Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

On the official road leading from Pengcheng to Liuxian, dust was swirling in the autumn wind, churning into a hazy yellow wave in the twilight.

The footsteps of 20,000 infantrymen were heavy and thunderous, crunching the dry grass beside the official road. They moved in a mighty procession toward Pei County, stretching for several miles, like a weary, yellowish-brown dragon.

Xu Rong reined in his slightly thin warhorse, leading the three thousand cavalrymen beside him—an elite force that had been painstakingly assembled from various parts of Xuzhou. Most of the riders on horseback looked weary, and their armor was still covered with mud and grass scraps from the journey.

Looking past the cavalry ranks and backwards, one sees an endless line of infantry. Among them, five thousand Danyang soldiers are fairly well-organized. Although their armor is old, they are neatly dressed, and their spears and halberds are polished to a shine. Their steps are steady as they march, exuding an air of elite skill.

The remaining 15,000 or so were all real miscellaneous soldiers. There were farmers who had been temporarily recruited, disbanded local militia, and even some strong men selected from the refugees. Most of them did not have proper armor, but only wore coarse cloth short jackets. The weapons in their hands were also a motley collection, including rusty machetes, worn-down hoes, and even some holding sharpened wooden sticks. They staggered as they marched, and from time to time, some fell behind and were sternly shouted at by the leaders behind them to catch up. The group was as scattered as headless flies.

Xu Rong, who was leading three thousand cavalrymen to clear the way, would occasionally rein in his horse and stop to look back at the scattered troops behind him. His brows furrowed into a deep frown, and his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the hilt of his sword at his waist.

He knew in his heart that it was already quite an achievement that such a hastily assembled army had managed to get this far.

If they were to fight a defensive battle, he was somewhat confident that the city walls would provide some protection and allow them to stall for time—just a delay.

Xu Rong knew all too well the fighting strength of the Liangzhou army. Those fierce soldiers from the Northwest were like wolves and tigers, with superb horsemanship and sharp swords and spears. Not to mention the Xuzhou soldiers in front of him, even the elite cavalry from Liaodong that he had heard of would probably only face death if they really went head-to-head with the Liangzhou soldiers.

With insufficient weapons and supplies, only enough to last a few days, and military pay already months overdue, how could such an army possibly contend with Duan Yu's well-equipped and highly motivated Liangzhou troops?

If they can hold Pengcheng for a while and buy some time for the rear, that will be the best they can do.

Xu Rong sighed inwardly, his gaze sweeping across the ranks. Apart from the three thousand cavalrymen around him who were somewhat usable, only the five thousand Danyang soldiers under Taishi Ci's command in the rear army could be considered reliable.

As he was lost in thought, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from ahead. A scout knight reined in his horse and stopped in front of Xu Rong's horse, dismounted and knelt on one knee: "General! There are still twenty li to go before Liu County!"

Xu Rong looked up and saw that the setting sun had sunk to the edge of the horizon in the distance, and the rosy glow of the sky was gradually swallowed by the twilight, with a faint gray haze spreading across the world.

He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and ordered: "Pass down the order to set up camp on the spot!"

The voice was loud and clear, piercing through the hustle and bustle of the twilight: "The camp is built against the mountain and beside the water, with the left and right wings relying on the earthen slopes on both sides of the official road. The camp gate faces the official road and blocks it. Dig deep trenches and erect barricades. Make sure to build a solid defense!"

"In addition, the cavalry scouts will be divided into twelve teams of ten men each, and will patrol continuously within a twenty-mile radius in the direction of Liuxian County. If any abnormality is found, they must report immediately. Every half hour, one team of scouts must return to camp to report. There must be no mistakes!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" The scout accepted the order, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

The military orders were relayed like flowing water, and the troops behind them gradually quieted down as the exhausted soldiers began to act according to the instructions.

The Danyang soldiers were the most efficient. After receiving the news, Taishi Ci immediately led a team to survey the terrain and ordered his soldiers to cut down trees along the official road and dig trenches.

Soldiers brandished axes, wood chips flying, and the sound of hoes striking the soil echoed, quickly outlining the camp on the earthen slope to the left of the official road.

The soldiers seemed somewhat flustered. Under the command of their leader, some carried timber to build tents, some carried buckets to fetch water from the nearby stream, and some clumsily learned to dig trenches. For a time, the camp was bustling with noise, but gradually order returned to normal.

Xu Rong rode his horse around the camp, and seeing that the soldiers had set up barricades outside the camp gate and dug trenches in a well-organized manner, he felt a little more at ease.

Xuzhou has a flat terrain with a dense network of waterways. To the east of Liuxian County lies the vast Weishan Lake, with waterways connecting in all directions. However, precisely because of this, Xuzhou has no natural defenses, and Pengcheng and Peixian became the last two lines of defense against the Liangzhou army.

Once these two barriers are breached, there will be open plains behind them. Duan Yu has many cavalry under his command. If the Liangzhou horses were to trample through Pengcheng and Pei County, the entire Xuzhou would be defenseless and at the mercy of others.

Thinking of this, Xu Rong frowned again. The wind in the twilight carried a chill, making the iron plates on his armor clang.

Unbeknownst to him, Liu County, located twenty miles from his camp, had already fallen the night before his arrival.

...............

A day earlier, the night was as dark as ink, the stars were sparse, and the people of Liuxian had long since fallen asleep. The streets and alleys were quiet, except for the county sergeant on night patrol, who yawned and dragged his long halberd slowly across the bluestone road. His footsteps were particularly clear in the night.

Just then, a faint sound of hooves came from outside the city, as silent as a ghost.

These were the swift wolf riders under Duan Yu's command.

Their fur shimmered with a faint silver hue under the moonlight, their limbs were muscular and powerful, and each step they took carried astonishing strength. Even more eerie, the eyes of these mounts faintly glowed with a ghostly green light.

Ten thousand swift wolf riders, like a black net, silently surrounded the entire Liu County.

As per Duan Yu's orders, no one was allowed to leave the city, so they did not issue any warnings, but simply lay in wait in the shadows outside the city, awaiting the signal to make their move.

A moment later, a low whistle pierced the night sky. Immediately afterwards, dozens of agile, dark-skinned Nanman warriors emerged from the wolf rider ranks. They held ropes in their hands, one end of which was tied to a sharp iron claw. With a powerful swing of their arms, the iron claws flew towards the city wall with a whistling sound and hooked firmly onto the crenellations.

Then, these southern barbarian warriors climbed up the city wall like monkeys, using both their hands and feet. Their movements were incredibly agile, and in the blink of an eye, they had reached the top of the city wall.

Before the guards on the city wall could react, the Nanman warriors covered their mouths and noses, and sharp short knives slashed across their necks, causing blood to gush out. However, the warriors quickly covered the wounds with cloths, making no sound.

In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the dozens of county soldiers on the city wall were all dealt with, and all four gates were occupied by the Nanman warriors.

Liu County was a small town in a remote location, not an important strategic location. It had only a few dozen county soldiers at most, how could they be a match for these battle-hardened barbarian warriors?

The city gates were quietly opened, and ten thousand swift wolf riders surged into the city like a tide, their heavy footsteps on the bluestone pavement breaking the silence of the night.

The people in the city were awakened by the sound of horses' hooves. They peered out of their windows in terror and saw a knight looking fierce and menacing in the moonlight. His long sword gleamed coldly in his hand. Terrified, they quickly slammed their doors shut, barricaded them with heavy objects, and huddled behind the doors, trembling all over. They could only listen to the sounds outside growing closer and then fading away, their hearts filled with despair as they awaited their fate.

However, the burning, killing, and looting they had anticipated did not occur.

Duan Yu had already instructed Pang De to convey the order that as long as the people did not leave their homes, they would be safe.

After the swift wolf cavalry entered the city, they quickly seized control of key locations such as the county government and granaries, without harming the people's homes.

And so, Liuxian was easily captured amidst silence and panic.

Subsequently, Duan Yu ordered the city gates to be closed and not reopened until dawn. Even so, not a single person dared to go out on the streets. The entire Liu County was quiet for a whole day, with only the sound of wolf riders patrolling the streets occasionally reaching the ears of the people.

At this moment, Duan Yu had arrived in Liu County from Pei County. He sat on the back of a huge black tiger. The tiger was enormous, with glossy fur. Its eyes gleamed with a majestic light in the hall, and it occasionally let out a low roar.

Listening to Pang De's report on the situation in Liu County, Duan Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold glint flashing in them. He then spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority: "Open the city gates, and have all the Swift Wolf Riders assemble outside the city. Before dawn, I want to see twenty thousand heads sink into Weishan Lake!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Pang De responded with a resounding shout, then turned and strode away.

The moment the order was given, the once quiet Liu County suddenly erupted in chaos! With a loud crash, the tightly closed city gate was violently pulled open, and the heavy gate hinges turned, making a piercing sound that was particularly startling in the silent night.

Immediately afterwards, a deafening sound rang out, like thunder rolling across the earth!

Ten thousand swift wolf riders surged out from the four gates of the city at the same time, their dark figures like a black torrent, instantly engulfing the open space outside the city gates.

The eerie green eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light in the night. The knights on their backs gripped their long swords tightly, the blades gleaming coldly in the moonlight. The black cloth covering their faces was lifted by the wind, revealing sharp jaws and tightly pursed lips.

Without pausing, the wolf riders surged out of the city gate and quickly assembled into a military formation, standing firmly outside Liuxian County like a black boulder. The formation was perfectly orderly, without the slightest sound of disorder, only the dull thud of horses' hooves and the heavy breathing of the riders.

The night wind howled, blowing the knights' robes and stirring the waters of Weishan Lake. Moonlight shone on the lake, creating a cold, silvery glow.

Duan Yu rode the black tiger and slowly walked to the top of the city gate tower. Looking down at the swift wolf riders who had assembled below, a cold smile appeared on his lips.