The battlefield of the second night had transformed into a scene of pure slaughter.
The once orderly formations of Qin and Wei had completely collapsed into countless smaller clashes. The screams of soldiers, the sound of blades striking armour, and the roar of war cries filled the darkness.
At the centre of it all stood one man.
Ren Pa.
The legendary Great General of Zhao swung his massive blade with overwhelming force, cutting down every soldier that dared approach him.
But this time, he was not facing ordinary soldiers.
Three commanders surrounded him.
Bao Jun.
Tian Hao.
Mo Yun.
The three commanders of the Hyou Ren army attacked from different directions, forcing Ren Pa to constantly shift his position.
"Hahaha!"
Ren Pa laughed as he blocked Tian Hao's glaive and pushed him back.
"So this is the strength of Hyou Ren's commanders?"
Bao Jun immediately followed with a heavy strike from the side.
Ren Pa twisted his body and barely avoided the attack, but Mo Yun's attack grazed his shoulder.
Blood flowed.
For the first time that night...
Ren Pa was injured.
But his expression remained calm.
"Interesting..."
He looked at the three commanders surrounding him.
"Normally, three against one would be nothing."
"But these three..."
"They actually understand how to fight together."
However, before Ren Pa could launch his counterattack…
FWOOSH!
An arrow flew through the darkness.
Ren Pa's eyes widened.
He instantly moved his glaive upward.
CLANG!
The arrow was deflected.
But another arrow came immediately.
Then another.
And another.
Ren Pa looked toward the darkness.
Standing on a hill far behind the battlefield was a figure holding a bow.
Hyou Ren.
"The battlefield is already chaotic."
Hyou Ren calmly drew another arrow.
"Ren Pa is currently fighting three of my commanders."
"His attention is divided."
"Even a monster like him cannot defend against attacks from every direction."
FWOOSH!
Another arrow pierced through the battlefield.
Ren Pa blocked it, but at the same time Bao Jun and Tian Hao attacked.
BOOM!
The impact forced Ren Pa several steps backward.
A wound appeared on his arm.
Mo Yun immediately followed with another strike, forcing Ren Pa to retreat.
Ren Pa stared at Hyou Ren.
"So that is your style..."
"Using every advantage available."
Hyou Ren released another arrow.
"I am not interested in honourable battles."
"I am interested in winning."
But suddenly…
A messenger cavalry arrived at Hyou Ren's position.
"GENERAL HYOU REN!"
"An enemy army has appeared behind us!"
Hyou Ren narrowed his eyes.
From the darkness behind the Qin army...
Wei banners emerged.
Leading them was a familiar figure.
Rin Ko.
The Heavenly General of Ren Pa.
His army crashed into the rear of Hyou Ren's forces like a thunderstorm.
The Qin soldiers panicked.
"The enemy is behind us!"
"We are surrounded!"
But Hyou Ren simply smiled.
"So it finally happened."
His officers looked surprised.
"You expected this?"
Hyou Ren looked toward Rin Ko's advancing army.
"Ren Pa is a general who has fought countless wars."
"If he cannot defeat the enemy's commander directly..."
"Then he destroys their structure."
"Attack the rear."
"Separate the army."
"Create chaos."
"This is a classic hammer and anvil tactic."
Hyou Ren turned toward his commanders.
"But..."
"I prepared for it."
"Lu Shen!"
The commander immediately stepped forward.
"Your army will form the second defensive line."
"Do not allow Rin Ko's army to break through."
"Understood!"
Lu Shen's army quickly reorganized, forming a defensive wall between the rear and the main force.
At the same time…
"Ri Yue."
Hyou Ren looked toward his lady wife.
"Stop the hammer."
Ri Yue understood immediately.
"The enemy commander?"
Hyou Ren nodded.
"Yes."
"If Rin Ko continues his attack, our entire formation will collapse."
Ri Yue raised her weapon.
"Leave him to me."
The battlefield shook.
Two elite armies collided.
At the front of Rin Ko's army stood the man himself.
"Hyou Ren..."
"So you sent someone to stop me?"
Across from him stood Ri Yue.
"I will not let you advance another step."
Rin Ko smiled.
"Interesting."
"The Hyou Ren army has many capable commanders."
Their weapons clashed.
BOOM!
The impact created a shockwave.
Both armies were pushed backward.
Rin Ko's eyes sharpened.
"This woman..."
"She is not inferior."
Ri Yue also stated.
"Rin Ko..."
"The Heavenly General of Ren Pa."
"I am Ri Yue, the blade of Hyou Ren and I have never known defeat."
The two armies continued clashing.
Neither side could gain an advantage.
A stalemate.
Back at the centre battlefield...
Ren Pa looked around.
His original plan had failed.
The head of the snake was still alive.
Hyou Ren's army had not collapsed.
His rear attack had been stopped.
His attempt to destroy Qin's command structure had failed.
Ren Pa looked at Hyou Ren in the distance.
"Hahaha..."
"So this is how it is."
The old warrior laughed.
"To think Qin possesses another monster."
Hyou Ren stared back.
Ren Pa lowered his weapon.
"If I continue fighting here..."
"I will die."
Everyone around him froze.
Ren Pa admitting retreat was almost unbelievable.
But the Great General understood the battlefield.
He looked toward the dark sky.
"Today was only the second day."
"The winner of this war..."
"Will be decided tomorrow."
Ren Pa ordered his army to withdraw.
The Wei army slowly pulled back from the battlefield.
Qin soldiers watched in silence.
They had survived.
After the Battle
The Qin army reorganized through the night.
The wounded were gathered.
The fallen were counted.
Hyou Ren walked through the camp as reports arrived.
Then he heard the news.
"Commander Shin's condition..."
"He suffered severe injuries during the battle."
Hyou Ren stopped.
Nearby, Ri Yue immediately reacted.
Her expression changed.
"Shin..."
As a mother, she was deeply worried.
"That child..."
"He always pushes himself beyond his limits."
Hyou Ren looked at her calmly.
"Ri Yue."
"We arrived in time."
She looked at him.
"Shin managed to hold the Qin army together before we arrived."
"Because of him, the central army was not completely destroyed."
Ri Yue lowered her head.
"But General Eibi..."
Hyou Ren nodded.
"We lost General Eibi."
"The left central army suffered heavy losses."
"But..."
He looked toward the Qin banners still flying.
"They were not routed."
"They will be reorganized and integrated into our army."
"Their strength is still usable."
Hyou Ren turned toward the battlefield.
"Now..."
"There is only central army."
"The true Qin central army."
The next day would decide everything.