Taishi Ci felt awkward, and Guan Hai felt even more so. Unsure whether to stay or leave, he eventually stomped his foot and jumped onto another ship.~~~
"Who was that guy?" Taishi Ci asked after Guan Hai left.
"If you've figured it out, there's no need to ask," Gan Ning replied, looking in the direction where Guan Hai had gone. "Everyone has their difficulties. Try to understand. You can see he left because he felt embarrassed."
"..." Taishi Ci fell silent, giving Gan Ning a glance before deciding not to speak. At this point, he realized that this unusual figure with an internal energy that could manifest outside his body could only be the supposedly dead chieftain of the pirates.
"We should retreat quickly and without stopping. Once we're out of the Yangtze River, we'll be safe," Gan Ning sighed. "Our navy still needs more training. Even Zhou Gongjin's bandits were this tough to deal with."
Gan Ning had also noticed the gap between himself and Zhou Yu. Even with just bandits under his command, Zhou Yu had managed to suppress him. If it hadn't been for the fog cover and the fact that Zhou Yu's troops were bandits whose military formations couldn't be fully utilized, Gan Ning's forces would have been in an even worse situation. The mere presence of Zhou Yu's legion ability would have rendered Chen Xi's mental assaults almost ineffective.
"Zhou Gongjin knows too many things. Once someone catches him off guard, it's hard for him to quickly switch between his abilities," Chen Xi said, waving at Gan Ning and Taishi Ci as they leaped onto the flagship. He then quickly answered Zhuge Liang's earlier question.
"Indeed, knowing too much can be a disadvantage," Zhuge Liang nodded. He had seen Zhou Yu's performance earlier and recalled what Chen Xi had mentioned about the battle at Lujiang. Zhou Yu clearly had better methods at his disposal, but due to the chaos, he ended up using less optimal ones. It confirmed that there was indeed a problem with switching between abilities.
On the other side, Pang Tong had also realized something. Zhou Yu's calm demeanor might just be a habit, not necessarily a reflection of his true mental state during moments of panic.
Pang Tong had recovered by now and, looking at Zhou Yu's composed expression, couldn't help but let out a smile.
"Why are you staring at me?" Zhou Yu asked, raising an eyebrow, his thoughts elsewhere.
"I just thought of something amusing," Pang Tong replied with a smile as he stood up and walked toward the deck. He had already sensed the unhidden auras of Sun Ce and Ling Cao.
"Let's go meet them together," Zhou Yu said, following Pang Tong to greet Sun Ce and Ling Cao.
Pang Tong couldn't help but admit that it was Zhou Yu's detached and seemingly unconcerned demeanor that gave Sun Ce's forces their unwavering confidence.
"Bo Fu, it looks like you've taken quite a beating! And Kun Tao doesn't seem to be doing much better either," Zhou Yu said, frowning slightly, letting his true emotions show for a rare moment. "How was Taishi Ziyi as an opponent?"
"A formidable rival, but next time, I'll definitely defeat him," Sun Ce replied nonchalantly, pulling off his armor and tossing it aside. "I also need to train more with the bow. I suffered a lot from arrows today."
Sun Ce pointed to the arrow marks on his armor with his foot, two of which had fully penetrated through.
"I was careless. Although he was strong, it shouldn't have turned out this way," Ling Cao said with a wry smile, instinctively touching his neck, which had just healed. Earlier, he had narrowly escaped death.
"Alright, let's retreat. We've learned enough about Gan Xingba's navy. Once the Jiangxia navy arrives, we'll fight together. This time, no one should leave their posts without permission, Bo Fu," Zhou Yu warned, fixing Sun Ce with a stern gaze.
"Fine, I'll remember to use my legion ability. As long as no one provokes me, I won't leave," Sun Ce reluctantly promised, as if Zhou Yu were the one in charge. He then muttered, "Your legion ability alone is enough to cover everyone. Why do you need us?"
"To reinforce the army's momentum and prevent any further mishaps," Zhou Yu replied sharply, his keen hearing catching every word Sun Ce muttered.
"Make sure all the commanders are prepared to arrange their cloud formations. Do you still remember which commanders your legion ability will cover? Shi Yuan, ensure the cloud formations are connected properly. One mistake is enough," Zhou Yu instructed, casting a glance at Pang Tong, who was gazing skyward.
Pang Tong looked at Zhou Yu's serious expression and silently cursed. You really think you've got it all planned out, don't you?
"Got it. I'll be more careful next time," Pang Tong replied with a long drawl. He could guarantee that Zhou Yu wouldn't use his elite Jiangxia navy to fight Gan Ning's forces, even if he was sure of victory. Zhou Yu simply wouldn't do something so unprofitable because it wasn't the right time.
Zhou Yu glanced at Pang Tong but didn't say anything. He knew that such things couldn't be hidden from Pang Tong, and seeing Sun Ce yawning beside them, he resignedly gestured for Sun Ce to change into a set of golden armor before showing off his grandeur again.
"When we get near Jiujiang, disperse the ships and find places to hide. The rest will be handled by the Jiangxia navy. After this, everyone will return to their respective waters. You Ping will deliver supplies, armor, and weapons to you all," Zhou Yu said, arranging for the bandits after Sun Ce, relieved, had gone to change his armor.
"Understood!" The remaining bandit leaders bowed their heads in compliance. None dared act out. The previous troublemakers had already been eliminated by Ling Cao and Lu Fan's orders. Those who survived had either long since submitted or were too timid to rebel against Zhou Yu.
"Stay in your own waters. If you get wiped out, don't blame me. Also, if You Ping's supply ships can't find you, don't expect any supplies," Zhou Yu said coldly.
"Understood!" The bandits bowed their heads even lower.
"Alright, you can take your ships and scatter. Disband and leave," Zhou Yu waved them off.
The bandits, who had barely dared to breathe in Zhou Yu's presence, were relieved when he dismissed them. They quickly departed, rowing their small boats away from Zhou Yu's ship.
"Tsk, tsk, why are they so obedient?" Sun Ce blurted out, having just returned in his golden armor. With Zhou Yu around, Sun Ce often didn't bother thinking much about such matters. If this continued, he feared his muscles might grow into his brain.
"They're in awe of your martial prowess," Zhou Yu replied sarcastically. "Soon, we'll be the rulers of the Yangtze. The officials, the bandits, and the soldiers—all will be under our control."
"I knew it would be like this," Sun Ce said smugly, radiating confidence in his new armor.