164 Engage

 General Lui Xian sat and waited. They had intercepted many Mu troops as they travelled up from the borderlands, allowing none to return and alert the barracks of their numbers or their position. He waited for the scouts to return from Chenxi. He needed to know whether it would be safe for him to move forward and attack Tangun or to wait it out a little longer. 

He had been made aware of Second Master's decisions and the suspected burning of Chenxi; what he needed now was news as to whether there were any troops who could come and help in this final battle.

He had only enough to support the transfer of the dead, dying and wounded. It only needed a small number. 

He had completed that task. 

He had lost some of his troops to the battles which had raged across the marshlands and weeding the enemy out of these enclaves had proved harder and more costly than they had realised.

He needed back up badly.

General Lui Xian poured himself another green tea and looked over the maps once more. Intelligence had given him a clear idea as to how the Mu forces and associated mercenaries were positioned within Tangun. He also had a clear idea where the slave markets were held and the slaves themselves were housed. The critical problem was one of numbers. At the moment, they outnumbered his forces 3 to 1, not good odds to dive into a town which they knew well and his forces didn't.

He took a sip of his tea. The map hadn't changed since he last looked; the numbers still were unfavourable and however he thought about it, going in at the moment would be a suicide mission without the clear possibility of any success.

His orderly walked in.

"Any news?" There was hope across his face but a resignation, still no news.

The orderly held out a missive. The general grabbed it and undoing the seal he read the contents.

This is addressed to General Lui Xian, or who ever is in command of this division.

 

Be informed, we have received your communique and are sending a command of six hundred soldiers to aid in your fight for Tangun. If we can spare more, we will, but we still have work to complete around Chenxi.

We have included three packs of Blades who will run coercive operations within the town prior to your commencement. They will explain their tactics. They are lead by Captain Băo and his associate Xin.

Bear with them, they are very effective at removing large numbers of innocent civilians and worrying soldiers, mercenaries alike. They are merciless and will lessen the numbers of patrolling soldiers in their stealth attacks. Let them control the playbook. They will give you the best odds of success as they go deeper and release prisoners.

Captain Zŭmo will accompany the troops and be in overall command as they travel, however, the Blades will travel independently, and I would expect the three Blade packs to arrive within the next few days. They will deploy almost immediately.  Provide them with whatever they require, however bizarre it may appear. I promise you, they are very effective.

Captain Zŭmo will be able to update you on everything when he arrives.

You should receive the full company within the next week.

 

May your campaign be successful

General Li  

Lui Xian stared at the communique. Read it again, and sat back. He hadn't realised he had been holding his breath. He sighed, a long and deep sigh which released an inner fear that had been building these past few days. Then he smiled. Maybe they would succeed. These Blades worried him. What did it say? It had used the words, 'coercive, merciless', and the phrase 'stealth attacks'. He remembered them from the Frontier battle and how they had returned most mornings covered in blood, ravenously hungry and desperate to sleep. He remembered those two women and shuddered. Now they were a force of nature, and that older one, that one who seemed oblivious to it all, she scared him the most. She laughed little, ate silently and slept deeply, yet she had killed extensively. Is she coming? He shuddered again. Maybe its the other one, the smaller one who's eyes glinted with malice and enjoyed the act of terrorising. She killed slowly and with relish.

He couldn't, for the life of him, remember which one was Xin.

"Orderly, call all the sergeants, we have support coming." He drained his tea and walked toward the planning tent, missive in hand.