Fighting fiercely to break through the encirclement
Zhao Wu led a hundred elite soldiers in a desperate battle against the Xiongnu soldiers. Though surrounded, their eyes were resolute, their weapons gleaming coldly, each strike carrying a do-or-die determination. Zhao Wu, spear in hand, charged at the forefront, the tip like a serpent's tongue, piercing the chests of three Xiongnu soldiers in succession. Blood splattered onto his armor, yet his spirit remained undiminished.
"Brothers, hold the line! Break through!" Zhao Wu shouted, his voice piercing the battle and echoing across the battlefield. The soldiers rallied, forming a tight circle, shields on the outside to deflect arrows, spears on the inside ready to retaliate. The Xiongnu soldiers surged forward like a tide, their scimitars striking shields with a piercing clang, arrows whistling past their ears. Soldiers fell frequently, struck by arrows, yet none retreated—they knew that behind them lay the safety of the Zhenbei Army, and in their hands lay the hope of the border people.
Halfway through the fierce battle, the soldiers gradually became exhausted. Many had their arms slashed, blood dripping from their weapons, and their steps began to falter. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Wu caught sight of a Xiongnu general in magnificent armor, brandishing a whip and directing his soldiers to encircle the enemy, his eyes filled with contempt. A thought struck him: to capture the enemy, first capture their leader. Only by eliminating this man could they disrupt the enemy's plans!
"Cover me!" Zhao Wu roared, shoving aside the soldiers beside him, gripping his horse's flanks tightly, and pointing his spear directly at the Xiongnu general. The warhorse neighed and charged through the ranks, the Xiongnu soldiers brandishing their swords to stop it, but Zhao Wu swiftly felled them one by one with his spear. The general, enraged, swung his broadsword to meet the attack head-on, the blade whistling through the air with a force that seemed to cleave it.
Zhao Wu dodged to the side, his spear sweeping horizontally towards the general's lower body. The two engaged in a fierce battle on horseback, their blades flashing and spears clashing, each round fraught with danger. The Xiongnu general's swordsmanship was fierce and domineering, while Zhao Wu skillfully maneuvered with his agility and exquisite spearmanship, and more than fifty rounds had passed in the blink of an eye. Zhao Wu gradually sensed that his opponent's strength was weakening, and secretly pleased, he deliberately feigned an opening. Just as the general's broadsword was about to strike, Zhao Wu suddenly dismounted, his spear piercing the general's chest like a shooting star.
"General!" the Xiongnu soldiers cried out in alarm, their attack halting instantly. Zhao Wu drew his spear, and the general's body crashed to the ground, his eyes still filled with disbelief and shock. Taking advantage of the enemy's disarray, Zhao Wu raised his arm and shouted, "The enemy general is dead! Break through with me!"
The soldiers' morale soared, and they followed closely behind Zhao Wu, tearing through the Xiongnu encirclement like a sharp sword. They charged forward, covered in blood, and while the Xiongnu soldiers behind them continued their pursuit, their morale had crumbled, and they dared not approach rashly. Only when the sky began to lighten did Zhao Wu lead the seventy-odd surviving soldiers, covered in blood, back to the Zhenbei Army camp. He had barely dismounted when he collapsed to one knee, using his spear for support. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he gazed towards the camp with a relieved smile—the intelligence report had finally arrived.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
