“Kill!”
The war cry signaled the enemy’s charge into the valley entrance. The thick bloodthirst in the air was that from a stampede of enraged bulls. The pressure was too great even for a Profound Heaven expert to hold on, making it harder to breathe.
They all turned pale as paper. Not only was the enemy outnumbering them many times over, but they even had the strength advantage. How were they going to come out of this one?
Even Luo Yunhai, who alongside the four tigers saw charging armies on an almost daily basis, was affected. Their side was at a gross disadvantage.
Be it in terrain or numbers, none of it worked in their favor. In war tactics, this situation could only be overcome by forcing one’s way through if one wanted to get out alive.
His jaw set, Luo Yunhai turned to his side teetering on the verge of collapse and shouted, “Everyone, don’t all of you have someone here you wish to protect?”
That caught their attention. Luo Yunhai’s eyes flashed, “They may outnumber us but they are rabble! I can help you get your loved ones out safely. They will be in the center while we form a circle around them as we break out of the enemy attack. We will likely lose our lives but our loved ones will have the highest chance at survival!”
The dead eyes of his group finally sparked with a glimmer of hope.
“Brother, go in the middle, I’ll protect you!”
“Foolish child, I’m the big brother, how can I let you give your life for me? It is my duty to keep you alive!”
“Brother…” The younger brother’s eyes glistened…
“Sister, stay close to the center and don’t fall behind!” Another brother patted his younger sister’s shoulder.
“Brother in law, go in the middle. I’ll get you out for sure!”
“Silly boy, how can I live if you died? How will I face your sister?” The man said to his wife’s younger brother.
…
They soon shed the fear instilled by the enemy’s war cry and their hearts held a deep feeling of warmth, spurring on their will to fight to the death.
Luo Yunhai nodded, grateful that his plan worked. Next up was the fight!
Looking back at the savage enemy marching over, Luo Yunhai took a deep breath and like a true Marshal, he took in the entire battlefield to make use of.
Zhuo Fan would be so proud if he could see this boy having grown up.
Because Luo Yunhai’s words were the right tactic for a Marshal to use in this critical situation.
He had to kindle the will to fight in his men.
If he said something along the lines of ‘fight alongside me to survive’, the effect would hardly be noticeable.
Everyone considered their lives as the number one priority and they made sure to treasure it. But how could they overcome their fears in the face of that relentless tide marching towards them?
Even if he could make them fight for their own sake, it was a flimsy reason bound to crumble at first contact. Death would follow all the same at this point.
But Luo Yunhai was sharp in figuring out these people had loved ones mixed in this group. He appealed to their humanity, their conscience, their responsibility, and drove them to war.
Although this meant cutting their effective fighting force in half, the ones doing the protecting would give their absolute best, and more, to make sure their loved ones lived to see tomorrow.
To instantly turn these random groups of people into a cohesive unit bent on fighting to the death was the sign of a great general Luo Yunhai had the hopes of becoming.
“Yunhai, stay behind me. Sister will protect you!” Xue Ningxiang’s beaming face graced his eyes. She even flexed to back up her claim.
Luo Yunhai let out an awkward chuckle, “Ha-ha-ha, I am grateful for your kindness, but I am the one commanding this charge. It’s more important that I stay in front as well!”
Xue Gang and Xue Lin hoisted the overconfident, and delusional, Xue Ningxiang behind, “Ning’er, don’t be willful. He’s stronger than you. Listen to your brother and stay in the middle. Let your brothers get you to safety!”
Xue Ningxiang pouted, then her eyes sparked, “Then I’ll stay behind Yunhai. That way I can protect him when he needs help!”
Helpless, they had no choice but to agree. Behind Luo Yunhai could also be said to belong to the center of the group, somewhat.
But Xue Gang and Xue Lin were not leaving her sides. Anything could happen in the spur of the moment, especially on the battlefield. They had to protect her.
Similar scenes happened all around them as the people were determined to get their loved ones out alive. Luo Yunhai formed them into ranks, and as he stood in front of them, an old man stepped forward.
“Young master Luo, I’ll be at your side to protect you. If I am to fall, please send my words to Grandmaster Zhuo. My greatest regret is that I wasn’t good enough to have him as my master…” The old man shook his head.
Zhuo Fan would have a nice dumbstruck face if he was here. Wasn’t this old guy the same Liu Yizhen, who competed alongside Yan Song in the Hundred Pill Meeting?
He wanted to be Zhuo Fan’s disciple, but Zhuo Fan wouldn’t hear it.
But how did he end up here then?
Luo Yunhai sighed, “Grandmaster Liu is so determined. If not for sir’s guards, we’d have long been mere corpses on the ground. As long as we get out alive, I will think of a way to make big brother Zhuo receive you.”
“Thank you, young master Luo!” Grandmaster Liu nodded sadly, “Let’s talk about this after we survive. Either way, being able to show my respect to Grandmaster Zhuo by helping him is gratification enough.”
Luo Yunhai nodded, [Grandmaster Liu is so honest and righteous!]
Kill~!
The howls of war drew nearer. Luo Yunhai faced the enemy as the leader of his men, waiting. When the enemy was at the hundred meter mark, he led his own charge, “For our loved ones, charge!”
Roar!
Thunderous shouts echoed his own battle spirit and they rushed on like a tide. The enemy was baffled at the sudden development, even as the sides clashed.
Boom!
Their morale sank to half in a blink. As if a spear pierced the great skies and left a massive hole, so did the force go through them like butter.
The enemy looked dumbstruck, even the enraged Lin Xuanfeng. He was watching speechless as the wedge formation went through his group.
[They’re a hundred against my thousand. How can we not even block their charge?]
The wails and miserable cries rang in his ears. He looked in time to see his men flailing their bleeding arms and leg stumps in agony. The enemy was reaping through his men like a dragon. His men couldn’t put up even a token of resistance and it only drove him madder.
“For goddamn sake! What use do I have for any of you if you can’t even do this much? A bunch of damn wastes is what you all are!”
The man next to him stammered, “Young master Lin, t-this isn’t our fault! They suddenly used military formations. They are only a hundred but we can’t even get close to them! Each time we approach it’s like we’re facing four or five of them! It’s baffling!”
“Humph! Whats baffling? It’s just some army tactic!” Lin Xuanfeng’s eyes flashed eerily, “Now that I think about it, that Luo clan’s brat followed Dugu Zhantian for five years. It’d be odd if he didn’t know at least this much. Blast it all to hell! We can’t let Luo clan get any stronger!”
Spatting, Lin Xuanfeng hopped and was gone. Then he flashed in front of the wedge formation.
“Lin Xuanfeng!” Luo Yunhai shouted.
Snickering, Lin Xuanfeng mocked, “Brat, you think you’re so great now that you’ve been by Dugu Zhantian’s side for a couple of years? You take me for a weakling? Think you can get away alive with just this?
“He-he-he, first I’ll break your army, then I’ll break your skull!” Lin Xuanfeng snickered and was gone again.
Before anyone could react, he flashed in the middle of their formation and a blue tornado sprung up. It grew until it swallowed them all, careening them into the air and breaking the formation.
Luo Yunhai looked up from the ground in shock.
Even after Zhuo Fan ripped his leg off, Lin Xuanfeng had the power to face so many people. He really was one of the Six Dragons and One Phoenix, Forest Fleeting Dragon!
He broke their formation and flung them scattered among the enemy. They were doomed!
Luo Yunhai’s heart sank, his final hope leaving him. What was left was to wait and have their lives reaped…