My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

"Zhongkang——"

Cao Cao's shout seemed to burst forth from the depths of his soul, carrying with it endless reluctance.

Xu Chu was a long-time subordinate of Cao Cao who had served him for over a decade.

Loyal and devoted, he stepped forward countless times during turbulent days and nights, risking his life to pull Cao Cao back from the brink of disaster when he was in dire straits and on the verge of death.

At this critical juncture when the Wei Kingdom was on the verge of collapse, those meritorious officials who had followed Cao Cao in his campaigns and made outstanding contributions had long since withered away like autumn leaves.

Xu Chu thus became one of the few precious fruits that remained.

Going to stop Ma Chao was undoubtedly a perilous path with a slim chance of survival.

Cao Cao couldn't bear to see this last remaining loyal minister leave him.

He desperately wanted to keep Xu Chu with him.

The words of entreaty to keep him had been lingering on his lips for a long time, but in the end, Cao Cao swallowed them back.

He had no choice.

At this critical juncture of life and death, besides Xu Chu, who else could stop Ma Chao?

Unable to stop Ma Chao, Cao Cao was doomed, and the hopes of the Wei Kingdom were utterly shattered.

Although the Wei Kingdom was reduced to only a small corner of Liangzhou, like a candle flickering in the wind, Cao Cao still wanted to fight one last time, even though he was ultimately doomed.

"I can't die, I absolutely can't die here!"

Cao Cao made a silent vow in his heart, and his conviction, like a sharp blade, cut through his hesitation and reluctance.

He gritted his teeth and lashed out with his whip. His warhorse, in pain, neighed and shot off like an arrow.

Seeing that Cao Cao did not try to stop him, Xu Chu felt a pang of sadness.

He understood that the emperor, whom he regarded as a wise ruler, ultimately chose to sacrifice him in order to save his own life in the face of this life-or-death decision.

"Very well, Your Majesty, I, Xu Chu, will repay your kindness of recognizing my talent over the past ten years with my own life."

Xu Chu sighed deeply, took a deep breath, then spurred his horse and charged forward like an angry lion towards Ma Chao.

In his eyes, there was only a ferocious, beast-like killing intent.

"Ma Chao, you treacherous dog, if you want to kill my emperor, you'll have to get past me, Xu Chu, first!"

With a deafening roar, Xu Chu swept across the battlefield like a black whirlwind, his long sword carrying the force of thunder and rain as he charged forward.

"You scoundrel, how dare you stand in my way of killing the traitor Cao Cao?"

Ma Chao, however, let out a disdainful shout:
I'll take your dog's life!

His silver spear stirred up a cloud of dust, and with the force of a storm, it slammed upwards.

The silver spear, like a giant silver dragon, bared its fangs and claws, and pounced towards Xu Chu with boundless killing intent.

The next instant, the two riders collided like lightning.

"throat!"

A deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were roaring in anger.

The surging airflow, like a raging tide, splashed out in all directions, overturning countless soldiers on both sides as if they were made of paper.

Knives and guns clashed and collided in mid-air.

Xu Chu's eyes bulged as if they were about to burst, and veins bulged on his forehead.

He tried his best to suppress Ma Chao's silver spear, but Ma Chao's arms and thighs bulged out as if they were about to burst, displaying astonishing strength.

The two most outstanding warriors of their time fought to a draw in a single move.

Ma Chao flicked his arm, deflecting Xu Chu's longsword, and thrust out his silver spear again.

In an instant, the silver spear in his hand transformed into countless spear shadows, raining down like a giant silver net, tightly enveloping Xu Chu.

Xu Chu tested Ma Chao's strength with one move and dared not underestimate him. He unleashed a flurry of iron blades, creating a curtain of steel, and charged at Ma Chao.

The iron curtain stood like a solid city wall, resisting Ma Chao's storm-like attacks.

Guns and swords clashed repeatedly, and the two fiercest warriors of the era were locked in a fierce battle.

Their figures appeared and disappeared in the swirling dust, making it impossible to distinguish one from another. Xu Chu's martial arts skills were ultimately inferior to Ma Chao's by a factor of three.

Within thirty rounds of exchanging blows, Ma Chao's spear techniques became increasingly fierce and swift, while Xu Chu gradually felt his strength waning. His arms began to ache, and his breathing became rapid.

Even more deadly was that, in the fierce battle, the Wei soldiers on both sides had either fled or died, leaving not a single one of them by their side.

However, the Han army's thousands of troops surrounded him like a tidal wave.

Xu Chu seized an opportunity to glance around, only to find himself surrounded.

He was surrounded by densely packed Han troops, like an impregnable fortress, trapping him completely.

Let alone being unable to defeat Ma Chao, even if they could, how could they possibly break through the encirclement and escape with their lives?
Xu Chu felt a chill run down his spine, and his determination to die for Cao Cao crumbled almost entirely in an instant.

If possible, he still wants to live.

Just as he was distracted, Ma Chao spotted an opening and thrust his spear out diagonally.

The silver spear, like a bolt of lightning, instantly sliced ​​through the air and pierced towards Xu Chu.

"puff!"

Xu Chu's arm was slashed open, and blood splattered out.

That slight pain instantly made Xu Chu's heart tighten, and he became completely awake.

"I cannot die! How can I die here? His Majesty still needs me! I cannot die—"

A strong will to survive surged into his mind instantly, like a powerful torrent that overwhelmed his last line of defense.

So Xu Chu gritted his teeth and launched a fierce attack with all his might. The attacks came at Ma Chao like a storm, forcing Ma Chao to retreat slightly.

He then spurred his horse and leaped out of the battle, fleeing wildly westward.

He was clinging to a sliver of hope, wanting to break through the Han army's encirclement and catch up with Cao Cao, who had already fled far away.

"You scoundrel, where do you think you're going?!"

Ma Chao wouldn't let him escape. With a roar, he spurred his horse, spear in hand, and gave chase. Like lightning, he instantly closed the distance between himself and Xu Chu.

The Han soldiers in front surged forward like a tidal wave, swarming in to block them.

They brandished their swords and brandished their sharp spears, rushing towards Xu Chu from all directions, intending to tear him to pieces.

Xu Chu wielded his long sword wildly, cutting down swathes of Han soldiers blocking his path.

The long sword was like the scythe of death; wherever it went, blood splattered and screams echoed.

If it were the Wei army, fearing his killing intent, they would have already made way for him.

The Han army, however, was the elite of the land, each soldier willing to risk their lives, so how could they possibly retreat?
One man was cut down, and ten men took his place.

Ten men were cut down, and a hundred men took their place.

The Han army, in dense, overwhelming numbers, surged forward wave after wave, fearless.

Xu Chu charged slower and slower, his stamina being constantly depleted.

The shadows of knives and spears came from all directions like raindrops, making it impossible for him to defend against them.

"Puff puff puff~~"

His leg was slashed, his arm was stabbed, and his lower back was stabbed…

Even with his bravery, Xu Chu could not fight against four hands with his bare fists. Unbeknownst to him, he had already suffered several wounds, his entire body stained with blood.

"Xu Chu, die!"

With a roar, Ma Chao struck from behind like a white lightning bolt.

Holding a silver spear, he charged forward with the force of an apocalypse.

The silver spear, like an enraged dragon, pierced towards Xu Chu with boundless killing intent.

When Xu Chu tried to retaliate with his sword, the movement of his blade was affected by the wound, and he could not retaliate in time.

"puff!"

Ma Chao's silver spear pierced his back. (End of Chapter)