Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3706 A Hundred People, One Body
To turn the tables on someone is easier said than done...

Is it really that simple?
That night, a waning moon.

Ink-black darkness enveloped the land of Jingbei.

The Han River shimmered faintly.

Liao Hua personally led his elite troops, and under the perfect cover of night, quietly assembled at the front of Stone Fortress.

The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, deliberately breathing softly, and wrapped strips of cloth around the parts of their armor that were prone to clanging and making noise.

In the distance, the stone fortress was only a blurry outline in the night.

A few faint lights flickered on the fortress walls.

On the other side, away from the front of Stone Fortress, a commando team composed of elite scouts from the cavalry, guided by Wang Su, was making a difficult trek.

Wang Su had a leg injury, so he often needed to be supported by two strong scouts to walk.

Although his injured leg had been treated by the cavalry, it didn't mean it would heal immediately.

Even the slightest bump on a rock brings excruciating pain.

However, he seemed completely oblivious to the pain, instead filled with the excitement and eagerness of a hungry wolf smelling blood.

The dopamine of revenge sustained his body.

Hatred became his painkiller.

……

……

In the dead of night, when all was quiet, the Cao army soldiers on guard at the stone fortress finally spotted Liao Hua's troops in formation and sounded a piercing alarm.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"Get up! The cavalry is here!"

In an instant, the stone fortress seemed to awaken from its insect nest, and torches were lit up in a chaotic flurry, illuminating the fortress walls, especially the gentle slope side.

The figures on the stone fortress ran frantically in the firelight, and the officer's hoarse shouts could be faintly heard.

The gong was struck wildly, the clanging sound carrying far through the night sky!
As the main force of the Flying Cavalry began to advance up the gentle slope under Liao Hua's steady and powerful command, some Cao soldiers, like insects emerging from their burrows, were also vaguely visible in the reeds of the low-lying area, assembling in formation at the command of Cao's military academy.

The swords and spears gleamed occasionally in the faint starlight, reflecting the tense faces on their faces.

Soon, these Cao soldiers silently parted the reeds, preparing to encircle and attack the Flying Cavalry, who were "attacking the slope with all their might," with a fatal blow!
"Now!" Wang Su, lying prone on the earthen slope beside the depression, his eyes gleaming with a frenzied excitement, whispered to the scout captain beside him, "Set it on fire! Set it on fire now! Burn it! Burn these bastards down there!"

Rebel fanaticism.

However, the elite scout captain of the cavalry, lying prone beside him, did not order the fire to be lit. Instead, he gently pressed down on Wang Su's arm, which was trembling with excitement, and whispered, "No! Wait! Don't rush!"

"What?!" Wang Su jerked his head around, his bloodshot eyes wide with shock. "Why?! They're all out! Down there! A single fire could burn them to death!"

The scout captain pointed to the figures below, his voice barely audible, "Didn't you see? Look closely! The people in the depression below... the number is wrong! Too few! At most three or four hundred... far too few!"

"Huh?" Wang Su was stunned, as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water, and his frenzied emotions cooled down instantly.

The moving figures were indeed sparse, far smaller than the elite main force he remembered hidden in the depression. 'How could this be… I clearly…'

As planned, Cao Cao's ambush troops in the depression attacked Liao Hua's troops who were attacking the slope from the flank.

However, the scene that Cao Cao's ambush troops had anticipated—where the Flying Cavalry were caught off guard and thrown into chaos—did not occur.

Liao Huajun's formation was solid, and his flanks were well-prepared. Facing this "ambush" force, which was far smaller than expected, he not only did not panic, but also quickly dispatched a part of his troops to launch a head-on attack!

This part of Cao Cao's ambush force was small in number and lacked surprise. The momentum of the attack was almost instantly stopped, and the cavalry was pushed back. They could not achieve the effect of encirclement and suppression at all, and were quickly divided and suppressed, showing signs of defeat.

Some were killed, while others fled towards Stone Fortress.

The cavalry took advantage of the situation and advanced towards the stone fortress!

Suddenly, a deep and powerful war drumbeat rolled across the battlefield like muffled thunder!
Immediately afterwards, torches lit up like stars on the southwest side!
Cao Zhen led his elite troops out of the mountains and forests, aiming directly at the flank and rear of Liao Hua's main force!

These soldiers were originally the troops that had ambushed at Stone Fortress, but they had moved from the depression to the mountains and forests...

"Alright!" the scout captain, who had been calmly observing, shouted. "Now! Ignite!"

"Now?!" Wang Su was stunned again. Looking at Cao Zhen's main force rushing towards the battlefield in the distance, he exclaimed urgently, "There's hardly anyone left in this low-lying area! Who are we going to set on fire?!"

The scout captain smiled and pointed to the stone fortress not far away, ablaze with fire and filled with the deafening sounds of battle. "Burn that!"

Wang Su followed his finger and looked in the direction he was pointing, suddenly realizing what was happening. But then he looked down at his injured leg, a desperate, bitter smile on his face. "But...my leg...that cliff..."

The elite scout captain patted Wang Su on the shoulder. "Captain Liao ordered that you lead the way here; that alone is a merit! You stay here and wait patiently! I'll leave three men to protect you. Once this matter is settled, this leg… a physician will take good care of you!"

Having said that, he said no more, and like a feline blending into the darkness, he silently led the group toward the cliff behind the Stone Fortress.

……

……

On the front of the battlefield, Cao Zhen led his well-rested elite ambush troops and charged into the flank of Liao Hua's forces with overwhelming momentum!
"kill--!"

The deafening shouts of battle tore through the night sky.

After Cao Zhen appeared, Cao's army on Stone Fortress also tried to rush out and attack Liao Hua's troops from both sides.

Liao Hua's steady command pierced through the noise: "Hold on! Form ranks!"

The soldiers of the Flying Cavalry did not retreat because of this. Instead, they relied on the terrain and their comrades to shrink their formation and withstand the fierce attack that Cao Cao's army had been planning for a long time!
Cao Zhen's soldiers were elite troops who had survived countless battles, and were naturally brave and fierce. However, when it came to fighting in formation, obeying orders, and coordinating perfectly, they were still somewhat inferior to Liao Hua's professional soldiers who had undergone rigorous training and had ample logistical support over the years.

Especially in such head-on, strangulation warfare, the level of teamwork and the soldiers' endurance and physical strength become the decisive factors.

The momentum of Cao Zhen's troops' charge was like a giant wave crashing against a reef, seemingly fierce, but it was quickly exhausted on Liao Huajun's solid line.

The reefs stood firm, but the waves were gradually losing their strength.

Having gained a firm foothold, the cavalry, amidst Liao Hua's furious roar of counterattack, unleashed astonishing power, like a tightly compressed spring suddenly released!

The formation pushed forward like a millstone, with flashing swords and deafening battle cries, launching a fierce counterattack against Cao Zhen's formation!

Cao Zhen shouted and fought fiercely, and at that moment, flames suddenly rose from behind the Stone Fortress, blooming like red lotuses in the night sky!
The small cliff behind the stone fortress, though treacherous, was not insurmountable for the elite cavalry scouts...

Originally, there was a special lookout post on the high cliff behind Stone Fortress, just in case, but at this moment all the attention of Cao's troops inside the fortress was completely drawn to the fierce battle between Liao Hua and Cao Zhen's armies on the gentle slope in front.

Flames, shouts of battle, war drums, the screams of the dying...

How could they possibly care about guarding that "safe" area behind them, which was theoretically their own ambush zone in a low-lying area?
"Fire! Fire!"

"The supplies! The supplies are on fire!"

Dry hay, wooden sheds, soldiers' clothing, even weapon racks coated with grease...

Fueled by the kerosene and the night wind, the flames spread at an astonishing speed, like a greedy beast!
The area behind Stone Fortress instantly turned into a raging sea of ​​fire!

The sudden burst of flames struck the hearts of the defenders inside the fortress and Cao Zhen's troops who were engaged in fierce fighting like a heavy hammer!
"There's a fire behind us! A fire!"

Some soldiers in Cao Zhen's army turned around in terror and let out a heart-wrenching scream.

The battle line visibly began to shake violently, and the soldiers began to instinctively look back, their steps becoming hesitant and chaotic.

Liao Hua, seeing the situation clearly from the front, felt greatly reassured, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up within him. "Cao Cao's ambush has crumbled! Stone Fortress is ablaze! This is the moment to defeat the enemy! Soldiers, follow me and charge!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The soldiers of the Flying Cavalry witnessed the fire breaking out behind the enemy lines and heard their commander's roar. Their morale instantly soared to its peak, and their shouts, like a landslide and a tsunami, swept across the battlefield!
Like tigers released from their cages, their offensive suddenly became even more ferocious and savage, pressing down on Cao Zhen's army, which was already in disarray, like an overwhelming tidal wave!
The scales of victory seem to have tipped in favor of the Flying Cavalry...

……

……

On a high vantage point with a clear view, slightly behind the battlefield, Zhuge Liang closely observed the entire battle. When he saw the flames soaring into the sky from the direction of Stone Fortress, illuminating the night sky, his tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he let out a soft breath. "Stone Fortress is ablaze… Yuan Jian's plan has succeeded."

However, Zhuge Liang did not feel relieved because of this. Although he had guessed that Cao Ren was treacherous and supported Liao Hua's plan to take down Shitou Fort and thwart Cao Zhen's ambush, he was still deeply uneasy.

Because Cao Cao's vanguard force, which broke through the outer camps of Fancheng, has now vanished without a trace...

Where did they go?

Are they hiding nearby, waiting for their chance to strike, or do they have other plans?
If it were only against Cao Zhen's forces, then Liao Hua's deployment would be fine, but if...

"It shouldn't be here..."

Seeing that Cao Zhen's army was being suppressed by Liao Hua and was retreating step by step, it seemed that the overall situation was settled.

Is he overthinking it?
Zhuge Liang's gaze swept across the deep darkness surrounding the battlefield.

The fire at Stone Castle illuminated the core area of ​​the battlefield, but the mountains and rivers further away remained shrouded in boundless darkness.

Suddenly, Zhuge Liang's gaze sharpened!
To the northeast of Stone Fortress, along the outline of those rolling hills, it seems...

There was an extremely faint and very brief flash of light!
Zhuge Liang's heart sank!
He immediately focused his attention, straining his eyes to fixate on that direction. A few breaths later, several faint lights flashed briefly in different locations before disappearing again!
That was definitely not a reflection of the firelight from Stone Castle, it was more like...

A unit operating stealthily in the dark, occasionally exposed by the faint light in order to maintain communication!

"Not good!" Zhuge Liang exclaimed in a low voice. Sure enough, Cao Cao's elite vanguard, which had disappeared without a trace, was nearby!

Moreover, they are moving rapidly in the darkness, their target pointing directly at...

Flanking position of the Stone Fortress battlefield!
Before Zhuge Liang could even issue orders to the messengers around him, another unexpected event occurred from another direction!

*Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump!*

A deep and penetrating sound of war drums suddenly came from the direction of the shimmering Han River!
On the Han River, several huge black shadows broke through the water's surface, revealing their menacing outlines in the faint starlight and moonlight!
The three large warships lined up in a row, seemingly blocking the entire river surface, while several warships guarded the left and right sides of the warships.

This massive naval fleet was imposing, with dense figures and flashing cold lights faintly visible on the bow decks!

Although the distance was still considerable and the flickering firelight made it difficult to discern the specific flags on the warships, Zhuge Liang made his determination almost instantly…

This must be the navy from Xiangyang, personally led by Cao Ren!
Cao Ren himself was very likely on one of the warships!
It's beyond doubt; Stone Fortress was the bait they threw out!
The ambush in the depression and Cao Zhen's attack were both to ensure that Liao Hua would not retreat from the chain of hooks!

The vanguard of Cao Cao that pounced out of the darkness and the main force of Cao Ren's navy that was surging on the Han River at this moment were the deadly net that Cao Ren had laid out, advancing by both land and water and spreading out all over the sky!

The goal is to completely encircle and annihilate Liao Hua's elite cavalry force under the Stone Fortress!

"Quickly!" Zhuge Liang roared at the messenger, turning abruptly. "Sound the retreat! Quickly! Notify Commander Liao to immediately withdraw the troops! The entire army must retreat along the pre-arranged route! Hurry! Delay will be too late!"

He spoke rapidly, yet his thoughts were exceptionally clear. He swiftly ordered the officers around him, "Immediately order the rear guard reserves! Seize the high ground on both sides of the mountain path as quickly as possible! Prepare plenty of crossbows! Lay all the caltrops you've brought along both sides of the path and mark them! Make sure to open a path for Commander Liao's retreat and delay the pursuers! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

……

……

On the other side, they were also shouting loudly.

"Quick! Quick! Cross that depression ahead! Cut off the enemy's retreat!"

Xiahou Wei waved his arms, his voice sharp with excitement and urgency, his heart pounding with emotion.

This is a huge game!

That's brilliant!

Driving away the wounded soldiers was not only about getting rid of a burden, but also about precisely delivering poison bait!

Stone Fortress is a meticulously planned trap!

Cao Zhen and the dilapidated troops were a hook to lure the prey deeper!
His own and Cao Ren's land and naval forces were the final pincers to close the net!

In this way, not only was the huge trouble of taking care of the wounded not avoided, but these "useless" people were also turned into a deadly trap to bury powerful enemies!
If he can quickly cross the open depression ahead and seize the high ground of the mountain road, he can completely block the cavalry's retreat route to the mountain camp!

At that time, Cao Zhen and Stone Fortress would hold them back from the front, they would be blocked on the flanks, and Cao Ren's navy would land and encircle them from the rear...

Even if the elite cavalry force had wings, they would not be able to escape!
"Hurry! Hurry!" Xiahou Wei urged again, "Order the vanguard to accelerate!! Charge across the depression and seize the high ground at top speed! Stop the enemy!"

In Xiahou Wei's view, since the ambush troops in the low-lying area, which had previously served as a "camouflage," had not been attacked, this area should be unobstructed and the safest shortcut.

He didn't send any more scouts to thoroughly search the dense reed beds deep in the depression...

It was pitch black and completely silent there; what danger could there be?
Every minute and every second now matters to the outcome of the entire battle!
We must complete the final encirclement with overwhelming force!

……

……

"Cao Cao's army! It's Cao Cao's army! Lots of them! They're heading towards the low-lying area!"

Wang Su, who was lying on the earthen slope behind the depression, spotted a dark shadow surging in from afar like a tide.

Using the firelight from the direction of Stone Fortress and the faint starlight, they could see the entrance to the depression. Cao's soldiers were rushing into the depression, their target being the rear side of the high ground where they were!
That was the retreat route planned by the Flying Cavalry!
If it is seized, the consequences will be unimaginable!
"What do we do? The captain and the others are still at Stone Fortress!"

A young scout's voice carried a hint of panic.

"We can't let them get past!" Another, older scout, his eyes sharp as knives, made a swift decision. "Burn! Set fire to this reed bed! Hold them off!"

"I want to set a fire too!" Wang Su suddenly reached out and grabbed the older scout's arm tightly. "Give me...give me something to start a fire! Let me set a fire too! Burn these bastards to death!"

The older scout, seeing the madness in Wang Su's eyes, hesitated slightly before nodding. He quickly pulled several small leather pouches from his backpack, took one out, and placed it in Wang Su's hand. "Take care!"

Time is of the essence, leaving no room for sentimentality.

"Quick! Split up! Once it's lit, run up the mountain immediately!"

The older scout let out a low growl and then split up to rush towards the edge of the reed marshland.

……

……

A few tiny flames, like the forked tongues of venomous snakes, suddenly sprang up from the roots of the dry reeds!

In midsummer, the reeds grow long and their leaves accumulate the heat of summer, making them the perfect fuel for combustion, a gift from heaven!

Those few tiny flames, blown by the night wind, instantly burst into flames!
The flames greedily licked the dry reeds, crackling and popping merrily, and the fire spread and rose wildly at a visible speed!
The streaks of fire quickly connected and formed a massive wall of fire that stretched across the direction of Cao Cao's army's advance!

Then, as if it had a life of its own, the wall of fire roared and swept towards the sides and into the depths of the depression, propelled by the wind!

"Fire! Fire!!"

"Damn it! Where did this fire come from?!"

"Get out! Get out of here now!"

"There's a fire up ahead too! We're surrounded by fire!"

Terrified and desperate screams instantly rose into the sky!

The raging flames, like a giant monster, swallowed up Cao Cao's vanguard in one gulp!

Crimson flames danced wildly, licking the body and igniting the armor!

A wave of scorching heat hit you in the face, thick smoke billowed, making it hard to open your eyes and difficult to breathe!

The soldiers screamed and charged wildly in extreme fear and pain!
Xiahou Wei's carefully arranged assault formation collapsed in the face of the sudden fire!

"It's done! Hahaha! Burn! Burn it well! Burn you all! Burn you wolves in sheep's clothing! Burn it—!"

Wang Su, as if possessed, knelt on the ground and let out a shrill and wildly joyful laugh as he looked down at the hellish scene below.

The laughter echoed in the night sky, filled with bloody madness and boundless pleasure.

He personally ignited the flames of revenge, flames that reddened his eyes and ignited the last vestiges of his life.

"Run! Run! The fire is coming!"

The older scout, who had retreated from the other side after setting the fire, grabbed the frenzied Wang Su and tried to drag him away from the dangerous place.

Although the night wind mainly blew towards the low-lying area, the heat waves and swirling air currents generated by the burning fire were spreading towards the earthen slope where they were hiding, carrying scorching sparks and thick black smoke, causing the surrounding air temperature to rise sharply.

Wang Su was being pulled along, trying hard to keep up, but his already exhausted and weak leg betrayed him completely.

His previous extreme excitement had now exhausted his last bit of strength.

He had only been half-dragged and half-carried a few steps when he fell heavily to the ground, coughing violently and coughing up bloody froth with a strong metallic taste. The smoke almost choked him.

"Don't... don't worry about me... cough cough cough..."

Wang Su struggled to push away the scout's hand, the maniacal smile fading from his face, leaving only endless exhaustion and a hollow sense of relief. He watched the approaching flames and smoke, a calm yet eerie smile appearing on his face. "You...run! Run...run! I...can't walk anymore..."

This time, there was no resentment in his voice, only urging and a hint of satisfaction.

The older scout wanted to turn back and pull again, but a scorching wave of heat carrying sparks suddenly rushed over, forcing him back several steps.

Helpless, the scout could only hurriedly bow to him before staggering and fleeing.

The flames, like a greedy python, had already licked the hem of Wang Su's clothes and were spreading rapidly!
Amidst the flames, Wang Su ceased his struggle. He slumped onto the scorching ground, waved to the cavalry scouts, then glanced back at the Cao army soldiers below, who were thrashing about like headless flies in the sea of ​​fire, writhing and howling in agony. He gazed upon this inferno he had personally ignited.

The last trace of expression on his face vanished, leaving only a numb calm and a sense of emptiness as if his life had burned out.

That's enough... This is fucking ridiculous...

He murmured to himself, his voice so soft it was like a dream, audible only to himself.

Wang Su closed his eyes wearily, letting the orange-red flames embrace him like a lover, tender yet cruel, devouring his broken body and his face covered in filth and hatred.

He completed his sacrifice.

Using his broken life and boundless hatred as the last kindling, he ignited the raging fire of revenge, burning himself, along with the endless pain and humiliation of the past, to ashes in this all-consuming flame.

The towering flames and black smoke seemed to prove that he had once existed, and in the most tragic way, he issued his final accusation against the Cao army that had abandoned him, and against this corrupt and powerful man...