Chapter 2177 - 2174: Strategy

Chapter 2177: Chapter 2174: Strategy

"Greetings, Marshal!" The faces of the four old soldiers lit up with excitement, and they hurriedly knelt, but Ling Feng merely cupped his hands in salute.

"Bold new recruit, to see the Marshal and yet fail to pay respect—utterly audacious!" A general nearby shouted angrily.

Ling Feng raised his brows; this lifetime, he had knelt before heaven, earth, and his parents, never before any other person. A mere Illusory Realm of the Sky-reaching Tower dared to demand his kneeling—it was laughable!

"No need for such formalities. If you have the strength to stand against the Jade-faced Killing God, then you needn’t kneel before me!" The leading Marshal said with a smile, "New recruit, could you tell me your name?"

"Ling Feng!" Ling Feng replied indifferently.

"A fine name! Ling Yun’s lofty aspirations rise with the wind!" The Marshal gazed intently at Ling Feng: "Ling Feng, our Chen Kingdom is at its most perilous hour. With the nation in crisis, we need youth heroes like you. Your decision to enlist and serve the country brings comfort to my heart."

"Would you accept me as your mentor? I would impart all I have learned to you and contribute my last drop of blood to Chen Kingdom."

Ling Feng looked at Chen Kingdom’s Marshal in surprise. From his face, Ling Feng only saw determination and loyalty. Such a person, though not as powerful as himself, still deserved respect.

Ling Feng took a deep breath and nodded: "Teacher, I am willing!"

"Hahaha, this is wonderful!" The Marshal descended and patted Ling Feng’s shoulder, happily saying, "Chen Kingdom now has a general who can face ten thousand foes. Our Chen Kingdom has hope!"

"Congratulations, Marshal! Congratulations, Chen Kingdom!" Everyone else in the tent shouted in unison.

Ling Feng took a deep breath: "Teacher, I have a presumptuous request!"

"What is it?"

"I wish for these four veterans to become my trusted aides, is that possible?" Ling Feng asked tentatively.

The four veterans’ faces showed delight; Ling Feng was now the Great Marshal’s student, bound for great achievements, and becoming his trusted aides was certainly superior to serving in the Vanguard Camp!

"I wondered what the request was. I agree to it!" The Great Marshal laughed heartily, "Come, stand beside me, as we begin discussing how to counter the Wolf Kingdom’s attack!"

Throughout the night, none of the generals in the tent slept, fiercely discussing what kind of offensive the opposing side might launch and how their own side should respond and counterattack!

Ling Feng quietly listened, gradually gaining an understanding of the current situation.

This was a world of chaos and conflict, with dozens of small and large countries, but thirty years ago, the Wolf Kingdom had risen unexpectedly. The Monarch of the Wolf Kingdom implemented reforms, greatly increasing its power, and set out to conquer other nations and unify the world!

After thirty years of warfare, the Wolf Kingdom had destroyed nearly all other countries, leaving only Chen Kingdom resisting desperately!

"This plot seems like the story of the warring states of the seven powers!" Ling Feng murmured, understanding now what the Jade-faced General had spoken of earlier.

From an objective standpoint, the unification of the world was an unstoppable trend, but as citizens of Chen Kingdom, they could never tolerate the tragedy of national ruin.

What of the greater trend? To them, the Wolf Kingdom was an aggressor, and that was enough!

"Ling Feng, do you have any thoughts?" The Great Marshal, after hearing everyone’s opinions and noticing Ling Feng’s silence, proactively asked.

Ling Feng thought for a moment and said: "Objectively speaking, our Chen Kingdom’s strength is significantly less than the Wolf Kingdom’s, there’s no doubt about it! Therefore, if we engage in battle on the plains, it would be extremely disadvantageous for us, potentially leading to annihilation by the enemy..."

"What do you know? It’s said that a desperate army will triumph; our Chen Kingdom, united from top to bottom, will surely defeat the invaders!" A general said disdainfully, still somewhat displeased with Ling Feng becoming the Great Marshal’s student.

"If belief could triumph over everything, then the Wolf Kingdom wouldn’t have destroyed so many countries!" Ling Feng replied calmly, "We believe in our cause, but we must also respect the facts; otherwise, it betrays the hopes of the tens of thousands of citizens of Chen Kingdom!"

"Well said!" The Great Marshal slapped the table, gazing firmly at Ling Feng, "Continue, share all your ideas!"

Ling Feng nodded: "Chen Kingdom’s greatest advantage is its terrain. It has numerous steep mountains and many swift rivers, all natural barriers. Moreover, Wolf Kingdom’s soldiers mostly reside in plains; though their overall strength surpasses ours, they are not our match in mountain warfare. Hence, we should use the favorable terrain to engage the enemy."

"But wouldn’t that place the battlefield within Chen Kingdom’s borders? What about our citizens—you’ve considered them, haven’t you?"

"A compassionate leader doesn’t command troops. I’m merely expressing my thoughts!" Ling Feng said calmly, "Against a formidable enemy, without sacrifices, how can victory be achieved?"

Ling Feng’s words were rousing, leaving everyone silent. Some commanders had thought of this strategy, but it required luring the invader into Chen Kingdom to exploit the terrain for a counterattack.

But in such scenarios, what of Chen Kingdom’s citizens? Moreover, if they failed, the enemy could penetrate straight into the capital—such failures would make them timeless villains!

Rather than that, a straightforward battle on the border, regardless of victory or defeat, appeared more heroic for Chen Kingdom.

"Do you think this is feasible?" The Great Marshal asked the gathered officers solemnly.

The officers exchanged looks, with none daring to voice their agreement.

"Ling Feng, your proposal is excellent!" The Great Marshal said earnestly, "You have a strategic vision that I appreciate greatly. You’re correct; our capabilities differ greatly from the Wolf Kingdom’s."

"Soldiers!" The Great Marshal scanned the room gravely, "The ten thousand troops under our command are Chen Kingdom’s last strength, but they..."

The Great Marshal pointed in the direction of the Wolf Kingdom’s forces: "They also have ten thousand troops, and behind them, there are twenty thousand, thirty thousand, even fifty thousand troops gathering here!"

"Our time is tight, so we can’t delay further!" The Great Marshal took a deep breath and said, "I will inform the Monarch to withdraw the troops into the depths of the mountains and use the natural defenses for our final stand!"

"Not possible, Great Marshal, if this news spreads, Chen Kingdom’s people will be in uproar!"

"Indeed, it’s absolutely inadvisable; I’ll report it! I’ll bear all responsibility!"

"The Great Marshal’s reputation cannot be tarnished here!"

...