aircannonsinc Chapter 905 The fight continues, delaying the pace!
Chapter 905 The fight continues, delaying the pace!
His strategic purpose was extremely clear from the beginning: he was like a magnet and the most cunning wolf pack, using the unparalleled mobility of the cavalry to hold on to Gao Yao's main force, constantly launching feints and harassing them, making it impossible for them to escape, unable to breathe, and even unable to judge the true intentions of the Chu army.
Gao Yao held a special allure for Yi Xiaochuan, and his position as commander was a valuable target for the Chu army. Using himself as bait was Gao Yao's overt scheme, but it also served as an opportunity for Yi Xiaochuan to capitalize on his own tactic.
But the real killer wasn't with him. Calculating the time, the special force led by General Xiang Yu should have already bypassed the long circuitous route and was silently approaching Gao Yao's rear. If the two armies were to surround and attack from both sides, even the Southern Border Army, forged from the utmost steel, would be doomed. With Gao Yao's death, the Southern Border Army would not only be leaderless, but the hidden dangers of internal factions and power struggles would inevitably erupt, eliminating much of the threat. Personally, this would also bring an end to the past between him and Gao Yao, a past entangled with betrayal, pain, and blood feud.
As the night deepened, the two military camps faced each other from afar, their lights like tiny stars, yet an invisible murderous aura seemed to collide and coalesce in the dark field between them. The air was filled with the suffocating silence of the eve of a major battle.
The next day, just as the sky was getting light and a thin layer of mist had not yet dissipated, the low-pitched horn sounds from the Chu army camp had already broken the tranquility of dawn!
"Woo-wu-wu-"
The attack horn was desolate and passionate.
Yi Xiaochuan led the charge, his silver armor and white robes striking in the morning light. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the Southern Border Army camp ahead. "Three armies, listen! Today is the day to defeat the enemy! Kill!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" Thirty thousand cavalrymen roared in unison, shaking the whole area. The sound of horse hooves rang out again like thunder, shaking the earth.
This time, Yi Xiaochuan held nothing back, his offensive was several times more fierce than yesterday's! The Chu cavalry didn't charge headlong into the camp, but instead quickly split up their forces as they galloped, demonstrating their superior tactical prowess.
About 5,000 light cavalry on the left, like a sharp arrow shot from a bow, detoured to the west side of the southern border camp at an extremely fast speed. Their mission was to contain the enemy and try to find a weak point for a breakthrough. Arrows flew towards the defenders on the wall like locusts.
The right wing also had 5,000 elite cavalrymen, stirring up clouds of dust, and swooped down towards the east, their swords flashing and their momentum fierce, as if that was the main attack direction, attracting the attention and manpower of the defenders.
Yi Xiaochuan himself led the most elite 20,000-strong central army, like a giant war hammer, charging head-on into Gao Yao's central camp with overwhelming force! These three armies launched almost simultaneously, their offensive like a tidal wave, overwhelming the heavens and earth, leaving the Southern Border Army no chance to adjust or breathe.
Atop the fortress wall, Gao Yao's gaze was icy as he gazed down at the surging Chu army below. He waved his command flag, "Prepare the crossbows! Longbowmen, launch a three-stage projectile attack! Rolling logs and rocks, bring them down! Hold your ground! Anyone retreating will be executed!"
In an instant, the southern border camp transformed into a giant, spiked steel beast. A dense rain of arrows, mixed with massive crossbows and tumbling boulders, slammed fiercely into the charging Chu army. Screams, the neighing of horses, the clash of weapons, and the blaring of drums and horns instantly blended into a bloody and brutal symphony of war.
Yi Xiaochuan swung his sword to deflect a stray arrow, his gaze fixed on the vague yet familiar figure beneath the central army's banner, his charge unwavering. He waited, yet charged, his fiercest attack straining Gao Yao's every nerve, waiting for the decisive blow from behind.
The battlefield was thick with smoke and dust, and the cries of slaughter shook the heavens. Blood stained the ground, and broken halberds and flags were scattered everywhere, painting a scene of brutality and heroism. Gao Yao stood atop a chariot under the central army's banner, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield like a hawk. His command was unwavering. Under his command, the Southern Border Army stood like a rock, repeatedly withstanding the relentless onslaught of the Chu cavalry.
However, his brows were slightly furrowed, and in his deep eyes, besides the usual coldness and confidence that he was in control of everything, there was a rare and imperceptible hint of... curiosity and scrutiny.
Up to this point in the battle, everything had been almost entirely within his expectations and control. The Chu army's strength, Xiang Yu's likely movements, and even the battlefield's terrain had all been calculated. However, there was one unexpected variable: Yi Xiaochuan.
Granted, he had long been informed by secret reports that Yi Xiaochuan had defected to Xiang Yu and even served the Chu army on several occasions. But in Gao Yao's mind, Yi Xiaochuan remained the same loser whom he had manipulated and utterly defeated. Even though Yi Xiaochuan's hatred had darkened him somewhat, he was still extreme, often acting impulsively and lacking a true sense of the bigger picture or ruthless decisiveness. In his eyes, he was ultimately too weak to be a serious threat.
But today, after witnessing Yi Xiaochuan commanding the Chu army in battle twice in a row, Gao Yao had to overturn his previous judgment.
The first attack was swift and precise, testing the enemy's strength, striking and retreating without a lingering fight, demonstrating his exceptional ability to control cavalry and his tactical acumen. The second attack was completely different! He divided his forces into three groups, combining both real and fake forces. The left and right wings maneuvered to contain the enemy, while the main central force, like a tiger descending from the mountains, struck directly at the heart of the enemy! The ferocity of the attack, the impeccable rhythm, and the tacit coordination of the troops made him look nothing like a reckless warrior charging forward on pure passion, but more like a leader deeply versed in the art of war, understanding how to maximize the power of his troops.
This transformation was real, a testament to victory and bloodshed on the battlefield. Gao Yao's gaze grew complex as he watched the young figure, surrounded by silver-armored cavalry, charging his own lines. Had this boy truly been completely transformed under Xiang Yu's command?
As if sensing his gaze, Yi Xiaochuan, who was charging in the distance, also looked up suddenly. Across the heavy crowd of fighters, the two men's gazes were like two cold lightning bolts, suddenly meeting in the air!
Instantly, the shouting and screaming around them seemed to fade away, and an invisible force field formed between the two of them.
Almost at the same time, the two of them moved at the same time.
Gao Yao snorted coldly, drew his sword, and drove his chariot towards the front line. Yi Xiaochuan also suddenly kicked his horse's belly and swung his long sword, sweeping away several southern border soldiers in front of him and rushing straight towards Gao Yao.
The soldiers on both sides seemed to sense the unusual confrontation and subconsciously stepped back slightly, creating a relatively open area in the center of the chaotic battlefield. The distance between the two men quickly closed until they could clearly see each other's expressions.