Chapter 172: 172
Chapter 172 – Battle of Liyang - Part 2
Both generals stared at the scouts without saying anything . Their expression was solemn . The actions of the rebels were severe than they had estimated .
In the beginning, they were skeptical about this edict of Liu Ping . They thought that this upstart Emperor was abusing his authority . None of them have thought that the rebels were this cruel .
"We got it . We will punish these rebels . We will give them justice!" Huangfu Song consoled the scout who smiled and passed out from the exhaustion .
Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song looked at each other .
"Change of plans, we’ll get the soldiers ready for tomorrow combat . Let’s have our soldiers gather woods and logs . We’ll need them to construct our siege weapons . "
"Let’s get that fatty Dong Zhuo to the meeting, too . He’s been slacking as of late . "
The two exchanged opinions and got back to their men to get everyone ready for tomorrow .
. . .
5 . 30 PM .
The update news from the scouts reached Dong Zhuo’s camp . At the same time, a messenger from Huangfu Song arrived .
"Lord Huangfu Song has invited you to join the strategic planning meeting at his camp . Please proceed to the camp before the sunset . "
Dong Zhuo frowned at the messenger and chased him away .
"I knew, I knew . I’ll be there shortly . You can go . "
After the messenger was sent away, Li Ru spoke . "As we have predicted, Zhang Tong took Liyang City . But I’m surprised that he’s quite ruthless for a youngster . "
"Hah! He has to be able to do that much if he wants to join my family!" Dong Zhuo laughed . "What do you think I should do next?"
"In this meeting, Huangfu Song will arrange the armies for the siege of Liyang City . I want you to take part in this siege . They will order our troops to surround the castle . Once they give such an order to you, I want you to choose either being on the west gate or south gate . "
"Oh? We won’t burn their granary or attack those two idiots?"
"No, I have a better alternative plan for you, my lord . I’m sure you will like it . "
...
The meeting ended with harmony . Dong Zhuo was in charge of sieging the east and south gate because he had the most troops . Huangfu Song would attack the north while Zhu Jun would handle the east gate .
With all gates covered, Zhang Tong would never be able to escape from Liyang City .
Dong Zhuo walked out of the meeting tent with a bright smile . Li Ru still followed after him without saying anything . Both of them returned to their camp . But instead of returning to their tent, they called out the logistics manager to discuss their plans .
"I want all of you to prepare boats . "
The logistic officers looked at each other in a baffle . They were marching on land . They did not understand why they should be preparing boats .
"Do what I said! You hear!?"
Dong Zhuo wanted these boats to secretly transport his troops and provision away during the siege of Liyang .
Li Ru’s plan was more ingenious than Dong Zhuo had thought . He did not want Dong Zhuo to fight either Tong or Imperial Army . He wanted Dong Zhuo to simply retreat from the campaign back to Luo Yang while stealing all Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun’s supplies! Both generals would be occupied fighting Tong and his men while Dong Zhuo reaped all the profits!
If he were to retreat with full healthy 100,000 troops to the Capital, he could overthrow Liu Ping regime with his force and isolate all imperial troops from coming back home!
It would take weeks for the news of the fallen Capital to reach Liu Ping . By that time, Liu Ping would have no place to call home .
...
...
9 PM .
Outside Huangfu Song’s Camp .
A thousand men in black clothes lied in prone in a forest, nearby the imperial camps .
A young man in a black ninja clothing crawled behind a tree, watching the camp from a distance . His eyes focused around the camp, then he stopped at several watchtowers nearby the fences .
’These guys are elites, alright . They were goddamn thorough with their camping setup . ’
A line of moat trench and double layers of spiked barricades surrounded the entire camp in front of Tong, who clicked his tongue in annoyance and impressed by their diligence .
’To make these entire fortifications, it took over 4 to 5 hours to complete . They sacrificed their marching times to tighten the camp like this...’
There was a saying in the sports world, "Ones with good offense can win a match, but ones with good defense win a championship" .
This fortification was the same with that motto . It was a fruit of Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun’s decade of experience in the battlefields against Xiangnu barbarians . Every time they marched to an unknown territory, they took their time fortifying their camp early so they would not be raided or ambushed easily .
’I can’t sneak into the camp this way . Even if I start shooting these men, I will be able to kill a hundred of them at best before I will be chased down by a cavalry platoon . ’
’Night raid is impossible, but harassment is still good . ’
He pulled a bundle of grasses and tossed it to the air as if he was a golfer who was checking the direction of the wind .
’Southwest wind ... we have to move a bit north . ’
’Fortunately, I’ve stocked up these things . I should pour these around the fences first . ’
Tong took out a hundred small barrels of used oil from his inventory . He gave the barrels to his men and told them .
"Pour these on the fences and the barricades . Soak everything with this oil . "
The men saluted and took a barrel each . All of them were ordinary lamb oil which could catch fire easily . They did as Tong had ordered while they hid in the shadow . It took them ten minutes to complete their tasks and returned to the rendezvous location .
"We’re moving north . We’ll pour these oil to the northeastern fences, too . "
...
11 . 50 PM .
The one thousand ninjas scattered the cooking grease onto all wooden fences and barricades . The soldiers tossed away the empty barrels into the moat and retreated back to the gathering point as ordered .
Seeing that the initial preparation had been completed, Tong pointed his palm to the moat .
The system goddess had warned Tong, he could not use his combination of oil-rain and fire tactic directly on the natives in this world, but he could cast it on objects or use it as traps or weapons .
’I can’t cast it on the tents where they are resting, but I think I should be able to do this . ’
Tong unloaded more items from his inventory . They were the trebuchets that the soldiers made inside Liyang City . Tong placed ten trebuchets on the open fields and set their targets to the middle of the camp . Afterward, he took out more oil barrels to be used as trebuchet bullets .
"Load these barrels on the pouch . "
The smart soldiers caught on what Tong tried to achieve, they obediently put the barrels into the sling pouch .
Seeing that his men finished his job, Tong proceeded to the next phase of his plan . He looked at the clock in his system menu . It showed 11 . 55 PM .
’Five minutes till a reset . I have to use today’s quota first . ’
"[Create Food], cooking grease!"
Tong poured the used cooking oil with bubbles of fat from his palm onto the moat, which started to fill up the dug trench . The 100,000 liters of heated used-oil soaked the ground, creating a stench and white smoke that Tong’s soldiers had to cover their noses .
"Fire the trebuchets!"
...
By the time the last drop of the fat grease got into the moat, the Imperial soldiers already noticed the oily smell .
"What the hell is that smell!?"
"Something is wrong! Wake everyone up! Hurry!"
"Get water! Hurry!"
Commotion broke out inside the camp . Several sleeping men woke up from the nauseous smell . A dozen of experienced ones shouted to prepare water in advance as they believed that a night raid always followed with a fire attack .
Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song also woke up from the hectic shouts . They geared up and rushed toward the chaotic scene to organize the men .
"Reserve troops, get the water . Spears and shields, gather and form a porcupine formation!"
"Fold and toss away the tents! Get more spaces to form up!"
*WHOOSH*
*WHOOSH*
*WHOOSH*
"What?"
The sound of flying objects caught the two generals’ attention . They looked at the sky and saw shadows of round objects crashing onto the ground .
The barrels broke and the black oil splattered all over the place .
"Oil!? All units, retreat south! We’re under attack!"
...
Tong observed their reaction from his radar map . A chill ran down his spine as he witnessed the organized reaction speed of their army .
’So this is what Zhang Jiao in the history had to deal with . What a troublesome army . ’
’Too bad you’re up against me . It’s too late for you to react . ’
’Taste the Class B Fire of the 21st century, mofo!
Tong turned around to look at his one thousand ninjas .
"Trebuchets! Fire one more volley! This time, put fuses in the kegs!"
The barrels they prepared this time was not ordinary oil barrels like the previous volley . They were the cooking oil which had been pre-cooked . Tong had created these boiling fat oil and put all of them in one of his inventory slots . His inventory also preserved the almost oil-boiling-point temperature of this cooking grease, making it ready to use when Tong was ready .
"Light the fuse and fire when you are ready! Once fired, retreat as far as possible!"
"FIRE!"
*WHOOSH*
*WHOOSH*
*WHOOSH*
The moment the last trebuchet fired its barrels, Tong activated his [Time Stop] skill and rushed toward the trebuchets . He stored all trebuchets back into the inventory and ran away from the scenes .
When his [Time Stop] period was over, he shouted to the soldiers in a panic voice .
"RUN! HURRY!"
"GET ON YOUR HORSE AND GO IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DIE!!"
The distance from the pool of oil in the moat was 300 meters away from their location, which was too close . They need to evacuate from this place as soon as possible .
The soldiers did not know this, but they followed his order anyway .
. . .
Meanwhile, barrels attached with flaming clothes flew into the camp again . This time, the barrels hit the ground and exploded in flame .
"AN ATTACK!"
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
As if the camp was carpet-bombed, an explosion occurred on every place the barrels landed . Furthermore, the flame spark spread and landed on the ground where the previous volley of oil barrels landed . Hellfire was lit and continue spreading at an insane speed .
The imperial soldiers were caught off guard . The unfortunate ones were engulfed by the fire .
Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, who were observing the attack, did not panic . They organized their men to douse the flame that caught the tents and inside structures .
There were casualties, but it was light .
"Extinguish the fire! The wind is carrying the fire this way!"
"Cavalry, chase after the raiders!"
Huangfu Song remained behind to oversee the camp while Zhu Jun rushed to the stable and organized the horsemen to chase after Tong and his men .
The surviving soldiers in the camp carried buckets of water over . They poured onto the tents that caught fire . One of the soldiers rushed to the flaming barrels with the oil still in it . He poured the water into the fire as well .
However,
*BOOM*
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