Super Cultivation System of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 890 The Ultimate Calculation
"General, the Black Wind Pass is ahead."

The deputy general pointed forward.

Cao Hong stopped his horse, put his hand on his brow, and looked forward. He saw two mountains standing a few miles away, more than a hundred feet high and covered with rugged rocks.

Cao Hong looked around him again. The vegetation was lush and prosperous. However, the lush forest came to an abrupt end at the two peaks. It was as if an invisible hand had stopped the plants and prevented them from continuing to grow and multiply. As a result, there was almost no grass growing on the two peaks.

Between the two mountains, there is a narrow path that can be called a thread through the sky. The narrowest part of this path is only two or three feet wide, and the widest part is only more than ten feet. It is very dangerous, but it only takes a few hundred steps to get out of the valley, so it has never been noticed.

"It is indeed a perfect place for an ambush. If the lord had not seen through the enemy's plan, we would all have died here."

Cao Hong's tone was full of relief.

He waved his hand to his deputy general and said, "Take a thousand soldiers and hide in the dense forest nearby. After I lead out the ambush, the enemy will come to block the valley entrance. Then you will suddenly rush out and annihilate them."

"I obey your command." The deputy general received the military order, assembled his troops, and disappeared into the dense forest.

"Okay, the entire army, move forward." Cao Hong forced himself to suppress the excitement in his heart, and tried his best to keep his face normal so as not to be noticed by the enemy.

But his temperament was not as calm as Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren. After taking a few steps, he couldn't help but become excited. He unconsciously whipped his horse and sped up.

And the closer we get to the valley entrance, the more difficult it is to suppress this feeling.

Seeing that the entrance of the valley was getting closer and closer, Cao Hong raised his head and kept looking around, but no matter how he looked, he could not find any signs of an ambush.

"As expected of Gao Shun, the ambush was so secretive. If we hadn't known about it beforehand, who would have been able to detect the ambush? It's really hard to guard against."

He was thinking in his mind, but his hands were not idle. He kept patting his horse and quickly rushed into the valley.

"Come out... Come out quickly..."

Cao Hong had been fighting for so many years, but he had never been so eager for the enemy to appear. His heart was so excited that it almost jumped out of his throat.

However, seeing that he had already walked more than half of the mountain path which was only a few hundred steps long, and no enemy ambush had appeared, Cao Hong began to feel doubtful.

"What's going on? Could it be that Meng De and Military Advisor Feng Xiao guessed wrong? That soldier was indeed sent by Meng Tan to ask for help, and it was not a trick by Gao Shun?"

He kept looking around, up and down. He was almost out of the valley, but he didn't see any ambush, so he deliberately slowed down his pace. But even so, he quickly walked out of the valley.

"This... isn't right. Did you really guess wrong?"

He was full of doubts and completely lost in hesitation and indecision. At this moment, the sound of horses trampling in front of him immediately aroused his vigilance.

"who?"

Cao Hong instinctively raised his weapon, but when he saw the person coming, he put the weapon down again, because the person running on the opposite road was only a lone rider.

When the man saw Cao Hong and the "Cao" banner behind him, he seemed very happy and jumped directly off the galloping warhorse. He almost fell to the ground. But even so, he did not stop and staggered in front of Cao Hong.

"May I ask... Your Excellency, are you General Cao Hong?"

Cao Hong was puzzled and said, "Yes, I am Cao Hong. You are..."

The soldier was overjoyed and quickly took out a letter from his arms: "I am the garrison of Ruyang City. I am here to ask for help under the order of my general."

When Cao Hong heard this, he hurriedly took the letter. After reading it, he was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Did Gao Shun really launch a surprise attack on the city at night?"

"Yes, the city is now in danger, and most of our troops have been injured. It is all thanks to General Meng's desperate fight, but he himself has been injured in many places. I am afraid he can't hold on for much longer. I ask General Cao to send troops for help as soon as possible." The soldier's tone was very urgent. Cao Hong looked at the letter and saw him like this, and there was no doubt in his mind.

"Alas, Meng De's suspicion has caused trouble this time. Quickly, call back the deputy general, and we will advance at full speed to Ruyang City!"

On the other side, Cao Cao led the remaining tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, changed direction, and rushed all the way to Nandun City. Nandun City was southeast of Ruyang City, only fifty miles away. As long as they arrived here and then launched a surprise attack on Gao Shun's army outside Ruyang City, they would be able to catch them off guard and decide the outcome of the battle.

The sun was shining brightly at the moment. Although it was still late spring and early summer, after marching for most of the day, tens of thousands of soldiers were very tired. Even Cao Cao himself was riding a horse, and it was inevitable that he felt a little tired due to the bumpy ride.

"How far is it ahead?" he asked Cao Chun beside him.

Cao Chun immediately replied: "My lord, there is still about fifteen miles to go to Nandun City."

"Well, in that case, pass the order down and hurry up to Nanton City to rest."

"Yes, sir." Cao Chun was about to pass on the order when Cheng Yu stopped him.

"Wait a minute, General." He turned to Cao Cao and said, "My lord, do you find anything strange about this situation?"

"Strange?" Cao Cao frowned and asked in confusion, "The journey has been quite smooth, there is nothing strange, why does Zhongde ask this?"

Cheng Yu looked around for a while and said, "My Lord, don't you think this journey has been a little too smooth? Not only has it been smooth, but it has also been too peaceful."

Cao Chun wondered, "Wouldn't it be good if it went smoothly?"

"Hmm?" Cao Cao also realized something. "What Zhongde said is indeed unusual. I have walked dozens of miles since I broke camp and followed the official road to here, but I have not seen a single pedestrian."

Cheng Yu's eyes shone, as if he had thought of something: "Last night, the man who pretended to be the envoy from Ruyang fled as soon as he left the general's tent. His behavior was so blatant, isn't it the same as telling us directly that he was an imposter?"

After he said this, Cao Cao's face quickly turned a little shocked: "Could it be..."

Cheng Yu's face was solemn and full of worry: "I am afraid that Gao Shun and Chen Gong are deliberately misleading our army. Now our army is heading to Nandun, which is exactly what they are planning."

Cao Cao was silent for a moment, then suddenly shouted: "Quick, Cao Chun, lead 4,000 light cavalry to rescue Zi Lian immediately."

Although Cao Chun did not fully understand what was going on, since the military order had been issued, he had no time to hesitate and immediately assembled his troops and set off quickly.

However, he had just led his cavalry a short distance when shouts of killing came from all directions, shaking the heavens.

"Kill..."

"Capture Cao the thief alive..."

Cao's army suddenly fell into chaos, and when Cao Cao was puzzled, he saw a man on horseback leading a large army not far ahead, slowly appearing in his sight.

"Gao Shun..." He murmured through gritted teeth.

Gao Shun looked at Cao Cao from a distance without saying anything. However, his deputy general beside him, with a proud and arrogant face, shouted at Cao Cao: "Cao, listen carefully. Our army broke through Ruyang yesterday and killed Meng Tan. At dawn today, we captured Nandun City. You have fallen into my general's trap. Why don't you get off your horse and be tied up?"

"It's impossible!" Cao Cao shouted, "Gao Shun may be a master at military operations, but he can't conquer two of our strong cities in one night. Even if Sun Wu were reborn, or the God of War was reborn, it would be impossible for him to do it."

Guo Jia suddenly said, "I'm afraid they did it. Although I don't know how Gao Shun took Ruyang so quickly, it seems that this is absolutely true. As long as Ruyang is taken, with Gao Shun and Chen Gong's ability, and with Meng Tan's military seal, it would be easy to trick the Nandun city gate into opening."

Cao Cao was shocked and angry, his eyes blazing with fire, and he said angrily: "Gao Shun...Chen Gong..."

(End of this chapter)