Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Alas, indeed a loyal and brave man; with such righteous men in Kushan, they can surely advance further.” Zhang Ren sighed as he saw Carano rolling his eyes, mistaking it for frustration over Kushan’s defeat. Everyone looked at Zhang Ren with a somewhat strange expression.

Seeing that their side had reassembled the army, Yan Yan immediately tugged at Zhang Ren, speaking to Brack and others, ”Since you all are unharmed, we have already reorganized the army. Let’s withdraw to the camp for now. As for the more detailed handover matters, we will find another time to discuss them in detail.”

Sulapri and the others agreed to this, and Brack also found it reasonable and consented, thus concluding the first battle between Yizhou and Kushan.

When this battle finally ended, the envoys from the small nations watching were all terrified. The Kushan Empire was so strong that it surpassed their understanding, and worse, the Han Empire defeated the incomprehensibly strong Kushan Empire.

Although the envoys from the small nations couldn’t be sure if what they saw was the final result, based on what they witnessed, they could basically conclude that the Kushan Empire had suffered a total defeat. If it were a life and death battle, it would be as if Kushan were entirely wiped out.

This meant that the Kushan Empire was one or two levels higher than them, and in the estimation of these people, the Han Empire was at least one level higher than the Kushan Empire. Thinking this way, several envoys from small nations suffered myocardial infarction on the spot in despair.

As for the remaining envoys who did not suffer a heart attack, most of them planned to go back and scare their emperor to death, thinking it was really courting death not to pay tribute to others for decades!

”Hirilah, have someone deliver the gifts from those small countries to the Han Dynasty later.” Brack said to Hirilah after Yan Yan led the troops away.

”Alright,” Hirilah replied, knowing what Brack meant.

”If there’s another chance, I must confront our opponent once more,” Brack said, looking at Yan Yan’s departing figure, causing the hair of Leiblalei and the other two to stand on end.

”I have a bad feeling,” Leiblalei transmitted to Sulapri.

”I also have a bad feeling,” Sulapri, with a similarly unpleasant expression, transmitted back to the other two.

”I plan to record this battle impartially on clay tablets and quickly report to His Majesty,” Hirilah paused for a moment before speaking.

”Indeed, we should inform His Majesty. Our eastern border pushed this far is enough. If we have a conflict with the Han Empire further east, while I previously had confidence, after seeing the Han Army firsthand, I realize we are still lacking in many areas,” Leiblalei transmitted in a helpless tone to the other two.

”I think so too. So after we inform Brack, we three should jointly report this battle to His Majesty,” Sulapri transmitted to the other two, who nodded in agreement.

The small countries that came to observe did not expect that those who pledged allegiance to Kushan in advance would be casually sold to the Han Dynasty after Kushan’s defeat.

”Phew, I didn’t expect to win just like that. General Yan fought that last battle brilliantly,” Zhang Song said with a somewhat flattering tone, but it wasn’t entirely sycophantic.

”At first, I thought we were going to lose, but didn’t expect the opponent to be subdued by the general in the end,” Leitong said with an expression of admiration.

Other civil and military officials also looked on with respect. Yan Yan’s performance in those final moments was unexpectedly strong, while Brack’s Legion Talent was producing all the effects from burning Cloud Qi.

”Overpraised,” Yan Yan shook his head, but the smile on his face showed he was pleased. ”However, what exactly is the Legion Talent of that guy called Brack, it sounds quite formidable from what you say, though I didn’t feel much of it.”

Because Yan Yan’s Legion Talent doesn’t enhance any Attribute, it didn’t matter whether Brack’s Legion Talent burned Cloud Qi or not—it provided no special effects on him anyway.

”The other side’s Legion Talent burns Cloud Qi. Any defense against or attack using Cloud Qi gets weakened. This means that apart from Extreme Rank Formations, other formations are meaningless against them, and any Legion Talent relying on Cloud Qi will be utterly suppressed,” Zhang Su explained with a smile.

”Oh, I understand why I didn’t feel anything; my Legion Talent doesn’t support any Cloud Qi effects.” Yan Yan nodded knowingly—his Legion Talent most detested intimidation types and any Legion Talent dismantling command structures, as these would critically hit his Talent.

”By the way, General Yan, if I remember correctly, your Legion Talent is Unbreakable, but this time it seems significantly stronger than before,” Zhang Song asked curiously, stroking the beard under his ugly face.

”After taking a hit from Sunx Bofu, I spent a lot of time researching my Legion Talent. My Talent for defense is nearly flawless, but for offense, it might get countered.” Seeing no outsiders around, Yan Yan didn’t conceal anything.

Yan Yan roughly explained his Legion Talent, then said, ”As long as I’m not knocked down, the soldiers can continuously counterattack. Unless encountering a commander extraordinarily skilled in Great Army Command, it’s very difficult to fully defeat me.”

The Legion Talent can recombine a previously broken up army and reinvest it into battle. This means to defeat Yan Yan, either his army must be shattered beyond recombination, or he must be taken down amidst relentless counterattacks.

However, both these tasks are extremely challenging. Achieving the first would require command skills at least of the level of Cao Cao, assuming equal, or greater troop quality and quantity.

As for the latter, it would require a strong leader and a core comparable to Super Elite Level; otherwise, the consistent counterattacks of the large army could halt any corps with insufficient offensive power.

To a commander like Yan Yan, who relies on defense and counterattack, if the enemy cannot progress once they enter his array and continue slicing and peeling away, it means entangling his opponent to death.

Incidentally, Brack found himself delayed by Yan Yan’s small corps and dragged down by the large army, his charge speed gradually slowed, until he was fully entangled and unable to advance.

”Winning this battle puts us at ease. This Kushan corps may not be the strongest, yet it surely cannot be as mediocre as our whole country’s lower-middle level,” Zhang Su said with a laugh.

Zhang Ren and Yan Yan both snickered dryly. Yizhou’s standard might even be lower since excluding those newly surrendered like Meng Huo, they might rank third from the last among the existing Feudal Lords in the Thirteen Provinces of Great Han in terms of fighting, incorporating both Generals and Strategists.

As for the last, it needn’t be said—it’s certainly Jiaozhou’s Shixie.

However, it’s not that Yizhou isn’t a good place or lacks talent; in reality, Yizhou is quite nice, its Barbarians Han People, integrated into the Han Dynasty since the Western Han period. The issue is Yizhou’s highly complex terrain and relationships, human motives too complicated.

Foremost is the lack of ambition. Liu Zhang of Yizhou himself has no strong ambition, naturally enclosed within mountain and river barriers. Coupled with Yizhou Scholars and Warriors being aware of the circumstances learned through previous trials, they seem content to live aimlessly, yet still excel.

Considering the current situation, as long as they guard Sichuan and Shu, if Liu Bei reunites the nation, they’ll prosper even by idling. Zhang Song and others don’t think Liu Zhang would conflict with Liu Bei when that time comes.

As for waging wars, they couldn’t beat the neighboring Cao Cao or Sun Ce. The only one they might handle, Shixie, is on good terms with them anyways. As for Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, it’s another easily defensible, hard-to-attack place—both sides can only glare at each other.

In such circumstances, Yizhou would as well wash up and fall asleep, knowing that Sun Ce and Cao Cao won’t send troops against them. The barriers of Sichuan and Shu aren’t just talk—sending fewer forces is pointless, while sending more would strain the rear, thus making Sichuan and Shu perennially a nonentity.