Chapter 2

Chapter 636: Dangyugi's New Formation, Hu Jian (2)

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‘Is it a straight formation? Or a snake formation?’

Guo Jia pondered whether his guess was right or wrong. It was difficult to distinguish the early form of the snake formation from a straight formation.

However, his contemplation did not last long. There was no time to devise another strategy, and it was time for the forces of Lü Bu to launch their attack.

As he slowly rode his horse, reaching a distance of one li, Lü Bu raised his halberd high.

"Charge!"

With Lü Bu's voice, a thunderous roar echoed through the sky.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The hooves of Dangyugi's horses pounded the ground, digging into the earth. However, the Guanxi cavalry did not charge towards Dangyugi. Instead, they spread out to the east, expanding their formation.

Seeing this, Guo Jia inwardly rejoiced.

‘It’s definitely a snake formation! It’s working, it’s working!’

Zhang Heng had used his intellect.

He seemed to have tried to quickly transform the snake formation using the highly mobile cavalry. However, Zhang Heng's strategy did not deviate from Guo Jia's expectations. Lü Bu's forces were already prepared to break through the enemy's formation.

Led by Zhang He, the left flank of Lü Bu's forces rode alongside the Guanxi cavalry, entering a restraining formation.

The Guanxi cavalry spreading out to the east and expanding their formation was a transformation from the snake formation to the long snake formation. If they turned their horses' heads towards Lü Bu's forces, the formation would change to the encircling formation.

However, Zhang He's forces were riding alongside, preventing their formation from changing.

The enemy's central formation was a defensive formation, but it had formed a separate spear formation to prepare for Lü Bu's breakthrough. While a single-point breakthrough was good, if Dangyugi suffered significant losses in this battle, the central breakthrough would be impossible.

Since Lü Bu's forces had already anticipated the enemy's formation, they did not recklessly charge into the spear formation.

Lü Bu's central forces and Wei Yue's right flank charged with great momentum but suddenly made a large detour to the west.

To Zhang Heng, it seemed that Lü Bu's forces had given up on breaking through, intimidated by the might of the spear formation.

"Ha ha ha! You came charging with great momentum, but what a pitiful sight!"

As he mocked Lü Bu, Zhang Heng suddenly frowned.

‘Ah! At this rate, I'll have to hand Lü Bu's head over to Yang Xing!’

The left flank of the Guanxi forces was led by Yang Xing. As Lü Bu avoided the central spear formation and made a detour towards the left flank, Zhang Heng worried that Yang Xing might get Lü Bu's head.

Yang Xing was transforming his formation into an encircling formation according to the strategy. However, Lü Bu's forces had already seen through the Guanxi forces' strategy.

"We will break through and sever the connection between the central and left flanks!"

"Understood, Commander!"

Led by Lü Bu, the central and right flanks formed a single-point breakthrough formation. Lü Bu's target was precisely the point where the Guanxi central and left flanks connected.

Yang Xing's cavalry was already fiercely pursuing Lü Bu's forces from behind. If the breakthrough failed, they could be surrounded and suffer a significant defeat.

* * *

"It's a single-point breakthrough!"

Lü Bu thrust his halberd forward, urging his horse, Chitu, to charge.

Blocking Lü Bu's path were Yang Xing's elite soldiers. The elite soldiers stood in a row, trying to block Lü Bu's single-point breakthrough.

The sight of dozens of elite soldiers standing closely together resembled a wall. However, before Lü Bu's bravery, their formation was nothing more than a sandcastle.

"Ha-!"

A single cry pierced the sound of rain. Lü Bu's halberd sprayed a trail of light, striking the enemies.

"Ugh!"

With screams, the enemy soldiers were thrown in all directions. Even without the invention of the catapult, this scene would have unfolded if rocks were thrown at the defensive formation.

Lü Bu's halberd cut through the enemy soldiers relentlessly, leaving afterimages. Despite targeting the weak point of the formation, Lü Bu severed the long snake formation in an instant.

Following him, Wei Yue and Dangyugi took advantage of the gap to overwhelm the enemy soldiers.

"Keep charging forward!"

Wei Yue urged them not to be distracted by the sight of Dangyugi cutting down enemy soldiers, as lingering here would expose them to the Guanxi cavalry.

In the blink of an eye, Dangyugi had severed the snake formation. Yang Xing was at a crossroads.

‘I promised to repel Lü Bu's forces with the snake formation, but what can I do now?’

Lü Bu's forces had not anticipated that they would break the snake formation in this manner. However, there was no changing what had already happened.

At this point, Yang Xing had to decide whether to abandon the snake formation and pursue Lü Bu's forces with the entire army, or to reverse the direction of the snake formation.

‘If I chase after the enemy, I can definitely catch their rear.’

Yang Xing chose to attack the rear of Lü Bu's forces. Attacking while pursuing was easier, after all.

"Follow Lü Bu's rear! Follow me!"

Yang Xing personally led his troops to pursue Lü Bu. As Yang Xing left his position, the situation became complicated. The formation collapsed, leaving a shapeless mess.

Yang Xing's departure left Zhang Heng in a difficult position. Zhang Heng had sent his cavalry to the east to form a long snake formation, but with Yang Xing gone, only a straight formation remained.

If he tried to attack Zhang He's forces again, Lü Bu and Wei Yue's forces were already charging from the opposite side. He was now surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Like Yang Xing, Zhang Heng's moment of choice had arrived.

‘Yang Xing, you fool!’

Zhang Heng blamed Yang Xing for the collapse of the snake formation.

However, Lü Bu's forces had already seen through the Guanxi forces' strategy. Thus, the responsibility for this failure lay with Zhang Heng.

A gentleman seeks within himself, while a petty person seeks in others.

In the Analects of Confucius, it is said that a gentleman looks for faults within himself, while a petty person looks for faults in others.

Zhang Heng was blaming Yang Xing rather than himself for the failure of his strategy.

* * *

Guo Jia stood on the saddle of his galloping horse, observing the battle. Ying Zhao, who was accompanying Guo Jia to protect him, said:

"Let's retreat. We're too close."

Ying Zhao was worried about Guo Jia's safety. Even in the rain, they were too close to the enemy. Any experienced general would not hesitate to attack a military advisor. In fact, eliminating a military advisor was often a priority.

Yet, Guo Jia had fearlessly ventured deep into the battlefield.

"General Ying, please bear with me. My newly devised cavalry formation will be unveiled soon."

Guo Jia was greatly excited about the first appearance of his newly devised cavalry formation.

It was a formation that could only be used with elite cavalry like Dangyugi and brave generals capable of mocking the world. This formation, which had not even been named yet, was something Guo Jia was confident about.

And his confidence soon became reality.

"Shang Kai, don't fall behind, follow closely!"

Lü Bu entrusted the command of several hundred Dangyugi to Shang Kai and suddenly turned his horse's head to the northeast. Shang Kai followed with several hundred Dangyugi.

Wei Yue continued to ride alongside Zhang Heng's forces to the east without engaging in battle.

Lü Bu's central forces and Wei Yue's right flank had completely separated.

"We will break through in one go!"

"Oo!"

The central forces, led by Lü Bu, charged directly into Zhang Heng's formation from the side.

Whoosh!

Lü Bu's halberd cut through the wind, splitting two horses and riders in the first strike. Lü Bu's figure ruthlessly penetrated the enemy ranks.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

With each terrifying whistling sound of Lü Bu's halberd, the Guanxi cavalry fell like leaves in the wind. Without the restraint of ranged weapons like bows, the Guanxi cavalry were no different from the Yellow Turbans to Lü Bu.

Shang Kai's forces, following closely behind Lü Bu, had an easy path. There were no intact enemies where Lü Bu's halberd reached.

Trampling the Guanxi cavalry, who were thrown up and down like broken kites, was not a difficult task.

The central forces had severed the enemy ranks in a diagonal line, but the gaps were quickly filled by the following enemy forces. However, Lü Bu's breakthrough was just beginning.

"Zhang He, lead the charge! Single-point breakthrough!"

As Lü Bu's central forces appeared, Zhang He's forces immediately launched a breakthrough into Zhang Heng's formation.

Just as the central forces had done, the left flank penetrated Zhang Heng's side. Guo Jia stopped his horse, his gaze shifting to Zhang Heng's main force.

"The defensive formation is in disarray! Sound the horn!"

Following Guo Jia's order, a few of Ying Zhao's subordinates put horns to their mouths.

A long blast, followed by a short one. The horn sounds pierced the rain, spreading out. Lü Bu's central forces, who had already broken through the enemy ranks, heard the horn and made a large detour to the west.

Lü Bu charged towards Zhang Heng's main force, which was stretched out and following the cavalry.

"Shang Kai!"

"Commander!"

"Fifteen-man formation!"

"Brothers! Fifteen-man formation, fifteen-man formation!"

Before the battle, Guo Jia had instructed the generals to use the fifteen-man formation in such a situation. Therefore, the cavalry generals formed the fifteen-man formation as if they had agreed beforehand.

* * *

‘We’ve been had!’

Zhang Heng's face clearly showed his frustration with Lü Bu's unpredictable cavalry formation.

‘If they sever our middle, the snake formation is useless! We must maintain the formation to have a chance of turning the tide.’

Zhang Heng shouted urgently.

"Defend! Maintain the formation!"

However, Zhang Heng was speechless as Lü Bu's forces, like a swarm of bees, scattered and penetrated the formation.

The Guanxi forces, who had been chasing the fast-moving cavalry, fell helplessly to Lü Bu's fifteen-man breakthrough.

Persisting in maintaining the snake formation would lead to certain defeat. Zhang Heng decided to change the formation.

"First, a spear formation. Then, a defensive formation. What are you waiting for! Transform the formation! Spear formation!"

Despite the rain, Zhang Heng's forces changed formations faster than expected.

As Lü Bu's central forces swept through in a fifteen-man formation, Zhang Heng's soldiers instinctively gathered in groups. Zhang Heng's best move at this point was to concentrate his forces into a spear formation.

The problem was that Zhang Heng's response was too orthodox.

Guo Jia, observing the battle, was elated that his strategies were all effective. However, he was also frustrated that he could not personally join the battle.

While the position of a military advisor was good, the joy of personally cutting down enemy soldiers with sword skills was also a pleasure. Guo Jia, who straddled the line between a scholar and a warrior, often had such thoughts.

"How wonderful it would be if a military advisor could lead a single-point breakthrough!"

"You have lofty dreams. General Yu would never allow it."

A military advisor usually observes the battle from a distance or from the main camp, protected by layers of guards. Occasionally, some might even influence the transformation of formations while enjoying the atmosphere of the battlefield, but such individuals were rare.

The problem was Lü Bu. Watching Lü Bu's bravery made the blood of a warrior boil. Therefore, Guo Jia had once fought alongside Jizhou, drawing his sword.

"I learned a lot from the tactics of the Marquis of Xiudao. If we use a few techniques together, it's not impossible."

Ying Zhao waved his hand at Guo Jia's words.

"The duties of a general and a military advisor are different."

"But in certain situations, a military advisor must also fight on the battlefield with their body. Just like now."

Ying Zhao felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing Guo Jia's words. His instincts were sending a silent warning.

"What are you planning to do...?"

Guo Jia's lips curved into a smile. He mounted his horse properly and began to ride towards the enemy lines. Ying Zhao shouted urgently.

"Protect the military advisor! If a single hair is harmed, we will all lose our heads! Hurry!"