Chapter 1236: Reverse Perspective on the Problem

He, however, paid it no mind, and He Lingchuan likewise dismissed it; they had both witnessed far more gruesome injuries.

With Ghost King Xuanlu vanished and Vishas' strongest elites crippled, the Situ family's morale was soaring after successively capturing Baitown and Ju City. If they failed to capitalize on this momentum, the Vishas would recover, and the pace of the war would no longer be dictated by them.

"Besides, my family has no retreat; we must fight bravely," he said. With Gaopu destroyed, Vishas would not spare the Situ territory; if the Situ family didn't fight now, Vishas would eventually attack them.

Though he spoke of having no retreat, his face was alight with ambition. Playing chess with him, He Lingchuan noticed his unusually sharp and aggressive attacks that day, a stark departure from his usual style.

Clearly, Situ He's own emotions were running high, reflected in his aggressive play.

He Lingchuan reminded him, "For a wounded man, your mind and body are too agitated; it's not conducive to healing."

"Success or failure hinges on this one move. If we win, what's a minor injury?" Situ He declared, slamming down another piece. "And if we lose, what's a minor injury then?"

If they lost, his entire family would likely be executed; what would a mere injury matter then?

This declaration radiated bold defiance. He Lingchuan nodded, "Truly, Brother Situ, you live up to your name."

To accomplish something monumental, one must first set aside all thoughts of life and death.

In this regard, Situ He, a young man in his twenties, proved far stronger than the more than three-hundred-year-old Ghost King Xuanlu.

"No one outside gives my family a chance to win this war. What's your opinion, Brother He?"

Over the past few days of dealing with He Lingchuan, Situ He had grown to see him as increasingly unfathomable.

Was this truly the same person he once shared drinks with in Lingxu City?

Back then, he had only seen He Xiao as a person of great ambition and integrity. Now, having been ground down by the trials of war and returned from the brink of death, he recognized He Xiao's deep cunning and formidable will, capable of achieving anything he set his mind to.

As a commoner and a foreigner serving as Chiyan's special envoy, he had managed to unseat Cen Boqing, the Grand Minister of Agriculture's son-in-law, and indirectly orchestrated the downfall of the Qingyang State Preceptor.

In that light, sneaking into the heavily guarded Ju City to rescue him didn't seem like a difficult feat for He Xiao either.

Had he been naive or blind before? He hadn't noticed a single hint!

"If the Vishas army's standard remains as it was during the siege of Rolling Stone Valley, then they hold no overwhelming advantage over you, neither in numbers nor combat strength," He Lingchuan stated. Unsure of the Situ family's allies' precise capabilities, he offered a general analysis. "Victory or defeat in battle hinges on three factors: opportune timing, favorable terrain, and human unity. You possess the opportune timing, the Vishas hold the favorable terrain, and the most crucial remaining factor is 'human unity'."

"With the Yao Kingdom backing Vishas, it might be difficult for you to contend with them alone." At these words, Situ He's expression darkened.

It was a grim reality, impossible to ignore.

"Therefore, you still need to win over the other forces," He Lingchuan continued. "They are merely observing from the sidelines for now."

Situ He gritted his teeth. "They're all fence-sitters!"

They had agreed to send a combined force, but when the time came for real action, those spineless cowards retreated.

The mere thought made his teeth ache.

He Lingchuan understood his frustration. Sometimes, it wasn't that the enemy was too strong, but that the allies were too weak.

"It's human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm."

In the Blazing Gold Plains, one needed sharp foresight to establish oneself.

This applied to individuals as much as to small nations.

"To win, you must calculate human hearts," He Lingchuan stated, a truth he had long understood. "Your consecutive victories, capturing Baitown and Ju City, were incredibly uplifting, which is why other forces initially agreed to form an alliance. This shows they were tempted."

Situ He nodded. "They don't get along with the Vishas. They've either suffered losses or fought wars against them. When I spoke with their leaders or rulers, I could sense their palpable disgust for Vishas, practically overflowing."

Without that fundamental common ground, why would he have bothered to lobby them?

He Lingchuan placed another piece. "It doesn't matter that they were forced to withdraw later. As long as they were tempted, the idea of warfare will always linger. At this point, if you offer them one more thing, they will most likely join the war."

Situ He's eyes lit up. "Please enlighten me, Brother He."

"Hope — the hope of winning," He Lingchuan said softly. "The Situ family must prove its strength to them."

People are naturally inclined to follow the strong, as strength offers a greater likelihood of victory.

The Situ family must demonstrate to all factions that they have become a pivotal force capable of resisting Vishas or the Yao Kingdom.

"We must prove we can at least contend with the Vishas," Situ He declared firmly. "We need another decisive, overwhelming victory!"

"The Yao Kingdom's attempt to prevent the seven-path allied army from attacking Vishas indicates its deep apprehension towards the combined strength you represent," He Lingchuan observed. "Conversely, if the allied army can be fully formed, the Yao Kingdom won't easily stop you." Having studied the sand table, He Lingchuan knew the positions of these seven forces. If they could unite, they could certainly put Vishas in dire straits, even if confronting the Yao Kingdom directly proved challenging.

Otherwise, Vishas wouldn't have been so desperate to capture Situ He earlier; their goal was precisely to disrupt the Situ family's lobbying efforts.

Situ He nodded. "When I went to persuade the various nations, I found that even if they didn't explicitly commit to joining, they were very interested in who would command the allied army."

A snake cannot move without a head; the seven armies would require a supreme commander.

With so many people involved, someone would need to be in charge.

Such ad hoc alliances are most vulnerable to disunity and a lack of full commitment.

And such issues were inevitable, alas.

Over a century ago, during a multi-nation siege of the Yao Kingdom, the allied forces had finally gained an advantage, only for the Ying and Luodian nations to abruptly switch sides, leading to the alliance's ultimate defeat.

Situ He made no attempt to conceal his disdain. "I can practically hear their mental abacuses clicking."

"The Blazing Gold Plains have been embroiled in internal strife for years, and morale is fractured. To achieve anything significant here, the Situ family must exert extraordinary effort," He Lingchuan stated, placing another piece. "In fact, their initial reluctance to join presents an advantage for the Situ family."

"Please explain," Situ He prompted. No one would refuse to hear about an "advantage."

"As long as the Situ family and your two initial allies secure a few more victories, you will solidify your leadership position within the allied forces," He Lingchuan explained. "By then, when the other factions finally join, they will have no choice but to accept the Situ family as the alliance leader, leaving little room for dispute."

Those who joined midway would naturally have less say.

"At that point, there will be less discord and internal friction within the allied army, and the Situ family's position will be firmly established," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Rest assured, the two allies who joined forces with you from the very beginning will support you even more steadfastly. Even if other factions harbor their own agendas, they won't be able to gain significant influence."

This is because supporting the Situ family would, in turn, consolidate their own standing within the alliance.