Sheni Pei, after all, remained Sheni Pei. Awakened by a slap from Yuan Shao, he quickly reacted to focus on what he should do most in the moment—gathering the Great Halberdiers as well as the elite troops of Yann Liang and Ju Shou, while protecting Yuan Shao in a fighting retreat.
The two previous harrowing incidents had already made Sheni Pei realize that their foes had thoroughly prepared for this battle—and possibly much earlier than they had. Yet, by this point, he was clear that analyzing these matters no longer mattered. What was crucial was to maximize Yuan Shao's Army's greatest advantage, for only by doing so could they honor the deaths of Yann Liang and Ju Shou.
"Order Wen Chou and the three Lyu brothers to each mobilize nine squads of five hundred troops for staggered cover maneuvers. Do not aim to kill the enemy—just slow their breakthrough speed." As Sheni Pei issued these rapid orders, the once-disordered Central Army began to regain a semblance of order amidst the chaos.
As Hebei's elite formed the core of Yuan Shao's Army, these soldiers were most vulnerable in legion warfare when left without command. But as long as someone gave orders, they could regroup and counterattack, rather than fleeing in panic.
"Guan Yu, I swear I will kill you!" At this moment, Wen Chou finally learned that Yann Liang had fallen at Guan Yu's hands. His face instantly twisted into an expression of utmost fury. The Inner Qi hidden within his body forcibly shattered the restraint of Cloud Qi and surged forth uncontrollably—his elder brother had died !
"Wolf Cavalry, follow me!" Wen Chou roared, immediately preparing to lead a unit of Wolf Cavalry to charge straight into the Central Army. His goals were twofold: to protect Yuan Shao and avenge Yann Liang. Consumed by rage, Wen Chou had forgotten everything else besides revenge and safeguarding Yuan Shao.
"Wen Chou, stop!" Guo Tu dove from his horse toward Wen Chou, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "Not now! Hold back, just hold back a little longer. Gong Yu has fallen too, but if our main forces break out now, our formation will collapse. They might escape unscathed—what will happen to Lord Yuan's grand ambition then?"
Guo Tu clung desperately to Wen Chou. Though his slight figure was no match for Wen Chou's immense strength, his loud outburst brought Wen Chou back to his senses. With a furious roar, Wen Chou drove his Long Spear into the ground. "Gong Ze, you're in charge of the dispatch. Tell me when I can take action!"
Wen Chou's unwavering loyalty to Yuan Shao's ambition forced him to bottle up the rage roiling within him. His eyes bloodshot, he waited with his horse at the ready, the steed beneath him seeming to wail mournfully in shared grief.
"Advance each division in stages; block Liu Bei's Army!" Seeing Wen Chou barely manage to contain his fury, Guo Tu kept a watchful eye on him while also issuing orders to the messengers. Though Guo Tu lacked the ability to command troops, he understood when to seize an opportunity. By individually deploying units, he could act decisively!
On another front, although Fengg Ji was shaken, he didn't experience the same deep emotional impact as Sheni Pei. Even under Yuan Shao's oversight, Fengg Ji's poor relationship with Ju Shou remained as such. Indeed, upon learning of Ju Shou's downfall, Fengg Ji even felt a momentary smirk.
But setting aside what Ju Shou's death meant for Fengg Ji personally, at least now he understood that this was no time to dwell on personal grievances. Moreover, Ju Shou was dead. Any prior hatred had already evaporated like smoke. Immediately, Fengg Ji set aside other concerns and committed himself to furthering Yuan Shao's grand vision.
"Lyu Xiangg, handle the staggered interception. Among us, your martial prowess is unparalleled. However, tread cautiously—under no circumstances should you provoke Gan Ning or Guan Yu." Fengg Ji summoned Lyu Xiangg, analyzed the chaotic battlefield, and selected a node of disarray to initiate a counteroffensive against the Rebel Army.
"Understood!" Lyu Xiangg roared with laughter and led a battalion directly into the fray, carving through the chaos to isolate Liu Bei's Army and Yuan Shao's rebel forces.
"Damn it, Yuantu, how could you let him go!" Lyu Kuang arrived to witness Lyu Xiangg charging in with his troops and exploded in rage.
"He's the most skilled in martial arts, the best at disrupting enemy formations, and the most capable of drawing their attention. This buys time for Lord Yuan and ensures he can retreat more easily!" Fengg Ji replied darkly.
"This is a job for me! He's bound to get himself killed!" Lyu Kuang shouted angrily. He knew precisely what kind of person his cousin was!
As their argument continued, Lyu Xiangg, with his elite troops, had already unleashed a blood-soaked slaughter, drawing Liu Bei's Army's attention. Simultaneously, Yuan Shao's Central Army managed to create some distance from Liu Bei's forces, thanks to the flank cover provided by Yuan Shao's divisions. At least for now, the safety of Yuan Shao and Sheni Pei seemed somewhat assured.
"Zhou Cang, lead a squad of School Sabre Bearers and take down that man for me!" Guan Yu, glancing at Lyu Xiangg—who was wildly slashing with a pair of short blades—called to Zhou Cang behind him.
"Understood!" Zhou Cang hefted his Horse-Cutting Blade and led a squad of School Sabre Bearers toward Lyu Xiangg. In chaotic battles, nothing was more frustrating than a powerful force delaying the enemy's critical assault just as they approached victory!
"Liaoo Hua, Pei Yuanshao, split into two groups and take out the Rebel Army that's appeared on the left!" Guan Yu coldly ordered Liaoo Hua and Pei Yuanshao by his side. He had already noticed the staggered pushes from Yuan Shao's Army on both flanks.
Although this technique seemed akin to an oil-drip tactic, Guan Yu understood perfectly that it was Yuan Shao's Army wearing down Liu Bei's forces with human lives. The so-called "Strike with vigor at first, falter on the second, and exhaust on the third"—being continually intercepted would eventually dull their momentum. Even though each intercepted unit was not extremely strong, the cumulative efforts would slow down their charge.
"Jiang Gong, Sima Ju, lead your units from your divisions to try breaking through from the left!" After Liaoo Hua and Pei Yuanshao led their troops to slaughter through, Guan Yu turned again to command his subordinates to press straight toward Yuan Shao's Central Army. Among Guan Yu's forces, while their numbers were ordinary, they boasted no shortage of mighty generals.
Two more units charged toward the left flank. Guan Yu then glanced at the generals fighting beside him. "Wang Fu, Jiang Yann, you two try to break through the right. Everyone else, follow me for a direct assault on the Central Army!"
What Liu Bei's Army needed most in this moment was a relentless push. They simply could not afford to be bogged down by Yuan Shao's staggered obstacles. If they were dragged into a prolonged struggle, Liu Bei's Army's morale would gradually wane, and their grand plan to decisively crush Yuan Shao's forces might ultimately crumble!
"Clang!" The short blade in Lyu Xiangg's hand collided with Zhou Cang's weapon. A tremendous force surged forth, forcing Lyu Xiangg to retreat a step as he dissipated the impact. Yet, licking his lips, he looked at Zhou Cang with unbridled excitement.
"Name yourself!" Lyu Xiangg gripped his short blade, barely containing his glee. He had already discerned that Zhou Cang was capable of Inner Qi Manifestation, but he felt no fear—in such a battlefield, he feared no one.
"Under the Sovereign Marquis, Zhou Cang!" Zhou Cang bellowed as he charged toward Lyu Xiangg.
"Splat!" Blood sprayed from Zhou Cang's shoulder. But Zhou Cang acted as if he felt nothing, continuing his ferocious attack toward Lyu Xiangg. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users can visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)