Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3843 Desperate Death
Outside Luoyang City, Cao Cao's army camp.

Inside the central command tent, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the deathly stillness before a storm.

The low air pressure made everyone feel a little short of breath.

The news of the fall of Mengjin, the failure of Beiman Mountain, the death of Cao Zheng, and the large number of cavalry crossing the river from the north bank of the Dahe River weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like cold, heavy stones.

The newly added insignia of the Flying Cavalry on the map hanging inside the main tent looked like dark clouds in the sky, seemingly pressing down endlessly...

The Tongguan detachment to the west, the Hedong branch north of Hongnong, and the majority of the Flying Cavalry that appeared at Mengjin were like open pincers, ready to completely crush Cao Cao's army camp in the Heluo region!
At present, most of the civil and military officials under Cao Cao had gloomy faces, like dark clouds in the sky.

The successive defeats, the shortage of troops, and the looming threat of the main force of the Flying Cavalry returning to base caused a sense of despair to arise uncontrollably. Even Xun Yu remained silent, unable to offer any further insights into the ten victories and ten defeats.

Should we retreat?
Is it still too late?
Where are we going to retreat to this time?
Yique Pass?
However, the previous report from Yique Pass of a small detachment of the Flying Cavalry harassing and ambushing the enemy does not mean that the Flying Cavalry has already made preparations and arrangements in this direction.
If the main force were to retreat along Yique Pass, wouldn't it fall right into the trap set by the Flying Cavalry?

Heading towards Taigu Pass?

However, the mountain road at Taigu Pass is more difficult to traverse than that at Yique Pass.

Yique still has the Yi River, so the latter half can be transported by water. However, Taigu Pass is all mountain roads, and we also have to cross the Guiku Pass. If the army really has to travel through Taigu in a long and winding way, who knows how long it will take.
So where else can we retreat to?
Gongxian County?

To reunite with the emperor?
If that time really comes, will the emperor and those so-called loyal ministers...

"Prime Minister!"

Chen Lin, the Imperial Censor, could hardly bear it any longer. His voice hoarse, he bowed and said, "I believe that Mengjin has fallen, and the North Gate is wide open! The General of the Cavalry will soon cross the Yellow River and head south. The Heluo region is devastated, and our forces are weak and insignificant; we cannot hold out for long. The best course of action now is to quickly retreat to Yique and Taigu, hold our positions in strategic locations, preserve our strength, and await…"

Chen Lin is getting old, and her heart simply can't handle such a stimulating thing.

And Chen Lin truly regrets it!

I wish I hadn't come...

No, I should have retired two years ago... Oh, I should have begged to retire...

But didn't I think I could receive my salary for two more years?

He was a supervisor under the Prime Minister, and he never intended for his subordinates to die!
"Waiting for what?" A slightly cold voice interrupted Chen Lin.

Everyone looked up and saw that Cao Cao's face showed only calmness, not the expected rage or dejection.

An extreme calmness.

Even if Mount Tai collapses, it will not change color.

In later generations, many people sometimes mistake calmness for indifference, or glorify numbness as composure.

But in reality, remaining calm even when Mount Tai collapses means being fully aware of how terrifying and dangerous the collapse would be, yet still being able to calmly analyze the situation and search for a glimmer of hope. Is it numbness...?

What?
what?

What are these?

Cao Cao squinted, glanced around, and said, "Do you all think... we're already in a hopeless situation?"

This was not the first time Cao Cao had faced a "desperate situation".

Before anyone could answer, Cao Cao's voice suddenly rose, revealing his confidence in his understanding of the battlefield: "No! This is not a hopeless situation, but a golden opportunity! It is our chance to turn the tide of battle and severely cripple the General of the Cavalry!"

An uproar erupted inside the tent!
How can a desperate situation be turned into a golden opportunity?

Old Cao, you're just bragging again, aren't you...?

Ignoring the astonishment of the crowd, Cao Cao spoke quickly and forcefully, "The detachment of the Flying Cavalry, coming from Tongguan and Hedong, has successively captured Mianchi, Xin'an, and Shanxian, advancing with unstoppable momentum. They all know that the main force of the Flying Cavalry is about to return, and they believe that our defeat is inevitable. Their morale will surely be high! Their camp defenses will inevitably be lax!"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt that this explanation seemed plausible, but what did it have to do with the General of the Cavalry?
"If I'm not mistaken..." Cao Cao squinted at the map, "The two detachments at Tongguan and Hedong will certainly not reach the He-Luo region, but instead intend to cut off our route to Yique and Taigu!"

Cao Cao's words truly terrified everyone.

If the cavalry from Mengjin wanted to pursue Cao Cao, they would first have to reach Luoyang. To break through Cao Cao's Luoyang camp, as long as they weren't the unlucky ones left behind to cover the retreat, the others would still have a chance to go ahead as leaders...

However, if the cavalry forces of Tongguan and Hedong cut off the passage between Yique and Taigu first, then things will be really troublesome!

Cao Cao observed the reactions of his officers and then said in a deep voice, "I will personally lead elite cavalry to attack the enemy advancing towards Tong Pass! We will catch them off guard and launch a surprise attack to defeat them!"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this, and then they all tried to dissuade him.

"My lord..."

"Prime Minister..."

"This body is worth a fortune..."

"Ah ba ah ba..."

Okay, the last person to speak up was clearly a slacker.

"My mind is made up!"

Cao Cao flicked his sleeve and said, "I will personally lead a thousand iron cavalry; that will suffice!"

It wasn't that Cao Cao didn't want to bring more, but rather that his entire fortune was reduced to this thin layer.

Cao Cao resolutely replied, "The key to an army lies in its quality, not its quantity! Back at Guandu, I too defeated a much larger force with a smaller one! Wenruo!"

"Yu is here."

Xun Yu stepped forward, his face calm. He had basically guessed Cao Cao's plan.

"At dawn tomorrow, you will lead the army in a grand and imposing retreat south! The banners and baggage must be made to look incredibly realistic! If the city's defenders pursue us… you should do this and that…"

Cao Cao whispered a few instructions to Xun Yu.

"Yes, sir."

Xun Yu bowed deeply.

That night, the moon was dark and the wind was strong, with a biting cold.

Cao Cao personally led over 1,200 elite cavalrymen, men gagged and horses hoofed, like a death torrent gathering in the dark night, quietly leaving the camp and, under the cover of darkness, stealthily heading west.

……

……

Hongnong, Xin'an, the vanguard camp of the Flying Cavalry.

As Cao Cao had predicted, the optimism brought about by the consecutive victories spread throughout the General's camp.

Although Commander Hao Zhao maintained the vigilance of a professional soldier and ordered more scouts to be deployed and the camp defenses to be strengthened, the rank-and-file soldiers and some middle and lower-ranking officers inevitably became complacent.

In their view, Cao Cao's army had suffered heavy losses and was now like fish on a chopping board, waiting only for the main force to surround and harvest them.

I'm sure some keyboard warriors will clamor that Hao Zhao and Ma Yue were intellectually deflated, but in reality, this phenomenon is quite common. Even Cao Cao himself in history suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, a defeat that could be described as a result of his initial triumph.

Interestingly, around the same time as the Battle of Red Cliffs, the Western Roman legions, with twice the number of troops as Hannibal, were almost completely annihilated after underestimating the Carthaginian army's crescent formation, and paid a heavy price for their underestimation of the enemy.

Hao Zhao and Ma Yue also did not expect that Cao Jun, who seemed to be a cornered prey, would dare to bare his fangs and counterattack the hunter.

Ma Yue was in high spirits at that moment.

It's like a motorcyclist crossing the road without a helmet and changing lanes repeatedly.

Behold the unbridled driving skills of this old man or a fairy!

He had guarded Tongguan for many years and accumulated a lot of hard work, but he didn't have many outstanding achievements. Now that he was finally leaving the pass, he was about to capture Luoyang and Cao Cao. The great achievement seemed to be within reach. The desire to make a name for himself that had been suppressed by his previous mistakes was burning even brighter.

Ma Yue outwardly agreed with Hao Zhao's caution, but inwardly disagreed.

This is related to an individual's personality.

Personality is related to one's upbringing, but it does not mean that people with similar upbringing will have similar personalities.

Just like Hao Zhao, who also came from Xiliang, his personality leaned towards caution. And there are many others similar to those from Xiliang, such as Jiang Jiong and Ma Chao, who might not always maintain a cautious attitude…

At the third quarter of midnight, when the night was deepest and the men and horses were most exhausted, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted from the darkness east of the cavalry camp, like a thunderclap from a clear sky!

The thick darkness of night was torn apart by countless lit torches!

A cavalry unit, like a phantom emerging from hell, hurtled towards the outer perimeter of the Flying Cavalry camp with astonishing speed!
"Enemy attack—! Cao Cao's army! It's Cao Cao's cavalry!"

The alarms from the fixed sentry posts were sharp and piercing, but Cao Cao's attack was too fast!

War is never one-sided; Cao Cao's army learns and grows as it suffers repeated defeats.

Cao Cao had studied the night raid and surprise attack tactics of the Flying Cavalry many times.

Following the example, they managed to perform it quite well.

The rockets shot into the cavalry camp like meteors, igniting several tents and some piles of hay. Flames immediately rose and thick smoke billowed everywhere, further exacerbating the chaos in the camp.

Why didn't the patrol team discover it?

Ma Yue was greatly surprised and puzzled.

"They must have come following the soldiers on duty!" Hao Zhao said urgently. "Now is not the time to pursue the scouts! We must immediately gather our forces and repel Cao Cao's army!"

"Alright! I'll go to the front camp!" Ma Yue said.

Hao Zhao nodded, "I'll go to the rear camp!"

The two met briefly and immediately went to the front and back of the camp to gather soldiers and assemble their forces.

There was no inherent superiority or inferiority in the allocation of troops between Ma Yue and Hao Zhao. Because Ma Yue and Hao Zhao commanded mostly cavalry, the front camp occupied a larger area and the troops were more dispersed, while the supply infantry in the rear camp were relatively smaller and the soldiers were more concentrated.

The front camp covers a large area, so it is not easy to gather troops. Although the rear camp is concentrated, it will also be a key point for Cao Cao's army to launch surprise attacks.

Cao Cao was also a seasoned veteran of the battlefield. He chose the right time for the surprise attack and was ruthless. Cao Cao's cavalry was like a raging whirlwind, instantly breaking through the outermost obstacles. Hooves trampled and blades flashed. In an instant, screams, the sound of weapons clashing, and the neighing of warhorses filled the air!
"Don't panic! Assemble immediately! Pikemen, form ranks! Archers..."

Hao Zhao rushed to the rear camp immediately and issued several orders to stabilize the situation.

Although Cao Cao's surprise attack caught Hao Zhao off guard, Hao Zhao remained calm and composed in the face of danger. He immediately ordered his troops to retreat towards his banner and formed a defensive line using vehicles and makeshift chevaux-de-frise.

However, amidst the chaos, by the flickering firelight, Hao Zhao saw a striking banner with the character "Cao" on it, faintly visible in the flames behind the attacking Cao cavalry!
Beneath the great banner, a long-bearded general, clad in a red robe, appeared and disappeared in the shadows!
"It's Cao Cao's great banner!"

Some sharp-eyed soldiers also saw it and exclaimed in surprise.

"Under the great banner is Cao Cao!"

Someone else screamed.

This news spread like wildfire through the cavalry, like water droplets thrown into boiling oil!

Ma Yue was gathering his troops at the front camp when he heard that Cao Cao had appeared. He was stunned at first, and then his eyes burst with unbelievable joy!

Immediate gains overwhelmed their vigilance.

"Old thief?! He actually came in person?!" At first, Ma Yue didn't believe it, but in the flickering firelight, he really saw Cao Cao's banner and the red-robed figure beneath it. He immediately felt a surge of hot blood rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!
"Ha ha ha! This is truly divine intervention!"

Ma Yue was not surprised but rather pleased.

After a series of victories, Ma Yue became convinced that the Flying Cavalry was an elite force, invincible, and capable of sweeping away everything...

Confidence is a good thing, but excessive confidence is definitely not a good thing.

Ma Yue hadn't had time to fully gather his troops when he saw the red-robed figure under the banner, seemingly retreating and disappearing back into the darkness because of the shouts of the cavalry, as if preparing to leave the battlefield. He couldn't help but react.

"The old thief is trying to escape!"

This thought gripped Ma Yue's mind like a spell.

Capturing and killing Cao Cao—what an unparalleled achievement!
Enough to bring glory to the family and fame throughout the world!
"That traitor Cao is trying to escape! This is a golden opportunity! My men! Follow me and strike!"

Ma Yue immediately raised his spear, shouted urgently, and his face flushed with excitement.

The soldiers of the cavalry in the surrounding area were also infected by Ma Yue's spirit and started shouting loudly. Before they had fully assembled, they recklessly launched a counterattack towards Cao Cao's banner!

Hao Zhao, who was in the rear camp, felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing this!
He immediately seized a messenger, 'Stop General Ma immediately! Cao Mengde is a cunning strategist; he wouldn't easily risk his life, nor would he easily retreat. There must be a trick involved! The night is dark, and the enemy's situation is unclear. A hasty pursuit could lead to an ambush! Maintaining our position is the best course of action!'

The messenger rushed to Ma Yue's location, but Ma Yue was already leading his men in pursuit of Cao Cao's retreating banner, relentlessly pursuing him and refusing to listen. "The opportunity to fight is fleeting! If we let that old thief escape, it will be too late to regret it!"

Ma Yue seemed to already see Cao Cao's head rolling beneath his spear before his horse. "I'll go and take that traitor Cao's head first, then we'll discuss this further!"

"My lads! Follow me and hunt down that traitor Cao! Now is the time to make a name for yourselves!" Ma Yue not only did not stop, but urged his troops to speed up, leading hundreds of cavalrymen to relentlessly pursue the retreating banner bearing the character "Cao" and charge forward!

Stop! Come back!

At the rear camp, Hao Zhao saw that Ma Yue's troops' fire not only did not stop, but accelerated forward. He was so anxious that he jumped up and down, but he was too far away to stop them. A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in his heart.

At this moment, Ma Yue was filled with excitement, his eyes fixed on the banner that represented his unparalleled achievements.

His cavalry, inspired by his spirit, roared and gave chase with all their might.

The scattered Cao army troops they encountered along the way were easily dispersed by Ma Yue and his men.

After chasing for about a mile, they came to a relatively open depression ahead, with slightly higher ground on both sides, covered with withered grass and shrubs.

That large banner bearing the character "Cao" swayed precariously, seemingly not far ahead...

Just when Ma Yue thought he was about to catch up with Cao Cao, a sudden change occurred!
From the withered grass on the left-hand hill, a roar like that of a giant bear in the wilderness suddenly rang out!
Immediately afterwards, a huge figure, as tall as an iron tower, led hundreds of Cao soldiers and emerged from the withered grass in the depression, crashing into Ma Yue's troops from the flank!
The leading Cao army giant was clad in heavy armor and wielded a pair of terrifying iron halberds. He didn't even ride a horse; he just strode over at an astonishing speed!
He was like a runaway chariot, crashing into the ranks of cavalrymen and causing them to fall to their deaths!

He easily parried the spears thrust at him by the cavalry, and the swords that slashed at him only sparked a few fireballs when they struck his armor. Every swing of his twin halberds inevitably brought forth a shower of blood!
With a fierce swing of the halberd, shields were torn apart and bones were smashed. The men and horses in front of him were ripped to shreds as if they were made of paper!
Ma Yue was both shocked and furious, and ordered his personal guards to attack.

However, the giant was unstoppable. He wielded his double halberds like windmills, carving a bloody path through the crowd and charging straight at Ma Yue!

That ferocious face and that violent aura made even the battle-hardened Ma Yue feel a chill in his heart!
"The general will be named!" 』

Ma Yue forced himself to remain calm, shouted sharply, and tried to slow down the giant's speed, while also signaling to his guards to load the crossbow bolts...

Unexpectedly, the giant ignored Ma Yue's request to announce his name, and instead let out an even more ferocious roar. He pushed off with his feet, leaped up, and swung his double halberds down at Ma Yue with a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air, like a tiger descending a mountain!

This strike contained terrifying power!
Ma Yue's pupils contracted sharply. With no way to avoid it, he could only grit his teeth, gather all his strength, and parry the attack head-on!

"clang--!!!"

A deafening roar, like the thunder of a bronze bell, exploded!

It seemed that the collision between the two created a strong airflow that spread from the center point and blew around.

Sparks flew like fireworks between the two men as they wielded their iron halberds and spears!

Ma Yue felt an immense force that he could not resist travel up the gun handle, causing excruciating pain in both arms. His hands instantly split open, bleeding profusely!

The spear in his hand bent instantly and was completely destroyed!

His warhorse let out a mournful cry, its hooves buckling as it was forced to its knees by the immense impact!
"Die!"

The giant landed without stopping, seemingly without needing to catch his breath, and then sprang up again, his iron halberd sweeping across the waist with a deadly arc!

Ma Yue was terrified and knew he couldn't fight back. In desperation, he could only yank his horse's head to block the giant's iron halberd attack!
*Boom!*

The iron halberd smashed through the warhorse's head, but its momentum remained undiminished, bringing a bloody storm as it bit towards Ma Yue's waist and abdomen!

In the blink of an eye, Ma Yue managed to straighten his bent spear!
"Bang!"

The heavy iron halberd struck the spear shaft, and then, along with the shaft, slammed into Ma Yue's side ribs!

A clear cracking sound rang out!

Ma Yue could even feel several of his ribs break instantly, and his internal organs felt as if they had been hit by a heavy hammer!

Ma Yue was swept off the back of the headless warhorse like a kite with a broken string, and crashed heavily onto the cold ground!
"General!"