Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Wei Yan held a long sword in his hand, looking majestic and a fierce look in his eyes. He shouted loudly: "Yuan Shu, that old bastard, actually wanted to take our army's food and grass. Today, I will make sure that you rats will never come back!" Lu Meng held a long spear in his hand, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, and commanded the soldiers to quickly surround Yuan Shu's army.

Lei Bo and Li Feng's faces suddenly changed. They realized they had fallen into Sun Ce's trap. What they had thought was easy-to-grab food and fodder turned out to be a decoy set by the enemy. Their 5,000-man army was now divided into several parts by Wei Yan and Lü Meng's ambushes, forcing them into a bitter battle.

The valley was thick with smoke, and shouts and screams echoed. Wei Yan charged forward, his long sword flashing with a cold gleam. A soldier from Yuan Shu's army, unable to dodge, was cut down by the blow. Seeing this, Lei Bo was horrified. He brandished his sword, desperately trying to block Wei Yan's attack. Wei Yan's long sword attack was as swift as a storm, each blow carrying a tremendous force. Lei Bo could only barely parry, struggling to keep his distance.

Elsewhere, Li Feng, spear in hand, engaged Lü Meng in a fierce clash. Lü Meng's spearmanship was masterful, its tip gleaming with a cold gleam as it stabbed at Li Feng like a serpent. Not to be outdone, Li Feng, drawing on years of combat experience, deftly dodged Lü Meng's attacks while searching for opportunities to strike back. The two exchanged blows, their spear tips clashing with the lance, creating a resounding metallic clang.

Lü Meng feinted, thrusting his spear at Li Feng's throat. Li Feng quickly dodged, but Lü Meng's spear suddenly reversed course, sweeping across his waist. Li Feng reacted quickly, leaping back, barely avoiding the blow. However, Lü Meng didn't give him a moment to breathe, thrusting his spear again, following him like a shadow.

On Wei Yan's side, Lei Bo was being beaten back by Wei Yan's fierce attacks. Wei Yan seized the opportunity and slashed down with his long sword. Lei Bo raised his sword to block, but the huge impact made his arm numb and he almost couldn't hold the sword. Lei Bo groaned inwardly; he had never faced such a powerful opponent before.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shu's troops, besieged by Wei Yan and Lü Meng's ambushes, suffered increasing casualties. Many had lost their will to fight and began to flee. But Sun Ce's army, like a fortress of steel, trapped them in the valley, preventing them from escaping.

While Lei Bo was fending off Wei Yan's attacks, he anxiously shouted, "General Li, find a way to break through! We'll all die here at this rate!" Li Feng, already sweating profusely from the fighting, charged left and right, but was unable to break through Lü Meng's tight defenses. He anxiously replied, "It's easier said than done. The enemy is so well-prepared. What can we do?"

As he watched the soldiers around him fall one by one, Lei Bo felt a surge of despair. He knew that if they couldn't break out today, they would be completely wiped out. By this time, the sky had completely darkened, and the valley was filled with the smell of death, as if foreshadowing the cruel end of this battle.

Just as Lei Bo and Li Feng were in dire straits, nearly consumed by despair, a deafening roar of killing, like rolling thunder, suddenly erupted from outside the valley. This sound shattered the oppressive atmosphere that permeated the valley, and the already demoralized Yuan Shu soldiers, struggling to hold on through the bitter battle, suddenly saw a flicker of hope in their bleak eyes.

"Reinforcements are coming! It's reinforcements!" A soldier of Yuan Shu's army shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with irrepressible surprise, as if he had found a ray of light in the darkness.

Immediately, Ji Ling, riding a tall, sturdy black horse with fur as black as ink, burst into the smoke-filled battlefield like a flash of black lightning. Behind him were a large number of well-equipped and powerful elite troops of Yuan Shu's army. Like tigers ready to pounce, they roared and roared, launching a fierce attack on Wei Yan and Lü Meng's troops with thunderous force.

Ji Ling's eyes widened with rage as he roared, "You scoundrels, how dare you set an ambush and plot against our army! Today, I will make you pay with blood, as a tribute to the souls of our soldiers!" His voice resonated like a bell, echoing through the valley. With that, he brandished his incredibly heavy, three-pointed, double-edged sword, its blade flashing with a chilling gleam, and charged straight at Wei Yan. Seeing Ji Ling's menacing approach, radiating a chilling aura, Wei Yan feared no chance and quickly drew his sword to meet him. For a moment, the sword flashed, and a chilling aura permeated the air as the two engaged in a thrilling, fierce clash, sparks flying everywhere.

Every swing of Ji Ling's three-pointed, double-edged sword was accompanied by a whirring sound, as if it could rip the air apart. The overwhelming force brought a sense of oppression that made the surrounding soldiers tremble with fear. Wei Yan, relying on his agility and perfect swordsmanship, skillfully dodged Ji Ling's fierce attacks. At the same time, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk, constantly searching for opportunities to strike back.

Elsewhere, Li Feng saw Ji Ling leading the reinforcements, arriving like a divine force, and a surge of warmth surged through his heart, like the warmth of sunlight amidst the icy snow. His body, exhausted and nearly exhausted from the bitter battle, seemed to be infused with a miraculous power, instantly brimming with fighting spirit. With a roar, he rallied, charging at Lü Meng with a furious roar, engaging him once again in battle.

Seeing Yuan Shu's reinforcements arrive, Lü Meng's heart sank slightly, as if a huge rock had dropped from his chest. But he was a battle-hardened commander after all, and he quickly regained his composure, his eyes firm and calm. He methodically directed his soldiers to continue their tenacious resistance, shouting loudly to boost morale. He knew that at this critical moment, he must not panic, or he would inevitably fall into an even greater crisis from which there was no escape.

As Ji Ling engaged Wei Yan in a fierce battle, he keenly observed the battlefield. His gaze swept across the battlefield, revealing that Lei Bo and Li Feng's troops had suffered heavy casualties, countless dead and wounded, their blood staining the ground beneath their feet. Anxious, he knew he had to rescue them as soon as possible. Seizing a fleeting opportunity, he struck with a fierce, swift blow. Wei Yan quickly retreated, dodging the fatal blow with a single detour. Seizing the opportunity, Ji Ling freed himself from Wei Yan's clutches and galloped towards Lei Bo and Li Feng.

Under Ji Ling's leadership, Yuan Shu's reinforcements, like a tiger with wings, gained a powerful morale and gradually gained the upper hand. The tide of battle began to turn, and amidst the cries of battle, the balance of victory seemed to tilt towards Yuan Shu's forces. Wei Yan and Lü Meng, sensing the dire situation and keenly aware that continued fighting would be extremely disadvantageous to their side, decisively ordered a retreat. Swiftly and systematically organizing their troops, they retreated like a tide, disappearing into the valley's depths.

Ji Ling didn't pursue, but hurried to Lei Bo and Li Feng's side. Lei Bo and Li Feng were already exhausted, their faces covered in sweat and blood, their bodies bruised and ragged. Lei Bo looked at Ji Ling, his eyes filled with gratitude. His voice was weak but sincere as he said, "General Ji, thank you for arriving just in time. If it weren't for you, we would have perished in this valley today, becoming nothing more than souls lost in this desolate valley."

Li Feng also nodded slightly, panting, and said weakly: "Yes, General Ji's kindness is great, and we will never forget it. We will repay this kindness with all our heart."

Ji Ling waved his hand and said solemnly and sincerely, "Generals, there's no need to say more. We serve our lord equally, and we should support each other and live and die together. If I hadn't remembered Mr. Yan Xiang's earnest instructions before leaving and asked for reinforcements, I'm afraid you two generals would have been in great danger."

After Ji Ling returned, he felt the grain interception operation was riddled with suspicion and lurking danger. He kept recalling Yan Xiang's heartfelt instructions before his departure, and his unease grew. So, he returned to Yuan Shu's tent and earnestly requested troops to support Lei Bo and Li Feng. Yuan Shu was initially hesitant, concerned that sending troops would cause unnecessary trouble, but after Ji Ling's repeated persuasion and weighing the pros and cons, he ultimately agreed.

Ji Ling led the reinforcements, marching non-stop. Despite the hardships and exhaustion of the journey, they held a single unwavering faith: to reach the battlefield as quickly as possible and rescue their trapped comrades. Finally, at the crucial moment, they arrived and pulled Lei Bo and Li Feng back from the brink of death.

Looking at the wounded and exhausted soldiers before him, Ji Ling vowed to strengthen his vigilance and improve his military strategy, never letting his lord's army fall into such danger again. Then, suppressing his grief and exhaustion, he ordered the troops to reorganize and, taking Lei Bo, Li Feng, and the remaining soldiers, set out on the journey back to the barracks.

Ji Ling, accompanied by Lei Bo, Li Feng, and the remaining soldiers, hurriedly embarked on the arduous journey back to Yuzhang City. After the brutal battle, the soldiers were exhausted, as if their bodies had been drained of energy. The blood from their wounds had not yet completely dried, and the bright red blood stained their tattered clothes, appearing particularly glaring in the setting sun. The troops marched slowly and heavily, each step seeming to weigh on their weary hearts. The air was filled with a sense of oppression and sadness.

Ji Ling sat on his horse, his brow furrowed in a knot, like an unresolvable knot. A vague sense of unease settled over him, as if a dark cloud had settled over him, lingering. He kept glancing back, wary of every movement around him, a hint of nervousness and worry in his eyes. Yet, the very thing he feared most relentlessly unfolded.

Just as they reached an open plain, a cloud of dust suddenly rose in the distance, filling the air like yellow smoke. Then, the thunderous sound of horse hooves approached, becoming clearer and clearer, like the footsteps of death. Ji Ling's heart tightened, his face turning pale. He shouted, "Oh no! Enemies! Everyone, alert!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers tensed up, their exhausted bodies seemingly infused with a surge of intense strength. They gripped their weapons tightly, their knuckles turning white from the exertion, and took up a defensive stance, their eyes revealing a hint of fear and determination.