Chapter 53: Wang Li's High Regard

On the city tower, General Wang Li’s gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s. He stared fixedly at the Rongdi army’s camp, his brows knitted so tightly they formed a knot.

"The Rongdi are coming again!" His voice was low, heavy with a grave intensity.

The other four generals watched the movements of the Rongdi army, their complexions turning increasingly grim, weighed down by profound anxiety.

"The frontier is practically being shattered, yet those bastards back home are still fighting tooth and nail over that throne! Damn it, do they still care about the common people on the border?" General Zhang He, charged with crushing the enemy, cursed furiously, spittle flying everywhere.

"Shut your damn mouth, you want to die?"

Wang Li glared fiercely at Zhang He, his look as sharp as a blade, wishing he could flinch him alive.

If words like that were to spread, who could keep their head?

Realizing he had slipped up, Zhang He shivered in fright and abruptly clamped his mouth shut.

Although the other generals remained silent, they were boiling with suppressed rage, their disappointment with the court reaching an absolute breaking point.

The fighting at Yanmen Pass had dragged on for over twenty days, and the Rongdi forces only seemed to multiply. They were reaching their absolute breaking limit, but where were the imperial reinforcements?

Not even a ghost was in sight! This left the garrison commanders feeling utterly chilled to the bone, their fury burning intensely in their chests.

"Charge!" The battle cries rang out once more, and the war continued. Corpses of Rongdi soldiers tumbled down from the city walls like dumplings, crashing into bloody mushed heaps.

Many soldiers on the ramparts were also targeted by Rongdi cavalry, being picked off like targets in a shooting gallery.

"Ooh-ooh..." The horns of war sounded, chilling anyone who heard them to the core, as desolate as the howling of ghosts.

By this stage of the battle, more than half of the garrison at Yanmen Pass had perished, as if a massive chunk of flesh had been brutally torn away.

The reinforcements sent by the rear commandery prefectures were pitifully sparse, tossed about like charity to beggars, serving merely as a superficial gesture.

Presently, Yanmen Pass relied entirely on the blood and grit of its defenders, who were holding out by sheer will. Every single moment was an agonizing trial!

Back in the camp, Zhao Ergou and his comrades lay under the sun, determined to thoroughly enjoy this rare moment of leisure!

During those few days out on the grasslands, they had been on tenterhooks every single moment, unable to sleep soundly for fear they would never open their eyes again once closed.

If the city weren't under such strict lockdown during wartime, Zhao Ergou would have loved to take his brothers down to the Neon Pavilion for a proper relaxation session and to cultivate their refined tastes—wouldn't that have been wonderful?

...

Toward evening, the setting sun glowed as crimson as if it had drunk too much wine, and the battle temporarily subsided.

The air hung heavy with a murderous aura, making it difficult to breathe.

Having left behind a few thousand more corpses, the Rongdi army retreated in dismay. Today's efforts had yielded them nothing.

That night, Zhao Ergou originally intended to go brag to his squad leader, but General Wang Li sent someone to summon him, leaving him no choice but to report to the general first.

After all, General Wang Li was the supreme commander of Yanmen Pass, a fifth-rank general, and a grandmaster-level martial artist—a towering figure who could make Yanmen Pass tremble with a single stomp of his foot!

Without General Wang Li holding the fort, Yanmen Pass would have been trampled flat by the iron hooves of the Rongdi long ago, let alone holding out until now.

Being summoned so abruptly by General Wang Li filled Zhao Ergou with smug delight. As expected, I am a dragon among men!

"General, Zhao Ergou has arrived!" The messenger led Zhao Ergou to the entrance of General Wang Li's council tent and announced loudly.

"Send him in!" General Wang Li's voice came from inside the tent, steady and majestic, commanding involuntary awe the moment it was heard.

Striding confidently behind the messenger, Zhao Ergou entered the council tent and discovered five lieutenant generals seated within, each exuding an extraordinary presence.

These six men constituted the highest leadership of Yanmen Pass; any single one of them could independently command a sector!

"Greetings, General Wang, and all other generals!" Zhao Ergou cupped his fists in salute, his voice ringing like a bronze bell, full of inner vigor.

Everyone's gazes fell upon Zhao Ergou in unison, acting like searchlights trying to see right through him from inside out.

Faced with the scrutiny of so many generals, Zhao Ergou was not only unfazed but even more exhilarated. I simply love the feeling of being the center of attention!

Every single person seated here was an expert above the congenital realm. Even with their auras restrained, the sheer majesty accumulated through countless battles was not something ordinary people could withstand.

But who was Zhao Ergou?

He was the fearless Zhao Ergou!

Did they think a mere bit of pressure could make him bow?

What a joke! He was destined to be the number one man in the world!

Inside the general's grand tent.

General Wang Li stroked his beard, his face blossoming with a smile. He looked Zhao Ergou up and down and nodded repeatedly. "At ease, at ease! So this is Zhao Ergou, the newly emerged fierce warrior of our Yanmen Pass? Look at this physique and bearing—he's clearly a top-notch fighter on the battlefield!"

Hearing this, Zhao Ergou felt immensely gratified. This general truly possessed a discerning eye for talent!

"Ergou, lad, based on your military exploits, it's more than enough to appoint you as a commandant right now to command a full battalion!" Wang Li's voice was sonorous, like rumbling thunder.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ergou’s eyes lit up. A commandant? That was a high-ranking officer position!

"Indeed! That night, you led troops charging deep into the enemy camp, sending those Rongdi bastards fleeing in terror. That was a top-tier contribution!" General Zhang He could not help chiming in, his bushy beard shaking merrily as he laughed, adding a touch of humor.

"This young man has both courage and wit, a fine seedling indeed. He's bound to achieve great things in the future!" Another lieutenant general flattered in agreement, looking at Zhao Ergou with undisguised appreciation.

"I happen to be lacking a gate-door general under my command. Ergou, interested in joining my forces? Follow me, and I guarantee you'll eat well and drink well!" Military Commander Gongsun He tossed out an olive branch directly, his gaze practically devouring Zhao Ergou.

"Now hold on, Old He, poaching right in front of my face isn't very sporting, is he?" Sima Xin immediately objected upon hearing this. This was a soldier cultivated under his own command; how could he let someone else snatch him away?

"Hey, you can't put it that way. How can this be called poaching? I am merely providing Ergou with a better platform for development! Your temple is too small to accommodate this great Buddha!" Gongsun He said with a smile. He had genuinely taken a fancy to Zhao Ergou; the young man was a born warrior.

Zhao Ergou stood there, feeling like a prized pastry being fought over by a group of heavyweights. When had he, Zhao Ergou, ever been so sought after?

"Alright, alright, stop bickering, both of you. I still have major plans for this kid!" As soon as Wang Li spoke, everyone fell silent. After all, he was the top boss here.

The generals were stunned, realizing that the supreme commander intended to place heavy responsibilities on this young man!

Wang Li looked at Zhao Ergou and smiled faintly. "Zhao Ergou, I heard you were originally a farmer pressed into military service. On your very first time on the battlefield, you displayed an astonishing talent for archery. Later, after your squad leader taught you the military cultivation techniques, you revealed an extraordinary talent for martial arts as well. I am already aware of all this."

Hearing this, Zhao Ergou felt a start in his heart. This general had actually investigated him already!?

However, who was Zhao Ergou? Had he ever feared anyone?