It Wasn’t a Martial Arts World, but the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 117. The Defense of Hongnong Commandery (1)

What did he see that day?

The mysterious, flowing crimson light, the inexplicable martial arts, and the blood and iron.

His once invincible father lost an arm in a single clash, and the soldiers who fought alongside him on the battlefield lost their lives to just one man.

He still remembered the flames.

The fire that soared to the sky and the madness that flickered in the man’s eyes.

“Hah…!”

Sun Ce suddenly sat up, his upper body jolting upright.

Sweat dripped down his face.

Was I… trembling in fear?

– Thud!

Sun Ce’s face flushed red.

He was furious at himself—angry at his own helplessness for not being able to do anything when his father’s life was in danger.

In a way, it was inevitable.

For someone who had never experienced a real defeat, being overwhelmed by someone would have been a fresh shock.

However, Sun Ce couldn’t accept defeat and stubbornly denied the existence of that man.

‘Ridiculous. How could I, of all people, lose to that bastard? Am I actually feeling fear towards him?’

What nonsense!

Sun Ce stood up.

He strapped the sword neatly laid before him to his waist and donned his armor.

If given the chance, he wanted to repay this humiliation.

He desperately wanted to kill that man by any means necessary.

However, it had already been too long since Unryong’s whereabouts had become unknown.

Enough time had passed to gather intelligence on him.

As such, Sun Jian’s and Yuan Shu’s forces both believed that the troublesome man had perished.

‘Unryong.’

Sun Ce didn’t like that thought.

To suffer such disgrace and not even have the chance for revenge.

When he first heard that Cao Cao’s forces were attacking Yuan Shu, how overjoyed he had been.

This time, I’ll kill him for sure, he had vowed.

Sun Ce stepped out of his tent.

In front of the tent, his father sat on a rock, bandaging his severed arm.

“Are you ready, Bofu?”

“Yes, Father.”

Sun Ce clenched his fist tightly.

Yes, now that it’s come to this, we will win no matter what.

I will send his subordinates, his loved ones, all to the afterlife.

His eyes widened, the red gleam in his gaze flaring more intensely today.

He donned his helmet and mounted his horse.

Looking around, he could see his troops, already brimming with morale.

And so, they advanced.

Their target was Hongnong Fortress.

***

One week later.

Sima Yi, who had been reviewing the final strategies in the tent, put down the bamboo slips and stood up as a scout rushed in.

She clasped her hands behind her back, opened her fan with the other, and waved it leisurely.

“We’ve spotted Sun Jian’s banners ahead!”

“I see. What are the numbers and movements of the enemy?”

“Approximately twenty thousand troops in a straight line formation. Four battering rams at the front, and three catapults at the rear.”

“Well done.”

Nodding, Sima Yi exited the tent, following the scout.

After walking a short distance, she saw the soldiers who had already formed their positions and were ready for battle.

Sima Yi smiled contentedly, hiding her grin behind her fan.

“The time has finally come. Although our long-sought revenge is already complete, we still have to win.”

At Sima Yi’s words, Baekrang on the left, Zhao Yun in the center, and Unsam on the right nodded.

“Sun Jian, Sun Ce. They are the conquerors of Jiangdong. As you all know, they’re formidable opponents. They have far more experience than our army, and their combat skills are so exceptional they can overturn battle strategies. But I don’t think that’s the case now. After all, I’m here with you.”

Sima Yi shrugged and continued.

“Moreover, since they have returned, I can say with certainty: this war, I, Sima Yi, will lead to victory. So, you might as well start praying for their souls.”

Today, two of the world’s stars will fall.

As Sima Yi casually turned her back, the soldiers of Unryong’s army burst into laughter.

There was a strange power in the girl’s words—a power that made one think that her words would never be false.

Finally, Sima Yi pointed beyond with her fan.

“Position the archers on the walls and have the lookouts keep an eye on the enemy’s movements and report back to me. The main force will stand by. The special forces should be ready.”

With that, she snapped her fan shut.

Then she twisted one corner of her mouth into a smirk.

“Now, let’s have some fun.”

As her violet eyes glowed intensely, the moment had arrived.

***

The morning mist slowly lifted, revealing the vast field in all its splendor.

In the distance, the jet-black mountain ridges were still shrouded in the veil of darkness, and the shadows of towering old trees stretched long across the plains.

Beneath the Sun family’s banner, the cold morning air brushed against the skin.

Sun Ce sat on his horse, staring at the distant mountain range. His gaze was sharper than usual, and a peculiar tension lingered on his lips.

Unconsciously, he gripped and released the hilt of his sword, trying to quell the trembling within.

Unryong, that man, was undoubtedly dead.

That was an undeniable fact. Yet, just facing his army was enough to rekindle the memories of that day.

He closed his eyes calmly.

The cold sensation of the early morning chill settled his tense heart.

He opened his eyes wide.

Now, his gaze was filled with excitement.

The resolve to cut down their lives today was clear in his eyes.

“Report.”

“Reporting! We have spotted archers climbing the wall, but they have not taken any significant action yet!”

“I see.”

Sun Ce nodded.

He then looked steadily at Sun Jian, who was commanding the adjacent unit.

Sun Jian gently brushed his shoulder and spoke.

“Prepare the catapults for action. Commander Fang Yue, advance. Archers of the first battalion, fire with the intent to exhaust all your arrows. The main force will stand by.”

At his command, the army moved with perfect coordination. Indeed, the experience accumulated over the years was not in vain.

They were faster and more agile than any soldiers in the land.

Once Sun Jian confirmed that all preparations were complete, he extended his palm forward.

“Fire.”

– Thoom!

The first to respond were the catapults stationed at the rear.

Massive stones hurtled toward the enemy walls with ferocious speed.

As the stones reached the walls…

– Fwoosh!

A great cloud of dust erupted.

Sun Jian, undeterred, extended his palm again.

“Fire.”

– Whiz! Whizz!

This time, it was the archers.

They unleashed a barrage of arrows aimed at the walls.

The enemy also responded with counter-fire.

“Shields.”

All of Sun Jian’s soldiers raised their wooden shields high to guard against the arrows.

‘They’re not as easy to handle as I thought.’

Of course, the same could be said for the other side.

Unryong’s army skillfully blocked the arrows with large wooden boards positioned at the front.

“Slowly tighten the encirclement. Form a crane-wing formation.”

At his command, the soldiers spread out into a graceful crane-wing formation, resembling the wings of an elegant crane.

“Bofu, lead the cavalry in a wide detour.”

“Yes.”

“Archers, maintain your formation and provide cover. The battering rams will advance; inform the troops operating the rams to raise their shields.”

Hongnong Fortress had three gates.

Their plan was to target the central one.

However, everything was going too smoothly.

Though feeling uneasy, Sun Jian tightened his reins and moved forward.

Then.

– Whoosh!

Flaming arrows began raining down.

It was a fire attack, clearly aimed at the battering rams at the front.

Without the rams, breaking through the gate would require significantly more effort.

‘Is this all they’ve got?’

Nevertheless, Sun Jian remained calm.

The flaming arrows embedded themselves into the rams.

But nothing happened…

They had already doused them with water in advance.

Moreover, they had enough water reserves prepared for any situation, rendering the fire attack completely ineffective.

‘Disappointing.’

Sun Jian genuinely thought so.

If Unryong were still alive, he wouldn’t have remained so passive.

He knew well that Unryong, that man, was like a weapon capable of sweeping the battlefield by himself.

A bitter smile crossed his face.

‘Is fortune on our side?’

Fortune.

It was an apt term.

Having witnessed that former grandeur, Sun Jian was not foolish enough to be arrogant.

He was a man who thoroughly analyzed his opponents, judged, and always maintained a cool and rational mind.

“Encircle them and target the gate.”

Therefore, he was confident.

This war would be far less exciting than expected.

***

Two weeks had passed.

The enemy did little besides sending special forces to disrupt the main army or launching fire attacks on the rams to slow the advance.

‘…Strange.’

It wasn’t just a poor strategy; it was as if they were giving up on the fortress.

If things continued like this, they would achieve nothing but stalling for time.

‘Are they waiting for reinforcements? No, there’s too much that doesn’t add up for that.’

A battle of attrition? But that didn’t make sense either.

Even with the food supplies inside the fortress, with their supply routes monitored by the crane-wing formation, the enemy would gain nothing from dragging things out.

Sun Jian quickly made up his mind.

Whatever they were planning, there was nothing significant they could do.

Thus, they would continue to tighten the siege while waiting for resupplies.

Assaulting the walls directly due to impatience would be a suicidal move.

And so, time continued to pass…

***

Another week went by.

Sima Yi, who had been deploying special forces inside the fortress at just the right moments, yawned as she looked up at the sky.

‘Is it time yet?’

There wasn’t a hint of tension on the girl’s face.

***

A heavy silence lingered.

The prolonged siege, combined with soldiers who hadn’t been able to eat properly, left their shoulders slumped in hunger, and no one uttered a word.

The one who broke the silence was Sun Ce.

His face turned bright red with fury as he yelled at the soldier who had just given his report.

An impossible situation had occurred for Sun Jian’s perfectly fortified army.

“The supply line has been cut! What the hell do you mean?!”

At his desperate outcry, everyone in Sun Jian’s army froze.