Chapter 2307: Chapter 2307 A Hearty Laugh
"Sending 500,000 troops to face 100,000 will at least make your opponent apprehensive of you, even if your soldiers have a lesser cultivation level than them. Instead, you dispersed your armies into smaller units ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 men. Wouldn’t that be same as sending them to their death?"
"The problem is in not acknowledging one’s mistakes, not in making them. If you lost your team of experts, there will be no hope left for resistance."
Ye Liuyun first rebutted Mheng Tuo’s excuses before he sternly warned them to recognize their mistakes before it was too late, risking the extinction of their clan.
Mheng Tuo was rendered speechless as his cheeks became scarlet with embarrassment.
After giving it some consideration, Zheng Huan agreed with Ye Liuyun’s perspective.
"You’re right. When I return, I’ll do my best to persuade the elders of the Aliance State."
Seeking advice, he then turned to Ye Liuyun. "What do you recommend we do?"
"First, strengthen the Alliance State’s defence and focus on improving your overall strength. Wait for the right opportunity, and only strike when you have an absolute advantage."
"We won’t have to wait long. I suspect the Sanctuary Knight is waiting for their reinforcements. Once they arrive, we’ll take action."
"Before that, you won’t need to sacrifice anything. Wouldn’t that be better?" Ye Liuyun explained.
"They’re waiting for reinforcements?" Mheng Tuo exclaimed in surprise.
"We don’t have concrete evidence. It is just our observation. Of course, everything I have told you is merely my advice. The decision is ultimately up to you."
"But I can assure you that we will never side with them. You can trust us on that."
Ye Liuyun explained his perspective politely.
Although he wasn’t sure if the locals would believe him. No amount of convincing on his part would be effective if they didn’t.
Having said all that he could, his best hope was that the decision-makers would calm down. If they refused to believe him and ended up destroying themselves, it would be their own fault.
Their bravery was admirable, but Ye Liuyun knew they would be nothing more than expert martial practitioners if they could not plan rationally.
He could get such experts anytime using the Slaving Seal. Moreover, it would be much safer as he could have their absolute loyalty.
“If we decide to attack them, will you help us?” Zheng Huan asked Ye Liuyun.
Ye Liuyun smiled and countered his question, “Why should I help you?”
"We can replenish your troops with manpower and reimburse you with resources," Zheng Huan swiftly replied.
The elders had given him these instructions before he arrived. Hence, he could swiftly reply.
Without hesitation, Ye Liuyun consented. "This could work. Give me the specifics. If the price is right, we will intervene."
Getting Ye Liuyun’s response, Zheng Huan and his companions hurried back to the Alliance State to report the news to the elders.
After a few rounds of negotiations, they finally agreed to compensate Ye Liuyun with five times the resources he consumed and martial practitioners of equivalent strength that he lost during the mission.
However, Ye Liuyun had to abide by their orders on when to take action. As for what method to apply, it was up to Ye Liuyun to decide.
Following the signing of the agreement, Ye Liuyun called upon Ye Tiandao, Yuan Hao, and the Tiger King to assign them tasks.
"They can’t take them down by themselves. They will suffer massive casualties in their first attempt to breach the city on their own. Once they do, the Sanctuary Knights will let them enter the city or launch a counterattack, wiping them out completely."
"We need to be prepared. If they call for reinforcement during the siege, Tiger King will lead the Beastmen team to breach the city entrance. Once the city is breached, Ye Tiandao will lead his team into the city and kill their commander. Then, only Yuan Hao and the Tiger King will follow suit into the city. I’ll have the Devil Vine assist you."
"If they need help after entering the city and are being surrounded, Tiger King will guard outside the city wall to prevent the Sanctuary Knights from escaping while Ye Tiandao and the Dark Legion enter the city to annihilate the Sanctuary Knights.”
Before he sent them out to get ready, Ye Liuyun assigned their duty and tasks in detail.
He also urged the soldiers to familiarise themself with the new weapons and equipment.
Some of the women and Beastmen were also dispatched to train for the impending battle.
Indeed, the locals took action the following day. The town that housed the Sanctuary Knights was surrounded by a swarm of martial practitioners marching in from the city.
Ye Liuyun and his commanders couldn’t help but scoff at their disorganized troop’s formation.
"It’s a complete mess!" Yuan Hao couldn’t hold back his surprise.
"If they think they can take us down like this, they’re delusional. Let’s get ready to strike!" Tiger King uttered.
But Ye Liuyun shook his head. With a hint of resignation in his voice, he said, "The less they realize their shortcomings, the less likely they are to seek our help."
"It’s a waste to see so many people marching to their deaths!" Zhao Hu lamented.
"Pitiful, tragic, and utterly regrettable," Mo Shaowen added to the statement, followed by a sigh.
They watched in silence as the local martial practitioners divided themselves into four groups and marched to surround the Sanctuary Knight’s garrison.
"Utter fools!"
Even Tiger King knew that they were already at a numerical disadvantage. Splitting their forces into four would only decrease their combatant strength.
"Your warnings were completely disregarded," Yuan Hao said, shaking his head in frustration.
"Indeed." Ye Liuyun replied.
This was the outcome that Ye Liuyun had expected from the start. Instead of worrying about what was to come, he focused his mind on the battlefield and strategizing on how to rescue his comrades.
However, after the local martial practitioners formed their surround, they made no move to attack. Instead, a group of Alliance State elders shuttled back and forth among the four divisions, issuing orders.
Ye Liuyun’s troops were entirely perplexed by this. Some even started to wonder if the locals had a secret strategy up their sleeves.
"Guess what the Sanctuary Knights in the city must be feeling right now?"
Zhao Hu asked, eliciting a burst of laughter from the group.
The locals busied themselves for quite some time. After a while of toiling, they divided each flank into five squads, seemingly planning to take turns attacking the city.
However, they made yet another adjustment in their attack, withdrawing the troops from the northern siege, leaving a gap. The northern troops were then redistributed evenly among the other squads.
Watching their strategy, Ye Liuyun’s men were practically rolling on the ground with laughter.
Amidst his laughter, Yuan Hao said, "I’ve led troops for years, but this is an eye-opener!"
Zhao Hu hollered in his laugh as tears of laughter streamed down his face, "They are not going into a battle, this is merely tactic drill!"
Mo Shaowen chimed in in between his laugh, "If they keep this up, the Sanctuary Knights inside the city are going to lose their minds. From laughing too hard!"
Not knowing what to say, Ye Liuyun shook his head in resignation.
"Why aren’t they attacking?" Lei Ming, who never paid much attention to battle formations, questioned Ye Liuyun while he munched on some jerky. "Are they going to fight or put up a comedy show?"
