Super Cultivation System of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1059 All-out war
Zhang Fei was being escorted away by several Han soldiers when he suddenly heard the sound of an arrow striking the air. A soldier next to him fell to the ground and died instantly.

"Haha, Ziyi is a good archer." Zhang Fei knew it was Taishi Ci's work without looking back.

"Whizzing……"

As soon as he finished speaking, two more arrows flew over, and two Han soldiers fell to the ground.

Zhang Fei kicked the only soldier escorting him away, then pulled out the sword from the waist of a fallen soldier a few inches, turned his back, and slashed the rope that bound his hands across the sword.

"Ha, I, Old Zhang, am back again."

Zhang Fei was inexplicably excited. He ran forward quickly, knocked down several Han soldiers to the ground with his bare hands, and took back his Zhangba Snake Spear from them.

Liu Bei, Jiang Huan, Taishi Ci, and Chen Dao all ran towards Zhang Fei.

"Third brother, quickly mount your horse and let's fight together."

For Zhang Fei, Liu Bei's call was simply the best way to boost morale.

"System prompt: Liu Bei, Jiang Huan, and Zhang Fei, fighting side by side, triggering the temporary stunt 'Golden Orchid'..."

"System prompt: Liu Bei activates his special skill - Brother: Become a brother with a like-minded person, and you become the elder brother. After that, when you fight side by side with your brother, all your attributes will be increased by 2 points, and your brother's force will be increased by 2 points. If your brother is killed by others, his intelligence will be permanently reduced by 10 points for each person killed."

"Affected by his special skills, Liu Bei's comprehensive strength..."

A general under Zhang Yong saw Zhang Fei break free from his restraints and immediately ran over, trying to execute him on the spot.

Zhang Fei had just been defeated in public, and he was defeated in less than five rounds. This great humiliation made him so angry that he had no place to vent. Seeing this enemy general coming to him on his own initiative, he was naturally very happy.

"Ha, come on, take my spear."

After a flash of blood, the general was picked up high by Zhang Fei and thrown far away.

"System prompt: Zhang Fei has triggered the special skill 'Killing God'..."

"System prompt: Taishi Ci has triggered his special skill 'Continuous Shooting'..."

"System prompt: Jiang Huan has activated his special skill 'Calm'..."

Each side had 150,000 soldiers and horses, a total of 300,000 troops at this moment. A fierce and bloody battle broke out in the wilderness only ten miles away from the rolling Yellow River.

"Haha, this is a God-given opportunity, a God-given opportunity, Meng De, let's quickly send troops to capture Hulao Pass, today."

Xiahou Dun was extremely ecstatic, and the other generals were also very excited.

Cao Cao seemed to be deliberately suppressing his joy, but from the corners of his eyebrows, one could still see his eagerness to make a move.

He scanned all the civil and military officials present and said, "Liu He suddenly sent out troops to attack Zhang Fei's camp. He personally captured Liu Bei's sworn brother. When they were about to capture his camp, Liu Bei and Jiang Huan arrived, and the plan of the Luoyang emperor was thwarted. Now they are in a stalemate. Do you think it is appropriate to send troops at this time?"

Although this question was asked to everyone, it was clear from the look in Cao Cao's eyes that this had nothing to do with those generals, so Xiahou Dun and others consciously did not respond.

Cheng Yu was the first to speak out: "What Liu He is planning is nothing more than to defeat our three-party coalition forces one by one. Seeing that our army has not made any moves for several days, he is anxious, so he takes the initiative to attack, wanting to first eliminate Liu Bei's Qingxu troops, and then turn around to deal with our army, which will be easy. From this, we can infer that Sun Jian must have gained something in Hangu Pass, otherwise, with Liu He's character, he would not be so anxious."

Cao Cao nodded slightly, expressing his deep agreement, but there was a gloom between his brows.

"Well, what Zhongde said is exactly what I was thinking. But Liu He has always been cunning and scheming. I am worried that he will come up with some tricks in Hulao Pass. After all, our army suffered a defeat last time and was severely damaged. If there is another big defeat, we will have to retreat to Yuzhou. No, maybe we can't even defend Yuzhou."

The last time they fell into a trap, they suffered a great defeat, which not only caused heavy losses to Cao's army, but also had a huge impact on the morale of the army, which even included Cao Cao himself.

Guo Jia said: "My lord, you must not be discouraged. Liu He occupies six states in the world. His strength is no less than that of our three-party coalition. Our army's temporary defeat does not make him worthy of being called a hero."

When Guo Jia spoke, his voice was softer than that of Cheng Yu and others, but it was precisely this voice and this tone that always made Cao Cao feel refreshed and happy at critical moments.

"Well, that's a good point. Victory and defeat are common in the military, so why bother about it? I have made up my mind. I will send troops to Hulao Pass to decide the outcome."

Cao Cao's final decision made Xiahou Dun and others very happy.

Cao Cao then said, "My dear scholars, please tell me how to dispatch the troops most appropriately."

"I think we should learn from the last defeat. Since we have decided to capture Hulao Pass, we should mobilize the whole army and not leave any more troops in the base camp. Only in this way can we make the soldiers abandon all thoughts of retreat and bravely move forward."

Xi Zhicai's words attracted many generals to echo him.

Jia Xu moved his lips, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a moment, he stood up. When he came out, Cao Cao's gaze was instantly focused on him, with a look of anticipation in his eyes.

Jia Xu bowed his hands and stood up: "I think that with the wisdom of Liu He, Cui Jun, Xun You and others, they will definitely be prepared when they lead 150,000 troops to fight Liu Bei, and will never expose the city gate in vain."

Xiahou Yuan said, "Of course. According to the scouts, Liu He ordered Gao Shun and Cheng Liang to stay inside the pass to ensure safety. It will still be difficult for our army to capture the pass."

Jia Xu shook his head: "I'm afraid it's more than that."

Cao Cao immediately showed curiosity: "What do you mean by that?"

"Since ancient times, rebels have been more hated than old enemies. This is common sense. Therefore, it is reasonable for Liu He to destroy Liu Bei first and then attack our army."

His words made everyone even more confused.

"If that's the case, why did you say that just now, sir?"

Jia Xu said slowly, "It is precisely because of this that others will not be suspicious and think that he is determined to fight Liu Bei. It is only because of the failure of the surprise attack that he is stuck in a stalemate, which gives our army an opportunity to take advantage of. If our army really believes this and attacks Hulao Pass with all their strength, I believe that among Liu He's 150,000 troops, there will be an army that will turn around and attack us, causing our army to be attacked from both sides."

Cao Cao's face changed when he heard this: "If that's the case, we will all be prisoners, with no way out."

"My lord, you are wise." Jia Xu continued, "Liu He brought many generals with him to this battle, including Guan Yu, Zhang Yong, Zhu Ye, Zhao Yun, Xu Huang, Qian Zhao, etc. Among them, there is a group of soldiers who are known for their swift actions and elusiveness. They can come and go freely on the battlefield."

Cao Cao thought for a moment and said, "Zhao Yun's Flying Feather Cavalry!"

"That's right." Jia Xu said confidently, "Zhao Yun leads 20,000 Feiyu cavalry. Their horses and riding skills are far superior to our cavalry and the cavalry of the Qingxu Army. Even if he is in the bloody battle at this moment, as long as Liu He gives an order, in a moment, these 20,000 cavalry will be freed from the battle and turn around to rush towards our army."

"That's not right. With these 20,000 soldiers missing, wouldn't Liu He's force be weaker than Liu Bei's? Then..."

Cao Ren realized something was wrong when he was halfway through his words. "Ah, yes, Liu He's troops are better at fighting than ours, and even stronger than the troops of Qingxu. Even without Zhao Yun's 20,000 Flying Feather Cavalry, 130,000 versus 150,000, we still have at least an 80% chance of winning."

There was a fierce light in Cao Cao's eyes.

"What a great Liu He! He is combining the real and the fake. The 150,000-man army is the real one, and Zhao Yun's Flying Feather Cavalry is also the real one. If our army does not move, he will annihilate Liu Bei in one fell swoop. If our army moves, he will take advantage of the situation to encircle us and change the target. He will first destroy us and then deal with the Qingxu army. No matter what, he is sure to win. It is really a brilliant strategy."

Just then, a scout ran in, attracting everyone's attention.

"Reporting to the lord, Sun Jian led his army to attack Hangu Pass, but fell into Zhuge Liang's trap to lure the enemy and was burned to death in Qinglang Valley."

"What? Sun Jian is dead?" Everyone was shocked.

Cao Cao's expression remained unchanged: "Now that Sun Jian is dead, I wonder what will happen to Sun Ce?"

"My lord, Sun Ce, under Zhou Yu's advice, predicted that Wu Qin and Zhuge Liang would definitely transfer the troops from Hangu Pass back to Hulao Pass after killing Sun Jian, so he turned around and attacked back. He captured Hangu Pass at dusk two days ago."

"Okay!" Cao Cao looked as if this was "not unexpected".

"Now that he has occupied Hangu Pass, if he rests here and watches us fighting, he will take advantage of us. However, Sun Ce is a violent and violent boy. I don't think he will wait here for long. I'm afraid he is already on his way to attack Luoyang City."

All the generals were delighted: "Great! With Sun Ce as our vanguard, we will surely win this battle."

Cao Cao sneered, "That's not all. Liu He probably never dreamed that Dian Wei and Xu Chu, the two generals who were defeated and fled by him, didn't run too far."

After saying that, he slowly stood up and glanced at everyone. When Jia Xu saw his determined look, he knew that his lord had already made a plan, so he bowed and retreated.

Cao Cao drew out his Heavenly Sword and said, "Pass on my military orders..."

All the generals responded in unison: "We obey your orders!"

"Cao Ren leads 15,000 rattan shield soldiers to guard the right wing of the army. If Zhao Yun attacks, immediately move forward to stop him."

"Xiahou Yuan will lead 8,000 archers and will follow up. After the rattan shield soldiers have dispersed the enemy's first wave of attacks, they will immediately fire 10,000 arrows. Then you two will attack together. Even if you cannot annihilate Zhao Yun, you must trap him."

"The last general takes command!"

"The rest of you, follow me and attack with all your might. We must take down Hulao Pass!"

East of Hangu Pass, on a wide road leading to Luoyang, Sun Ce was reviewing his army.

Sun Jian's body was burned to ashes in a fire, so there was no way he could be buried in peace. Sun Ce had already notified the entire army that after taking Luoyang and avenging his old lord, he would build a cenotaph for Sun Jian outside the city of Luoyang to commemorate his heroic spirit.

After a few simple words, the morale of the Jiangdong army, whose commander had just died in battle, was re-energized. They shouted at the top of their lungs, "Avenge our lord!"

Zhou Yu ran over anxiously, "Bofu... Bofu, wait a minute..."

Sun Ce looked at him impatiently: "Gongjin still wants to stop me?"

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and said, "Bofu, now is definitely not the best time for our army to send out troops. The imperial army is outside Hulao Pass, confronting Cao and Liu. In the past few days, both sides have stopped fighting and are accumulating combat power. If our army rashly attacks Luoyang now, the imperial army will surely turn its guns to fight us. Wouldn't that let Cao and Liu take advantage?"

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were sworn brothers and had a deep friendship for many years, but now Sun Ce treated Zhou Yu with the cold eye.

"Humph, the hatred for killing my father is irreconcilable. How can it be used as a basis for plotting? With this Overlord Spear in my hand, even if Liu He comes in person, I can capture him alive. What is there to be afraid of?"

"But, Bofu..."

"Okay." Sun Ce interrupted him directly: "If Gongjin is afraid, I will give you 10,000 soldiers and horses, and you and Zijing will stay at Hangu Pass."

Zhou Yu's face changed. Lu Su came forward and wanted to say a few words for him, but Zhou Yu waved his hand to stop him.

"Alas, Bofu, you and I have known each other for more than ten years. How could you not know my character? Why do you have to say such words to provoke me? Well, I will not feel at ease if you attack Luoyang alone, so I will go with you."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce immediately laughed out loud: "Hahahaha... Well, you are worthy of being my good brother, Sun Ce. Together, you and I can conquer the world."

Then he shouted, "All troops, march!"

At the same time, thousands of miles away in Sichuan, the towering cliffs on both sides are like two sharp swords piercing the sky. This is the Jianmen Pass, known as the most dangerous pass in Shu.

At this time, outside Jianmen Pass, Zhang Ren was leading the army and advancing at full speed. Looking at the speed at which these soldiers marched, one could tell that each of them was an expert at walking on mountain roads.

The rear troops of this army had already left Jianmen Pass for several miles, and the front troops had advanced an unknown distance on this narrow mountain road. However, even this army of one hundred thousand strong did not cause the slightest ripple in the canyon, and even the trace of a flying bird was hard to be seen.

The veteran Yan Yan has fluttering white beard, but it does not affect his majestic aura.

"General, what chances do you think our army has of winning this battle?" he asked suddenly.

Zhang Ren said without hesitation: "Fifty percent."

Yan Yan was a little surprised: "Only 50%?"

Zhang Ren nodded and said, "If your majesty asks, of course it's 100%, but General Yan has a keen eye. If I say 100%, I'm sure you will be so angry that you will curse and say that Zhang is taking advantage of your old age and deliberately deceiving you, right?"

Yan Yan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Haha, the one who knows me best is General Zhang."

After laughing, he said seriously, "Now the false emperor of Luoyang is in his prime. The Liangzhou army has quelled the rebellion of the Qiang people, disbanded many Qiang tribes one by one, and took them into cities in various places to discipline and educate them. Many brave warriors were also incorporated into the army. They know the mountainous terrain of Liangzhou and Hanzhong very well, which is beyond the reach of us. The mountain warfare that my Sichuan army was proud of is now difficult to work."

Zhang Ren did not comment on this.

"There's no need to be pessimistic. Now that Guan Yu and Cui Jun are not in Liangzhou, I still have confidence in Zhang Liao."

Yan Yan looked ahead and murmured to himself, "I hope so."

In the rear, the team of civilian laborers transporting food and fodder followed the army closely, not leaving their side for a single step.

The person in charge of this baggage train was Zhang Song.

Zhang Song, with his rat-like eyes, looked around almost intently, as if he wanted to memorize the terrain of the mountain road in his mind. The generals leading the escort were a little surprised, but firstly, Zhang Song was a very high-ranking official. He volunteered to escort the grain and grass, and won the favor and reward of His Majesty. Even Zhang Ren and Yan Yan had to give him some respect. Secondly, he had a strange temperament. If anyone did not do what he wanted, he would ridicule or insult them. Therefore, these generals would not touch this bad luck.

(End of this chapter)