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Chapter 769: This Is Mechanical Art

Lian Guoshi was nominally leading the grand army, pressing forward.

Scouts returned with news: Shangnan County lay just ahead.

"The rebel scouts have detected us," the report stated. "Some of the rebels have fled south, likely towards Yunxi County. However, tens of thousands remain within Shangnan County, apparently ready to engage us in battle."

Upon hearing this, Lian Guoshi couldn't help but utter a sound of surprise.

Li Daoxuan, however, was already well aware. Everything the scouts reported, he had observed with perfect clarity from the reconnaissance hot air balloon. The rebels had indeed split into two major contingents: one heading south, the other remaining to defend the county seat.

The rebel forces were overwhelming, sprawling across the land.

The two thousand strong Gao Family Village Militia could not possibly capture all of them. Merely repelling them would be a commendable feat. This task would require the White Pole Soldiers from Sichuan, General Zhang Yingchang of Henan, and the Yunyang Pacification Commissioner to converge. A grand army, encircling them from all sides, might then be able to wipe out these rebels.

In any case, their immediate goal was to reclaim Shangnan County.

The army continued its advance, drawing ever closer to Shangnan County. Soon, another scout returned to report: "Those garrisoned in Shangnan County are the Henan rebels Yi Dou Gu and Wa Guanzi, numbering approximately... fifty thousand."

His own forces, consisting of the Xi'an Right, Front, and Rear Three Guards, each comprised only five hundred men. Adding the local militia and civilian volunteers, the total barely reached three thousand. With Luo Xi's nominally led two thousand household guards and militia, the total fighting force was only five thousand.

No matter how he looked at it, fifty thousand rebel soldiers seemed far too many.

He wasn't the only one who thought so; the three Guards' garrison soldiers and the local militia were also visibly hesitant to advance.

A commander from the Xi'an Right Guard stepped forward, bowing respectfully: "Governor, our forces are insufficient. We should not attempt a forced assault on Shangnan County. We should merely keep the enemy under observation and wait for the other armies to arrive before attacking."

Lian Guoshi began to waver: "Uh..."

Just then, Padi Tu stepped out from the side. "It's useless. When the other government forces arrive, they'll only gaze upon Shaanxi from their own territories; they won't cross the border to suppress bandits."

Lian Guoshi: "Ah!"

Indeed, waiting for reinforcements was pointless. If the rebels had entered Shaanxi, it was the Shaanxi Governor's responsibility to deal with them. Hoping for others to reinforce was a pipe dream.

But Lian Guoshi felt he simply couldn't win this battle.

Padi Tu announced: "You just stay back and watch the show. This battle, we'll fight. Heh heh, wherever this Rabbit Lord's sword points..."

"Hey!" Lian Guoshi, hearing his dramatic opening, immediately felt this person was unreliable. "Hold on, who exactly are you? Suddenly spouting a bunch of nonsense? Isn't anyone going to rein you in? Whose subordinate is this? Whose subordinate?"

Luo Xi, breaking into a cold sweat, awkwardly stepped forward. "This person... is with my contingent."

Lian Guoshi: "Where did you find such a character? Couldn't you have..."

As he grumbled, he watched Padi Tu stride towards Shangnan County, his two thousand riflemen advancing silently behind him.

Lian Guoshi: "What's going on? What are these people doing?"

Luo Xi, still sweating, declared: "That! I, your humble subordinate, must also... go and assist them."

Lian Guoshi: "General Luo, I've never heard of you being so fearless."

Luo Xi's face fell. "Is my reputation really so tarnished? You've misunderstood, alright? My family has been generals for generations; we're not that bad! It's just that in previous battles, my subordinates always fled, and I was helpless."

As he spoke, his expression suddenly shifted. "This time, my subordinates are exceptionally reliable. Your humble subordinate dares to fight!"

Lian Guoshi: "!!!"

Luo Xi quickly caught up. "Brother Zheng, Brother Rabbit, wait for me! I still have a hundred and fifty household guards; they can be of some use."

Meanwhile, Padi Tu and Zheng Gouzi were already surveying Shangnan County.

Like all cities previously captured by rebels, this county town's walls had been dismantled, leaving only a pile of broken bricks and rubble. Where the city walls should have been, rough stones were stacked.

Zheng Gouzi noted: "The enemy having no city walls truly helps us immensely."

Padi Tu chuckled: "Heh, but they're hiding among these ruins, so our riflemen will have a hard time. We still need to lure them out."

Zheng Gouzi countered: "They're the defenders; why would they come out?"

"Uh!"

Padi Tu pondered, "You're right! They're on the defensive, no need to come out, huh? Oh, I remember! Last time you attacked the Wangjia Fork fortress, didn't you blast them out with cannons?"

Zheng Gouzi replied: "The artillery isn't here this time."

Padi Tu: "Then we'll just have to use hand grenades to force our way in."

Zheng Gouzi warned: "Hand grenades don't have a very long range. We risk being shot by their arrows while throwing them. I'm afraid there will be some casualties this time."

"Casualties are best avoided. I'll take care of it then." The Heavenly Lord Unit Three suddenly emerged from behind. "It's a good chance to test if this Type 3 unit can be used normally."

Seeing the Heavenly Lord prepare to act personally, the two were overjoyed. They quickly stood respectfully on either side, supporting Li Daoxuan's imposing presence. Just like that, Li Daoxuan found himself walking at the very front. Luo Xi also followed, and although he didn't understand what was about to happen, he knew Li Daoxuan was the supreme authority, so he hurried to follow suit.

The four of them walked like a legendary quartet, radiating immense swagger.

Behind them, over two thousand subordinates further emphasized the quartet's formidable status.

By now, Lian Guoshi and his entourage could no longer see Li Daoxuan and the others. From their position, they could only see the two thousand riflemen advancing, their ranks blocking Lian Guoshi's view of Li Daoxuan's movements at the very front.

Li Daoxuan stopped when he was several hundred meters from Shangnan County.

Then, he placed his right hand over his left, exerted force, and pulled...

In that instant, he actually "removed" his left hand.

Luo Xi, witnessing this at close range, let out a terrified gasp.

However, the expected gory mess did not occur.

Where Li Daoxuan's wrist had been disconnected, there was no blood, but rather a dark, hollow opening.

Luo Xi's mind struggled to comprehend: "???"

Li Daoxuan tossed his detached left hand to a soldier nearby: "Hold this for me."

The soldier respectfully took it, stepping back, seemingly unfazed. The world where only he was startled and screaming, while everyone else remained calm, was utterly bizarre.

Li Daoxuan smiled at him. "I sustained an injury when I was young and lost my left hand, so I've since attached a prosthetic. That's quite reasonable, wouldn't you say?"

Luo Xi stammered: "A prosthetic? But... I... I saw you just a few days ago, and your hand seemed perfectly agile? That was actually fake?"

Li Daoxuan declared: "This is mechanical art! Invented by our ancient ancestor Mozi, understand?"