Chapter 12

Chapter 646: Gakyu's Adaptation to Circumstances (因利制權) (1)

--------------

Hae Dongbing began his advance. However, even at this point, Yang Chujun did not take it seriously.

"Yang Xiao, you need to visit the enemy camp once more."

Yang Chujun intended to send Yang Xiao back to the camp of Lü Bu. Initially, he had been worried about Yang Xiao returning alive, but this time, he had no such concerns.

"After all, there are no other choices for either Lü Bu or us."

As Yang Xiao said, Yang Chujun now had no other options.

He had tried to maintain a connection with Huang Bosong, but Lü Bu's army moved on its own, rendering his efforts futile. The evidence was that he was feeding the old soldiers and, on the other hand, leading his army to demonstrate military might.

Yang Chujun interpreted this as Lü Bu pressuring him to bow down quickly.

- If I bow down, he will treat the old soldiers, who are useless, well, allowing them to eat and drink to their heart's content. However, if I do not come to bow down quickly, I will face his wrath!

This was what Yang Chujun thought Lü Bu's intentions were. However, Gakyu was not just demonstrating military might.

"Attack!"

Archers emerged from between the shield soldiers and launched their arrows.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"Ahhh!"

Arrows rained down, and Yang Chujun's soldiers fell in droves. The sudden attack startled Yang Chujun.

But he soon regained his composure. The number of archers in Gakyu's army was not significant, and their skills were sloppy, which is why the damage was not as severe as expected.

"General! Order a counterattack! Lü Bu's army is attacking us!"

"No. It seems Lü Bu has changed his mind. He wants to capture Huang Bosong before I bow down. Let's play along. We will retreat to Zhongtian and regroup!"

"What about the old soldiers?"

Yang Xiao asked about the old soldiers, but Yang Chujun waved his hand dismissively.

"Leave them. They are useless. We weren't going to fight with them anyway, were we?"

"That's true, but there's a difference between ten thousand and thirty thousand."

"They won't come even if we call them. They are just waiting to eat and die, so leave them be."

* * *

"Ha! Yang Chujun, that guy has finally lost his mind. What does he think he's doing by leading the enemy into our territory?"

Huang Bosong found the current situation absurd. He had believed that Yang Chujun would discuss the surrender with Lü Bu and buy time, but Yang Chujun had been driven back after only four days of marching.

"Lord, what should we do?"

The military advisor, Siyuan, asked Huang Bosong for a response.

Although the response was already decided, Huang Bosong's approval was necessary. The plan was to use the Zhongtian garrison to block Lü Bu, which would likely result in a war of attrition.

"Have all the supplies and provisions been moved?"

"The provisions have been moved, but the military rations have not yet been. Your concubines..."

Huang Bosong, upon hearing this, spread his palm again.

"I understand. Have the beauties crossed the river?"

"They are currently moving the beauties along with their belongings."

Siyuan was secretly annoyed by the situation.

As a military advisor, he should have insisted on moving the military rations first. Next, the soldiers should have been moved, and only after that, if there was any spare capacity, should the beauties have been moved.

The women would be of no help in a war.

However, Huang Bosong was doing things in a completely different order.

"There's no choice. We must abandon Zhongtian and cross the Wei River."

"What about the remaining troops?"

"We will take as many as we can manage."

Siyuan was not pleased with Huang Bosong's answer. However, it was not entirely unreasonable. The reason Huang Bosong had not actively attacked Lü Bu despite having a large force in Zhongtian was significant.

His main forces, Jishi Si and Jiang Yidan, had long crossed the Wei River. Before them, the armies of Hansui and Madeng had also headed for Dongguan.

The soldiers remaining in Zhongtian had chosen to join Huang Bosong rather than oppose him. Some were bandits like the group led by Zhao Qinglong, and others were warriors from Guanzhong who had risen during the chaos.

However, to Huang Bosong, they were all ragtag soldiers.

If left alone, they would cause trouble, so he had gathered them and planned to use them to cross the Hangu Pass or the Han Pass if necessary.

If Huang Bosong were to gain control of the world, these would be the first to be discarded. Their combat effectiveness was not significant, and losing them would not be a loss to Huang Bosong.

Huang Bosong gestured to Siyuan with his chin. Although he only made a gesture, Siyuan understood his intentions and gathered the generals to issue orders.

"Yang Chujun has betrayed us and is colluding with Lü Bu to attack Zhongtian! You must show no mercy and annihilate Yang Chujun's army! Lord will be watching you."

As Siyuan's orders were given, the Guanxi army launched a fierce attack on Yang Chujun's forces.

The authenticity of the betrayal was not important. They did not know that Huang Bosong was abandoning them. They simply moved as they were told.

"Now what can I do! 'Xiao,' you must clear the way for Lü Bu's army. I will attack the Guanxi army. If I fight at the forefront, Lü Bu cannot treat me poorly."

"Yes, General!"

As the Guanxi army attacked, Yang Chujun's forces also turned to fight.

* * *

"Should we deploy now?"

"Not yet, General. Please wait a little longer."

Lü Bu continued to ask about the timing of the deployment. However, Guo Jia only repeated that they should wait.

When Yang Chujun's forces split to the left and right, creating a path, Guo Jia said,

"General, now is the time. Lead the Dangyegi directly to the ferry."

Lü Bu's lips curled into a smile.

"Then a concentrated breakthrough is just right."

Lü Bu raised his halberd high into the sky, and the Dangyegi's eyes turned to him.

"Follow me!"

Lü Bu spurred his red horse, Chitu, forward, and the cavalry followed in unison.

Gakyu, upon learning that Lü Bu had deployed, quickly adjusted his formation.

"Advance formation!"

Following his order, the shield soldiers and archers on both flanks closed in, forming a protective perimeter around the main force.

Lü Bu and the Dangyegi bypassed them and charged through the divided ranks of Yang Chujun's army. However, the situation did not allow for the full power of a concentrated breakthrough due to the remaining barricades.

Lü Bu called out to his generals.

"Da Shu, Hong Wu! Clear those obstacles!"

Upon Lü Bu's command, Da Shu and Hong Wu, along with several Dangyegi, rushed forward with grappling hooks to knock down the barricades.

A concentrated breakthrough required a straight charge to maximize the speed of the cavalry. Therefore, Lü Bu had Da Shu and Hong Wu clear the way first.

"General Zhang Junyi! I entrust the vanguard to you!"

"General, are you really giving me the vanguard position? What will you do, General?"

Zhang He could not believe that Lü Bu was entrusting him with the vanguard. After all, Lü Bu was leading the charge himself, and he had not divided the cavalry.

It was natural for Zhang He to find it hard to believe.

"Me? I'm going ahead! I'll meet you at the ferry! Hya!"

Lü Bu spurred Chitu forward, and the horse easily leaped over the barricades, charging into the enemy ranks.

"Roar!"

With a battle cry, Lü Bu's halberd cut through several enemy soldiers in one stroke, sending them sprawling in blood.

An arrow shot by an enemy archer from the fort flew toward Lü Bu's neck. It narrowly missed, embedding itself in his shoulder, but did not penetrate his armor.

Lü Bu did not need to retaliate.

The Dangyegi led by Da Shu and Hong Wu threw grappling hooks onto the fort and pulled, causing the sturdy fort to tilt.

"Ah!"

Two archers on the fort stumbled and jumped off before it collapsed. Of course, they were met by the sharp blades of the Dangyegi, led by Zhang He, who had executed the concentrated breakthrough.

"Phew!"

One of the archers was lifted into the air, spraying blood, before falling to the ground. The other collapsed, clutching a short spear that had pierced his chest.

It was natural for Lü Bu to be the focus of concentrated attacks.

Even though the remaining Guanxi army in Zhongtian was not elite, they were still formidable. They did not form a proper formation but charged at Lü Bu with considerable bravery.

The more they attacked, the better it was for Lü Bu.

'Fighting fleeing enemies is not as satisfying as fighting these guys.'

Lü Bu deflected or dodged the rain of arrows and cut down enemy soldiers with enthusiasm.

Chitu galloped swiftly, and the path it left behind was littered with the bodies of enemy soldiers struck by the halberd.

"Advisor, shouldn't I be deployed now?"

Wei Yue, eager to join the battle, urged Guo Jia. Guo Jia nodded.

"You should be deployed."

"Since you were going to deploy me anyway, why not earlier? I'll just be chasing after the Dangyegi, and the battle will be over by the time I catch up."

"General Lü will head to the ferry, so you must lead the Xiahua soldiers and excel in this battlefield."

Guo Jia pointed to Yang Chujun's forces, which had been reduced from thousands to hundreds after the internal conflict.

"The fewer variables on the battlefield, the better. Now, they have no more value and will only get in the way. Eliminate them."

"Can't we just sweep them all away, regardless of who they are?"

"You must not attack Gakyu's forces."

Guo Jia chuckled, and Wei Yue laughed it off. Then, he shouted to the Xiahua soldiers who were waiting to deploy.

"Show the Guanxi peasants the valor of the Xiahua warriors! Let's go!"