Chapter 127 - The Urban Army Retreats
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
The Black Flag made their move first. They are heavy infantries, and their method of attack is crushing their enemies with sheer strength. Although they are slow, every step they took would strike fear in their opponent’s hearts. The imposing look of their heavy armor would make anyone cower.
“Good, maintain this momentum. CRUSH THEM NOW!!!!” Zhou Cheng is intoxicated with this feeling. This heavy infantry is truly awesome in Zhou Cheng’s eyes. These heavy infantry is the result the Zhou clan’s many years of training. They will become the Zhou clan’s barrier in this times of war and will become a bridge for the Zhou clans rise to fame and fortune.
This Wancheng city will be the Zhou clan’s tribute for Sun Ce.
“These heavy infantry is as good as Formation Breaker!” Liu Mang muttered to himself, it was truly comparable with the Formation Breaker. When at the road to Kaiyang, Liu Mang had been fighting alongside Formation Breaker, at that time, the Formation Breaker formed a tortoise shell formation and when enemy came, the formation swallowed 2,000 troops in one blow.
And the Black Flag in front of him, is similar to the Formation Breaker of that time. If this is a battle in open-field, these the Black Flag would not be so good, because they simply did not have enough speed to do attack and any enemy can avoid them, but currently the Urban Army was trapped inside the city, unable to maneuver freely. So they can only meet them head-on.
“Raise bows!!! SHOOT!!!” For the Black Flag to reach them, they required quite a lot of time. Liu Mang needed to cut down their numbers first by volleying. The opponents are wearing heavy armor, but with a volley and with gravity added, they should able to pierce their armor. With Liu Mang implementing three waves of firing, they are able to volley-fire without stopping.
If ordinary foot soldiers were the one who is charging right now, their numbers will be reduced greatly after this attack. Even the elite soldiers like the Danyang soldiers can only bite their teeth and retreat when faced with this kind of volley-fire. And now that volley-fire is falling toward the Black Flag like acid-rain.
However, that volley-fire proved to be futile by the Black Flag's armor. The volley-fire simply cannot penetrate their heavy armor and they occasionally deflected the arrows using their own weapons. Even 1 or 2 people just snorted coldly toward Liu Mang to show that his efforts were futile.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Useless, useless!! Your volley-fire is useless to my elites!!!!” Zhou Cheng's face become more fierce and said “Increase speed, grind them to the ground!!!”
“HMPH?!” Liu Mang's brow wrinkled. Is the heavy infantry this strong?! If the enemies were heavy cavalry, Liu Mang's arrows can at least bring injury to their warhorse. But his volley-fire only tickle the Black Flag.
“General, should we rush them?!” Cheng Yu proposed his method. When heavy infantry meet with each other, there will be a duel naturally.
In Liu Mang's hand now there is only 1,000 troops and they are forming a formation of 300 great shields at the front, 300 spearmen, 300 archers and 100 cavalry soldiers that act as phalanx bodyguard. Those 300 great shield soldiers is the one who wore the heavy armor.
Looking at the Black Flag getting nearer and nearer Liu Mang said his order “Urban Army, first row lift your shield!”
Cheng Yu was really excited. He is a general, so naturally he longs for contributing merit to his military service, and is also eager to defeat the enemy on battlefield. The spearmen were already prepared and pointed their spears toward them.
Cheng Yu also lift his hand. When Liu Mang issued his order, he will bring his cavalry soldiers to do the initial assault, tearing open these heavy infantries stubborn defense with the cavalry's momentum.
However Liu Mang’s next words surprised everyone on the field, making even Cheng Yu vomit blood.
“RETREAT!!!!"
“WHAT?! RETREAT??” Cheng Yu really cannot believe his order. Where can we retreat?! Right now they cannot advance or retreat, we are sitting ducks.
The last result is, they will be suffocated by the opposition and will be annihilated inside the city.
Although Cheng Yu did not want to believe the order, Liu Mang’s order was law, so the only thing Cheng Yu can do is prepare his cavalry unit to retreat.
“Heh, want to run away?! A moment ago, you were truly spirited and now you want to run?! TOO LATE FOR ALL OF THAT!!! I WANT TO GO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO!!! ALL ARMY FULL RUSH!!!!” Zhou Cheng truly become crazy. As long as he killed this Lu Bu's son-in-law, he would bring the biggest gift to Sun Ce. Lu Bu’s army has killed Sun Ce's wife Da Qiao, and for that reason, now Sun Ce is storming Wancheng city.
So, killing Lu Bu's beloved son-in-law and giving his head to Sun Ce, it is certainly the best gift.
“WANT TO KILL ME? THEN COME AND GET ME!!!” Liu Mang is really annoyed with these Black Flag because they did not want to release him at all.
“QUICK, FULL RETREAT, THROW THE GREAT SHIELD!!!” The front row of Urban Army is holding the great shield. Those great shields that Liu Mang brought was incorporated into Formation Breaker after Battle of Mt. Bagong.
The Urban Army now is also using the great shields because of its good defenses but it is very heavy and will hinder their retreat speed as well, so Liu Mang ordered them to discard the great shield and they all complied with Liu Mang’s order.
As a reaction the Black Flag also increased their speed. Their appearance was like a tiger closing in on its prey, once they reached their prey, they will surely die.
“General, we have discarded our shields! What is next!!!?” Cheng Yu was anxious. What kind of army retreated before even battling? He even ordered for their weaponry to be discarded? If this continues, what else will be discarded? Did Liu Mang want them to fight barehanded and naked!?
“ALL TROOPS, DISCARD YOUR HELMETS AND ARMOR!!!” Liu Mang did not pay attention to Cheng Yu but issues order directly. Eh, after discarding the shield, they now discarded their helmets and armor?
With this, the Urban Army could be described as armor less. What good it can bring with this fucked-up strategy?
If anyone saw this, they would say that Urban Army is truly routed. The only thing left is their banner. If they threw down their banner, then this Urban Army can be considered defeated, even if all of their troops are intact.
“After they thrown down their shield, now they also threw down their helmet?!” Zhou Cheng become really confused.
Normal soldiers only wear lightweight iron armor, their armor is so thin that it like a padded aluminum foil. When they are faced with a volley-fire, they will be dead immediately.
Helmets and arm guards are usually made of stronger material in order to protect their arms and head. They were built like that so the enemies’ attack can avoid their vitals as well as countering their enemies attack.
The best armor and helmet is usually reserved for General and Commander-in-chief, their helmet and armor provided very strong defense and was also custom-made in order for them to be comfortable while wearing it.
But now those enemies just discarded their helmet and armor and great shield. They are completely exposed, vitals and all. Are they feigning? Is this a ploy?
Zhou Cheng hesitated, he wanted to make his army stop their advance, but the following event truly made him to discard his hesitation and proceed on an all-out attack.
“Discard the banner, NOW!!!” Liu Mang’s shouting is very clear and his troops proceeded to throw down their black banner with the “Liu” character on it.
A banner represent who is the current division commander and it was a signal for all the troops that their commander is still fighting with them. Since Liu Mang ordered them to throw down their banner, is the general requesting for a surrender?
If a banner has been thrown down, usually that means the commander-in-chief had died, or escaped or requested for surrender and will destroy the morale of that particular division.
Therefore, the banner is like the manifestation of the unit’s morale visible beside the commander-in-chief. Without a banner, it means the unit has no morale and it means that they admit defeat.
“HOHOHO!!! Are you requesting for a surrender?! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SURRENDER!!!!”Zhou Cheng has decided to take Liu Mang’s head for big merit. How can he let Liu Mang live?
“ALL ARMY HEAR MY COMMAND!!!! PURSUE LU BU’S ARMY!!! DESTROY THEM!!! ANNIHILATE THEM!!! ANYONE WHO KILLS A SOLDIER GETS 1,000 TAELS OF GOLD!!! KILL FIVE SOLDIERS, I WILL GRANT YOU YOUR FREEDOM AND I WILL MAKE YOU A FIRST-GRADE OFFICIAL!!! KILL THAT GOLDEN-ARMORED GENERAL, AND YOU WILL BE ADOPTED INTO MY ZHOU CLAN, YOU WILL BRING HONOR TO YOUR ANCESTORS!!!”
Zhou Cheng shouted all of the possible rewards. Hearing Zhou Cheng’s command, suddenly those Black Flag soldiers who were already exhausted from pursuing the Urban Army was re-motivated again to kill the enemy soldiers.
The Black Flag is the Zhou clan’s private soldier but they are actually all Zhou clan slaves. So as long as they can kill these Lu Bu’s soldiers, they will have big merit waiting for them.
With 1,000 taels of gold, they can buy their freedom.
Becoming a first-grade official means their path is opened to become a general in Zhou clan.
Being adopted into the Zhou clan means their descendants will become nobles and they will enjoy all benefits of a noble, they are no longer slaves.
“SHA, SHA, SHAAAAA!!!!” Those Black Flag soldiers who were originally exhausted suddenly restored their stamina and sped up toward the Urban Army. Their killing intent rose up again and their swords were thirsting for blood.
“AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!” Some of the Urban Army’s rear lines who suffered from foot cramps was killed by the Black Flag. They had already thrown away their helmets, armor and great shield, they were only equipped with a long sword or spear. Naturally they were not a match for the Black Flag and was swallowed instantly by their attack.
Even as the rear lines were gobbled up, it did not hinder the Black Flag’s advance.
Cheng Yu yelled toward Liu Mang “GENERAL, IF WE KEEP THIS UP, WE WILL BE ANNIHILATED, CHENG YU REQUESTS TO ATTACK!!!”
Those comrades died without even putting up a fight. Earlier, they have not done anything and only sent volley-fire and immediately after that, they withdrew. Cheng Yu’s heart was truly uncomfortable.
Liu Mang’s mood is also very uncomfortable. When he heard the scream of those soldiers dying, his heart was rending. Although he is truly grieving but he cannot stop for he had not completed his ploy, if he stopped now, then it is the end.
“If I let you fight now, you will die like a dog!” Although Cheng Yu’s squadron was heavy cavalry, their numbers were too little. 100 people daring to charge into 3,000 heavy infantries? This is just like when he fought Chen Lan and Lei Bo. It will definitely annihilate Cheng Yu’s troops. Cheng Yu’s idea is stupid and Liu Mang will never agree with him.
But Cheng Yu pleaded “Please General, allow us cavalry squadron to charge them! We would rather die trying, than die….!!!” Cheng Yu had not said his entire sentence he was shushed by Liu Mang.
Liu Mang knows what he wanted to say. Cheng Yu also knows that 100 cavalry troops fighting 3,000 heavy infantry troops will result in complete annihilation. But he must request to fight, to appease these comrades who died and also he did not want to be regarded as useless.
Another reason was to cover General Liu Mang’s retreat. If the general lives, then the Urban Army can make their comeback. Cheng Yu was muddleheaded now, to understand Liu Mang’s ploy.
So Cheng Yu was determined to let these 100 cavalry troops become a sacrifice to cover Liu Mang’s retreat! At least they can hold these 3,000 heavy infantries for quite a long time. Cheng Yu has seen the Black Flag’s prowess, even if the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry was the one who is here, their casualties will be very big.
Looking at Cheng Yu’s determined expression, Liu Mang can only bit his teeth and ordered him to attack, and also because Black Flag has slowed down their advance meant, cavalry can show their momentum.
“Fine! Cheng Yu, I will give you an opportunity to attack. You can charge the enemies but only one time. Attack them from their flank and return to me IMMEDIATELY!
I need you!
The Urban Army needs you!
Without Cheng Yu and your cavalry squadron, the Urban Army is no longer the Urban Army!”
Liu Mang truly cared for his cavalry squadron. Because Liu Mang had once led a charge against Chen Lan and Lei Bo, and none of them survived including Xu Cheng. All of them died protecting Liu Mang. With his previous squadron annihilated, Liu Mang did not want to lose a second time.
However, their opponents are different. At that time, Liu Mang met with 3,000 light-armored troops led by Chen Lan and Lei Bo. In contrast, Cheng Yu’s opponents right now are 3,000 heavy infantries.
Defeat is certain.