Chapter 22: Slayed Two Thousand Enemies, Personally Participated in the Victory

Morning mist quietly dispersed, heralding the dawn of a new day.

“Report—”

A resonant cry, like the dawn’s ringing gong, shattered the silence of the command tent.

“The Lu family army did not pursue relentlessly; instead, they struck once and withdrew, vanishing without a trace.”

Inside the tent, candle flames flickered, casting shifting shadows over Tuoba Shuyi’s face—the proud features of a northern nobleman: high nose, deep-set eyes, a pair of emerald irises.

He furrowed his brow.

“What are our casualties?”

“Your Highness, three thousand of our soldiers have fallen,” a general bowed low to report.

“What of the enemy’s casualties?”

Someone in the tent pressed urgently.

“Scouts report the enemy’s losses amount to no more than a hundred.”

At these words, the tent erupted in uproar, voices rising in clamor.

The northern high command exchanged glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

“This is impossible!”

The military advisor’s voice trembled with shock, “How could the Daqing army suddenly possess such formidable combat power?”

Even those who knew Daqing had launched a surprise attack now stared in stunned silence.

Unbelievable!

Such a lopsided casualty ratio was unheard of—shocking beyond measure.

Daqing’s troops had always been weak.

Yet, with the scouts’ second report, this unbelievable news was confirmed beyond doubt.

Tuoba Shuyi’s expression darkened; he asked in a low voice:

“Who commanded the enemy forces?”

“It is Lu Jiaxuan’s second son, Lu Yu.”

Tuoba Shuyi nodded slightly, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.

Clearly, the name was not unfamiliar to him.

Someone in the tent sighed:

“So it’s him… Lu Yu—he is a master of immeasurable martial skill, a direct disciple of the Sanzhen Sect, capable of piercing through a hundred-man formation alone.”

“Moreover, the Lu family army includes many elite disciples of the Sanzhen Sect—their strength cannot be underestimated.”

“Indeed, if he has taken the field, only a few Zen masters from Great Snow Mountain could match him.”

The command tent fell silent as all absorbed this astonishing news.

Tuoba Shuyi surveyed the room, his tone calm:

“Lu Yu and those so-called Daqing martial masters within Hulao Pass are no threat.”

“The Khan has summoned Long Shu, the Chan Master of Great Snow Mountain, to aid us—he will arrive in a few days.”

At these words, astonishment rippled through the tent.

“Long Shu has descended the mountain? This is the first time in fifty years!”

“Even during the Khan’s coronation, he was not persuaded to come.”

“Ha, you don’t know—hear that Great Snow Mountain seeks to spread its teachings in the south; they are a secret Buddhist sect, now aiming to become an open one.”

“So that’s it!”

Tuoba Shuyi rose abruptly, his gaze fixed once more on the map.

His deputy, concerned, ventured:

“Your Highness, if we encircle the enemy’s flanks, we may still find a chance.”

Tuoba Shuyi waved his hand lightly, decisively:

“The opportunity is lost. Lu Jiaxuan planned his retreat long ago—he has likely already withdrawn behind the city walls.”

“Order the forward garrisons to retreat immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” All officers responded in unison.

Yet one deputy still harbored doubt:

“Your Highness, could Lu Jiaxuan have foreseen your strategy, deliberately leaving the gates open to deceive us?”

Tuoba Shuyi ignored him completely.

His pride forbade him from believing anyone could see through him.

Those who thought they could see through him were already rotting in their graves.

He slowly withdrew a thick register, opened it, and found row upon row of names.

Had any Daqing soldier been present, they would have been stunned—for every name listed was a Daqing general or high-ranking court official, none omitted.

His gaze traced the pages until it settled on the name “Lu Jiaxuan.”

Beneath it was a brief biography, with a marginal note: “Capable of holding ground, lacking in initiative—insignificant.”

Directly after Lu Jiaxuan appeared the name “Lu Yu,” with a note beside it: “Fit only to be a general.”

Brief, precise—it revealed his true assessment of Lu Yu.

He carefully tore out the pages containing Lu Jiaxuan and Lu Yu’s information and inserted them one page forward.

In Tuoba Shuyi’s eyes, the position of each page within the register reflected his level of regard for the person.

The further forward the page, the greater the regard.

Having done this, Tuoba Shuyi’s inner turmoil subsided; his gaze hardened once more, his voice calm:

“It matters not. The tide still favors us.”

“Let them win this battle—what matters is the future campaign, where victory will be decided.”

The generals in the tent

bowed deeply in response.

…

…

Yu Ke sat atop his horse.

Before Lu Yu’s outcome was revealed, he felt the [Kunxu Cauldron] within his mind tremble slightly, as if pulled by an invisible force.

[Personal Participation Time Ended.]

Instantly!

An indescribable force enveloped him; the world spun wildly around him.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in his original quarters.

He opened his palm—the pebble he had gripped tightly was gone without a trace.

Yu Ke murmured to himself:

“It seems nothing from that world can be brought back through Personal Participation.”

If it could, I would effectively possess a Kunxu world.

I’ll still need to complete the simulation to receive the reward.

What a pity.

The simulation has not ended.

[At dawn, Lu Yu returned in bloodstained battle armor, having slain over two thousand enemies—a glorious victory that shook all hearts.]

[Upon hearing this triumph, Lu Jiaxuan’s heart surged with emotion, his excitement overwhelming. Such a victory was unprecedented for the Lu family.]

[At the cost of two hundred brave warriors’ lives, two thousand enemy soldiers were defeated—a stunning achievement.]

[He clapped his hands and laughed loudly, gripping his sons’ hands tightly, moved beyond words: “My Lu family has sons like this—what more could I ask for!”]

[Lu Yu’s admiration for you was plain to see; he turned to you and asked: “Brother, how did you know the enemy’s flanking cavalry would halt instead of pressing forward?”]

[You smiled faintly and shook your head: “Merely luck.”]

[The Lu family army’s great victory, the slaying of over two thousand enemies, spread through Hulao Pass—the entire city was stunned, morale soared, soldiers brimming with renewed vigor.]

[The garrison commander, overjoyed, personally hosted a banquet to honor the Lu family army. He also submitted a memorial to the court, petitioning for rewards for the Lu family—praise echoed without end.]

[After three rounds of wine, General Wang Yang, slightly drunk, inadvertently revealed some court secrets.]

[He sighed deeply: “Within the court now, the divide between the surrender faction and the war faction grows fiercer—the surrender faction gains strength; the situation is dire.”]

[Hulao Pass has become a gamble over the nation’s fate.]

[If it falls, the surrender faction will seize full control of the court. Only by holding firm can the war faction regain its footing.]

[General Wang Yang’s eyes gleamed with resolve; faced with the enemy’s massacre of Daqing civilians, he swore never to surrender.]

[This battle not only demonstrated the Lu family army’s valor but also brought them great renown—many militia from distant lands joined their ranks.]

[As the campaign deepened, the events of that day were gradually revealed, and with your father’s deliberate promotion, Lu Chen’s name was also mentioned.]

(End of Chapter)