Too Many Thieves in the World (9)
"Let's use the ditches in the snow-covered fields. Hide spears inside the ditches, then raise them when the horses charge over."
"If people just hold them up, the horses' momentum will push them back. The sharpened stakes could slide sideways."
"What if we drive the ends deeper into the ground? Then the cavalry's momentum would be absorbed by the earth, not the soldiers—like setting a trap."
The three women pooled their ideas into one.
"Then we need to make sure the soldiers hiding at the bottom of the ditches don't get hurt. Like by shards from the stakes exploding after piercing the horses."
"Use sharpened bamboo stakes for planting in the ground. Even if they break, they won't snap easily."
"Make the buried length deeper for more lethality. Otherwise, they might just push the stakes aside and fall into the ditch."
Sima Yi took the lead, with Zhuge Liang and Seo Seo refining the tactics.
"Master will retreat to lure the enemy's center. The enemy troops will naturally follow."
"Won't they realize it's a lure if we just run?"
"Master already addressed that."
Zhuge Liang cleared her throat and straightened up.
"Assume the lure succeeds and plan accordingly."
"Got it. If Master says so, we follow."
With Gold Sun's promise secured, they focused on what came next.
"Master and the soldiers will slide down the ridges using the 'raw path'—no stakes, padded with straw bales so it won't slip."
"Knowing how to descend a steep slope versus not is worlds apart."
"Even if they suspect something below, the enemy won't stop in time and will tumble down."
"Horses fall into the ditches and get impaled, riders thrown off. Then our hidden troops spear them to finish the job."
"We kill them as they fall. Groups of three or two per rider to ensure they're done. Cavalry charges in formation, so killing the front ones scatters the rear to the flanks."
"Can't cover the stragglers. Process the first falls, then dash to the next spot."
Sima Yi's eyes gleamed sharply.
"The first interception neutralizes their cavalry."
The key was deception using the ditch drop. If the enemy commander lost his head and charged blindly—
Suddenly, the soldiers he'd been chasing vanish down the slope, momentum too great to rein in even clutching the bridle—
"Let them tumble straight down and fall."
Flap—!!
Straw bales buried in snow scattered everywhere. From the deep furrows—deep enough for a man to crouch and hold his breath—soldiers who'd covered themselves with snow-dusted straw leaped up in unison where we'd run through.
"Everyone, spears up—!!"
At Mun Bing's shout, the hidden soldiers thrust their spears at angles. Even the ones who'd fled without helping me hurled themselves into the furrows, jamming pre-dug stakes into holes. Soldiers gripped sturdy spears to kill horses; between furrows, sharpened stakes waited to impale any horse or rider that stumbled.
"You parentless bastard! Where—"
Zhang Je appeared at the ridge top in the lead. He nearly leaped down but blanched at the forest of spears below.
Neigh!!
He yanked the reins hard. The horse reared in fright—a fine steed, judging the peril instantly despite the odds. But too late.
His own mount, barely reined in, slid forward on hind legs. What of the cavalry behind?
Unable to halt like Zhang Je—
"They'll topple forward like downhill carts."
"Ugh, uwaaaak!!"
Two riders tumbled beside Zhang Je from the ridge. We'd steepened the slope deliberately for drop; horses slipped and plunged.
"Everyone, brace for impact—!!"
Mun Bing bellowed from the front.
Jingzhou's five hundred defenders were ambushers—shouting risked alerting the foe.
But against cavalry, the shout came when inertia made turning impossible.
Even Western Liang cavalry die if a sharpened stake hits under the horse's belly.
Neigh—!!
Frightened horses tried halting—futile.
"Uwaak!!"
Thuk!
The lead horse couldn't veer, took the first hit. Impaled, it threw the rider into the field; hidden soldiers surged out.
Puk! Three stabbed as one, killing swiftly. The rider spewed blood and fell; soldiers retrieved spears and hid again.
"It's a trap!"
Zhang Je yelled, but lead riders slid one by one, heads slamming earth. Stakes pierced, splintering into gashes, sharp tips goring horse and rider necks and bellies—blood flowed crimson.
Thuk, puk, thuk.
Mun Bing's men speared fallen riders madly. Pity for fine Western Liang steeds wasted on stakes, but no margin for mercy. Annihilate.
I raised the red banner from my chest.
"Bows, up!"
Flap.
Hoisting the standard high for all to see, my fleeing comrades grabbed bows buried in snow. Hidden allies wouldn't shoot low—couldn't hit us.
Target: ridge top.
"Loose!!"
Pabababang!!
Snow on arrows powdered air, flying beyond the ridge. Blind shots, but under fifty paces—not blind anymore.
Aaack!
Screams rose from the ridge.
"Urp."
Nausea surged. My order made soldiers loose arrows to kill; death cries echoed from the ridge.
As good as my kills.
Master.
But no time to vomit here.
"More…."
More deaths needed. For the next phase, more cavalry impaled, shot down.
"More…!"
Horse and man blood stung my nose. Not just enemy—our blood mixed in.
"You bastards!"
One rider trampled a comrade's corpse, charging. He speared a furrow, blade sinking into a soldier's throat.
"Uooo!!"
Mun Bing hurled a stake, piercing the rider's neck. Eyes rolled back; he toppled beside his horse.
Neigh!!
Thrashing horse spelled trouble. It crushed hiders before they dodged; hooves crushed our men in slips.
War offered no clean wins. One side bled all, the other unscathed? Never.
"Kuh…!"
"General."
My aide approached.
"We're soldiers."
"……"
"Your orders."
Soldiers. The weight steadied my dropping standard—higher.
"Loose! Block them trampling corpses!!"
Drop-traps worked first but faded as bodies piled.
"They dug traps! Trample our dead brothers and charge! Crush the ditch-hiders!!!"
Zhang Je's roar unleashed greater cheers behind.
"General!! Incoming!!"
"Coming, huh…."
We'd trapped some cavalry. But a fraction—thousands of infantry followed.
"Mun Bing!!"
"Thought I was dead! All troops, retreat!!"
Mun Bing, having speared a rider trampling corpses, mounted the riderless horse and seized reins.
Neigh—!
"Shut it! Run, or you're jerky!!"
The horse reared startled but calmed at his fury, lowering forelegs.
"All troops, withdraw!!"
At Mun Bing's cry, furrow soldiers burst out. He took a spear from retreating men, covering rear—swinging at pursuers.
"General!"
"Retreat now!!"
Mun Bing leveled his spear.
"I'll buy time."
"General!"
"Go!!"
His bellow spooked my horse into turning. My aide yanked its tether, urging speed.
"Don't worry! I'll survive!!"
"Kuh…!!"
I galloped. With soldiers, to the rendezvous—gallop, gallop.
No skill to glance back; judge by cheers alone.
If I had, this scene:
Waaaaah!!
Behind Mun Bing, Zhang Je's infantry leaped down en masse.
We fled. Five hundred soldiers with minimal losses… no.
Thirty dead.
Over four hundred cavalry killed.
A 'fair trade'?
People died.
"……"
Dunno. But clear: how to handle the enemy ahead.
Thud, thud, thud.
"Hey, parentless bastard."
Cavalry-less Zhang Je formed his thousands into phalanx, advancing slow.
"I'll chase to Jingzhou's end and kill you."
Force gap absolute. But.
"Come closer, you all die here."
Behind: Xinye. My turf now.
"I warned you."
Already.
Second interception underway.