Chapter 75

Chapter 709: When Fortune Comes Like Spring, There Will Be Joy in the Camp (1)

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Following Pi Yang's order, the Jiang Yidan soldiers surrounded Gao Shun in layers.

Whether he was an enemy commander or not, if they could only take the head of a brave general like Gao Shun, they would have a chance to turn the tide even if they were on the defensive.

Although the victory was already tilting, Pi Yang knew that the defeat of his army would not directly lead to the defeat of the entire Jiang Yidan, as his troops only made up a small fraction of the whole.

Gao Shun instinctively sensed that the number of enemy soldiers pressing against him was increasing. However, he felt no fear. On the contrary, it was a welcome challenge.

It was a night like this, and the enemy was the Bujun. Moreover, there was no need to consider the threat from archers or cavalry. It was a battlefield that was absolutely advantageous to Gao Shun.

However, it seemed that only Gao Shun thought so.

The enemy soldiers surrounding him launched relentless attacks.

"Die!"

"Hand over your head!"

Several spear tips lunged at Gao Shun in unison.

But the many spears only pierced the bodies of their unfortunate comrades.

"Phew! Gasp!"

Before the soldiers could even feel the pain from their broken shoulders, they were killed by the thrusts of their comrades' spears.

Seizing the moment when the spears stuck in the comrades' bodies were momentarily immobile, Gao Shun struck out at one of the spear shafts.

The spear shaft bent sharply, and the recoil sent the soldier holding it flying.

"Ugh!"

Several soldiers were flung to the ground. In the meantime, the unclaimed spear became Gao Shun's.

* * *

Swoosh!

A spear thrust came at Gao Shun with a sharp whistling sound, but the sharp spear tip failed to even scratch him.

Gao Shun grabbed the spear shaft and struck it down. The shaft snapped like a stalk of corn, leaving Gao Shun with only the spear tip and a two-foot-long broken shaft.

The broken spear shaft in Gao Shun's hand plunged into the neck of a nearby enemy soldier.

Squish!

As the spear tip pierced through, the soldier spurted blood like a fountain.

Had Gao Shun been possessed by a killing frenzy?

In an instant, he left the same wound on several more enemy soldiers with the spear tip.

But after all, using his fists was more suited to Gao Shun's nature than using weapons.

He threw the broken spear shaft like a dagger, killing one enemy soldier, and then clenched his fist.

Once again, Gao Shun unleashed his mysterious fist techniques against the Jiang Yidan soldiers.

His fists left afterimages as he used every part of his body—head, shoulders, elbows, knees—to knock down the enemy soldiers.

As if the phrase "a fleeting farewell" fit the scene, those who were merely brushed by him fell to the ground. Among those who were hit in vital spots, many died, bleeding from their seven orifices.

Although countless soldiers had already lost their lives to Gao Shun, his face showed no sign of fatigue.

With an expression as calm as ever, he was simply focused on slaughtering the enemy soldiers.

But this was only what appeared on the surface. Gao Shun was pouring all his energy into establishing his military achievements, which he had not had the chance to build while defending Xiaonei.

Though his expression was as cold as ice, a fierce fire was raging inside him, ready to engulf the world.

Moreover, his movements became even faster and smoother than before.

"General, we should retreat..."

One of Pi Yang's subordinates advised him to retreat.

But Pi Yang reached out and grabbed the subordinate by the collar without hesitation.

"Retreat from Jiang Yidan? That's absurd!"

"The enemy soldiers are too strong. If we stay, we will be annihilated."

The mighty Jiang Yidan was being thoroughly defeated by Gao Shun and Han Jinying. This was a situation no one in the Jiang Yidan had anticipated. But only Pi Yang's subordinate seemed to have a clear view of the situation.

The problem was that Pi Yang's pride was too strong, and he was unwilling to retreat easily.

"Even if we are annihilated, we cannot retreat! Lord Chuhuo is behind us!"

Chuhuo was the chieftain of the clan. Just as there was a great man in Wuhan, there was Chuhuo in Jiang. As the chieftain of a clan, Chuhuo was akin to a king. Protecting Chuhuo was the top priority.

"We must advise Lord Chuhuo to retreat. General, please go."

"A commander cannot abandon his subordinates and retreat alone. You go and tell Lord Chuhuo. No matter what happens, Chuhuo's safety must be ensured!"

"Will Lord Chuhuo retreat if I go? General, you must go. Your words carry weight, but mine do not."

Chuhuo would already know that a battle was taking place here. But he would not have expected it to be so disadvantageous to the Pi Yang army.

The Jiang Yidan was such a formidable unit. Even if Dong Zhuo sent reinforcements, Chuhuo would not have thought of defeat.

But the opponents were Gao Shun and Han Jinying.

Though their names were not widely known, their skills were already proven by the countless Pi Yang army corpses scattered around.

* * *

"Fine! I will go. You form a defensive formation and retreat slowly. Under no circumstances should the formation collapse at once. We must avoid the disgrace of Lord Chuhuo fleeing in panic!"

What Pi Yang was worried about was not the annihilation of his troops. It seemed inevitable given the situation.

What was important was protecting Chuhuo Wu Le. He was not concerned about Wu Le's life, but rather about the method and appearance of his retreat.

Why can't a king or a commander move freely? It is to prevent the troops from becoming disheartened.

If a commander like Lü Bu were to lead the charge, there would be concern about his death. If the commander dies, the army's morale would hit rock bottom.

Conversely, if he were to retreat, the troops would lose the will to fight and flee together.

In such a case, even if they survived the battle, their authority would be shattered.

While Pi Yang was heading towards Wu Le, the remaining Pi Yang army formed a defensive formation.

"Brothers of the Yi Ma! Close ranks on both sides! Gather wisely!"

The army, which had numbered six thousand, was now reduced to about a thousand. So many Pi Yang soldiers had been slaughtered by Gao Shun's forces.

But not a single one of them fled.

They seemed determined to form a final wall of righteousness for Chuhuo, even in their last moments.

Pi Yang took one last look at them before leaving the battlefield.

Pi Yang headed for Chuhuo Wu Le's camp. Wu Le was surrounded by his guards, enjoying a leisurely moment.

Pi Yang rushed in and prostrated himself.

"Lord Chuhuo! This is Pi Yang, your subordinate!"

Wu Le could not see Pi Yang but heard his voice. But the voice of Jiang Wuzhang was unmistakable.

Wu Le waved his hand, and the guards parted to make way.

"Come closer."

At Wu Le's command, Pi Yang quickly approached and knelt before him again.

"What is it?"

"Lord Chuhuo, we must move the camp now."

"What do you mean? Move the camp?"

Wu Le frowned. Pi Yang, sensing his displeasure, cautiously spoke.

"The six thousand troops you allowed me to lead are now in danger of being annihilated."

Slap!

A red mark appeared on Pi Yang's left cheek. Wu Le's whip had lashed out.

"Kill me, Lord Chuhuo!"

Pi Yang slammed his forehead against the ground. Wu Le stood up and placed his foot on Pi Yang's head, a humiliation beyond measure. But Pi Yang had no words to say, even if he had ten mouths.

"Is there an army that can threaten our Jiang Yidan?"

"Lord Chuhuo, what I am saying is the absolute truth. My troops have encountered truly monstrous beings."

"Is this an excuse? Is this all you can say, one of the five commanders of Jiang Yidan?"

"I will accept any punishment. If you want my head, take it. But what I say is not a lie."

Wu Le lifted Pi Yang's chin with his foot. Looking him in the eye, he asked.

"Even if your words are true, there is no excuse for abandoning your subordinates and fleeing alone."

"Lord Chuhuo, you do not easily believe me. If I had sent a subordinate, I would not have been able to see you."

"Are you daring to blame me, Lord Chuhuo?"

"Not at all, but sending a subordinate would not have ensured Lord Chuhuo's safety..."

* * *

The argument between Wu Le and Pi Yang did not last long.

Just as they were having a brief conversation, Gao Shun's forces finally arrived.

"Huff... Huff..."

Breathing heavily, Gao Shun slowly approached. He was covered in blood, but of course, not a single drop was his.

Pi Yang was terrified when he saw Gao Shun.

"Ho... How did you get here?"

Pi Yang could not believe that Gao Shun had appeared here. He had thought it would happen eventually, but not now.

He had clearly formed a defensive wall with the remaining thousand soldiers. Gao Shun's appearance meant that the formation had been breached while Pi Yang and Wu Le were having their brief conversation.

Pi Yang turned to face Gao Shun, showing his back to Wu Le. He pointed his sword at Gao Shun and shouted.

"Who are you? I have never heard of a monster like you."

"If you want to know who I am, you should first reveal your own name."

"I am Pi Yang, one of the five commanders of Jiang Yidan! Reveal your true identity quickly!"

Pi Yang was secretly afraid of Gao Shun. He could not guarantee how long he could hold out against him alone.

This was something he knew without even having to fight. He had already seen with his own eyes how many soldiers Gao Shun had felled with his bare hands.

He instinctively knew that he could never achieve such skill, even if he were reborn a thousand times.

But he asked about Gao Shun's identity to provide some help to his allies.

If they knew who they were facing, they might learn about the enemy's strengths and weaknesses.

Unfortunately, Gao Shun was not a famous warrior known throughout the land. But he had one thing to boast about: even if no one knew his name, he could show how formidable a general he was.

Gao Shun pointed at Wu Le and asked.

"Are you the commander?"

"I am not a commander. I am higher than a commander. My subordinates call me 'Chuhuo.'"

"Chuhuo? Is that your name? Fine, come out and fight me! I, Gao Shun, the leader of the Eight Heroes of the Lü Bu army, will face you!"