Chapter 163: The Disheartened General

The night was as dark as ink, tightly enveloping Zhao Kuangyin's military camp.

Inside the commander's large tent, only a single lonely oil lamp was lit.

The flame flickered erratically, pulling and distorting his shadow.

Cast upon the rough tent wall, it mirrored his current tumultuous thoughts.

On the desk lay the detailed ledger recording the second crushing defeat at the Grey Wolf Pass Customs Office.

Like a silent mockery, it lay spread out quietly.

Each number on it felt like a cold needle piercing his heart.

Goods piled up, funds stalled, and the expected replenishment of war horses came to nothing.

Moreover, large quantities of salt, iron, and cloth that could have been used for military supplies were wasted in vain.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, Zhao Kuangyin could no longer hold back.

He slammed his fist hard onto the sturdy wooden desk, shaking the oil lamp so it swayed a few times, its shadow trembling wildly.

His chest heaved violently, and his heavy breathing rang especially clear in the silent tent.

A blazing fury, almost enough to consume him entirely, surged within his chest.

Mixed within it was an emotion he utterly refused to admit: a sense of helplessness.

He, Zhao Kuangyin, considered himself a hero who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Since joining the army, relying on courage and strategy, he had repeatedly earned military merit.

Step by step he rose to his present position, becoming one of the few real-power commanders under Chai Rong, the Military Governor of Chan Prefecture.

Moreover, many people privately regarded him as someone destined for great fortune and a bright future.

When had he ever suffered such frustration?

In the past, when clashing with other warlords and the Northern Han and Khitan, there were wins and losses.

That was still a matter of sword against sword, spear against spear, competing on the soldiers' devotion and the superiority of strategy.

But this time, his contest with Chen Wen at the border market made him feel as if he were punching cotton.

He had strength all over his body, yet nowhere to exert it.

The other side simply did not follow common sense!

That terrifyingly precise allocation of goods, that unfathomable 'free gift' strategy.

That seemingly inexhaustible source of supplies……

All of this exuded an eerie quality!

"He Chen Wenzhong……could he really be an astral incarnation descended to the mortal world?!"

Zhao Kuangyin gritted his teeth and squeezed these words out from between his teeth.

He did not believe in the supernatural, yet facts slapped his face over and over again.

His aides and officers had long been dismissed by him; he needed to digest this humiliation and defeat alone.

Only he remained in the tent, together with that suffocating silence.

He rose irritably, pacing back and forth in the cramped space like a trapped beast.

His gaze occasionally swept over the Luo River region on the map, his eyes complex and unfathomable.

Is it jealousy?

Yes, he cannot help but be jealous.

That Chen Wenzhong is younger than he, yet his rise is as swift as a rocket shooting to the heavens.

At the Battle of Gaoping, for his feat of saving the lord, he was enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed a general!

Now he truly controls three counties, with elite troops and ample provisions.

Even this border market dispute he can turn into something elaborate, reducing him to such a sorry state.

Is it fear?

Perhaps……a trace of it.

It is not fear of Chen Wen's personal martial prowess.

But rather fear of that incomprehensible 'thing' driving Chen Wen's forces to expand rapidly.

That thing makes Chen Wen's foundation terrifyingly solid, his development speed astonishingly fast.

If this trend continues, given time,

Will there still be a foothold for him, Zhao Kuangyin, in Chan Prefecture, indeed in all the world?

He recalled what he had seen and heard when he visited Luo River.

The orderly streets, the spirited soldiers and civilians.

The faintly heard clanging of workshops……

Back then he only felt Chen Wen governed competently; now, upon reflection, the efficiency and vitality hidden behind it are simply shocking.

That cannot be explained merely by 'diligent governance'!

"By what……what does he rely on……"

Zhao Kuangyin muttered hoarsely, his voice thick with reluctance and confusion.

He asked himself whether his ability, courage, and ambition were inferior to anyone's, yet why was he constantly overwhelmed by Chen Wenzhong in every aspect?

This immense sense of disparity caused the ambition he had deliberately suppressed in his heart

like an oil‑drenched flame that suddenly shot up, scorching his five viscera and six bowels.

He is unwilling! He cannot simply be surpassed like this; he cannot stand by and watch Chen Wen step by step approach the position he longs for!

Just then, a cautious voice came from outside the tent, that of his personal guard.

"Commandant, Team Leader Wang has returned, requesting an audience."

Zhao Kuangyin's steps halted abruptly; the confusion and struggle in his eyes were instantly replaced by a fierce expression.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his tumultuous emotions, and said in a low voice: "Let him in."

Wang Yansheng hurried in, his body carrying the chill of night travel.

After performing his salute, seeing Zhao Kuangyin's face as dark as water, he understood immediately and spoke softly.

"Commandant, over there… they've sent another message."

"Speak."

Zhao Kuangyin's voice had no inflection.

"They say, Chen Wenzhong is a 'defying-heaven' variable!"

"The greater his momentum, the more chaos befalls the world—no blessing for the common folk."

Wang Yansheng lowered his voice, relaying the words of the mysterious visitor.

"They also say, Commandant, you are… you are the one who bears the Heavenly Mandate and follows the great trend."

"As long as you, Commandant, are willing, they can provide more support—be it funds and grain, arms, or… more detailed news about Chen Wenzhong's side."

Zhao Kuangyin remained silent, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hilt of his waist sword.

The cold sensation let his jumbled thoughts clear up a bit.

These secretive fellows speak in cryptic, mystic ramblings.

He doesn't fully believe in talk of "variables" or "Heavenly Mandate."

But the scattered information they provided about Chen Wen's troop movements and material flows.

The first two times were verified to be accurate.

This proves they indeed have channels and capability.

Moreover, their stance opposing Chen Wen aligns with his current interests.

Previously, he still hesitated to involve himself too deeply with these people of unknown origin, harboring doubts.

Cooperation was also limited to limited information exchange.

But now, amid successive defeats and immense pressure.

Under the drive of his blazing ambition, this hesitation seems utterly trivial.

"What… do they want?"

Zhao Kuangyin asked slowly, his voice low.

Wang Yansheng said.

"They only said they hope you, Commandant, will grow stronger quickly, possessing the power to 'restore order.'"

"The specifics… were not made clear; they only said the truth will reveal itself in time."

"Empty promises?"

Zhao Kuangyin smirked coldly in his heart.

But he now urgently needs any power that can strengthen himself and oppose Chen Wen.

Even if it means making a deal with the tiger!

He lifted his head; the last trace of hesitation vanished completely, replaced by a resolute cold light.

"Tell them…"

Zhao Kuangyin's voice carried a hint of hoarseness, yet was extraordinarily firm.

"Their 'goodwill,' I, Zhao Kuangyin… accept."

"From now on, we can cooperate more deeply."

"Yes!" Wang Yansheng's spirits lifted, and he immediately accepted the order.

After Wang Yansheng withdrew, Zhao Kuangyin stood alone in the tent, gazing at the flickering lamp, his face showing no expression.

He knew, from this moment on.

He had stepped onto a path more dangerous, yet possibly a shortcut to the pinnacle of power.

His impression of Chen Wen had already shifted from initial appreciation and wariness.

To a hostility that must be eliminated as soon as possible.

This hostility, mixed with the fury of defeat, the poisonous flames of jealousy, and the drive of ambition.

Will drive him to take more drastic, also more unscrupulous actions.

"Chen Wenzhong…"

He whispered that name, as if wanting to grind it between his teeth.

"Between us, it seems only one of us can stand to the end."

The wind outside the tent wailed as it swept by, bringing a chill from afar.

Zhao Kuangyin's sense of loss and resentment did not dissipate, but settled down.

It turned into a cold, hard cornerstone, supporting his more radical and perilous future.