"Hahaha... I was afraid Maodun wouldn't dare fight me. To be honest, I've already reached the threshold of the Overlord's Protection. I'm not bragging, but I can now beat ten of my former self!" Zhongli Mei said with a smug look on his face.
"Congratulations, General Zhong! If you master the Overbearing Aura to protect yourself, you'll be invulnerable to swords and spears. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a divine skill," Zhang Liang said, cupping his hands in greeting, his envy evident in his words.
"Hehe, General Ji's cultivation progress can't be slower than mine, right?" Zhongli Mei laughed.
“The enemy is starting to form ranks. General Zhong, are you really going to launch a surprise attack? The enemy may be stronger than we think. We must not underestimate them.” Zhang Liang vaguely felt that something was wrong, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
"Or, let me go instead, you stay behind to cover for us." Ji Bu was also a little worried.
"Sigh~ Isn't this all something we agreed on? How can we change generals at the last minute? Besides, our army is well-rested and waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out, while the enemy is exhausted from marching and has not yet settled down. If we don't attack now, when will we? Let me go and scout out the enemy's strength first. If there is an opportunity, we will take them down in one battle. The intelligence said that several cities were lost in night raids. It seems that the enemy is more skilled in night fighting. If we drag it out until night, things may change."
Zhongli Mei also put away his playful expression. Originally, the grassland people should not be good at attacking cities, but Maodun's army was the complete opposite. They broke through every city they encountered, and after the city was besieged, not a single person could escape alive.
“Not bad.” Although Ji Bu did not believe that the Xiongnu army was stronger than the Chu army, there was no room for carelessness on the battlefield. It was necessary to investigate the enemy’s strength first. Even if Zhongli Mei did not go, he had to go.
"In that case, General Zhong, please be extra careful. If you sense anything amiss, retreat immediately. Do not venture too deep. Please take good care of yourself."
Zhang Liang knew that what Zhongli Mei said was true. The Xiongnu traveled and rested during the day and attacked cities and camps at night, which was quite strange, as if they were covering something up.
But no matter what the enemy was trying to hide, their strength was definitely not weak. It might be understandable that the first few cities were caught off guard and attacked at night, but the later cities were heavily guarded at night, yet they still fell in one night.
This is enough to show that there must be a very strong elite force in the enemy army, especially skilled in night fighting. If they can fight well at night, why can't they fight well during the day?
Perhaps the enemy's elite troops have been lying in wait by day and moving at night, waiting for a major battle like today that could determine the course of the war.
"Haha, General Ji and strategist, rest assured, I am confident that I can break through the enemy lines. The only ones in the world who can harm me are all in the Great Chu Empire!" Zhongli Mei said with great confidence.
“There are always stronger opponents, and underestimating the enemy is a cardinal sin in warfare. I will do my best to provide support. You go and charge in, and regardless of victory or defeat, retreat immediately,” Ji Bu said solemnly.
"Your subordinate obeys!" Zhongli Mei said, spurring his horse forward. "Soldiers of the Great Chu Empire, follow me and fight to avenge our fallen comrades!"
"Charge!"
"Kill them!"
Ten thousand horses galloped, and the battle cries shook the heavens!
Rumble rumble rumble...
Just then, the Xiongnu cavalry also moved!
Both armies fielded 10,000 cavalry as their vanguard, but in terms of both equipment and physical strength, the Chu cavalry had a clear advantage.
"Launch with full force, release!" Zhongli Mei commanded.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
Puff puff puff...
Ahhh...
hoo~~~
People and horses were thrown into disarray, and chaos reigned.
By now, saddles and stirrups were common in the Great Chu Empire, so almost all of the Great Chu cavalry were capable of mounted archery. After this volley of arrows, the Xiongnu cavalry in the distance suffered heavy casualties.
Although the Xiongnu cavalry were also skilled in mounted archery, the opposing general did not issue the same order, intending to get closer before shooting, and they did not expect the Chu cavalry's mounted archery to be so sharp.
The key issue was that the Xiongnu cavalry had very poor defenses; their soldiers had almost no bronze or iron armor, and their leather armor was hardly able to protect them from such projectiles.
"Kill!" Zhongli Mei wielded his halberd and charged into the enemy ranks. With the support of his domineering energy, every move was fast and powerful. He held his own against several people attacking him, and in no time he had killed nearly a hundred people.
The remaining Chu soldiers completely overwhelmed the Xiongnu cavalry in every aspect, and the battle had turned into a one-sided massacre, with the cries of the Xiongnu people echoing endlessly.
Before the Xiongnu army, Modu, riding a blood-red horse as strong as a brown bear, slowly nodded. "This man is so brave, could he be Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King?"
Liu Fei, standing nearby, shaded his eyes with his hand and said, "Judging from his fierceness and skill, it should be him, but his appearance and warhorse seem a bit off."
Maodun smiled dismissively. "It doesn't matter. A general of this strength must be either Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, or one of the Five Tiger Generals of the Chu army. Who will capture and kill this man for me?"
"Great Chanyu! Your subordinate is willing to go!" A tall, thin Xiongnu general wearing a black cloak said, clasping his hands in greeting.
"Hiss..." Liu Fei gasped when he saw it was this person, then flattered, "With one of the Ten Great Ghost Generals, General Bone, on the field, even if that person is really Xiang Yu, he is doomed!"
Maodun laughed heartily, "Go! My warrior! Tear out his heart!"
"Yes, sir!" Gu A slowly raised his head, revealing his thin, pale face beneath the cloak.
Liu Fei became increasingly excited. His great revenge was finally about to be achieved! Moreover, after the Xiongnu occupied the Central Plains, they would definitely need a representative. Who could be more suitable than him?
At this moment, on the battlefield, the Xiongnu's 10,000 vanguard cavalrymen were either killed or fled, and had already been defeated.
Just as Zhongli Mei was about to lead his troops back, he suddenly saw another force of about a thousand cavalry rush out from the Xiongnu army. Strangely, these people were all wearing black cloaks.
"Prepare the bows and arrows, shoot down this Xiongnu army before returning." Zhongli Mei had a feeling that this army was likely the Xiongnu's elite force, but even ten thousand cavalry were no match for them, so what could a thousand cavalry do?
However, his purpose in coming here was to test the true strength of the Xiongnu. Having encountered an elite enemy force that outnumbered them tenfold, there was no reason for him to retreat immediately.
"Release!" Zhongli Mei decisively ordered as he saw the strange army rush into the range of the arrows.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
Puff puff puff...
After the rain of arrows, ranging from one or two to more than a dozen, almost none of the thousand Xiongnu cavalrymen survived.
The Chu soldiers laughed and scoffed, "What are the Xiongnu sending this army for? Do they think we haven't earned enough merit and want to send us some more?"
Zhongli Mei was also completely bewildered. Was it really over just like that?
"No! The entire army must retreat under cover! Immediately!" Zhongli Mei's hair stood on end, for he saw that none of the Xiongnu cavalrymen who had been hit by arrows had fallen from their horses!
Even the cloaked figure, whose body was riddled with arrows, continued to charge forward!
"Trying to run? Too late! Hahaha..." Bone grinned wildly, revealing four rather conspicuous sharp fangs!
Chapter 314 Death Battle
Yanmen City, North Gate, on the city tower.
Han Xin gazed into the distance and thought, "I seem to hear the sounds of battle."
"Is the King of Qi resentful that he was assigned to guard Yanmen City?" Li Zuoche asked in a low voice.
"This world is no longer the same. The Great Chu Empire is stronger than ever before, and the Xiongnu have risen from the grasslands. The struggle between these two powers is magnificent, but I can only be a reserve." Han Xin clenched his fist.
"Does the King of Qi still worry that he has no opportunity to use his talents? His Majesty has already preserved your title as King of Qi. What difference would it make if you made further contributions?" Li Zuoche said with a smile.
"What is the throne of Qi? Don't you want to make contributions and exchange them for divine merit and treasures?" Han Xin asked, tilting his head.
“Of course I would like to, but as someone in charge of logistics, it’s probably not easy for me to make a name for myself. Your Highness, on the other hand, guards the strategic Yanmen Pass, so perhaps you’ll have a chance to make a name for yourself.” Li Zuoche stroked his beard.
"Do you really think that a lineup of Ji Bu, Zhongli Mei, and Zhang Liang could be defeated by Maodun?" Han Xin asked, not even believing it himself.
Ji Bu and Zhongli Mei are now both incredibly powerful, possessing the strength to fight ten thousand men, comparable to the might of Xiang Yu, the former overlord. However, this is only in comparison to the former overlord Xiang Yu; the current overlord is probably already a god.
Li Zuoche shook his head at this thought, "We might not be defeated during the day, but at night, that's another story. It's not hard to tell from the battle reports from Jiuyuan and Yunzhong that the Xiongnu army's ability to fight at night is terrifying."
Zhang Liang likely planned to launch a daytime attack on the Xiongnu army, but even if he won, he would inevitably face a nighttime counterattack. Therefore, nightfall would be the crucial period of this battle. Besides, who says the Xiongnu can only be effective at night?
"Is it terrifying? The Xiongnu previously attacked only the troops of vassal states, and the elite forces of the Great Chu Empire can also take a city in one night. If His Majesty were to personally take action, taking ten cities in a day would be no problem." Han Xin realized the problem at this point.
"That's the problem. If the army of the Great Chu Empire had such combat power, I wouldn't be surprised, but what makes the Xiongnu so capable? If it were that they were skilled in horsemanship, that might be understandable, but attacking cities? Heh." Li Zuoche sneered.
Han Xin frowned. "The unreasonable has already happened. Who can guarantee that something even more unbelievable won't happen? Send the order: fortify the defenses of Yanmen City and prepare for full-scale war!"
Li Zuoche's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Does Your Highness believe they will be defeated even during the day?"
"You've told me all this, isn't it just so you want me to think this way?" Han Xin continued, not getting a reply. "Immediately send scouts to set up beacon fires from the top of Baideng Mountain. One beacon fire indicates the arrival of the Chu army's vanguard, the second indicates the passing of the Chu army's rear, and the third indicates the arrival of the Xiongnu pursuers at Baideng Mountain. I'll leave the matter of welcoming the main army into the city to you, sir. I hope we're just overthinking it."
"Yes," Li Zuoche replied with a cupped hand. "If the main force is defeated during the day, it will be uncertain whether we can hold out tonight. Your Highness, please make plans as soon as possible. Farewell."
Han Xin was slightly taken aback, then laughed and said, "Then prepare to fight to the death, and swear to live and die with this city!"
"Then I am relieved." Li Zuoche bowed and quickly walked down from the city wall.
North of Yanmen Pass, on the battlefield.
"Kill!" Zhongli Mei was anxious as he watched one Chu soldier after another die on the battlefield. He had already cut down several cloaked Xiongnu soldiers, but they were all wounded but not killed, and some were even ready to mount their horses and fight again immediately.
"Damn it! What kind of monster is this? It's practically immortal!" Zhongli Mei voiced the sentiments of most of the Chu soldiers.
"General, run! Ah!" A junior officer of the Chu army pierced through the cloaked Xiongnu man with a spear, but was pierced through the body in return.
However, this junior officer of the Chu army was also determined to fight to the death, so as to create an opportunity for others, but his life was slipping away rapidly and he was about to die.
Enraged, Zhongli Mei spurred his horse forward and swung his halberd, aiming for the cloaked man's neck!
puff!
A fanged human head flew up, and the corpse twitched twice before finally dying.
"So that's how it is! Cutting off their heads will kill them!" Zhongli Mei saw hope, but how difficult it was to cut off their heads!
"It seems you are not Xiang Yu, but you are still qualified to be defeated by me!" Gu A charged towards Zhongli Mei with two short spears in hand.
"How arrogant!" Zhongli Mei spurred his horse forward and brought his halberd down!
Clang!
Gu A parried with his twin spears, saying, "You do have some strength, but that's about it!"
"What kind of monster are you!" Zhongli Mei shouted, pressing down with all his might. He had the advantage of the length of his weapon, but at close range, the agility of his two short spears was the advantage.
"Monster? Hahaha... You're right!" Gu A used his arms to push the halberd aside, then surprisingly abandoned his warhorse and lunged at Zhongli Mei, baring his sharp teeth.
Clang!
Zhongli Mei swung his halberd back, but his opponent used the force of the halberd to land instantly, then leaped and changed direction repeatedly, circling behind him at great speed. Zhongli Mei, on horseback, had no time to turn around.
When the Chu soldiers saw Zhongli Mei fall from his horse, they rushed to his aid, but the Xiongnu cloaked monster cavalry also surged towards them.
As the battle progressed, the Chu army was barely holding on with constant casualties. Even after discovering that beheading could kill these monsters, it seemed that only one or even two people sacrificing their lives could earn them the chance to be beheaded.
However, in local battles, when the numbers of both sides were roughly equal, the Chu army was simply unable to withstand the onslaught of the Xiongnu cloaked monsters.
"Die!" Gu A thrust his spear straight at Zhongli Mei's back.
Clang! Clang!
Zhongli Mei fell off his horse, discarded his halberd and drew his sword. He parried two attacks in succession, then grabbed one of the short spears with his left hand and slashed at Gu A's neck with his sword!
Bone chuckled, "Don't you know I have two spears?"