Chapter 646: 295: Da Changhe Descends
Countless corpses lay on the chaotic grassland, and broken swords and remnants of soldiers were scattered in the wilderness.
In the sky, hunting eagles and vultures hovered. On the ground, greedy green-eyed wolves flashed by, their gazes sweeping over the mutilated corpses.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
A sound of clashing armor came from the distance, awakening the greedy wild beasts.
Glancing at the oncoming human team with intimidating fierceness, the wild beasts were frightened and quickly fled, not daring to linger.
However, the human troops merely glanced at them and continued pushing forward without bothering with the beasts.
This chaotic battlefield would be cleaned by designated personnel, followed by 4,000 county soldiers who would handle the situation here.
These elite soldiers, however, bore a greater burden.
Taking advantage of the chance to annihilate the main forces of the Da Changhe Army, they quickly advanced and seized the Yi people’s defenseless cities, harvesting and expanding the fruits of this victory.
Across the vast plains, army teams lined up like dragons, disembarking from their ships one after another. Under the command of a series of military orders, they marched towards the hinterland of the Hui Chuan Country in the west.
…
“Report-”
After finishing military affairs following a weary cleanup, Lu Yuan was considering a break when a messenger arrived at full speed.
“What happened?”
He let people bring the messenger into the room and asked.
“Your Majesty, True Person Huang has sent news that he has led the army to break through Shama City, a stronghold of the Hui Chuan Country. Over ten thousand defenders in the city were killed, two thousand wounded, and six thousand captured, while the remaining scattered. A pursuit has already been launched,” the messenger replied.
“Shama City is broken?”
Hearing this news, Lu Yuan nodded, with a hint of a smile on his face.
Shama City stood as the second largest city in the territories of the Hui Chuan Country, second only to its capital, Fengpa City. More specifically, Shama City’s status was comparable to that of Fu City in the Chu State.
Upon occupying this city, the Hui Chuan Country will have lost nearly half of its territory.
On the first day of the war, they broke through the army of the Da Changhe Country and seized a big city, marking an auspicious start.
Such gains naturally delighted him.
Feeling happy, he looked at the messenger below and spoke in a slightly better tone, “I know about this matter. You have worked hard to deliver this message. Go and receive your reward and rest.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The messenger was overjoyed and quickly bowed before retreating from the room.
Once the man left, Lu Yuan did not continue to handle official affairs but pondered instead.
Today’s battle provided considerable gains.
Not only did they seize the opportunity to ambush while the Chilih tribe’s Great Witch Sacrifice was fighting Huang Xuan, they also killed the opponent, eliminating one Inborn Grandmaster from the Da Changhe Country and crumbling half of its top strength.
One could say that killing the Great Witch Sacrifice inflicted a massive blow to the Da Changhe Country, no less than the destruction of a hundred thousand-strong army.
Even more so, in fact.
Because, as long as the population was sufficient, raising a hundred thousand-strong army required only money and food. But cultivating an Inborn Grandmaster required consuming the ever-decreasing resources of the Divine Blood Variant.
Under the current trend of depleting Heavenly and Earthly Aura, it would become increasingly difficult to cultivate Inborn Grandmasters in the future.
The number of Inborn Grandmasters would also diminish.
Under these circumstances, conventional armies that could be raised with money held far less value compared to Inborn Grandmasters.
“And on a strategic level, with one less Inborn Grandmaster working as a hidden card for Da Changhe Country, their confidence to flip the tables with the Great Chu has been reduced by half.
As long as it becomes known that the Great Chu can kill Inborn Grandmasters, the remaining Inborn Grandmaster of Da Changhe Country will have to consider this factor when trying to threaten us by killing ordinary people of the Great Chu.
He has only one person, while our Great Chu will soon have five Inborn Grandmasters, including me and Huang Xuan who can kill him in a single combat.
This powerful deterrent, once disclosed, will undoubtedly deter the opponent.
He dares to flip the tables and may kill hundreds or thousands of Chu citizens at once.
But each time he makes a move, he risks exposing his location and increases the chance of being caught.
We, the Great Chu, can afford to lose thousands or tens of thousands of lives. But if he loses just once, Da Changhe Country will be finished.
No, as soon as he dares to flip the tables, Da Changhe Country will be doomed, with him being the last one to perish.”
Lu Yuan analyzed slowly.
The deterrent power of two Inborn Grandmasters is entirely different from that of just one Inborn Grandmaster.
This is not a math problem where one plus one equals two.
Rather, one plus one equals three, four, or even more.
To guard against an Inborn Grandmaster’s stealth attack, Chu State only needs to deploy one Inborn Grandmaster. To capture the attacker, at least two Inborn Grandmasters will be required.
But to defend against two Inborn Grandmaster’s stealth attacks, with the increased options to strike simultaneously, Chu State would have to defend everywhere.
Defending everywhere is equal to not defending at all.
Moreover, with the strength of Chu State, they could not defend everywhere.
As for capturing the attackers, it would be even more difficult.
Setting aside the exponentially growing power of two Inborn Grandmasters collaborating with each other, just imagine how much more difficult it would be to locate them if they cooperate with each other and disrupt the vision of their pursuers.
Dealing with an individual and an organization are simply not on the same level of difficulty.