Free Web NovelChapter 59: Entering Luoyang City
And by his side, Dong Zhuo was laughing heartily, holding his fat belly with both hands.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! Advisor, listening to your words, it’s like a sudden enlightenment!"
"Your Excellency, you exaggerate!"
"Now, I wonder how we can turn the tables?" Dong Zhuo asked.
"It’s simple, abolish the Han young emperor as soon as possible, and establish a new emperor, Liu Xie..."
"These diverse people are all here for the Han young emperor. Just apply some pressure on them, and they’ll have no choice but to attack Luoyang City. Then we can counter-attack..."
A massive conspiracy was slowly brewing in Li Ru’s mind, and many alliances were unaware of the crisis that awaited them in the future!
...Several days later.
Long Chen had also arrived outside Luoyang City with five thousand elite Dragon Clan soldiers.
There were two reasons for bringing only five thousand elite soldiers. Firstly, quality over quantity, especially facing such formidable opponents; bringing more would make them targets for enemy slaughter. Secondly, coming from a distant place, having too many soldiers would slow down the speed, and the consumption of supplies and logistics would be excessive.
Arriving outside Luoyang City, Long Chen was amazed to find countless banners covering the sky!
The thick aura of blood and death pierced the clouds!
Several tall banners, blown by the wind, prominently displayed the most important words of several alliance names.
One displayed a tall golden commander’s banner, with the word "Guang" written on it.
Another commander’s banner was entirely blood-red, with the word "Huang" written on it.
These were the two major alliances, "Guangwu Reign" and "Tomorrow’s Dynasty," most likely to complete the mission. Firstly, because their background was the Yuan family, and the high-ranking officials of the Yuan family were closely related to the current emperor, Liu Bian, in Luoyang. Having such a relationship gave them an advantage in gaining the favor of the Han young emperor compared to other common alliances.
Although Long Chen didn’t spend much time on the game forums, he was aware of these two major dark horses. It was said that they even had four-star famous generals and ministers in their ranks, but Long Chen wasn’t sure which characters they were.
As Long Chen pondered silently, he didn’t believe he was the only one with a legendary gold-tier talent in the whole of China. According to the official proportions, there were likely more than a dozen players with gold-tier talents similar to his in the vast Chinese server. After all, there were hundreds of millions of players, and having a dozen or so with gold-tier talents was not surprising.
However, the effects of each talent varied, and some might be advantageous in the early stages but weak later on, while others gradually became powerful in the later stages. Long Chen believed that his talent was continuously growing throughout the game. After all, the ability to increase his charm value was unique and probably exclusive to him, except for local charismatic heroes!
In this game, gaining the favor of local NPCs was challenging for outsiders. They faced initial discrimination (negative effects, decreased favorability) as foreigners, and this S-rank special mission made it even more difficult for these diverse people to earn the favor of the current emperor, Liu Bian, and reach a favorability level of 70. Long Chen, leading his army, continued forward without any hesitation.
This unusual behavior immediately aroused the curiosity of other players.
"Is this guy also a game player?"
"It seems so. I can’t even see his attribute panel!" Another person hesitated slightly.
"Huh?! Then why does he have so many soldiers behind him? Don’t tell me they’re all his alone!"
"It should be his allies..." the person hesitated.
If it were an alliance, it would be normal for Long Chen to have over five thousand players behind him. However, the elite soldiers behind Long Chen were really strange.
Those elite soldiers were organized, walking without unnecessary words, their eyes cold and stern. They seemed to be tough troops that had seen blood on the battlefield!
How could such a group of soldiers be composed of over five thousand players?
Because in general alliances, the queues formed by players were disorderly, and they liked to chat and play around. It was hard to train them suddenly, as most modern players were used to leisure, and they wouldn’t follow orders easily!
Moreover, most of them had their own small villages, somewhat influential ones, making it difficult to command them. This was why most alliances found it challenging to develop, as it was difficult to command alliance members.
Unless they were the sons of influential families or the heirs of conglomerates in the real world, they had plenty of lackeys following them.
"This is how a vast alliance can be established."
Either those who possess virtue and talent, able to rally other players to fight alongside them!
Among the many players in the Chinese server, such individuals exist, but they are very few in number.
For instance, the top alliance in Ji Province, ’Ming Dynasty,’ is said to have been founded by the son of a wealthy magnate.
And in the Yi Province, ’Guangwu Reign,’ seems to have been established by an impressive scholar from the commoners, with mostly commoner players inside!
Long Chen doesn’t enjoy interacting with players from this modern world; instead, he prefers the disposition of NPCs in this world.
That’s why he has no intention of creating an alliance.
Seeing Long Chen leading a large army away from the alliance gathering place, heading closer to Luoyang City.
Several players, out of goodwill, try to advise him.
"Brother, come back quickly! It’s dangerous there!"
"Yes! Brother, come back! I know you’re powerful, but that’s Luoyang City, with two hundred thousand Xiliang Iron Cavalry inside, it’s a dangerous place to get into! I fear you won’t make it out!"
There are both well-meaning and onlookers in the mix.
Mockingly, "Heh, truly a case of a greenhorn not fearing the tiger, once he goes there, he won’t come back!"
A more sinister-looking individual sneers, "There are so many babblers here. If that person wants to court death, why bother stopping him? Let him go, let him die!!"
Long Chen pays no attention to these words.
Under the ’Guang’ character flag, a young commander clad in golden Phoenix Soaring Armor immediately draws his sword, exuding a chilling intent through his eyes.
Beside him, a deputy commander points his long blade at Long Chen in silver armor, saying, "Leader, could that person be foolish!"
"Though he has five thousand elite soldiers, which is remarkable, if he intends to forcefully attack the city with just this force, isn’t it a joke!?"
"Or does he think he can shake the giant tree with his measly strength!?"
The commander in golden armor frowns but remains silent, carefully appraising Long Chen’s figure. His golden eyes slightly contract as if trying to discern something.
Suddenly, a muffled groan escapes him, bloodshot streaks appear in his golden eyes, his expression turns extremely ferocious, hurriedly shutting his eyes and falling silent.
"Leader! Leader, what happened to you?!" Another deputy hurriedly supports the commander, anxiously inquiring.
"It’s nothing, but this person is incredibly mysterious. My innate talent couldn’t read him!" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"What?!" Both of the deputies beside him are astonished.
They never expected someone the Leader couldn’t decipher among the different people in this world.
Long Chen, on the other hand, senses a disturbance and pauses. Someone tried to probe him but was met with resistance from the ’The Book of Mystical Escapes,’ causing a backlash.
Who could it be?
As Long Chen glances back, he happens to see the leader of ’Guangwu Reign’ shielding his eyes.
Long Chen narrows his starry eyes, deciding not to dwell further.
However, internally, he ponders, "This person is peculiar. Could his innate talent allow him to see through other players’ attribute panels?!"
If that were the case, it’d be knowing oneself and the enemy!
Indeed, other players shouldn’t be underestimated!
On the other side, under the ’Emperor’ character flag, a man in blood-red armor, with rugged features and an exceptionally heroic demeanor, also curiously scrutinizes Long Chen’s back.
Long Chen and his group have arrived beneath the gates of Luoyang City.
The Xiliang defending troops on the city walls glare fiercely at Long Chen, their eyes akin to those of fierce black bears!
At this moment, all eyes are fixated on Long Chen.
Almost everyone believes that Long Chen won’t survive three seconds under the city gate.
Seated atop a towering jade lion, Long Chen raises his spear to the sky, and a thunderous dragon shadow bursts forth from the spear’s tip.
"Roar!"
The dragon’s roar echoes!
With a commanding voice, he shouts, "I am Long Chen, the Prefect of Jiujian County! Open the city gates at once!"
"Even if you’re the Commandery Prefect, our Lord is the Governor of Xiliang!"
"You’re too arrogant. Let me teach you a lesson!"
The leader of the defending troops on the city wall grumbles and intends to descend and slay Long Chen.
In his eyes, Long Chen’s mere five thousand men are nothing compared to the tens of thousands of Xiliang soldiers stationed at the gate. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
This person is simply seeking death!
However, Long Chen suddenly retracts his spear and raises a golden decree high!
An imposing aura of a dragon emanates, chilling the Xiliang troops. Reluctantly, they open the city gates, allowing Long Chen and his group to enter the city.
The army of players behind Long Chen is eagerly anticipating a blood-soaked scene!
However, the next moment’s scene startled everyone.
The gates of Luoyang opened, and Long Chen led his five thousand elite soldiers smoothly into the city.
"What’s going on? Bro, pinch me, I feel like I’m dreaming!"
"What the heck! Why aren’t the West Liang troops killing him?"
"Hey, is this a scripted event? I suspect someone’s cheating!"
"What kind of method did this person use?"
"Tch, who cares what method he used to enter the city? I just know he won’t live long. Initially, there was a glimmer of hope outside the city, but entering now means certain death!"
Instantly, arguments erupted, most expressing skepticism toward Long Chen, believing that his entry into the city was akin to walking into a trap.
Meanwhile, Long Chen, now inside the city, remained composed. He held an imperial decree bestowed by the Emperor, a summons specifying the person the Emperor wished to see.
Dong Zhuo’s Xiliang army naturally dared not obstruct him.
Moreover, at this point, Dong Zhuo hadn’t reached the pinnacle of his power within Luoyang. He couldn’t yet dictate the Emperor’s decisions.
There were still many factions within the court resisting Dong Zhuo.
It was only when he truly ascended to the highest authority, after deposing the young Emperor Liu Bian and establishing Liu Xie as the new ruler, bestowing himself the title of Prime Minister, that he had truly consolidated his power.
By then, he had recognized Lu Bu as his adopted son, absorbed the forces of Bingzhou as his own, and held the foremost general of the Eastern Han, along with the formidable Bingzhou army.
But at this moment, within Luoyang, there was another army, no weaker than his, in direct opposition—the Bingzhou army under Ding Yuan, further intimidated by the presence of the legendary general, Lu Bu.
