Lian Guoshi, Luo Xi, Zheng Gouzi, and Flat Rabbit sat together around the table.
Mass-produced Model Three also entered the conference room, but unlike the others, he deliberately chose a seat in the corner. He neither approached the main table nor joined the discussion, keeping his presence deliberately understated.
Lian Guoshi spoke first.
"General Luo," he said, his tone formal, "I thank you for holding Wuguan Pass. The rebel army has already withdrawn. Based on the latest reports, they are retreating toward Shangnan County."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Shangnan County still falls under Shaanxi's jurisdiction. As governor, it is my responsibility to pursue them."
The moment those words settled, an awkward silence spread through the room.
Li Daoxuan frowned slightly.
He had brought his forces to Wuguan Pass for one clear purpose—to block the rebels from entering Shaanxi. Yet reality had not unfolded as he had hoped. By the time news of the rebel movement reached him, Shangnan County had already fallen. He had arrived just in time to secure Wuguan Pass itself, nothing more.
From a strategic standpoint, this could hardly be called a success.
Li Daoxuan let out a quiet sigh.
Only now did he truly understand why the ancients had gone to such lengths to construct the Great Wall. Against an enemy that moved like flowing water—appearing, vanishing, detouring, converging—defense without a continuous barrier was an exhausting and thankless task. Without sealing every gap, there would always be another breach.
Lian Guoshi continued without hesitation.
"I do not intend to delay. The battlefield here has already been settled. I plan to depart for Shangnan County immediately. However, my available forces are few, and the remaining garrison troops are unreliable."
He turned his gaze directly toward Luo Xi.
"Therefore, I must request General Luo's assistance. I ask that you bring your personal retainers and militia volunteers to accompany us."
Luo Xi instinctively glanced at Li Daoxuan.
By now, he understood very clearly that although Zheng Gouzi and the others bore ranks and titles, all real decisions flowed through Li Daoxuan. If Li Daoxuan disapproved, this request would go nowhere.
Li Daoxuan gave a slight nod.
Only then did Luo Xi turn back to Lian Guoshi.
"This subordinate—cough—I mean, I have no objections," he said quickly.
With the matter settled, no one lingered.
A small detachment of local volunteers was left behind to hold Wuguan Pass. The main force immediately assembled and marched out along the Shangluo Road, advancing southeast—
Toward Shangnan County.
By the time they arrived, Shangnan County town had already become a ruin.
Like so many county seats trampled by the rebel tide, its city walls lay broken. Streets were littered with debris and corpses. The common people had suffered grievous losses—those who survived were either dragged away by the rebels or fled into the surrounding mountains.
Sweeping King and Full Sky Star, having been repulsed at Wuguan Pass, retreated here in disgrace. No sooner had they arrived than Chuǎng Wang's main army caught up from behind.
Two hundred and fifty thousand rebel troops converged once again.
The county town itself could not possibly contain such numbers. Camps sprawled outward in every direction, tents stretching as far as the eye could see, covering the plains like a living sea.
Sweeping King and Full Sky Star entered the main command tent, both wearing expressions heavy with defeat.
"Brother Chuǎng Wang," Sweeping King reported, bowing slightly, "we have suffered a setback. Wuguan Pass blocked our advance."
Chuǎng Wang looked startled.
"A mere Wuguan Pass," he said slowly, "stopped you?"
Sweeping King hesitated before replying.
"The defenders used some kind of unfamiliar firearm. Their rate of fire was… abnormal. We couldn't push through."
Before he could say more, the Dashing General—who had been standing behind Chuǎng Wang—stepped forward sharply.
"Explain clearly," he ordered.
Full Sky Star immediately recounted the Battle of Wuguan Pass.
In truth, the engagement itself had been brief, beginning suddenly and ending just as quickly. There was little concrete detail to give. Left with no choice, Full Sky Star focused on exaggerating the enemy's firearms—how fast they fired, how dense the volleys were, how impossible it was to advance under such pressure.
The Dashing General's expression darkened as he listened.
"Those strange firearm troops again…" he muttered.
He turned toward Chuǎng Wang and clasped his hands.
"Brother Chuǎng Wang, please listen to me."
Chuǎng Wang grunted.
"Speak."
The Dashing General began calmly.
"These firearm soldiers with unusually rapid firing and tight formations are not new to us. We have encountered them repeatedly—northwestern Shanxi's Pingyang Prefecture, the Dragon Gate Bridge, the Hejin river crossing, Wenshui County, Luoyang City…"
"One battle after another."
Chuǎng Wang frowned.
"Now that you mention it… you're right."
The Dashing General unfolded a map and pointed to each location where the firearm troops had appeared. Then, with his finger, he drew an arc connecting them—stretching from northwestern Shanxi all the way down to Wuguan Pass.
The arc formed a rough circle.
"Look closely," he said.
Several rebel leaders leaned in, eyes widening as they followed the line.
The Dashing General placed his finger squarely at the center of the circle.
Xi'an.
"These firearm soldiers," he explained, "operate with this city as their core. Their range is limited. They do not stray far."
"This may be due to supply constraints," he continued, "or perhaps their manpower is insufficient to expand further. Whatever the reason, the pattern is clear."
Chuǎng Wang murmured, "I see…"
The Dashing General pressed on.
"If we wish to avoid further clashes with these troops, then we must put distance between ourselves and this region. My recommendation is simple."
"Abandon the advance into Shaanxi. Turn south instead."
Sweeping King sneered.
"And make ourselves look like cowards?"
The Dashing General shot him a cold glance.
"If you want to act brave, go ahead," he said bluntly. "I have no interest in dying for appearances."
Sweeping King muttered under his breath.
"I don't either."
Chuǎng Wang fell silent.
His greatest flaw had always been his inability to decide. Faced with a choice like this—advance or withdraw—he hesitated, trapped between pride and fear.
At that moment, a sharp, mocking voice cut in from the side.
"Dashing General," it sneered, "aren't you exaggerating the enemy?"
The speaker stepped forward.
"You praise their strength while undermining our own morale. Shaanxi is where this rebellion began. It's your homeland. Now that you command two hundred and fifty thousand men, you're afraid to go home?"
"That's spineless."
"Haven't you heard the saying—to return home rich and famous is like parading in fine clothes at night?"
Everyone turned.
The man was Yi Dou Gu.
A newly risen bandit leader, only recently absorbed into the main rebel force in Henan.
Henan had been devastated by flood and drought for years, becoming a living hell. Starvation drove countless refugees into rebellion. Yi Dou Gu, along with his sworn brother Wa Guanzi, rose amid that chaos, gathering tens of thousands of followers.
When the Shaanxi and Shanxi rebels entered Henan, the merger was inevitable.
Though newcomers, Yi Dou Gu's local roots gave him an advantage. He knew Henan's terrain and people intimately. Refugees followed him willingly, swelling his ranks to forty or fifty thousand.
Because of this, he held little respect for veteran figures like the Dashing General.
More importantly—
Yi Dou Gu had never fought Gao Family Village's firearm troops.
Ignorance bred fearlessness.
"You may fear these so-called firearm soldiers," Yi Dou Gu declared loudly, "but I, Yi Dou Gu, do not."
"Leave them to me. I'll deal with them myself."
The Dashing General frowned.
"Don't be reckless."
Yi Dou Gu scoffed.
"We'll see who dies first."
Before the tension could escalate further, a scout burst into the tent, breathless.
"Reporting!" he shouted. "Governor Lian Guoshi of Shaanxi is leading those strange firearm troops straight toward Shangnan County! What are our orders?"
The Dashing General answered instantly.
"Brother Chuǎng Wang, we must withdraw south into Yunxi County. Once we do, the Shaanxi forces will be unable to pursue."
Yi Dou Gu laughed harshly.
"Afraid of what?"
"I'm staying right here. I'm not moving an inch."
"We'll slaughter every one of those gutless Shaanxi soldiers—"
"Then we march straight to Xi'an."