Chapter 85: Soul Tools? Landmines?
The autumn wind was bleak, carrying a solemn air of killing intent.
After reaching an agreement with Xiao Yu, Xue Qinghe immediately ordered the army to march forward to quell the rebellion.
The fifty-thousand-strong army advanced with great momentum, their flags covering the sky as they surged forward like an overwhelming tide.
Xiao Yu and his teammates were integrated into Xue Qinghe's Royal Guard First Squad, under Xue Qinghe's direct command.
As they marched along with the army, Xiao Yu gradually became aware of the differences between soul masters and soldiers. When it came to individual combat ability, even a hundred soldiers couldn't match a soul master. But in terms of coordinated team operations, not the seven-member Soul Master team kind, but the kind involving thousands or tens of thousands of troops, soul masters were no match for soldiers.
And the reason for all of this boiled down to one thing:
Discipline!
Indeed, this was the greatest gap between soul masters and soldiers. Soul masters revered individual strength, often acting in a carefree manner, with a tendency to show off their personal heroism. Soldiers, on the other hand, were bound by strict military discipline, and everything revolved around following their commanding officer's orders. For this reason, even a Title Douluo would hesitate to confront a disciplined army of a million soldiers head-on.
There was no shortage of smart people in this world. Hundreds of years ago, someone proposed that if the soul master's overwhelming strength could be combined with the military's strict discipline to form a soul master army, it would be an invincible force on the battlefield.
It's easy to say, but hard to achieve. Becoming a soul master, even at a lowly rank of ten, placed one far above ordinary people. Out of the billions on the Douluo Continent, there were only about a hundred thousand soul masters. Given how revered they were, why would they want to give up their privileged lives to submit to the constraints of the military?
Moreover, the cost of equipping a soul master was more than a hundred times that of a soldier. As such, only the two great empires of Heaven Dou and Star Luo, along with the Spirit Hall, could afford to form a soul master army. Even then, the total number didn't exceed ten thousand.
"Hmph!"
As Xiao Yu pondered the differences between the military and soul masters, the tent flap was lifted, and Xue Qinghe, who had just finished a military meeting, walked in with a gloomy expression.
"What's wrong? Who's gotten on His Highness's nerves?"
Xiao Yu sat calmly at Xue Qinghe's command desk, pouring her a cup of tea as he noticed her stormy expression.
Xue Qinghe downed the tea Xiao Yu handed her in one gulp before furiously saying, "It's that damned Lin Jun again, constantly opposing me!"
Lin Jun was the commander of the fifty-thousand-strong army. Xiao Yu had only learned after joining the military that Lin Jun was one of Prince Xue Xing's trusted followers. It was no secret that Xue Xing supported Xue Beng and was at odds with Xue Qinghe, and Lin Jun, emboldened by Xue Xing's backing, had been causing Xue Qinghe constant trouble.
"What did he do this time?"
Xiao Yu asked casually, sipping his tea. He had no interest in the internal strife of the Heaven Dou royal family. After all, his goal in joining the army was to let his team experience the trials of war.
Seeing Xiao Yu's calm demeanor, Xue Qinghe felt even more frustrated. She snapped, "Don't act like this has nothing to do with you. It actually involves you a little."
Xiao Yu looked at Xue Qinghe skeptically, "What could this have to do with me?"
"You brought your team to the army to temper their combat skills, didn't you?"
A sly glint flickered in Xue Qinghe's eyes. "My original plan was to go straight for the heart of the rebellion, Hamos City, and crush the rebellion with swift force. But this damned Lin Jun keeps opposing me, insisting on dividing the army to recapture the towns surrounding Hamos City that have been affected by the rebels. His plan leaves our main camp defenseless. I've been arguing with him for days, and now he's gone behind my back to submit a petition to Emperor Xue Ye, suggesting that we negotiate peace and elevate Ferela to the rank of duke, gifting him the towns he's seized as his fief. Since the army's campaign has dragged on without success, even Xue Ye is starting to waver!"
Negotiating peace? Wouldn't that mean this whole trip would be for nothing?
Xiao Yu was slightly taken aback, then rolled his eyes at Xue Qinghe. With her influence in the Heaven Dou court, how could Lin Jun bypass her to submit a petition to Xue Ye? Xiao Yu seriously suspected that this sly woman was doing it on purpose, trying to force him into giving her more help.
Xue Qinghe blinked at Xiao Yu fearlessly, as if to confirm that his suspicion was correct. After all, knowing Xiao Yu's personality, there was no way he would choose to retreat with his tail between his legs.
"Fine, you've got me!"
Xiao Yu gritted his teeth and muttered, then, with a quick glance, an idea came to mind. "I have a plan we can try."
Xue Qinghe raised her eyebrows but remained composed as she said, "Let's hear it."
"These fifty thousand troops have been under Lin Jun's command all along. In the army, his words likely carry more weight than yours; otherwise, how could he have overruled your battle plan despite you being the crown prince? Given the current situation, it's unlikely you'll be able to count on these tens of thousands of troops anymore."
Xiao Yu analyzed calmly, "So, why not go along with Lin Jun's wishes and let him scatter the troops to attack those cities taken by the rebels?"
"But that would leave the main camp defenseless."
Xue Qinghe couldn't help but interject, "That's precisely why I didn't agree to Lin Jun's plan. If Ferela finds out the main camp is left unguarded, he will definitely lead his forces to attack."
"That's exactly what we want—him attacking the main camp!"
As Xiao Yu spoke, he retrieved a round, black iron device from his soul tool, saying, "This is the latest soul tool developed by my sect. It's called a triggered soul cannon, but I prefer to call it a landmine. You bury it in the ground and can detonate it remotely. Its explosive power is no less than a Soul Elder's fourth soul skill. I brought around two hundred of these, originally planning to introduce them to the military here. Now imagine—when the rebels attack the camp and step into the area where we've planted the mines, and we detonate them all at once. What kind of scene would that be?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe's expression shifted as a vivid image formed in her mind: rebels blown to pieces, corpses strewn everywhere, with survivors desperately fleeing through a sea of flames.
"You've been the crown prince for years now, so there must be some officers loyal to you in the ranks. Once Lin Jun scatters the troops, you can secretly order your men to bring back three to five thousand soldiers. That'll be enough."
Xiao Yu continued, "When the rebels are blown to pieces and their forces are in disarray, you'll lead the remaining troops to surround and annihilate them.
This rebellion is a conspiracy supported by the Star Luo Empire. Aside from Ferela and a few of his loyal followers, most of the rebels still have loyalty toward the Heaven Dou Empire. Your original plan to attack Hamos City was aimed at taking down the main instigators first.
In the surprise attack on the main camp, Ferela will certainly send his elite troops. If we can wipe out this force entirely, the remaining rebels, who were coerced into joining, won't be a problem—they'll surrender on their own."
(End of Chapter)
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