Chapter 2: This Cannot Be Real

Then, Wei Wujie stepped outside the command tent.

Only after adjusting to the blinding sunlight did he finally open his eyes, witnessing for the first time the world into which he had arrived.

Naturally, it was nothing like he had imagined—no cameras, no film crew, not even anyone handing out boxed meals…

Squads of soldiers armed with weapons patrolled back and forth outside the tent. Around them clustered numerous smaller tents, from which came occasional groans of pain, and thin wisps of cooking smoke spiraled into the air.

Wounded men wore pained grimaces, the air was thick with the stench of blood, and the officers strained to mask their fear…

It was at this moment that Wei Wujie truly understood—this was no film set in some studio town, he had, by all that was unholy, actually traversed worlds!

He barely had time to consider whether this crossing was a blessing or a curse before he realized there were more pressing matters at hand.

What exactly was the situation now? Was this a real war, or some elaborate military exercise…?

Recalling the faint metallic scent of blood he’d detected earlier, Wei Wujie guessed the chances of a real battle were much higher.

This wouldn’t do—he needed to find someone to clarify things, quickly!

He had just turned around when he saw that the seven men from within the tent had already lined up behind him.

He set aside his fears and addressed the bearded man without preamble, “What’s going on here?”

“What would the young lord care to know?” the bearded man asked, bewildered.

“What do you think? The current situation! My head is killing me, I can’t remember a damn thing!” Wei Wujie snapped, annoyed.

“At once, young lord,” the bearded man nodded, his flustered demeanor taking the edge off his earlier ferocity.

“Yesterday we encountered the Chen army. Staff Officer Cheng advised that the enemy was too strong and that we must avoid direct confrontation, so we retreated from Dashiyi.”

He paused, then continued, “At dusk, the enemy attacked. Caught off guard, our forces were routed to this position.”

Glancing at Wei Wujie, the bearded man hesitated before adding, “And, young lord, you… were thrown from your horse and injured during the retreat. That’s why we decided to make camp here and await your recovery.”

Wei Wujie barely listened to the rest. He understood now—his body’s former owner was nothing but a coward! The battle hadn’t even begun, and he’d already led his men in flight.

Now, Wei Wujie was left to clean up this mess. Facing the current crisis, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive; he wasn’t sure if he could wipe the slate clean.

Remembering how the original had fled without a fight, he ground his teeth in frustration. Even as an outsider, he knew it was better to defend a city than to run without resistance.

Fleeing without a fight—regardless of survival, the military tribunal would be merciless. Thinking of this, he cursed Staff Officer Cheng, the source of this terrible plan, under his breath.

“Who is Staff Officer Cheng?” Wei Wujie demanded, his anger overriding any concern about offending others in this unfamiliar place. War was no child’s game—he needed to deal with whoever had made such a reckless suggestion.

The men around him fell silent, until finally the bearded man stepped forward, “Young lord, after last night’s battle, Staff Officer Cheng disappeared. He may have been killed in action.”

Damn it! Wei Wujie cursed inwardly. That cowardly bastard had clearly run off.

Since he couldn’t deal with the culprit, he had to focus on the present—his first priority was survival.

“How many troops do we have?” he asked.

“We originally had a division—three thousand men. After last night, about two thousand five hundred remain,” the bearded man replied.

“How many enemies were there in last night’s battle?”

“About… five hundred cavalry,” the bearded man said, scratching his head awkwardly.

Wei Wujie swore inwardly again. Three thousand men against five hundred, and yet they’d been routed? Utter incompetents!

Wait—a cavalry force. No wonder his side had been beaten so badly.

Being chased by cavalry during a retreat—he should thank the heavens the army wasn’t completely scattered. If the enemy had brought more than five hundred, few would have escaped.

Cavalry! He realized it with a jolt. The enemy had cavalry, and here they were, pitching camp instead of fleeing for their lives. He nearly leapt up in agitation.

Just as Wei Wujie was about to urge everyone to run, a lone rider appeared in the distance, galloping toward the command tent and shouting, “Report! A large enemy force has been spotted twenty li to the rear!”

Trouble never comes alone, Wei Wujie thought grimly.

The messenger dismounted unsteadily and dropped to one knee before Wei Wujie, gasping, “Young lord, a large enemy force has been sighted behind our camp.”

While the bearded man and the other generals prepared to question him further, Wei Wujie interrupted, “Get up. Quickly—how many are there? How many cavalry?”

“All cavalry, young lord. Around ten thousand.”

The faces of the officers turned ashen. Ten thousand cavalry—there was no way their twenty-five hundred infantry could withstand such a force.

They all looked to Wei Wujie, their eyes pleading: Young lord, we must flee!

He couldn’t blame them for their fear—the enemy was simply too powerful. Frankly, he was thinking the same thing.

“What are you waiting for? Gather your things and retreat!” Wei Wujie shouted, exasperated.

By now, his attitude toward these men had shifted from anger to speechlessness.

Were they fools? Facing cavalry, they’d abandoned the city’s defenses, exposing themselves on open ground. With the enemy on their heels, instead of making a desperate escape, they’d calmly pitched camp to rest.

Could these men really lead troops? Even if they didn’t care for the country, they ought to care for their own lives and those of their thousands of soldiers.

He cursed, in his heart, whoever had put such men in command. Appointing these people as generals was madness. With subordinates like these, no wonder he’d ended up in this predicament.

Shaking his head vigorously, Wei Wujie forced himself to set aside his anger—now was not the time. Survival came first.

He quickly issued orders to the remaining officers: “Inform the entire army—keep only weapons and armor; abandon everything else. Retreat immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And leave some scouts behind. Kill any enemy scouts you find. Delay their discovery of us as long as possible.”

“Yes, sir,” the officers answered, saluting and awaiting further orders.

“What are you still standing here for? Go—pass on the orders!” Wei Wujie roared, infuriated by their sluggishness.

Seeing the young lord about to erupt again, the officers hastened to carry out his commands.

As the bearded man prepared to leave as well, Wei Wujie stopped him. “You—stay.”

The bearded man halted, bending low. “What are your orders, young lord?”

Wei Wujie no longer cared about the man’s fierce appearance. In dire straits, it was better to have a strongman by his side for protection, and the bearded man was clearly suited for the role.

Of course, he couldn’t say that aloud—it would be too embarrassing.

“Go fetch my horse. I can’t find it.”

“At once, young lord.”

The bearded man left to become Wei Wujie’s groom.

About ten minutes later, with Wei Wujie astride his horse, the troops had assembled. Aside from a handful of cavalry, they were all infantry.

To hell with fighting—he had to get out of here! Wei Wujie could barely contain another outburst.

He drew his sword, pointed it skyward, and shouted, “Brothers… retreat!”

With that, and surrounded by his personal guards, Wei Wujie led the charge. Thus began the first day of his journey as a fugitive in this new world.