bookrandom Chapter 1995 We must not sit idly by and wait for death!
Chapter 1995 We must not sit idly by and wait for death!
This earth-shattering news of victory was like a bucket of cold water poured into a boiling oil pan, instantly igniting the passion of all the Chu soldiers!
"Long live the Queen!"
"May the Vermilion Bird Legion be victorious!"
In an instant, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted from the Chu army formation.
The morale, which had been somewhat exhausted due to the prolonged siege, was suddenly injected with a violent force and soared to its peak!
Every soldier's eyes shone with an alarming light; all fatigue vanished, replaced by boundless fervor and an unwavering belief in victory!
Seizing the opportunity, Xue Huaide abruptly pulled his halberd from the ground and pointed it directly at the Tang army camp that was still stubbornly resisting. In a booming voice, he issued the final order for the general offensive:
"Issue my order! All reserves, move forward! Archers, fire a barrage; infantry, follow me to break through the camp!"
"Two hours! I'm only giving you two hours! Before sunset, you must raze this camp to the ground and welcome Her Majesty's triumphant return with victory!"
"Crush the Tang camp! Welcome the Empress!"
"kill--!"
Military orders are as firm as mountains, and fighting spirit is as high as rainbows!
The fresh troops left behind were like tigers released from their gates, roaring as they rushed into the battlefield.
The rain of arrows intensified, like a deathly cloud looming over the Tang camp.
Xue Huaide once again took the lead, brandishing his halberd and charging towards the stockade wall.
Behind him were countless Chu warriors, their eyes bloodshot with excitement and fearless in the face of death, inspired by the news of victory.
The Tang army's defenses began to tremble violently in the face of this all-out offensive, which carried the momentum of a great victory and was like a volcanic eruption; collapse seemed imminent!
Luoxia Mountain, Tang army camp.
The once relatively orderly defensive system is showing signs of collapse under the Chu army's all-out attack, which is like a raging torrent.
The stockade wall was damaged in many places, and the gaps that could not be repaired in time were piled with the corpses of soldiers from both sides, turning it into a bloody meat grinder.
The firing rate from the arrow tower dropped significantly, and the stockpile of rolling logs and stones was exhausted.
The deafening shouts of the Chu soldiers seemed to carry an unprecedented frenzy and determination, rising wave after wave and constantly assaulting the already tense nerves of the defenders.
On the watchtower, the garrison commander Gongsun Wei and his deputy Liu Hongji stood side by side, their faces so gloomy they could drip water.
From their elevated position, they had a commanding view of the entire battlefield.
The Chu army no longer held back any strength, and even its last remaining strategic reserve force was committed to the battlefield. Like a gambler who had bet everything, they launched a fierce attack regardless of the cost.
This unusual madness simultaneously aroused a strong sense of foreboding in the hearts of the two experienced generals.
Gongsun Wei slammed his fist on the wooden railing in front of him, making a dull thud. His voice was hoarse with anxiety.
"General Liu, something's wrong! Xue Huaide is going to fight to the death!"
"Even the reserves have been committed; the offensive is so frenzied, leaving absolutely no room for retreat... unless..."
He paused, a hint of horror flashing in his eyes: "Unless something drastic has happened to Helian Wujiu's side, perhaps... they've been completely wiped out!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Hongji's body trembled slightly.
He stared intently at the Chu army surging below like a tidal wave, especially at the massive "Xue" banner that charged left and right through the ranks, seemingly invincible. He nodded slowly, his tone extremely heavy:
"General Gongsun is absolutely right. The Chu army's morale is soaring at the moment, they must have received some good news that could turn the tide of the battle."
"Looking at their desperate posture, they clearly want to raze our camp to the ground before our army gets the definite news and our morale wavers!"
He took a deep breath and forced himself to calmly analyze the current desperate situation: "Now the Chu army has several times the strength of ours, and their offensive is so fierce. The walls of the stockade are damaged in many places, the weapons are exhausted, and the soldiers are exhausted."
"Given this situation, let alone holding out for reinforcements, we probably won't even last an hour before the camp changes hands."
The atmosphere was as heavy as the calm before a storm. Liu Hongji turned to look at Gongsun Wei, his eyes flashing with a resolute light:
"General Gongsun, we only have two paths to take now."
"First, to fulfill the duty of a soldier, to defend this place to the death, to live and die with the camp, until the last soldier is gone; second..."
He lowered his voice and said, word by word, "Immediately gather all available troops, abandon the camp, and break out before the Chu army's encirclement is completely tight. Perhaps we can still preserve a seed for the army."
"Defend to the death?" Gongsun Wei repeated these two words almost through gritted teeth.
He looked around at the soldiers struggling under the fierce attack of the Chu army, their faces filled with fear, and then gazed towards the direction of reinforcements that might never appear at the rear of the camp. A trace of sorrow flashed across his face.
"If Helian Wujiu's 40,000-strong army has truly been annihilated, then General Wang Zhongsi must also be engaged in a fierce battle in the Black River Valley, and may even be in dire need of his own life."
"What is the point of us holding this place to the death? It's nothing but a pointless sacrifice, wasting the lives of nearly ten thousand soldiers in this soon-to-fall camp!"
He abruptly raised his head, his eyes sharpening and resolute, and made his final decision:
"No! We cannot sit idly by and wait for our demise! Our army is a formidable force personally commanded by His Majesty. How can we let that fool Helian Wujiu shed his last drop of blood here in vain?"
"Break out! We must break out! While we still have a breath left, we must fight our way out and join General Wang's main force. That is the best course of action!"
"Exactly what I want!"
Liu Hongji nodded heavily, their eyes met, and they instantly reached a consensus. At this critical juncture of life and death, any hesitation would be fatal.
Once the decision was made, the order was relayed out as quickly as possible.
The mournful sound of bugles replaced the war drums that symbolized perseverance, echoing sadly over the camp.
This is a signal to gather and break through!
The Tang soldiers who were still resisting were taken aback at first, but then they understood their commander's intention. Their instinct for survival overcame their frenzy of fighting, and they began to fight and retreat, converging on the designated breakout area in the center of the camp.
The whole process was filled with chaos and bloodshed.
The Chu army clearly sensed the Tang army's intentions and launched an even more ferocious offensive, attempting to completely divide and annihilate them before they could complete their regrouping.
Many Tang soldiers were overtaken by the Chu army during their retreat and fell down screaming in agony.
The stockade defenses quickly crumbled, and the Chu army poured into the camp through multiple breaches like a flood breaking through a dam, engaging in fierce fighting with the Tang army that was gathering.
"Don't linger! Move closer to me! Spears in front, crossbows behind, follow me and charge out!"
Gongsun Wei mounted his horse, brandished his long sword, and roared at the top of his lungs.
Liu Hongji then organized a group of the most elite armored soldiers to serve as the spearhead for the breakout.
Soon, a breakout force, with cavalry at its core and infantry following closely behind, was barely formed.