completely different attitude. The soldiers were filled with excitement, and the generals were equally thrilled and eager.

What a crushing defeat!
That's Wang Huai!

This grassroots overlord swept across the country in the blink of an eye, yet we rarely hear of him fleeing in such a sorry state.

These people are destined to be remembered in history.

Now, these fleeing soldiers in blood-stained clothes are seen as walking military achievements by the enemy.

Such a great victory caused some troops to become somewhat out of control and pursue the Blood-Clad Army.

However, this is to be expected.

If not now, when?
If you're too late, all the military merits will be snatched up by others.

……

When faced with a crisis, people's first instinct is to run away. They find it difficult to rationally analyze the situation and find a way to survive.

They need some time to react.

Even without Wang Huai issuing a retreat order, the army began to disintegrate and collapse somewhat out of control.

Now, Wang Huai personally led the retreat, and the retreat was relatively disciplined, without the chaos and complete collapse.

The enemy soldiers behind them were in hot pursuit, and they had quickly run quite far away.

The terrain of Xiaoyao City is very special. After being eroded by a great river, it has become a plateau surrounded by cliffs, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Now, under Wang Huai's deliberate leadership, the army has been brought to the edge of a cliff.

Looking at the deep ravine, tens of meters high, the already demoralized soldiers felt even more desperate.

How to win?
Pursuers were closing in, and supplies were running out.

What lies ahead for the Blood-Clad Army?

"Everyone!"

"We have no retreat!"

Suddenly, a powerful and resolute voice rang in my ears.

Having won so many times that they had become complacent, the ones who underestimated their opponents were not Wang Huai, but these soldiers.

The rout of the soldiers was startled and turned to look.

At the rear of the column stood the burly leader, covered in blood, his eyes burning. His armor was riddled with arrows, and his cloak was tattered, suggesting he had endured considerable battle and was somewhat disheveled. As the sun set, the dim, golden sunlight filtered down, illuminating his figure, making it impossible to discern his expression from the dark silhouette.

The king walks towards his twilight, tragic yet resolute.

During the war, he took the lead and charged into battle bravely.

During the retreat, he stayed at the back of the column to cover everyone's retreat.

He has always been the backbone of the army, and the soldiers have hope when they see him.

Wang Huai stood tall and proud, shouting loudly, "We've come this far, and it shouldn't be our end by letting villains get away with it."

"Gentlemen, since we have nowhere left to retreat, let's fight our way back!"

You can't stop someone when they want to run away.

Why not let them retreat for a while, use that time to regain their senses, think carefully about where the way out is, and then unite as one to unleash their most terrifying power for survival?

At the same time, it also lured the enemy soldiers away from the tortoise-shell-like Xiaoyao City and into a final battle with him in the wilderness.

The situation is now very clear.

There was no way for them to retreat.

To survive, you have to kill! You have to win!

The setting sun cast its shadow on the leader, who raised his broadsword, his eyes bloodshot, and shouted, "Let us reclaim Xiaoyao City and grind those bandits to dust! Let's fight to the death!"

"Fight!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

For a time, everyone was inspired to act bravely.

Everyone gripped their swords and spears tightly, shouting and yelling in unison.

No one can take away their right to live.

If they want to survive, they have no choice but to fight for their lives.

The fleeing legion turned its horses around, and as far as the eye could see, dust billowed in the distance, and the pursuing troops were close behind.

But they didn't know that in those few short moments, the morale of this fleeing group of soldiers had been turned around.

The resolute army, however, has already regrouped and is preparing to unleash its most terrifying power for survival.

Looking at the group of fierce soldiers, Wang Huai lowered his eyes and murmured softly, "Mingchen, it seems that my elder brother has succeeded."

He raised his broadsword, pointing it at the setting sun on the horizon: "Charge!!!"

"Rush!!!"

The military force was like a tsunami and a landslide, unstoppable.

Thousands of troops roared out.

They are the invincible Blood-Clad Army, unstoppable and invincible.

Xu Zhongling wants to provoke him? Well then let Xu Zhongling see... the consequences of provoking him!
……

Meanwhile, thick smoke billowed from the valley.

Blood-red flags fluttered in the wind, corpses littered the ground, and blood flowed like rivers.

"Your Highness, the fire is too big, don't get too close."

Thousands of elite Blood-Clad Soldiers stood leisurely in front of their billowing smoke-filled 'granaries,' completely unconcerned about those 'granaries' engulfed in flames.

On a dark and windy night, the grief-stricken Emperor Qi, who had lost his brother, secretly sent people to move all the grain out of the granary without leaving a trace.

Not a single grain of rice could be found in the billowing smoke of the granary.

The ground was littered with the corpses of Liang soldiers who were hiding in black.

At the front of the army, a boy of about ten years old stood tall on his horse, his face illuminated by the intensely burning flames.

He was dressed in brocade robes, exuding an air of grandeur, and one could see a resemblance between him and Wang Huai in his features.

He lowered his eyes, not caring about the raging flames in front of him, but staring intently at the capital city that was once the Blood-Clad Army.

The soldiers around him had just finished fighting and hadn't even had a chance to catch their breath after killing the enemy.

He then shouted to the general beside him, "Immediately muster the troops, assist my father, annihilate the rebels, and reclaim Xiaoyao City."

"Yes!"xn
"rush!"

Accompanied by shouts, the mighty army marched towards their homeland.

……

The past revolves, memories flow.

The young boy sat under the shade of a tree and lazily waved his hand at Wang Huai: "Brother, I don't like stories of burning one's boats and fighting with one's back to the river. If possible, I still hope that you can strategize and win battles from afar."

Throughout thousands of years of history, very few battles have been won by abandoning everything else to ignite one's own fighting spirit.

The operation is too difficult, requiring the coordination of many factors. A slight mistake could lead to complete failure, becoming a laughing stock in history, and never being able to hold one's head up again.

Mingchen always likes to keep something in reserve and doesn't like to take risks that lead to dead ends.

Therefore, he dislikes this self-destructive approach to the game.

Wang Huai came from a humble background. He had no access to how military families managed their troops, and he didn't know how to play politics. All he had was a burning passion.

He didn't understand history and had no idea where Mingchen had learned so many legendary stories.

I'd never heard of any of the names in the story.

But that doesn't matter. He will learn, he will draw nourishment from those brilliant stories, and continue to grow.

Mingchen, who was only a teenager, was not a military strategist. He did not know how to command troops, allocate resources, or direct an army.

All he has is five thousand years of wonderful history from another world, amazing battles, legendary generals and stories.

He told these stories to Wang Huai.

He knew that Wang Huai's future would be a bloody road of war, and what he could gain from these stories was up to Wang Huai himself.

Ten years have passed in a flash.

The young man also learned to command troops.

And those lowly commoners became heroes and overlords who stirred up the winds and clouds of the world.

The stories of casual conversations under the shade of trees in the height of summer have sparked boundless wisdom, inspiring those with a discerning eye to keep moving forward.

……

"kill!!!"

The pursuers familiar with the terrain knew that the Blood-Clad Army was fleeing in a panic, and the direction they were heading was a dead end.

If they pursue them, they will surely wipe out the defeated enemy.

The mobile military achievements are right before their eyes, and these people are the mobile wealth and glory.

General Xue Jingqi, who was leading the army, was extremely excited.

They are making history, they are creating miracles.

That's Wang Huai! The overlord who destroyed a dynasty and occupied half of the country.

Now that the overlord is gone, he will step on Wang Huai's head to ascend to the top of history and become a legendary general, enjoying endless wealth and glory.

With red eyes, he shouted, "Leave Wang Huai to me!"

We're almost there; victory is just around the corner.

only……

"Kill!!!"

"We fought hard!"

"We fought hard!"

"Let's fight these scoundrels to the death!"

Smoke and dust billowed ahead, and warhorses neighed.

The soldiers, who had been in a rout, were now roaring and howling with bloodshot eyes.

Instead of fleeing, they turned their horses around and resolutely headed towards their pursuers.

They had no food and no way to retreat.

There is only one battle.

The soldiers, fierce as wolves, seemed to have a red glint in their eyes, like beasts on the edge of a cliff, ready to devour anyone they could.

The fierce roar was deafening.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Something's wrong with these blood-clad soldiers!
Meeting the gazes of these people, Xue Jingqi suddenly shuddered, his legs inexplicably going weak.

Terrifying shouts of battle echoed from all directions.

The soldiers in front of him seemed to have lost their humanity.

Instead, they were a group of evil spirits roaming the edge of the underworld, baring their fangs and claws, fierce and terrifying.

what happened?

This was different from the typical, easy battle he had imagined.

They were so close, there was no way to retreat.

The two armies clashed together, an unstoppable force.

The battlefield was like a meat grinder, mixing everyone together.

The soldiers' roars and howls were deafening, blood splattered, limbs and heads flew off, and people were dying every moment.

Morale is very important.

Battles often involve tens of thousands of people, but casualties are usually low at the end.

When numbers outnumber the enemy and the death toll exceeds a certain threshold, the soldiers will automatically begin to consider retreating.

If they retreat, their formation breaks down, and morale collapses, then they have lost.

What we are facing now is a contest of wills and morale between the two sides.

With their backs against the cliff, the Blood-Clad Soldiers, determined to fight to the death, unleashed all their energy in a fierce battle against the Liang army.

They had no way out; if they didn't move forward, they would die.

They were not afraid of swords or spears. Even if their arms were severed or their chests were pierced, they would still spit out a mouthful of blood to deceive the enemy.

The battle has surprisingly turned into a one-sided affair.

The terrifying Blood-Clad Legion has once again proven to the world why it was able to sweep across the country in just a few years and why it was able to conquer all enemies as it marched north.

As easily as cutting melons and vegetables, Xu Zhongling's carefully selected and trained elite troops were no match for him in this charge.

Who is the prey? Who is the hunter?
The excited pursuers chased out of the fortified city, which was as solid as a tortoise shell. What lay ahead of them was not military merit, but deadly demons.

"This this……"

"Monster, monster..."

"Quick, quick, retreat!"

How can this be? !
How can this be? !
Xue Jingqi had never seen a battle like this before, nor had he ever seen an army with such terrifying morale.

Why is this happening? !
These soldiers were clearly demoralized just now because their supplies had been cut off!

He was trembling all over, his eyes were wide open, and he was terrified.

Where ahead lies the battle of deification where he rose to power by stepping over Wang Huai?!

That was clearly a grave carefully chosen for him.

He turned his horse around, shouting desperately as he tried to escape: "Retreat!!!"

only……

"Whoosh!"

A blade flashed with unbelievable speed, and the head flew high into the sky.

The swirling broadsword severed his head and plunged it viciously into the blood-soaked battlefield. The broadsword, weathered and worn from countless battles, still exuded a chilling aura of blood.

The headless general fell from his horse, his hideous head landing on the ground, his eyes wide open in death.

Every opponent knows how Wang Huai fights.

He was a fierce warrior, a reckless man, a brave leader who charged into battle, and a monster who could overcome all odds with sheer force.

People all thought they had seen through him and believed they could defeat him.

However, to this day, no one has been able to remove his priceless head.

As the sun sets, the afterglow is like blood, and the battlefield is desolate and cruel.

The blood on the tattered cloak had congealed into clumps.

The hero, who took the lead, rode up to the broadsword, grabbed the hilt, and pulled it out.

Behind him was a group of bloodthirsty and brutal followers.

Win!

After wiping out most of the pursuers, the remaining few deserters were terrified and fled in disarray toward Xiaoyao City.

Wang Huai raised his broadsword and shouted, "Gentlemen, follow me and fight our way back!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

The warriors, returning from hell, swept through the land with unstoppable momentum, following their leader and pursuing their own path.

……

"I won!"

"I won!"

"I won!"

Xu Zhongling has always had a blueprint in his mind.

He was precocious from a young age and had a hobby of observing and evaluating other people.

Even if a person is terrible or incompetent, he will still find a way to praise him.

No matter how outstanding or perfect a person is, he can still find something to criticize them for.

Over time, he discovered that he had some special talent: he could quickly identify the strengths and weaknesses of a thing or a person.

He also has a talent for calmness and rationality. He can suppress extreme fear, extreme joy, extreme excitement, extreme tension, etc. He can maintain rationality and calmness. He just can't help but feel itchy and scratch himself.

With his good looks, he seduced the daughter of a local tycoon. Through her connections, he read some books and broadened his mind and horizons.

As chaos descended, he remained an observer from the sidelines.

Wang Huai's uprising seemed overwhelming and unstoppable, but in reality, it always had some unavoidable loopholes.

He realized that these loopholes also presented opportunities.

He found Chen Yue and went to great lengths to get to know him by catering to his interests, quietly lying in wait for an opportunity.

As time passed, he witnessed the rise of the Blood-Clad Army, with its massive army of hundreds of thousands besieging Yueyang City.

We see him build a tall building from scratch, but we also see the ugliness hidden beneath his magnificent exterior.

He demonstrated his abilities, recognizing both Wang Huai's strengths and weaknesses.

While the soldiers were cheering for the destruction of a country, he whispered in Chen Yue's ear, reasoning that Wang Huai should not be shared with wealth and that they should keep some secrets.

Like a venomous insect lurking in the shadows, he seized the opportunity to strike a fatal blow, taking over Chen Yue's legacy. Following the plan he had devised countless times, he rose to power and occupied Xiaoyao City in less than a year. He used every means at his disposal and developed into a separatist force that could rival the Blood-Clad Army at an incredible speed.

He has a dream every now and then.

In his dream, he annihilated the Blood-Clad Army, inherited Wang Huai's legacy, occupied the south, instigated a great battle between Qian Yuan and Bei Lie, entered the fray at the critical moment, annexed the two countries, and unified the world.

He sat in that supreme position and created his own era.

This is a dream, and also his ambition.

And today is the first step.

By annihilating the Blood-Clad Army and inheriting Wang Huai's legacy, he gained the right to sit at the mahjong table.

The wheels of history keep turning, and the winners are rarely the first ones to jump out and become targets.

Wang Huai is a hero, but his talent does not deserve his current position; it does not belong to him.

He stood on the city wall, watching the thick smoke rise in the distance and watching Xue Jingqi chase away Wang Huai's pursuers. He trembled all over, scratching his bloodied arm, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

What should the next step be?

Use Wang Huai's head and the northern territory to negotiate with Qian Yuan in exchange for peace?

How can we win over the hearts and minds of these stubborn people in the South?
The lenient treatment of the surrendered soldiers of the Blood-Clad Army, the slander against Wang Huai for forgetting his original aspirations, and the renewed call to treat the people kindly?

The dark clouds dispersed, the sun shone brightly, and the sky was clear and blue.

With a warm smile on his face, Xu Zhongling had already begun to imagine the next steps in his plan.

Judging by the time, the ambush troops sent to attack the Blood-Clad Army's granary should be back by now.

The original plan was to attack from both sides with Xue Jingqi.

Unexpectedly, Wang Huai's army was so incompetent; not only were they few in number, but they were also defeated so easily.

It seems that the strategy of spreading rumors among the troops to undermine morale has taken effect.

These people are running around like headless flies, heading straight for their own deaths; he overestimated them.

(End of this chapter)