Mythical Three Kingdoms

”That Roman legion is finished.” Li Jue said, feeling a faint chill in his heart. A Super Elite Legion, gone just like that, and right before their eyes; they personally witnessed a full-strength Super Elite Legion being wiped out.

”No saving them. If that legion desperately trying to charge in doesn’t pull back now, once the Parthian Legions free up their hands, that legion will be done for as well.” Zhuge Liang sighed, an inexplicable sense of gloom pressing on his chest.

”From the very beginning, the Romans were being played.” Sima Yi murmured as he watched the distant battlefield. The Thirteenth Legion, which had previously been ferocious and unstoppable, had already been completely cut into nearly ten chunks, crazily assaulted by large numbers of Parthian Elite. Their destruction was only a matter of time.

”There’s something off about the Parthians’ Elite Talent. Their basic quality hasn’t obviously improved, their strength hasn’t increased either, but the Romans seem to have grown weaker.” Chen Gong said, frowning.

”A negative-type Elite Talent, maybe.” Zhang Liao thought for a moment and spoke.

”It’s possible we really will witness a great battle today where a Super Elite Legion is annihilated to the last.” Gao Lan spoke after a moment of silence. From the battles he’d experienced, the Thirteenth Legion was basically beyond saving. So long as reinforcements didn’t appear at this moment, with the current Roman Army strength in Mesopotamia, there was simply no way to rescue the Thirteenth Legion.

Sunx Quan stared at the massive armies tangled together, his blood inexplicably surging. A war between Elite Legions of this caliber was indeed something he was experiencing for the first time. Whether enemy or ally, both sides were so powerful that Sunx Quan didn’t even know how to describe them.

”Just watch and see whether Rome has any other tricks.” Sheni Pei said to Yuan Tan beside him. From today’s situation, both Rome and Parthia had already gone far beyond the normal scale of strength.

”Pass the order: have the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Legions cover our retreat!” Gilea ordered the First Hundred-Man Squad Leader at his side, his expression twisted and ferocious.

A hundred paces in front of Gilea, Ardashir was leading his Elite Legion, joining up with other Military Officers as they pressed in and sliced apart his Thirteenth Legion with all their might.

Outside the Thirteenth Legion was an almost layer upon layer of Parthians. The Roman 13th Legion had already been completely drawn into the enemy’s main formation. Even so, Gilea was convinced he could definitely lead his troops in a breakout. Though he didn’t know what the Parthians had used to strip away their Defensive Talent, his Thirteenth Legion still possessed tremendous Attack Power.

With Gilea’s shouted order, the First Hundred-Man Squad Leader silently relayed the command. Then Gilea removed his helmet, his eyes icy as he glanced ahead, and without the slightest hesitation personally led his most elite core unit in a breakout toward the west.

Gilea drew his short sword and led his own Hundred-Man Squad straight to the front line, personally commanding his Soldiers, driving the most Elite Roman Infantry to launch a counterattack against the Parthians, gathering the legion’s most central power and carrying the Eagle Banner to break out toward the west.

”Gilea, that idiot!” Benito roared in fury. They simply had no way to free up their hands to support him right now. More importantly, Gilea was breaking out directly to the west—that was pure suicide!

”Hahaha, Benito, you’re about to see the Thirteenth Legion perish!” Datis laughed wildly. ”With such a fool, you still let him command the Thirteenth Legion—this gift, we’ll gladly accept!”

Just as Datis said, Gilea led the most Elite Eagle Banner Guard in a breakout to the west. The Parthians on the western side seemed to crumble at a touch, and Gilea smashed several hundred paces westward at astonishing speed.

However, not until the Parthian Elite directly in front of him blocked his way did he realize that only a few hundred of his Elite Soldiers had managed to keep up. As for the rest, when he withdrew west, the line that kept stretching out was severed and collapsed section by section by the frenzied Parthians attacking from both flanks.

”Looks like it’s time to end this.” After cutting down the Roman Infantry trapped within his own encirclement one by one, Ardashir led his troops charging toward Gilea’s position. The Eagle Emblem of the Roman 13th Rose Legion was about to become one of his trophies.

Benito cast a long, deep look in Gilea’s direction. Barring any surprises, this should be the last time he would see the Thirteen Roses Legion. Even if there were a chance to reconstitute it in the future, it would no longer be Caesar’s Thirteen Roses Legion.

”Retreat!” Benito immediately gave the order. A storm of arrows howled out toward the Parthians, the legion’s Talent rapidly shifted, and they quickly disengaged and pulled out. The Parthians were already completely different from before; they no longer collapsed at a touch, but had once again gained power.

With Benito’s order, the Fourteenth Legion quickly withdrew along the path carved out during their earlier attack, their organization extremely clear and precise, not leaving the Parthians the slightest opening.

On the other side, Ardashir thrust his spear straight through Gilea, who was holding his short sword, nailing him to the Eagle Emblem and killing him there. Though Gilea’s performance in commanding troops had been extraordinarily poor, at least in the moment before his death he was still fighting.

The Eagle Banner Guard of the Roman 13th Legion was likewise annihilated to the last man. Fewer than a hundred warriors of the entire Thirteenth Legion remained alive, with almost no one surrendering.

Looking at the already-retreated Fourteenth and Fifteenth Legions, Ardashir once more felt the urge to attack. However, compared with a rookie like Gilea, Ardashir’s quality was far, far above that newbie’s level.

What’s more, destroying an entire Roman Legion that bore its own title was already an unimaginably great victory. This was the Roman 13th Rose Legion, a legion that practically represented Rome’s very face. Such a victory shook Parthia far more than the occupation of Mesopotamia ever would.

”The Eagle Emblem!” Ardashir reached out and grabbed the Eagle Emblem, while Gilea lay collapsed to the side, eyes bulging as he stared at the sky—only, they were already lifeless.

The instant Ardashir lifted the Eagle Emblem, the Thirteen Roses Legion’s Eagle Emblem shattered into small fragments. Ardashir froze for a moment, then burst into loud laughter and led his own forces in withdrawal.

The Han Army, who had been watching from the sidelines all this time, were now somewhat dazed. There had clearly been so many chances for the Romans to break out and cut a bloody path, they had clearly been that strong, yet the final outcome was still their complete annihilation.

”An entire Roman Super Elite Legion has been wiped out.” Zhuge Liang felt a bitter taste in his mouth for no clear reason. ”Parthia is strong, but not to this extent. The Roman commander performed far too poorly.”

”Using numbers to crush the few—the simplest method.” Sima Yi let out a long sigh. ”Such a powerful legion, and it was beaten until not even scum was left.”

”It also serves as a warning to us: on this kind of battlefield we must stick together. If we don’t, it means we might be wiped out.” Chen Gong turned his head and said to the others. At his words, everyone present felt a chill in their hearts; on this kind of battlefield, whoever stuck their head out first could very well be the one killed.

Since this concerned their own life and death, no one dared treat it as a joke. They all nodded. On the very first battle of the Western Asia campaign, they had witnessed a war this terrifying—a Super Elite Legion, six thousand men, simply erased, dead beyond all doubt. Its designation would likely be struck from the rolls.

”Generals, the General of Fars invites you to come for a war council.” While Zhuge Liang and the others were chatting idly, the Parthians had already swept the field with great speed, and a messenger had come to summon Zhuge Liang and the rest to the council.

”Come, let’s hear what the Parthians have to say. I imagine the wars to come will involve us. But according to what they’ve said, Rome only deployed eight legions to the East, and it’s obvious that, taken together, these legions are no match for the Parthians. The battles to come will be much easier.” Zhuge Liang said with a smile.

By the time Zhuge Liang and the others arrived at the command tent, Parthia’s main pavilion was filled with the excitement and joy of troops returning in triumph.

”Congratulations, Generals, on your auspicious victory in your first battle!” Zhuge Liang bowed slightly with gentle courtesy.

”We must also thank you. If not for you holding the line behind us, we might not have dared to fight the Romans with our hands completely untied.” The Sassanid Fars general said with a smile.

”We are allies who have already exchanged an Alliance Charter; mutually aiding one another is only right, is it not?” Zhuge Liang replied mildly. Though the Parthians were arrogant, they did indeed show them considerable respect.

”Come, bring forth the Eagle Emblem.” The Sassanid Fars general said with a smile to the Sunzi at his side.

Ardashir took out a large box from nearby and had it presented to Zhuge Liang. Inside the box was half of a shattered Eagle Emblem.

”We have nothing else to present the Han Dynasty whose merit could compare with this. This is the Eagle Emblem of Rome’s 13th Legion. Our Parthia will keep half, and this half we gift to you.” The Sassanid Fars general, perhaps afraid Zhuge Liang might not know how precious this object was, even took the trouble to explain it in detail.

”Then I thank you, General.” After hearing the history behind it, Zhuge Liang accepted it without the slightest politeness. This item was almost equivalent to Rome’s own visage; for an Empire that had endured for several centuries, its value was beyond imagination.

”There’s no need for thanks; it is simply what your army deserves. Though your troops did not strike directly, it was precisely because you stood behind us that we could fight without the slightest scruple.” The Sassanid Fars general was obviously acting under the instructions of Vologases V, and he showed great respect toward the Han Army.

”This battle, in which we broke the Thirteenth Rose Legion, has already exceeded our expectations. I had indeed entertained this possibility, but to truly accomplish it is still beyond what we had estimated, and so what follows will be far simpler for us.” Seeing that the Han Army had accepted the gift, the Sassanid Fars general finally spoke on.

”Hereafter, we ask that your army campaign alongside ours. The prosperity of Mesopotamia is something Parthia is willing to share with the Han Dynasty.” The Sassanid Fars general continued.

”We came this time precisely to assist Parthia. From here on, we shall join Parthia in assaulting Mesopotamia.” Zhuge Liang nodded and agreed.

They had now seen Rome’s combat power for themselves. Strong as it was, it was not insoluble. So long as one found the correct method of response, Roman Elite were not opponents the Han Army could not face. All the more so given that, with them and Parthia coordinating, there was nothing to fear at all.

The Parthians could cancel out one of the enemy’s Elite Talents; on the Han side, a Dual Talent Super Elite legion working in concert would be more than enough to beat the enemy into doubting life itself.