The Battle of Wancheng (2)
After several days of marching, we all arrived near Wancheng.
'Finally, I might get a break from all the chit-chat.'
I felt a wave of relief at the thought.
Cao Ang on my left and Yeo Po on my right had been hounding me with conversation nonstop—it was exhausting. Hours of small talk from horseback isn't small talk anymore. It's a full-on marathon.
Yeo Po always clinging to me and striking up chats was par for the course, but Cao Ang was the one making it awkward.
"The first time I saw you, Kim Gong, you didn't seem like just another man. Since you're older than me, mind if I call you Brother Kim?"
He hit me with that bombshell out of nowhere.
"Haha... How could I dare let the young master—"
What the hell? Did Cao Cao give him orders or something? What's with this guy?
"Come now. We're comrades-in-arms fighting on the same battlefield. Treat me like a little brother—no need for formalities."
Cao Ang brushed off my attempt to set boundaries, speaking in that carefree, roguish tone of his.
That tense march, like walking on thin ice, dragged on for days until we finally reached Wancheng.
"So that's Wancheng. It's sturdy, alright."
Cao Ang peered beyond the walls.
Battlefield Assessment
I immediately activated the skill through my Status Window. In large-scale operations, grasping the battlefield and fighting accordingly was basic protocol.
It let me roughly gauge enemy troop numbers beyond the walls and their deployment.
'But... as I suspected.'
[Assessment Failed]
The failure popped up right away.
And it wasn't due to probability or anything like that. Jia Xu of the enemy general's army had pulled some scheme, and my intelligence wasn't enough to pierce it.
That's why strategists were so valuable in this game. With a high-intelligence ally, you could see through enemy ploys more easily and even detect when they'd spotted yours.
Having someone like Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi as a comrade gave you an almost omniscient feeling—like having clairvoyance, piercing every enemy scheme.
'Jia Xu's in the same league.' Her stats didn't fall short of Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi. Bringing her on board this time would make future battles a breeze.
[Assessment Failed]
[Assessment Failed]
[Assessment Failed]
I tried Battlefield Assessment several times just in case, but no dice.
My intelligence was decent—I'd leveled it up quite a bit—but I was still at the level of a strategist who knew basic tactics. Piercing Jia Xu's schemes was impossible.
Still, the investment in intelligence paid off.
[Detected that Jia Xu has set some scheme inside the castle, but specifics unknown.]
It gave an explanation that left me with this nagging, half-assed anxiety—like starting to take a shit and getting interrupted.
'At least I know she's up to something.' But knowing that only made me more uneasy. No clue what scheme she'd cooked up.
"Hey!!! Traitorous generals of the Han imperial court, listen up!!!"
Right then, Cao Ang stepped forward and bellowed at the gates.
A few soldiers poked their heads out, staring at him. No generals?
"Surrender, and I'll ensure a fair trial—your lives will be spared!! Hand over Wancheng, land of the imperial court, and surrender now!!!"
Cao Ang was going for verbal intimidation first.
But persuasion wasn't that easy.
Whiiiiiing.
A Xiliang soldier beyond the gates loosed an arrow into the ground near Cao Ang.
Thuk.
His horse startled, rearing up slightly at the arrow embedded nearby.
"...If you insist on drinking the bitter cup."
Cao Ang's face darkened with subtle fury as he drew his sword.
"Advance immedia—"
Just before he could issue the order, I cut him off.
"General. Something's off."
"What is it?"
Cao Ang paused mid-command and looked at me.
"The enemy commander hasn't shown his face at the gates, and the walls are lined only with regular troops."
Knowing Jia Xu was scheming made me extra cautious.
"The enemy's general is probably cowering in fear. Nothing to it."
Cao Ang said confidently.
"How about splitting the troops in two? Half assault the gates, the rest hang back loosely and observe?"
I suggested it.
"Hmm..."
Cao Ang pondered my words.
"Very well. I'll lead the vanguard and smash Wancheng. Mind if I borrow your Xiliang troops?"
He'd decided.
"Of course. Yeo Po and I will guard the rear."
I replied.
'Cao Ang wants the glory too.' This was his first real war. He wanted to be the one to breach the gates and plant the flag.
'Probably craves his father's approval.' Smashing Wancheng hard wouldn't even give us the city anyway. Guarding the rear was less tiring—and prepared for ambushes.
"Got it!! All troops!!! Follow me!!"
With that, Cao Ang ordered the infantry to haul up the siege equipment.
Thus began the assault on Wancheng.
Pfbt!! Pfft!! Shiiing!!
As Cao Ang's main force approached the walls, the defenders beyond loosed arrows in response.
But unless arrows rained like a storm, it couldn't break the momentum we'd built.
Thud!! Boom!!
Cloud ladders sprang up everywhere along the walls, forming footholds.
"Uwaaaah!!!"
The soldiers swarmed the ladders like bees, scaling the walls.
"Don't fall back!! Their arrows are few!!!"
With Cao Ang himself drawing his blade, hacking enemies, and climbing the ladders, morale soared.
'Too smooth.'
Watching from afar, I felt a twinge of unease.
They should've emptied every quiver and showered us with arrows, but the volleys were too sparse. The troops fought half-heartedly, which was even weirder.
"Everyone. Press a bit closer to Wancheng."
Not knowing what was up, I signaled my Kim Squad and Yeo Po.
"Yeah. Something's fishy."
Even Yeo Po, low on intelligence, sensed the suspicious vibe.
The moment we went on high alert—
BOOM!!!!
The vanguard that had breached the walls flung open the gates.
"Uwaaaah!!!"
Cao Cao's main force, having fully broken through Wancheng, poured inside.
But there was no siege chaos.
It was too quiet.
Resistance was minimal. Wancheng's interior was eerily empty.
The moment Cao Ang realized something and turned to yell at me—
Whoosh!! Flames roared to life across the entire city!!!
Wancheng was suddenly engulfed in fire.
"Ngh... It's a trap!!"
As Cao Ang tried to pull his troops from the inferno—
"Uwaaaaaah!!!!"
Troops charged madly from the woods toward the city. Ambush, as expected.
They'd timed it for Cao Ang entering the burning Wancheng—like herding fish into a trap to roast his main force.
Good thing I'd anticipated and held back.
"Everyone!! Block the ambush!!"
I drew my sword and shouted.
"Hah!!! As expected of Jia Xu!!! What a fun trick!!"
Yeo Po grinned, hefting her Fang Tian Hu Ji.
"Yaaah!!!"
She spurred Red Hare forward like she'd been waiting.
Hero Lu Bu meets the enemy on Red Hare.
Her cavalry charge shredded the ambushers' momentum.
Clang!!! Kwang!!!
Every glow of the Fang Tian Hu Ji mowed down soldiers.
Can we hold here? I hoped optimistically, but a bad feeling lingered.
Whoosh!! Flames crackled!!
Maybe they'd stuffed the buildings with highly flammable straw, but the blaze was ferocious. And beyond the burning city marched another force.
"Over there!!! The enemy commander's there!! Kill him!! Shower arrows through the flames!!"
The ambush wasn't just one group. One clashing with our Xiliang main force, another heading for Wancheng. Fine, I'd expected that much. But Plan C? No way I saw that coming.
"Ngh..."
Cao Ang's main force, hacking through flames, had no choice but to face the enemy commander-led troops.
This was dangerous. Trying to cross the fire would turn them into porcupines—Cao Ang and his men dead.
'Time to make Cao Ang owe me a life debt.' Who knows how many times over he'd repay it later.
"Everyone!! Protect the young master!!"
I spurred my squad toward Wancheng.
This was bad.
Cao Ang instinctively knew his first assault had failed.
Upon entering the empty Wancheng, flames erupted wildly—he realized the trap instantly.
As he tried to punch through to the open gates, he sighed, knowing it wouldn't be easy.
Ambushers armed with bows and crossbows had seized the gates.
Pababababat!!
The vanguard racing to the gates through flames fell to arrows and bolts.
Thankfully, Kim's reserves held one ambush squad, averting the worst. But the force checking him? Cao Ang had to break them himself.
"Kghak!!"
"Guh!!"
Watching comrades fall to arrows through the flames was heartbreaking.
"Everyone..."
His rash command had led so many to death. Cao Ang felt deep guilt.
Then, one warhorse burst through the flames into view.
Splurt!! Thuk!!
A hero cleaved archers and crossbowmen's heads like threshing grain, entering the burning Wancheng.
'A true hero...'
The sight of him wielding a blue-glowing sword majestically through fire and arrows filled Cao Ang with awe. It was Kim.
"Young master!!! I'll clear the path!!"
Kim's curly hair whipped as he supported Cao Ang.
Whoosh!!
Amid flames roaring everywhere, I somehow supported Cao Ang.
Burn
[Taking continuous damage from flames.]
The burn debuff ticked damage, but I could endure.
Burn was a DoT debuff, nullified by my Immovable Mind trait. Still not invincible—the initial fire damage hit.
Me and Cao Ang? We'd both be roast if we stayed. I'd be rare, he'd be medium. That's the difference.
"Young master!! Follow me!!"
I led Cao Ang, shouting to the chaotic main force.
"Follow if you wanna live!!"
Snapping to, they trailed me.
Thuk!! Clang!! Pfbk!!
Kim Squad elites cleared the way—the archers led by the enemy general were getting shredded.
Mok Lan, Guli Ge, Guan He, Chun Seol, the old northerner, and Gwang Yeom all sliced through foes expertly. All that melee experience made this melee familiar.
Plus, archers/crossbowmen sucked at close quarters by design. Close the gap and they floundered.
"Ngh..."
Arrows flew wildly through flames; I batted what I could, desperately carving a path.
Thuk. Pfbk.
But I'm no Jedi—some arrows stuck. Hurt like hell. Immovable Mind stopped bleeding quick, thank god.
Still, I madly raced, guiding the main force to the gates.
Slice.
I split an enemy crossbowman at point-blank, kicked the bisected corpse aside, and took command.
"Everyone!!! We saved the young master!!! Protect him and break through!!"
Kim Squad instantly walled around Cao Ang.
Yup, classic Jia Xu. A scheme that royally screws people over (highest praise).