Vol 9 Chapter 189 (1/2)

Chapter 189

VOLUME 9 CHAPTER 189: DON’T TELL ME THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF VOLUME 9 (1)

Li Dian POV

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“Un… I don’t really know how to put it myself.” Cao Ren frowned as she bit her lips, “In summary, the enemy must have had someone who was brilliant in order to be able to negate my formation.”

Yes. Our preparations were rushed but it was still a grand formation that was intricately formed. To be able to make it collapse like that was no mean feat at all.

“It must be… That Xu Shu fellow huh?” I said the first name that came to mind. She did not seem to be how she usually was but only she could have come up with a countermeasure. In fact, everything from the first battle up till now has probably been her handiwork.

“Not only is she devious, her swordsmans.h.i.+p is also amazing.” Cao Ren said.

I am loathe to admit it but I have to agree with Cao Ren. As someone who has crossed swords with her, I have to say that her martial prowess is definitely superior to mine despite being an administrative official.

“So the main reason why we lost, is because they had a brilliant strategist.” I said, “If Liu Bei is still alive, it would be terrifying to imagine what they might achieve from here on out.”

Cao Ren shook her head at my words, “I have to say that I still doubt your hypothesis.”

“I doubt it myself but I feel that under these circ.u.mstances, we should still let our lord know. Along with the report of our defeat of course.”

“Un… Yes.”

Now that I think about it, it is indeed as I said. Without Xu Shu, and under such overwhelmingly disadvantageous circ.u.mstances, some at least would have defected like that Chen Gong for example. My gut feeling tells me that she would. Moreover, given how straightforward Zhang Liao and Guan Yu are like, it would have been impossible for them to come up with the idea of all the ambushes in the city.

…

“Ah.”

Wait. All of a sudden, something clicked in my head. It was something that had been troubling me since the battle in the city. My heart stopped fro an instant and despair once again filled me as I came to a realisation.

“Lord Li Dian?” Cao Ren called out to me when she saw that I had turned pale but I ignored her and hurriedly rode to the troops.

“Everyone, I have a question, who amongst you were ambushed in the alleys?!” I yelled out and the surrounding soldiers all looked at me, as did a puzzled Cao Ren.

“Ah… Me.”

“Me too.”

I hurriedly turned to the soldiers who replied me and asked further, “Think very carefully, who were the leading generals amongst the ambush in the alleys?!”

“Eh? Lord Li Dian this is…?”

“Please don’t speak for now, Lord Cao Ren.”

I know full well that this is very rude but I am very concerned with this question. If my guess is right, then this loss has just become even worse. I stared at the soldiers who were thinking hard. What I was doing was tantamount to putting them back in the nightmare they had just escaped and I felt bad for doing so but I had to do it.

“The enemy generals…” A soldier finally spoke up softly as he raised his head, “There was one woman who seemed rather just, I think… I think she was called Zhang Liao.”

When he finished, everyone else nodded in agreement.

Yes, but I already knew that.

“Anyone else?” I asked again as they frowned and sank into thought. I cannot blame them for being this vague. Ordinary troops might not ever meet the enemy generals