Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Sun Guan saw this and couldn't help but laugh out loud, his face full of disdain: "Look, these mountain barbarians dare to imitate others in arranging troops and formations, and even dream of fighting with us? They are simply overestimating their own abilities and don't know their own danger! With just them, they think they can stop a chariot with a mantis arm?" The laughter echoed in the team, causing the surrounding soldiers to laugh as well. For a while, the Xuzhou army was filled with an atmosphere of underestimating the enemy.

Zang Ba's face was solemn, he frowned slightly, turned his head, and reminded Sun Guan softly: "Sun Guan, don't be careless. Think about it, since they dared to abandon the advantageous location of the camp, and were not afraid of our army approaching the city, and wanted to deploy a battle formation to meet the enemy, they must have something to rely on. Maybe there is a secret hidden, we can't take it lightly, so as not to fall into their trap." His voice was low but powerful, revealing the caution and calmness of a veteran in the battlefield.

Sun Guan listened, his smile faded, and he nodded, his expression growing serious. He understood Zang Ba's words were absolutely correct. On the battlefield, things change rapidly, and any negligence could lead to disaster. So he rallied his troops and shouted, "Brothers, take heart! Don't underestimate the enemy!" With his shout, the clamor in the Xuzhou army gradually subsided. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, staring vigilantly ahead, and the entire army regained its pre-battle tension and awe.

The Xuzhou army arrived in a mighty force, quickly forming into a strict battle array. Ma Chao tapped his horse's belly and led the charge out of the Shanyue army. Standing tall and imposing, he shouted, "I am General Mu Jin of the Shanyue army! You are under the name of Xuzhou, yet why are you here in Wujun for no reason? Do you have any ill intentions?" His voice was powerful and resonant across the battlefield like a bell.

Seeing this, Zang Ba and Sun Guan rode their horses to the front of the battle. Zang Ba, his expression stern and his gaze piercing, stared directly at Ma Chao and shouted, "You wild mountain folk, defying the imperial court's teachings, have dared to attack our Han prefectures and counties. You are simply courting death! We, the Xuzhou army, are the king's troops, commanded by Heaven, to annihilate you rebellious people and restore peace to this region!" His words were sonorous, each one exuding authority and unquestionable determination.

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao burst into laughter within the ranks, his laughter filled with disdain. "Enemy general, stop confusing right and wrong! That old man Wang Lang has been levying heavy taxes and committing countless evil deeds in Wu Commandery. We mountain folk have been oppressed by him for so long, and we suffer terribly! Now we are rising up in resistance, and this is exactly what the people want! You are aiding and abetting the tyrant, how dare you speak so brazenly here!"

Sun Guan, who was standing by, had a hot temper to begin with. When he heard Ma Chao's words, he could no longer bear it. He opened his eyes wide and shouted, "You bold lunatic, how dare you talk nonsense like this!" After that, he squeezed the horse's belly hard, and the warhorse neighed and rushed out like an arrow. He waved the big knife in his hand, with a cold light flashing, and rushed straight to Ma Chao, wanting to teach this "ignorant" Shanyue general a lesson with force.

Seeing that Sun Guan was impatient and rushed over with his sword in hand without saying a word, Ma Chao immediately pulled the reins, stood firmly with his spear, and shouted loudly: "Come here and tell me your name. I, Mu Jin, never kill those without a name!"

Sun Guan galloped on his horse, the big knife in his hand whirring, and shouted loudly: "I will let you die knowingly, my grandfather is the great general Sun Guan!" In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Ma Chao, and the long knife in his hand was wrapped in the whirring sound, and he suddenly chopped it vertically with such force that it seemed that he would split Ma Chao and his horse in half.

Ma Chao, unhurried and composed, raised his spear to block. This seemingly casual block easily neutralized Sun Guan's full-strength attack, leveraging his horse's momentum. Furthermore, Ma Chao's steed didn't budge, not even a step back. Sun Guan felt a massive recoil from the sword, numbing his palms and aching his arms. He was filled with shock and anger, and couldn't help but roar, "You thief, you have so much strength!"

Zang Ba, observing the battle from afar, his sharp eyes instantly discerned the vast disparity in strength between Sun Guan and the enemy general calling himself Mu Jin. He felt a pang of fear, deeply concerned for Sun Guan's life. Without hesitation, he swung his spear and shouted, "Charge!" With that, he led a vast force like a tidal wave towards Ma Chao. On the battlefield, sheer numbers were paramount, and with their superior numbers, the rules and moral principles of a one-on-one duel were of little concern.

Ma Chao, unafraid of this, shouted, "The enemy generals are unrighteous! Come on! Even if you two come at me, I have nothing to fear!" As he spoke, Zang Ba and his lieutenants arrived, joining Sun Guan in besieging Ma Chao. Ma Chao, attacked by six men simultaneously, remained remarkably composed, maneuvering skillfully amidst the flashing swords and sabers. In the fierce battle, Ma Chao seized the opportunity and unleashed his spear like a dragon, wounding two lieutenants in quick succession, sending blood splattering everywhere.

Seeing this, Zang Ba was shocked and anxious, and shouted, "This enemy general is so powerful!" Then he turned to Sun Guan and shouted, "Sun Guan, let's retreat first and let the soldiers go up and tire him to death!" After that, the two of them made a feint and led the troops to surround Ma Chao. A melee began.

On the battlefield, the cries of battle were deafening, and swords flashed and gleamed. Ma Chao, like a god of war, charged left and right amidst the dense encirclement of the Xuzhou army, striking fear into the enemy's hearts. Behind him, Mu Tong and Mu Tie, like two iron towers, held the line, repelling wave after wave of fierce attacks from the Xuzhou army's flanks. Every time the Xuzhou army attempted to break through the flanking defenses, they were repelled with thunderous force, wielding their heavy weapons. The splashes of blood were particularly glaring in the sunlight.

Ma Chao charged through the enemy lines, his spear lashing out like a dragon, crushing the enemy wherever he went. But he knew that this feigned retreat had come to an end, and his own men had suffered numerous casualties in this fierce confrontation. Observing the situation before him, Ma Chao decisively yanked on the reins. His horse neighed loudly, rearing its hooves high. Standing tall, he commanded in a resounding, resolute voice: "Mutong, Mutie, retreat at once. I will cover your rear!" His words, like a mighty bell, pierced the clamor of the battlefield and reached the ears of every Shanyue soldier.

Standing beside them, Pan Feng and Wu Anguo were equally fearless and valiant. Pan Feng gripped the heavy axe tightly, each swing evoking a whirring sound and a flash of cold light. Wu Anguo wielded his long hammer, each blow causing the ground to tremble slightly. Like ferocious demons, they closely guarded Ma Chao's rear flank, facing the Xuzhou army's overwhelming attack without fear, fighting desperately to resist.

Upon hearing Ma Chao's command, Mutong and Mutie sprang into action. They organized their forces methodically, and the soldiers, working closely together, began an orderly retreat. For a moment, the clatter of hurried hooves, the chaotic thud of footsteps, and the clash of weapons intertwined, creating a tense melody of retreat.

Ma Chao, accompanied by his personal guards, along with Wu Anguo and Pan Feng, personally covered the rear. Like wild beasts guarding their lair, they charged like lightning wherever the pursuers pressed hardest, unleashing a ferocious, storm-like assault. Ma Chao's spear danced like a dragon and snake, sending the enemy screaming and falling wherever he touched. Pan Feng's axe cleaved a bloody path with every blow, and Wu Anguo's hammer was even more powerful, smashing the enemy's formation into disarray. Flashes of cold light flashed, swords and spears clashed, and the cries of death were ear-piercing. Blood flowed endlessly, staining the ground beneath their feet a dark crimson.

Zang Ba and Sun Guan, in the Xuzhou army, watched helplessly as the enemy general, Ma Chao, led the Shanyue army in an attempt to flee. Their hearts were instantly ignited with rage and anxiety. They knew Ma Chao's formidable capabilities, but they were unwilling to let the enemy escape. So, they shouted at the top of their lungs, repeatedly urging their soldiers to pursue. At their urging, the Xuzhou army, like a surging tide, followed the Shanyue army closely, refusing to slack off even for a moment.

The two sides pursued each other, gradually entering the depths of a dense forest. Here, the trees towered to the sky, their branches thick and lush, so that sunlight could only filter through the layers of foliage, casting scattered specks of light. Zang Ba and Sun Guan, observing the increasingly complex terrain, and the soldiers, exhausted after a long pursuit, were forced to halt, their hearts filled with frustration and annoyance.

The general, known as the Wood and Gold, was truly exceptionally brave and skilled. His spear wielded with unparalleled skill on the battlefield, each thrust unerringly precise and impossible to defend against. The two burly men at his side, Pan Feng and Wu Anguo, were equally ruthless and formidable. Whenever the Xuzhou army seemed on the verge of halting the Shanyue army, they would swiftly arrive like two bombshells to break the siege. They seemed to possess boundless strength, radiating a fearsome aura, charging across the battlefield with impunity. Despite the immense distances and immense energy expended in their pursuit, the Xuzhou army was unable to halt the Shanyue generals, leaving behind only a sense of despair as they vanished into the dense forest.

Zang Ba and Sun Guan, weary-faced, reported to Tao Ying and Wang Lang. They clasped their fists in salute, a touch of guilt evident in their expressions. Upon hearing that the Shanyue troops had escaped before his very eyes, Tao Ying's eyes widened, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face. However, remembering that Zang Ba and Sun Guan were his trusted and beloved generals, known for their bravery in battle and their considerable reliance, he suppressed his rage.

He took a deep breath and gave an icy order, "Immediately send the troops deep into the mountains and forests and search carefully for any traces of the Shanyue troops. We must kill them all and not let any of them go!"

Upon receiving the order, the Xuzhou army surged into the mountains and forests. Unbeknownst to them, the four generals, Mu Tong, Mu Tie, Mu Jin, and Mu Yin, were skilled warriors raised in the Shanyue forests, knowing every blade of grass and tree within. Even before the battle, Mu Jin and Mu Yin, leveraging their familiarity with the mountains and forests, had already found a well-hidden camp and cleverly concealed their Shanyue troops within it.

The Xuzhou army searched hard in the mountains and forests. Thorns tore their clothes and sweat soaked their backs, but two whole days passed and they didn't even see the shadow of the Shanyue troops. They only left a mess of footprints and trampled grass in the mountains and forests.

Upon learning that the search had yielded no results, Tao Ying was distraught. He knew that further delay would only waste precious time and compromise the overall battle plan. Furthermore, while the Shanyue troops were brave, their numbers were limited, and they could not yet pose a substantial threat to his main force. After careful consideration, Tao Ying ultimately decided not to delay and decisively ordered his entire army to Yong'an County, where they would rendezvous with Cao Bao and continue the next phase of the military operation.