Chapter 15: Catch Your Blindness!

Wang Gushan watched as his loyal captain died a gruesome death, and his rage grew even fiercer. He drew his blade with a swift motion, and with a thunderous shout of "Kill!" prepared to charge forward.

"General, no, it's too dangerous!"

Fortunately, his bodyguard beside him was quick to react, grabbing him and holding him back.

"General, you carry the fate of our army, you must not risk yourself."

Staring ahead at Zheng Dali, who was accelerating and vanishing into the darkness, Wang Gushan muttered bitterly, "That wretch, causing my brother's death."

"General, call back the brothers chasing ahead, don't let any more fall to the Wei people's hidden arrows," urged a guard.

"Exactly, if our whole army presses forward, the Wei will have nowhere to escape."

Wang Gushan agreed, and sent a messenger to deliver his orders.

He had already decided—when the time came, he would sever the head of that Wei commander to honor his fallen brother.

Just then, another whistling sound tore through the air, and something crashed down upon the Chen ranks.

And then—

"Ah..."

"Ah!"

Falling stones rained down, striking the Chen soldiers and eliciting cries of pain and confusion. If they hadn’t been mounted, the scene would have devolved into a panicked scramble.

"Shut up, all of you!" Wang Gushan barked, his voice harsh. He cursed his luck—how could he keep encountering these inexplicable disasters?

At his roar, the Chen soldiers hurriedly fell silent, gritting their teeth even as pain wracked their bodies. They knew their general's temper all too well.

Once quiet fell, Wang Gushan surveyed his surroundings. He realized that aside from his own group, there was no one else in sight. The soldiers sent to chase the enemy, Zheng Dali and his men, had vanished into the night, with only distant sounds betraying their movements.

So who had struck from the shadows?

"Show yourself!" Wang Gushan retreated to the center of his guards, shouting angrily into the darkness.

Something was wrong. He had first thought Wang Yi was killed by the damned Wei cavalry, but now it seemed the situation was far more complicated.

Silence—nothing but silence. At least, that was Wang Gushan’s impression.

The deepening quiet finally brought him clarity, for the first time since the initial ambush. Earlier, he had tolerated Zheng Dali’s provocations not out of calm, but because orders from Zhang Yunliang weighed upon him, and Gao An soothed his anger.

Now, he recalled Gao An’s patient persuasion—but it was too late. Trapped as he was, regret could only be swallowed.

All around, only the occasional chirp of cicadas, cries of frogs, and the whisper of wind through leaves disturbed the stillness.

Then, another series of whistling sounds.

This time, Wang Gushan saw clearly—they came from the right flank.

He watched as over a dozen Chen soldiers fell from their horses, their fate unknown.

"Ambush!" someone shouted.

The Chen troops erupted into panic, little better than the shivering Wei soldiers they’d encountered by the Ling River.

"Don’t panic! I refuse to believe the Wei can overturn the world!" Wang Gushan said coldly, his voice low and steady.

"We have over a thousand mounted men, blades sharp and ready. The Wei are nothing but scattered fugitives, exhausted and cornered. There’s nothing to fear..."

But before he finished, another volley from the left felled more Chen soldiers and sparked further chaos.

"You idiots! Put out those torches—do you want to light yourselves up for them?" Wang Gushan raged, slapping a nearby guard who still carried a torch.

At last, the Chen soldiers realized their mistake and hurriedly extinguished their torches, hoping not to become further targets.

"Spread out, increase distance, change direction, retreat," Wang Gushan ordered.

A military officer asked, "General, should we abandon those brothers who chased ahead?"

Wang Gushan could not afford to consider them now—his own life, and the safety of nearly a thousand men, demanded immediate withdrawal.

He explained, "The situation is dire. We might all be left here. We must abandon them. They can only rely on their own luck now."

Turning his horse, Wang Gushan began to retreat under his guards' protection.

His earlier bravado, declaring the Wei weak and easy to defeat, meant nothing now—he couldn’t even see their shadow, with nowhere to direct his strength.

The officer sighed deeply, helplessly turning his horse to follow. As Wang Gushan said, he could only hope his abandoned friends survived.

As the Chen troops moved, arrows and stones continued to fly from the darkness, and their horses were occasionally tripped, slowing their withdrawal and increasing casualties.

"Careful on the left..."

"Behind us, arrows incoming..."

"Above, in the trees—there are men there too..."

In the forest, the Chen soldiers shouted warnings for their comrades, but it was futile—they were still exposed.

...

On the other side, Wei Wuji issued orders to his men, "Pass the word—tell everyone to ready their weapons and fight for wealth and honor!"

"Yes, sir!" The messenger dashed off, invigorated, with no trace of fatigue. The Chen were being routed, and glory and fortune were within reach.

Soon, the Wei soldiers received their prince’s command, their spirits soaring.

The brutal battle they’d anticipated never materialized; now it felt more like a game of cat and mouse.

Victory seemed close—Chen’s forces were meat on the chopping block, waiting for the blade.

The prince had promised rewards for every head taken; now was the time to cut down as many as possible.

Weapons in hand, the Wei soldiers crept forward.

The Chen troops, still advancing cautiously through the night, had lost all their earlier swagger—now they were cowed, fearing sudden arrows would end their lives.

Wang Gushan no longer spoke; he only hoped to escape the woods as soon as possible.

Then, he could gallop back and rejoin his main force.

But that was easier said than done...

Suddenly, a scream came from the front—a Chen soldier fell from his horse.

Nearby soldiers turned pale, shouting, "Enemy ahead!"

Once again, the Chen troops stirred in panic, and Wang Gushan had to call out, "Hold steady, form ranks and prepare to fight—we’re almost out!"

The promise of imminent escape lifted their spirits slightly.

"Brothers, just a few steps forward. We’ve been gone so long, General Zhang must have sent reinforcements."

Wang Gushan’s words had some effect; the troops organized a defense and continued their slow, cautious advance.

But a series of screams soon broke out, chilling their courage.

A bodyguard by Wang Gushan said quietly, "General, it’s spearmen—they’re using long spears."

"In this pitch darkness, we’re living targets. They can stab wherever they please!" the guard said anxiously.

Wang Gushan’s face was grim, his eyes fixed ahead. In a hoarse voice he ordered, "Have everyone dismount. Form ranks and fight our way out."

Never pursue a cornered enemy; never enter the woods! These old maxims echoed in Wang Gushan’s mind, but it was too late.

On the other side, Wei Wuji received the latest report and was at ease—Chen’s casualties had reached a third, and victory was assured.

Enjoying the cool mountain breeze, Wei Wuji said with satisfaction, "Let them flounder in the dark. Tonight, not a single one escapes."