Gyeonseong Battle: Black Mountain Bandits Purge (Part 2)
It was hot. Was it because he'd been hiding in the thickets for so long, building up heat in his body? Or was it the muggy air? It felt too strange to blame it on winter passing and spring warming things up.
Sugo urgently beckoned to his subordinate.
"Hey, go tell the others to report back. Is something really coming?"
"We might get spotted if we move now."
"Tch, you're right…?"
An ambush relied on secrecy above all. If they made even the slightest movement before the enemy delved deep into the woods, a single sharp-eyed foe would sense it and raise the alarm.
"Still, we might have to move…"
"Didn't you say the basics of an ambush are stealth? Have you forgotten what that Guo teacher said?"
"I haven't forgotten, but he wasn't talking about this situation."
Uneasy, Sugo rose to his feet.
"No helping it. You lot sneak toward the enemy lines as quietly as you can. If it looks like you'll get spotted, act like wild animals…"
In that instant—
Thwack!
Something grazed Sugo's cheek and embedded itself in a tree. A searing pain shot through his face, sending chills down his spine.
"An arrow…?"
A sharp arrow was lodged in the trunk—not the crude shafts the bandits used, but a refined one fit for imperial troops.
Flutter.
Something tied to the arrow began to unravel slowly. The cloth bundle, dry as tinder, dropped whatever was wrapped inside.
"This is… a tree branch?"
A very thin twig spilled out from between the cloth wrappings on the arrow.
Their bewilderment at this bizarre object didn't last.
"Aaaagh!!"
A scream erupted from the thickets. Sugo spotted an arrow buried in his subordinate's shoulder and hurled himself forward.
"Mmph! Mmmph!!"
"Shut his mouth, damn it…! What if they hear…?!"
Pale as a ghost, Sugo clamped his hand over the man's mouth and looked skyward.
Plop, plop.
Above the dense canopy that blocked even the clouds, red flickers ignited amid the branches.
"Fire… it's on fire! They've sniffed out our plan!!"
Sugo bellowed at his men.
"Pull back out of arrow range! Retreat to the rear of the woods! But don't fully exit the forest! This was just a warning shot!"
"Captain! Fire arrows are incoming!!"
"Put 'em out! Those flames are nothing…"
Whiiiirrr—!!
A massive volley of fire arrows lit up the sky. One struck a thick branch, snapping it with a crack as it crashed down, embers scattering into the underbrush and roaring to life.
"Damn it, what the hell…?!"
The fire spread slowly, its intensity modest. But when countless flames rained down, pace and power became irrelevant.
An overwhelming barrage of fire.
Sugo stared at the burning branch beside him, sweat trickling down his back.
"These bastards, it's not arrows…!"
Torches. Just tree limbs thick enough to carry flame, hurled their way.
"Damn it all! Full retreat!! We can't burn to death here!!"
Sugo hurriedly ordered his forces to fall back.
"Once we're at the rear of the woods, we kill them!"
He hadn't given up yet.
* * *
"There's a real ambush after all."
Cao Ren clicked his tongue as he watched the Ho Biao Qi cavalry practicing mounted archery toward the woods.
"Who'd have thought."
Each distant volley made the forest shudder. Blind shots drew faint death rattles, and the shaking canopy screamed of hidden men.
"If we'd charged straight in, the Ho Biao Qi would've taken heavy losses."
"Thanks to General Cao Ren heeding my warning about the ambush. We got lucky."
"Nonsense. You wouldn't have spoken up without one. I believe you—you're truly Xun You's prized disciple."
Xun You's prized disciple.
That title alone let Sima Yi step fully into her role as a Cao Cao strategist.
By earning Cao Ren's personal nod.
One ambush might seem trivial, but that one time mattered.
'What counts is that Cao Ren saw it with his own eyes.'
Sima Yi already had victories over generals like Zhang Ji, Lei Bo, and Chen Lan under her belt. For now, she rode Xun You's fame—the tactician who'd toppled Lü Bu—but soon her own name alone would make enemies quake.
"So, what's next?"
"Keep up the fire-arrow drill. Try flaming shots and hurling torches too. Practice as if you're burning the whole forest. Use fallen branches nearby to save arrows."
Sima Yi pointed to the woods, where black smoke now curled upward.
"Once they realize the ambush failed, they'll either withdraw or charge. Bandits won't choose the latter—they'll flee backward."
"Then we pursue now?"
"No. This forest stretches long. They can charge, but not break through."
"What then?"
"Well…"
Sima Yi glanced at me with a grin, holding up three fingers.
"Divide the troops. Split into three units and rotate fire drills. The shooting unit rests, the next preps flaming arrows. What we call 'three shifts.'"
"Brilliant. It'll be real training. Xu Huang! Yu Jin! Your units go first!"
No sooner had Cao Ren issued the order than the two generals spurred their horses forward.
"Sima Yi, and… Gold Teacher. You two wait here. I'll take the third."
"We'll ride with you. Right, Master?"
"Of course. We can handle flaming arrows, General."
"From horseback?"
"Yes. From horseback."
A tough skill, but if Sima Yi could do it, so could I. It wasn't aimed shooting anyway—just loosing blind volleys.
The trick was simple.
'Strong thighs do it.'
The power to stay mounted using only your legs, grip loosened on the reins. Plus experience from constant riding.
That was enough to eat a meal up there if needed.
"I won't take responsibility if it's dangerous."
"How could we hold a general accountable in battle?"
Sima Yi tapped her inner robes. Civilian garb outside, but chainmail beneath.
"Fine. Helmets on. When Xu Huang's unit returns, it's our turn."
Whoosh!
Xu Huang's cavalry wheeled from our main force, unleashing another flaming volley into the woods.
Sima Yi and I secured our helmets at our waists. As Yu Jin's second unit charged ahead, we prepped to follow…
"…Yi."
"Yes, I saw it."
"You two as well?"
Cao Ren turned, eyes wide.
"What did you see?"
"Dust. The troops pulling back."
"Dodging the arrow gaps, but they haven't abandoned the ambush yet. General, best to circle fully before 'that'."
"Is that so?"
Cao Ren eyed the burning woods.
Crack.
Trees began toppling as ground fire took hold.
"Fallen timber's blocking the path."
Cao Ren chuckled dryly, shrugging.
"Then let's burn it clean for next time. All units, prep fire arrows! Prove the Ho Biao Qi outmatch Xu Huang's riders and the White Horse Volunteers—prove we're the strongest cavalry!!"
With a thunderous roar, he charged. Sima Yi and I grabbed weapons and followed.
"…Yi. I'm curious."
As we galloped, I snatched an arrow bound with bundled twigs. I thrust the tip into a brazier to ignite it, then toed my horse's flank to spur it on.
Neigh!!
I wouldn't fall. No show muscles—these were forged daily in the fields.
"Why'd you look at me before suggesting three shifts?"
"Because it was a tactic inspired by you, Master."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Sima Yi nocked a flaming arrow toward the enemy.
"Pang Tong, Seo Seo, us. Three shifts, right?"
"…Go?"
"Probably."
Whirr.
"Eh, doesn't matter where the idea came from if it works."
"……"
Roar.
The forest burned to ash.
And after over an hour of archery practice…
"They were waiting."
Finally, the hidden foes emerged onto the plain.
"Perfect timing. Time for that, General."
"Ah."
Cao Ren licked his lips at the infantry exposed beyond the vanished woods.
"But it's awkward. Hot ground'll strain the horses."
"Hm…"
Embers still smoldered. The fire had died quicker than expected, but hot earth could spook mounts into stumbling.
"Sorry. We need to strike now."
"No matter. Better they suffer than die needlessly. And Cao Cao's Ho Biao Qi won't balk at that heat."
Cao Ren thrust his spear forward.
"All units, charge—!!"
Waaaaah—!!
With his cry, the Ho Biao Qi and cavalry surged ahead through the wide scorched path.
At full gallop.
Neiiigh—!!
Spooked by the heat, the horses bolted faster. We pierced the unburnt fringes and slammed into the foe.
And then.
"Trample them—!!"
As Cao Ren commanded, our cavalry mercilessly crushed the bandits.
Sugo prepares an ambush. Cao Ren detects it and lures the bandits onto the plain. They clash head-on, inflicting massive casualties on the bandit horde.