Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Dust billowed across the battlefield, the earth trembling with the clatter of horses' hooves and footsteps. Sun Ce, atop his sturdy white steed, charged headfirst, charging at the forefront. His silver spear gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and each swing carried a killing intent, piercing the enemy troops before him. He shouted to his soldiers, "Brothers, this is the time to achieve great things. Chase after Huang Zu! Don't let him escape!"

Huang Zu's army, already distraught at the sight of their commander fleeing, was now utterly routed by the overwhelming force of Sun Ce's army. Soldiers fled in all directions, abandoning their armor and weapons, their cries and pleas for mercy echoing endlessly. Huang Zu, desperately protected by his personal guards, fled with all his might. Looking back at the relentless pursuit of Sun Ce's army, he was filled with regret and fear, hoping only to reunite with Su Fei and find a glimmer of hope.

After a furious, blood-soaked pursuit, Sun Ce finally gathered his troops. The battlefield was littered with broken limbs and arms, thick blood gushing out, saturating the ground beneath his feet. Everywhere he looked was filled with cruelty and brutality.

Sun Ce sat atop his snow-white warhorse, his face grim and stern as he scanned the devastated landscape with a cold gaze. He knew this was the last straw, and acting decisively, he quickly ordered his soldiers to count casualties and captured supplies. For a moment, the battlefield erupted in an orderly yet tense atmosphere.

Once all the statistics were complete, the results were presented to Sun Ce. He took the report, pondered it for a moment, and quickly sketched out his next battle plan. Even as the smoke of gunpowder still lingered on the battlefield, the soldiers cheered with joy at this resounding victory, and excitement spread throughout the crowd. The faces of the generals were filled with irrepressible joy.

Sun Ce approached with steady, powerful steps, and everyone's attention was focused on him. He stood tall and straight, his silver armor gleaming in the sunlight. He looked like a god of war descending from the sky, radiating an awe-inspiring aura.

Sun Ce's sharp eyes swept over every general, his voice was loud and powerful, and every word was like the ringing of a bell: "Brothers! Today's great victory was won by our blood and lives! You are all great! It is your bravery and fearlessness that have created today's glory!" As soon as the words fell, a burst of warm cheers rang out, and the sound waves were louder and louder.

"Lü Meng, Lü Dai!" Sun Ce shouted loudly.

Lü Meng and Lü Dai immediately stepped out, their heads held high and their chests puffed out, their bodies erect as if spears. They both responded in unison, "Here we are!"

"I order you two to lead 5,000 elite soldiers and set up an ambush immediately around Nanye County. Huang Zu's divided troops will definitely gather there, so you must conceal your whereabouts and lie in wait patiently. When the enemy enters the ambush circle, launch a thundering attack and catch them all in one fell swoop! Don't let any of them go!" Sun Ce stared at the two men with a firm look, full of expectations, which left no room for doubt.

"I obey your orders!" Lü Meng and Lü Dai responded in a resolute and confident voice. They turned and, with quick but steady steps, strode off to gather their troops.

"Quan Cong, Xue Zong!" Sun Ce gave the order again, breaking the brief silence.

"I'm here!" Quan Cong and Xue Zong quickly stepped out, saluted with fists, their movements in unison and their postures straight.

"You lead five thousand soldiers and horses to set up an ambush at the main road of Haihun State. Zhang Shuo and others will definitely meet up with other remnants. You must first cut off their only way, just like a sharp blade cutting the enemy's throat. When the enemy is in a panic, attack with all your strength and kill them all! Let the enemy know how powerful we are!" Sun Ce's words were firm and every word seemed to carry a thousand pounds of force, leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes, sir!" The two men took the order and left with firm and powerful steps.

The atmosphere was now escalating, the generals' blood boiling, their morale soaring. Their faces were etched with fighting spirit, their eyes ablaze with the burning desire to fight. Sun Ce leaped onto his horse, his movements smooth and effortless. He raised his silver spear high, its light gleaming coldly in the sunlight like a streak of silver lightning. Sun Ce roared, "The rest of you, follow me and continue pursuing Huang Zu! Huang Zu is like a lost dog, in a state of panic. We must not give him a break!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, their voices resounding through the air like rolling thunder exploding between heaven and earth. They brandished their weapons, their swords, spears, and halberds gleaming coldly in the sunlight, like a forest of steel. A determined glint shone in their eyes, a light that revealed a thirst for victory, contempt for the enemy, and absolute loyalty to Sun Ce. They followed closely behind Sun Ce, marching in unison and with powerful steps, toward a new battlefield.

Huang Zu led his remnants of the defeated army in a desperate dash for his life. The dust kicked up by his horses' hooves swirled like a swirling tail behind him. His face was as pale as paper, sweat mixed with blood dripping down his cheeks, his eyes filled with panic and exhaustion. The cries of Sun Ce's pursuers behind him were like a demonic cry demanding his life, lingering in his ears and making him dare not pause for a moment.

After fleeing for an unknown amount of time, the perilous aura that had been lingering for so long finally faded. Convinced he'd shaken off Sun Ce's pursuers, Huang Zu's frayed nerves relaxed slightly, his body limp, and he nearly fell from his horse. He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. After a long pause, he forced himself to regain his composure. First, in a hoarse voice, he ordered his guards, "Hurry and send a message to Zhang Shuo and Chen Ju. Have them rush to Nanye County to rejoin the main army. It's urgent! Any delay could cost their lives!" The guards obeyed, whipping their horses into action, galloping off in different directions.

Then, Huang Zu thought for a moment, his face showing even more worry, and he hurriedly called another personal guard, his tone hurried and with a bit of despair: "You immediately go and chase the troops of Liu Yao, the envoy Liu, who are heading to Anping State, and be sure to tell them the news of the defeat. Just say that Sun Ce is too fierce and we can hardly resist. Let them come to Nanye County quickly to meet up and unite the troops, otherwise we will all die here! Remember, you must die quickly!" The personal guard looked solemn, nodded vigorously, jumped on his horse, and galloped towards the possible direction of Liu Yao's troops, raising dust all the way.

Huang Zu felt a pang of pain as he gazed upon the remnants of his defeated army. These soldiers, who had once fought alongside him, were now ragged and scarred. Fear lingered in many of their eyes, and their morale was at its lowest point. But right now, he had no time to wallow in sorrow. The cruelty of war did not allow him to be weak.

He took a deep breath, cheered himself up, and shouted at the top of his voice: "Brothers, don't hang your heads! We haven't lost yet! Hurry up and gather the troops to chase Su Fei who is attacking Nanye County. After meeting up with him, we will settle the score with that kid Sun Ce!" After hearing this, the soldiers, although their steps were staggering, still forced themselves to reorganize the team, organize their weapons, and slowly march towards Nanye County.

Along the way, Huang Zu was terribly anxious, constantly urging the troops to speed up. He knew that only by quickly reuniting with Su Fei and converging their forces could they find a glimmer of hope in this desperate situation. Every passing minute and second felt like a knife cutting through his heart, and he wished he could grow wings and fly to Nanye County immediately.

Huang Zu was pursued relentlessly by Sun Ce's army like a wolf. The sense of imminent danger made him like a frightened bird, unable to relax for even a moment. His eyes were bloodshot, his expression frantic, and he roared incessantly, lashing out with his whip to hasten his advance. Along the way, the rapid and chaotic clatter of horses' hooves, like the pounding of drums, struck at everyone's heart.

In this desperate rush, many soldiers were exhausted, stumbling and falling behind, but Huang Zu cared little for such things. His eyes were red, his mind racing only to escape the threat behind him, reunite with Su Fei, and secure a glimmer of hope. And so, after two days and nights of non-stop assault, Huang Zu finally sighted Su Fei's camp. In that moment, his tense nerves relaxed, and he nearly fell from his horse, his heart awash with exhaustion and a sense of relief at having survived.

Su Fei was discussing military matters in his tent when, upon hearing Huang Zu's arrival, he hurried out to greet him. The moment he laid eyes on Huang Zu, Su Fei's eyes were filled with surprise and astonishment. Huang Zu's clothes were tattered, his armor torn, his hair tangled over his shoulders, his face stained with dust and dried blood. He looked disheveled, a stark contrast to the majestic general he once was.

Su Fei quickly stepped forward, supported Huang Zu, and asked in surprise, "General, what's going on? Why are you in such a state of disarray?" Huang Zu sighed, waved his hand weakly, and walked into the tent. He sat down, took the water Su Fei offered, and gulped down a few gulps before regaining consciousness. His voice was hoarse, "Su Fei, we've been in great trouble this time. Sun Ce is truly cunning. We've been ambushed by him. He's a master of military strategy, and his soldiers are incredibly brave. We simply couldn't withstand him. After a fierce battle, countless brothers were killed or wounded. I finally escaped with the remnants of my army." As he spoke, a flicker of fear and resentment flashed in Huang Zu's eyes. "Sun Ce, despite his young age, is so formidable. He's a master at deploying troops and charging into battle. His army attacked like a tide, wave after wave. We were completely overwhelmed and had no chance of fighting back."

Su Fei didn't dare delay and quickly arranged for the army to rest. Soldiers slumped over on the ground, some fainting from exhaustion, others supporting each other as they searched for a place to rest. Taking advantage of this brief respite, Huang Zu, despite his fatigue, began to gather the remaining troops and count the number of men.

After a busy day, Su Fei hurried into the tent. Huang Zu sat at his desk, a weary expression on his face, his brow furrowed in anxiety. Su Fei knelt on one knee, his voice heavy with resignation, "General, many soldiers have fallen behind along the way. We've counted only about 7,000 men left in your army. Adding my 8,000, we barely make 15,000."

When Huang Zu heard this, his face turned pale instantly, his body swayed slightly, his eyes were full of despair and unwillingness, he sighed heavily, slumped in the chair, looking extremely dejected.

At that moment, Kuai Liang hurried into the tent. Seeing Huang Zu's expression, he stepped forward and said calmly and encouragingly, "General, don't be so discouraged! Although our forces may seem weak at the moment, Chen Ju still has 8,000 men, Zhang Shuo also has 8,000, and Liu Yao and Liu Shi have another 5,000 men. Together, we have over 30,000, almost 40,000 men. As long as we unite these forces, we can still fight!"

Huang Zu listened to Kuai Liang's words and slowly raised his head, a flicker of hope rekindled in his eyes. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, stood up, and clenched his fists, as if to crush the fear and worry in his heart. He knew that the battle with Sun Ce was far from over. He had to replan his next move, otherwise he would still be doomed to failure.