The Rise of History’s Most Powerful Empire

Chapter 16: Disadvantage

"Dun~!" The Chinese war drums beat echoed as Zhong Yu's side marched forward, walking as one body. 

The savages looked dumbstruck, with some needing the chieftain's explicit chiding to get back into their position.

From the moment Zhong Yu annihilated those small tribes, he knew the day would come he'd fight the biggest two. For this reason, he spent the last days solely on training the soldiers to match their stride, advance at the beat of the drum and retreat when the gong was heard; just these three basic skills.

It came easy to the Yellow Turban Army, since they were Chinese to begin with. On the other hand, the savages were stubborn as mules, needing Zhong Yu's harsh beatings and chastising to finally get these three orders through their thick skulls. 

Feeling their own men cowering, the chieftains knew the time was dire and Denel barked, "Attack! The time has come to show our valor!"

With his poor vocabulary, that was all he knew how to liven his men, with an obvious meager effect. Though some savages were roused from their dazed looks and roared. They picked up their weapons and charge, inspiring the rest to do the same.

The savages' specific battle horn rumbled and the natives spurred on with mettle. As the two armies clashed, the first to fight were Zhong Yu's 30 slave corps. Their sole duty was to be the vanguard in every single battle.

The slaves had no intention to be in front, with its high mortality rate. Would some even want to stake their lives and fight for such honor?

Maybe, but they were the extreme minority. But they had the savages coming down on them with weapons ready in front and the glaring Yellow Turban Army behind. 

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The allied tribes saw these slaves as the scum of society to rely on those weak and frail yellow skins. They were beyond saving, a disgrace to their tribes. The moment they fell into the alliance's hands all they got was the blade to return to their ancestor.

While the Yellow Turban Army saw them as nothing more than weak cowards. Their only redeeming quality was to whittle down the enemy and their morale, while lowering their own casualties. Such was the sorrow of the slave corp, a specific feature of these times.

As the dead mounted and the wounded piled, the slave corp lost a dozen men, close to half of their 30. And with the large scope of this battle, there were casualties among the service army as well.

While those backward, erratic and undisciplined brave savages, only knew how to press on and on, displaying their valor, as they fell to the disciplined and passive Zhong Yu's army. 

More and more hit the ground, dead. The chieftains saw their side having experienced more than two dozen casualties while the enemy barely half.

While his side kept getting worse, Denel's pressure mounted. He picked up his weapon, donned leather armor and led the charge. He smashed a gap in the other's formation and his fellow tribesmen followed him in.

As Denel displayed his ferocious nature, sweeping everything around like a god of war, he struck fear into the enemy.

Zhong Yu's orderly side had now fallen into chaos from just one man. Sigh, they still lack training. I just needed three months, or even one, and my army would've kept their stance.'

His resolve strengthened. I will have to put these bastards through hell when we get back. Letting them go on like this will only end up with me dead as well in the near future.' 

At least even as soft as they are, they're far better than those savages. Who is stronger, who is weaker? All will depend on which side is undisciplined and their advantage will wear out with time.'

Denel's strength had Zhong Yu stunned, yet a single man's influence was reduced to a mere dozen men. In a battle of hundreds of people, a dozen could hardly affect the tide of war.

Yet Zhong Yu was very much keen on finding out just what made Denel tick, what kind of body he had. With this world having powers and abilities, does that mean Denel has a power as well? It's rather obvious though.'

As the chieftain to hundreds of people, they ought to possess a strength no other could. It was the only way to grasp leadership of such a sizable tribe.

Zhong Yu perceived a faint yellow glow coming from Denel. It was so minute, it only came out on his hands at the moment of attacking. 

Zhong Yu surmised it was the battle aura, or more precisely,, earth battle aura.

As Denel rained havoc, Zhong Yu's army's morale plummeted while the savages' grew in contrast, and so did their casualties.

Did they have training, did they know cooperation? These things were standards to any seasoned army. Even with only a few days of training, the discrepancy was jarring still. The savages were mighty and brave granted, yet Zhong Yu's men had discipline and training affecting their effectiveness in battle.

Surrounded by his guards, Anderson stood outside the battlefield, gazing sharply while grasping every clash as he provided crucial aid to those in need. He had to avoid the collapse of his men in any part or it would lead to a total defeat. 

But grasping the tide of war was not something a mere mortal could grasp, it was more within the purview of a god of war. As his men grew fewer, the battlefield grew out of his control and the balance leaning onto the enemy. 

Anderson panicked and shouted, "Denel, what are you doing? Look around you, our men are dwindling. You have to turn this around or we'll end up kneeling and begging the winner for mercy!" 

Sensing the unrest in Anderson's voice, Denel looked around. The few men around him were nowhere to be seen. Only looking further he found them on the ground with a dead gaze, evoking a palpable regret at being cut down so young. While on the entire battlefield, the two tribes had now just over a 100 men while the enemy had close to 90. 

The bloody sight of the savages around woke him up in an instant.

His valor alone could not change the tide, a truth only now he realized. If this goes on, it will be harder to pull through, harder to avoid losing my life.'

Oh, great ancestral spirit above, have you forsaken me? Blaming me for seizing the power of my tribe? But this is all for our survival, to not crumble and live on to provide you with more sacrifices!

Oh, ancestor, what am I to do? Give me a sign! Show me anything that can pull our people out of hell! Help me lead our warriors to victory, on the road to glory and strength.'