Chapter 69
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Battle of Dunhuang (1)
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Even on horseback, breathing felt labored. The road to Dunhuang was a veritable hell of fire.
Under the scorching sun that blistered the skin, the endless expanse of yellowish sand shimmered in the haze.
The inside of my armor was slick with sweat, and my throat burned dry.
This dryness was on another level compared to the desolation of Zhangye or Jiuquan. There wasn't a single blade of grass in sight, and the occasional small oasis was the only hope for quenching one's thirst.
I'd heard that far to the north lay a fairly vast grassland, but beyond that stretched an endless desert.
'Is that the Gobi Desert?'
A useless fragment of modern knowledge flashed through my mind.
"Haa... haa..."
―Neighhh...
The soldiers and horses alike were growing exhausted.
Sweat poured endlessly from beneath their helmets, and the horses lolled their tongues, gasping roughly.
The army's column stretched long through the sand dust. At least supplies weren't an issue.
Yang Ong was leading the main force to establish a base between Jiuquan and Dunhuang, steadily securing the supply lines.
True to his merchant roots, he had a knack for securing and maintaining routes. Thanks to him, the 20,000 men under me and Gafu could charge ahead without worry.
"Wh-why aren't any enemies showing up?"
"Where the hell did all these bastards run off to...?"
But the deeper we ventured into Dunhuang territory, the more the soldiers filled with bewilderment. There was no resistance at all, contrary to expectations.
No sign of the barbarian scouting parties that should have been at every pass, and the small villages around the oases were either deserted or inhabited by a scant few who simply stared blankly at us without a hint of hostility.
It was so quiet it sent chills down my spine.
"Lord Yeo, doesn't this feel off?"
Gafu, riding beside me, moistened his parched lips with saliva and asked.
"We've been in Dunhuang territory for days now, but not a single barbarian in sight. It's like they've all vanished by prior agreement."
"I'm troubled by that too, Lord Gap. After the thrashing we gave them at Jiuquan, maybe they're lying low... but this is too clean a disappearance."
Damn it. This was really problematic.
I'd planned to follow Jia Xu and Tian Feng's strategy, projecting majesty like Zhang Huan to awe them, but there were no targets left to apply it to.
"The enemy might have fled in fear of our momentum. Or―"
I deliberately cut off, finishing the thought inwardly.
'...Or they've deliberately prepared for this. Luring us deep into this parched land to wither us out, or setting up to hit us from behind. One or the other.'
Gafu spoke with unease.
"...Should we send a messenger to the Governor in the rear to report the situation and request support?"
"Not yet. Let's press on a bit more. If they've laid any traps, they'll reveal themselves soon enough."
I licked my dry lips and stared out at the barren land under the blazing sun.
At the end of the desolate sandy path, a hint of green began to appear.
"Oh, that must be..."
Dunhuang County finally came into view, a fairly sizable settlement nestled around an oasis.
It was where the Dunhuang Commandery's prefectural office had stood during the Han's prosperous era.
There were fewer people than in Jiuquan, but unlike the empty places before, it had life. Han Chinese faces were occasionally mixed in.
But the atmosphere was strange.
Those drawing water or sitting in the shade stopped what they were doing and stared fixedly as our army appeared.
It wasn't welcoming curiosity. It was cold wariness—no, outright hostility.
Children hid behind adults, young men fidgeted at their waists. Barbarian or Han, they all shared the same gaze.
'...They were waiting.'
That wasn't the look of fear or unfamiliarity. It was the gaze of those biding their time.
"Lord Gap!"
I immediately shouted to Gafu beside me.
"Order the entire army to battle stations! Now!"
"What's this about?"
Gafu looked around and asked back.
"Lord Yeo, battle preparations out of nowhere? No enemies in sight. Preparing for battle because of those civilians?"
"Those people right in front of us are the enemy! When we first entered this land, the barbarians just watched us pass. But look at their eyes now! That's the gaze of those who've been waiting! We must prepare for battle at once!"
Just then, Tian Feng and Jia Xu galloped up from the rear, faces taut with tension.
"My lord! Those people's eyes just now—they're up to no good! Immediately assume battle formatio—"
Tian Feng stopped mid-sentence upon seeing I'd already given the order.
"Hahaha! How does my lord judge faster than we? As strategists, we've failed to earn our keep, so we'll have to wield swords and cut down foes instead!"
Tian Feng fiddled theatrically with his sword hilt. I couldn't believe him.
"...Ma Deng!"
"Yes, my lord!"
"Keep a close eye on Wei Sok and Teacher Jeon. If they bolt anywhere suspicious in the battle, handle it yourself."
"...Ahem, understood."
Ma Deng looked somewhat dissatisfied but obeyed obediently, immediately calling Cheng Lian and Wei Yue.
"You two, stay by Teacher Ga's side. Got it?"
"Yes!"
Then I ordered the main force leaders, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun.
"Zhang Liao! Gao Shun! Take 5,000 cavalry each and cover the left and right flanks! We don't know where the enemy will pop out from!"
"Understood, my lord!"
The two immediately led their units into position.
Gafu, convinced by my judgment, stopped questioning and swiftly directed his Hanyang troops.
"Infantry, form square formation! Archers, nock arrows and prepare to fire!"
'Hmm, he does have real military talent. Too rigid for his own good, though.'
In an instant, the formation was set, and tension gripped the area around the oasis.
The locals who'd been glaring at us moments ago had vanished, leaving only hot sand winds blowing.
"They'll show themselves soon."
Mounted on Red Hare, I gripped my spear firmly and glared sharply toward where the enemy would emerge.
Under the scorching sun, behind the sand dunes on the outskirts of Dunhuang County, stifling heat filled the air.
Xianling River Tribe chieftain Beha licked his dry lips and glared fiercely at the path leading to the oasis before him.
Tens of thousands of tribal warriors gripped their reins tightly, hiding in the sand, awaiting only the chieftain's signal.
'The southern fools got scared after taking a hit... Pathetic.'
He recalled the meeting of scattered tribal representatives a few days prior. The words of the Northern Xiongnu remnants echoed in his ears.
『If all they want is the road... why not just yield it? Why should we risk our lives fighting?』
"Hah!"
Beha snorted just loud enough for the warrior beside him to hear.
"They call themselves heirs of Chanyu Modu, yet now they're dogs begging to yield the road to the Han. Cowards without the guts to fight."
"Chieftain! No one from the Northern Xiongnu showed up today."
The warrior reported softly.
"What did you expect from cowards?!"
"B-but, Chieftain... Still, provoking the Northern Xiongnu too harshly... They do carry the blood of Chanyu Modu..."
"Harshly?"
Beha cut him off, eyes flashing.
"What courtesy do you show to those fleeing before battle! Once I take that Lu Bu's head and sweep away the Han army, even those Xiongnu dogs won't dare lift their heads before me! The lords of these grasslands will be us, the Xianling River Tribe!"
The surrounding warriors, overawed by his momentum, fell silent and backed off.
At that moment, sand dust rose in the distance. A scout came galloping urgently.
"Chieftain! Enemies! Red banner at the lead! It's that Han bastard Lu Bu for sure!"
"Finally! Time to hunt!"
Beha seized his sword hilt, raised his hand high in signal. As planned, long, low horn calls echoed from ambush points everywhere.
"Wooooaaahhh!"
From all sides, countless barbarian warriors charged out with roars.
Arrows rose like black clouds in the sky, and on the ground, tens of thousands of cavalry kicked up dust as they thundered toward Lu Bu's army, which had just begun forming ranks.
"Lu Bu's head is mine!"
Beha spurred his horse to the vanguard and bellowed.
"Braves of the tribe, drench the sand in Han blood! Charge!"
The massive wave of barbarian warriors surged terrifyingly toward the Han army near the oasis.
"Wooooaaahhh!"
With the roars, sand dust billowed from all directions.
Cavalry spread wide to our left and right, enveloping us in a semicircle. Faint hoofbeats echoed from the rear as well.
The lead banners were all different, making it hard to spot the commander.
'Look at these guys. They've used their heads a bit. Trying to keep us from targeting the leader? Or is their command structure really that sloppy? Either way, it's a pain.'
Normally, I'd lead the charge straight into the enemy lines to take their head. But like this, with no clear leader, I hesitated briefly.
Gafu moved first, however.
"Shieldbearers, advance! Prepare long spears! Block the enemy cavalry charge!"
"The Commandery Lord's order! Forward!"
At Gafu's shout, the Hanyang infantry roared and advanced, forming a square.
It wasn't a mere shield wall.
The front rank was shieldbearers packed tight without gaps, followed by a dense forest of gleaming long spears.
The third rank held heavy axe-wielders braced firm, with archers behind nocking arrows. The final ranks backed with more spearmen.
"Huh, not bad? They hesitate at the shields, get skewered on spears, break through to face axes, and archers keep loosing... Is that a Yang Province army? A Central Plains one?"
As I admired Gafu's formation, the first wave of barbarian cavalry slowed drastically before it.
"Gahk!"
"Argh!"
Some tumbled off crashing into shields, others squeezing through were impaled on spears, screaming.
The enemy's charge momentum was clearly broken.
Thanks to Gafu buying time, I had breathing room. From horseback, I drew my bow.
"Hya!"
I spurred Red Hare to a slightly raised sand ridge, drew the string, targeting flankers, charging cavalry, and any who looked like officers.
―Swish!
"Guk!"
"Urk..."
"Arrows! They're shooting!"
Each release sent enemy riders tumbling from their mounts.
'Time for me to step in.'
With Gafu's square holding firm and the first assault repelled, this was the moment.
I slung the bow on my back, regripped my spear, raised it high, and roared to the whole army.
"See that! They dare try to surround us! Isn't it laughable?!"
All eyes turned to me. I grinned and continued.
"Enemies on all sides means we can cut loose in any direction! What better hunting ground is there?! Follow me!"
The soldiers' frozen gazes ignited with fighting spirit. Especially those from Zhangye who'd fought with me, and the barbarian cavalry reacted first.
"Kahaha! Lord Yeo's right! Enemies everywhere—pure prey!"
"Wooooaaahhh!"
Takya, Myagon, Mokta, and the chieftains bellowed in their tongues, their warriors joining in.
The roar spread instantly across the army, erupting like thunder.
"Waaaaahhh!!"
"Kill the enemy!!!"
"Seize their horses!!"
Fear vanished, leaving only battle lust.
'Good, perfect.'
I gripped Red Hare's reins tight.
"Entire army! Charge!"
"Follow Lord Yeo!"