Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1346 - 1339: Bad News from the Frontline

Chapter 1346: Chapter 1339: Bad News from the Frontline

With the collapse of the front lines, Dongsheng Cavalry began the pursuit and slaughter of the fleeing Demon Clan soldiers. It turned out that Xuan had bet correctly—trading over five thousand Dongsheng soldiers for twenty thousand Demon Clan soldiers was an undeniably good deal.

He was not the kind of merciful commander who followed the principle that mercy does not reign over an army. In his eyes, numbers were merely that—numbers. He did not actually bother over the fact that over five thousand living souls had quietly perished.

Although this battle did not completely exterminate the Demon Clan army, it eradicated their modern troops and dealt a heavy blow to their counteroffensive momentum. It was foreseeable that, for a long time to come, the Demon Clan would be incapable of launching another counterattack, which had been Xuan’s aim.

He certainly would not take the initiative to attack because, according to historical patterns, this was the time for the Dongsheng army to carry out strategic contractions; it was not a time when one could fight simply because one wanted to. The reason he took the initiative to meet the Demon Clan army was to prevent them from taking Big South East Peace, directly threatening the lands held by the Nobility.

Clearly, some within Dongsheng’s Imperial Court had no desire to completely annihilate the Demon Clan, which explained why there were frequent withdrawals despite having a significant advantage.

The pursuit by the Dongsheng army continued for over thirty kilometers. The Dongsheng soldiers, holding their breath, madly pursued the Demon Clan soldiers who had killed many of their comrades. War is cruel in this way; the hatred accumulated between soldiers on both sides might not dissipate even over several lifetimes.

Cheng Ziang and Feng, who were rather astute, ran swiftly, taking out several Dongsheng Cavalry units that pursued them. Finally, at dawn the next day, they made it back to the Demon Clan’s city, Qu Creek City, and reported the situation of the front to their commanders.

Upon hearing that an army of twenty thousand had been wiped out clean, the Demon Clan commander’s face went white. They immediately dispatched messengers to report the news to Ziye Ning in the rear.

At this moment, Luo’er and the others had just arrived at Ziye Ning with the Demon Clan commanders. They had barely started their work when the news of the defeat on the front reached them.

Hearing this news, despite being mentally prepared, Luo’er’s legs went weak with fear, and he nearly collapsed on the spot if not for Tangmo’s timely support.

His panic was not due to the annihilation of twenty thousand Demon Clan soldiers but rather his concern for Cheng Ziang and the others who were military observers. If they too had been wiped out by the Dongsheng army, his collapse would be all but certain.

As mentioned before, Luo’er was a quintessential paternal-type captain who liked to handle all matters for the team and also intended to impose his will upon his team members.

On the other hand, he deeply cared for his teammates; to him, they were everything. The moment he heard such devastating news, even someone as outwardly strong as he could instantly fall apart.

The news from the Demon Clan messengers was terse and didn’t mention the whereabouts of Cheng Ziang and the others, which made Luo’er even more anxious, so much so that he could not sleep soundly.

Because of his anxiety and restlessness, Luo’er had no heart for work and stayed shut in his room all day. When Tangmo entered his room, he found Luo’er sitting at a table with his face buried in his hands, looking extremely anxious.

His breathing was nearly at a standstill. He would take a hurried breath and then hold it for an extended period before taking another quick breath. Tangmo knew that this was a typical symptom of Luo’er’s anxiety.

"Luo’er, you haven’t eaten or slept well for several days. Don’t torture yourself," Tangmo sat by his side, gently touching his shoulder as he spoke soothingly.

Luo’er ignored her, his face remaining buried in his hands. However, through contact with his shoulder, Tangmo could clearly feel him trembling slightly.

"Luo’er, try to see it in perspective—they will be okay. They have Feng with them, they have Fulajie’er, and they have Liseya. All of the elites from the Advance Team were assigned to them. They will be okay," Tangmo continued to reassure.

"But we’re up against tens of thousands of troops!" Luo’er suddenly turned his head, weeping as he shouted, and Tangmo saw that his eyes were red with tears.

After his outburst, it seemed Luo’er felt his behavior had been inappropriate, and with an evasive look in his eyes, he bowed his head and buried his face in his hands again.

"If it makes you feel any better to scold me, then go ahead. I won’t mind," Tangmo said with a touch of astonishment before quickly coming to terms with the situation and continuing to comfort him softly.

"I’m sorry..." Luo’er muttered apologetically, head bowed.

"Don’t say sorry when you’re upset," Tangmo said with a slight frown, "I know you’re a kind person, but you’re also human, with your own emotions. I hope, whether you’re angry or happy, you can always share with me..."

Her voice grew softer as she spoke the last sentence, and her cheeks slowly turned red. She knew Luo’er understood the implication of her words, so she was a bit shy.

"What if they all have accidents? We’ve only just found our footing in this strange world, and now I might lose them. If I had known this would happen, I would never have let them go..." Luo’er sobbed, filled with regret.

"Luo’er, they’re adults with their own choices and ways of doing things. I know you care about them deeply, but please don’t try to sway their choices with your patriarchal stance," Tangmo urged patiently.

At those words, Luo’er suddenly looked up, eyes red and fixed on her. Faced with Luo’er’s gaze, Tangmo felt embarrassed and looked away before continuing, "And you haven’t lost everything. You have me, Teacher Zhu, and Taran. Aren’t they worth caring about?"

Hearing this, Luo’er lowered his eyelids, looking even more sorrowful. After a long silence, as if venting frustration, he suddenly cursed angrily, "I’ve said before not to fight futile battles, to consolidate the territories we’ve gained first, but they just won’t stop. Why was I so foolish as to let Ziang and the others observe such a pointless, destined-to-fail, meaningless war... I, I’m so stupid..."

"We can’t help it, it’s not our war after all, and what they are doing isn’t right," Tangmo stated calmly.

She was well aware that Luo’er would definitely not express these grievances to the Dongsheng or the Imperial Court. It wasn’t out of fear, but because as a dignified person, some issues could only be understood but not articulated, thus he complained only to his own.

And Tangmo knew even better that the best way to deal with someone venting frustrations was to agree with their opinions. One could offer different perspectives, but it was best not to defend the actions of the criticized party, as that would only further provoke the person.

"Ziang and the others will be fine, I promise you that, okay?" Tangmo added after a pause.

Luo’er was anxious for losing his pillar of strength, leaving him unable to stand. What Tangmo did was become Luo’er’s new pillar with her promises, helping him to stand again and escape the anxious atmosphere.

Of course, this was only a temporary solution. If Cheng Ziang and the others truly didn’t return, her promise would become meaningless, and Luo’er would continue to sink into profound guilt from which he couldn’t extricate himself.

Hearing her words, the confusion in Luo’er’s eyes seemed to give way to a hint of brightness. Taking a deep breath, Tangmo then reached out and embraced Luo’er, who didn’t resist at all and leaned into her arms.

Although it felt a bit like taking advantage when he was vulnerable, Tangmo was very clear this was a rare opportunity. Missing such a moment would make Luo’er revert to his serious and thin-skinned state.

She didn’t know how to appraise Luo’er. On one hand, he was a true man of courage. On the other hand, he seemed as fragile as a girl, evoking sympathy.

Perhaps it was because he was mixed-race, part Earthling and part Elf, inheriting his father’s toughness but predominantly his mother’s delicate vulnerability.

This rendered his image both multifaceted and contradictory. Tangmo cherished the delicacy he showed when helpless, offering her an incomparable sense of achievement. Yet, she also needed Luo’er’s steadfastness and decisiveness when facing certain issues, as it made him seem utterly reliable.