Chapter 839
Unwillingness in My Heart
“Elder Zhao is right,” Sun Wanli nodded. “No matter how strong Dark Night is, he’s just one person. We have thousands of troops, including many experts at the Integration and Great Ascension realms. As long as we devise a good strategy and divide our forces for attack, he’ll be overwhelmed and unable to defend Qingyun City.”
After hearing this, Lu Tianming felt a little more at ease.
“You two are right,” he said. “Then let’s devise an attack plan now, launch a general offensive first thing tomorrow morning, and raze Qingyun City to the ground!”
"Wait a minute," Zhao Tiefeng suddenly said.
"What's wrong?" Lu Tianming frowned.
"A full-scale offensive is possible, but there's one problem we need to solve," Zhao Tiefeng said. "Who will lead the vanguard?"
“Vanguard?” Lu Tianming was taken aback.
“That’s right,” Zhao Tiefeng said. “Dark Night is very strong, and those who lead the charge will definitely suffer the greatest losses. Who should be the vanguard?”
The tent fell silent immediately.
The three looked at each other but remained silent.
Lu Tianming's expression gradually turned ugly.
He understood what Zhao Tiefeng meant.
Leading the vanguard means bearing the greatest risks and losses. The Dark Night forces are so powerful; those who spearhead the attack will inevitably suffer heavy casualties. Neither the Sun nor the Zhao families want to be the vanguard; they both want the Lu family to be sent to their deaths.
"Elder Zhao means to send the Lu family to lead the charge?" he asked coldly.
“That’s not what I meant,” Zhao Tiefeng waved his hand. “I just raised this issue to ask everyone to discuss it.”
"Then Elder Zhao, who do you think should lead the vanguard?" Lu Tianming pressed.
Zhao Tiefeng was silent for a moment, then said, "Logically speaking, this operation was initiated by the Lu family, and Qingyun City is also what the Lu family wants. It seems more appropriate for the Lu family to take the lead."
"You—" Lu Tianming's face immediately turned ashen.
“Elder Zhao is right,” Sun Wanli added. “This operation was originally initiated by the Lu family; our Sun family is only here to help. It wouldn’t be fair to expect our Sun family to be the vanguard, would it?”
"Elder Sun thinks so too?" Lu Tianming looked at Sun Wanli, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Elder Lu, I, Sun Wanli, am telling the truth." Sun Wanli shrugged. "The main beneficiaries of this operation are the Lu family; our Sun family and the Zhao family are just getting a small share. Is it fair that we're the ones at the forefront, bearing the greatest losses?"
"Fair?" Lu Tianming sneered. "Elder Sun, you were the ones who came to us first, saying you wanted to join forces with the Lu family to take over Qingyun City. Now that you're facing difficulties, you're starting to make excuses?"
“Elder Lu, you can’t say that,” Sun Wanli frowned. “We’re here to help, not to die. You’ve seen the strength of Dark Night; their vanguard must have suffered heavy losses. We won’t let our Sun family bear that loss.”
"The Zhao family is the same," Zhao Tiefeng echoed. "Our Zhao family's men cannot be sent to their deaths in vain."
Lu Tianming's expression grew increasingly grim.
He finally understood that the Sun and Zhao families had no sincerity whatsoever. They claimed to be there to help, but in reality, they wanted the Lu family to take the lead, weaken their strength, and then they could reap the benefits.
"Good, good, good!" he said three times, his voice filled with suppressed anger. "So this is what you two were planning! To let the Lu family fight to the death while you reap the benefits!"
"Elder Lu, you can't say that," Sun Wanli tried to argue.
"Shut up!" Lu Tianming abruptly stood up, slamming his hand on the table, making the cups and saucers clink. "Sun Wanli, do you think I, Lu Tianming, am a fool? I see right through your schemes!"
"You want the Lu family to be the vanguard, weakening their strength. Once the Lu family and Dark Night are both severely injured, you'll come out and reap the benefits. By then, you'll have captured Qingyun City, but the Lu family will have suffered heavy losses. What a scheme! What a scheme!"
Sun Wanli's expression also changed.
"Elder Lu, you're slandering us!" He stood up angrily, "Our Sun family genuinely wants to cooperate with the Lu family. How has it become a case of us reaping the benefits without contributing anything?"
"Genuine cooperation?" Lu Tianming sneered. "If it were genuine cooperation, why wouldn't you be willing to be the vanguard? Why send the Lu family to their deaths?"
"Elder Lu, this operation was originally initiated by your Lu family!" Sun Wanli said bluntly. "You said Qingyun City would be easy to attack, a small border town, utterly vulnerable. And what happened? That Dark Night guy was ridiculously strong; he killed your son with a single punch!"
"Now you want our Sun family to be the vanguard, to go and die? On what grounds? Your Lu family's intelligence was inaccurate, causing everyone to make a wasted trip. Not only do you not offer compensation, but you expect us to go and die?"
"You—" Lu Tianming trembled with anger.
"Elder Lu, calm down." Zhao Tiefeng stood up, attempting to mediate. "We're all allies; let's not ruin our harmony."
"Allies?" Lu Tianming turned to Zhao Tiefeng. "Elder Zhao, didn't you just say that the Lu family should lead the charge? You're in cahoots with Sun Wanli, aren't you?"
“Elder Lu, you’re mistaken,” Zhao Tiefeng frowned. “I was merely raising a question; I didn’t say the Lu family had to be the first to act. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
"Making accusations out of thin air?" Lu Tianming sneered. "Zhao Tiefeng, do you think I don't know what your Zhao family is up to? Your Zhao family has always been known for its martial prowess, yet this time you're unwilling to take the lead. Clearly, you want the Lu family and Dark Night to fight to the death, and then you can clean up the mess!"
"Lu Tianming, don't make false accusations!" Zhao Tiefeng roared. "Our Zhao family is here to help, not to be bullied! If you continue this nonsense, our Zhao family will withdraw from the alliance!"
"Fine, I'll back down! Who cares about you guys!" Lu Tianming roared.
The atmosphere inside the tent became tense and hostile.
The three men glared at each other, their eyes flashing with anger.
The once unbreakable alliance of the three powerful families was fractured in just a few words.
Hearing the commotion inside, the guards outside the tent gripped their weapons tightly, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.
"Enough!" Sun Wanli took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger. "Elder Lu, Elder Zhao, everyone calm down. We're here to attack Qingyun City, not to cause internal strife."
"Internal strife?" Lu Tianming sneered. "You started it first!"
“Elder Lu, I’ll say it again, I didn’t mean to send the Lu family to their deaths.” Sun Wanli tried to keep his voice calm. “I just think the issue of who should lead the vanguard needs to be discussed properly. We can take turns leading the vanguard, with each family contributing a portion of their forces to share the risk. Is that fair?”
"Take turns being the vanguard?" Lu Tianming remained silent for a moment.
This suggestion seemed fairer. But Lu Tianming knew in his heart that it was only fair on the surface. Dark Night was so powerful; the first wave of attackers would definitely suffer the greatest losses. Whoever launched the first wave would be doomed.
"Who will initiate the first wave?" he asked.
“Well…” Sun Wanli hesitated for a moment, “we can decide by drawing lots.”
"A lottery?" Lu Tianming sneered. "Elder Sun certainly knows how to come up with solutions. What if the Lu family is drawn? The Lu family will be the first to fight, suffering the greatest losses, while your Sun and Zhao families reap the benefits?" "Elder Lu, that's not a fair way to put it," Sun Wanli frowned. "A lottery is the fairest method; everyone has an equal chance. You don't want to draw lots, do you want our Sun family to be the first to fight?"
“That’s not what I meant,” Lu Tianming said, “but I don’t want the Lu family to suffer a loss either.”
"So what does Elder Lu intend to do?" Zhao Tiefeng asked.
Lu Tianming fell silent.
He knew perfectly well that no matter how the profits were distributed, the Lu family would suffer a loss. The Sun and Zhao families were there to help, and they hadn't really intended to invest much. They just wanted a share of the profits and didn't want to take on too much risk.
If you force them to play as vanguards, they will definitely disagree and may even leave the league.
However, if the Lu family is sent to lead the charge, their losses will be enormous.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to move forward or backward.
"Elder Lu, I have a suggestion," Sun Wanli said when he saw Lu Tianming remain silent.
"What suggestion?"
“Since no one is willing to lead the charge, let’s hold off on the attack for now,” Sun Wanli said. “We can first besiege Qingyun City, cutting off their supplies and communication. Once they run into internal problems, we can launch a general offensive. This way, our losses will be much smaller.”
"A siege?" Lu Tianming frowned. "How long would the siege take?"
“It’s hard to say,” Sun Wanli said. “Maybe a month, maybe three months, maybe longer. But as long as we are patient, Qingyun City will eventually be besieged and unable to hold out.”
"A month? Three months?" Lu Tianming shook his head. "That's too long. I don't have that much time to waste here."
"Does Elder Lu have any other good ideas?" Sun Wanli asked in return.
Lu Tianming fell silent.
He really didn't have a better solution.
A direct assault would result in too many losses, and neither the Sun nor the Zhao families were willing to lead the charge. A siege would take too long, and he didn't want to wait.
deadlock.
"Elder Lu, I think we should do this," Zhao Tiefeng said. "Let's put today's matters aside for now. Everyone should go back and rest, calm down, and discuss it again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Lu Tianming sneered. "What outcome will be reached tomorrow? Will the Lu family still be the vanguard?"
"Elder Lu, please don't speak so harshly," Zhao Tiefeng frowned. "We're all allies; we should be considerate of each other. What's the point of your continued aggressive approach?"
"Aggressive?" Lu Tianming laughed angrily. "My son was killed with a single punch, and I don't even have the right to be angry? Your two families only think about your own interests and don't care about the life or death of the Lu family at all, and you still say I'm being aggressive?"
“Elder Lu, we are all deeply saddened by Young Master Lu’s death,” Sun Wanli said. “But we cannot let our grief cloud our judgment. The strength of Dark Night is undeniable; we must proceed with caution.”
"Cautious? You're just scared!" Lu Tianming roared. "Seeing Dark Night's strength, you're too scared to move! You're only thinking about sending the Lu family to their deaths while you reap the benefits!"
"Elder Lu, you've gone too far!" Sun Wanli roared in anger. "Our Sun family is here to help, not to be insulted by you! If you continue to speak so rudely, our Sun family will withdraw from the alliance!"
"Fine, I'll retreat! Who's afraid of who!" Lu Tianming roared.
"Very well, then the Sun family will withdraw!" Sun Wanli flicked his sleeves, turned, and walked out of the tent. "Let the Lu family attack Qingyun City themselves, and see if they can take it!"
"Elder Sun, wait!" Zhao Tiefeng hurriedly chased after them. "Everyone, calm down and don't act rashly!"
"Elder Zhao, didn't you see Lu Tianming's attitude?" Sun Wanli roared. "He's basically trying to send our Sun and Zhao families to their deaths! We're better off without an ally like that!"
"Elder Sun, Elder Lu acted impulsively. His son just died, and he's in a bad mood."
"So, being in a bad mood gives you the right to speak rudely to your allies?" Sun Wanli sneered. "Elder Zhao, you may be willing to put up with this, but I, Sun Wanli, am not!"
After saying that, he strode out of the tent and headed towards the Sun family's camp.
Zhao Tiefeng stood outside the tent, watching Sun Wanli's departing figure, his face extremely grim.
He glanced back at Lu Tianming inside the tent, sighed, and shook his head.
“Elder Lu, you’re being too impulsive,” he said. “The Sun family’s withdrawal from the alliance is not beneficial to any of us.”
"No benefit?" Lu Tianming sneered. "They weren't sincere to begin with, so it's better that they backed out. It'll save them from failing at a crucial moment."
“But without the Sun family, our strength will be greatly diminished,” Zhao Tiefeng said. “With just the Lu and Zhao families, it will be difficult to take Qingyun City.”
"What does Elder Zhao mean?" Lu Tianming looked at Zhao Tiefeng. "Does he also want to withdraw from the alliance?"
Zhao Tiefeng was silent for a moment, then said, "Elder Lu, to be honest, Dark Night's strength has indeed exceeded our expectations, as we all witnessed today. If we launch a direct attack on Qingyun City, the losses will certainly be significant."
"Although the Zhao family is known for its martial prowess, we don't want to die needlessly. I suggest Elder Lu return and report to the Lu family head so he can decide on the next steps."
"You mean, the Zhao family is also going to back out?" Lu Tianming's face grew even more gloomy.
"It's not a retreat, but a temporary withdrawal," Zhao Tiefeng said. "We'll join forces and attack again after the Lu family makes their decision. That way, everyone will have time to prepare, and our chances of winning will be greater."
Lu Tianming remained silent for a long time.
He knew Zhao Tiefeng was telling the truth. Today's situation was indeed unexpected; Dark Night's strength was too great. He needed to return and report to the family head so that the family head could decide what to do next.
But he was unwilling to accept it.
His son's body was still in the camp, but his enemy was still alive. If he left now, it would mean temporarily giving up his chance for revenge.
“Alright.” He finally nodded. “I’ll go back and report to the patriarch first. We’ll join forces to attack after the patriarch makes his decision.”
"That's for the best." Zhao Tiefeng breathed a sigh of relief. "Elder Lu, we will definitely avenge Young Master Lu, but not now. We need to be more fully prepared."
Lu Tianming didn't say anything, but silently walked out of the tent and toward Lu Xuanfeng's corpse.
He knelt down and picked up his son's body, his eyes filled with grief and anger. (End of Chapter)