Chapter 685: Do Not Chase the Defeated, Let the Tiger Return to the Mountains

The scorching sun baked the Gobi's shattered stones to a blistering heat, and the air was thick with a strong scent of blood and burnt char.

On the western horizon, dozens of riders in tattered leather armor fled in panic like startled birds, the swirling dust twisting in the heat.

General Lu's warhorse snorted, its hooves pawing the ground restlessly, and its bell‑like large eyes were filled with blood‑thirsty frenzy and resentment.

"Ride!"

Lu Ming bellowed, swinging his Refined Iron Horse Spear—slick with shredded flesh and fresh blood—forcefully, intending to spur his horse into a wild chase, vowing to smash the few "rats" he deemed unable to fly into mush.

"Huh—!"

At that critical moment, a voice as cold as ice pierced the battlefield clamor, striking precisely at Lu Ming's ear.

"Lu Ming, return."

Chen Yan tightened the reins, the Wuzhui horseman rose, letting out a long whinny.

He sat upright on his mount, clad in Xuan Armor, his expression so calm as if he were not in a battlefield strewn with corpses but sipping tea inside the Duke of Wei's mansion in Chang'an.

Lu Ming's body tensed, forcibly halting the warhorse that was about to bolt.

The warhorse winced, lifted its front hoof, and spun twice in place.

He flushed red, veins bulging on his neck, turned his head, his spear humming, and shouted loudly: "Brother‑in‑law… ah no, Pillar of the State! Why aren't we pursuing? There must be a big catch inside! I think that cowering fellow is ninety percent Gao Xiaoyu, that dog thief! If I charge through, one thrust can wrench his head off and use it as a ball to kick!"

Chen Yan did not answer immediately, but gazed deeply at the western dust fading away, a subtle, meaningful cold smile curling at his mouth.

That smile held no mercy, only bone‑chilling coldness and calculation.

"Killing a Gao Xiaoyu is easy…" Chen Yan said lightly, his voice low yet carrying undeniable authority, "Lu Ming, do you think a cold corpse is useful, or a terrified, fear‑spreading waste is more useful?"

Lu Ming froze, scratched the blood‑clotted scalp, his face bewildered: "Pillar of the State, a dead man is certainly useless, but what can this living waste do? Letting a tiger return to the mountains brings endless trouble!"

"Tiger?" Chen Yan scoffed, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes, "If it were a tiger, it wouldn't abandon twenty‑thousand troops to flee alone today. At most, it's just a bereaved dog."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze seeming to pierce the endless yellow sand, seeing the scene beneath Lingzhou City: "Gao Xiaoyu alive is a walking 'tumor.' He fled back to Lingzhou, carrying his utmost terror of you and me, and will spread that despair like a plague to Ku Di Gan's army, infecting the entire Lingzhou defense line. Fear can sometimes be sharper than swords."

Having said that, Chen Yan said no more, abruptly turned his horse, pointing his spear toward the ruined main battlefield behind him, and coldly ordered: "All troops, obey: do not chase the fleeing enemy! Withdraw to the main battlefield and clear the remnants!"

"Since we let the 'alpha wolf' escape, the remaining 'wolf pack' must be dealt with thoroughly. We will use these Qi army corpses covering the ground to give the dead of Gancao City an answer!"

Lu Ming still felt some regret, but he never questioned Chen Yan's command. Since his brother‑in‑law said that dog thief was useful alive, he would let him live a few more days. He redirected all the fury of failing to slay the Crown Prince onto those Qi soldiers still stubbornly resisting.

"Brothers! Follow me and kill them! Chop the remaining Qi dogs!"

Lu Ming roared, like a humanoid war machine, turning his horse into the enemy lines. His Refined Iron Horse Spear swept through thousands, each swing raising a torrent of blood and gore. The Qi soldiers attempting to break out in formation crumbled before him like paper, their flesh scattering instantly, shrieks echoing.

On the battlefield, another wave of blood‑soaked wind rose.

Under the repeated charges of the Zhou Army's Iron Cavalry and the copper‑wall, iron‑clad Infantry Square Formation, the Qi army's final will to resist was utterly shattered. Watching comrades turn to mush, and the banner that once symbolized Qi's glory disappear, the remaining Qi troops' morale collapsed completely.

An hour later, the setting sun sank, the lingering light like blood.

The battlefield's shouts and cries gradually faded, leaving only the wounded's moans and the warhorses' whinnies.

The once arrogant Qi army now numbered just over three thousand discarded soldiers. They knelt in the blood‑stained mud, trembling, eyes hollow and desperate. Chen Yan's coldness and Lu Ming's brutality had shaken them to the point of doubting life itself; they lacked even the courage to lift their heads.

Feng Muye and Dong Xuqing rode forward, their brows knit as they surveyed the black‑mass of kneeling captives.

Dong Xuqing dismounted swiftly, hurried to Chen Yan's horse, cupped his fist and asked: "Pillar of the State, how shall we deal with these three thousand captives? Pit‑kill them or recruit them?"

He paused, glanced at the Zhou Army soldiers around him with blood‑red eyes, and lowered his voice: "In the battle of Gancao City, our Great Zhou troops suffered heavy casualties; the brothers harbor hatred, yearning to shred these Qi dogs into pieces. If we recruit them, morale may waver; if we pit‑kill… that's still three thousand lives, and spreading that would offend the heavens."

Chen Yan guided his horse slowly through the kneeling captives, the hooves splashing a viscous 'squelch' in the blood‑water. From his height he stared coldly, as if looking at a herd awaiting slaughter, showing no mercy.

The air solidified; everyone held their breath, awaiting the young commander's verdict.

A moment later, Chen Yan halted, his gaze sweeping over the twisted faces of terror, and slowly uttered a command that shocked everyone:

"Remove armor, stand down, send them west."

The words caused all the generals to gasp.

Around them, the Zhou Army soldiers erupted in uproar, many gripping their weapons, eyes full of confusion and resentment.

Lu Ming's eyes widened, ignoring his bleeding wounds, he rushed a few steps to Chen Yan's horse and shouted: "Brother‑in‑law… ah no, Pillar of the State! What's wrong with you? These are three thousand living people! Sending them back to Ku Di Gan is just delivering troops to the enemy! I won't do it! How much blood did our brothers shed to capture them, how can we just release them? In my view, one spear per person, stab them all to death!"

Feng Muye also hastily rode forward to counsel, his expression urgent: "Pillar of the State, General Lu's words are coarse but not without sense. This act is no different from letting a tiger return to the mountains! If these three thousand wander without supplies, they'll turn into bandits, harming Great Zhou's people along the way. The situation would then deteriorate beyond our control. Please, Pillar of the State, think it over!"

Chen Yan watched the generals' agitated expressions, his own face unchanged.

He simply stood quietly on his horse, the setting sun stretching his shadow long.

"Letting the tiger return to the mountains?" Chen Yan chuckled lightly, his gaze sweeping west, "Do you really think they're still tigers?"