Chapter 78

Chapter 712: All Things Regain Their Time (萬物之得時) (1)

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Ji Hongque was enraged and drew his sword.

The length of his cherished sword was akin to one that could only be used on horseback. It was quite long, though not as long as Lu Bu's Green Dragon.

Because of this, his sword-drawing technique was quite unique.

He would lift the sword with its scabbard into the air, grab only the hilt, and charge forward.

Ji Hongque's figure left a trail as he lunged toward Gao Shun. When his sword cut through Gao Shun's afterimage, the scabbard finally fell to the ground.

"Quite impressive to dodge my sword!"

"With your level of swordsmanship, you couldn't even catch a chicken."

Gao Shun sneered and mocked Ji Hongque's sword skills. But inside, he thought differently.

'He's not someone to be underestimated!'

Gao Shun knew he had barely managed to dodge Ji Hongque's sword.

His footwork wasn't as remarkable as the one described in the military manual, capable of covering dozens of feet in an instant.

But he had the skills to maintain his position as the leader of the Eight Foot Generals, even without weapons, against so many fierce generals of Lu Bu's army.

Ji Hongque's swift sword made Gao Shun tense. After all, he was the strongest warrior of Jiang Yidan. If he couldn't do this, he wouldn't have earned Huang Bochong's favor.

Despite his inner thoughts, Gao Shun provocatively continued.

"Is there no next move? You didn't just swing it once and call it a day, did you?"

"Fine! If you have the skill, try dodging this!"

Ji Hongque's sword struck Gao Shun fiercely. Once again, Gao Shun narrowly avoided the sword. Continuous attacks followed.

In an instant, over ten exchanges had passed. However, Gao Shun had only been dodging, not engaging in any offensive moves.

"Your arrogance has vanished, and now you're dodging like a rat?"

"If you want to fight with words, why do you hold a sword?"

"I'll tear your mouth from ear to ear!"

Ji Hongque's sword, like a snake, relentlessly pursued Gao Shun. But Gao Shun could only dodge, unable to launch a significant counterattack.

'The length and trajectory of the sword are both challenging!'

In fact, this was the first time he had faced a swordsman who could wield such a long sword with such speed.

It wasn't just about strength. Ji Hongque maintained his distance from Gao Shun, preventing him from getting close. Even if Gao Shun had exceptional boxing skills, they would be useless if he couldn't reach his opponent.

Regardless of Gao Shun's defensive position, Han Jinying had no intention of helping him.

They continued to cleverly divide their forces and move across the battlefield. Ji Hongque, frustrated, continued his relentless attacks on Gao Shun.

"I thought the Han people's life-and-death battles had some meaning... Why don't your subordinates stop fighting?"

"Why would I be angry when I wasn't the one who attacked you?"

"Tsk! You're a man who can't be reasoned with. I'll behead you and send your subordinates to the afterlife with you."

"Stop talking big and try it. I'm so bored I could yawn."

Ji Hongque fiercely attacked. Gao Shun dodged with such skill that it was commendable.

Of course, with an opponent of such caliber, small cuts began to accumulate on Gao Shun's body.

'I wanted to defeat the remaining enemies without major injuries...'

Gao Shun was cautious. Conserving strength and avoiding injuries wasn't because he was a coward. It was natural to manage his stamina when the number of remaining enemies was unknown.

However, the skill of his current opponent was formidable, leaving him no means to avoid injury while subduing him.

'Where should I give in?'

Gao Shun decided to yield flesh to gain bone. The key was to create a gap that Ji Hongque wouldn't suspect.

* * *

"Hmph! Trying to defeat me with such a shallow trick? Impossible!"

Ji Hongque was indeed a formidable opponent. He recognized Gao Shun's intention and retracted his sword.

After all, in this vast world, there were many skilled warriors.

Moreover, Jiang Yidan, the commander of the Yellow Turban Army, had made the once-commanding Guanzhong Ten Generals kneel to Huang Bochong. He was undoubtedly a seasoned and fierce general.

"I have no weaknesses."

"Rubbish! A man who can only dodge has no weaknesses?"

"Whether it's rubbish or not, you'll soon find out."

Gao Shun wasn't just a valiant warrior; he also had a strategic mind. He wasn't the type to rely on a single trick to face the enemy.

One corner of Gao Shun's mouth curled into a smile. Ji Hongque, noticing the change in Gao Shun's expression, couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding.

'What is he planning...?'

His worries soon became reality. Gao Shun, after dodging Ji Hongque, leaped toward Wu Le.

"You scoundrel! How dare you leave me in a life-and-death battle...! Do you have no sense of honor?"

Ji Hongque, enraged, shouted and fiercely chased after Gao Shun. But Gao Shun, far from being angry, smiled and extended his fist toward Wu Le.

In a panic, Ji Hongque swung his sword at Gao Shun, who was attacking Wu Le. He had no time to think. If he couldn't stop Wu Le's death, he would be finished too.

Gao Shun understood Ji Hongque's mindset better than anyone. If Wu Le was the world to Ji Hongque, then Lü Bu was the world to Gao Shun.

The difference was that Wu Le needed Ji Hongque's protection to survive, while Lü Bu could survive alone even in the midst of a thousand enemies.

'I have no honor! I just need to secure victory for my master.'

Gao Shun wasn't afraid of the finger-pointing he would face later. Winning by any means, no matter how despicable, was enough.

He didn't fully extend his punch. Instead, his hand had already grabbed Ji Hongque's sword-wielding arm.

Ji Hongque's arm, caught in Gao Shun's rough grip, was instantly covered in blood. Gao Shun's fingers had dug into the muscles.

Despite the pain, Ji Hongque didn't release his sword. This much could be acknowledged as a swordsman's integrity. But a tragic end awaited him.

Gao Shun's other hand grabbed Ji Hongque's shoulder. His fingers dug into the flesh, gripping the bone. Ji Hongque was on the verge of fainting from the pain, but his superhuman endurance held him back.

With his captured hand unable to move, his other hand was free. He swung a punch at Gao Shun's jaw, but Gao Shun didn't even flinch.

"Ah!"

Ji Hongque screamed as his arm was torn off by Gao Shun. The pain of being torn off was vastly different from being cut by a sword. But an even greater pain awaited him.

Gao Shun lifted Ji Hongque's body and pulled it behind his neck.

Crack!

Ji Hongque's body bent like a bamboo pole, and a grotesque sound of bones echoed.

Ji Hongque's body, bent like a bamboo, collapsed.

Thud!

With Ji Hongque's death, Wu Le's legs gave out, and he fell to the ground.

'What an unbelievable situation...'

Wu Le wished this moment was a dream.

Since Gao Shun's appearance, everything had moved contrary to his common sense.

He had never doubted that Ji Hongque was an unbeatable opponent. But the fierce general he had trusted and relied on was now gone so futilely.

"Ah!"

When Gao Shun's gaze turned to him, Wu Le, terrified, retreated. He pushed off the ground with his feet and moved his hands like feet.

'This is the end.'

* * *

"Ugh!"

The battle on the western side of Hangu Pass had reached its filthiest point.

The Noshi army was spraying feces and using dirty weapons to counter the Guanxi army.

People covered in human waste were vomiting everywhere, and those lucky enough to avoid it were retreating, covering their noses from the stench.

"What is this smell?"

The stench was so intense that it even reached Huang Bochong, who was observing the battle from a distance.

"Lord, it seems they are spraying human waste."

"What? Human waste? Feces? These filthy bastards!"

Huang Bochong trembled with anger and shouted loudly.

"Noshi, you filthy bastard! You want to win so badly that you're even spraying feces! Ugh!"

Huang Bochong, in his rage, only vomited white bile and retreated, muttering curses continuously.

"If you become so despicable, my reputation will suffer as well!"

Noshi's name was on par with Huang Bochong's. If Noshi's reputation fell, Huang Bochong's would inevitably follow.

Huang Bochong was both angry and sorrowful.

Noshi, who had dedicated his youth and become an old man, was now risking his hard-earned reputation in this one battle.

"Stay calm, Lord. They must be doing this because they are cornered."

"Even if they are desperate, how could they resort to such tactics...? Hmm..."

"They are under attack from all sides. What wouldn't they do?"

Huang Bochong nodded. But no good news had come yet.

"How is the eastern front with Jiang Yidan?"

"We have no way of knowing from here. We can only meet them once one side opens the gate."

"It's taking too long. It's been a while since I sent the signal for a coordinated attack, and there's still no news!"

"No news is good news. I'm sure good news will come soon."

The attendant tried to comfort him, but Huang Bochong remained uneasy.

With 30,000 troops under Jiang Yidan, there should have been some commotion on the eastern front. But the expected events had yet to unfold.

Moreover, his troops had been doused in human waste, which naturally fueled his anger.

Noshi, observing the battle from the watchtower of Hangu Pass, was overjoyed.

"Commander! The enemy's offensive has slowed down."

Jin Gong, covering his nose and mouth, reported. Noshi nodded.

"Huang Bochong's expression must be quite amusing..."

"Yes, they probably never expected us to use such tactics."

"Even I, an old man, never thought I'd use human waste. But this tactic is truly ingenious."

"Look over there."

Jin Gong's finger pointed to the enemy soldiers slipping on the human waste and falling off the ladders.

The fate of the besieging army was to climb up and fall down repeatedly. But the soldiers were hesitant to climb the ladders.

"They can bear the danger, but they can't bear the filth."

"Who would want to get their hands dirty with feces? It's incomparable to blood."

Jin Gong felt like flying with joy at the effectiveness of his strategy. If not for the stench, he would have been even happier.

As the Guanxi army's offensive weakened, Han Huo approached Noshi and requested.

"Commander! This subordinate, Han Huo, requests permission to rescue General Duan Wai."

"I was just thinking about who to send. This is perfect."

Wei Zhe was using archers to occasionally shoot flares to check the eastern front. Fortunately, Duan Wai's troops seemed to be holding their ground, but reinforcements were needed.

Jin Gong's strategy had just fallen into place, and Han Huo's request came at the right time. Noshi decided to send him.

"I'll give you two thousand troops to rescue General Duan Wai."

"I accept your command, Commander!"

Han Huo bowed to Noshi and gripped the hilt of his treasured sword.

'Commanding the Jiang Nofu troops is too boring. I need to show Commander how great I, Han Huo, am. If I do well, General Yu will also hear good things about me.'