I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1149 Han Army Counterattack
"Yide, do not be rash."

As Guan Yu gazed at the impenetrable shield wall of the Roman army and the still-humming giant crossbows, a cold glint flashed in his phoenix eyes:
"The enemy has the advantage of terrain and is well-equipped with weapons, waiting in comfort for the enemy to tire themselves out. Our army has come from afar, and its morale has been somewhat diminished. A strong attack would play right into their hands. Even if we win, we will suffer heavy casualties, which is not the best strategy."

"So... then we'll just leave it at that?"

Zhang Fei's eyes widened as he pointed to the eagle banner faintly visible among the Roman ranks in the distance:
"Our brothers on all other fronts are winning victory after victory, and glory is within our grasp, yet we are to retreat? I cannot swallow this insult! How can I explain this to His Majesty when we return?!"

"How can we let this go?" Guan Yu sneered, raising his Green Dragon Crescent Blade slightly, its blade pointing towards the vast Lake Mariotis behind the Roman army formation. "They use the lake as a shield, cutting off our flanks, but also cutting off their own retreat. Our supply lines and water sources all depend on the boats in the lake's harbor. Flavius ​​dares to fight me here only because he relies on his navy's control of the lake, ensuring uninterrupted supplies."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Han Chinese artisan captains beside him: "We will retreat ten li and establish a fortified camp on the east bank of the river. Seeing our retreat, they will surely assume we are cowardly and may send their navy to harass us, or attempt to advance and build fortifications, trapping us on the east bank. At that time…"

Guan Yu gave a few instructions in a low voice. Zhang Fei was initially puzzled, but then his eyes grew brighter and brighter. Finally, he slapped his thigh and roared in a low voice, "Brilliant! Second Brother! Let's do it this way! Watch me, Old Zhang, capsize all those Roman barbarians' ships!"

On that day, the Han army retreated ten miles as ordered, setting up camp with their backs to a tributary of the Nile. They established a fortified camp, fortified with deep trenches and high walls, adopting a posture of long-term stalemate and awaiting the main force of reinforcements. The camp was deliberately built near the water, and they began cutting down trees, clearly intending to build ships and compete with Rome for control of the waterways.

Upon seeing this, Governor Flavius, amidst the Roman army, felt his doubts lessen and instead felt a surge of pride.

"It seems the Easterners are nothing special after all. Without the aid of that evil thunderous weapon, they dare not charge head-on into our Roman fortified lines." He said to the generals around him, "They want to build ships and seize control of the lake? What a fool they are! Order the fleet to strengthen patrols, especially at night, and be on high alert against fire attacks or sneak attacks by the Easterners!"

In the following days, the Roman legions did not advance rashly, but instead consolidated their positions along the lake and sent out small units and fleets to constantly harass the Han army's camp-building and logging operations. The Han army retaliated with powerful bows and crossbows, and frequent skirmishes ensued between the lake and riverbanks, resulting in casualties on both sides, but the overall situation remained in a stalemate.

Governor Flavius ​​grew increasingly convinced that the Han army was out of options and could only wait. He, in turn, awaited further reinforcements and supplies from Alexandria, as well as the Emperor's order to outflank the Han army from the sea. He firmly believed that as long as this defensive line was held, and the Han army's route to Alexandria and the Nile Delta was cut off, victory would ultimately belong to Rome.

However, he never expected that Guan Yu's real killing move was not on the surface of the water, but underwater.

On the third night of the standoff, the moon was dim and the stars were few, and the wind was strong and the waves were high.

On Lake Mariotis, Roman patrol ships cruised as usual on the side of the lake near the Han army camp, wary of any possible attack.

Suddenly, the outermost twin-propeller patrol boat shuddered violently, and a sickening sound of wood snapping came from its hull!

"What happened? We've run aground?" the captain shouted in panic. Lake Mariotis is generally shallow, but they were used to this route and had never run aground before!

Before the words were even finished, the ship began to list violently again, and more cracking sounds came from underwater, as if a giant sea monster was frantically ramming against the hull! The icy lake water surged in. "Oh no! The ship is sinking! Abandon ship!" the captain roared in despair.

At almost the same time, another patrol vessel nearby met the same terrible fate, breaking apart and sinking without warning.

In the chaos, the Roman sailors who had fallen into the water were horrified to discover that in the murky water, there seemed to be countless ghostly black shadows moving rapidly, holding strange and sharp tools and frantically chiseling at the bottom of the ship!
"Water ghosts! They're water ghosts from the East!" A survivor finally realized what was happening and let out a shrill scream.

These "water ghosts" were Guan Yu's surprise troops!
Among the troops he brought were not only fierce cavalry generals, but also dozens of elite Han soldiers from Jiaodong, Wuyue and other places, who were proficient in swimming. In the past few days, they have not been idle. Under the guidance of Egyptian militiamen who are familiar with the local water conditions, they have repeatedly dived into the lake under the cover of night, and have already figured out the patrol routes of the Roman fleet and the conditions of the lake bottom.

Guan Yu's order to retreat and establish a camp, and to openly cut down trees, was certainly intended to lure and exhaust the enemy, but the deeper purpose was to cover up the actions of these "water ghosts" and make the Romans focus their attention on the confrontation on the water and the shore.

On this stormy night, these warriors, skilled in swimming, carrying specially made chisels, saws, and even small explosive tubes fitted with gunpowder (urgently modified by the army's craftsmen), quietly swam beneath the Roman ships and launched this fatal attack!
The ship-drilling tactic was a great success!

In the following hour, more than fifteen Roman ships of various sizes sank or were severely damaged inexplicable collisions and explosions, including even a supply ship carrying provisions. Countless Roman sailors drowned or were captured.

When the news reached the Roman camp, Governor Flavius ​​was so shocked that he jumped out of bed, his face ashen.

"Impossible! Where did the Easterners get such elite water spirits? And how could they destroy ships underwater? This...this must be sorcery!"

However, harsh reality confronted him. Without the cover and vigilance of his lake fleet, the lake, which he relied upon as a shield, instantly transformed from a moat into a deadly trap. The Han army's naval spies, who could easily sink his warships, could similarly threaten the army camps on the lakeshore, and might even infiltrate and sabotage them!
Even more fatally, the supply lines were severely threatened! The supply lines from Alexandria were exposed to the Han army's attacks.

The following morning, Guan Yu stood atop the camp's watchtower, gazing upon the ravaged lake and the panicked Roman camp, and stroked his beard as he gave the order:
"The time has come. Yide, lead your cavalry, along with all the Xiongnu and Wuhuan light cavalry, and advance swiftly along the lake shore to intercept and kill the fleeing Roman soldiers and burn any grain they may have stockpiled! The rest of the tribes, follow me out of the camp, form ranks, and advance!"

"Today, we vow to crush the Roman army!"

The gates of the Han army camp swung open, and the long-prepared troops surged out. Without the threat of ballistae from the ships in the middle of the lake and the flank restraint, the Roman legions' formation was exposed to the Han army.

Governor Flavius ​​attempted to reorganize the troops, but the terrifying experience on the water the previous night and the shadow of the cut supply lines had already shaken the morale of the legion's soldiers. Panic began to spread rapidly, especially when they saw that the Han army had even deployed several large catapults this time.

(End of this chapter)