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Chapter 1100: No Choice, Fight!
🕑 Added 2024-11-23 12:00:37 +0000 UTCIn life, one of the hardest things is making choices, especially when they concern life and death. The more paths you have to choose from, the greater the chance of making the wrong decision.
When Ma Chao charged at the Xianbei vanguard, he no longer had any choices. If there had been any other options, Ma Chao would never have led 7,000 elite troops to charge into an army of 200,000. That wouldn’t have been bravery—it would have been foolishness!
But since there was no choice, whether it was reckless or not didn’t matter. Ma Chao had to press forward. Retreat would have meant total annihilation, with perhaps only himself escaping. Charging in meant a slim chance of survival for both him and his men.
Thus, Ma Chao chose what seemed like madness. Like Xiang Yu of old, he led his remaining 7,000 personal troops and launched a furious assault into the Xianbei army!
"Victory or defeat will be decided in this battle! All forces, charge!" Ma Chao pulled on the reins of his horse, Li Feisha, which reared up as he shouted. Thousands of his personal guards echoed his call, their voices merging into a singular roar, "Kill!"
At that moment, Ma Chao led his guards into a full-speed charge. Their collective battle cry, like the thunder of spring, not only raised their own morale but also crushed the spirits of the Xianbei army on the other side.
At the same time, a faint blue glow enveloped Ma Chao and his soldiers. In an instant, their speed increased by 10%, and the movements of the Xianbei soldiers seemed to slow down in the eyes of Ma Chao's troops.
Even when the first volley of Xianbei arrows rained down, Ma Chao’s soldiers could clearly see the trajectory of the arrows, easily dodging them. Hardly any were shot down from their horses.
At that moment, Ma Chao had no time to marvel at the sudden activation of his army’s innate talent. As he neared the Xianbei’s first line of defense, he spurred his horse ahead of his men, charging into the enemy formation first.
In the next instant, Ma Chao’s internal energy was nearly suppressed to nothing by the massive cloud of Xianbei’s military might, but his eyes remained sharp, and his reflexes didn’t falter. His speed and strength diminished, giving the Xianbei soldiers a chance to strike him down.
But it was only a chance. Ma Chao's heart was calm, and as arrows flew towards him, he deftly deflected the most threatening ones while bending his body to dodge others. With his spear in hand, he swiftly cut down the Xianbei soldiers in front of him.
In just a single breath, by the time Ma Chao’s guards caught up with him, the Xianbei soldiers directly in front of him had already fallen. His troops poured through the opening, quickly causing chaos in the Xianbei ranks. Without even being able to stop Ma Chao’s charge, their formation was pierced through.
Blood sprayed everywhere, and Ma Chao’s guards did not pause for a moment. After breaking through the Xianbei's frontline, they charged forward, heads down, following Ma Chao into the depths of the enemy forces.
Like the tip of a spear, Ma Chao’s elite troops thrust deep into the Xianbei formation. As the sharp point of the spear, Ma Chao was unstoppable, his overwhelming strength carving a path straight into the enemy ranks.
However, the Xianbei army was vast, over 200,000 soldiers stretched across several dozen miles. The leader of the Xianbei vanguard, Duan Qiliang, was no fool. Though Ma Chao had broken through, Duan quickly adjusted his defense, allowing Ma Chao to push deeper while his forces surrounded and trapped him.
Seeing that Ma Chao’s force was small but led by a formidable commander, Duan strategically withdrew his defense, allowing Ma Chao to advance deeper while ordering the surrounding tribes to regroup and enclose Ma Chao’s troops in a tight encirclement.
Duan Qiliang personally led the Xianbei elite cavalry to coordinate with the surrounding tribes, preparing to launch a frontal and rear assault on Ma Chao’s forces.
Ma Chao immediately sensed the enemy’s strategy as they opened their defenses to him. But by then, it was too late to retreat. Victory or defeat would be decided here and now.
Calming his mind, Ma Chao began to gather his army’s cloud energy, a second form of power granted by his innate talent. With his exceptional ability to manipulate the flow of cloud energy, he prepared for one last desperate push.
Seeing the large "Duan" banner in the distance, Ma Chao let out a long howl, "Today is the day we make our mark! Charge!"
His roar, like the thunderous growl of a tiger, not only bolstered the morale of his men but was also met with a resounding response from his troops. The metallic clang of spears raising in unison, the sound of weapons clashing—it all stirred the courage of Ma Chao’s soldiers. Above them, a fierce image of a tiger lunging forward formed, a visible manifestation of their collective spirit.
The overwhelming force of their charge made the Xianbei elite soldiers turn pale with fear. This was the true meaning of unstoppable momentum—of a battle fought to the death.
"Charge!" Duan Qiliang, seeing his troops falter, knew things were not looking good. He shouted an order and charged forward himself, followed closely by the Xianbei elite soldiers. "They’re surrounded! Kill them, and you will be rewarded with cattle and sheep!"
At this moment, Duan Qiliang no longer cared whether his opponents were Qiang or Hu people. From their fearlessness and the look in their eyes, these soldiers seemed no different from the seasoned veterans of the Han court. Their unyielding spirit was the hallmark of true elite troops!
Both sides’ cavalry clashed directly in the chaos of the battlefield. With little room to maneuver, the battle quickly devolved into a brutal melee. Led by their respective commanders, both forces charged at each other, but unlike the Xianbei, Ma Chao’s troops were fearless.
In an era dominated by cold weapons, the physical strength of individual soldiers was crucial. However, in large-scale battles, the true test was the will of the leaders and their soldiers.
Though Ma Chao was young and often reckless, there was no denying he was one of the finest cavalry commanders in the land. His personal guards revered him like a god, believing with absolute certainty that he would lead them to victory.
Thus, in the blood-soaked melee, the Qiang and Hu soldiers displayed a determination that rivaled that of any elite cavalry. As for physical strength, that wasn’t the deciding factor.
Gripping their spears tightly, Ma Chao’s soldiers refused to let go, no matter how dangerous the situation. Even if they were pierced by the Xianbei’s lances, they wouldn’t release their grip. Even in death, they would drag their opponents down with them.
With such unwavering conviction, the Xianbei elite’s numerical advantage was almost entirely nullified. Coupled with Ma Chao’s army’s innate talent, which allowed them to clearly see the trajectory of incoming spears, the advantage in morale, resolve, and combat ability was evident as they engaged in deadly combat.
In the span of a single cup of tea, over 3,000 soldiers from both sides had fallen in the initial clash. Among them, over 700 were Ma Chao’s personal guards.
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