Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace-Chapter 391 - 389 Pyrrhic victory

Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the earth outside Qinyang County City was covered in swirling red dust, with various large logistics units paralyzed on the ground.

Two deep pits were dug into the earth, filled with bodies, piled high.

Even so, the battlefield was still littered with corpses, broken spears and damaged swords—a scene too tragic to bear witness to.

On the city wall, the flag with the character "Chen" flew high. Chen Mo leaned against the embrasure, resting as the blood-red sun dipped on the horizon, his whole body stained with blood, worn to extreme fatigue.

"Lift your hand." Jiang Ruoqing appeared with a medical kit from somewhere and approached Chen Mo, then sat beside him and took bandages and wound healing medicine from the kit.

"I’m fine." Chen Mo smiled. Since the battle started at noon, he hadn’t had a break, but the harvest was substantial. The main enemy force had been forcefully scattered by his tens of thousands of troops.

Six of the Eighteen Lords had been slain by them, two of whom were even royal nobles.

The enemy army was so frightened that they fled in panic.

However, his side also suffered heavy losses: of the 140,000 troops, nearly all of the 50,000 cavalry were wiped out, leaving less than 3,000, and only 30,000 infantry remained.

It could be said they killed 1,000 enemies, but lost 800 themselves.

But from the overall battle situation, they achieved a great victory.

As long as the Wind Well can hold Luan Mountain County during this period, the enemy will naturally retreat.

Seeing Chen Mo not lifting his hand, Jiang Ruoqing directly took his hand and placed it on her leg. When she was about to apply medicine to bandage it, she realized the wound had already scabbed over.

Jiang Ruoqing was stunned. How could it heal so quickly, especially after such a short time?

"Your wound?"

"I told you it’s nothing." Chen Mo smiled again—this was the effect of the Qilin Heart, which could quickly heal wounds and restore True Qi.

Jiang Ruoqing knew Chen Mo was hiding secrets from her.

Because even a First Grade Martial Artist couldn’t heal so quickly.

Although he didn’t admit it, Jiang Ruoqing didn’t press further, but reproached, "How could you block a sword for someone else, weren’t you afraid of losing your hand..."

Though it was a reproach, it couldn’t hide her concern.

"Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing." Chen Mo touched Jiang Ruoqing’s face and wiped away the bloodstains, asking, "And you?"

He had seen Jiang Ruoqing take a hard hit while pursuing the Eighteen Lords.

"Just a minor wound." Jiang Ruoqing shook her head.

"Let me see." Chen Mo had Jiang Ruoqing turn around and took a look.

It was indeed a minor wound, though her battle armor was cut, it blocked most of the force, leaving only a blood trace on her back.

However, Chen Mo said, "What minor wound, if a scar is left, it won’t feel nice when I touch it. I’ll apply medicine after you take a bath later."

"No way." Jiang Ruoqing quickly stood up, "What applying medicine, applying me is more like it."

"What are you afraid of?" Chen Mo grabbed Jiang Ruoqing’s small hand and pulled her back to sit, laughing, "Let me kiss and relax you."

"No way, you smell so bad." Jiang Ruoqing showed disdain.

"It’s my body that smells, not my mouth, doesn’t matter." Chen Mo insisted on kissing.

Just as the two were flirting, footsteps sounded.

They quickly pulled apart.

It was Gao Zheng, who saw Jiang Ruoqing’s flushed face and instantly understood his timing was wrong, "I’ll come back later."

Chen Mo kicked at him, "Speak if you have something to say."

"Sir, I’m afraid Liu Dan can’t make it." Gao Zheng said solemnly.

Chen Mo’s expression changed—he knew exactly who Liu Dan was; he was an old subordinate.

"Hurry, take me to him."

...

Luan Mountain County.

"Charge, kill..."

The corpses on the ground oozed murky blood, staining the gates of Luan Mountain County red.

The attacking troops stormed up the city wall in waves, scrambling up siege ladders, as black and silver armored soldiers clashed fiercely.

In the distance, under the dim sky, the Black Tiger Banner of Governor Hu Lin fluttered in the wind. Another ten thousand Black Armor Iron Army slowly charged toward Luan Mountain County like a moving fortress.

At the back of the army on a war chariot, Governor Hu Lin’s lips curled with a smile of assured victory. The defenses on the right side of Luan Mountain County had already been breached, and with one more attack, the county would surely fall.

In his mind, he already pictured the scene of he receiving rewards from Zhao Jiang after taking Luan Mountain County.

After all, he had suggested splitting forces and setting ambushes, so capturing Luan Mountain County would surely earn him the highest credit.

"Report—"

Suddenly, urgent shouts from the front shattered Governor Hu Lin’s fantasy.

Before he could get angry, he saw a scout tumbling in front of him, urgently reporting, "Report, General, it’s extremely urgent. At noon, Chen Mo’s army launched a full assault and broke through the main forces of the allied army by the evening. The allied army has been utterly defeated, please withdraw quickly to reinforce."

"What?" Upon hearing this, the faces of the generals around Governor Hu Lin changed drastically.

Governor Hu Lin was so shocked he nearly fell off the chariot.

The allied army utterly defeated?

A total of 600,000.

Even if there were 600,000 pigs to slaughter, it shouldn’t happen so quickly!

Plus, the fall of Luan Mountain County seemed within reach.

Withdrawing now would compromise the operation.

But if he didn’t retreat, causing even greater losses to the allied forces, it would be even more severe.

"Sound the gong to call back the troops." Governor Hu Lin made this difficult decision.

"Yes."

...

On the other side, the ambush troops along the only route to Luan Mountain County, were in disbelief upon learning the allied army was defeated.

Even that could be lost...

...

Liu Dan ultimately couldn’t hold on and passed away.

Two hidden arrows had struck him. Although they didn’t hit his heart, they were too much for him, an Eighth Grade warrior, to withstand. After seeing Chen Mo one last time, his life reached its end.

Being an old subordinate, Liu Dan’s death brought a bit of sorrow to Chen Mo.

But in war, who can avoid death?

Chen Mo had foreseen this long ago.

He could only try his best to protect those around him.

As for Liu Dan, he was beyond Chen Mo’s reach.

Chen Mo took a shovel, dug a small grave himself, and buried him.

"I’ll ensure you are honored."

Fortunately, when in Nanyang, during a matchmaking event Chen Mo hosted, he found Liu Dan a woman, who, according to Gao Zheng, seems to be pregnant.

This way, Liu Dan wasn’t entirely without a bloodline.

...

After burying Liu Dan, Chen Mo also visited the wounded and then gathered the generals to discuss the next steps.

Though the enemy suffered a significant defeat today, their surviving forces weren’t eliminated, leaving at least 400,000 men.

On their side, even with the added manpower from two counties, they had less than 100,000.

If the opposing forces reorganize and charge Qinyang County, given the current defenses, they wouldn’t hold.

They must seek aid from the Capital, urging the Imperial Court to dispatch reinforcements promptly.

Moreover, they must petition for merits, seeking compensation for fallen soldiers’ families.

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