kingnovel Chapter 1177 Gao Shun's Might and Determination to Charge into Battle
Chapter 1177 Gao Shun's Might and Determination to Charge into Battle
The heavy outline of Hulao Pass's city gates was already visible in the twilight, and the dust raised by Ma Chao's Xiliang cavalry almost blended into the gate's shadow. Behind them, Lü Bu's roar was deafening, and the hoofbeats of Red Hare relentlessly pounded the night, while the cold glint of his halberd drew a dazzling arc in the moonlight.
"Gao Shun!" Ma Chao turned around on his horse, his voice booming, "It's your turn!"
In the shadows before the city gate, Gao Shun, clad in black armor, his cold, stern face unmoved by the torchlight. He bowed slightly at the sound of the command, his movements swift and precise: "Your subordinate obeys." Before the words were even finished, he whirled around and barked a command at the perfectly aligned Trapped Battalion: "Trapped Battalion! Heavy crossbows, prepare—fire!"
"Om-"
The sound of hundreds of heavy crossbows taut simultaneously was like the hiss of countless venomous snakes. The next second, a dense rain of crossbow bolts shot out like black rain, whistling through the air, heading straight for Lü Bu and the cavalry beside him.
Caught off guard, the cavalrymen beside Lü Bu were struck by crossbow bolts. The front-line knights, horse and rider, were pierced by the bolts, screaming as they tumbled from their saddles, instantly tearing a gap in their formation. Lü Bu roared, his halberd flashing in a silver arc before him, deflecting all the crossbow bolts aimed at him, sparks flying from the blade. "Gao Shun! It's you again, you coward!" His eyes blazed with fury, and his Red Hare, as if enraged, reared up and charged forward several steps despite the hail of arrows.
"Spear formation!" Gao Shun shouted again. The soldiers of the Trapped Camp quickly dropped their heavy crossbows, picked up long spears, and the soldiers in the front row squatted down and raised their heavy iron shields. The soldiers in the back row thrust their long spears out diagonally from the gaps between the shields, forming a deadly barrier composed of iron shields and spear tips, which was airtight.
Lu Bu's Red Hare charged forward, its forehooves about to step onto the stone steps of the city gate when it was firmly blocked by the shield wall. He swung his halberd fiercely, the halberd crashing heavily against the iron shields with a deafening clang. The soldiers of the Trapped Camp behind the shields groaned and spat out blood, yet they stubbornly held on to their shields, refusing to retreat an inch. The cavalry following closely behind crashed into the shield wall, men and horses alike shattered, screams echoing throughout the air.
"Draw your gun!" Gao Shun's voice was as cold and hard as iron.
In an instant, the spears behind the shields thrust forward like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, a dense barrage of spear tips piercing out simultaneously, instantly sending Lu Bu's front-line cavalrymen sprawling. The spears precisely struck the horses' bellies and the riders' hearts, each thrust drawing forth a spray of blood. Lu Bu watched helplessly as his knights fell from their horses one by one; Red Hare, halted by the shield wall, pawed restlessly, unable to advance another step.
The cavalry behind couldn't stop in time and crashed into the front ranks, throwing their formation into complete chaos. In the trampling, countless men fell from their horses and were crushed by the hooves. Lü Bu roared in fury, wielding his halberd like a windmill, but he couldn't break through the shield wall and spear formation. Instead, he was forced to retreat repeatedly by the dense spear tips.
Just then, Hao Meng led a group of personal guards and rushed in from the flank, shouting to Lü Bu, "My lord! The strategist has ordered! Do not pursue a desperate enemy! Ma Chao has already entered the pass, and the pass is fortified. If we continue to linger, we may be ambushed! Let's retreat!"
Lu Bu slammed his halberd against the shield wall, the shockwave causing the soldiers behind it to cough up blood again, yet it still couldn't budge it an inch. He stared at the tightly shut city gate, listening to the continuous sounds of horses falling behind him, and finally gritted his teeth, reining in his Red Hare: "Gao Shun! You just wait!"
With a roar, he turned his horse around and led his remaining troops in a furious retreat. Gao Shun stood beneath the city gate, watching Lü Bu's departing figure, his cold face still expressionless. He simply waved his hand: "Withdraw the formation." The soldiers of the Trapped Camp moved in perfect unison, putting away their spears and shields as if the fierce battle had never happened. The sound of the city gate slowly closing was accompanied only by the blood and cries of agony, telling the story of this brief but tragic confrontation.
As the gates of Hulao Pass slowly closed, Ma Chao reined in his horse, glanced back at the receding dust outside the city, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He turned to look at Gao Shun beside him, who was directing the soldiers of the Trapped Camp to repair the shield wall. His dark armor was covered with a little dust, but he still stood tall and straight like a pine tree.
"General Gao's Trapped Camp is indeed worthy of its reputation." Zhang Xiu's voice was somewhat cheerful as he lightly tapped the saddle with his fingertips. "If it weren't for this spear formation just now, I'm afraid I would have really been bitten by Lü Bu."
Upon hearing this, Gao Shun stopped what he was doing and turned to look at him. His cold, stern face showed no extra emotion, only a slight nod: "General Zhang, you flatter me. It is the duty of the Trapped Camp." His voice was as steady as the blue stone on the city wall, without the slightest ripple.
Ma Chao raised an eyebrow and exclaimed, "It's their duty? I think it's because Gao Shun's army is disciplined. The shield wall was shaken by Lü Bu's attack just now. If it were an ordinary army, they would have collapsed long ago."
“The soldiers each have their own duties,” Gao Shun said calmly, not gloating over Ma Chao’s praise. “Shield bearers guard their shields, spearmen draw their spears; it’s just the routine of daily training.” He paused, then looked at Ma Chao. “The real hero is the lord who breaks through the enemy camp at night and displays his divine might.”
Though brief, the words carried a rare hint of praise. Ma Chao laughed heartily and said to the crowd, "It's rare to hear Gao Shun utter words of praise, everyone. I am truly pleased."
The generals all burst into laughter. Gao Shun remained silent for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty has worked hard. You should go and rest. I will go and take stock of the losses of the Trapped Camp."
Ma Chao knew Gao Shun was cold and taciturn, so he simply smiled and nodded without saying anything more. After bowing, Gao Shun turned to count the casualties of the Trapped Camp. His back was as straight as a pine tree, as if it was not his soldiers who had blocked Lü Bu's iron cavalry, but his own unyielding iron spear.
Zhang Liao watched his retreating figure, sighing inwardly: "Gao Shun, Gao Shun, it's rare for the King to praise you, couldn't you have said a few more words in return?" But then he thought again, this was the real Gao Shun—if he had truly learned to flatter, the iron will of the Trapped Camp wouldn't have been able to withstand such a tough battle. He turned to Ma Chao, seeing that his lord's smile hadn't faded, and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, Gao Shun is just a blockhead, please don't take it to heart. It's true that the Trapped Camp did a good job in holding off the enemy tonight, but if we're talking about the most outstanding one in tonight's night raid, it has to be Your Majesty!"
He took a half step forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "This humble general saw it clearly. In those hundred-plus rounds with Lü Bu, the spear shadows were layered upon each other, and you were clearly overwhelming him! Especially in those final head-on clashes, even your halberd trembled from the force of your golden spear. I admire your skill from the bottom of my heart!"
Zhang Xiu also cupped his hands in greeting, his tone full of admiration: "General Wen Yuan is right! Everyone says that Lü Bu is unparalleled in the world. In my humble opinion, if it weren't for that old fox Chen Gong holding the line today, Lü Bu would surely have fallen into Your Majesty's hands! Your spear technique was both fast and cunning, specifically targeting his moments of exhaustion. You clearly calculated his entire path!"
Upon hearing this, Ma Chao laughed loudly and waved his hand, "You guys are all good at saying nice things. Lu Bu's martial arts are truly formidable. When I was a teenager, I fought him and it was lucky that I could hold my own to a draw. Although he's past his prime now, if we're talking about sheer strength, I might not have the absolute upper hand. The reason I was able to dominate him today is partly due to my youthful vigor and partly because the night attack distracted him. Don't overpraise me."
“Your Majesty is too modest!” Zhang Liao immediately retorted. “On the battlefield, what does age matter? Winning is the only true skill! Your spear technique just now dazzled me; the spear tip spun faster than a shooting star. Such skill cannot be acquired simply by being young!”
The generals echoed their sentiments, each adding their own commentary, describing the fierce battle as thrilling and praising Ma Chao in every way. Ma Chao, pleased by the praise, smiled and raised his hand to stop them: "Alright, alright, if you keep praising me like this, my Tiger-Headed Golden Spear will start to wag its tail."
As they were talking, Jia Xu slowly walked out from inside the pass, a gentle smile on his face: "Your Majesty and all the generals have worked hard. A banquet has been prepared inside the pass, and strong liquor has been heated up. It's just the right time to wash away your fatigue and celebrate tonight's victory."
"Wenhe is so thoughtful!" Ma Chao waved his hand and patted Zhang Liao on the shoulder. "Come on, let's drink! We won't leave until we're drunk tonight!"
Following orders, the generals escorted Ma Chao towards the pass. The torchlight illuminated their blood-stained armor and their excited faces. On the city walls of Hulao Pass, the wind still howled, but it seemed to carry a hint of warmth—this night had not only dampened Lü Bu's spirits but also reignited the morale of the army, which had been trapped for many days, like torches being lit.
On the other side, Lü Bu sat in a makeshift tent, the table beneath him dragged from the fire, its edges charred black. Though the fire outside had been extinguished, the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke mixed with the stench of blood. Not far away, Li Feng's body, wrapped in white cloth, lay forlornly on the grassy slope. Cheng Lian was tending to his bleeding arm, while Hao Meng's helmet was chipped, and his face was still covered in damp soot.
He traced the hilt of his halberd with his fingertips; the bloodstains on it had long since congealed into a dark red, yet the numbness from the clash with Ma Chao's spear tip lingered in his bones as if it had taken root. In all his years of dominating the world, when had he ever suffered such humiliation? If it weren't for Chen Gong's skillful mediation, he wouldn't have been able to turn the tables on Ma Chao; he would likely already be Ma Chao's defeated foe. That edge, worn down by time, was brutally pierced tonight by Ma Chao's silver spear, revealing the raw, bloody sense of defeat beneath.
"My lord." Chen Gong's voice came from outside the tent, somewhat hoarse. He lifted the curtain and entered, his robe stained with mud, and clutched a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand, densely filled with records of the losses.
Lu Bu suddenly looked up and, unusually, stood up, cupping his hands to Chen Gong: "Today, it was all thanks to the strategist who held the line, otherwise..." His Adam's apple bobbed, and the rest of his words caught in his throat—otherwise, the prestige he had accumulated over the years would have been completely destroyed tonight.
Chen Gong quickly stepped aside to avoid the greeting, placed the bamboo slip on the table, and said in a heavy tone, "My lord, you are too kind. This is all within my duty. However..." He paused, his fingertip pointing at the bamboo slip, "...the losses tonight were truly too heavy."
"How is it?" Lu Bu's voice was tense, as if something was gripping his heart.
"Seventy percent of the camp was burned down, and the granary in the east was almost completely destroyed. The remaining food and fodder are not enough to last for ten days." Chen Gong's voice was very low. "In the chaos, as many as 20,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, most of whom were old troops from Bingzhou who had followed our lord for many years. Now, after counting, there are only 25,000 infantrymen left who can fight, and only a little over 10,000 cavalry."
The last few words, like icicles, pierced Lü Bu's heart. He staggered back to his desk, his fingers digging desperately into the scorch marks on the table. Those numbers weren't just soldiers; they were the possessions he brought from Bingzhou, the brothers who had fought alongside him through thick and thin when he conquered the Central Plains!
The tent was eerily quiet, with only the occasional groans of wounded soldiers coming from outside. Chen Gong looked at his tense profile and added, "Although Ma Chao's Xiliang cavalry has retreated, they occupy the strategic Hulao Pass, and Gao Shun's elite Trapped Camp is fearless. With our current strength, let alone breaking through the pass, we probably can't even hold the camp for ten days."
Lu Bu clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white. In his long and illustrious life, he had lost battles before, but never had he suffered such a painful and utter defeat.
"Hulao Pass..." he repeated the three words in a low voice, his voice filled with an unprecedented sense of bewilderment, "Can't it be breached?"
Chen Gong nodded silently, the ink on the bamboo slips appearing particularly glaring in the firelight.