Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

Almost at the same time that Zhao Yun successfully entangled the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and the crisis on the right flank was temporarily relieved, another unexpected event occurred in the central army!
"Waaaaah—!"

A strange, eerie horn-like cry, like the hooting of an owl or the grinding of bones, suddenly rang out from the depths of Cao Cao's army! The sound was not loud, but it carried a chilling coldness that went straight to the soul, causing the soldiers on both sides who heard it to shiver involuntarily.

As the bugle sounded, the remaining hundreds of soldiers in Cao Cao's army formation, who had always stood still and were out of place with ordinary soldiers, suddenly trembled!
Their previously empty and dull eyes suddenly gleamed with a terrifying, dark red light, like congealed blood! They let out hoarse roars, completely inhuman, a mixture of pain and rage!

The next moment, these divine marchers seemed to have completely lost the last trace of "human" restraint, turning into beasts that only knew how to destroy! They no longer maintained their formation, no longer paid attention to the ordinary Cao soldiers around them, and even ignored the forest of spears and the dense rain of arrows in front of them.

Like hundreds of mad rhinoceroses, with speed and strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, they launched a suicidal and frenzied attack on Gu Rubing's central defense line!

Their power seemed to be forcibly amplified by some evil magic at this moment, increasing several times in an instant! One of the Divine Marchers slammed directly into the solid shield wall, sending the large iron shield and the two shield bearers behind it flying backward. The shield shattered, and people spat out blood!

Another warrior was pierced by three spears at the same time, but he seemed not to notice. Instead, he grabbed the spear shaft and dragged the three spearmen to the ground with a roar. Then, his head was crushed by his iron-like hands!
Ordinary soldiers found it difficult to resist this enemy who completely ignored pain, possessed immense strength, and acted like a madman!
The pressure on the central defense line suddenly increased, and several gaps were torn open by these frenzied "monsters". The elite infantry of Cao Cao's army rushed forward to try to expand the victory, and Gu Rubing's central army began to waver!
Gu Rubing, seated on the palanquin, saw this scene and his eyes suddenly sharpened! His chest heaved violently with excitement and pain, and he spoke in a stern voice.

"It's an evil spell! Cao Cao has used his last resort to try and crush our army! Yun Chang!"

Without him needing to say more, Guan Yu, who had been calmly holding the left flank while closely monitoring the central army's movements, had already made his move the moment he saw the unusual changes in the Divine Marching Army!
"drive!"

Red Hare neighed and transformed into a red shooting star! Guan Yu ignored the Cao army generals and soldiers on the left flank who were trying to intercept him. With a light swing of his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, he cleaved away those who blocked his way. His only target was the dozens of blood-red-eyed Divine Marchers who were most rampant in front of the central army!
"Guan Yu is here! Evil spirits, die!"

His voice, like a dragon's roar, shook the battlefield! Guan Yu and his horse became one, instantly rushing to the front of the formation, facing a Divine Marching Army soldier who was knocking two Gu soldiers, shields and all, flying away.

His phoenix eyes flashed with cold light, his arm muscles bulged, and his Green Dragon Crescent Blade sliced ​​through the air with a chilling arc of blue light, like a green dragon reaching out its claws from the heavens, slashing down fiercely!

The warrior seemed to sense a deadly threat and roared as he raised a stolen iron rod to block!

“Dang—Crack!!!”

Amidst the ear-piercing clang of metal against metal, the thick iron rod was severed by the Azure Dragon Blade as easily as cutting through rotten wood! The blade's momentum was not yet exhausted, and it immediately cleaved into Shen Xingjun's shoulder and neck, slicing through the thick armor, which was a mixture of metal and an unknown material, as if it were made of paper.

The blade embedded itself deeply into his body, almost cleaving him in two! Blood gushed out like a fountain, the red light in the Divine Marcher's eyes dimmed rapidly, and his massive body crashed to the ground!

The power of that single strike was truly astounding! The raging charge of the Divine Marching Army was abruptly halted by Guan Yu's earth-shattering blow! The soldiers of the Gu Army, who were fighting fiercely nearby, were greatly encouraged and erupted in thunderous cheers.

"General Guan! General Guan is mighty!"

Guan Yu didn't stop. His Red Hare nimbly weaved through the crowd, and his Green Dragon Crescent Blade transformed into a blue storm of death. Wherever the blade flashed, those fearless and incredibly strong Divine Marchers vanished.

They fell like harvested crops! Their bodies, strengthened by evil magic, still appeared fragile before Guan Yu's indestructible blade aura and overwhelming righteous energy!
The pressure on the central army was greatly reduced! The gap was quickly plugged, and the shaky defense line was stabilized again.

Guan Yu's single strike shattered the evil spirits, temporarily stabilizing the most dangerous situation in the central army; Zhao Yun, leading the White Horse Cavalry, skillfully engaged in combat and successfully halted the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry's deadly charge.

However, the overall balance of power on the battlefield continued to slowly tilt towards Cao Cao's side.

Cao Cao's overall troop strength advantage was simply too great!
On the right flank, although the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry were temporarily held back by Zhao Yun, their initial charge had already caused considerable chaos and casualties at the junction of Gu Rubing's right flank and his army.

To make matters worse, Zhang Fei temporarily left the front line of the right flank of the main battle formation in order to rescue another dangerous location that had been breached by Cao Cao's infantry.

Without Zhang Fei, a pillar of strength and a fierce general, to hold the line, the soldiers of Gu's army on the right flank began to gradually break down under the continuous onslaught of Cao Cao's infantry in front and the threat of Tiger and Leopard Cavalry on the flank.

The front line continued to bend and dent backward, and there were even signs of small-scale retreat in some areas. It looked like the entire right flank defense line was in danger of being breached!
On the left flank, Guan Yu, though brave, was ultimately alone. After decisively killing more than ten elite cavalrymen and stabilizing the central army, he was immediately surrounded by Cao Cao's elite generals and even more ordinary cavalrymen!
Several fierce generals of Cao Cao's army recognized him as the pillar of Gu's forces and charged forward to engage him in battle despite the risk of casualties. The remaining elite troops also launched a fearless attack on him. Guan Yu wielded his Green Dragon Crescent Blade like a wheel, its blade flashing, continuously cutting down enemies from their horses.

However, they were unable to break away and return to reinforce the main force on the left flank for the time being. Meanwhile, the main force of Cao Cao's army on the left flank took the opportunity to intensify its offensive, and the left flank defense line was also under tremendous pressure, with many parts in dire need of assistance.

Cao Cao stood under the central banner, coldly observing all the changes on the battlefield.

He saw that although Gu Rubing's army had withstood the first wave of fierce attacks and the magical assault from the center, their overall formation was beginning to crumble, with the right flank being particularly vulnerable and on the verge of collapse. Meanwhile, Guan Yu on the left flank was temporarily held back, and the central army had also expended a large number of reserves in order to stabilize their position.

The time seems to have come.

He slowly raised the black command flag in his hand again. This time, the flag signal pointed to the most powerful fresh force in the rear that had never been used before—the last tens of thousands of reserve troops in the central army!
At the same time, orders were sent to both flanks to continue applying immense pressure, with a focus on deploying more troops to the right flank for a sustained and relentless attack in an effort to achieve a breakthrough! Meanwhile, the central army maintained high pressure, preventing Gu Rubing from diverting his already stretched forces to support the precarious right flank.

The black command flag fell like the judgment of death.

The balance of power on the battlefield was tipping slowly and menacingly under the immense pressure of Cao Cao's final, massive reserve force. Gu Rubing's defensive line, especially its right flank, was already under immense pressure.

Despite the desperate fighting of every soldier in the Gu army, their shouts hoarse and their blades dulled, the casualty figures were rising at an alarming rate. The continuous and fierce fighting had drastically increased their physical exhaustion, and many soldiers' arms were so heavy that they could barely lift them.

They were mechanically wielding their weapons based solely on instinct and will. The battle lines were forced to bend and contract continuously, and the space for maneuver was compressed step by step. The originally relatively intact formation developed obvious dents and cracks in many places.

On the right flank, several gaps previously breached by the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry charge and Cao Cao's infantry assault, though barely plugged by reinforcements, remained vulnerable. Now, under the relentless onslaught of Cao Cao's new forces, these breaches were torn open and widened once more!
Several elite assault squads composed of Cao Cao's fierce soldiers, clad in heavy armor and wielding armor-piercing weapons such as large axes and hammers, broke through these cracks like red-hot chisels!
Instead of rushing deeper, they quickly widened the gaps on both sides, while sending out a group to try to outflank Gu Rubing's central army formation, intending to create greater chaos and shake the foundation of the entire battle formation!

"Block them! Don't let them get through!" "Fill the gap! Quickly!"

The officers on the right wing were bloodshot, shouting themselves hoarse as they personally led their personal guards to charge at the invading Cao army squads.

However, faced with the relentless influx of Cao Cao's main force and these well-equipped, tactically sound assault teams, Gu Rubing's army found its resistance increasingly futile. Screams, the clash of weapons, and the dying groans mingled together; the situation on the right flank was precarious!

Arrows, like headless flies, flew from the chaotic battlefield from time to time, landing near the core area of ​​Gu Rubing's central army.

The sound of arrows clattering against the shields held high by the guards echoed repeatedly, their arrowheads embedded deep in the wooden shields. The air seemed to freeze, thick with the stench of blood, sweat, and death.

Gu Rubing sat on the sedan chair, his face pale and bloodless, with fine beads of cold sweat constantly seeping from his forehead and sliding down his cheeks.

The old wound in his chest and abdomen ached slightly due to the intense emotional fluctuations, constant observation, thinking, and issuing orders, as if countless fine needles were repeatedly piercing him.

He could clearly hear his heart pounding like a war drum, and he could also clearly feel the terrifying, extreme pressure the entire army was enduring.

The increasingly close battle cries and desperate shouts of his own soldiers coming from the right flank were like heavy hammer blows to his heart.

In the field of vision, several important military flags representing the right wing were slowly but undeniably moving backward. The shadow of defeat, like the darkest clouds, loomed over that direction.

Once the right flank is completely breached... Gu Rubing seemed to already see Cao's cavalry surging in like a flood bursting its banks through that breach.

The scene of them thrusting straight into the unprotected flank and rear of the central army, cutting off and encircling the entire force! At that moment, even the bravery of Guan Yu and Zhao Yun would be insufficient to reverse the defeat, and the entire army would collapse in an instant!
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

"My lord! The right wing... the right wing is probably not going to hold out! Should we... should we order the central army to retreat and fight again from their fortified positions?"

One advisor suggested, his voice trembling, his face filled with terror. Another advisor spoke urgently.

"My lord, your injuries are severe, and this place is dangerous. Perhaps we should temporarily avoid a direct confrontation..."

"Shut up!"

Gu Rubing let out a low roar, his voice hoarse from weakness and excitement, yet carrying an undeniable resolve! He shoved away the strategist who tried to help him and persuade him to retreat, his eyes fixed on the most critical gap on the right flank.

The last trace of hesitation and bewilderment in his eyes was completely burned away, replaced by a near-mad, desperate light that wanted to perish together with this desperate situation!
Retreat? Where to retreat to? The main camp is right behind us. Retreating into the camp might allow us to hold out for a while longer, but morale will be lost. If we are surrounded and attacked by Cao Cao's army, it will be a dead end!
Moreover, if the central army moves, Guan Yu on the left flank, Zhao Yun in front, and the remaining soldiers on the right flank... they will immediately be trapped in a desperate situation of fighting alone and being divided and annihilated!
Gu Rubing could accept failure and death, but he could never accept the collapse of the entire army and the slaughter of his brothers because of his own retreat!

"Give me my gun!"

He gave a hoarse command and abruptly stood up! The movement aggravated all his wounds, and the excruciating pain made his vision blur and his body sway, but he gritted his teeth and held on, grabbing a long iron-spined spear handed to him by his guard. The spear was cold, yet it seemed to give him his last bit of strength.

"My lord! No! Your injuries are too severe!"

"My lord, please reconsider!"

The guards and advisors were horrified and knelt down to dissuade him.

Gu Rubing ignored him completely. He took a deep breath and used all his strength to mount a warhorse brought by his personal guard. The jolting on the horse's back caused the wound in his ribs to tear open again with excruciating pain.

A sweet taste rose in his throat, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, but he simply wiped it away, gripped his spear tightly, and pointed the tip of the spear directly at the right flank where the shouts of battle were the most intense and the smoke the thickest!

"Boys!"

He used all his strength to make his voice carry as far as possible.

"Follow me—kill the traitors!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly spurred his horse, and the warhorse, in pain, let out a long neigh and resolutely charged towards the most dangerous and chaotic gap on the right flank!
The head coach personally led the charge!

This scene, like a red-hot iron, was seared into the hearts of all the soldiers of the Gu Army who witnessed it! The morale, which had been somewhat low due to heavy casualties and the retreat of the battle line, exploded like dry tinder thrown into sparks! An indescribable sense of tragedy and fervor instantly overwhelmed their fear and exhaustion!
"My lord! It's my lord!"

"Our lord has personally taken to the battle!"

"Charge with our lord! Fight that traitor Cao!"

The remaining reserves, originally ordered to guard the core of the central army, could no longer restrain themselves. Without any orders, they spontaneously roared and grabbed their weapons, launching a desperate counter-charge following the figure who was leading the charge into the death zone!

Even the soldiers in the central army who were originally holding their posts were moved by the tragic atmosphere when they saw this scene. With the tacit approval or even the leadership of their officers, they also shouted and joined the counter-current!

The force led by Gu Rubing was small, numbering only two or three thousand men, and consisted of temporary conscripts from various units of the central army, not their most elite fresh troops. However, their morale was at its peak! (End of Chapter)