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

Chapter 83. Fire Attack (1)

I clenched and unclenched my fist.

The pain had subsided now.

The qi flowing through my meridians was stable, and the state of my dantian wasn’t bad.

However, I still felt strangely uncomfortable.

Although I seemed to have recovered, there was a sense of disarray that I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

It was like a cracked vessel.

My already damaged body couldn’t fully accommodate the vast internal energy accumulated within me.

From this point on, I was treading into unknown territory, even for myself.

It wasn’t an issue during normal times, but if I used the Shura Heart Technique and unsealed the gates of my dantian, who knew what might happen?

Even so, I didn’t feel particularly afraid.

Maybe it was because they had grown up properly. To think that the day would come when I would rely on those kids—I’ve lived long enough to see it.

Sun Jian’s forces had surrounded Zhang’an County and were sitting tight for several days now.

They were likely trying to cut off trade routes and wait until our supplies dwindled.

However, if we fought near the city gates, the situation would still be in our favor.

Thus, we fortified ourselves within Zhang’an Fortress and waited for them.

If we did so, the momentum would naturally shift in our favor.

That was the optimistic assumption.

***

-Boom!

The sound of the city wall collapsing echoed. It was a deafening noise that shook the ground.

What they brought with them was a catapult.

Sun Jian had already anticipated the siege and had prepared extensively for it.

As the catapult’s projectiles began to affect the interior of the city, Cao Cao’s forces were spurred into action.

After inflicting damage with the catapult, they unexpectedly began their advance.

“They know the height of the walls. That’s why they’ve chosen to climb up directly.”

Just as it was said.

Sun Jian was a seasoned veteran who had fought countless battles. He knew precisely the structure of any fortress in the Han Dynasty.

This allowed him to employ such a strategy.

Ladders were set at just the right height, and Sun Jian’s troops, climbing steeply, were met by archers stationed on top of the walls who did their utmost to repel them.

“… Even so, this is just a poor tactic. If he’s the Tiger of Jiangdong, he must have another plan.”

As Jia Xu spoke, Sima Yi responded.

“It’s bait.”

“… Bait. You’ve realized it quickly.”

Jia Xu was impressed by the young girl’s keen intuition, yet her brows furrowed.

The vanguard was scaling the city gates. However, Sun Jian himself was nowhere to be seen.

Why were they entrenched in front of the city walls, and why were they moving so persistently?

The answer was simple.

“It’s getting troublesome.”

Jia Xu sighed deeply.

They were building an earthen fort in front of the city gates, led by Sun Jian.

Using those climbing the walls as bait, they were buying time to construct the fort.

Sima Yi, who had been quietly listening beside her, nodded in agreement.

“Indeed, the speed at which they’re building the fort is too fast. Using those scaling the walls as bait to employ such a strategy… they’re just as ruthless as Dong Zhuo.”

Jia Xu calmly advised her lord, Cao Cao, who was observing the situation.

“We cannot easily give up that position. If they secure that hilltop, the earthen fort will become another fortress, and our defensive advantage will be lost.”

“I see.”

“We must personally sortie and intercept them before they complete the fort.”

Cao Cao crossed her arms and tapped her finger on her arm.

“Propose a method.”

Jia Xu smiled lightly and bowed her head.

“Fire attack.”

“Fire attack, you say?”

“Sun Jian’s forces have already secured the high ground. Engaging them head-on would be disadvantageous, and the risk of clashing directly with the cavalry led by Sun Jian is too great.”

“However, isn’t it difficult to set fire to their fortifications?”

“It’s simple. Well, maybe not that simple… but in any case, we just need to move flammable materials over there.”

“Hmm.”

Cao Cao stroked her chin.

“Light straw would be best.”

“While it’s one option to gauge the wind direction and send the straw flying, forming a detachment to move it directly would be more effective. The problem is that fire doesn’t discriminate between friend and foe, and predicting how the flames will spread is difficult. Therefore, it would be best to target the flanks rather than the front.”

“… Flanking strike, cavalry unit.”

“Please issue the order to deploy. We must send out the troops.”

Thus, the outline of the plan was roughly communicated through the commanders.

Cao Cao’s and Unryong’s forces exited the fortress and set up camp, and Sun Jian’s troops quickly mirrored their movements as if they had been waiting for this.

Far from the main force, Unryong shouldered a bundle of straw and sighed heavily.

“Damn, am I a porter now?”

“Please calm down, Master.”

Zhao Yun was with Unryong, leading the cavalry unit.

As the vanguard was composed of numerous excellent generals, Sima Yi had positioned Zhao Yun in the cavalry unit, the most critical force in this battle.

“Good grief, Yuna. I never thought I’d end up being a supply soldier in the middle of a war.”

“Instead of saying that a hundred times, why not just get on the horse?”

“…”

For the record, Unryong was still clumsy when it came to riding a horse.

It seemed even more challenging to ride while carrying straw on his body.

In fact, it was quite absurd for someone who couldn’t ride to lead a cavalry unit, but Unryong had an advantage because the cavalry was the core of all armies.

They were responsible for delivering destructive firepower to the enemy, and Unryong, even on foot, was far faster than the cavalry, creating this bizarre sight.

“Instead of that, ride behind me.”

“… Shall I?”

Ordinarily, Unryong would have refused, feeling it beneath him, but maintaining a perfect state was crucial now.

It was especially important since he could collapse from exhaustion at any moment.

As a result, Unryong rode behind Zhao Yun, allowing him to shoulder more straw.

“J-Just wait a moment… If you hold there… ugh…!”

“Hey, man, don’t make noises like that! If someone hears, they’ll get the wrong idea!”

The last thing he wanted was to be branded as a superior who sexually harassed subordinates in the heat of war.

Unryong steadied himself, supporting his body solely with his core strength without leaning on anything.

Only then did Zhao Yun take a deep breath and manage to relax.

Moments ago, the sudden contact had left her breathless, almost causing her to suffocate.

As Zhao Yun awkwardly kept her mouth shut, Unryong found himself at a loss for words, clicking his tongue out of frustration.

They had to stay here until the main force gave the signal, which was already uncomfortable enough.

There were two types of signals.

One was for the cavalry unit that included Unryong, and the other was for the cavalry unit that didn’t include Unryong.

When the first signal was given, the cavalry unit without Unryong would open the way—led by Unsam and Baekrang.

They wouldn’t penetrate the enemy’s rearmost lines.

Then, the enemy would wonder.

Where is Unryong?

That would force the enemy to overthink, causing psychological pressure that would prevent them from fully utilizing their abilities.

At that point, Unryong’s unit would pass Unsam and Baekrang’s cavalry, throw the straw, and then return to this side.

Meanwhile, the main force would adjust their formation to the side to cover them, and Unsam and Baekrang, who hadn’t reached the rear, would join in to provide additional support.

Then, they would ignite the fire attack and assault the earthen fort.

Finally, they would gradually tighten the encirclement using the ensuing chaos.

Soon.

The main forces clashed.

Jia Xu, in charge of the left flank, coordinated her troops closely with the central forces instead of leading them alone.

Conversely, Sima Yi, commanding the right flank, circled around to target the enemy’s side.

The center was a tightly packed formation battle.

-Clang! Clang!

The metallic sounds resonated.

Amid the intense sensations, Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong at the forefront pushed forward even more.

Sun Jian still hadn’t shown himself.

‘Are they thinking the same thing…?’

Sima Yi concealed her mouth with her fan and pondered.

If they were aiming for a direct duel with the commander, it would undoubtedly be a poor choice.

As Unryong had pointed out, it was a mistake born from over-focusing on him.

Sima Yi didn’t miss that subtle error.

Originally intending not to advance from this position, Sima Yi pressed further with the right flank, increasing the pressure.

Unryong’s forces, trained by Zhao Yun, responded promptly to Sima Yi’s orders, allowing her to maneuver the army forward as intended.

‘The wind, the wind is crucial. If the wind blows in that direction…’

All the while, the young girl remained acutely aware of the wind.

And with a firm grip, she held the small flag tightly in her tiny hands.