Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 135 Attacking the Camp
The treatment continued until dusk before it was finally completed.

In the distance, four or five hundred riders also hurriedly arrived, enveloped in dust.

"Lord!"

Huang Zhong reined in his horse, dismounted, and hurriedly ran over.

The hundreds of Linzi Battalion swordsmen behind him, carrying shields and swords, took the initiative to take charge of the outer perimeter defense.

After treating the wound of a cavalryman who had been shot in the thigh with an arrow, Zhang Xian wiped the blood-stained hands and said calmly, "Hansheng is here."

"This humble general was unable to provide adequate support; I beg your lord to punish me!"

Zhang Xian waved his hand: "Don't say such things anymore. Let's hurry up and set up defenses and camp. We still have things to do after nightfall!"

"promise!"

Huang Zhong glanced around at the cavalry soldiers; almost everyone was wounded, and their commander, Zhao Yun, was still unconscious.

He sighed inwardly and took over command.

"Lord."

Xi Zhong, dressed in light leather armor and wrapped in a cloak, slowly approached.

What is Zhicai's opinion?

Zhang Xian casually tossed aside the blood-stained cloth and gazed towards the direction of Baihe Valley, his eyes turning colder.

"The time, the place, the number of people lying in ambush—all these signs indicate that Lieutenant Zhao was deliberately framed to end up like this."

"I'm afraid someone in Bingnan is constantly sending intelligence to the people on the grasslands."

"Ding Yuan? Or Wang Ze?"

"It's hard to say," Xi Zhong said, a hint of understanding in his eyes.

Kaka——!
The cries of the eagles grew louder as they approached, and the flapping of their wings became increasingly clear.

Before long, a magnificent eagle appeared on Zhang Xian's shoulder.

"They're back. Looks like those people have stopped too."

He took out a few strips of meat and fed them to the falcon. Xi Zhong's eyes flickered, and he instantly guessed the meaning behind Zhang Xian's words.

"Does the lord intend to launch a night attack on that grassland army?"

"Night attack?"

Zhang Xian turned around, his eyes filled with disdain: "I'm going to crush them!"

As the sun sank below the horizon, its last rays were swallowed by the deep indigo blue, and the boundless night, like a giant curtain, enveloped the scarred grassland.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and herbs, and the exhaustion of surviving a catastrophe.

The entire camp has been taken over by the Linzi Battalion swordsmen and shieldmen brought by Huang Zhong.

A simple wooden fence barricade enclosed a small safe area, and a campfire crackled in the center of the camp.

The seriously wounded were placed in the most sheltered spot, wrapped in every blanket and cloak they could find.

The lightly wounded leaned on each other, sipping hot broth and dry rations to regain their strength.

Although everyone was wounded, a strange, almost stagnant, and chilling atmosphere permeated the camp, with everyone's gaze frequently drawn to the largest tent at the edge of the camp.

Inside the tent, the oil lamp cast a dim yellow light.

Zhao Yun lay on the thick felt, his breathing much more steady. His face was still pale, but his vital signs had stabilized.

Zhang Xian sat to one side, carefully wiping the congealed bloodstains on the Overlord Halberd with a damp cloth. The heavy halberd shaft seemed weightless in his hands, and each wipe carried a cold rhythm.

His heavy armor had been removed, revealing a tight-fitting outfit stained with blood underneath, which made his figure appear even more upright and sturdy.

Xi Zhong, wrapped in a cloak, sat at the lower end of the table, with a simple animal hide map spread out in front of him, which was a map of the White River Valley and its surrounding terrain compiled from the scouts.

His finger moved slowly across the map, finally stopping at a mark about forty miles northwest of Baihe Valley, which was heavily circled in charcoal.

"Based on the falcon's location, send scouts to investigate." Xi Zhong's voice was low, yet exceptionally clear.

"The main force of the Hu barbarians did not flee far away, but set up camp at Yehuling, about forty or fifty miles away, with many bonfires, as if they were celebrating their victory."

"The enemy general probably thought that our lord's solo rescue was the limit, and that our army was so badly damaged that it had no power to fight back. However, the scouts failed to penetrate deep enough."

"Moreover, judging from this person's repeated arrangements, he shouldn't be such a careless person. Perhaps this is also a trap?"

Zhang Xian did not pause in wiping the halberd blade.

Only after the last piece of blood scab was wiped away, revealing the chilling metallic luster beneath, did he slowly raise his head.

Under the dim light, his eyes were as deep as an ancient well, without the slightest ripple, yet containing a chill that could freeze the soul.

"Celebrate victory?" he asked, his voice low. "Celebrate victory with the blood of my comrades?"

"My lord, please calm down," Xi Zhong said, putting down his pen and paper to persuade him.

"I'm very calm." Zhang Xian's tone was not particularly volatile.

He set the Overlord Halberd aside, stood up, and called out.

"Huang Zhong".

"Your subordinate is here!" Huang Zhong lifted the curtain and stepped in, his armor clattering softly.

"How many of the swordsmen and shieldmen in the Linzi Battalion are truly capable of fighting?"

"Reporting to my lord! The Lin Battalion's five hundred swordsmen and shieldmen are all elites! Although they have marched swiftly, they have suffered no casualties. Everyone has eaten and rested well and is ready to fight to the death!"

Huang Zhong’s voice was firm and his eyes were full of fighting spirit. Although he did not bring cavalry, he brought strong soldiers who were good at fighting on foot!
"Okay." Zhang Xian's gaze swept over Wild Fox Ridge on the map.

"Your unit is hereby ordered to prepare immediately! Light armor and minimal entourage, carrying only ring-pommel swords, heavy shields, and tinder! Depart in one hour and stealthily proceed to the dense forest on the east side of Wild Fox Ridge to await orders!"
"When my main force storms the enemy camp's main gate, and flames soar into the sky amidst the sounds of battle, your unit will advance from east to west, launching a fierce attack on the enemy camp's flank! Use heavy shields to breach the camp, and let your blades clear the way; kill any who carry weapons without mercy!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Huang Zhong's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He clasped his hands in agreement, turned around, and strode out of the tent. His deep and urgent command immediately rang out in the camp.

"Zhang Liao."

"Your subordinate is here!" Zhang Liao knelt on one knee, his back straight despite his minor injuries and the blood seeping from his bandages.

"How many cavalrymen are still capable of wielding swords and controlling their horses?" Zhang Xian's voice remained calm.

"Reporting to my lord!" Zhang Liao's voice was slightly hoarse, but exceptionally firm: "There are still 327 riders with spare strength!"

“Three hundred and twenty-seven riders…” Zhang Xian nodded slowly: “That’s enough. Order your troops to follow me.”

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Liao roared.
"Zhicai." Zhang Xian looked at Xi Zhong one last time, "The wounded in the camp and the defense of this place are entrusted to you. Eagle Falcon will keep watch over the surroundings for you."

"This place is entrusted to Zhong'er, my lord has nothing to worry about." Zhang Xian nodded and said no more.

Yehu Ridge.

Grassland Department Camp.

The atmosphere in the camp was lively, with cattle and sheep being slaughtered incessantly.

Inside the main tent, Murong Han was all smiles.

Although the Battle of Baihe Valley did not completely eliminate the Han army, it was still a victory.

More importantly, with the death of Naguqi, his thousands of Xiongnu warriors were all swallowed up by him, and the entire Bingbei grassland can now become his pasture.

With such double happiness, how could he not be overjoyed?

As for the Han army, he had already sent scouts to keep an eye on them. Besides, with so many wounded soldiers after their defeat at Baihe Valley, they were not a major concern at the moment.

No matter how strong a person is, can they really take on ten thousand enemies single-handedly?

An hour later.

Outside the White River Valley camp, Zhang Xian donned his heavy, jet-black armor once more.

He draped a blood-stained crimson cloak over his shoulders, stretched out his hand covered in cold iron armor, and firmly grasped the gleaming, polished Overlord Halberd, saying in a cold voice.

"set off!"

A deep, thunderous command boomed through the tent!
……

The night was as dark as ink, and the stars and moon were without light.

A silent team moved swiftly across the undulating grasslands, seemingly disappearing into the darkness.

Huang Zhong led the Linzi Battalion of swordsmen and shieldmen, all dressed in light leather armor, carrying heavy shields, ring-pommel swords at their waists, and carrying flammable oil and bundles of dry grass. With swift and silent footsteps, they quietly and methodically moved towards the east side of Yehuling.

The other team, on the other hand, was like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, carrying an intensely suppressed killing intent.

Zhang Xian took the lead, followed by 327 cavalrymen.

They wore only light breastplates, gags in their mouths, and thick cloth covering their hooves to minimize noise.

Each rider gripped the reins tightly, their eyes sharp as eagles, fixed on the dark outline ahead.

At the foot of Wild Fox Ridge, there was a brightly lit and bustling barbarian camp!

About three miles from the enemy camp, Zhang Xian reined in his horse and raised his hand. The entire cavalry seemed to be paused, instantly coming to a standstill. On the desolate grassland, only the rustling of the night wind through the grass and the faint clamor and crackling of campfires coming from the distant enemy camp could be heard.

Zhang Xian's gaze pierced through the darkness and landed on the enemy camp's crude wooden gate. There were only a few bonfires in front of the gate, and the guards were sparse. You could even see some people dozing off while holding wine bags.

He slowly raised the Overlord Halberd, its cold tip drawing an almost imperceptible arc in the darkness, pointing directly at the enemy camp's main gate!
The next moment, he suddenly squeezed the horse's belly with both legs!
"Xilulu——!"

The black warhorse beneath him let out a suppressed yet ferocious neigh, and like a giant black arrow released from a bow, it suddenly launched itself! Its speed instantly reached its limit!

"kill--!!!"

Zhang Xian's pent-up anger and killing intent, which had been building up all night, finally erupted like a volcano! A thunderous roar tore through the silent night sky! This roar, infused with all his strength, was like a tangible shockwave, slamming violently into the distant enemy camp!

"kill!!!"

Behind him, the 327 Lüqi cavalrymen roared like a powder keg that had been lit!

The humiliation, anger, and pain that had been suppressed all day were transformed into destructive power at this moment! They followed closely behind that mountain-like figure, like a blood-red torrent bursting its banks, and charged towards the brightly lit enemy camp!
Although the horses' hooves were covered with thick cloth, the full-force charge of hundreds of riders still created a muffled thunderous roar across the grassland! This sudden roar and the thunderous hoofbeats struck the barbarian camp below Wild Fox Ridge like a bolt from the blue!
"Enemy attack?!"

"Where did this enemy come from?!"

"The Han army?! How dare they?!"

The guards at the camp gate were terrified, their drunkenness instantly sobering them up. They frantically tried to blow the horn and close the crude camp gate.

However, it was too late!
Zhang Xian took the lead and had already rushed to the front of the camp gate several dozen steps away!
"kill!"

He roared, and the Overlord Halberd transformed into a black lightning bolt that tore through the night, carrying immense power as it slammed down on the shaky, rickety wooden camp gate that was trying to close!

Boom——! ! !
A deafening roar! The massive log snapped and shattered like rotten wood under the Overlord Halberd! Wood chips flew everywhere! The heavy camp gate, along with the few Xianbei soldiers trying to hold it back, was blasted open and sent flying by this ferocious blow!
Zhang Xian and his troops moved as one, like a black hurricane, instantly rushing into the brightly lit enemy camp!
"Zhang Zixu of Changshan is here!"

"Anyone who stands in my way will die!"

"The Han army has broken in!"

"It's that black-armored killing god! He's here!!"

"Run!!"

The camp erupted in chaos! Fear spread like a plague at an alarming rate! The soldiers who had just been drinking and celebrating their "victory" were now like headless flies, crying and screaming as they fled in all directions!
"Set it on fire!" Zhang Xian shouted the order as he wielded his halberd and slaughtered his enemies.
The well-prepared Luqi cavalry immediately lit the oil-soaked cloths they carried and threw them vigorously at the nearby felt tents, haystacks, and stables!
boom! boom! boom!
Flames erupted instantly! The dry felt and hay ignited immediately, and the fire, fanned by the wind, spread rapidly! The entire western flank of the enemy camp was engulfed in flames in an instant! The towering flames and billowing smoke amplified the chaos and fear tenfold!
Roar!

Amidst the chaos, the Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes were plunged into boundless fear, with everyone around them seemingly an enemy, and the fighting began from within!

Just as chaos erupted in the camp and the uprising began,

"Lin-class Battalion! Break through the formation! Kill—!!!"

On the eastern side of Wild Fox Ridge, at the edge of the dense forest, a roar like a landslide and a tsunami suddenly erupted!

Huang Zhong took the lead, wielding his thick-backed ring-pommel sword like a tiger descending a mountain! Behind him, five hundred swordsmen and shieldmen of the Linzi Battalion crashed through the already weak eastern palisade like a torrent of steel!

"Raise shields! Advance! Kill without mercy!" Huang Zhong's voice boomed like a bell!
"Drink!" The swordsmen and shieldmen roared in unison, and their massive shields stacked one on top of the other, instantly forming an indestructible mobile wall!

Through the gaps in the shields, the gleaming ring-pommel swords resembled bloodthirsty fangs! They marched with orderly and heavy steps, like a giant millstone, ruthlessly and efficiently crushing across the Eastern Camp!

Any soldier who tried to stop Hu Bing was either knocked away by the heavy shield or killed by the blade thrust out from behind the shield!

A pincer attack from the east and west! The camp is engulfed in flames!
Murong Han stood before his magnificent leather tent, which had not yet caught fire, gazing at the hellish scene before him.

Watching everything he had painstakingly planned crumble under the enemy's violent revenge, his effeminate face lost all its cold composure, leaving only extreme terror and unbelievable despair!
"How could this be... how could it be so fast..." he muttered to himself, his body trembling violently with fear.

He had calculated everything, but he hadn't anticipated Zhang Xian's ruthlessness and terror! He hadn't expected that after rescuing the remaining soldiers and treating the wounded, the other side wouldn't even wait a night before launching this deadly night attack with overwhelming force!

Twice!
Twice!
There have been two instances in this Han army where a single person has decided the outcome of the battle.

How could this be?

How could this be?!
"The gods are unjust!!"

He growled like a wild beast.

"Chanyu! Hurry! The Han dogs are attacking!" Several loyal Xianbei guards rushed forward and dragged the distraught Murong Han onto his horse.

However, it was too late!
A cold gaze, like a sharp arrow, pierced through the chaotic figures and soaring flames, locking onto Murong Han!
Zhang Xian! He had somehow broken through the chaos of the western camp, his black warhorse treading on the burning embers, like a demon god emerging from a sea of ​​hellfire, galloping wildly toward Murong Han!

The blood dripping from the Overlord's Halberd shimmered with an eerie red light under the firelight!
"Grassland dog! Die!!!"

(End of this chapter)