Chapter 99 Invincible The warhorse under Guan Yu raised its head and neighed, its strong and powerful hooves flying like a gust of wind, and it rushed out like a red lightning, with the Qinglong Yanyue Sword in his hand shining with a cold light in the sun. Guan Yu raised his sword and swung it down. A flash of cold light passed by, and in an instant, several Goguryeo soldiers fell down screaming, and blood splattered. His sword skills were extremely sharp, and every swing carried a thousand pounds of force, as if it could cut through mountains and rivers. Five hundred elite cavalrymen followed Guan Yu closely, roaring in unison, and their shouts of killing shook the earth. The infantrymen in the rear also formed a strict and orderly formation and followed closely behind, cooperating with each other in perfect harmony, with skillful and precise movements. In the flash of swords, the Goguryeo soldiers fell one after another, like harvested wheat stalks. The Goguryeo army could not hold out under the fierce attack of Guan Yu's army. The soldiers looked at Guan Yu's war-like figure in horror, and the fear in their hearts was unstoppable like wild weeds that spread wildly. A Goguryeo general attempted to organize a resistance. He rushed towards Guan Yu waving a sharp spear and shouting passionate words to boost morale. However, Guan Yu just looked at him coldly, and swung his Qinglong Yanyue Sword violently with unstoppable momentum. The general's head flew up instantly, and blood gushed out like a fountain, drawing a bloody arc in the air. The Goguryeo soldiers around them became increasingly panicked, their faces twisted with fear, their legs trembling uncontrollably, and they began to flee frantically in all directions. When Qi Wei saw this scene, he shouted repeatedly, trying to keep his footing, but he did not dare to step forward.
Although the general who was killed just now was slightly weaker than him, the difference was not too big. If he went up, he would probably not be able to withstand two blows from this killer. Guan Yu showed no mercy and led his elite cavalry to charge into the enemy's formation as if he was in an empty space. Under the horses' hooves, the blood dyed the land red; in the flash of swords, the enemies fell one after another. Guan Yu's green robe and armor had long been soaked with blood, but it added a bit of iron blood and majesty. His posture was still upright, and his aura made people dare not look up at him. Qi Wei realized that the situation was not right. The infantry in the front army was simply vulnerable to the fierce attack of the enemy. In just a short while, most of them were broken through by the enemy. Seeing that the situation was not good, he immediately ordered the cavalry on both wings to charge forward quickly from both sides. After receiving the order, thousands of cavalrymen formed a formation and attacked Guan Yu's army from both wings, intending to cut off the connection between the cavalry and the infantry and surround Guan Yu and his elite Longxiang cavalry. Guan Yu had been fighting recklessly, but he never stopped observing the battlefield as a whole. His eyes were sharp and he saw through everything. Seeing Qi Wei's action, his eyes narrowed slightly. It seems that the enemy general on the opposite side is not that bad. Because they came by boat, taking into account the complex terrain of Goguryeo, and the fact that Guan Yu had previously used light cavalry for ambushes on both sides, the only cavalry in Guan Yu's army at this time were the 500 elite dragon-shaped cavalrymen around him. When the enemy's front army is at a disadvantage, sending a large number of cavalry to attack from the flanks is indeed a good choice. But he was facing Guan Yu! The five hundred elite dragon-soaring cavalrymen turned around without hesitation, moved in unison, and changed direction, attacking the Goguryeo cavalry on the left wing. At the same time, with the waving of battle flags, the infantry of Guan Yu's army, who had been charging frantically in the rear, slowly slowed down the pace of their attack and reorganized their formation in an orderly manner. From the rear, a well-organized reserve infantry force and five hundred strong crossbowmen, armed with Mo Dao and huge shields, immediately rushed forward and stood in front of the right wing. The Goguryeo cavalry on the left wing couldn't help but feel frightened when they saw Guan Yu's army coming towards them. However, they were so fierce that they could not turn back. If they changed direction temporarily, their formation would become even more chaotic, and they would most likely be chased and killed by the enemy. They had no choice but to continue charging. Having too many soldiers has its disadvantages: difficulty in command and coordination, and lack of flexibility in action.
This is one of the reasons why the Liaodong Army, even while pursuing the elite troops route, still allowed each general to establish an exclusive troop. The purpose is to break the deadlock and boost morale at the critical moment. For Guan Yu, these five hundred elite cavalrymen were his trump card for victory. Guan Yu's military style has always been tough, just like his martial arts. He likes to defeat the enemy in one go without giving them any chance to breathe. If it were a normal combat situation, he might be more calm and observe and determine the enemy's movements before taking action. But now they are outnumbered, and the enemy's fighting power and will are far inferior to theirs, so the best strategy is to go all out to defeat them. Before the 500 elite dragon cavalrymen confronted the Goguryeo cavalry, the archers in Guan Yu's army, organized by the calm and composed captains of their respective garrisons, skillfully conducted two rounds of projectiles. The rain of arrows poured down, causing the Goguryeo cavalry to panic. Although the accuracy was insufficient and only a few cavalry were killed or injured, it caused considerable chaos and completely disrupted the rhythm of their charge. Guan Yu took the opportunity to lead his elite cavalry, who charged in like a tiger descending from a mountain. He madly urged his talents and bestowed his powerful strength on the elite cavalry behind him. Under tremendous pressure, the elite Longxiong cavalry showed such strong will and momentum that Guan Yu even felt a vague mysterious rhythm from them. Could it be that? Because the war was urgent and the enemy was right before his eyes, Guan Yu had no time to think deeply. He kept waving the crescent-shaped sword in his hand and led his elite cavalry to roar loudly. "kill!" The terrifying aura swept across the entire battlefield, causing countless Goguryeo soldiers to freeze in their movements. Their hearts even skipped a beat, as if their throats were being strangled. The Goguryeo cavalry who felt this momentum head-on were even more terrified. Countless horses screamed in fear, stumbled in front of the battle line, and fell to the ground with the soldiers on them. The scene was a bloody mess, a horrible sight. The Goguryeo cavalry, which was already somewhat confused, was thrown into chaos by this terrifying force. Under Guan Yu's fierce attack, the army was defeated and fled in all directions. On the right wing, the Goguryeo cavalry, who Qi Wei had high hopes for, rushed to within dozens of steps of Guan Yu's army. They looked at the neat shield wall in front of them without fear. However, the shield wall suddenly opened, and five hundred strong crossbowmen armed with crossbows quickly launched a volley of fire. Crossbow arrows shot towards the Goguryeo cavalry like locusts, instantly penetrating their leather armor and bodies. At the same time, three hundred fully armed and strong Modao soldiers appeared on the battlefield, and they attacked the Goguryeo cavalry with steady steps and firm eyes. Tian Ze would naturally not let go of the cavalry's killer weapon, the Mo Dao. Although only a small number of them were equipped in the army to ensure the diversity of the troops, they were enough to make the final decision and determine the outcome of the battle at a critical moment. Such a fierce attack caused heavy casualties among the Goguryeo cavalry, which fell into chaos and scrambled to escape. The Goguryeo cavalry on both wings were defeated, and the momentum of Guan Yu's army became even stronger, like a burning flame, unstoppable. Guan Yu led his troops to continue to accelerate the charge, quickly killing through the Goguryeo front army and defeating the central army with great force, causing the Goguryeo army to completely collapse. The soldiers threw away their weapons and armor, and their cries and pleas for mercy were mixed together. The Goguryeo army was completely defeated. Guan Yu's troops lying in ambush on both sides took the opportunity to surround them like a tightening net, leaving only a narrow path, and began to slaughter the Goguryeo army wantonly. Cheng Yu once commented on Guan Yu, saying that his ability to lead troops in combat and his talent were definitely the best in the world. He is extremely capable in facing the enemy head-on, and as long as Guan Yu can gain an advantage, he will become stronger and stronger, like a snowball, unstoppable. Unless the army led by Guan Yu is much weaker than the enemy in combat power and is suppressed by the enemy from the beginning, or the rear is unstable and is attacked by surprise, there is no solution.
When it comes to head-on confrontation, there is probably no one in the whole world who can match him. However, being too rigid can lead to failure, and Guan Yu's weakness is relatively obvious due to his strong frontal position. It would be best to have a calm and steady general to cooperate with him and help Guan Yu defend the rear so that Guan Yu's abilities can be fully utilized. As Guan Yu fully exerted his momentum, the battle turned into a one-sided massacre. Guan Yu, who knew full well that a siege would lead to weaknesses, only left a very narrow retreat route for the Goguryeo troops. He drove them around like cattle and sheep, forcing them to trample on and kill each other. The tragedy was unbearable to watch. Although they were not familiar with the terrain, long-distance raids were a routine training program for Guan Yu's physically strong troops. Their endurance and adaptability were extremely outstanding, and they pursued the enemy without any delay. Guan Yu almost wiped out all the Goguryeo infantry, and only a few soldiers managed to escape under the cover of the mountains and forests. The cavalry was slightly better. Qi Wei, realizing that the situation was not good, fled in panic with his cavalry early on. Although they were ultimately unable to escape and were beheaded by Guan Yu with a single blow, many of the cavalrymen did manage to flee in all directions. (End of this chapter)