Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At dawn the next day, just as the sky was turning pale, a thick fog still lingered over the ground, casting a mysterious veil over the battlefield. Cao Bao and Zuo Rong, leading the elite Danyang troops and 20,000 men, marched heavily towards the Shanyue camp. Cao Bao sat atop a tall black warhorse, clad in heavy armor. His brow knitted beneath his helmet, like an unbreakable knot. He groaned inwardly, his pre-battle argument with Tao Ying still fresh in his mind. The young man, relying on his status as Tao Qian's son, had bossed him around, his words filled with contempt, completely disregarding his years of military exploits and prestige in Xuzhou. But now, he had been driven to this point by his words, forcing him to bite the bullet and fight.

He glanced around warily, a vague feeling of unease rising in his heart, as if a pair of eyes were watching them from the shadows. "The Shanyue people are known for their cunning ways. We must not fall into their traps this time," Cao Bao muttered to himself. But then he thought about how Tao Ying would surely mock him again if he backed down. He gritted his teeth and continued on his way. He felt like he was being roasted on a fire, caught between a rock and a hard place.

When they arrived at the Shanyue camp, the sight stunned everyone. The camp was utterly silent, devoid of a soul. Only a few abandoned tents rustled gently in the breeze. Cao Bao's alarm instantly reached a peak. He instinctively tightened his grip on his spear and shouted, "All troops, be on guard! Do not act rashly!" The soldiers quickly formed a defensive formation, with shield bearers in front, spearmen in the rear, and crossbowmen drawing their bows and arrows, ready to respond to any emergency.

"What are these Shanyue people up to? Why did they suddenly abandon their camp and flee?" Cao Bao frowned, thinking about various possibilities in his mind. "Are they afraid of our army, so they fled? But why did they abandon the camp so easily? There must be something fishy here." The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Just as he was about to order a retreat, a deafening cry of killing suddenly came from a distance.

Shamoke led a tidal wave of Shanyue warriors, their upper bodies bared and covered in bizarre tattoos. They brandished razor-sharp swords and axes, emitting chilling roars. Cao Bao shouted, "Meet the enemy!" The elite Danyang soldiers immediately rallied and engaged the Shanyue warriors in close combat. For a moment, the battlefield was ablaze with flashes of swords, cries of killing, and screams of agony, and blood quickly dyed the ground beneath their feet red.

Following Zhou Yu's plan, Shamoke wielded his long sword with ferocious force, appearing to be incredibly brave, but in reality, he was fighting and retreating. He deliberately exposed a flaw, inviting Cao Bao's army to close in. Seeing the Shanyue army so vulnerable, Cao Bao's vigilance dropped slightly. Recalling Tao Ying's earlier taunts, his eagerness to achieve merit took over. "Hmph, these Shanyue people are nothing special. Their previous claims of formidable strength seemed like bluffing. Today, I must achieve great feats and show that brat Tao Ying that I, Cao Bao, am no pushover!" He swung his spear fiercely and shouted, "Pursue them, all troops! Leave no one behind!" The soldiers, energized by the command, charged forward, shouting and heedless of any traps ahead.

As the pursuit continued, Cao Bao and Zuo Rong's troops gradually entered a valley. The valley was flanked by steep peaks, towering like two massive walls, sandwiching the road in between, making it appear exceptionally narrow. Suddenly, Cao Bao felt a surge of unease. "Oh no! This valley is so dangerous! If we rush in and get ambushed by the enemy, we'll be stuck!" He was about to order a retreat when the crisp sound of a clapperboard clapper suddenly rang out, echoing through the valley.

Jiang Qin and Chen Wu led their ambushers, charging out of the forests on either side like tigers descending from the mountains. Suddenly, a thousand arrows unleashed, a dense, whistling rain of arrows rained down upon Cao's army. Cao's troops were thrown into disarray, their ranks pierced by arrows, their screams echoing incessantly. Cao Bao's eyes widened in horror, his heart pounding with regret. "How could I have been so careless? I've fallen for their treacherous scheme! What shall I do now?" His heart pounded, sweat dripping down his forehead, onto his blood-stained armor.

At the same time, Gan Ning's elite navy quickly sealed off the river. Riding in their light warships, they navigated the river as if it were flat ground. Crossbowmen stood at the bows, their crossbows raised in unison. At Gan Ning's command, arrows unleashed like meteors, slaying Cao Cao's troops attempting to escape by water. The river was instantly bathed in bloody waves, Cao Cao's warships sunk, and soldiers struggled and cried for help in the water, a scene of unparalleled chaos.

Seeing this, Cao Bao was filled with shock and anger. His eyes were bloodshot with rage, and he screamed, "Retreat! Retreat!" However, their retreat was blocked by the sword and shield soldiers led by Zhou Tai and Dong Xi. Zhou Tai, sword in hand, led the sword and shield soldiers like an impenetrable wall, blocking Cao's retreat. The sword and shield soldiers worked closely together, using shields to defend and swords to slash, making it impossible for Cao's army to break through.

Cao Bao and Zuo Rong fought fiercely, trying to fight their way through. Cao Bao brandished his spear, its tip flashing with a cold gleam, and wherever he struck, Shanyue soldiers fell one after another. Not to be outdone, Zuo Rong, wielding a long sword, though his martial arts skills were mediocre, also summoned his own courage. But their resistance seemed powerless against the ambushes surging from all directions. Soldiers around them continued to fall, blood splattering their armor.

In the midst of fierce fighting, Cao Bao suddenly noticed a slackening in the Shanyue's offensive. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, a chance to exploit. "Could it be that the enemy is exhausted? Perhaps this is our chance to break out!" Without giving it time to think, he charged with all his might in that direction. Little did he know, this was a flaw Zhou Yu had deliberately set, waiting for Cao Bao to fall. As Cao Bao and his remaining troops emerged from the encirclement, they encountered the Shanyue, feigning defeat. Believing victory within reach, he unhesitatingly pursued them, "Hmph, let's see where you can escape to. Today, I'll wipe you out!" Little did he know, he was sinking deeper into a trap. The battle was about to conclude, and what awaited him might be a crushing defeat.

Cao Bao, with his remaining troops, recklessly pursued the Shanyue army, which was feigning defeat. His obsession with merit intensified, and he was completely unaware of the danger approaching. He had only one thought in mind: to completely defeat the Shanyue and return Tao Ying's contempt with victory.

As the pursuit deepened, the road became increasingly rugged and difficult to navigate, and the forests on both sides grew denser, seemingly threatening to swallow them up. Cao Bao's deputy, breathlessly admonished, "General, something's wrong! We've gone too far. I'm afraid this is another trap!" But Cao Bao ignored him and roared, "Shut up! We've come this far, what are you still afraid of? Chase! Anyone who retreats will be punished by military law!" The deputy general had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep up.

At that moment, a sharp horn blast rang out from all directions, and then countless Shanyue soldiers poured out from the forest, surrounding Cao Bao and his men. Cao Bao's face turned pale, finally realizing that he had fallen into a trap. However, he was still unwilling to accept defeat. Brandishing his spear, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Brothers, fight them!"

On the battlefield, shouts and cries of battle shook the heavens. Cao Bao's army was fragmented, each fighting on its own, trapped in a desperate situation. Cao Bao charged left and right, wounded in many places, his robe stained with blood. He saw that Zuo Rong, not far away, was also tightly entangled by the enemy and in a critical situation.

"I can't let this end!" Cao Bao felt a surge of determination in his heart. He gathered his last strength and charged towards Zuo Rong, hoping to reunite and break out together. However, the Shanyue army's encirclement was like an iron barrel, pushing him back time and time again.

At this moment, Zhou Yu stood high above, overlooking the entire battlefield, a satisfied smile on his face. "Cao Bao, you can't escape today." He turned to the general beside him and said, "Pass the order down. Make sure to capture them all in one fell swoop. Don't let any of them go!"

The encirclement was shrinking, Cao Bao's soldiers suffered heavy casualties, and he himself was exhausted, his spear in his hand becoming unstable. Looking at the enemy surrounding him like a mountain and a sea, Cao Bao felt a surge of despair. He had never imagined that he would be defeated so completely.

Just as Cao Bao was about to give up resistance, he heard the sound of hurried horse hooves in the distance. Dust flew up as a group of men and horses galloped towards him. A glimmer of hope welled up in Cao Bao's heart. He looked closer and saw that it was the reinforcements led by Tao Ying and Zang Ba.

Upon learning that Cao Bao had fallen into a trap, Zang Ba was distraught and hurried to Tao Ying. His face was filled with anxiety, and he spoke earnestly, "Second Master, Cao Bao is now in deep danger. We cannot sit idly by and watch! Although there have been some frictions before, we are all part of the Xuzhou army, and if one loses the other, the other's teeth will be in danger. These elite Danyang troops are the cream of Xuzhou's crop. If they are decimated again, how will we defend ourselves against foreign enemies in the future? And how will we explain this to our Lord, Tao Qian?"

Tao Ying's heart clashed with this. He was still a little angry, remembering his previous conflicts with Cao Bao, but every word Zang Ba said made sense. He frowned, pacing back and forth in the tent, his mind torn between his conscience and his conscience. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and stamped his foot. "Forget it, forget it. I'll do as you say and send troops to rescue them!"

Sun Guan and Zang Ba assembled their troops and rushed to the battlefield. Seeing the disastrous scene of Cao Bao's army being torn apart on the battlefield, Sun Guan shouted, "Charge!" and charged into the enemy lines. He wielded his long sword, slashing left and right, and the Shanyue soldiers retreated wherever he passed. Not to be outdone, Zang Ba, armed with his spear, charged unhindered.

Zhou Yu frowned slightly upon seeing this unexpected turn of events, but he quickly composed himself and issued an order: "Send a portion of our forces to hold back the reinforcements, while the rest continue to encircle and suppress Cao Bao! We must resolve this battle before the reinforcements break through!"

The Shanyue army received the order and quickly adjusted its position. Some soldiers turned to face Tao Ying and Zang Ba, and a fierce battle immediately ensued. The battlefield was filled with the flashing of swords, the shouts of killing, and the clash of weapons.

Cao Bao was inspired when he saw the reinforcements coming. He gathered his courage and fought back with the remaining troops. For a time, the battle was deadlocked.

Zang Ba fought hard while searching for Cao Bao. Finally, he saw Cao Bao, covered in blood. Their eyes met, and all the past grudges were forgotten. At this moment, they had only one thought in their minds - to survive and fight their way out of the encirclement.

"General Cao, follow me and break through!" Zang Ba shouted, charging towards Cao Bao. Cao Bao nodded vigorously and followed closely. Under the leadership of the two, the Xuzhou army gradually gathered together, forming a powerful force, launching a final attack on the encirclement of the Shanyue army...