Shuhan

Between two mountain ranges and a big river, Hongnong County is like an isolated island, surrounded by the smoke of war.

The Han army and the Wei army fought a desperate battle on this ancient land.

Years of tug-of-war have made this land bear too many joys and sorrows. The heroic spirits of unknown soldiers are buried under every inch of land. Their blood nourishes this land and makes the Hongnong defense line indestructible, like a steel Great Wall stretching across the sky.

However, behind this Great Wall of Steel lies an unknown fragility.

Years of war have brought farming in Hongnong County to a near standstill, and the once fertile fields are now overgrown with weeds and barren.

Food and fodder, the lifeline of this war, depend entirely on the hard-earned supply from the rear.

Once this lifeline is cut off, tens of thousands of troops in Hongnong County will face the desperate situation of food shortage, and the consequences will be disastrous.

At this moment, Qin Lang, the defender of Hongnong County, was standing on the city wall, gazing into the distance with deep eyes.

He was of sturdy build, with a resolute face, and his brows revealed some of Cao Cao's heroic spirit, which was a unique mark of him as Cao Cao's adopted son.

Qin Lang was wearing iron armor and holding a long sword. Every step he took was steady and powerful, as if the safety of the entire Hongnong County rested on his shoulders.

His eyes showed both worry about the future and desire for victory, a complex emotion that only a general who had experienced countless life-and-death tests could possess.

Qin Lang held a military newspaper tightly in his hands, and his brows furrowed every time he opened one.

It is an indisputable fact that the power of Wei was declining day by day. Internal corruption and external invasion made this once powerful country seem powerless.

As Cao Rui's confidant, he was well aware of the hardships and helplessness involved.

He must defend Hongnong. This is his mission and his promise to Cao Rui.

Under the city, the army of Han general Zhang Bao had already assembled, with war drums thundering and shouts of killing shaking the sky.

Zhang Bao, a fierce general of the Han army, was wearing a red battle robe and holding a spear. He was like a burning fire and vowed to break through the Wei army's defense line.

He had been challenging Qin Lang at the gates of the city for several days in a row, but Qin Lang remained steadfast and refused to come out.

He knew that if he went out of the city to fight, he might be surrounded by the Han army if he was not careful, and then the defense line of Hongnong County would be destroyed.

However, simply avoiding war is not a long-term solution.

Qin Lang knew very well that war was not only a contest of courage, but also a competition of wisdom and endurance.

He had to find a breakthrough, one that could both preserve Hongnong and repel the Han army.

His heart was full of contradictions and struggles, and every decision might affect the life and death of tens of thousands of soldiers.

As night fell, the city of Hongnong County was silent.

Qin Lang sat alone in the study, the flickering candlelight illuminating his slightly tired face.

He spread out the map and carefully studied every possible attack route and defensive point.

He ran his finger across the map, and every time he reached a key location, he would stop, ponder for a moment, and then continue.

Suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps outside the door.

Qin Lang looked up and saw a scout covered in dust, running in breathlessly. "General, there is urgent news from Zhiguan!"

There was a hint of anxiety in the scout's voice.

Qin Lang's heart tightened. Zhiguan was the retreat route of Hongnong County. Once it was breached by the Han army, Hongnong County would be isolated and helpless.

He took the secret letter handed to him by the scout, unfolded it, and his face suddenly changed.

Zhiguan was in danger. The Han army had launched a fierce attack and the defenders were in danger.

Qin Lang clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh.

He knew that he could not wait any longer and had to take action immediately.

Soon, Qin Lang summoned the generals of Hongnong to discuss the matter.

Qin Lang stood in the main seat in the meeting hall, his figure looking particularly tall in the dim candlelight.

The generals sat around, and the atmosphere was so solemn that water could almost turn into ice.

Everyone's face was filled with seriousness and worry. They knew that what was coming was a life-and-death battle.

"We can't wait any longer." Qin Lang's voice was low and powerful, breaking the silence in the room.

"We must take the initiative and catch the Han army off guard."

His eyes swept over everyone, trying to convey his determination and courage to them.

At this time, Deputy General Li Yi stood up with a look of worry on his face.

"General, we must be clear about whether the Han army's main attack direction is Zhiguan or Hongnong County City. If we blindly mobilize troops, if the county city is breached, the consequences will be disastrous."

Qin Lang frowned slightly when he heard this, and then relaxed his brows. His eyes were sharp, as if he had seen through the key to the battle in an instant.

"You're right," he said in a deep voice, "but we can't just sit there and wait for death. I have a plan."

As he spoke, he walked towards the map and lightly ran his finger across it.

"We will send cavalry to raid the Han army's food and forage camp and burn their food and forage. If we cut off the Han army's food supply, the Han army outside the county city will surely retreat due to lack of logistics. At this time, we will send troops to Zhiguan for rescue and we will surely be able to repel the Han army."

As soon as this plan came out, there was a burst of praise in the conference room.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and the worry in their eyes was replaced by hope.

Qin Lang looked at everyone, feeling a surge of pride in his heart.

In the next three days, Qin Lang prepared the raid plan intensively.

He personally selected an elite cavalry unit, led by his most trusted lieutenant general Li Yi.

The deputy general is tall and skilled in martial arts, and is a fierce general under Qin Lang.

He was wearing black armor, holding a spear, and his eyes revealed endless fighting spirit.

Under Qin Lang's gaze, he nodded solemnly, indicating that he would definitely complete the task.

Three days later, late at night, the sky was covered with dark clouds, and the moonlight was completely blocked.

A black cavalry team set out quietly under the cover of night.

They moved forward along the winding mountain road. The sound of horse hooves was deliberately suppressed to an extremely low level, and only the occasional sound of metal collision revealed their presence.

The Han army's food and forage camp was located on an open plain, surrounded by sentries and patrols.

However, these were not difficult problems for Li Yi and his cavalry.

They took advantage of the terrain and the cover of night to quietly approach the camp.

When the first ray of fire shot up into the sky, the Han army was horrified to find that their food supplies had been set on fire by the enemy.

The fire illuminated half of the sky red and also illuminated the deputy general's cold and determined face.

Holding a spear, he led the cavalry through the camp as if he was in an empty space.

The Han soldiers were awakened from their sleep and fled in panic.

However, under Li Yi's iron cavalry, they were like lambs to be slaughtered, powerless to resist.

After dawn, the Han army's food and supplies were almost completely burned.

Ten days later, the Han troops originally stationed outside the city of Hongnong County retreated one after another.

Seeing this situation, Qin Lang personally led the main force to attack Zhiguan.

At the break of dawn, a hint of paleness appeared in the sky. Above Zhiguan, the drums of war thundered, foreshadowing that the prelude to an unprecedented war was about to begin.

Qin Lang was wearing dazzling golden armor with intricate totems carved on it, as if every line contained endless power.

He held a long sword with a cold glow, and the sword reflected the light of the morning glow, like the scythe of death, which was daunting.

The mount was a majestic warhorse with shiny black fur and four steady and powerful hooves. Every step of the hoof seemed to shatter the earth.

"Let's go!" Qin Lang gave the order, his voice low and firm, like thunder echoing in the valley. He gently squeezed the horse's belly, and the warhorse seemed to sense the master's will, and suddenly jumped forward, leading the main force of the Wei army, like an unstoppable torrent, to Zhiguan.

On the battlefield, Qin Lang's figure was like a golden lightning, moving freely among the enemy's formation.

His swordsmanship was as sharp as the wind. Every time he swung his sword, an enemy would fall off his horse and blood would splatter everywhere, but the blood would never splash onto his golden armor.

Under his inspiration, the Wei army soldiers fought bravely and their morale was high, as if each of them was endowed with an invincible will.

Zhiguan, the fortress guarding the throat of Hongnong County, is now experiencing unprecedented tests.

The Han army paid a heavy price to conquer this place. Corpses piled up like mountains and battle flags were in tatters, but they still relied on their tenacious will to hold on to every inch of land.

However, Qin Lang's arrival completely broke the deadlock.

"Soldiers of the Wei army, follow me and charge!" Qin Lang raised his sword high, with the tip of the sword pointing directly at the sky. His voice pierced through the smoke and resounded through the sky.

The Wei army soldiers seemed to have heard the call of God and responded one after another, following Qin Lang's footsteps and rushing towards the Han army's position like a tide.

The flashing of swords and the sound of metal clashing were endless, blood dyed the earth red, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood. It was the unique cruelty and tragedy of war.

In this brutal contest, Qin Lang always rushed to the front. His swordsmanship became more and more fierce. Every time he swung his sword, it seemed as if he was declaring his indomitable spirit and determination to the world.

Although the Han army was brave, their defense line gradually collapsed under the fierce attack of Qin Lang and the Wei army. The soldiers began to retreat, and some even abandoned their weapons, hoping to find a glimmer of hope in this Shura field.

Finally, with the collapse of the Han army's last line of defense, the situation on the battlefield settled.

Qin Lang stood on the city wall of Zhiguan, looking at the battlefield gradually calming down in the distance, with complex emotions surging in his heart.

There is of course the joy of victory, but more of it is deep thought about the future.

He knew that this victory not only meant the safety of Zhiguan and Hongnong County, but also a huge boost to the morale of the Wei army and an important step for the Wei state to gain a foothold in the troubled times.

"General, we won!" The deputy general came riding over with an excited look on his face, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement.

Qin Lang nodded slightly, with a barely perceptible smile on his face, but his eyes revealed determination and expectation for the future.

"Yes, we won. But remember, the real battle has just begun."

When the news of victory reached Hongnong County, the whole city was instantly in an uproar.

People came out of their homes and took to the streets, cheering and celebrating this hard-earned victory.

The children waved small flags in their hands with innocent smiles on their faces; the elderly had tears in their eyes, lamenting how difficult it is to achieve peace.

They all thought that Hongnong was completely peaceful.

For a time, everyone in Hongnong County, regardless of gender or age, was immersed in this ocean of joy.

However, on this seemingly calm night, an unknown undercurrent was hidden in the Han army camp outside the county city.

Although the Han army's food and supplies were suddenly attacked and burned by the Wei army, the Han army's logistics system had already made full preparations.

The Guanzhong area has thousands of miles of fertile fields and abundant grain reserves. The grain and grass that were burned were just a drop in the bucket and could be quickly replenished from other granaries.

Therefore, when the Wei army was celebrating the victory of Zhiguan in the city and immersed in the joy of victory, the Han army general Zhang Bao was secretly planning a shocking reversal.

Zhang Bao had a resolute face and eyes as sharp as torches. At this moment, he was standing in the shadow of the tent, gazing at the dimly lit Hongnong County City in the distance, thinking about every detail in his mind.

This battle concerns the morale of the Han army and the direction of the entire war situation. There must not be any mistakes.

So he secretly summoned his most elite troops - the Vanguard Suicide Squad. These warriors were all agile, with resolute faces and a gleam of fearlessness in their eyes.

As the night deepened, dark clouds obscured the stars, and the sky and the earth were completely dark. Only the occasional sound of wind seemed to herald the coming storm.

At Zhang Bao's command, the death squad members acted quickly. Dressed in black with night paint on their faces, they moved silently towards the city of Hongnong County like ghosts in the night.

Everyone carried a heavy bag of explosives on their shoulders. It was the key to their victory tonight and also the oath they made with their lives.

It was a dark and windy night, with one unable to see one's hand in front of one's face. Under the cover of darkness, the first suicide squad approached the city gate like ghosts.

They moved swiftly and in perfect harmony, carefully piling bags of explosives at the city gate. Sweat and tension were intertwined on their foreheads, but no one retreated, no one spoke, only the heavy breathing and heartbeats echoed in the night sky.

Hundreds of kilograms of explosives piled up like a mountain, like a volcano about to erupt, containing destructive power.

At the same time, another team of suicide squad members used ropes to climb up the city wall silently.

They were agile and leaped on the city walls like monkeys. With lightning speed, they killed the unprepared Wei soldiers on the city walls one by one.

The blade flashed with a cold light, and every swing was accompanied by a low wail, but it was soon swallowed up by the night.

However, at this critical moment, a member of the suicide squad accidentally stepped on a brick and the noise alarmed the Wei army on duty nearby.

"Who is it?" A cry broke the silence of the night, followed by hurried footsteps and the clinking of metal.

The Wei army finally discovered the Han army's surprise attack, and the alarm instantly resounded throughout the county town.

Zhang Bao's heart tightened when he saw this from a distance, but then his eyes became more determined.

At this moment, hundreds of kilograms of explosives piled at the city gate were detonated. A deafening roar pierced the night sky, as if the sky was falling and the earth was splitting apart, and it could be heard clearly even ten miles away.

Flames shot up into the sky, illuminating half the sky. Huge smoke and dust rose into the sky like a mushroom cloud, obscuring the stars.

In the county town, people panicked, thinking that an earthquake had struck, and fled out of their houses. After the smoke and dust cleared, they saw that the gate of the county town had been shattered by gunpowder, leaving a huge gap.

"Attack!" Zhang Bao's low and powerful command cut through the air like a thunderous explosion.

In an instant, the Han army surged like a tide. The city gate was shaking under their impact and finally collapsed. Amidst the flying dust, the Han army rushed into the city like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins.

Inside the city, the Wei army was caught off guard, but years of fighting allowed them to react quickly, and they took up arms in an attempt to resist this sudden attack.

The first suicide squad to climb onto the city wall were all carefully selected warriors. They wore light armor and held sharp blades in their hands. Facing the enemies who were coming like a tide, there was no fear in their eyes.

Captain Li Ling, a brave general who had experienced many battles, gave a loud shout and jumped into the battle formation first. His sword flashed like lightning, and wherever he went, the enemies fell one after another.

"Brothers, today is our day to make a name for ourselves! Follow me and kill!" Li Ling's voice penetrated the smoke and inspired every soldier.

Amid the flashing of swords and the shadow of sabers, blood splattered everywhere, the bricks and stones on the city wall were stained red with blood, and the air was filled with a suffocating smell of blood.

However, the bloody smell further stimulated the fighting spirit of the Han army. They seemed tireless, charging again and again, and repelling the counterattacks of the Wei army time and time again.

Zhang Bao shuttled around the battlefield, commanding with confidence. His eyes keenly captured every corner of the battlefield and adjusted his tactics at any time.

He saw that a Wei army defense line was about to collapse, and immediately commanded an elite team to go to support. At the same time, he ordered people to light beacons and summon follow-up troops to follow up to ensure full control of the battle situation.

In a corner of the city wall, Li Ling met a general of the Wei army. Both of them were the best in their respective armies. At this moment, the duel between them seemed to be a microcosm of the entire battle.

Li Ling was agile and had sharp sword skills, with each of his moves aimed directly at the vital points; while the Wei general was extremely powerful, and the spear seemed to have life in his hand, with each swing accompanied by the sound of whistling wind.

The two of them fought back and forth, and it seemed that everything around them had stopped, leaving only the life-and-death struggle between them.

Suddenly, Li Ling made a feint to deceive his opponent, and took the opportunity to chop at the Wei general's shoulder with a knife. However, he did not expect that the Han general reacted very quickly and blocked the attack with his spear. At the same time, he used the force of the Han general to thrust the spear forward suddenly, hitting Li Ling's heart.

At this critical moment, Li Ling moved his body to the side and avoided the fatal blow by a hair's breadth, but his left arm was scratched by the spear and his clothes were stained with blood.

"Good skills!" Li Ling panted, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"But today, you and I must come to an end!"

After saying this, he raised his arm and swung his sword again, attacking even more fiercely.

However, as time went on, the advantages of the Han army gradually became apparent.

They are numerous and their morale is high. Every soldier seems to be driven by an invisible force, constantly moving forward and fighting.

Although the Wei army was brave, their physical strength and morale began to decline due to continuous consumption, and flaws gradually appeared in their defense line.

Zhang Bao seized this critical moment and personally led an elite force, like a sharp blade, straight into the heart of the Wei army.

His appearance was like a shot of adrenaline for the Han army. The soldiers fought more bravely and their shouts of killing shook the earth.

In the end, under the fierce offensive of the Han army, the Wei army's defense line completely collapsed.

Hongnong County City has fallen! (End of this chapter)