Yeongcheon Ablaze: Flames of Fury
The flames roared across the field!!
I sprinted through the madly spreading inferno.
“It’s the imperial army!!”
“Damn it!!”
From beyond the camp, more than half engulfed in fire, came the panicked cries of the Yellow Turban soldiers.
There was no holding the camp now that it was burning like this.
“Abandon the camp!! Form ranks!!”
The Yellow Turbans weren’t as disorganized as I’d expected. They ditched the camp and quickly reformed their lines to block us.
Pa Jae’s main force is different.
They moved like trained soldiers, not mere bandits.
Can’t underestimate Pa Jae.
Of course not—he was the kind of leader Zhang Jiao trusted with a large army. He’d tormented the imperial forces for ages. No half-assed thug could’ve pulled that off. His troops were forged in the same fire.
“Doesn’t matter!! Charge!!”
At Cao Cao’s shout, the soldiers surged forward.
But the ones up front were mercenaries like me.
This is ronin treatment.
We were arrow fodder, hired for exactly that.
Most soldiers hung back behind us ronin, but a few hotheads didn’t.
“Uahaha!! Vermin!! Die!!”
Ha Hu Don charged the front-line Yellow Turbans like it was a footrace, polearm drawn.
Crunch!!
His polearm cleaved clean through one Yellow Turban’s skull. Brutal.
“See that!!! Mercenaries and imperial troops ain’t the same!!”
Ha Hu Don flashed me a grin, then swung his polearm gracefully, slicing through more Yellow Turban grunts.
“…”
Surprisingly childish. Competitive as hell.
Time for me to do my part. Perfect chance to test my new prized sword, Hansu.
Shingggg.
I locked onto a front-line Yellow Turban. Once I was in sword range, I launched myself forward.
Thrust!!
The stab packed more power than expected.
One slash, and the guy’s body split like tofu. Clean cut.
Felt like cheating in this era—like wielding a lightsaber in ancient times. What a legendary blade.
“Haaah!!”
A Yellow Turban thrust his spear at me.
Crack!
I stomped the low-sweeping spear shaft, then lunged and severed the wielder’s throat.
Five spearman in formation. One down, my breach scattered them.
Slash. Stab.
I carved through them one by one, opening a path.
“Waaaaah!!!”
The soldiers behind finished them off.
“Hmph. Not bad.”
Ha Hu Don watched from the side, scowling like he wasn’t impressed.
“Brother!! Old soldiers over there!!”
Ha Hu Yeon, charging across the battlefield, pointed and reported to Ha Hu Don.
Twangggg—!!
Far off, archers galloped toward us and loosed a volley.
The bowstring twangs hit my ears—I dropped flat, dodging. Slow reactors among the mercenaries and soldiers screamed as arrows pierced them.
The archers fired while thinly screened by infantry in basic formation.
And that’s higher ground.
It was a plains battle, but plains had elevation. Their spot was perfect for archery—arrows flew true.
“Shield wall!! Raise shields!!”
Cao Cao barked orders fast. But shieldbearers were slow to rotate in. Under this arrow storm, swapping would cost heavy casualties.
Shit, this is tighter than I thought.
History books lied by omission. They said Huangfu Song’s fire attack panicked the enemy, then Cao Cao linked up for an easy win. But war wasn’t one sentence. Books made it too clean.
Fire’s spreading slower than expected.
Enough blaze to fill the camp, but they’d abandoned it quick—kept our losses low.
Stay put, and the mercenaries die first.
Already too many down.
“Uwaaah!!” “Kraaak!”
There—Gong Geo’s crew, hugging the dirt to dodge arrows. One low shot, and they were gone.
This wouldn’t do.
I grabbed a nearby corpse, hoisting it as a shield.
“What the hell’s that guy…”
The flattened mercenaries gawked at me.
“Raaah!!”
Shield-corpse in hand—heavy, but half-dragging worked—I charged full tilt.
“Wanna live? Grab corpses and charge!!”
I roared at the prone mercenaries and imperials, plunging into the arrow rain. Not too many archers. Breach and force melee.
“…”
Ha Hu Don and Ha Hu Yeon stared.
“Uahaha!!! Guts spilling out your belly, eh?! I like it!!!”
Ha Hu Don bellowed, snatched a skull-smashed corpse he’d made, and charged.
“…”
Cao Cao’s gaze burned into me—sharper than any arrow.
Mercs who saw us followed suit, grabbing corpses or barricade scraps as shields. Smart—they got it.
Human bodies make surprisingly good armor.
Twisted muscle fibers and bones stopped arrows cold. No bullets here, so perfect fodder fodder.
Ruins Confucian values, though. Desecration.
Thuk! Thunk!
My corpse-shield (calling it Shieldzilla) bristled like a porcupine.
Modern sensibilities? Dead was dead.
Mercs charged in waves now, corpse-shields up.
Halfway to the archers, imperial shieldbearers rotated in and tailed us tight.
Archers faltered; their guards rushed to block our corpse horde.
Close enough—I hurled Shieldzilla at a spear-thruster.
Splat!!
His spear impaled it.
Stagger.
I beheaded the fool, then crashed into the archers.
“I am Ha Hu Don, Yuanrang!! Remember it, scum!!!” “Ha Hu Yeon, Miaocai!!!! Die, you bandits!!!”
Ha Hu Don and Yeon reached them too.
Bows sucked up close—swords ruled.
We three tore into the archers, slashing wildly.
My clothes soaked in blood, weighing me down.
“Waaaaah!!”
Mercs and imperials piled in, hacking away.
East camp cleared. Now, assault Changshe Fortress proper.
Fwoooosh!!!
Flames greedily encircled the fortress. It burned.
We had momentum. Didn’t love storming it, though.
Waaaaah—!!
Huangfu Song’s main force judged the blaze ready and marched on the fortress.
Victory. History on rails. What could they do from a burning castle?
Then Pa Jae got bold—bolder than I thought.
Clunk!!!
Gates flew open. Full army sortie.
“Snap to it!!!! If it feels hot, it’s hot!!!! Focus and take ‘em one by one!!!”
In the yellow tide rode a massive general rallying troops. Had to be Pa Jae.
“Shields first on the flankers!! Then wheel and hit Huangfu Song’s side!!! Zhang Jiao’s got our backs!! No fear!!”
Pa Jae veered toward Cao Cao’s detachment—us.
Yellow Turbans were splintering under fire. This was Pa Jae’s peak strength. He knew—strike now while numbers held.
Crush our lighter cavalry-poor force, then face the main army.
“Advance!!!!!”
Pa Jae led a cavalry van straight at us.
Not easy.
Pa Jae was no joke. True Yellow Turban warlord.
“Everyone!! Form square!!”
Cao Cao bellowed, rallying the troops.
***
Pa Jae’s vanguard slammed our mercenary front.
Clang.Thud.Shing.
“Uwaaak!” “Aaaak!”
Metal clashed, screams echoed everywhere.
Stab! Thrust!!
No time for others. Hack down what’s in front.
“Come on!! Show your grit!!!”
In the melee deadlock, Pa Jae spurred in, crescent halberd whirling.
Thud-crack!!!
His horse’s hooves pulped front-line ronin and soldiers.
“Cavalry!!”
Cao Cao’s call—our riders wheeled toward Pa Jae’s elite horse.
Shing.
A cavalryman thrust his spear at Pa Jae.
Ah, he’s done. Pa Jae read it perfect.
Whiiiing—!!
Pa Jae sidestepped the spear arc, swung his halberd.
Snap!
Decapitated rider tumbled.
“Hiiing!!”
The riderless horse wailed, fleeing the field.
“Damn!! That bastard…” “Brother!! Hold position!! Without us, main line buckles!”
Ha Hu Don and Yeon were anvil in the hammer-anvil—couldn’t break for Pa Jae.
“That all you got!!! Rotten fucks!!!”
Pa Jae carved incoming cavalry, smirking viciously.
His elites were tough. They’d punch our flank—we’d fight front and side. Bad.
I slashed a front Yellow Turban, scanned for a break.
Hiiihihi!!
A horse veered our way—riderless, fleeing.
Horse.
Yes. If I could mount up.
I stroked its cheek; it nuzzled back. Docile. Probably trained warhorse.
Soothing it, I vaulted aboard. Screw it. Go time.
“Hyah!!”
Light kick to the flank—it bolted my way.
Target: Pa Jae. Neutralize his horse, or we lose. Risky, but best shot.
“Come at me!! Pa Jae!!!”
Balanced atop, sword raised at him.
“Hah. Got a spirited one.”
Pa Jae shook blood from his halberd, grinning wolfishly.
“Yah!!!”
He spurred straight at me.
Clop-clop!!
Horses crossed at full gallop—that instant.
Claaaaang—!!
His halberd and my sword clashed.
One exchange done, we wheeled horses, racing parallel across the field.
Both at top speed—fight locked one-on-one duel.
One-on-one? I like those odds.