Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 139: Sneak attack!
Luliang County, Nanyang Prefecture, it was already noon when General Zou Zhiquan of Lüliang County finally arrived with over five hundred elite soldiers, all of whom were Foundation Establishment experts.
Next, Minister Wen Li Yuanming presented his plan to General Zou Zhiquan. He suggested that they take only the hundred most elite soldiers and make a night raid on Anyang, aiming to capture important figures from Anyang, with the most important target being Xia Qingqing. Other key figures included Xu Ren, Yan Ze’an, Fang Shijing, Ling Zhifeng, and members of the Brilliant Star Group from the Qingyun Valley.
According to Li Yuanming’s estimation, the current defenses of Anyang were extremely weak, making it a perfect time for a surprise attack. Luliang County’s Governor, Zhao Guoshan, strongly supported this plan.
However, Zou Zhiquan frowned. As a general, he was somewhat opposed to such an action, and on the other hand, he felt the chances of success were low. Since he was a general, Zou Zhiquan also had his own strategic considerations. “Why go for something far when we can attack something closer? Right now, there are three perfect targets—those three large ships! They’re parked right outside our doorstep. Our five hundred men could easily board those ships under the cover of night.”
“Anyang is too far. We wouldn’t be able to return by tomorrow morning, which could lead to unexpected changes. Moreover, Anyang isn’t only guarded by experts like Xu Ren and Yan Ze’an, but also by Ling Zhifeng, whose many strange powers could make the situation even more unpredictable.”
“By comparison, attacking the soldier camps in Anyang, attempting to capture Beichen Yuqing and Yan Zhengqing, or boarding the large ships at the coastline under the cover of night are all much more practical.”
Hmm? This method seems even better! Zhao Guoshan was persuaded by Zou Zhiquan’s argument.
But Li Yuanming disagreed. “General Zou, your considerations are correct, but only in ordinary circumstances. Do you really think the Anyang army, stationed so close to us, has no defenses? Do you think it’s easy to break into the camps of experts like Beichen Yuqing and Yan Zhengqing?
Also, those three large ships are on the sea! We all know that Li Xian, Anyang, and the Sea Tribe have dealings, with the Sea Soul Silk as proof. But what about us? We might just step into the sea and get captured by the Sea Tribe right away!
By comparison, attacking Anyang is the best choice.”
As long as we can successfully raid it, we don’t need to return tomorrow morning. We can just have Xia Qingqing, Xu Ren, or Yan Ze’an issue the orders.
The worst case scenario for tomorrow morning is that our leaders get captured, but they will be in no danger to their lives! Before we reach the imperial capital of Wuyang, the people of Anyang will definitely protect our leaders well.”
Both sides presented valid arguments, and now the decision on how to proceed would be up to Governor Zhao Guoshan of Lüliang County.
Zhao Guoshan thought for a moment and suddenly made a decision. “Li Yuanming, you and Zou Zhiquan lead a hundred elites to Anyang. Meanwhile, let Zhao Youdan lead the remaining elites to raid the three large ships on the sea. This way, no matter which side succeeds, it will resolve the current crisis in Luliang County.”
Li Yuanming thought about it for a moment. This approach seemed more likely to succeed, primarily because Zou Zhiquan had brought more men, giving them more options.
Since the road to Anyang was farther, Li Yuanming and Zou Zhiquan immediately set out with their elites, while Zhao Youdan led the remaining four hundred elites, preparing to head to the coast after nightfall and board the large ships from Anyang.
As the sunset gradually descended, Zhao Youdan led his four hundred elites once again toward the coast. Although the battle during the day had deeply shaken Zhao Youdan, he would not easily give up. This battle was related to the fate of his father and son, and no matter what, he could not back down.
At the same time, Liu Leigang had already made two trips to transport supplies and was preparing for the third.
Zhao Youdan carefully followed behind Liu Leigang’s convoy. When Liu Leigang stopped the vehicles, many people got off, and the large ship approached the shore, with everyone starting to busy themselves with unloading. Zhao Youdan gave the order, and the four hundred elites charged out wildly!
This time, Zhao Youdan led the charge—this was about his father’s life, so he had no choice but to fight with everything he had. His flying sword swept through the air, and talismans were directly thrown out.
But at that moment, Liu Leigang suddenly laughed loudly, “Mice, we’ve been waiting for you!”
All the vehicle lights suddenly turned on, blindingly bright, causing Zhao Youdan’s entire group to experience temporary blindness. In this critical moment, even a momentary loss of sight could lead to the most disastrous results.
The sound of gunfire erupted immediately. The machine guns, which had been used cautiously until now, unleashed their most violent attacks. It was no longer the sound of popping beans, but a series of roaring explosions.
The sudden bright lights and machine gun fire caught Zhao Youdan’s group off guard! This was a trap—since they dared to transport supplies in this area, how could they not anticipate this? Such a small trap didn’t need Beichen Yuqing and others to set up; Liu Leigang could set it up himself.
Zhao Youdan roared, but his vision was blurry. Stimulated by the bright light, he saw only a blue glow in front of him, unable to make anything out. Though a Golden Core expert’s spiritual sense was powerful, a single person’s strength was still too limited.
Moreover, at least five sniper rifles were specifically targeting Zhao Youdan, forcing him to flee desperately, unable to care for his subordinates.
The dense gunfire immediately decimated three hundred of Zhao Youdan’s four hundred elites, and the remaining soldiers dared not advance any further. They retreated in a panic, fleeing in all directions!
The battle erupted quickly and ended just as swiftly. In less than a minute, it was completely over. Zhao Youdan led the remaining hundred or so elites into the mountains, temporarily avoiding a total annihilation.
Looking at the disheveled group around him, Zhao Youdan gritted his teeth, unwilling to accept failure. He decided that once Liu Leigang left, they would try to seize one of the large ships! Zhao Youdan had already given up on the idea of capturing all three ships, but if they could seize even one, that would still be a victory.
As for Liu Leigang, after the supplies were loaded, he immediately set off. The three large ships on the sea had not left and were still waiting by the coast.
“An opportunity!” Zhao Youdan’s eyes gleamed. “You never would have expected we’re going to make a comeback!”
Zhao Youdan’s words and encouragement gave the remaining elites, who had just recovered from the shock, a sliver of courage. They set off again. They still advanced along the coastline, but having learned from the previous experience, they no longer charged openly. Instead, they made extensive use of concealment techniques and magic to cover their tracks.
Using Earth Escape technique to sneak up to the coast, Zhao Youdan and his group were stunned by the sight of the three large ships, which were only about two hundred zhang (a Chinese unit of length, about 3.33 meters each) away. The ships, as stable as mountains, seemed almost immovable. Zhao Youdan’s heart skipped a beat as an idea sprang to mind—these ships were made of iron!
Iron ships! Zhao Youdan inhaled sharply. Forget the craftsmanship—just the cost to make them must have been astronomical!
But this thought only solidified Zhao Youdan’s resolve to act. He had to seize one of the large ships in order to have leverage for negotiation!
Seeing that there seemed to be no movement on the sea, and the figures on the ships had gradually disappeared, possibly resting, Zhao Youdan finally gave the order—attack!
This time, they used Water Escape to advance. The rolling waves provided excellent cover, as though the heavens themselves were favoring Zhao Youdan.
As soon as Zhao Youdan and his group entered the sea, they were spotted by the Sea Tribe scouts. However, this time, Wei Zhe did not inform Chang Lin. Instead, he decided to sit back and watch the battle unfold.
In the end, the Sea Tribe and Anyang were not entirely aligned.