Chương 22: The Enemy is at the Gates

next morning.

The soldiers on the walls of Zhuojun City saw billowing smoke rising from the distant horizon.

He immediately rushed into the prefect's residence.

"Report! The Yellow Turban rebels have set off! They're coming towards us in a dark mass!"

Liu Ce was eating breakfast when he heard this and calmly clapped his hands.

"They've finally arrived."

The city gates opened wide, and Liu Ce took the lead, followed by six fierce generals: Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Dian Wei, Qin Qiong, and Cheng Yaojin. Behind them were eight hundred Xuanjia Iron Cavalry and several thousand county soldiers.

The sheer presence of this lineup, with its chilling aura alone, made Old Zhao, Old Wang, and the others watching from the city tower feel their legs go weak.

After setting up their formation in the open area outside the city, Liu Ce deliberately rode his horse to the front of the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry formation.

These eight hundred cavalrymen hadn't had a chance to fight in the past two months and were itching for battle.

Liu Ce jokingly asked Qin Qiong.

"Uncle Bao, for the past two months, our eight hundred Xuanjia Iron Cavalry have been eating and not working. Haven't their horseshoes all rusted?"

Qin Qiong responded confidently.

"Rest assured, my lord, the brothers train daily, their swords are sharp and their horses are strong, they are just waiting for this day to drink blood and begin their battle! You'll see!"

Zhao Yun, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but urge his horse closer to Liu Ce and asked in a low voice as he looked at the faint yellow smoke on the other side.

"My lord, the strategy you mentioned for defeating the enemy, could it be... to simply launch a direct assault?"

He had expected Liu Ce to have some ingenious plan, but instead he simply laid out his forces and waited for the enemy to charge. This was far too direct.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ce laughed heartily and pointed to the elite army behind him.

"Zilong, you don't understand. This is called 'the greatest truths are the simplest.' In the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks are just paper tigers."

"Our troops are well-trained and our generals are brave; why can't we engage in direct confrontation?"

Liu Ce spoke with such confidence that Guan Yu nodded slightly, and Zhang Fei grinned broadly.

Zhao Yun and the others exchanged helpless smiles. Well, their lord was determined to crush them with overwhelming strength.

Before long, the main force of the Yellow Turban Army appeared on the horizon amidst thunderous footsteps and billowing dust.

With 100, 000 yellow turbans spread out, it felt like everywhere you looked there were figures with yellow turbans on their heads. The noisy shouts and chaotic footsteps mixed together, creating a rather frightening atmosphere.

Liu Ce carefully observed the Yellow Turban Army. Most of them were emaciated with sallow complexions, and their clothes were barely covering their bodies. Less than ten percent of them possessed swords, spears, or armor.

He squinted, carefully examining the crooked banner of the enemy's central army, on which was written the character "Cheng".

He chuckled to himself, thinking to himself.

"Well, it's still Cheng Yuanzhi's 'newbie gift pack'. It seems that although history has deviated, the warmth that should be given is still not lacking."

When Cheng Yuanzhi led his troops to the front of the battle in a chaotic manner, he was a little nervous when he saw that Liu Ce's troops were well-disciplined and their armor was gleaming. However, he still pretended to be calm because he had more men.

He spurred his horse forward a few steps and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Listen up, you corrupt official on the other side! If you know what's good for you, dismount and surrender the city, or my army will break through and leave no one alive!"

He shouted these words at Liu Ce, but his eyes involuntarily drifted to the several fierce generals beside Liu Ce who exuded murderous intent.

After finishing his tirade, Cheng Yuanzhi turned to his deputy, Deng Mao, and said...

"Brother, go and meet them, kill one of their generals to boost your morale!"

Deng Mao was pounding with anxiety, but he dared not disobey the order and had no choice but to bite the bullet.

(Deng Mao: Thank you so much!) He brandished a large sword and charged into the front lines of the two armies, shouting loudly.

"Anyone who's not afraid of death, come out and fight your Grandpa Deng three hundred rounds!"

"System, generate..."

【Ding……】 Name: Cheng Yuanzhi Gender: Male Age: 27 [Strength]: 74 Commander: 65 [Politics]: 42 [Intelligence]: 44 【Charm】: 61 [Appearance]: 63cm ……

Name: Deng Mao Gender: Male Age: 24 [Strength]: 72 Commander: 55 [Politics]: 38 [Intelligence]: 41 【Charm】: 58 [Appearance]: 61cm Liu Ce chuckled upon seeing this and turned to Zhang Fei, who was already itching to speak.

"Yide, this kid is yours. Be quick and don't waste time."

Zhang Fei laughed heartily, "My eighteen-foot spear has been itching for a long time!"

After saying that, he spurred his horse and charged forward.

Deng Mao wanted to follow the "traditional procedure" and introduce himself, saying some polite words, but he had only just opened his mouth to shout "I am..."

Zhang Fei had already rushed close, not giving him a chance to finish speaking. His spear, like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, pierced him straight through the heart with a soft "plop."

Deng Mao stared in disbelief at the gaping hole in his chest. A word caught in his throat, and he collapsed from his horse. His limbs twitched a couple of times, and then he fell still.

Zhang Fei swiftly defeated Deng Mao; the entire process was so fast that no one could react.

Before Cheng Yuanzhi could even see what was happening, he saw Deng Mao lying on the ground, and he was immediately terrified.

Liu Ce then smiled and said to Cheng Yaojin, who was watching with envy.

"Zhijie, look, the commander on the front lines is surnamed Cheng. Maybe he was from the same family as you five hundred years ago."

"When Yide comes back later, just rush over and take care of this 'family member' of yours."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin burst into laughter and brandished his Bagua Xuanhua axe.

"Rest assured, my lord, I, Old Cheng, will go and acknowledge the family right away! I guarantee it will leave a deep impression on him!"

Without waiting for the other party's reaction, he spurred his warhorse and charged out, shouting at the top of his lungs as he went.

"You grandson of the Cheng family up ahead! Your grandfather and grandmother, you've got to die!"

Cheng Yuanzhi had just lost a major general and was still in shock when he saw a burly man wielding a large axe charging towards him, shouting incoherent terms of seniority. Enraged, he cursed loudly.

"You fucking have no sportsmanship, huh?! I bought a watch last year, so why don't you just start a one-on-one fight?! Do you really think I'm some kind of pushover?!"

Despite the insults, Cheng Yaojin had already charged in front of him.

Cheng Yuanzhi barely managed to raise his sword to meet the attack, but Cheng Yaojin's "Three-Strike Axe" technique was a famous killing move during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, powerful and unpredictable.

The first axe blow caused Cheng Yuanzhi's tiger's mouth to split open; the second axe knocked his broadsword away and broke it; the third axe directly cleaved him and his horse to the ground!

Cheng Yuanzhi didn't even have time to utter a scream before he went to meet his "great and virtuous teacher".

The commander and deputy commander were killed instantly, and the 100, 000 Yellow Turban soldiers were thrown into great chaos, with the crowd becoming restless like headless flies.

Liu Ce seized the opportunity, brandished the Heavenly Dragon City-Breaking Halberd, and swung it forward, the sound clearly resounding throughout the entire army.

"Black-armored cavalry, charge! All troops advance! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

Qin Qiong, who had been waiting for a long time, received the order, raised his double golden maces, and shouted sternly.

"Black Armor Army, wedge formation, charge!"

The eight hundred Xuanjia Iron Cavalrymen, like sleeping tigers finally unleashed from their cages, instantly sprang into action.

The heavy hooves pounded the earth, producing a thunderous sound.

Using Qin Qiong as their spearhead, they effortlessly sliced into the chaotic ranks of the Yellow Turban army, like a red-hot dagger.

This was a massacre with no suspense whatsoever.