bayedsolid Chapter 2031 The God of War's Worries
Chapter 2031 The God of War's Worries
Li Jing stood on the high platform outside the central command tent, gazing at the camp that resembled a huge construction site in the night, watching the soldiers bustling about like ants.
The cold wind ruffled his graying temples, his face expressionless. He knew this was only the beginning; the real test would come after dawn.
He personally led his army into what seemed to be the only path to survival, but what lay ahead of this path: an even deeper abyss or a glimmer of hope for survival?
No one knows.
He could only pray that the defenses built of mud, wood, and steel would withstand the inevitable baptism of blood and fire that was to come tomorrow.
As the night deepened, the Tang army camp, like a wounded beast, gasped for breath in the darkness on the open field outside Zhennan Pass, making its final struggle before the decisive battle.
Inside and outside the camp, torches blazed brightly, and shadows of people darted about.
The dull thuds of digging trenches, the heavy footsteps of carrying obstacles, and the suppressed yet urgent urging of officers intertwined to create a tragic and oppressive pre-battle symphony.
Inside the central command tent, the flickering candlelight cast Li Jing's shadow long and short, reflecting off the tent walls and adding to the sense of loneliness and heaviness.
He did not sit down, but stood with his hands behind his back at the tent entrance.
The heavy curtains were not completely drawn, leaving a gap that allowed him to clearly see the busy and tense scene outside, and to feel the complex atmosphere in the air, a mixture of dirt, sweat, and fear.
The footsteps approached from afar, steady but slightly weary.
Gao Xianzhi, dressed in military uniform, lifted the curtain and entered. His armor was still covered with night dew and a few mud spots, and his face showed the weariness of supervising the work all night, but his eyes were still sharp.
He walked a few steps behind Li Jing, bowed, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and spoke in a hoarse but clear voice:
"Reporting to the commander, all battalions have followed your instructions and are working hard to tighten their defenses. The three outer trenches have been preliminarily dug."
"Barricades, caltrops, and other obstacles are being deployed at an accelerated pace. It is expected that the defense reinforcement of the main areas will be completed before dawn."
Li Jing didn't turn around, but gazed at the night outside the tent, nodded slightly, and spoke in a low voice as if talking to himself:
"You've worked hard, soldiers. Are you all holding on?"
Gao Xianzhi paused for a moment before replying truthfully: "Morale is not high, but military orders are absolute, and no one dares to slack off."
"Everyone understands that this is a fortification to save their own lives."
Upon hearing this, Li Jing fell silent again.
After a long while, he slowly turned around, his gaze seemingly piercing through the tent and landing on the distant Zhennan Pass, which lay dormant like a prehistoric beast.
His face held a rare look of confusion and uncertainty as he asked softly, as if addressing Gao Xianzhi, yet also as if asking himself:
"General Gao, you say that our army has made such a big show of it, deploying defenses overnight, digging trenches, and setting up numerous obstacles. This commotion will surely not escape the notice of the Chu army."
"Given this situation, will the ambitious and talented emperor of Chu postpone tomorrow's offensive? Even if it's just for a day or two?"
This question carries a hint of almost imperceptible luck, a glimmer of hope for a breather in a desperate situation.
Perhaps, in another day or two, the situation will change?
Perhaps the Chu army would be hesitant about the losses from a direct assault?
Upon hearing this question, a complex emotion flashed across Gao Xianzhi's face.
He looked up at Li Jing's profile, which appeared particularly aged and tired in the candlelight, and a pang of sorrow welled up in his heart.
The man before us was once a military genius of the Tang Dynasty, a figure of faith in the hearts of countless soldiers, and a figure who struck fear into the hearts of neighboring countries.
But now, when facing that young emperor from the south, he showed such uncertainty, even a hint of weakness.
He took a deep breath of the cold air, suppressed his emotions, and answered in as objective and calm a tone as possible:
"General Li, please forgive my bluntness, but Chu Ning is the first ruler in a thousand years to sweep away the six kingdoms and force the Zhou dynasty to surrender."
"Throughout history, there has never been anyone who has achieved such a great feat at such a young age."
Gao Xianzhi's tone was somber, carrying an acknowledgment of a powerful opponent, but also a deep sense of powerlessness:
"Although this man is only twenty-six years old, his determination, ruthlessness, keen insight, and ingenuity in using troops have reached their peak, and no one can surpass him."
"Such a person, once he has identified his goal and made up his mind, is like an arrow that has been drawn from a bow. He will never easily change his original intention because of any external obstacles or the opponent's response."
“Showing weakness might provoke his stronger desire to annex, while showing strength will further ignite his determination to conquer everything.”
“Our defenses, in his eyes, may just be a death throes, which will only strengthen his resolve to crush us in one fell swoop, and will not allow him to slow down even for a moment.”
These words, like a cold knife, shattered the last vestige of unrealistic fantasy in Li Jing's heart.
After listening, Li Jing remained silent for a long time.
He slowly walked back to the desk and slumped down, as if Gao Xianzhi's words had taken away his last bit of support.
He let out a long and heavy sigh, a sigh filled with the sorrow of a hero's demise and helplessness in the face of the times.
"Yes, the Qin, Jin, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Han Dynasty... one after another, once illustrious dynasties fell at his hands."
"Even the Zhou Dynasty's female emperor had no choice but to submit. The current Chu state is now at its zenith, far surpassing previous dynasties in terms of its vast territory, powerful military, and strong national strength."
Li Jing muttered to himself, as if recounting that chilling period of history: "Our Great Tang, allied with the Scorpion Clan, has gathered the nation's elite forces here. If we suffer another defeat in this battle..."
He didn't say anything more, but the two men in the tent both knew the consequences.
If this battle is lost, the Tang Dynasty will lose its last elite shield, leaving the country vulnerable and its people disunited. The Scorpion Clan will also be severely weakened and will no longer be able to restrain the Chu Kingdom.
At that time, Chu Ning, riding high on his great victory, will lead his troops northward, sweep across the Central Plains, and complete the unprecedented unification of the world.
It seems that no one can stop them now.
The atmosphere inside the tent became even more oppressive because of the unfinished prophecy, as if even the air itself had frozen.
Gao Xianzhi was very anxious when he saw Li Jing so depressed.
In his heart, Li Jing was always that brilliant strategist and decisive military genius!
It is a towering pillar that supports the beliefs of the Tang army!
Even though he had suffered defeats against Chu Ning, those were by no means Li Jing's fault, but rather a result of a combination of factors, including national strength, timing, and the sheer brilliance of his opponent. He absolutely could not fall at this moment!
"Li Shuai!"
Gao Xianzhi suddenly took a step forward, raising his voice considerably, with an almost obstinate conviction.
"This humble general begs you, please do not be so discouraged!"
He looked intently at Li Jing, his voice firm and resolute: "You are the military god of our Great Tang! You are the invincible commander!"
"Before encountering Chu Ning, when had you ever suffered a defeat? Even when clashing with the Chu army, our army was not entirely without the power to fight back!"
"In the Black River Valley and Luoxia Mountain, the soldiers fought valiantly and inflicted heavy casualties on the Chu army!"
"In this battle, relying on our strong fortifications and advantageous terrain, and with all our soldiers united in their hatred of the enemy, we may very well have a fighting chance!"