Chapter 16: Where's the Reinforcement Promised?

Zhao Haiping sighed silently. If he had not done his homework beforehand and surmised that a third stage was very likely based on real historical events, his heart would be in a state of extreme collapse by now.

It was like in many action games, where after dying countless times, you finally barely managed to defeat a boss; but before you could even rejoice, a cutscene interrupts, and a new boss appears!

But since things had come to this, he could only brace himself.

Previously, Zhao Haiping had never reached the third stage, so he was unclear on the tactics for this stage and could only guess.

However, after discussing with Chu Ge, they felt that the third stage must be different from the first two.

The difficulty of the first stage lay in the fact that you could slack, but also not. Although one could pass the first stage by slacking, it would mean entering the second stage in a very low position and suffering the consequences.

As for the second stage, one needed to be fully prepared in advance, persuading the General to dig wells and kill horses, while also leading by example.

Regarding the third stage, there wasn't much historical record, only that after a bitter fight, reinforcements arrived, and in the end, only seventy-four people held out until help came.

As to how they held out, that was not mentioned at all.

Chu Ge speculated that the three stages likely corresponded to three different trials.

As a soldier, combat skills with cold weapons were certainly important, and they were the key to clearing each stage, but the focal points differed between stages.

The key to the first stage was the courage to step forward.

As a common soldier, players could skulk in the back and still pass; but only by stepping forward and performing exceptionally well, could one possibly be recognized by the General and improve their initial position in the second stage.

The second stage's key was precise judgment and cunning.

With identity, in the second stage, one had to use their status and position to influence the General and adopt the right strategies against the enemy. If one were still to rely solely on brute force, they would still be wiped out in the Beidi barbarians' second wave of assault.

Therefore, Chu Ge guessed that the key to the third stage was perseverance.

In the face of true desperation, one must remain steadfast, never retreat, and fight to the very end.

Zhao Haiping found Chu Ge's conjecture quite sensible.

If that were really the case, the third stage might be simpler. As long as one's will was firm, multiple attempts should eventually lead to success.

And sure enough, the game did not provide much preparation time. As soon as Zhao Haiping had adapted to his surroundings, the Beidi barbarians had already launched their attack!

Amidst the howling wind and snow, the war drums sounded thunderously below the city, and the Beidi barbarians charged toward the city walls again!

The snow was deep under the city, affecting the Beidi barbarians' march, but they were all young and strong, nothing like the Great Chu's elderly soldiers over seventy years old atop the walls.

There were not many words, for these old soldiers had experienced such scenes countless times.

At General Geng Zhong's roar, all the old soldiers drew their weapons and charged with a shout!

Zhao Haiping, as before, fought bravely near the General to ensure General Geng Zhong's safety.

He found that although his physical condition had greatly deteriorated with age, his combat skills seemed to have improved even more. He could unconsciously execute many crisp and efficient attacking techniques. With his talent for living on the edge, he fought like a War God descended, wreaking havoc!

Blood spattered across the city walls, quickly staining the snowy ground crimson.

Yet the Beidi barbarians continued to swarm onto the city walls, endlessly, like the snowfall from the sky that never seemed to stop.

Zhao Haiping had held out for a very long time, but as he watched Great Chu's soldiers fall one by one beside him, and a quick scan revealed fewer than seventy men remained, there were still no signs of any reinforcements on the horizon.

General Geng Zhong, bathed in blood, sighed deeply, "Take the last horse and try to break through! I am resolved to share my fate with this city!

"You must return to Great Chu and report everything that has happened here to His Majesty, let all the civil and military officials of Great Chu know that we old soldiers have fought to the last moment!"

Zhao Haiping shook his head in a hurry, "General, the reinforcements will come!"

A bitter look crossed General Geng Zhong's face, "For forty years! We have sent out countless messengers, but not one has returned. Perhaps, the whole northwest is already occupied by the barbarians.

"Go quickly!"

Of course, Zhao Haiping would not leave, as he knew from historical records that the reinforcements were almost there. Why should he run now?

So he shook his head again and indicated to the General that he wanted to hold out to the very last.

General Geng Zhong didn't insist and instead ordered a guard to attempt a breakout, who didn't get far from the city before being caught up by Beidi Cavalry and dying a heroic death.

The battle on the walls continued, but the numbers of Great Chu soldiers around Zhao Haiping grew fewer and fewer.

In the end, the Beidi barbarians surged up in the wind and snow, and amidst the chaos, Zhao Haiping and General Geng Zhong were killed by a flurry of blades.

...

Back to the beginning of the third stage.

Zhao Haiping was beginning to doubt life itself.

Death was not scary; he had died countless times in this instance, and he was already accustomed to it.

The problem was... he had been deceived!

"Strange, where are the reinforcements?

"Weren't we told that seventy-four people would survive in the end?

"I've been fighting for my life, but still haven't seen a shadow of reinforcements until the last moment!

"Wouldn't the game be shameless enough to simply remove the historical setting of reinforcements?"

Zhao Haiping fell into confusion again.

He had already died countless times in the first and second stage, honing his combat skills to a great degree. So, when he reached the third stage, even as his physical condition further deteriorated, he persisted until the end.

Yet, persisting to the end didn't clear the stage!

Frowning, Zhao Haiping looked at the three Talent Skill Cards again.

As he glanced over a familiar card, a sudden epiphany struck him, leading to a speculation.

"Could it be... that the messenger seeking reinforcements... is also me?

"If I don't leave the city, there won't be any reinforcements??"

Through analysis, Zhao Haiping realized that given the nature of this game, it was actually a very likely possibility.

No, it was probably the only possibility.

After all, in the second stage, without thinking of the solution to suggest to the General personally, one would likely never clear the stage.

The same logic applied now.

Reinforcements would not come if not sought after.

But the problem was, seeking reinforcements wasn't so simple!

The snow was falling so heavily outside, and there was the siege circle of the Beidi barbarians.

Previously, General Geng Zhong's guard had indeed attempted to break through, but he was captured by the Beidi barbarians not far from the city.

To break through the encirclement meant finding the location of the reinforcements amidst the blizzard?

Was this really something a seventy-year-old elderly person could do?

Ridiculous!

But the more Zhao Haiping thought about it, the more he realized there seemed to be no other solution. He had already experienced holding out on the city walls—without reinforcements, it was a certain death.

"So, it seems that the 'Proficient Horseman' Talent isn't useless after all.

"The skills come into play only now!

"Thinking about it optimistically, the game is still a bit merciful. At least it doesn't force me to clear all three stages with the same Talent, allowing free switches before each stage."

Zhao Haiping found himself increasingly conditioned by the game into a masochist, grateful for even this small mercy.

If the game had forced the same Talent throughout all three stages for a single successful run, then Zhao Haiping reckoned he would be stuck for many more days.

Anyway, with speculation in mind, it was time to test it out.

Zhao Haiping selected the "Proficient Horseman" Talent and started the third stage of the Trial Illusion once more.

Snow was still drifting down on the city walls, with the Beidi barbarian attack imminent.

This time Zhao Haiping didn't waste any time waiting for the General to come to him; he volunteered to break out and seek reinforcements.

General Geng Zhong, obviously of the same intent, approved without the lengthy persuasion that had been needed in the second stage, and soon Zhao Haiping was stealthily sneaking out of the city through a breach in the wall.

The bitter cold wind swept through, carrying snowflakes that blotted out the sky.

Frozen to the bone, Zhao Haiping shivered, barely able to see the path ahead.

Before leaving, the General did point out a rough direction, mentioning that a city's garrison to the southeast might still be there, but upon leaving, Zhao Haiping realized, how the hell could one distinguish between southeast and northwest in this weather?

With no other choice, he had to rely on intuition.

The snow on the ground was several feet deep, making even horseback riding incredibly difficult.

Before he could get far, rolling drumbeats sounded from below the city—Beidi barbarians were attacking again!

Not only that, but figures of the barbarians also appeared amidst the snowstorm ahead.

These Beidi cavalry had clearly noticed Zhao Haiping and were swiftly pursuing him!

Zhao Haiping gritted his teeth and tried to turn and shoot while riding.

His legs clamped tightly against the horse's flanks, struggling to maintain balance—yet the arrow shot disappeared into the snowy void, its destination unknown.

"Damn!"

Zhao Haiping was speechless.

This was the result even after he had chosen the "Proficient Horseman" Talent; what if he hadn't? His hands would've just left the reins and he probably would've already fallen off.

However, fortunately now mounted on horseback, the effects of the "Proficient Horseman" Talent quickly manifested, and Zhao Haiping could feel his horsemanship improving rapidly.

After riding a distance, his archery from horseback began to improve as well—from initially shooting in loneliness to later managing to blindly hit one of the Beidi barbarians' horses, his progress was astoundingly fast.

After all, Zhao Haiping's archery skills were already quite good; he just needed to integrate them with his horsemanship.

But as more Beidi barbarians caught up by following the sound, he was eventually intercepted and shot off his horse.

Back to the starting point of the third stage.

"Damn it, let's go again!

"When my horsemanship is fully developed, I must scatter you all to the winds!"

Without hesitation, Zhao Haiping opted to restart.