Mythical Three Kingdoms

The next morning as Chaoyang rose, the army was already fully prepared. The Envoy from Parthia looked at the Han Army, lined up and ready to march, and felt an inexplicable excitement, because the Han Army's reliability had already exceeded imagination: they were actually dispatching forty thousand men, and all forty thousand were veteran Elite Troops.

Although the commander had been changed from Li Jue, Marquis of Chiyang, to another younger man, Zhuge Liang, Marquis of Yangdu Pavilion, this was not an issue. It was obvious Li Jue and this Pavilion Marquis were of the same faction, because someone like Li Jue never bothered to conceal his relationships with others.

Thus in the eyes of the Parthian Diplomatic Mission, this entire army was extremely trustworthy. After all, the seal on the Alliance Charter signed with Li Jue was still bright red; there was naturally no way the two sides could have fallen out so quickly. And from how actively the Han Dynasty was aiding them—directly transferring forty thousand troops—it was enough to show the other side's attitude.

"Zhongda, get ready to use your Spiritual Talent." Zhuge Liang gave an order to Sima Yi.

Last time Zhuge Liang had discovered a peculiar situation: so long as Sima Yi's Spiritual Talent wiped out all Spiritual Talents and Legion Talents within range, and then Sima Yi shut down his Spiritual Talent, when everyone's abilities regenerated, Zhuge Liang could clearly identify each person, including those shameless types like Wei Yan, Xun Youi, and the rest.

Sima Yi shot Zhuge Liang a glance and nodded. Since they were going to take part in an imperial war, they naturally had to take stock, to avoid certain grains of sand being mixed into the army.

On the spot Sima Yi activated his Spiritual Talent and wiped out everyone's at once, whereupon Wei Yan looked at Sima Yi as if he were looking at an enemy—his biggest trump card had been directly hard-countered.

Of course, Zhuge Liang's Spiritual Talent was unsurprisingly wiped out as well. Immediately, all those with Talents looked expressionlessly in Sima Yi's direction—this guy's ability, seriously...

Sima Yi kept his Spiritual Talent active for a short while, then shut it down again. After that, all those who possessed Spiritual Talents showed clear spiritual fluctuations, and those who also possessed Legion Talents were likewise in the process of reforming their Legion Talents.

"Huh!" Zhuge Liang frowned and looked toward a certain black-robed man behind Li Jue.

"What is it?" Sima Yi followed Zhuge Liang's gaze and saw a man in a black robe, mounted and standing in place.

Because the distance was fairly close, under Sima Yi's focused observation he too could sense that rolling, restless Spiritual Capacity. It was very clear that the other party's Spiritual Talent had also been wiped out earlier. At once Sima Yi's face showed a look of curiosity: Do we have this guy among us?

"Gone again." Zhuge Liang looked at that black-robed fellow with a strange expression. He hadn't yet finished analyzing the other party's Spiritual Talent before it vanished again. Still, the man had at least come online normally. Coming online and then disappearing—although unscientific—shouldn't be a big problem, right?

"What do you mean, gone again?" Sima Yi frowned and asked.

"His Spiritual Talent disappeared again." Zhuge Liang said via Voice Transmission to Sima Yi. In fact, by now practically all the upper echelon in the Central Plains knew about Zhuge Liang's Spiritual Talent.

"You've got another one you can't scan?" Sima Yi sent a Voice Transmission to Zhuge Liang.

"Yeah. After you wiped out his Spiritual Talent, during that brief period when the Spiritual Talent was regenerating, it could come online, but once it fully formed, it vanished." Zhuge Liang frowned as he sent the Voice Transmission. "But it probably isn't a problem."

Sima Yi glanced once more at that black-robed man and inexplicably felt he had seen that figure somewhere before, so he spoke up, "How about leaving him to me to watch. I feel like I've seen this guy somewhere."

[Sima Zhongda took the bait.] The shamaness inexplicably opened her Folding Fan and covered the lower half of her face, and as Zhuge Liang, who was speaking with Sima Yi, turned his head slightly, he unexpectedly saw that Folding Fan—an Ebony Wood Folding Fan. If nothing unexpected had happened, there would not be a second such fan.

"Uh, forget it, no need to keep an eye on him, probably nothing." Zhuge Liang turned back and looked at Sima Yi as he spoke naturally. Sima Yi raised an eyebrow, his desire to investigate thoroughly growing stronger; he had no idea that what Zhuge was considering was already entirely different from what he himself had in mind.

[Though I can't be sure this Folding Fan belongs to Master Jia, anyone who understands what this fan signifies absolutely won't talk about it. And although the other side's Spiritual Talent vanishes immediately after coming online, the fact that it can come online at all should mean it's Master Jia's backhand. No need to target him, lest I get caught up in Master Jia's fallout. As for Zhongda, if I can't stop him, let him keep digging…] Zhuge Liang thought silently.

In reality Zhuge Liang also understood that a single sentence from him definitely couldn't stop Sima Yi. But it was fine for Sima Yi to investigate. Although Zhuge Liang had confidence in his own judgment and did not wish to be ensnared by Jia Xu's schemes, he still had his curiosity. If Sima Yi was willing to stir things up, all the better.

[Even if Sima Zhongda knew what Zhuge Kongming was thinking, he'd still go check first. As for me, there really isn't anything worth checking.] The shamaness touched the scar on her face, her expression calm, and gradually her entire being shed the emotions a human ought to have, becoming as cold and indifferent as an object.

[I will not be swayed by anything. I only need to remember my objective.] The shamaness's eyes were incomparably icy. She looked at everything around her, including herself, as if she were looking at corpses. Other than the objective, there was nothing that could not be discarded.

Zhuge Liang silently withdrew his gaze and ordered the entire army to advance, with the vanguard scattering scouts in all directions to reconnoiter within a radius of fifty li.

With Zhuge Liang and the others leading troops toward Western Asia, such a large movement could not possibly be completely concealed, so before long Fuward received accurate information. Seeing the Han Army sending such an elite force marching west, it was naturally impossible that they were going to attack some minor state; almost instantly, Fuward guessed that the Han Army's objective was probably Rome.

Back then Parthia had been beaten by Rome all the way to Taysi Sealed, and Vologases V desperately sent people everywhere to ask for help; Fuward had also received one such plea, but simply shelved it, while the Kushan Emperor Vasu Deva I directly fobbed it off by saying he had to attend a Buddhist assembly, giving Parthia absolutely no face.

In the end, it was said that Parthia found the Han Dynasty's Wuxi Colonel's Office, and then the Han Dynasty dispatched troops to help Parthia resolve this trouble. This matter was quite famous in Central Asia and West Asia, because supposedly Parthia and the Han Dynasty resubmitted State Documents and once again became allies.

Previously, Fuward had thought this was just a joke, but now that the Han Army has dispatched such a large-scale Expeditionary Force, traveling light and rushing westward, needless to say, Parthia has definitely formed an alliance with the Han Army.

As a General who had almost caused a split in Central Asia back then, he definitely possessed the necessary political vision. If Parthia and the Han Dynasty, having formed an alliance, manage to drive Rome back, then what follows will absolutely be misfortune for their Kushan; as for the reason—does this still need a reason?

That line the Martial Emperor once wrote in reply to the Chanyu, "Though the world is vast, it is not enough for you and me to share," although Fuward did not know of it, Fuward was very clear that when things reached that point, the Han Dynasty would definitely beat up Kushan.

Judging from what Fuward could see now, Kushan absolutely could not win against those two combined; to be precise, they probably would have trouble even handling the Han Dynasty alone.

Therefore Fuward hurriedly sent people to Baiwasha to inform Vasu Deva I that the Han Dynasty and Parthia had formed an alliance, and that the Han Dynasty had dispatched forty thousand Elite Troops to go to Parthia's aid.

The urgent dispatch, carried by a lone rider, was soon delivered to Baiwasha. Of course, Fuward also frankly admitted that he was no match for the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, though he did not mention the casualty ratio of both sides, as he was unwilling to admit how badly he had lost.

When Vasu Deva I received this letter, he was not as panicked as Fuward had imagined. Their Kushan had already fought the Han Dynasty three times, with both victories and defeats; nothing particularly frightening about it. Besides, Vasu Deva I himself had long harbored a plan of "ally with the distant, attack the near."

Though people like Leiblalei and the others were of relatively low rank, each of them had their own power backing them, and their suggestions were worth considering. Kushan and Rome did not share a border, nor did they have too many conflicts of interest.

By contrast, there were some historical grudges between Parthia and Kushan, so relatively speaking Vasu Deva I had no particular objection to forming an alliance with Rome. As for this matter of the Han Dynasty vigorously aiding Parthia, in Vasu Deva I's view, it just so happened to provide Rome with a justification.

Moreover, after Vasu Deva I let go of his restraints, he too had realized this problem: given their current marching speed, they clearly could rule a much larger territory; since that was the case, why should they crouch here doing nothing?

Right now, the region where their Kushan Empire was huddled had already reached the Indian Ocean to the south; to the west, beyond them was either the sea or Parthia, while to the east and north, those basically all belonged to the Han Dynasty's jurisdiction.

At this moment, their Kushan Empire was like it had been trapped in a cage; if they did not smash this thing, there was simply no way to break out. Since that was so, there was nothing more to discuss!

[Heh, this is actually good news. The Han Army is going to assist Parthia? Rome will probably suffer a heavy loss. Over this past hundred-plus years, the wars between Parthia and Rome might well see their first reversal. But if Rome doesn't take a loss, how can they possibly understand our power?] Vasu Deva I thought with a cold sneer.

Rome and the Han Dynasty were almost like two great mountains standing upon this continent; though Kushan was strong, given the current situation, there was still a considerable gap between them and those two powers.

In Vasu Deva I's view, only by letting Rome experience the power of the Han Dynasty could Rome truly understand what "strength" meant, and likewise only this kind of deep pain could make Rome lay down its inner arrogance and join hands with them.

Of course, Severus would say that Vasu Deva I was simply overthinking things. They in Rome did not need to ally with anyone at all; just like the Han Dynasty, they only needed little brothers, not allies—and Vasu Deva I had absolutely no idea how terrifying Severus could be once he went berserk.

Naturally, the people on the Han Dynasty's side currently advancing westward had no idea either what kind of monster they would be facing later, as everyone had been invincible for a bit too long.

Yet although Vasu Deva I harbored such thoughts, he still ordered the organization of a Diplomatic Mission, which would travel by sea across the Indian Ocean, enter the Arabian Gulf, then move into North African Thebes, proceed on foot to the Mediterranean Sea, and from there sail to Rome.

In short, Vasu Deva I had great confidence in the Han Dynasty. If Rome ignored the Han Army among its opponents, then in Vasu Deva I's view, it would definitely suffer a major loss—and at that time, for Vasu Deva I, that would absolutely be an excellent opportunity.