The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 699: Not Enough Men!

Not Enough Men! . . .

In fact, Wenren Jianying's assessment of Song Jue still fell short of capturing the full extent of his capabilities. He intentionally refrained from singing Song Jue's praises too highly, as he didn't want to undermine his own men's morale. Song Jue was far more than merely a valiant and strong warrior; he was unequivocally invincible.

Fortunately, Song Jue's reputation hadn't extended beyond his prowess in martial arts, which explained why he didn't feature on the list of the world's most renowned military commanders. As a result, the kingdoms of the world hadn't accorded him the attention he truly deserved.

Had Song Jue possessed slightly stronger military command skills, he might have become another Cha Nantian for the Kingdom of Chen. However, he would be an even more bloodthirsty and ruthless version of Cha Nantian, a prospect too terrifying to contemplate.

The generals in the Kingdom of Lan-Feng's camp wore somber expressions. Their defeat was a source of disgrace and shame. Over a hundred thousand enemy soldiers had pierced through their camp, transforming it into chaos, only to exit triumphantly. Even the waters of all the lakes and rivers combined couldn't cleanse the stain on their honor.

Wenren Jianyin broke the silence. "It's not our fault," he began. "Our men aren't to blame. It's the enemy leaders who are too exceptional. The two we managed to eliminate cost us six Sky Origin Stage experts. Their soldiers are disciplined, but their leaders are extraordinary. Our shortfall in military strength can be attributed to their superior commanders."

Wenren Jianyin smiled faintly and continued, "Don't be too hard on yourselves. What they achieved was both horrifyingly efficient and extraordinary, but it was a one-time occurrence."

Confusion swept through the ranks, and a general inquired, "What do you mean?"

Wenren Chuchu provided an explanation. "Because they don't have the numbers for this kind of tactic. They possess only about two hundred thousand, or even less. While today's battle was undoubtedly a success for them, they should have lost over forty percent of their total forces."

In clarification, she added, "In other words, among the hundred thousand enemy soldiers, at least forty thousand perished on our side. Regardless of their ferocity and courage, how many times can they execute such a maneuver with only one hundred sixty thousand remaining?"

Wenren Jianyin's eyes gleamed. "That's correct. Determine the precise number of casualties they incurred in this battle. I want to know exactly how many of their men met their end here."

Wenren Chuchu's insights mirrored the most significant challenge that Cha Eun Xiao grappled with – the toll of human lives. Not only did such battles deplete his own vitality, but the loss of life on his side was equally distressing.

While it was undeniably a great victory, and even miraculous in some respects, one hundred thousand men had successfully navigated an enemy camp of over one million and emerged victorious. With fewer than forty thousand casualties, it was unquestionably a triumph. Even renowned commanders like Wenren Jianyin, Su Dingguo, and Cha Nantian would commend such an accomplishment.

However, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't share in the jubilation; he was deeply preoccupied with the consequences. It wasn't a matter of being overly sensitive. The problem was the unsustainable toll such battles took on his forces.

They had certainly inflicted significant damage upon their enemies in this battle; there was no denying that fact. The enemy had lost over four times the number of men, not to mention the vast quantities of food, weapons, and other resources that were now in the hands of the Kingdom of Chen. Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Lan-Feng still boasted a formidable force with over a million soldiers, despite losing approximately one hundred and fifty thousand in this engagement.

For Wenren Jianyin, the loss was considerable, but it was a minor dent in his one million and four hundred thousand troops. While the number couldn't be dismissed, it didn't deal a crippling blow to his overall strength.

On Cha Eun Xiao's side, despite the victory and the relatively low casualty count of less than forty thousand, it amounted to forty out of a total of one hundred and eighty thousand. Even if he maintained this pattern of success, he would ultimately deplete all his forces. The enemy might lose three hundred thousand, four hundred thousand, or even more, but it would likely not surpass five hundred thousand.

Continuing along this path, Cha Eun Xiao's forces would eventually be entirely decimated, leaving him as the sole survivor against an enemy still numbering over eight hundred thousand. In such a scenario, the Kingdom of Lan-Feng could advance to the heart of the kingdom and destroy the capital of the Kingdom of Chen.

As Cha Eun Xiao pored over the report, he meticulously reviewed every number and statistic. Observing his men, their courage and steely resolve evident, he could only muster a wistful smile.

"I can't share this with anyone, no matter who they are. It would only dent our own morale. Damn it... if I had five hundred thousand men, I could repeat this strategy again and again until they lost faith. Then, I could confront Wenren Jianyin! But with only one hundred and eighty thousand, that's all I have."

He continued to analyze the figures, his voice tinged with frustration. "Today, we lost thirty-eight thousand on the wall and seven thousand inside. That's forty-five thousand casualties in a single day. Heaven help me, that leaves me with just one hundred and thirty-five thousand. If I continue to employ this tactic, I can do it at most three more times. After all the victories, I would be the sole survivor on our side. It's absurd!"

Bitterly smiling, he added, "What a farce!"

Song Jue and Zhu Chenggong recognized the grim reality. Their battle-hardened experience allowed them to grasp the situation. Despite their exhaustion, they entered Cha Eun Xiao's tent to discuss the matter.

"A capable chef can't cook without ingredients!" Zhu Chenggong exclaimed, his frustration evident.

"This is infuriating. We have a brilliant combat strategy, and we can execute it well. We have skilled leaders for the charging assault. We stand a great chance of defeating the enemy. But there's one fundamental thing we're lacking, a deficiency that was hardly a concern in the past. We need more men. It's an unthinkable situation in the Kingdom of Chen. Unforgivable!" He was on the brink of hitting himself out of frustration.

This battle was a rare opportunity to avenge the memory of his revered Great General Wu Gonglie, but the shortage of manpower meant they couldn't seize the moment – a heartbreaking predicament.