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The military captain left behind in Dong Zhuo's camp saw that the situation was turning against them and immediately ordered the drawbridge over the trench to be raised and the camp gates shut.
A squad leader standing nearby pointed at the soldiers who were fighting while retreating and said, "But… our men outside haven't fallen back yet!"
"If we wait for them to come in, the enemy will rush in with them! What are you standing around for? Move!" The captain kicked the squad leader away and then turned to bark more orders. "Where are the archers? Get up on the watchtowers now! And raise the yellow flag! You brats, hurry up! And guard the oil jars—don't let the enemy's fire arrows ignite them!"
×××××××××××
Behind several small hills about three li away from Dong Zhuo's camp—hidden from the allied forces' line of sight—groups of Xiliang cavalry stood beside their restless warhorses, soothing the animals while awaiting orders.
A scout sprinted to the top of one of the hills and reported to the general at the center, "General, the yellow flag has been raised in the main camp!"
"Understood." Xu Rong responded indifferently and dismissed the scout.
Though Xu Rong's banner flew over Dong Zhuo's camp, he had left only a single captain in charge while he led the Xiliang cavalry to lie in ambush here.
Three li—for a man running at full speed, the weak would be left panting, and even the strong might need to catch their breath. But for warhorses, this distance was nothing. Moreover, this distance was just enough to let the horses build up their full charge…
Come on, Bao Xin of Jibei.
Xu Rong slowly drew his long blade and wiped it with a piece of coarse cloth. The question was—which would prove sharper: your tactics or my sword?
×××××××××××
On the right flank, Cao Cao saw that the front lines of Dong Zhuo's central army had been nearly wiped out, and Bao Xin's banner was pressing close to Dong Zhuo's camp. Instead of feeling joy, his unease only deepened.
"Set up the caltrops! Huh? Why are there so few?" Cao Cao turned around and saw that only a handful of scattered caltrops had been laid out despite the time that had passed. Furious, he rushed to the squad leader in charge and shouted, "What's the meaning of this?"
"General, we have no wood!" the squad leader cried in frustration. The area near the Bian River had plenty of reeds, but this small hill had no trees to cut down for materials.
Cao Cao scanned the surroundings—most of the land was covered in weeds or low shrubs, with no proper trees in sight.
"Take a squad of men to the rear and bring all the supply wagons—horses and all!" Cao Cao pulled out his military tally from his robe and handed it to a personal guard. "And hurry! Every second counts!"
The Dong Zhuo forces on the right flank also seemed to be retreating. Seeing that several squad leaders at the front had advanced too far, Cao Cao immediately sent orders for them to regroup and maintain formation.
He knew that victory in this battle depended on two things: Bao Xin's central army breaking through as quickly as possible, and his own forces holding out as long as possible.
Just a little more time!
The sense of foreboding in Cao Cao's heart grew heavier.
Suddenly, cheers erupted from the central army. Bao Xin, seeing that the vanguard was struggling to breach Dong Zhuo's camp, had moved forward to personally oversee the assault. The fresh reinforcements and the presence of their commander on the frontlines invigorated the Jibei troops, who fought like tigers, fearless of death.
The Dong Zhuo soldiers left in the camp were few, and under the frenzied assault of the Jibei forces, their defenses crumbled. Seizing an opportunity, the Jibei army broke through a section of the wooden palisade!
The camp was breached! The Jibei soldiers flooded into Dong Zhuo's stronghold like a tidal wave.
When Xu Rong's banner atop the camp was cut down, the allied forces erupted in cheers, as if victory were already within their grasp…
But Cao Cao's heart sank. The camp had fallen too easily.
Like an eggshell—seemingly sturdy, yet shattering completely at the slightest tap.
Xu Rong isn't in the camp!
The camp is a trap!
Realizing this in an instant, Cao Cao called for his guards to warn Bao Xin and stop the Jibei troops from entering the camp.
But it was too late.
Before his guards could even run far, a volley of fire arrows rained down from nowhere. In the blink of an eye, the entire camp erupted into a massive inferno, trapping countless soldiers inside. Their agonized screams filled the air as they were consumed by the flames.
For a moment, the battlefield fell eerily silent, save for the crackling of fire and the harrowing cries of burning men.
Then, as if from the depths of the underworld, a deep ox-horn blast sounded, and the earth began to tremble faintly.
At first, the tremors were slight, barely noticeable. But as the thunderous sound of hooves grew louder, the shaking intensified, rolling forward like a storm across the land.
The supply wagons finally arrived, but Cao Cao had no time to deploy them properly. He hastily ordered them pushed to the frontlines.
Gradually, every soldier felt the vibrations coursing through their bodies, their weapons trembling in their grips. A creeping dread rose from their feet, spreading through their limbs and into their hearts, turning their faces pale with fear.
Sensing the plummeting morale, Cao Cao roared, "Beat the drums!"
The thunderous war drums boomed, momentarily drowning out the approaching hoofbeats and steadying the wavering soldiers.
"Form ranks! Raise spears! Archers, ready!" Cao Cao bellowed.
At this distance, they would only have time for two volleys. He wished every archer under his command were a marksman, capable of felling a rider with each shot.
Closer.
Closer still.
Now!
"Loose arrows!"
A swarm of arrows darkened the sky, descending like angry hornets upon the charging Xiliang cavalry.
But fear made men act on instinct. Cao Cao's hastily trained archers mostly aimed at the leading riders. The frontmost horses and riders were instantly riddled with arrows, collapsing after a few strides and tripping those behind them in a chaotic tangle.
A brief smile flickered across Cao Cao's face—only to freeze in horror.
The Xiliang cavalry, long accustomed to fighting the Qiang and Hu tribes, had adopted their loose formation to minimize arrow casualties. Though the initial volley looked impressive, the actual damage was pitifully small.
Once past the halfway mark, a hidden Xiliang standard-bearer unfurled a large banner, slowing his horse as the wind caught the cloth. At the same time, the ox-horn sounded again, and the scattered cavalry swiftly converged into three spearhead formations, charging straight at Cao Cao's lines!
The leading riders gritted their teeth and lowered blindfolds over their horses' eyes—so the beasts wouldn't shy away from the gleaming spear tips. These horses would run their final charge, just as these men would fight their last battle.
The front riders knew their chances of survival were slim. Their duty was to use their lives—and their horses'—to smash through the barricades, to carve a path for their comrades behind them.
There was no fairness in war. Their brothers-in-arms had bled to pave their way before.
Now, it was their turn.
With a bloodcurdling cry, a Xiliang rider slashed his beloved horse's flank. The beast whinnied in pain and surged forward.
At the last moment, the rider yanked the reins, sending his horse leaping over the caltrops—straight into the forest of spears.
The weakness of Cao Cao's hastily assembled defenses quickly became apparent. Though the first wave of riders fell, the sheer momentum of their charge tore gaps in the formation. The Xiliang cavalry poured through the breaches like floodwaters.
Cao Cao brandished his sword, shouting orders to rally his crumbling troops. But untrained soldiers were slaves to instinct. Some, driven mad by bloodlust, lashed out wildly at the riders. Most, however, succumbed to terror and fled.
Cao Cao's personal guards closed ranks around him. "Fall back, General! The front won't hold much longer!"
"No!" Cao Cao's face flushed crimson as he screamed, "If we hold, there's still hope!"
But hope was a fragile thing. The Xiliang cavalry had no interest in lingering on Cao Cao's flank. After breaking through, they swiftly regrouped and struck like a blade into the exposed side of Bao Xin's central army.
Bao Xin's banner had stood firm, his men fighting desperately. But then, inexplicably, the banner began tilting—and retreating.
The sight sent the Xiliang troops into a frenzy. The allied forces, already wavering, stared in disbelief. In moments, the entire frontline collapsed.
Cao Cao stood frozen, only snapping out of it when his guards dragged him away.
His delayed escape made him a prime target. One by one, his guards fell to the pursuing Xiliang riders. Before he could even reach the Bian River, his horse was struck by a stray arrow, sending him crashing to the ground.
Several Xiliang cavalrymen closed in, their faces twisted in cruel grins…