Chapter 26: A Hundred Thousand Troops, More Than Half Lost!

"Report, Great King," a general stammered, his voice trembling with terror. "Last night, thirty-seven thousand, five hundred and thirty-eight men were killed in action, and over eight thousand eight hundred were wounded."

Nearly forty thousand casualties!

The number struck the Left Sage King’s heart like a sharp blade, carving a deep and painful wound.

"And what else?" The Left Sage King’s voice remained low, yet it seethed with suppressed fury.

"Two-thirds of our provisions have been burned, over forty thousand sheep have strayed, and... over eight thousand warhorses have fled." The general braced himself to finish the report in one breath before collapsing to the ground.

"Useless! A pack of useless fools!"

The Left Sage King could no longer contain himself. He slammed his palm onto the table, sending cups and bowls clattering with a piercing, jarring sound. His roar echoed like a thunderclap, silencing the entire tent.

Over forty thousand sheep—the very lifeblood of the great army! With a third gone, how many days could the remaining stores last?

Warhorses—the foundation of the cavalry! With over eight thousand lost, how could the cavalry fight?

Two-thirds of the provisions destroyed—this was a blow to the army's very lifeline!

Most heartbreaking of all were the fallen soldiers; over twenty thousand brave men had perished in the night raid, their lives extinguished in confusion. Combined with the losses from the past half-month, more than half of the hundred-thousand-strong army had been decimated! That was nearly fifty thousand vibrant lives lost!

The Left Sage King felt as if his heart were being shredded; he could barely draw breath.

"Who was on guard duty last night? Drag them out and execute them!" the Left Sage King bellowed, his eyes bloodshot like a wounded beast.

The generals in the tent stood still as cicadas in winter, terrified of drawing his wrath upon themselves. With losses this catastrophic, how could he not be enraged? When news reached the ears of the Right Sage King, he would surely be mocked, and he would have no way to answer to the Great Chanyu!

Infuriated, the Left Sage King pointed toward the tent entrance and roared, "Attack the pass! Even if we have to die for it, we must take Yanmen Pass today! Otherwise, you shall all perish!"

"Great King, you must not!"

A hoarse, aged voice cut through the air like a splash of cold water, cooling the Left Sage King’s temper just enough to grant him a moment of clarity. It was Tao Tao Ju Dan, the Left Sage King’s right-hand man and father-in-law, a man of immense prestige within the army.

Tao Tao Ju Dan approached the Left Sage King and said in a grave voice, "Great King, the soldiers are exhausted, the ranks are gripped by fear, and morale is at a nadir. To attack the pass now would be no different than courting our own destruction!"

Hearing this, the Left Sage King’s fury subsided slightly, though his expression remained dark. He knew well that attacking now was not a sound strategy, but the bitterness was impossible to swallow!

With fewer than fifty thousand troops remaining, how could they hope to breach Yanmen Pass? The soldiers were physically and mentally spent from their crushing defeat; another assault would only increase the death toll for no gain. Attacking now was a death sentence.

The battalion commander who had been on duty the previous night was dragged out by the enraged Left Sage King and beheaded on the spot. His blood splattered three feet high, his severed head used to consecrate the military standard.

***

Inside Yanmen Pass, the atmosphere was somber. Wang Li’s expression was as cold as water as he watched the remnants of the assault battalion return. His chest felt heavy, as if crushed by a boulder, making it difficult to breathe.

Excluding the cavalry that had broken through the camp later, the assault battalion had set out with a full three thousand men. Fewer than six hundred returned!

Corpses lay scattered across the wilderness; blood had flowed like a river!

General Hanmen had fallen on the field, his body lost to the wastes. General Liumen was severely wounded, his armor soaked in blood, gasping for his final breaths. Colonel Yang was covered in lacerations, wounds so deep the bone was visible—a truly harrowing sight!

Most of the returning soldiers were injured: some missing arms, others limping, some with long, jagged gashes across their faces, their blood congealed into grisly, dark crusts. It was clear how brutal and desperate the night raid had been. It was a victory bought with blood and life.

"Soldiers," Wang Li said, his voice low and hoarse, thick with emotion. "On behalf of the people of Great Qin, on behalf of the people of Yinshan City, I thank you for your devotion and your sacrifice!"

He bowed deeply to the shattered remains of the battalion and remained in that posture for a long time. This bow was a gesture of heavy reverence and heartfelt gratitude.

The returning soldiers stared at Wang Li with vacant, numb eyes. A night of slaughter and flight had drained them of all energy and hollowed out their souls. They were simply too tired.

"Furthermore, every soldier who participated in the raid shall be awarded a medal of great merit and ten taels of silver," Wang Li continued.

"Thank you, General," the returning soldiers replied. Only upon hearing of the silver did they manage to speak, their voices raspy and weak. At this moment, nothing mattered more than the cold, hard coin. They had nearly lost their lives; everything else was fleeting, but silver was real.

"Go and rest," Wang Li forced himself to swallow his grief, keeping his voice as steady as possible. "Wine and meat have been prepared for you. Eat well, drink well, take a hot bath, and get a good sleep."

To make soldiers fight for their lives, one must provide for their needs. It was an iron rule of the battlefield. Upon hearing of food, drink, and hot water, a glimmer of life returned to the soldiers' eyes, and their spirits lifted slightly.

"By the way, who led the attack from the enemy's right flank last night?" Wang Li suddenly asked.

General Liumen, lying on a stretcher, struggled to raise a blood-stained hand and replied weakly, "General, it was us."

"Excellent, truly excellent! You are all heroes!" Wang Li finally allowed a smile to grace his face. He walked to the stretcher and patted Liumen’s shoulder. "Go tend to your wounds, rest well, and then come back to report to me exactly how you carried out the assault."

"Yes, General!" Liumen was overjoyed, a flush of color returning to his pale face. Had he not been so gravely wounded, he would have jumped up to recount the battle in detail. With this military merit, provided he survived and his cultivation improved, a colonel’s rank was all but guaranteed!

***

Daylight broke, and golden sunlight spilled over the grasslands. Zhao Ergou squinted, savoring the long-lost warmth. He took a deep breath and laughed boldly, "Brothers, we’ve actually made it into the heart of the Rongdi territory!"

Luo Datong pulled a long face. "Brother Ergou, this is the enemy’s lair. We are..."

"Afraid of what?" Zhao Ergou slapped Luo Datong on the shoulder, sending him stumbling. "We Qin men fear nothing! So what if we’re in the enemy’s nest? It’s the perfect place to go on a rampage! Who knows the way to Yanmen Pass? Lead the way, we’re killing our way back!"

A young soldier stepped forward immediately. "Commander, I know the way!"

"Good lad!" Zhao Ergou patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction. "Lead on! Let’s carve our way back, and while we’re at it, slaughter a few Rongdi whelps to avenge our fallen brothers!"

The troop marched majestically toward Yanmen Pass. Zhao Ergou walked at the front with his head held high, radiating confidence and bravado. After marching for five or six miles, the group suddenly halted.

"What’s going on?" Zhao Ergou raised an eyebrow, a hint of excitement in his tone.

"Commander, there are Rongdi cavalry ahead, chasing down a group of men. It looks like our Yinshan garrison!" the scout whispered.

"Oh?" Zhao Ergou’s eyes brightened, a bloodthirsty smirk curling his lips. "Rongdi cavalry? Brothers, draw your weapons and follow me! Slaughter these Rongdi whelps and save our men!"