Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 528 A Fight Can't Be Done, Yet the Desire for War Remains High

The Great Xia War Drum is two meters high and three and a half meters in diameter. The drum wall and frame are made of Zhenhun wood, and the drumhead is made of the skin of a three-headed beast king-level Lei Kui.

Lei Kui is an extremely powerful cold beast, and the war drum is made of the skin of a beast king-level Lei Kui. Anyone with a strength of 30 or more cannot even make it ring.

Two years ago, when the war drum was first developed, some soldiers in Xia City did not believe in its power. Some soldiers with only 20 or so strength took drumsticks and tried to hit it. As a result, when they swung their arms and hit it hard, they were shocked by the terrifying recoil force of the drumhead and vomited blood. They had to stay in bed for more than half a month to recover.

With such demanding striking conditions, the resulting sound is naturally extremely impressive.

The Great Xia Dynasty had previously conducted an experiment. After the Thunder Kui War Drum was struck, the sound could travel up to five kilometers. Within a three-kilometer radius of the drumbeat, the blood and qi in everyone's body would be affected by the drumbeat. Within a ten-meter radius of the drumbeat, anyone without a strength of 20 or more might even be directly killed by the shock.

In extremely cold environments like the Ice Abyss, where ice and snow cover the land, normal sounds are difficult to carry very far. Even in the Great Xia Dynasty, bone whistles remain an essential piece of equipment for the people of the Great Xia when hunting in the snow forest.

"Thump thump thump thump..."

The war drums of the Great Xia Dynasty, different rhythms represent different commands:

The drum that beats nine times at a slightly slower tempo is called the "Gathering Drum," which means that the commander-in-chief has given an order for all officers of the rank of colonel and above to immediately assemble at the main tent.
The drum, which is played at a slightly slower but continuous pace, is called the "Gathering Drum," signifying the rapid assembly of the entire army. The Gathering Drum is played only 300 times from beginning to end. If an officer fails to reach the front of the army after the drum has finished beating, it is considered a serious offense and will be punished according to military law with fifty strokes of the cane.

The fastest rhythm is called the "Defense Drum," which means that when the enemy attacks, everyone immediately enters combat mode according to their location.
…………

Marching, attacking cities, retreating, and even advancing in battle—the army is an organization that acts collectively. There are countless occasions when the entire army is summoned to assemble, so the drums that sound to gather troops are the most frequent, and naturally, they are the most familiar drumbeats to all soldiers.

Fu Tiandu and Meng Tian, ​​along with the other four, were all flag bearers of the Tiger and Leopard Army. The five of them were already fully armed. When the war drums sounded, they recognized that it was the drum to gather the troops. They immediately jumped off the tower and quickly went to the Tiger and Leopard Army to report for duty.

"Captain Helian, aren't we about to start fighting?"

The flag bearer held a high position in the army, so Fu Tiandu was familiar with all ten captains of the Tiger and Leopard Army. Not long after returning to his unit, he saw Captain Helian Ba ​​of the Scout Camp walking towards him with a gloomy face. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked what was wrong.

The earliest founding commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army was Luo Yuan, but Luo Yuan already held the position of Director of the Hunting Department. With the large population of the Great Xia Dynasty, the affairs of various departments have become increasingly complicated. In addition, he did not have much time to lead the army last year in order to break through to the Xianyang level, so he simply gave up the position of commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army.

The current commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army is Helian Shan, a disciple of Mu Longhe. Helian Shan joined the Great Xia after the Chui Mountain rift two years ago. He is seventy-eight years old this year. When he first joined the Great Xia, he only had a strength of 41 Manes. However, after staying in the Great Xia for two years, he seemed to have been rejuvenated, and his strength improved by leaps and bounds. His strength has reached 61 Manes. It is rumored that he was trying to break through to the Xianyang level before the war. It is estimated that he was only one step away from it.

Helian Ba ​​joined the Tiger and Leopard Army with his father, and his strength is now 52. He is currently a captain in the Tiger and Leopard Army's scout battalion.

Upon hearing Fu Tiandu's question about Helian Ba, Meng Tian and the other three flag bearers immediately looked over, as did the other nine captains of the Tiger and Leopard Army.

Not only Fu Tiandu, but the entire Tiger and Leopard Army, and even the 40,000 troops in the central route of Luo Yuan, are eager for battle after learning that both Longgu and Beishuo towns have been captured.

In peacetime, the threshold for obtaining military merit in the Great Xia Dynasty was extremely high. The Great Xia Dynasty successively annexed the territories of the four towns of Ba Shang, Jiangxia, Muyin, and Chuishan. Now, the total population of the entire territory has exceeded 600 million, but there are still less than 500 people who have been granted titles.

This astonishingly high proportion of those granted titles demonstrates just how difficult it is to acquire military merits during peacetime.

Finally, there was going to be a war. Everyone was eager to fight and was ready to risk their lives for this riches. But who would have thought that four days had passed and they still hadn't fought a single battle.

Let alone killing the enemy, we haven't even seen their faces yet.

"Do not hit!"

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Helian Ba's face became even more somber. After giving his answer, he sighed slightly and said, "Just now in the main tent, the commander-in-chief gave instructions that as long as the 50,000 troops in Donggu City do not leave the city, we will not take action. We just need to keep an eye on them."

"This...we're not going to fight?"

"Wuchuan Town only has 10,000 Xuanjia soldiers who are somewhat capable; the remaining 40,000 are all ordinary town guards. Aren't they just easy targets against us?"

"They've already reached the gates of Donggu City, how could the commander-in-chief order them not to attack?"

“Dragon Valley has changed hands; Beishuo has been breached; Yangqu has been surrounded by Yuan Sizheng’s rear army, and they may have already started fighting; the Longwu Army on the right flank is on par with the Yunjiao Army, and Yuwen Sizheng is also so strong, so Jinshan Town probably won’t be our turn to fight. If we don’t take this opportunity to fight in Wuchuan, then our trip will have been in vain.”

"Taking a city without a fight would yield more military merit, but the problem is that Wu Chuan doesn't seem to be surrendering. If this stalemate continues, the other three armies will arrive soon. With so little military merit, how will it be distributed among so many people?"

"They're the ones who will charge into battle, break through enemy lines, slay generals, capture flags, and kill more enemies. The other three armies are practically ready to clash, and we're just sitting here watching?"

………………

"Shut up, all of you! Criticizing the commander before the battle? You're all asking for trouble!"

Helian Ba ​​felt increasingly uneasy as he listened, realizing that everyone was about to criticize their commander Luo Yuan, so he immediately spoke up sharply and interrupted them.

Everyone shrank back at the sound, but there was still a hint of resentment in their eyes.

"Then what does it mean to beat the drums to gather the troops now?"

But soon, Fu Tiandu grasped the key.

Yup!

If we're not going to fight, then why are we beating the drums to gather the troops?
The others were taken aback upon hearing the voice, and then looked at Helian Ba ​​with curiosity.

That kid's clever enough! No wonder he's not even thirty yet, and his father has already appointed him as the flag bearer.

No, this kid is strong enough, he's already at level 39.

Upon hearing Fu Tiandu's question, Helian Ba's face immediately showed a hint of appreciation.

He is 48 years old this year, 19 years older than Fu Tiandu. The two have a good personal relationship and address each other as uncle and nephew when they are not in the army.

After pondering for a moment, he thought of what he needed to tell everyone and said, "Vice Commander Murong just returned with news that there is unusual activity in Donggu City. The army is gathering at the North Gate and they may be leaving the city."

Out of town!

Fu Tiandu, Meng Tian, ​​and a group of captains and flag bearers all had their eyes light up instantly.

The Wuchuan army was holed up in Donggu City. Commander Luo Yuan was worried about heavy casualties and was unwilling to attack the city, which was understandable. But once those 50,000 men left the city, the situation would be completely different.

If we're fighting normally outside the city, what's there to be afraid of?
Only Fu Tiandu, unlike the others, lowered his head and pondered for a moment before immediately realizing something and asked, "Did the Left Route Army of the Chief Minister send troops to Wuchuan Town?"

This kid is truly amazing... Although he had heard before that Fu Tiandu was very knowledgeable and probably had a powerful background, Helian Ba ​​couldn't help but exclaim in amazement when he heard Fu Tiandu pinpoint the key point in just one sentence.

He nodded slightly: "After capturing Beishuo City, Si Cheng sent 20,000 elite Xia troops south at top speed. By now, they should have already surrounded Wuchuan Town. Qin Feng will definitely protect Wuchuan Town, so he has to move the 50,000 troops in Donggu City."

However, with 40,000 Xia troops watching outside the city, it's not going to be easy for Qin Feng's 50,000 troops to leave the city and head north to reinforce Wuchuan Town.

Fu Tiandu's thinking was clear, and he immediately grasped the key point. His expression turned slightly serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Qin Feng knows that the commander-in-chief will not let him return to reinforce smoothly. He definitely cannot avoid fighting our 40,000 troops. So this departure from the city may just be a decoy, an attempt to lure us into battle with him?"

"That's great! Fighting outside the city? What's there to be afraid of?"

"Of Wu Chuan's 50,000 troops, only 10,000 Xuanjia soldiers are worth mentioning. If we were to fight them in the wilderness, wouldn't defeating them be a piece of cake?"

"Let's just wait for them to come out!"

………………

Seeing that many captains were becoming agitated, Helian Ba's face grew increasingly somber, but a few captains lowered their heads and fell into deep thought, clearly having realized something.

Fu Tiandu's expression remained unchanged. After the captains calmed down, he shook his head and slowly said, "The commander-in-chief probably won't fight. Wu Chuan's 50,000 troops are all thinking about returning to reinforce Zhencheng. This is probably when their fighting spirit is at its strongest."

Not to mention, it's nighttime now, and there are still forty to fifty thousand Earth-Digging Realm cultivators in Donggu City. If we really fight them outside the city, we'll most likely suffer losses. Even if we win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, and the gains won't outweigh the losses..."

Helian Ba ​​picked up where Fu Tiandu left off, nodding as he continued, "Commander Luo has already figured it out, which is why he beat the drums to gather us up. We'll make a decision based on the enemy's movements. In short, we can't fight outside Donggu City. If they really head towards the town, we don't need to stop them. We just need to follow them until they get close to Wuchuan Town..."

Having said that, everyone naturally understood.

Even though Helian Ba ​​didn't finish speaking, they understood.

The 20,000 elite Xia troops are currently surrounding Wuchuan Town and will certainly not attack the city rashly. In other words, they are basically in a state of readiness. Once Qin Feng's 50,000 troops approach Wuchuan Town, their 40,000 troops will follow behind. The town also has 20,000 elite Xia troops waiting in ambush. At that time, it will be a situation of being attacked from both sides. No matter how capable Qin Feng is, it will be useless.

"Everyone has spies on the battlefield, so Qin Feng must know the situation in Zhencheng. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a hurry to go back. In that case, he must have a plan, right?"

Meng Tian couldn't help but ask a question out of curiosity. Fu Tian and Helian Ba ​​exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of seriousness in each other's eyes.

"So, what follows is a game of strategy. Commander Luo knows that Qin Feng wants to lure us into battle; Qin Feng also knows that if he doesn't deal with us, his 50,000 troops will only get closer to Wuchuan Town. It all depends on whose scheme will ultimately succeed."

"Ultimately, our central army should avoid battle. Right now, it's Wu Chuan's 50,000 troops who are eager for battle..."

A captain suddenly spoke up and pointed out the key point, and the expressions of the others immediately turned somber.

They're not stupid; after this exchange, they'll understand the current battlefield situation, and avoiding battle is clearly the best option.

The problem is, deep down they don't want to avoid war.

We finally got a chance to fight, but we haven't been able to actually fight a single battle yet. We haven't earned any military merits in four days. Isn't this a waste of time?
Seeing the disappointment on the faces of the officers, Helian Ba ​​solemnly instructed, "Since the commander-in-chief has made his decision, we can only obey. Avoiding battle is indeed the best option right now. When the army moves, you must all keep your soldiers in check and don't cause any trouble. Pass down the word that anyone who disobeys orders or acts without authorization will be dealt with according to military law without any leniency!"

"I obey my orders!"

Although the generals were very resistant to avoiding battle, they were also clear about what was more important. Disobeying military orders was a serious crime even in peacetime, let alone at this critical juncture.

So they all quickly bowed in response, and then went down to instruct their subordinates.

Watching everyone leave, Helian Ba ​​sighed softly.

Fu Tian was the chief flag bearer, and his subordinates were only Meng Tian and three others. Therefore, he didn't need to go down and inform them like the other captains. Hearing Helian Ba ​​sigh beside him, he was slightly moved and asked:

"Commander Helian, the loud argument in the main tent just now was about whether or not to engage in battle with the Wuchuan army, right?"

The tower he had just been in was directly above the main tent. Although it was too high for him to hear very clearly, he could still hear some of the arguing inside the tent.

Helian Ba ​​didn't hide anything, nodding and smiling bitterly, "There's nothing we can do. It's not easy to have a war, who wants to avoid it? I don't want to either. Commander Xiang and Deputy Commander Murong, including the four commanders, all think we should take the initiative and don't agree with Commander Luo's idea of ​​avoiding war. But Commander Luo insists, so we can only obey."

Disagreements between generals and commanders...

Upon hearing this, Fu Tiandu's expression froze slightly. The four words popped into his mind, and his heart skipped a beat.

Lord Luo's central army originally numbered only 8,000, consisting of four regiments: Tiger and Leopard, Divine Martial, Steel Mane, and Golden Eagle. Murong Chui, the deputy commander of the central army, transferred 22,000 garrison troops from Muyin Town. Later, Yuwen Sizheng ordered Xiang Fuhai, the governor of Jinyang, to bring 10,000 troops to reinforce the army, so the total force was 40,000.

According to Helian Ba, just now in the main tent, the deputy commander Murong Chui, the governor of Jinyang Xiang Fuhai, and the four major commanders Helian Shan, Hong Tian, ​​Zhao Hu, and Zhao Bao, the six most important generals in the army, all disagreed with the commander-in-chief's idea of ​​avoiding battle.

Not only these six men, but other generals certainly disagreed with avoiding battle. Even Fu Tiandu himself did not agree with it, even though he knew that avoiding battle was the better option at present.

How can they gain military merit if they don't fight?

If the Wuchuan army were to approach Wuchuan Town, and then they and the 20,000 elite troops of the left wing would attack from both sides, the chances of victory would be much greater. But conversely, wouldn't a lot of the military merits be taken away by the 20,000 elite troops of the left wing?

He had just heard that the 20,000 men sent by the left wing army to surround Wuchuan Town were all numbered troops, including the Imperial Guard. Could his 40,000 men compete with them for military merit?

People's hearts are all pretty much the same. Right now, the central army has 40,000 men, and everyone wants to fight. Luo Yuan has directly gone against the wishes of the entire army, which is not a good thing...

Fu Tiandu looked up at Helian Ba ​​and asked in a low voice, "Captain Helian, Lord Luo made the decision so directly, won't the others be dissatisfied?"

Helian Ba ​​shook his head: "Of course I'm not convinced, but Deputy Director Xu, who came from Beishuo City to deliver the message, also agrees with his idea. Lord Xu came with the lord's orders, so who dares to object?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Tiandu immediately shut his mouth.

No wonder!

Having spent three years in the Great Xia, Fu Tian was well aware of Lord Xia Hong's standing in the hearts of the Xia people. If avoiding war was Xia Hong's order, then there would certainly be no opposition in the army.

So, it's not really a case of Luo Yuan defying public opinion. He might have wanted to fight himself, but he had no choice but to obey the lord's orders.

(End of this chapter)