Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Puff~” A few soft sounds echoed again, as more wounds appeared on Zhou Cang’s body. Lyu Xiangg moved around Zhou Cang like an agile cat, each strike leaving a new blood trail on Zhou Cang.

Before long, Zhou Cang’s body was covered with numerous cuts. As for the School Sabre Bearers who came to assist, they didn’t even have a chance to help Zhou Cang before Lyu Xiangg casually pierced their arteries, leaving them to collapse on the ground.

”Go deal with his escorts immediately, leave him to me!” Zhou Cang, fighting bloodily, roared in fury upon seeing the School Sabre Bearers falling one by one.

”Heh, leave him to you to deal with...” Lyu Xiangg deftly slipped through a gap in the trajectory of Zhou Cang’s Horse-Cutting Blade, lightly carving a shallow wound on Zhou Cang’s chest before retreating just as swiftly as Zhou Cang attempted to counter.

Very swiftly, Zhou Cang was stained with even more blood, and his armor was gradually shredded into tatters by Lyu Xiangg. Meanwhile, Lyu Xiangg himself remained completely unharmed by Zhou Cang’s attacks.

[How is this possible? His speed isn’t particularly fast, so why can’t I hit him? Is he toying with me?] Zhou Cang, struck again, was forced to retreat slightly, growing somewhat flustered.

[Damn, his reaction is too quick. His speed surpasses mine. Even though the Cloud Qi suppresses the Inner Qi of everyone here, Inner Qi Manifestation is still Inner Qi Manifestation!] Lyu Xiangg’s blade swept across Zhou Cang’s waist and abdomen, but his opponent’s swift counter response forced Lyu Xiangg to retreat once more. Despite the terrifying strength of Inner Qi Manifestation, Lyu Xiangg found himself unable to bridge that final gap in strength.

[I can’t afford to delay any longer. The Sovereign Marquis’s mission is too important!] Zhou Cang steeled his heart. Seeing his opponent’s blade once again heading for his midsection, he charged forward without hesitation. As a military general gifted with Innate Divine Strength, he had an absolute advantage in close combat.

”Boom!” Zhou Cang, enduring the intense pain in his abdomen and chest, grabbed his opponent with one hand and rammed his head into Lyu Xiangg’s helmet. A muffled sound followed, and under Zhou Cang’s disbelieving gaze, Lyu Xiangg’s head exploded directly.

Soaked in blood, Zhou Cang stared incredulously at the headless corpse in his hands. Though he had put all his strength into that final headbutt, the idea that a skull as resilient as Lyu Xiangg’s could shatter like that, especially if he truly was an Inner Qi Manifestation, was beyond belief.

[Could it be that he wasn’t an Inner Qi Manifestation?] Staring at the corpse in his hands, Zhou Cang was struck by a profound sense of doubt. Given the Cloud Qi suppression on Inner Qi, any individual capable of threatening an Inner Qi Manifestation in a one-on-one duel, even someone at the level of Qi Refining to Gang, surely signaled significant implications!

[Report to General Guan at once. If the enemy has a large reserve of such individuals poised for ambushes, they could cause catastrophic troubles!] Despite his rough demeanor, Zhou Cang was meticulous in thought. After some quick deliberation, he led a team of School Sabre Bearers to deliver the report.

”Dispatch a messenger to inform the lord immediately!” Upon receiving the report, Guan Yu issued orders to the remaining few messengers under his command to notify Liu Bei.

By the time Liu Bei received this information, the armies on both sides were already fully engulfed in slaughter. After a brief discussion, Lub Su and Jia Xu agreed that now was not the time to investigate such matters further; no new orders were given. Regardless of the enemy’s trump cards, the key was to prevent their deployment altogether!

Meanwhile, Yuan Shao and Sheni Pei had successfully retreated to the Rear Army, where the long-waiting Juo Yi, his eyes blazing with fury, stood ready. The deaths of his close comrades Yann Liang and Ju Shou left him seething with rage!

”Yuanhao, is everything fully prepared?” Sheni Pei asked, his eyes aflame.

”In at most an hour and a half, Yuanbo will lead the cavalry to launch an assault from the east. This is the largest elite cavalry force under our command!” Tian Feng suppressed his grieving sorrow over Ju Shou’s death and spoke as calmly as he could. His fallen comrade’s legacy—Yuan Shao’s ambition for domination—remained their unwavering pursuit.

”However, according to my assessment, by that time, Wen Chou and the three Lyu brothers’ flanking armies should be thoroughly entangled with Liu Bei’s forces! A frontal assault might become unfeasible, so it’s better to strike at the rear of Liu Bei’s army instead!” Tian Feng hesitated for a moment before offering his opinion.

”Inform Gao Lan that, no matter the circumstances, he must lead the main army to bisect their forces straight through the middle!” Sheni Pei, his face cold and composed, replied. In that instant, beneath his icy exterior, his intellect burned with a strategic brilliance.

”What...” Tian Feng looked at Sheni Pei in disbelief.

”Do not hesitate. If we win this battle and crush Liu Bei’s forces, everything else will fall into place. But if we lose, we risk losing it all. Identify the greatest weakness of Liu Bei’s forces, and that is exactly where we must strike!” Sheni Pei, in that moment, tore down the mask of refinement, exposing the ruthless core underneath.

Liu Bei’s Army and Yuan Shao’s Army were roughly at a 1:3 ratio in troop numbers. However, their kill ratios also mirrored this proportion. The fight ultimately hinged on morale and resilience—whichever side could endure greater losses and maintain cohesion would prevail.

Sheni Pei’s plan was a complete departure from this equilibrium. He aimed to forcibly shift the casualty ratio to an even 1:1 using suicidal tactics, abandoning morale and resilience altogether!

When Ju Shou fell, it signaled the end of Yuan Shao’s Army surpassing Liu Bei’s in morale. Sheni Pei’s goal now was to manufacture staggering casualty figures—shocking losses such as wiping out 10,000 soldiers from both sides within a single quarter hour!

”Forget about honor and morality—all we need is victory for this battle!” Sheni Pei said while sweeping a sharp gaze over Tian Feng. ”Compensation for the fallen soldiers is manageable, but if we lose this battle, what we lose is far greater: our lifeblood, our money, and grain!”

Tian Feng opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. For the first time, he felt an unfamiliar strangeness about Sheni Pei. But ultimately, he held his tongue. It was clear that Sheni Pei had made up his mind.

”I will handle delaying Liu Bei’s forces. Juo Yi, you are to protect the lord and wait until the opportunity arises. Strike when the momentum of Liu Bei’s army wanes!” Tian Feng spoke slowly and resolutely.

”Very well.” Glancing at Juo Yi, Sheni Pei nodded. Within Yuan Shao’s Army, Ju Shou had been the master of large-scale formations, but the one who excelled at leveraging advantages in mass combat was Tian Feng.

”Zhengli, suppress the fire burning inside you. When you act, I want you to strike like a tiger unleashed from its cage!” Sheni Pei locked eyes with the furious Juo Yi. ”Our Army’s two greatest advantages lie in our numbers—and you!”

”I will ensure that Guan Yu’s head becomes the offering for my fallen brothers!” Juo Yi roared with unyielding fury as he gripped his sword. Under the persuasion of Sheni Pei and others, he led the Vanguard Death Squad to escort Yuan Shao, Xuu You, and others to the farthest rear lines.

”All troops, hear my command! Sword and Shield Infantry, form a phalanx. Spears follow closely behind. Eastern, central, and western flanks, each establish defensive lines of 500 soldiers—20 layers deep!” After Sheni Pei’s departure, Tian Feng issued instructions for what could only be described as the most shamelessly defensive deployment, abandoning all offense and committing entirely to a defensive stance! (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)