Killing an enemy general in battle is no easy feat, but killing the leader is even more difficult.
In an army lacking cohesion, the death of its leader is incredibly devastating, and a desperate army is bound to win.
If someone were to step forward now, raising their arms and shouting for Bian Zhang's reward to charge Lu Ming and his men, the tens of thousands of soldiers surging forward would overwhelm them.
These few hundred men are nothing compared to tens of thousands, but there are no "ifs"!
The reason rebels are rebels is because they lack cohesion; they only come together for a certain purpose.
When those who were supposed to be allies die and communication is lost, they become a disorganized mess, naturally lacking any sense of unity.
A problem with the commander-in-chief is a major taboo in ancient armies!
"Run!" someone shouted, and the once-fierce rebel army began to waver.
Gradually, more and more rebel soldiers followed suit, unaware of the situation, but following the crowd was always a safe bet.
Lu Ming carried Bian Zhang's corpse towards Zhang Wen's side. No rebel soldiers dared to attack them along the way. "Bian Zhang is dead, the ringleader has been executed, those who surrender will not be killed!"
Who would surrender? They all wanted nothing more than to run away, wishing they had more legs. They had already rebelled; surrendering was just waiting to die, so they might as well run!
The Han army had long since collapsed. Many soldiers knelt and begged for mercy, while others began to flee, but none could break through the encirclement.
Zhang Wen felt utterly desperate. Holding his long sword, he didn't know whether to commit suicide to preserve his honor, or wait to be captured.
Capture might save his life, but his honor would be damaged. Victory and defeat are common in war!
Sun Jian, too, had once thought he would die on the battlefield, as a member of a military family.
He was already disliked by the civil officials' families, and even claiming to be a descendant of Sun Bin was futile; the lineage was too distant, and he was unwelcome.
But then he astutely noticed that the once-fierce rebel army had begun to retreat!
At first, he thought he was seeing things, but he realized it wasn't; it was real!
And it didn't seem like a retreat, but rather a rout!
What was going on?
They had clearly gained the upper hand, yet they were routed?
What was happening?
Sun Jian couldn't understand it at all, and even less could he understand how his son, Sun Quan, would one day lead 100,000 men to be utterly defeated by 800—it was utterly shameful!
Zhang Wen was also completely bewildered. He himself hadn't grasped what was happening. How could such a thing have occurred? Was this a joke? Or had someone arrived?
"Bian Zhang is dead! The ringleader has been executed! Those who surrender will not be killed!"
A black horse and silver spear carried a valiant young general, who rode up twice, slinging a corpse over his shoulder and throwing it violently in front of Zhang Wen.
Sitting on his horse, he clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Zhang Wen, saying, "This humble general, Lu Ming, under General Dong Zhuo, pays his respects to Lord Sikong. As you have entrusted me with the task, I have slain the rebel ringleader, Bian Zhang, in battle."
Zhang Wen was only stunned for two seconds, his mouth involuntarily opening—a natural reaction to disbelief. "Good, good, good!"
Escaped death and captured the rebel leader—this was a great victory!
Overwhelmed with joy, even Zhang Wen, who disliked Dong Zhuo, couldn't help but exclaim "Good!" three times, revealing his immense excitement!
Moreover, Lu Ming was adept at flattery, awarding him the credit.
"Lu Ming, is it? I've remembered your achievements, and I've also remembered your kindness." Zhang Wen quickly reverted to his composed, scholarly demeanor, unaware that he had nearly wet himself earlier.
"It was all within my duty, and you commanded me well, sir. Sir, shall we pursue the rebels?" Lu Ming didn't boast of his accomplishments but looked at Zhang Wen with a serious expression.
He perfectly embodied the image of a meticulous, responsible, and ambitious young man.
Zhang Wen nodded, clearly admiring Lu Ming. Sometimes he even thought that if Lu Ming weren't under Dong Zhuo's command, he would probably try to win him over.
"No need. Return to the camp and reorganize. Now that Bian Zhang is dead, they are no longer a threat."
They cleaned up the mess, buried the corpses, and swept the battlefield.
A middle-aged man with bloodstains on his face approached, followed by his retainers. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lu Ming and said, "I am Sun Jian of Jiangdong, courtesy name Wentai. Thank you for saving my life. If you need anything in the future, just tell me, and I, Sun Jian, will never stand idly by."
Looking at the imposing man before him, Lu Ming was seeing this once-powerful figure from the turbulent Three Kingdoms period for the second time.
Sun Jian, the Tiger of Jiangdong, had participated in the major campaign against Dong Zhuo, and was a valiant general known for his courage and bravery.
However, this valiant general wasn't as upright as he appeared. At least, his possession of the Imperial Seal was enough to tarnish his character.
A subject possessing a sacred artifact—wasn't that an act of rebellion?
"No need for formalities, we're all comrades in the army. Whatever grudges we may have, on the battlefield we're brothers-in-arms. General, please don't stand during the ceremony, just call me Anmin." Lu Ming returned the gesture with a fist salute, his expression calm, showing no trace of the smugness one might expect from beheading a leader. His calm demeanor and composed manner suggested he would surely be a remarkable figure in the future!
"Good, good brother. Let's have a drink sometime." Sun Jian patted Lu Ming's shoulder warmly; sometimes, that's how good impressions are made.
That evening, Zhang Wen treated Lu Ming to a very hospitable meal. He even brought several dancers from the camp to entertain the guests, perhaps abducted from a nearby powerful clan.
Lu Ming didn't accept their hospitality, continuing to flatter Zhang Wen. As for Zhang Wen's subtle probing, he simply brushed it off by saying he was following orders and unaware of the other arrangements.
As the vanguard, not knowing the follow-up plans felt a bit off.
When the banquet was almost over, Dong Zhuo finally arrived, showing absolutely no respect. This was only possible because it was Zhang Wen, a cautious, timid, and hesitant person. Otherwise, someone with a more fiery temper might have directly beheaded Dong Zhuo.
Seeing Dong Zhuo arrive, Lu Ming lowered his head to drink wine and eat meat.
He closed his eyes, focusing on his system.
Killing increased experience, experience leveled up, and leveling up brought attribute bonuses, making him stronger.
Rather than putting on an act, it was better to close his eyes and rest. The credit that was rightfully his would surely come.