Chapter 660: Tactical transfer and development! (Please subscribe)

The next morning, at the southern front, inside Tuoba Zhen's commander's tent.

A trusted general walked in quickly with a serious face, kneeling on one knee, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling: "Great Khan, the death-sworn squad sent to Grand Duke Andrei's territory last night was completely wiped out, with no survivors."

"What?!" Tuoba Zhen, who was checking the map, looked up suddenly, his eyes full of unbelievable ferocity. "Not a single one returned? How is this possible! That squad was carefully cultivated by me, each one an expert in lurking and assassination. Even if the mission failed, they shouldn't have been unable to even send a message back!"

The general lowered his head, not daring to look at Tuoba Zhen's furious eyes: "Reporting to the Great Khan, the scouts we sent to meet them waited at the designated location for a whole night with no news. This morning, they risked approaching to investigate and found traces of fierce fighting outside the target area, as well as special markings and a small amount of blood left by our people, but the bodies were all handled very cleanly. The opponent's methods are very ruthless."

Tuoba Zhen's face was so gloomy it could drip water, his fists clenched, his knuckles white.

The facts were before his eyes; he couldn't help but believe them.

He had originally planned to first get rid of Xie Ergai, the culprit who cut off his grain route, and then support a puppet to control Andrei's territory to solve the urgent need, but he didn't expect to hit an iron plate on the first step.

"Xie Ergai's Master really has something!" Tuoba Zhen gritted his teeth, saying this, he had a strong fighting spirit, wanting to personally go and clean up this guy named Wu Erge.

Just then, another messenger rushed into the tent, his voice carrying terror: "Report—! Great Khan! Urgent report from the front line! The main force of the Tian Ce army launched a fierce attack late last night. Our left wing's third and fourth fortresses were broken one after another! The defenders suffered heavy casualties! Tian Ce's 'Long Xiang' heavy cavalry has broken through the first line of defense and is piercing into the depth! The brothers can't hold on much longer!"

Bad news came one after another, and Tuoba Zhen's mood was at its worst.

He stared at the areas marked as lost on the map; the Tian Ce army's attack arrows were like red-hot branding irons, fiercely burning on his defense line.

The subordinate general asked anxiously: "Great Khan, now that logistics are cut off, reinforcements are hopeless, and Tian Ce's offensive is so fierce, how should we respond?"

"How to respond?" Tuoba Zhen slammed the table, making the map jump. A sneer of irony and violence appeared on his face. "Hmph! Ivan, this idiot! At a time like this, he's still engaging in internal strife, cutting off his own arms! This Da Luo Dynasty isn't my Tuoba Zhen's home, why should I be his watchdog here and die fighting Tian Ce's million-strong army?"

In his heart, Da Luo Dynasty Emperor Ivan was simply stupid beyond compare.

He, Tuoba Zhen, was once the Khan of the Snow Eagle Wang Ting who dominated one side, but he was defeated by that terrifying Tian Ce Emperor Li Chen, and had no choice but to defect to Ivan to seek protection and development.

Ivan accepted him on the surface and gave him military power, but in reality, he had always used him as a hawk and hound, both using him and guarding against him.

This southern expedition—if Ivan could fully support him and provide sufficient troops and grain, he, Tuoba Zhen, might not have been unable to take Tian Ce's northern territory in one go, that homeland that once belonged to his Snow Eagle Wang Ting!

But now? Ivan was wavering, wanting to take advantage but afraid of loss, leading to logistics being cut off, a massive army approaching, and even wanting to use Andrei as a scapegoat. This behavior made Tuoba Zhen feel incomparably disgusted and contemptuous.

Tuoba Zhen had calculated that with the national strength of the Great Luo Dynasty, it was truly possible to contend with Tian Ce, and with the addition of his own defecting former subordinates, there was still a chance of victory.

It was just Ivan's character that disgusted Tuoba Zhen.

The subordinate confidant lowered his voice: "Great Khan, then what do you mean?"

A flash of determination and cunning passed through Tuoba Zhen's eyes. He walked to the map and pointed his finger at the vast area to the side and rear of the southern defense line, where the spheres of influence of several small kingdoms and tribal alliances were marked: "This place is no longer a place to stay! Pass the order down: at dawn tomorrow, in the name of 'detour surprise attack, attacking Tian Ce's side and rear,' gather all our core troops and retreat from the main battlefield with me!"

He paused, his face revealing the coldness and calculation of a prairie hero: "What does Ivan and the Da Luo Dynasty's life or death have to do with us? We will leave here and go west! There are countless small countries and city-states that are weak but wealthy!"

"We will go and conquer them, plunder resources, absorb the population, slowly recuperate, and develop and grow! When our strength is strong enough, it won't be too late to come back and settle scores with Li Chen and take back our prairie!" ===== CHAPTER 661 =====