Battle of Yushugou and Hefei -9
Honestly speaking, things look pretty damn bad for our army no matter how you slice it.
We messed around with flooding Hefei and captured Zhang Liao in the process, but if I go to Cao Cao like, "Sorry, forgive us?" he'd probably want to kill me on the spot.
Still, maybe if I spin it just right, butter him up a bit? I mean, I did him a solid first. I treated Guo Jia like royalty before sending him back, right?
There's give and take in this world. I'm harmless as they come—why would he even want to kill me? Right?
Logically, I know it's a pipe dream, but I have to try. I can't just die like this.
So how do I play this?
Let's find a way. Nothing concrete comes to mind right now, but I need to move.
"Cao Cao's forces are withdrawing to Hefei here! Their numbers around 500,000!"
Follow-up forces confirmed: 500,000.
The original plan was to take this spot and then cut off their reinforcements if needed, but 500,000? That's way too big to chew.
Charging in without thinking things through... yeah, that's just like Dad. Not that it's a bad thing to say.
"It's fine. Leave the aftermath to me. We'll prepare to withdraw immediately."
Time to shove that grenade right up Cao Cao's ass.
Here's why, laid out plain:
First off, if Cao Cao hits Yushugou with over 500,000 troops, game over. The numbers gap is insane—several times over. Hell, we should've considered the possibility of Yushugou getting breached and us getting steamrolled.
Second, say the enemy's supplies are running dry. Even assuming they grit their teeth and force-march here, they could arrive in five days. A person can survive three weeks without food.
Ants can crush a mantis with sheer numbers; starving for five days won't drop their stats like some gravity field kicked in.
Truth is, that was our goal—forcing their retreat. Problem is, the numbers are way higher than expected.
Even if it's not a full 500,000 frontline fighters, it means their 800,000-strong army bluff wasn't empty.
Operation success. But if we can't retreat, we're all dead meat.
Third, the grand strategy's goal is already met. Forcing the enemy horde to withdraw was our main objective, and they've done it.
Fourth, consider negotiations breaking down. Can 10-20,000 of us holed up in a flooded Hefei hold off 500,000? Shouldn't we bail on Hefei and run now?
So wouldn't picking the best shot at boosting our escape odds make sense? Dealing with Cao Cao using Hefei and Zhang Liao as chips has to be better than nothing.
This isn't optional—it's do-or-die. We have to.
If it goes south, it's just my head on the block. Cheap price, right?
Isn't this a steal? Chen Soyoung makes the perfect discard play—no real strategic value left. Put people where they're best suited, and this gig fits me like a glove.
"Urgent report! Wu forces have miraculously won at Yushugou, seized Shouchun, and are heading to Xiaopei!!!"
...Huh?
"Pardon?"
"...What?"
I locked eyes with the messenger.
"To confirm... Wu won the battle, occupied Shouchun, and now they're advancing on Xiaopei..."
Is this for real?
"Wait... seriously?"
"Yes, sir!"
Zhou Yu is a god. Zhou Yu is a god...!!!
Negotiations.
This might actually have a shot.
*
The enemy navy's movements suddenly halted.
They had no idea how grueling it is to row those oars.
Hit hard on their flanks, the enemy couldn't reform their lines and began to crumble.
The battle dragging into a prolonged slog had played a big part. Then, dozens—maybe hundreds—of logs came surging in, flipping the entire fight on its head.
Was this even possible? The wind shifting direction in an instant, the logs picking up speed with the current, our forces seemingly pushed back just enough to position the enemy vanguard perfectly in their path for a direct hit?
If we hadn't been "pushed back," those logs would've smashed our own ships.
Suspicion crept in. Had Shu bent the knee to Cao Cao?
That was the only way to explain this ploy without doubt.
A small vessel approached the flagship.
Undoubtedly a messenger with some report.
"Good news! Shu forces have seized the Hefei dikes! They're fully prepared to flood it!"
"What? Is that true?"
Hearing the report, even Zhou Yu felt awe.
So the alliance hadn't broken. Which meant those logs...
...were all in the palm of her hand?
Shock robbed him of breath. He thought of Chen Soyoung, who had unleashed water while he and Lu Meng brought fire.
Of course, the very idea of occupying Hefei's waterways was genius in itself.
She'd ordered the work from day one, full confidence.
Zhuge Liang's wife and Lu Su had handled the logistics. The sharpened logs were ready from the start.
But even setting that aside, this felt like...
Water? Was this the key strat? She predicted that much rain?
There'd been no explicit water plan.
Yet this situation? The enemy, unable to chain up after their flanks were breached, smashing into each other and self-destructing—how do you explain it?
Even the wind was on our side. Enemy ships toppled like dominoes.
This... this make any sense? Was what I'm seeing right now really one person's scheme?
It might be the simplest plan imaginable. On the surface, something a child could dream up.
...How the hell is it actually working?
No matter how he struggled to grasp it, he couldn't.
Just hours ago, he'd cursed the heavens. Now this impossible scheme made them feel even farther away.
Beyond the heavens. No mortal could pull this off.
Current speed, log weight, enemy ship positions, wind direction, weather prediction—all had to align perfectly.
"Hah..."
He stopped thinking and focused on exploiting the opportunity Chen Soyoung had created.
If she'd laid the groundwork, she'd have predicted our moves too.
She'd said it clear: occupy Shouchun and hole up at Xiaopei.
And now it's possible.
"All forces!!! Crush their flanks!!! Advance past Hefei to Shouchun!!! The enemy is nothing but floating trash in the sea! Sweep them all away!!!"
They'd smash themselves adrift. Before long, Cao Cao's ships lost function, drifting like massive wrecks.
The enemy rear guard retreated. Only the chained rear ships held position, stubbornly unmoved by the logs.
"Ah...!!!"
Zhou Yu let out another sigh.
She even foresaw Huang Gai's chain strat failing?
How many moves ahead was she? He couldn't even guess.
Too perfect for prediction or luck—everything fit like clockwork.
The first time he saw Chen Soyoung, pity had welled up.
Rumors said Liu Bei kept her close. Too close.
She was a flower blooming in the sky, fitting her name, but so young it made him sigh inwardly.
Maybe the rumors stemmed from Liu Bei's misconduct.
That needless suspicion had crossed his mind.
So he'd thought of his own wife, alone while he was away, and vowed to be kind to the girl.
Zhuge Liang was the type to sell his daughter for power, he'd half-convinced himself.
That's why he'd gone out of his way to be gentle.
But now I get why he keeps her close. She's a monster.
"All forces! Row at full speed and annihilate the enemy! Ready fire arrows again! Heaven is on our side!!!"
Rooooar────!!!
Who knew how many total assault horns would blare that day.
We seemed to win, then lose. Losing for sure, yet winning.
Who was commanding whom? He truly couldn't tell anymore.
The assault ships dutifully, stubbornly shattered Cao Cao's fleet once more.
"How... how can this happen?"
*
Guo Jia could only sigh.
Call it a freak natural disaster—no other explanation.
A sure catch slipped right through their fingers.
"Urgent report! Han Sui of the Western Liang has raised his army!"
They'd barely anchored, and headaches already poured in.
"Urgent report! Hefei has fallen, and commander Zhang Liao captured!"
We had to breach Yushugou. Push through, seize Jiangdong, and our lord could've unified the realm in his lifetime.
What use was leaving it for posterity?
But... it all flipped.
How to salvage this mess?
"Urgent report!"
"Argh! What now? Spout nonsense and I'll have your head! Speak!"
The terrified messenger stared at the ground, avoiding eye contact.
"Shu's supreme commander has personally requested a parley! They've conveyed intent to come themselves!"
"What did you say?"