Chapter 1106: Alone Once More Upon Looking Back
Zhang Xiu, without the Tiger Head Golden Spear, casually grabbed a long spear, but it shattered into several pieces before he could even kill an enemy.
However, Ma Chao narrowly escaped disaster; otherwise, he would have become the first valiant general to be eliminated by the army.
At this point, Zhang Xiu was also at the end of his strength, risking self-sacrifice, he killed Kebinen in ten moves, then chopped down the command banner, and led the Xiliang Iron Cavalry to forcefully break through the rear of the Xianbei Army without waiting to catch his breath.
He then charged headlong into the central army. Luckily, the main force of the Xianbei central army was moved to Pang De's side to deal with Ma Teng's multi-pronged assault; otherwise, even Zhang Xiu's extraordinary abilities would not have been enough to break through.
"General, catch!" Zhang He shouted, throwing another long spear from his horse to Zhang Xiu, since after his long spear was once chopped by Guan Yu, Zhang He always carried a few more.
"Thank you!" Zhang Xiu caught the spear with one hand, though his body ached all over and he was in the enemy's formation, unable to use his inner Qi. However, the Plum Blossom Style is not exclusive to Zhao Yun; it's more than enough to kill ordinary soldiers, though not experts.
Quickly darting to Ma Chao's side, he cleared a circle around him. At this point, with the command banner cut down, the task was to drive the Xianbei into chaos and capture prisoners.
"Kid, you did well." Zhang Xiu, enduring his pain, picked Ma Chao up, observing the numerous wounds on him, it was clear how fiercely he had fought.
"Hmph, I can beat you now!" Ma Chao came to his senses and immediately said upon seeing it was Zhang Xiu, though it was obvious that his words caused some pain as he winced.
"You better quickly disinfect with some wine and bandage yourself up, or else your soldiers will all die sooner or later." Zhang Xiu casually tossed Ma Chao onto Lifeisha, saving Ma Chao was a duty as a fellow soldier but it didn't mean he would get along with this brat Ma Chao.
Once Ma Teng and Hann Sui broke through the central army's defenses, the outcome of the battle was set. Except for Mohuto's escape, Kebinen and others were wiped out, and henceforth, the Western Xianbei will not invade for twenty years.
But currently, it is more important to completely encircle and exterminate the routed Western Xianbei rather than let them escape, so after the great victory, both Ma Teng and Cao Ren strove to lead their troops in pursuing the Xianbei, who, unable to return northward, could only flee to the east where there were no pursuers.
"Whew!" Ma Chao, after a night's sleep, was nearly recovered, flipping the blanket aside, "Someone come!"
"General, you're awake!" A soldier exclaimed joyfully.
"How are my personal soldiers?" Ma Chao couldn't remember how he returned after meeting Ma Teng, but he remembered those who fought alongside him.
"Never mind, take me to see them." Ma Chao said with a pained expression. Had he not overestimated himself, it would not have led to such a result.
Upon arriving at the Wounded Soldiers Camp, Ma Chao smelled alcohol, a common disinfectant now known across the land. But only Liu Bei was generous enough to use it for soldiers, and this time Cao Ren made an exception, seeing the great victory and Ma Chao's significant contribution.
One must mention Cao Cao's inability to focus on this aspect, as certain matters limited his vision, preventing him from seeing the cost difference between saving a veteran and training one.
"General!" As Ma Chao appeared, a group of soldiers stood saluting him with fervor, others struggling to rise and salute.
"Lie down, lie down, lie down." Ma Chao looked at the wounded soldiers in the camp, "I'm here to tell you, we won, though you already know it!"
"Oh~" Instantly, the camp resounded with varied howls, clearly showing their deep respect for Ma Chao.
"From now on you are my trusted aides. As long as I, Ma Chao, have food, you will not lack. I will lead you to fight and win miracle after miracle, just like yesterday!" Ma Chao shouted.
"Aow~" Another round of wild howls, showing they cared little for life and death.
"Brothers who aren't hurt, come with me to earn merits, seize slaves!" Ma Chao laughed loudly, enjoying the atmosphere.
Immediately, some wounded soldiers struggled to stand from their sickbeds to join Ma Chao.
"Injured ones, stay here and recover; there will be more battles to come. My merits are everyone's!" Ma Chao said as he pressed a soldier back onto the sickbed.
After Ma Chao's speech, fewer than a hundred stepped forward, as nearly everyone had been wounded in the previous day's battle.
Of the over 7,000 troops in Ma Chao's personal army, only about 2,000 remained. Yet, despite severe losses and being heavily injured, they did not break. Such a force, in any era, is considered formidable.
With over eighty men, Ma Chao, bandaged all over, set off again. Pursuing routed soldiers did not concern Ma Chao; it was truly an opportunity to take advantage.
"Now, how do you feel? Is there anything left in this world that you fear to fight?" Ma Chao rode Lifeisha with a joyful trot and asked smiling.
"With the General leading us, what battle should we fear?" A soldier, slashed across the face and bandaged, laughed in response. They truly held no fear, as they had dared to battle odds twenty times their number.
"We swear to follow His Majesty to the death!" Another soldier, his shoulder bandaged, responded solemnly.
"Good, one day I will lead you to gallop across the world, whether it's the White Horse Soldiers, the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, or the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, I, Ma Chao, will lead you to defeat them all!" Ma Chao shouted proudly.
"Aow~" Everyone raised their weapons and shouted.
Ma Chao's voice gradually faded with the noise and laughter, yet the promise he made would be forever remembered, even if one day he were the only one left.
Lyu Bu, with a cold expression, killed a Xianbei soldier, as he had encountered many Xianbei on his way south.
"Feels like the General's killing intent is getting heavier," a small soldier whispered.
"Hu People should be killed," another soldier remarked matter-of-factly.
"All troops, spread out, kill all Hu People encountered, leave no survivors!" Lyu Bu had already guessed that the Cao Army had defeated the Xianbei, curious as to how they achieved it.
"Understood!" The soldiers of Lyu Bu's army, upon hearing these words, split into groups of five and dispersed, while Lyu Bu led a few others to chase and cut down the Xianbei.
"Squelch." Lyu Bu with a single swipe killed a dozen Hu People up front. Although a few didn't look like Xianbei, it didn't matter; they were all Hu People.
Ma Chao, along with a few subordinates, gathered a bunch of Xianbei, preparing to take them away, when suddenly a light blade came at them. On reflex, Ma Chao charged forward, narrowly escaping, while his laughing comrades were cleaved in half like the Xianbei.
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