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

The night was as dark as ink, and the wind swept away the clouds, tearing the silvery light on Weishan Lake to shreds.

Ten thousand swift wolf riders formed a wedge formation, the giant wolves' hooves pounding the frozen ground with a dull yet rapid sound, like giant beasts lurking in the night, as they pounced towards Xu Rong's camp twenty miles away.

The wolf riders crouched low to the backs of the wolves, their black cloaks blending seamlessly with the night. Only their eerie green wolf eyes, like flowing will-o'-the-wisps in the darkness, silently swept across the earthen slopes on either side of the official road, avoiding the patrolling scouts—those scouts, worn down by exhaustion and hunger, were already drowsy in the cold wind, unaware that the shadow of death had quietly descended upon them.

Inside the camp, campfires flickered, and most soldiers were already fast asleep. Only a few sentries huddled in the corners of their tents, rubbing their frozen hands to keep warm.

The Danyang soldiers' camp was relatively well-organized. Taishi Ci personally inspected the camp and frowned as he watched his soldiers huddled in their cold armor to rest. He knew that food supplies were running low and the soldiers were already starving and freezing. In this state, they could not withstand any surprise attack.

Meanwhile, in the other side's miscellaneous soldiers' tents, the snoring was deafening. Many of them were even lying directly on the frozen ground, covered only by a thin layer of coarse cloth, their weapons carelessly tossed aside, completely unguarded.

Xu Rong had not yet rested. He sat in the central command tent, a simple map spread out on the table, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the lines between Pengcheng and Peixian.

The cold wind outside the tent seeped in through the gaps, causing the candlelight to flicker and casting his shadow long and short.

His unease grew stronger, and he felt that the silence of the night was too eerie, like the calm before a storm.

Just as he got up to patrol the camp again, a shrill wolf howl suddenly pierced the night sky, sharp as a ghost's wail, instantly breaking the tranquility of the camp!

This wolf howl was unlike the ordinary howl of a wild wolf; it was deep and carried a brutal ferocity that pierced to the bone, like a death warrant from the underworld, instantly stirring up overwhelming panic in the camp.

The sentries at the edge of the camp collapsed first. The two soldiers huddled beside the tent sprang up as if scalded by boiling water. Their frozen fingers frantically tried to grab the spears at their sides, but they kept slipping due to excessive fear. The spears crashed onto the frozen ground with a loud bang, the sound particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

One of them was deathly pale, his lips trembling so much he couldn’t even utter a complete “enemy attack”. He just stared intently at the pitch-black night outside the camp, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints with fear. The other man’s legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud. His teeth chattered clearly, and his whole body trembled like a leaf, not even having the courage to lift his head.

The snoring inside the soldiers' tents stopped abruptly, and countless figures sat up in fright from their coarse blankets or the cold frozen ground.

The drowsy, bewildered feeling lasted only a moment before being replaced by overwhelming fear.

In their panic, some grabbed whatever weapons were nearby, but they couldn't tell which way to go. Some were wildly swinging rusty machetes at the air, while others were poking around with worn-out hoes, uttering meaningless roars.

Many more people ran around like headless flies, the wooden frames of the tents creaking as they were bumped, and many of the makeshift tents collapsed, burying the people inside under the cloth and wooden poles, causing an even more chaotic screaming.

One of the strong men, who had just been recruited from among the refugees, was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground, clasped his hands together and kowtowed repeatedly, muttering "Spare me" over and over again. He didn't even dare to pick up the sharpened wooden stick that was lying at his feet.

Some people, blinded by fear, ran wildly toward the darkness outside the camp, only to be stopped by the stern commander guarding the tent entrance. In the chaos, someone accidentally swung their knife and wounded their companion. The moment the blood splattered, the already intense panic was amplified into despair.

Although the Danyang soldiers' camp was more orderly than that of the miscellaneous soldiers, it could not hide their panic.

The soldiers scrambled to their feet from their cold armor, hastily donning their gear and grabbing their spears, the clanging of armor plates echoing throughout the room.

Some of the more experienced veterans quickly moved closer to their comrades, trying to form a simple defensive formation. However, in their haste, the ranks became chaotic, and many made frequent mistakes due to nervousness, either tying their armor ropes incorrectly or holding their spears in the wrong direction.

Several young Danyang soldiers turned pale, biting their lips to keep from trembling, but their eyes involuntarily drifted to the dark night outside the camp, where the echoes of wolf howls had not yet faded, as if countless giant beasts were lurking in the darkness, ready to rush in and tear them apart at any moment.

"What's the panic! Form ranks and prepare for battle!"

As Taishi Ci patrolled the camp to the edge of the Danyang military camp, the howling of wolves rang out. His heart sank, and he immediately shouted loudly.

But his roar sounded somewhat weak amidst the spreading panic.

A few veterans were awakened by his shouts, forced themselves to calm down, and began to help him organize the ranks, but many more young soldiers were still intimidated by the inhuman wolf howls, their limbs went weak, and they could hardly move.

The cavalry camp near the central command tent, with its three thousand elite cavalrymen, could not hide their fear.

Many knights were already resting beside their horses in case of a surprise attack. The moment the wolf howled, they jerked to mount their horses, only to find that their warhorses had already been disturbed by the violent howl and were restless, pawing the ground and neighing incessantly, which in turn threw several knights who were a little slower to the ground.

Ignoring their own pain, the knights gripped the reins tightly, whispering to soothe their frightened horses while quickly drawing their swords. Their eyes scanned their surroundings warily, mud splattering off their armor in the flustered movements, their weariness replaced by intense vigilance.

"Enemy attack!"

Finally, one of the team leaders broke through his fear and let out a hoarse roar.

Immediately afterwards, screams of agony rose and fell from the direction of the camp gate.

Xu Rong's expression changed drastically. He suddenly drew his long sword from his waist and strode out of the tent.

The barricades surrounding the camp had already been smashed to pieces, and countless giant wolf riders broke through the camp gates like a tidal wave. The fangs of the giant wolves tore open the chests of the soldiers, and the long swords in the hands of the wolf riders flashed with cold light, and several heads fell to the ground.

The soldiers, who had just been awakened from their sleep, were trampled into a bloody pulp by the wolf riders or cleaved in two by longswords before they could even react, and the camp was instantly thrown into chaos.

"Form ranks! Resist!" Xu Rong shouted sharply, his voice like thunder amidst the chaos.

He mounted his horse, brandished his sword towards the camp gate, and shouted, "Cavalry, follow me to meet the enemy!"

The three thousand cavalrymen beside him hastily assembled, mounted their horses, and followed Xu Rong toward the camp gate.

But how could these hastily assembled cavalrymen be a match for the swift wolf riders?

The giant wolves were much larger than warhorses, and their impact was even more astonishing. The wolf cavalry's wedge formation was like a sharp dagger, crashing directly into the cavalry ranks.

With a sharp "crack," a Xuzhou cavalryman and his horse were knocked away by the giant wolf cub. The horse's bones broke instantly, and the cavalryman landed lifeless.

The wolf rider swung his sword, cutting down two more cavalrymen. Blood splattered and screams echoed wherever the blade passed.

"Kill!" Pound charged ahead, his giant wolf cubs exceptionally ferocious, their hooves flying and fangs bared, snapping a cavalryman's neck in one bite.

The long sword in his hand was jet black, forged from fine iron, and its slashes were unimpeded.

His eyes were sharp, and he locked onto Xu Rong in the chaotic battlefield. He squeezed his legs tightly around the wolf's belly, and the giant wolf cub understood, howling as it pounced on Xu Rong. The Xuzhou soldiers along the way were knocked away and torn to pieces like straw.

Upon hearing the commotion, Taishi Ci immediately led 5,000 Danyang soldiers to provide support.

The Danyang soldiers were indeed elite. Even in their hasty response, they quickly formed a spear formation with the spearheads facing outwards, and held off the first wave of wolf cavalry charges.

As the giant wolf pounced, spears pierced its body, drawing out gushing blood. Many wolf cubs howled in pain, temporarily halting the attack.

The swift wolf riders' charge was terrifying. The giant wolves, fearless of death, continued to charge forward, stepping over the corpses of their companions. The wolf riders' longswords slashed relentlessly, widening the gaps in the spear formation little by little.

Xu Rong's cavalry had already been scattered and broken. He himself was surrounded by several wolf riders, and he wielded his longsword so tightly that he barely managed to block several waves of attacks.

But the warhorse beneath him was already trembling with fear, unable to stand firm amidst the howls of the giant wolf cub.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pound charging towards him; the giant wolf cub was incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, it was right next to him.

"Xu Rong, you scoundrel! Prepare to die!" Pang De's roar was like thunder, and his long sword slashed down with a whooshing sound.

Xu Rong hurriedly raised his sword to parry, but with a loud clang, the sword flew out of his hand, his hand split open, and blood flowed freely. His heart sank; he knew he was no match for Pang De, but the safety of the entire Xuzhou lay behind him, and he could not afford to fall.

"Stop your arrogance, you fool!" Xu Rong roared, drew his short sword from his waist, jumped off his warhorse, and pounced on Pang De.

Seeing this, Pound smirked and his giant wolf suddenly shook its head, slapping Xu Rong's shoulder with a paw.

With a "crack," Xu Rong's shoulder blade shattered instantly. The excruciating pain made his vision go black, and he staggered back several steps, dropping his dagger to the ground.

Pang De spurred the wolf forward, placing his long sword against Xu Rong's neck. The chill of the blade instantly brought Xu Rong to his senses. He raised his head, looked at the ferocious Pang De before him, and then at the slaughtered soldiers around him, feeling an endless sorrow welling up in his heart.

The 20,000-strong army was no match for the 10,000 swift wolf cavalry. The Danyang soldiers, on whom he had placed his hopes, were also surrounded and struggling to hold on.

"Xu Rong, surrender or die!" Pound's voice was icy cold.

Xu Rong gave a bitter laugh, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth: "How could I, Xu Rong, a citizen of the Han Dynasty, surrender to a traitor like you!"

His gaze swept past Pang De and landed on Taishi Ci, who was surrounded by wolf cavalry. He roared with all his might, "Ziyi! Go! Quickly to Xiapi! Report to Lord Sima and Prefect Zhuge! Duan Yu's army has arrived, Xuzhou is in grave danger—"

This roar pierced through the noise of the battlefield and reached Taishi Ci's ears.

Taishi Ci turned around and saw Pang De's long sword suddenly swing down. A flash of cold light appeared, and Xu Rong's head fell to the ground with a thud. Blood splattered on the cold frozen earth, staining the surrounding withered grass red.

"General Xu!" Taishi Ci's eyes were bloodshot and his eyes were bloodshot. He swung his spear and killed the wolf rider in front of him. He wanted to rush over, but he was surrounded by several giant wolves.

The spear pierced the wolf's body, but more wolf riders surged forward, their longswords constantly striking the spear formation with a piercing clang.

Pang De beheaded Xu Rong, held his head high, and shouted at the chaotic Xuzhou army: "Xu Rong is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who resist will die!"

This loud shout completely shattered the psychological defenses of the Xuzhou army.

Those already crumbling soldiers, seeing this, threw down their weapons and knelt down to beg for mercy, only to be mercilessly torn apart and devoured by the giant wolf.

The Danyang soldiers' formation began to crumble. Seeing their general fall in battle, their morale plummeted, and many of them began to tremble with fear as they could no longer withstand the wolf cavalry's overwhelming attack.

Pang De urged the giant wolf to lead the wolf riders in a fierce attack on the Danyang soldiers' formation.

The giant wolf's fangs tore through the soldiers' armor, and the knight's longsword reaped lives. Blood flowed like streams throughout the camp, pooling into puddles that reflected the eerie green wolf eyes in the night sky, making them appear particularly ferocious.

Taishi Ci fought with all his might, and his body was covered in wounds, his armor soaked in blood. But he knew he could not die. Xu Rong's words still echoed in his ears. He had to live and deliver the message to Xiapi.

Taking advantage of a moment when a wolf rider was swinging his sword, Taishi Ci suddenly turned around and pierced the eye of a wolf next to him with his spear. The giant wolf howled in pain and knocked away its companion.

He seized the fleeting opportunity, squeezed his legs tightly around the horse's flanks, and charged toward the dense forest behind the camp.

Seeing this, Pang De snorted coldly and wanted to order a pursuit, but was dissuaded by his personal guards: "General, the situation is already decided, don't pursue a desperate enemy! We are still far from Xiapi, he may not be able to escape!"

Pang De glanced at Taishi Ci's departing figure, stopped the pursuit, and brandished his sword, ordering: "Clean up the remaining enemies... leave no one alive!"

Under the cover of night, the howls of wolves, screams of agony, and the clash of swords and spears mingled together, creating a tragic elegy of despair. Ten thousand swift wolf riders, like tigers among sheep, slaughtered twenty thousand Xuzhou soldiers with overwhelming force.

Those soldiers who had been staggering about were now like lambs to the slaughter, powerless to resist; even the elite Danyang soldiers gradually crumbled under the onslaught of the swift wolf cavalry and were eventually slaughtered one by one.

As dawn broke, the battlefield finally fell silent.

On the frozen ground, corpses lay strewn everywhere, and blood congealed into a dark black color. Almost the entire 20,000-strong Xuzhou army was wiped out, with only a few survivors escaping into the dense forest, but most of them would be caught up and killed by the wolf cavalry scouts that followed.

Poundler Wolf stood amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, Xu Rong's head hanging from the wolf's neck, blood dripping down its fur.

He looked up toward the city gate tower, where Duan Yu, riding a black tiger, still stood quietly, the cold curve of his lips appearing even more chilling in the morning light.

On the surface of Weishan Lake, the morning light shines down, but it cannot penetrate this land stained with blood. Twenty thousand souls will eventually sink to the cold bottom of the lake and flatten the stepping stones of Xuzhou.