Chapter 360: A Stalemate (1/2)
Chapter 360: A Stalemate
Translator: Sparrow TranslationsEditor: Sparrow Translations
Fang Zhengzhi didn't know whether Nangong Hao seeked stability or disdained moving. However, he was absolutely sure that the path from the wind valley to the Icy Monkey Settlement…
Would definitely not be an easy path to walk.
Initially, Fang Zhengzhi indeed planned to send a surprise force to launch a sneak attack after defeating the wind valley. However, once the wind in the valley stopped, Nangong Hao would definitely receive intelligence about it.
The outcome of sending a surprise force at such a time wouldn't be bad, however, it wasn't the best.
However, Fang Zhengzhi had the advantage in numbers, hence he didn't bother too much about how good the outcome was. However, Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu evidently both felt that now was the best time to send a surprise force.
Entering the wind valley to take a look.
Only Heaven would know if that was just an excuse.
The internal political struggles within the Imperial Government wasn't something Fang Zhengzhi was very familiar with. However, there was one thing which the Imperial Governments of the ancient past did most commonly that Fang Zhengzhi knew very well of.
That was...
Snatching credit!
Something like snatching credit was difficult to describe. However, it wasn't too hard to actually carry it out. In conclusion, it all boiled down to one sentence, do the right thing at the right time, and the achievements would naturally fall upon oneself.
Of course, before that, it is essential for one to be able to discover the right time and the right thing to do.
Wu Feng had this ability. Chen Feiyu had it too.
Once Fang Zhengzhi defeated the wind valley, both of them abnormally charged into the wind valley with an extremely fast speed and without obeying military orders. The method they employed was to act first and report their success, a bold move.
Seeing the wind?
Did the wind need to be seen?
Even taking a million steps back, if they really wanted to see, reaching the entrance of the wind valley would allow one to have a sufficiently clear view. Yet, why did they still have to continue their advance and charge directly towards the Icy Monkey Settlement.
Hence, seeing the wind was only an excuse.
The purpose of Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu was to become a squad of surprise troops, quickly making the greatest accomplishment in this battle before Nangong Hao had the time to react.
As for why they were in such a rush?
The reason was too simple. In Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu's hearts, the battle between Fang Zhengzhi and Nangong Hao was the last battle of the combat examination.
Furthermore, now that the wind valley had already been broken by Fang Zhengzhi, if they didn't take advantage of this opportunity, Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu would miserably fall behind the curtains in this combat examination.
”Charge!” Fang Zhengzhi lashed out crisply at his stallion with a whip. Instantly, the stallion he rode on let out a long bray and shot forwards.
When the military commanders saw this, their eyes instantly lit up.
After taking his own sweet time for so long, he finally increased the movement speed!
Under Fang Zhengzhi's lead, forty-over thousand soldiers advanced rapidly, and the sound of fighting beside their ears gradually became clearly. After some time, Fang Zhengzhi raised his hand once again, and the forty-over thousand troops instantly stopped.
Because, the exit of the wind valley was right in front.
However…
At this moment, the exit of the wind valley was in a huge chaos.
”It was indeed placed at this area.” When Fang Zhengzhi saw the chaotic scene in front, the edges of his mouth curled into another faint smile.
The wind valley was a natural barrier.
At the same time, the wind valley was a natural defence. Because, the width of the wind valley only enabled ten people to advance together under normal circumstances. Hence, in a way, the exit of the wind valley was the best location for defence.
In his previous world, Fang Zhengzhi used to watch a movie called The 300 Spartans. It more of less described three hundred fearsome Spartans defending against ten attacks by tens of thousands of soldiers at an entrance that only allowed a few people to pass through.
At this moment, Nangong Hao seemed to be using the same method.
However, his method was the opposite of that used in the movie. After the exit, it was a vast, open patch of land. This also enabled him to plant any ambushes he wished to.
And now…
Wu Feng, Chen Feiyu and the group of scholars evidently charged right into it.
Over ten scholars, all of them of the Heavenly Reflection Peak Stage and above. Yet, when these ten scholars faced with an ambush by almost a thousand people, sweat soaked their bodies.
It seemed as if they were suffering.
”General Fang, should we provide them support?” A commander walked to Fang Zhengzhi's side at this moment and said somewhat worriedly.
”Do you know what is the most fundamental thing people must have between one another?” Fang Zhengzhi didn't reply the commander's question immediately, instead, he shot another question back with a faint smile on his face.
”This… General Fang, please explain.” The commander replied, confused.
”Trust.”
”Trust?”
”That's right. Look at the geography of this landscape. At the very most, only ten people would be able to walk in a row. Hence, are you able to find ten heroes who can compare to Young Master Wu and Young Master Chen?” Fang Zhengzhi pointed at the two walls, then pointed at the scholars who were desperately involved in a messy fight with the soldiers and said loudly.
”This… I fear that I can't!” When the commander heard, he immediately shook his head.
”Hence, all we can do now is to trust Young Master Wu and Young Master Chen. If even they aren't able to overcome this small ambush with their abilities, what is the point of sending more people in?”
”General Fang, your words make sense!” When the commander heard this, he instantly understood. However, he still felt as if there was something wrong with this.
”Don't worry, as long as we completely trust Young Master Wu, Young Master Chen and the rest, any ambush would be like smoke to us, all we have to do to disperse it would be to wave our sleeves.” Fang Zhengzhi continued to explain.
”Roger!” The commander acknowledged and withdrew respectfully.
On the other hand, Fang ZHengzhi continued to maintain his trust in Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu. He sat leisurely on his horse and quietly spectated the fierce struggle between the evenly matched forces in front of him.
After spectating for a while.
Fang Zhengzhi understood something.
What is Nangong Hao!
The ambush in front of him was clearly a mini army formation. Military formations were not a problem to Wu Feng and Chen Feiyu.
This was even more so for Nangong Hao.
This formation that Nangong Hao had set up…
After a detailed scrutiny by Fang Zhengzhi, he more or less managed to understand a few parts of it. Even though he didn't know the exact name of this formation, he could infer from the way it was set up that it contained two different concepts within it.
One was the Big Dipper, the other was the Eight Diagrams.
In other words, there were two formations. Or, it could also be said that it was a grand formation formed by two formations.
The Eight Diagrams took the lead while the Big Dipper followed behind.
It wasn't difficult to understand this placement. Because, the essence of the Eight Diagrams had always been defence. In Fang Zhengzhi's previous world, there was a very famous person called Zhu Geliang.