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Chapter 147:
Chapter 147:
Chapter 147:
Tubos impressive appearance was not the work of ordinary civilians. Lu Dongzan aided Songtsan Gampo for over a decade, leading his troops in major battles and giving him unparalleled insight into the sheer power needed to defeat such formidable foes. Even the act of dismembering human bones was an arduous task for most. On the other hand, Su Li effortlessly sliced through enemies like paper with a single swing of his weapon.
With this exceptional and fearsome general at the helm, any opponent would find it challenging to defeat Tubos overwhelming forces head-on. Tubos army boasts three times the number of the Tang army. Lu Dongzan couldnt help but question his earlier confidence. The advantage was not in his favor, Tubos brutal efficiency could easily claim over 150,000 lives, and their fragile morale hung by a thread.
The quality of Tubos army meant that if casualties exceeded 20%, their morale might shatter completely, leading to an inevitable retreat. Once they began to retreat, they would lose the will to fight, focusing solely on escaping. Such a defeat would be catastrophic. The Tang army, comprising 50,000 soldiers, could easily overwhelm hundreds of thousands of Tubo soldiers.
Lu Dongzan had initially believed that victory was certain with a threefold advantage and Tubos fatigued soldiers. However, the events shattered his confidence as Tubos morale crumbled rapidly. Su Lis relentless killing spree was awe-inspiring and horrifying.
The White Dragon charged through Tubos ranks, its fur coated in blood, and Su Li himself drenched in gore. His war halberd bore countless fragments of flesh and organs. No Tubo soldiers dared to challenge him. They recognized his boundless strength. Even after slaughtering a thousand, two thousand, or perhaps even three thousand, Su Lis grip remained unyielding, and his halberd swung tirelessly, reaping lives efficiently.
Unlike the Tubo steeds, his warhorse showed no signs of fatigue, relentlessly taking lives. Tubo soldiers desperately tried to avoid Su Li, but the fragmented fighting only contributed to their decreasing morale.
Meanwhile, Lu Dongzan, amidst the chaos, realized the grim reality. He ordered the flanks to protect the central army and initiated a withdrawal. He acknowledged that Tubo was facing a resounding defeat in this unprepared, head-on battle.
Lu Dongzan, one of Tubos wisest minds, prioritized logic over emotion, deciding to sacrifice the 50,000 troops at the front to slow down Su Li. The remaining 100,000 would retreat to safeguard Tubos fighting strength.
Unlike the vast Tang Dynasty with its expansive territory and large population, Tubos resources were stretched thin, with only a million people. Mustering 400,000 troops had already pushed their limits, and losing 150,000 was a blow Tubo could ill afford.
Lu Dongzans paramount concern was preserving Tubos fighting strength, regardless of his honor or shame. His decision was undeniably audacious. Although he held a prominent position in Tubo, he knew that his choice to sacrifice troops and withdraw would result in severe punishment upon his return, surpassing the consequences of losing tens of thousands of Tubo soldiers. While organizing the central armys formation and orchestrating the retreat, Lu Dongzan suddenly felt a strange presence watching him.
Instinctively, he glanced in Su Lis direction and then shivered as a chilling sensation engulfed him. It was as though his heart had momentarily paused, and he realized, regretfully, that Su Lis target was himself. He had never understood that he, of all people, would become the subject of a legendary capture-the-enemy-general scenario.
Despite recognizing Su Lis inhuman strength and acknowledging that his 150,000-strong army had almost been defeated by Su Li single-handedly, he had never imagined Su Lis target was himself. He pondered how Su Li could break through 50,000 Tubo troops and overcome the formidable central army of 80,000. Surely, even with boundless power, the killing took time, right? Su Li couldnt just expect him to stand there waiting to be killed.
But these thoughts failed to console Lu Dongzan, and his anxiety intensified. He glanced up to see Su Li had already breached the Tubo front lines, charging straight toward the central army. Tubo soldiers understood Su Lis intentions and rallied to protect the Grand Minister. They knew they couldnt stop Su Li, but their sacrifices could slow him down.
As Su Li closed in, Lu Dongzan retreated rapidly under his guards shield. The gap between them grew wider, but Su Li smiled sinisterly. He urged the white dragon forward, accelerating towards Lu Dongzan. Su Lis war spear moved with astonishing speed, his killing efficiency surging.
When they were about fifty paces apart, the white dragon roared and leaped into the air, crushing a Tubo warhorse in the process. Using this momentum, Su Li flipped mid-air, landing on the horses back and pushing himself higher.
Su Li soared nearly thirty feet into the air in an astonishing display. While still airborne, he twisted his waist and hurled his war spear. It streaked through the sky like a blood-red flash, accompanied by a roar aimed at Lu Dongzan. The guards tried to protect their leader, but the war spear pierced through three of them without losing speed.
Lu Dongzan felt a sharp pain in his chest and heard a splintering sound. In an instant, he was helplessly flipped upwards, facing the sky. With his last bit of strength, he turned to see the war spear impaled through his chest, firmly nailing him to the ground. Lu Dongzan was dead.