Chapter 80: Imminent Defeat

All the soldiers that had fallen off their steeds become mincemeat within the blink of an eye. Blood sprayed liberally and spewed endlessly. From afar, only broken arms could be seen flying up after being detached from bodies upon the collision of both cavalry troops; heads rolled in the air like frogs hopping out of water before landing, there were also complete bodies that were hurled like rice sacks as blood sprayed from their entire physique before they fell limply to the ground.

Wu Jundao charged in to kill with all his might. Suddenly, he felt his movements unhampered, the restraints around him vanished as his front view became unhindered. He had charged out of the enemy's cavalry formation! Behind him, the Steel Cavalry that was still in a uniform arrangement charged out as well; Wu Jundao raised his spear diagonally as his warhorse fled, making a complete swing before readjusting his aim towards the enemy's formation.

He charged in once again without a sound!

It was a moment of life and death; it was also the point of victory and defeat!

Somewhere higher up, Tie Zheng stretched his arm towards the sky as he hollered, "Yutang Steel Cavalry!"

His voice roared like booming thunder, traveling and resonating through the battlefield.

Hundreds of thousands of warriors shouted in response at the same time, "Unmatched in the world!"

This was the first time that the Steel Cavalry had made a sound since the war began, their bloodlust rising under the lead of their marshal.

In the enemy's battle array, deafening drumbeats sounded as well but a cruel smile had already claimed its spot on Tie Zheng's face.

He had been slightly quicker, and the marshal's thunderous growl was no doubt an essential boost to the battling warriors.

Yutang's Steel Cavalry grew increasingly maddened, roaring "Yutang Steel Cavalry! Unmatched in the world!", as they charged towards Dongxuan's Shadow Cavalry on the opposite side like a whirlwind.

In the enemy's tent, the general conducting the battle wore a grim expression, sweat dropping from the tip of his nose. A thin elder stood with his arms behind his back. He looked at the battlefield as he said indifferently, "The Shadow Cavalry has lost. Beat the gong, signal the retreat."

"Marshal!" The unwillingness to back down was written all over the general's face.

"A defeat is a defeat!" The elderly said coldly, "Beat the gong and signal the retreat."

"Yes!"

The enemy had pull backed its own troops but it would be difficult for the cavalry in the thick of battle to regain their own side.

They were still at each other's throat and slaughtering indiscriminately. Each of them was charging through the other party's battle array to return to their own.

On the ground, corpses of flesh and blood were trampled into mush.

"Do you know where your defeat was?" The elderly's gaze was wise.

"I was slow." The general lowered his head in shame.

"Correct." The elder was none other than Dongxuan's god of war Han Sanhe. "Our Shadow Cavalry is basically the same as their Steel Cavalry. Both have the most elite combat skills, both could sustain injuries and not be defeated easily. In conducting their movements, however, you have lost. Our side has commissioned five thousand cavalrymen in this battle and so did they. Those returning to their camp number approximately three thousand five to four thousand people while our brothers who returned to our camp were at least five hundred lesser men than them! Why is this?"

"Because the moment when the men charged through the formation and rearranged their troops, Tie Zheng grasped the opportunity in this battle. His roar spurred the army to new heights, and rallied their morale!"

"Cavalrymen from both sides have already reached the end of their tether. It was only morale that spurred them on. Whichever side had the higher morale, that side would win. The opposite troop has made the first move, the morale of their troop was boosted; we were slower by one step, our morale inhibited."

"In the first wave, the casualties on both sides were actually equal. The additional hundreds of casualties from our side compared to theirs happened during the second wave when we lost our dominance. You are not worthy to be Tie Zheng's opponent."

The thin elder said slowly, "Another reason for your defeat is that Tie Zheng has been standing there all along, where all his men could clearly see him. You, on the other hand, were invisible to your own soldiers."

"A general is the soldiers' gut and the army's soul!"

Han Sanhe sighed softly, "Tie Zheng is truly an outstanding general talent of our time."

The general beside him was ashamed.

"After this battle, the Shadow Cavalry will be temporarily held of their battlefield. Their dominance would definitely be oppressed. We need to search for opportunities to retaliate if we wish to survive this war. If we were to face the Steel Cavalry again where their psychology has already taken on a superior state, we would still be defeated."

"For forty-five continuous days, the three of you have pursued the battlefield respectively against Tie Zheng. Three of you, losing half of the war!" Han Sanhe squinted his eyes and looked at the battlefield. "Looks like I have to take care of this myself."

"This lowly general is ashamed, I am willing to be taught warfare."

"This is not warfare, this war is supposed to be practice for all of you!" Han Sanhe said coldly, "The three of you, open rivals and veiled strife, challenging each other within the nation for that so-called top general of the younger generation. This battle was to show all of you how far all of you are from being a notable general."

"I hope you remember the countless heroic souls that have fallen in this war because of your mistake." Han Sanhe looked at the general, then at the other two generals who stood straight and crestfallen, uttering each word slowly, "This time, I am letting all of you practice warfare using actual lives a fact that you should never forget. In front of a truly reputable general, all of you... are lesser than sh*t!"

"If you don't improve, all of you will die on the battlefield sooner or later."

Han Sanhe's voice was icy; all three generals were flustered with their heads lowered, wanting to dig a hole and bury themselves in it.

"This is how the making of a great general is built; upon a mountain of fallen souls!"

Han Sanhe wore a straight face as he ascended the podium.

A large flag was suddenly raised amidst the wind in Dongxuan's military camp! It fluttered without restraint - Han!

The entire Dongxuan army, several hundred thousand warriors in all, erupted into roars. The warriors cheered, their shouts deafening as it echoed across the air.

On the other end, Tie Zheng's expression was stoic. Han Sanhe had finally decided to take the field himself! He had raised his flag to tell him that 'I view you as an opponent that is a viable threat."

'I shall do battle with my all!"

This was the respect Han Sanhe paid to his opponent.

However, this respect almost made Tie Zheng's heart skip a beat. He would rather Han Sanhe look down on him or despise him than to have the latter come at him with such a ferocious intent.

The pressure was as heavy as a mountain!

Orders resounded continuously from the enemy's camp, the ongoing battle on the battlefield was forcefully halted as all the deployed soldiers returned to their base camp.

The army's morale was high and boosted as much as it was also overwhelming; within a hundred-mile radius, the wind bellowed as the great flag fluttered like a dragon!

Han Sanhe had only begun reorganizing the troops but the entire Dongxuan army was already exuding a different vigor! Whether it be their dominance, the will to fight, or killing intent, everything seemed to have instantly taken a few notches up!

This was the ever-victorious confidence that a peerless notable general could give to his troops.

The instinctual fear of the soldiers had for the battlefield were entirely wiped off of their hearts the moment Han Sanhe had taken command of the army himself!

Facing the imposing dominance that was hitting him overwhelmingly in the face, Tie Zheng took in a deep breath as he gave his own orders.

All soldiers were to retreat to base camp.

Although he knew such a decision could only place him at a disadvantage, he could only do so when facing such an overwhelming force.

If they battled now, his side would definitely be wiped out.

The enemy's morale was burning!

Just a show of force without any attacking orders had forced Tie Zheng to change his strategy from attacking to defending!

There was no trace of triumph on Han Sanhe's face, he was only calmly and methodically giving out orders. Countless battalions began moving from every direction towards Tie Zheng's Yutang troop, attacks that seemed chaotic yet executed in an orderly fashion.

Wave after wave they came, they attacked and retreated; as they charged from the east and west, so did their conquest advance from the north and south.

Tie Zheng was exhausting his mind's capacity to calculate the strategic possibilities; he was tackling each tactic with another technique, going head-on against the enemy's attacks.

"Arrow!"

Time passed bit by bit.

Tie Zheng looked calm as day throughout the entire ordeal but his heart was already powerless.

Han Sanhe was attacking for three continuous days, the attacks were endless in various tactics and from various directions; sneak raids, hijacks, outright charges, ambush, fire attacks... it was an encyclopedia of warfare.

Piecemeal aggression!

This was Han Sanhe's piecemeal aggression that had intimidated the generals from every nation - nibbling the enemy's military resources bit by bit! No matter how one played his defense, he could figure out ways to erode the enemy's shield in small increments.

Tie Zheng's troops were forced to retreat time and again.

Three days later, the enemy had already completed half a circle in addition to displaying all their military might.

This was an obvious disposition of following up!

Subsequently, the only thing left to do in regards to such a situation was to continue the battle although Tie Zheng had not one ounce of confidence to win if they did so.

They could only retreat once defeated.

However, once they retreated, the enemy's fifty thousand-strong Shadow Cavalry that had not been commissioned would come on in overwhelming waves.

If he had insisted on running by then, Han Sanhe would probably give chase in direct follow-up attacks straight to Tiantang City!

"The continent's god of war; the name is indeed befitting!"

Tie Zheng heaved a deep sigh, exhausted and weary. He had not even realized in hindsight how the enemy had plotted their warfare but impending doom has just swept over them!

There were no loopholes to be found.

"Marshal!"

The soldier on lookout shouted in panic as he stood on the top of the hill.

"What is it? Why are you panicking?" Tie Zheng fumed but he was immediately shocked.

Behind him, a battalion of cavalrymen had appeared. It was dark and ominous, a large column of countless men.

The Dongxuan Shadow Cavalry!

Since when had they arrived behind him?

Tie Zheng was stripped of all hope. He turned to look at the enemy camp; Han Sanhe still did not show his face but Tie Zheng knew that he was doomed.

The persistent and unforgiving attacks Han Sanhe had executed these past few days were all for this unexpected move.

Outflank and attack the rear!

While he had been occupied tackling the enemy's attacks from various directions, this troop of cavalry had come up from the rear.

There was no path to advance just as there was no route to escape!

Han Sanhe was obviously going for the complete annihilation of the Empire of Yutang's military might!

Right now, the enemy was attacking from every direction, their rhythm picking up. Without a doubt, the main attack was about to begin, and it took place, all hell would break loose!

Tie Zheng squeezed his brain in search of something to rid themselves of this fate of imminent defeat and death! If he were to be defeated, the entire east border of the Empire of Yutang would crumble entirely.

However, even as his temple began to throb, he still could not manage to figure out a countermeasure. Han Sanhe's attack was closely-set and impenetrable.

It was impossible to guard against them.

"Marshal!" The lookout shouted again but in delight, "Marshal, there is a commotion in Dongxuan's battalion, in the southwest direction. There seems to be a battle..."

Tie Zheng was surprised.

Southwest...?

He had intended to break through the enemy's line there and set up their defense by the mountains. However, Dongxuan had obviously caught on as the defense established on southwest direction was impassable. How could there be a battle there?