OBS Chapter 1988 It’s too late
Chapter 1988 It’s too late
Xue Huaide charged at the forefront, his halberd striking down men and horses, splattering blood everywhere.
He seemed oblivious to pain and death, his eyes fixed only on the enemy's camp, his heart filled with a single belief.
Take it!
We must take it!
Only victory can console the spirits of those who have passed away.
Only victory can make Ding Shan's sacrifice worthwhile!
This is a father who is paving a bloody path to glory for his son in the most tragic way.
This is a commander who is putting into practice the ancient adage "a kind heart cannot lead an army" with the most resolute actions.
Tonight, Luoxia Mountain is destined to be stained red with blood, and Xue Huaide's name, along with this heart-wrenching choice and fearless charge, will be forever etched in the war history of the Tang Dynasty.
Night fell as dark as ink, enveloping the Golden Scorpion tribe's camp.
The once deafening roar of battle has gradually faded, replaced by scattered clashes of weapons and the feeble groans of the dying, drifting in the blood-soaked air.
After a full day and night of brutal fighting, the camp seemed to have been drained of its life force, leaving only desperate gasps.
Inside the village, the Scorpion Clan warriors and the remnants of the Tang army together numbered less than ten thousand.
Led by Helian Wujiu and Zhang Xun, they stood back to back, forming a shaky circular formation, putting up their last stand.
Most of the flags that once fluttered have been broken or burned, and the charred fragments are soaking in the dark red mud.
The camp's palisade was damaged in many places, and the gaps were filled with the corpses of soldiers from both sides, forming a shocking wall of flesh and blood.
The flickering firelight illuminated faces stained with blood, etched with exhaustion and fear.
The soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Legion surged like a tide, wave after wave crashing against this last line of defense. Their armor reflected a cold gleam in the firelight, their formation impeccable, pressing forward relentlessly.
The encirclement is shrinking at a visible rate, the space for survival is being squeezed, and the air is so heavy it's suffocating.
Helian Wujiu's signature arrogance had vanished without a trace, replaced by an undisguised anxiety and panic in his sunken eyes.
His scimitar was riddled with nicks from prolonged slashing, and his armor bore several deep cuts.
He forcefully parried a thrusting spear, and took the opportunity to get close to Zhang Xun, his voice hoarse from the rush:
"General Zhang! We can't go on like this! We must break out separately; perhaps there's still a glimmer of hope!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xun's lips twitched uncontrollably.
He glanced at Helian Wujiu with a complex expression, a mixture of helplessness, resentment, and a hint of barely perceptible mockery.
When the 40,000-strong army was still there, this scorpion clan leader was full of vigor and never thought of the word "breakout".
Now that nine-tenths of our troops have been wiped out and we are in dire straits, isn't it too late to think about scattering and escaping?
Of the Tang soldiers who were by his side, only a little over a thousand remained. He had watched each and every one of them fall before his very eyes, and the thought of breaking through the encirclement weighed heavily on his mind.
Helian Wujiu was extremely astute; he immediately discerned the unfinished words in Zhang Xun's glance.
His face darkened, and his tone hardened, tinged with annoyance as he tried to defend himself:
"Hmph! General Zhang, do you think I, Helian Wujiu, am a coward who fears death?"
"At first, we held our troops back and waited for reinforcements because I was certain that General Wang Zhongsi's reinforcements would arrive!"
"According to the original strategy, he should have appeared on the flank of the Chu army by now, to coordinate with us from the inside!"
He brandished his sword, pointing it at the densely packed banners of the Vermilion Bird Legion on the outer perimeter, his voice growing increasingly agitated.
"But look now! Where are the reinforcements? Not a trace!"
"The only explanation is that General Wang's troops are being held up by the main force of the Chu army and are unable to reach their destination!"
He took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and spoke faster, with a resigned resolve:
"With no hope of reinforcements, being trapped here will only lead to death."
"The best we can do now is to pray for good fortune! You and I will each lead five thousand men and launch a simultaneous attack from the left and right flanks to disperse the enemy's forces."
Whether they can break through this encirclement... depends on their own abilities and fate!
He specifically emphasized the number "five thousand," his gaze sweeping over the mere thousand or so remnants of the Tang army beside Zhang Xun, his meaning self-evident.
Helian Wujiu will allocate four thousand men from his already small Scorpion Clan force to Zhang Xun's command.
Zhang Xun's heart clenched suddenly.
He understood that Helian Wujiu's actions were not entirely out of camaraderie, but rather a calculated move based on weighing the pros and cons.
Having two equally matched teams break out simultaneously can indeed distract the enemy to the greatest extent and increase the probability of success.
The four thousand scorpion soldiers assigned to him not only enhanced his ability to break through the encirclement, but also, to some extent, represented a profound favor.
Or rather, it was a gesture by Helian Wujiu to maintain the dignity of the final alliance.
He glanced at the Tang soldiers behind him, wounded yet still gripping their weapons tightly. Their eyes gleamed with the desire to survive and burned with an indomitable spirit.
He knew he truly had no better options.
Rather than sit and wait for death, he would rather fight to the death and fight for the lives of his followers.
"Ugh……"
A long, heavy sigh escaped from Zhang Xun's chest, as if all his strength had been exhausted.
He gripped the broadsword that had accompanied him in battle for many years; the bloodstains on the blade had congealed and turned black.
"Very well! Let's do as Chief Helian says! Let's break out of the encirclement and leave our fates to fate!"
Once the decision was made, there was no more hesitation.
Helian Wujiu immediately shouted in the Scorpion Clan language, quickly dividing the team into two groups.
He personally led a contingent of the most elite Scorpion Clan warriors, including many of his personal guards.
Zhang Xun then integrated the remnants of the 1,000 Tang soldiers, as well as the 4,000 Scorpion Clan soldiers assigned by Helian Wujiu.
These two hastily assembled breakout teams quickly changed direction, like cornered beasts baring their last fangs.
"My men! Follow me and fight your way out!"
Helian Wujiu raised his scimitar high, let out a beast-like roar, and charged ahead towards the relatively weaker side of the enemy's left flank.
The scorpion warriors behind him emitted strange howls, crashing into the Vermilion Bird Legion's defenses like a burst dam.
Almost at the same moment, Zhang Xun also raised his sword, the gleaming blade flashing coldly in the firelight:
"Warriors of the Great Tang! Brothers of the Scorpion Clan! Break through—for survival!"
He didn't use many sentimental words, only the most direct and urgent goals.
Before he finished speaking, he had already taken the lead and launched a desperate charge towards the right flank.
The Tang army and the Scorpion Clan soldiers, mixed together, unleashed their final acts of courage, closely following their general like moths drawn to a flame, recklessly crashing into the steel barrier on the other side.
In an instant, the battle, which had just begun to calm down, was reignited by the sounds of fierce fighting.
Two arrows, aimed at breaking through the enemy lines, pierced the thick formation of the Vermilion Bird Legion, splashing blood everywhere.
The figures of Helian Wujiu and Zhang Xun were quickly swallowed up by the swarming enemy soldiers and the chaotic battle.
The hope of survival was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, swaying weakly under the bleak night sky.