Chapter 22: The Assault

Page 1 of 3

Time passed second by second. A glint of excitement flickered in Zhao Ergou’s eyes, like a ferocious beast about to pounce on its prey.

“Crackle, crackle…”

The firewood burning in the Rongdi camp popped and snapped, unnaturally sharp in the silent night.

Zhao Ergou and his men slipped into the Rongdi camp and saw a group of Rongdi soldiers sleeping soundly, snoring loudly.

“Damn bastards. They’re sleeping like babies!” Zhao Ergou muttered under his breath, then grinned. “But they won’t be sleeping much longer!”

The moon hid behind the clouds that night, while the cold northern wind howled across the frontier, as though lending them its support.

“Company Commander, the time is almost here.” Luo Datong’s voice carried some nervousness, but even more excitement.

Zhao Ergou swiftly pulled the bow and arrows from his back, nocked an arrow, and drew the string in one smooth, effortless motion, as though he had practiced it countless times.

“Archers, prepare! Take careful aim. When you hear my order, follow me and shoot down every one of those patrol bastards!”

“Yes, sir!”

The archers answered in unison, rubbing their fists and flexing their fingers, eager for action.

“Fire!”

Zhao Ergou’s command rang out like a tiger descending from the mountain, shaking the heavens and earth.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

The arrows flew like a swarm of locusts, piercing the throats of the patrolling soldiers with deadly accuracy.

“Enemy attack!”

The two remaining Rongdi soldiers cried out in terror, their voices shrill and desperate.

“Ha-ha! Go ahead, shout! Shout while you can! Soon you won’t be able to make a sound!” Zhao Ergou threw back his head and laughed, his voice brimming with defiance.

He drew the bronze sword from his waist and raised it high.

“Brothers, this is our chance to win glory and make our names! Charge with me! Kill every one of these bastard whelps!”

With that, he surged ahead, charging toward the main Rongdi camp like an arrow loosed from the string.

Seeing that the Rongdi soldiers had discovered them, he roared toward the enemy camp, “You bastards over there! Your granddaddy Zhao Ergou has arrived!”

As soon as he finished shouting, he drew the bronze sword at his waist and charged toward the enemy camp like a bolt of lightning.

The enemy camp erupted into chaos.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

“Loose the arrows! Loose the arrows!”

Countless arrows rained down upon Zhao Ergou from every direction.

He swung his bronze sword, deflecting the arrows one by one with powerful, graceful movements.

His body moved with astonishing agility as he darted through the storm of arrows, advancing as though no one stood in his way, like a war god possessed.

Seeing Zhao Ergou’s ferocity, Luo Datong and the others were fired with courage. They roared and charged out, attacking the enemy camp from the flank.

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

A fierce battle erupted in an instant.

In the darkness, shouts of slaughter and the clash of weapons intertwined in a battle hymn of iron and blood.

The more Zhao Ergou fought, the braver he became. Every sweep of his bronze sword claimed another living soul.

He rampaged through the enemy camp, invincible and unstoppable, with no one able to withstand his edge.

From a distance, Gate General Liu watched Zhao Ergou’s performance, admiration and satisfaction filling his eyes.

The boy truly hadn’t disappointed him!

“Whoosh, whoosh!”

“Zhao Ergou is here! Prepare to die!”

Zhao Ergou thrust both arms forward. The bowstring snapped, and two arrows shot out like bolts of lightning, piercing the throats of the last two enemy soldiers with pinpoint accuracy.

He gave a smug whistle.

“My archery? I can hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces!”

“Brothers, this is our chance to win glory and make our names! Charge with me!”

With a furious roar, Zhao Ergou led the charge, descending like a猛 tiger from the mountains, unstoppable.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The other soldiers, inflamed by Zhao Ergou’s fervor, roared as they leaped into action. They drew their gleaming battle sabers and followed close behind, murderous intent radiating from them.

The soldiers collided with the Rongdi troops in a savage melee.

From the first disturbance to their storming of the enemy camp, the entire process had taken no more than ten seconds!

Gate General Liu, who had been watching the battle closely, was now completely dumbfounded. Such speed, such momentum—who else besides Zhao Ergou could have accomplished it?

“This raid is unbelievably fast! Zhao Ergou truly is formidable!”

Only when he saw the flames surging into the heavens from the enemy camp did Gate General Liu finally come to his senses.

“Brothers, what are you waiting for? Charge with me! Kill every one of these bastard whelps!”

At his command, Gate General Liu drew the battle saber from his waist and joined the assault.

Zhao Ergou loosed thirty arrows in a single breath. His quiver was empty? So what!

He casually tossed aside his bow and arrows, drew the battle saber from his waist, and charged into the enemy ranks with a roar, engaging the Rongdi soldiers in close combat.

The enemy troops in the surrounding tents were jolted awake and stumbled out in confusion.

“Perfect timing!”

Zhao Ergou led the way, hacking his path forward. His saber swept through the air like the wind, unstoppable; anyone who stood in his way died.

Tu Dakang was performing admirably as well. The flames spread rapidly, and many enemy soldiers still lost in sleep were burned alive like roasting pigs.

At that moment, most of the enemy soldiers were utterly bewildered.

They could never have imagined that the Wei army, which had always cowered behind Yanmen Pass, would dare to launch an attack—and choose the moment when they were least prepared.

“Surprised? Didn’t see this coming?”

Zhao Ergou hacked down an enemy, then planted his foot on the man’s head and spoke excitedly.

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

By the time Gate General Liu led his soldiers into the enemy camp, the entire Rongdi encampment had already become a sea of fire.

“Fire! Put it out!”

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Stop them quickly!”

The enemy camp descended into utter chaos, with terrified cries ringing out everywhere.

“Some of you help spread the fire! The rest, follow me and kill!”

Gate General Liu imitated Zhao Ergou’s tone as he directed his soldiers amid the chaos of battle.

Zhao Ergou and his men had already successfully broken into the enemy camp’s right wing.

At the same time, Gate General Han on the left and Commandant Yang in the rear launched their own attacks according to plan.

“Don’t get bogged down! Don’t stop! Follow me and charge!”

Zhao Ergou shouted loudly as he hacked his way forward.

A raid could not afford to be surrounded. Zhao Ergou was confident he could fight his way out, but the soldiers under his command would likely be doomed.

Therefore, as company commander, he naturally had to lead his men in charging in and out of the enemy formation three times.

More and more enemy soldiers were awakened. They poured in from every direction, attempting to surround them.

“You want to surround me? It won’t be that easy!”

Zhao Ergou led his men in constant motion, giving the enemy no chance to complete the encirclement.

“Damn Qin dogs! They actually dare to raid our camp! Kill them!”

A thousand-man commander of the enemy army roared as he charged toward Zhao Ergou, swinging a mace studded with iron spikes.

“Surround them! Cut these Qin dogs down! Don’t let them destroy the camp any further!”

More and more enemy soldiers shouted as they watched the flames spread. They were as frantic as ants in a boiling pan.

Enemy troops continued to close in from every direction. If Zhao Ergou and his small force were held in place, the consequences would be disastrous.

This was the enemy’s main camp. Once trapped in a tight encirclement, they would be completely drowned beneath hundreds of times their number.

Their only option was to keep charging, keep sowing chaos, and turn the entire enemy camp upside down.

Zhao Ergou carried out his plan to perfection. As the spearhead of the attack, he kept the enemy so thoroughly confused that they no longer knew where to strike.