Crushing Defeat

Even a proper retreat could often turn into a rout. This was Left General Dugu Xian's view, and Gu Shenwei had always kept it in mind.

He knew very little about the five hundred soldiers behind him. There was even mutual suspicion among them. Under such circumstances, "fighting while running" was a disastrously foolish move.

The plan he had devised was "running while fighting."

Gu Shenwei sent five riders to fetch reinforcements, then ordered the troops to advance toward the left front, seize a small hill, form ranks, and prepare to meet the enemy.

The soldiers obeyed his orders, but Gu Shenwei could sense the intense tension in the air.

A mass of torches in the distance came rapidly closer, and the thunder of hooves rolled across the ground. Molin watched for a while. "At least three thousand men."

Old Man Mu chuckled several times. "Freedom means coming when you want and leaving when you want. Dragon King, there's no need for us to sit here and wait for death, is there? Let's break out before the enemy can complete the encirclement." Then he lowered his voice. "We could leave these five hundred cavalrymen behind. If they can hold out for a while, that's a while gained."

Tu Gou heard him and shook his head repeatedly. "That would be too dishonorable. The Dragon King would earn a bad reputation."

"Fool, do you think the Dragon King is some chivalrous hero of the martial world? Why would he care about reputation? He's a warlord. First he has to save his own life. Don't think I haven't read books. When the founding emperors of the Central Plains dynasties fought for supremacy, didn't they often abandon their armies and flee? So the Dragon King has nothing to be embarrassed about. And don't listen