Free Web NovelChapter 302: Night Raid
The city walls were swarming with Cao’s soldiers, climbing up like a mass of ants.
Moments earlier, the general had promised a reward: whoever was the first to breach the city would receive one hundred taels of gold and five hundred bolts of cloth. Such a reward was significant, but what excited the soldiers most was the promise of being promoted three ranks.
Opportunities like this were rare and precious! The soldiers, already worn from the long campaign, felt a surge of energy. Victory was within their grasp, and the thought of riches and higher status fueled their determination. freēwebnovel.com
The battlefield was chaotic, yet there was a clear method to the madness. Ladders were set up one by one, leaning against the towering walls. The foot soldiers pushed forward relentlessly, some slipping on the mud caused by the day’s rain, yet they quickly scrambled to their feet, refusing to miss this chance for glory.
However, while the plan sounded glorious, the reality was much more brutal.
The defenders had a massive advantage, attacking from above, raining down death upon the invaders.
Arrows, stones, boiling oil, feces, and flaming torches were hurled down like trash from the walls. The air was thick with the sound of bones breaking, metal clashing, and the agonizing cries of the wounded.
The defenders, well-rested and perched high above, took every opportunity to target the most vulnerable soldiers. One unfortunate man screamed as a pot of burning oil was dumped over his head, his armor offering little protection from the scorching liquid. Another fell from his ladder, impaled by a hail of arrows before he even hit the ground.
The screams of the dying filled the air, the cries of agony never-ending. Even the dark clouds seemed to drift closer, as if drawn by the stench of death.
On his war chariot, Cao Cao maintained a cold, indifferent expression, as if the deaths of so many soldiers had no effect on him whatsoever. His eyes, however, were keen, observing every movement, every change in the battle. His mind was already planning the next phase, calculating the necessary losses to ensure victory. Cao Cao was a man of ambition, and he would sacrifice as many lives as needed to secure his dominance.
The siege had already lasted for two hours, and Cao’s forces had lost two to three thousand men.
Seeing that the time was right, Cao Cao ordered the signal to retreat.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The heavy sound of the war drums echoed, and Cao’s army withdrew like the ebbing tide.
The soldiers, bloodied and exhausted, retreated in haste, leaving behind a battlefield littered with corpses and debris. The once proud banners of Cao’s army now dragged through the mud, torn and bloodstained.
Only the dead bodies and the carnage remained, littering the ground. Severed limbs, shattered shields, and broken weapons were strewn across the battlefield like the remnants of some dark, twisted feast.
Siege warfare was always merciless and grim, and tonight’s battle was no exception. The defenders, though victorious for the moment, looked down in silence. They knew the enemy would return, and with greater force.
Nightfall crept in silently.
The atmosphere in the city was tense. The soldiers of Dongjun, though tired from the long hours of defending the walls, knew there would be no respite. The night air carried with it a sense of impending doom, the calm before the storm.
Suddenly, the once-dark sky was illuminated by the flickering light of countless torches.
The distant rumble of drums echoed once more, signaling the return of Cao’s army. But this time, they had chosen the cover of darkness to mask their movements.
"Charge!!!"
"Kill them! Drive these dogs out! Save our families!!!"
The soldiers roared, their cries shaking the heavens. Their voices were filled with anger and desperation, as the fate of their loved ones weighed heavily on their shoulders.
Inside Dongjun, not only were Cao Cao’s family and relatives held, but also the families of many of his soldiers. The attackers knew that failure would mean not just defeat, but the loss of everything they held dear. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
The four gates of Dongjun’s city walls echoed with the sounds of battle, each gate with its own fierce struggle.
The defenders peered down from the walls, their eyes widening at the sight of the enemy’s countless banners and torches, making it seem as though an endless army was advancing. The flickering flames danced across the horizon, creating a nightmarish scene of shifting shadows and ominous figures.
This was one advantage of a nighttime siege: the defenders had no way of knowing the true size of the attacking force.
However, it was also risky for the attackers. In the darkness, it was difficult to see clearly, and many soldiers could easily die along the way. Miscommunication was rampant, and one wrong turn could lead to disaster. Still, the promise of reward and revenge pushed them forward.
At all four gates, there were siege units attacking, and the cries of battle were thunderous.
Lu Bu stood atop the wall, his imposing figure illuminated by the glow of torches, casting long shadows across the stone. His armor gleamed in the firelight, a symbol of power and invincibility.
He humbly asked Guo Jia for advice:
"Strategist, I, Lu Bu, am ignorant. Which side holds Cao’s main force, and how should we distribute our troops?"
Guo Jia stood on the wall, calmly waving his feathered fan. His eyes gleamed with a sharp light, betraying the calmness of his demeanor.
In his heart, he sighed: "Wen Ruo, my old friend, who would’ve thought that one day we’d serve opposing masters and fight against each other?"
The memories of past camaraderie flashed briefly in Guo Jia’s mind. He recalled the days when they strategized together, fought side by side, and shared ambitions for a unified land. Yet now, fate had placed them on opposite sides of the battlefield.
After a brief moment of nostalgia, Guo Jia pointed confidently towards the southern gate and said to Lu Bu:
"General, three of the gates are merely distractions. The southern gate is where Cao’s true intentions lie."
"How do you know, Strategist?" Lu Bu asked, astonished.
"The southern gate is the weakest in terms of defense, and it’s the least expected place for an attack. If I were leading Cao’s forces, I would focus my efforts there!" Guo Jia replied with unwavering confidence.
"Excellent! I will lead our main forces to the southern gate and ensure that Cao’s troops do not leave alive!"
At the stroke of midnight, the battlefield echoed once more with the deafening cries of battle, so loud that even the bright moon seemed to lose some of its radiance. The sound was relentless, as if the very earth was trembling under the weight of the chaos below.
Lu Bu charged forth, his entire being radiating an overwhelming demonic aura, his halberd, the Sky Piercer, spinning wildly in his hands.
Dark purple energy erupted from him, cutting down countless Cao soldiers. The carnage was unimaginable as bodies fell lifelessly around him. Every swing of his weapon sent soldiers flying through the air, their armor and bones shattering under the immense force.
Lu Bu alone possessed the strength of a thousand men, a fearsome force to be reckoned with. The soldiers of Cao’s army were terrified, too afraid to approach him. The sight of their comrades being torn apart by Lu Bu’s wrath was enough to break their spirits.
Below the city walls, Cao Ren knew that this was not a battle that could be drawn out. They needed to end it quickly. The longer the fight dragged on, the more men they would lose to Lu Bu’s monstrous strength.
With a fierce stomp, Cao Ren leaped forward and shouted:
"Three-surnamed slave, come and face me!!"
Lu Bu turned to face his new challenger, his eyes burning with the thrill of battle. The night was far from over, and the bloodshed had only just begun.
