Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3699 Black smoke obscures the sky, resembling a tortoise shell; the Yellow River and Luo River are near yet worlds apart.

A light rain was falling, seemingly about to stop but then continuing.

Ignoring casualties, Cao's army surged forward in waves of frenzied advance along the mountain path!
With the main force of the Flying Cavalry transferred away, there were not many soldiers stationed at Guiku Pass. This was almost the best opportunity that Cao Cao's army and the Flying Cavalry had had in the long battle line at Songshan for many days!
Xun Yu's resoluteness and the ruthlessness of the supervisory team caused Cao Cao's army to surge forward like a tide, putting immense pressure on the cavalry garrison.

"boom!"

Another cannon fired, and a terrifying storm of metal swept over the horde of Cao Cao's troops crowded at the breach, instantly killing a large number of them!
The screams were deafening.

However, Cao Cao's troops pushed away and trampled the wounded and the injured, and continued to climb and surge upwards!

"Quick! Re-fire!"

The military academy students stationed at Guiku Pass were frantic with worry.

Impatience is contagious.

In the chaos, a gunner on the right-hand artillery front accidentally dropped the gunpowder pack he had just opened into the muddy water!

One piece of the medicine powder cake was instantly soaked by the muddy water.

Urged on by orders, and seeing Cao's soldiers getting closer and closer below, the artilleryman, in a panic, inexplicably stuffed the bag of gunpowder cakes soaked in muddy water, along with other gunpowder and shot, into the cannon barrel!

"Loaded! Uh... wait..."

After the artilleryman instinctively shouted, he realized something was wrong and quickly tried to remedy the situation.

But it was too late.

"ignition!"

The command was given immediately afterward.

"laugh……"

Sparks flew as the fuse pierced the breech at the rear of the cannon.

"puff……"

A dull, weak sound, like a mute fart.

Only a wisp of smoke rose from the cannon muzzle; the anticipated destructive storm did not materialize.

"Damn it! What's going on?!"

The craftsman standing nearby was furious.

"There's a drug shortage!"

Watching Cao's army surge past their firing positions, the artilleryman collapsed to the ground in near despair.

The artilleryman at the third gate, watching the surging Cao army soldiers, felt immense psychological pressure. Under the constant urging of the military academy officer, he forgot whether he had loaded three or four gunpowder cakes…

After a series of rapid firings, the gun barrel was already scorching hot, and then it was constantly being washed by the cold rain.

"ignition!"

"laugh……"

Boom!!!

This time, the loud noise was accompanied by a terrifying, tearing sound!
Instead of spewing out normal flames and barrages, the cannon was accompanied by a terrifying explosion!
The cannon barrel exploded from the middle! Hot fragments, like the scythe of death, sprayed wildly in all directions! Nearby gunners and several unfortunate defending soldiers were instantly torn apart and set ablaze! The scorching blast and debris even affected the adjacent defending ranks!

"ah--!"

"The cannon exploded!"

The inside of the pass instantly descended into even greater chaos and panic!

The acrid smell of gunpowder mixed with the stench of burnt flesh filled the air.

All of this was witnessed by Cao Cao's army, who were launching a frenzied attack from below. The immense fear that the cannons had initially brought them had now transformed into the ecstasy of survival and the fury of revenge.

Cao Jun's soldiers were like they'd been injected with chicken blood, their morale soaring. They trampled over the corpses of their comrades, howling as they surged toward the gap in defense that had been created by the artillery malfunction and internal chaos!

The gunner of the last cannon witnessed all of this and was under immense psychological pressure.

With trembling hands, he meticulously followed the procedures to load the dry gunpowder and shotgun shells.

"ignition!"

"laugh……"

"boom!"

The cannons roared, but with only half the artillery remaining, they could not stop the Cao army's frenzied advance.

The garrison officer, his eyes bloodshot with rage, brandished his sword and charged forward, trying to plug the gap: "Hold on! Follow me! Hold on!!"

However, having lost half of their artillery support, and with the artillery's deterrent effect gone, Cao Cao's army, like a spring that had been compressed to its limit, suddenly unleashed tremendous power. How could the flesh and blood of the cavalry stationed at the military academy withstand the frenzied attack that erupted from this desperate situation?
The remaining wooden fences were pushed down, the stone walls were smashed, and the corpses blocking the gate were overturned. Cao Cao's army, like a flood breaking through a dam, finally broke through the death line built with countless lives and accidents and poured into Ghost Cry Pass!
A fierce hand-to-hand combat broke out instantly in the narrow space of the pass.

The cavalry defending the city fought desperately, but the tide had turned against them.

Cao Cao's army poured in continuously, dividing, encircling, and annihilating them...

On the highest watchtower at the pass, the tattered but still fluttering flag of the cavalry was being violently torn down!

A scarlet, wet Cao army banner was forcefully planted on by several Cao army soldiers!

The flag struggled to unfurl a corner in the wind and rain, revealing a blurry character "Cao".

From within the pass below, the deafening cheers of Cao Cao's army, filled with the joy of surviving a calamity, could be faintly heard...

……

……

Sima Yi led his elite mountain infantry, like a hundred or so muddy geckos, clinging tightly to the slippery rock face, struggling to climb. Every step sent up mud, and every grip on the wet rocks carried the risk of slipping.

Exhaustion was like a heavy shackle, binding everyone's limbs. The long march and the harsh terrain had taken their toll, pushing even these tough men to their limits.

But when they finally reached the designated observation point and looked towards the pass through the misty mountain fog, a bone-chilling cold instantly froze everyone's blood.

At the highest point of the pass, the scarlet banner of Cao Cao's army, though soaked by rain and hanging heavily, still stubbornly remained planted on the watchtower that originally belonged to the Flying Cavalry!
Below the banner, inside and outside the pass, one could vaguely see densely packed figures of Cao Cao's army moving about, carrying corpses and reinforcing fortifications. Although they were equally exhausted, they carried a sense of relief, as if they had survived a catastrophe.

The deafening cheers had long since ceased, replaced by the suppressed groans of wounded soldiers and the hoarse reprimands of officers, but all of this clearly proclaimed one fact…

Ghost Cry Pass has changed hands!
"But... it's too late..."

A squad leader of Sima Yi's personal guards squeezed out a few words in a hoarse voice, filled with despair and resentment. How much they had paid to break free from Han Hao and Xun Yun's relentless pursuit and march all the way here, only to watch helplessly as their target fell into enemy hands.

A profound sense of frustration and defeat, like the cold rain, instantly permeated the mind and body of every mountain soldier.

Sima Yi remained silent.

He stood in the cold rain, leaning on his sword, rainwater streaming down the seams of his raincoat.

He also felt frustrated, but Sima Yi did not choose to give up in the face of setbacks!

Giving up is tantamount to admitting defeat, and for a great commander, maintaining composure at all times is a fundamental prerequisite. Sima Yi was young and inevitably influenced by hormones at times, and his actions might not always be as meticulous and shrewd as those of the older Sima Yi. However, he was still an excellent commander, quickly shifting his focus from the immediate setback at the Ghost Cry Pass to the area behind it…

Or you could call it "the front" or "the way forward".

That relatively open area was the starting point for Cao Cao's army, as well as the area where Cao Cao's army's rear camp and supplies were stored.

Now, because most of Cao Cao's soldiers have flocked to Guiku Pass, this area is not only sparsely populated, but also somewhat chaotic...

Sima Yi took out his binoculars, wiped the water droplets off the lenses, and brought them close to his eyes.

Sima Yi saw the Cao army's rear camp carrying wounded soldiers trudging through the mud. Sometimes, soldiers on stretchers were thrown off by the jolting, and no one helped them up; they were simply dragged forward in place. Some of the Cao army's wounded soldiers were howling with their faces contorted, but few were providing effective treatment. The soldiers beside them stood by, indifferent and numb.

In the makeshift, rudimentary camp area, people came and went without any vigilance whatsoever... Several squads of soldiers who had just withdrawn from the front lines collapsed wearily in the mud, their armor and weapons scattered everywhere, and even the officers seemed to have lost the strength to restrain them...

This is the opportunity!
In order to launch a strong attack on Guiku Pass, Xun Yu threw all the troops he could mobilize, like a gambler betting all his chips, onto the meat grinder of the pass!

This resulted in Cao Cao's army losing its original reserves in the rear!
As for order, or rather defense, it has long since vanished under the impact of massive casualties and a Pyrrhic victory!
At this moment, although there were still some guards in Cao Cao's rear camp, the soldiers' minds were elsewhere, and they paid no attention to the commotion around them!

The rear of Cao's army is now like a giant whose internal organs have been emptied out, leaving only a weary shell. It looks huge, but it is actually extremely weak!
Sima Yi glanced back at the mountain soldiers beside him, beckoned the officers and sergeants forward, and pointed towards the rear camp of Cao Cao's army, saying, "Look over there... I think this is an opportunity..."

The mountain corps officer looked up and said, "Looking at the mountain makes one's horse run itself to death... It will take at least an hour to get there from here..."

"And..." the military academy officer gestured, "our men are already very tired..."

Sima Yi nodded. "I know everyone is exhausted... If we select a few who still have the strength... then we can go along that path... while most of the rest of us can rest here and then head over there... until the Cao army's rear camp is thrown into chaos..."

Following Sima Yi's directions, the military academy student looked around, then suddenly realized what he was doing. After a moment's thought, he nodded, "We can give it a try..."

……

……

"A ghost!"

When Sima Yi led dozens of muddy demons who looked like they had crawled out of hell, suddenly bursting out from behind a patch of low bushes and rushing towards the almost undefended supply depot in Cao Cao's rear camp, the Cao Cao soldiers, who thought they were completely safe, were immediately terrified.

Chaos reached its peak in an instant!

"Enemy attack! Enemy in the rear camp!"

"The cavalry is coming!"

"Help!"

The panicked shouts instantly shattered the relaxed atmosphere in the rear camp, rubbing it to the ground.

Xun Yu led Cao Cao's elite troops to Guiku Pass. The auxiliary and wounded soldiers left in Cao Cao's rear camp were no match for these cavalry mountain soldiers who were full of anger and skilled in close combat in the mountains.
Sharp ring-pommel swords sprayed blood through the mud and rain, while oil canisters were slammed into supply wagons and military tents. Though the rain suppressed the flames, preventing them from raging into the sky, they stubbornly burned on the wet supplies, emitting thick smoke and a burnt smell, adding to the chaos!
The military academy in the rear camp chose to flee immediately, ignoring any talk of organizing a counterattack or caring about the weapons and provisions. After all, he was just a military academy student trying to make a living, so how could he risk his life against the cavalry soldiers who were like demons for such trivial possessions?

Inside the Ghost Cry Pass, Xun Yu had just sat down in a relatively intact stone house, a makeshift command post, and before he could even catch his breath and process the mountain of casualty reports and supply requests, the commotion behind him and the faint sounds of battle cries made him freeze in shock...

"Report! The rear camp...the rear camp! Under attack! It's...it's Sima Yi's banner! The rear camp has collapsed! The supplies have been burned!"

The messenger stumbled in, his face deathly pale.

Xun Yu suddenly stood up and rushed out of the stone house, but his figure swayed at the doorway and his vision went black.

The exhaustion from fighting in the rain, the heavy casualties among his soldiers, and the overall disadvantage in the battle situation had already placed a heavy burden on Xun Yu's shoulders. Now, this sudden attack from behind was almost the last straw, causing him to lose his composure!
Xun Yu leaned against the doorframe of the stone house, closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then slowly raised his head...

But he was Xun Yu after all!
After a moment of panic, he used his strong willpower to forcefully suppress all sorts of complicated emotions.

He walked steadily out of the stone house, his face expressionless, and looked up into the distance. He saw thick smoke billowing from the direction of the rear camp, with flickering flames and the faint sounds of battle shouts and chaos.

"What a shrewd man, Sima Yi!"

Xun Yu couldn't help but sigh.

retreat?

Return to reinforce the rear camp?

A thought flashed through his mind instinctively, but Xun Yu quickly sensed unease.

Xun Yu shifted his gaze from the chaotic black smoke in the rear camp and looked around.

This area, right beneath our feet, is the Ghost Cry Pass, which was just won with countless lives. It is the key to Taigu Pass and the Heluo Plain!
If you give up, all your previous efforts will be in vain!

Which is more important, the rear camp or the Ghost Cry Pass?

Once his thoughts were clear, Xun Yu almost immediately deduced that Sima Yi's presence in the rear camp could only mean one thing: Sima Yi's main force was not there, or rather, had not yet returned!
This is just a exhausted surprise force!

The goal is to create chaos and force him to abandon the pass!

"Hold the pass!"

Xun Yu's voice was resolute, carrying a clear understanding of the battlefield: "Order all units! Abandon the rear camp! No need to send reinforcements! Immediately construct a circular defense using the existing fortifications at the pass! All forces retreat to the core of the pass! Mount crossbows on the walls! Form long spear formations! Quickly!"

The order was ruthless and precise.

Xun Yu chose to make a drastic decision!
The supplies in the rear camp can be burned or abandoned, but not an inch of Guiku Pass can be ceded!

As long as they hold the core of the pass and establish a firm foothold, Sima Yi's exhausted surprise force will not be able to cause any significant trouble if they cannot disrupt the main force and the Cao army does not reveal any weaknesses!

Xun Yu's order was quickly relayed to all units of Cao Cao's army.

The Cao army troops, having just fought a bloody battle, were also exhausted. However, as long as they remained in place instead of climbing the mountain path again to go back and provide support, most of the Cao soldiers would accept the order...

They endured their pain and exhaustion, retreating to the narrow defensive core area within the pass.

Archers climbed the broken ramparts, spearmen formed a gun emplacement at the narrow passageway, and shield bearers stood at the forefront.

Although the formation was hastily arranged and the fortifications were rudimentary, Cao Cao's army managed to build a relatively three-dimensional defensive system by relying on the strategic terrain they had just captured, and gradually settled down.

……

……

On the hillside, Sima Yi directed his men to burn the last few grain carts while keeping a close eye on the pass. He saw that Cao Cao's army did not rush back to reinforce as expected; instead, they retreated into Ghost Cry Pass like wounded beasts, or like a wounded turtle retreating into its shell!
Inside the pass, figures moved about, swords and spears flashed, and the formation was meticulous.

Xun Yu's response was completely calm and collected, which utterly ruined Sima Yi's plan...

Sima Yi originally intended to exploit the weakness in Cao Cao's rear camp to lure out Xun Yu's troops, then launch a surprise attack halfway through, driving them away and causing Cao Cao's army to push and trample each other, creating a chaotic and disastrous situation on the mountain road. This would then snowball out of control, ultimately leading to Cao Cao's army destroying themselves. However, Xun Yu has now chosen to abandon the rear camp and hold fast to Guiku Pass, which makes Sima Yi's "snowball" tactic completely ineffective!

As expected of Xun Yu!
Sima Yi glanced at the dozens of elite mountain soldiers around him, who were equally exhausted, and then at the core of Cao Cao's army, which was ready for battle inside the pass.

storm?

It's like throwing an egg against a rock!
The physical exertion from the long-distance march had reached its limit.

Even with the addition of other mountain troops ambushed on the other side of the mountain path, facing Cao Cao's army's position, which was tightening its defenses and holding fast to Guiku Pass, it still felt like a rat pulling a tortoise...

Xun Yu, that fox, is indeed not so easy to deal with!
"retreat! 』

Sima Yi acted decisively, his voice hoarse with resentment, "Burn what can be burned! Gather the necessary military supplies! We're preparing to retreat! Raise the flag and retreat to the northwest mountains! Retreat to Taigu Pass!"

The mountain troops quickly gathered some food and supplies, leaving behind a messy rear camp filled with thick smoke and Cao Cao's army waiting in the pass, full of suspicion and uncertainty.

Xun Yu stood on the edge of the cliff, watching the thick smoke rising from the rear camp and the gradually receding figures of the attackers, and exhaled a long breath.

His back was soaked with cold sweat.

He successfully defended Guiku Pass, but at the cost of his army's provisions, medicines, arrows, and other supplies being destroyed by Sima Yi. Although these supplies could be requisitioned from the Songshan camp, the entire process had already delayed the battle...

Taigu Pass, thanks to Sima Yi's meddling, is now completely gone...

He slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the officers around Ghost Cry Pass who were equally exhausted, some even showing signs of relief, as well as over the corpses of Cao soldiers piled up in the muddy mountain path, and the wounded Cao soldiers who were being treated and carried over one after another...

The joy of victory in capturing Guiku Pass has now vanished completely.

Let alone attacking Taigu Pass immediately, it's already a stroke of luck that we can hold onto this newly acquired pass.

"Pass on the order..."

Xun Yu's voice remained steady, but there was a hint of fatigue in it. "All units... rest in place, focus on treating the wounded, and reinforce the passes..."

With Guiku Pass captured, logically speaking, only Taigu Pass remains as the gateway to the Heluo region.

However, the Ghost Cry Pass had already exhausted all of Cao Cao's forces. Even though Xun Yu knew that the gate of Taigu Pass was so close, it was too heavy for him to push open.

Xun Yu suffered heavy losses at the Ghost Cry Pass, including too many soldiers and supplies in the rear camp.

The Heluo Plain was right before Xun Yu's eyes, but it seemed as if a huge chasm separated them. He could only watch helplessly as Sima Yi gathered his troops and retreated to Taigu Pass...