Three Kingdoms: Mistakenly Becoming Liu Bei's Adoptive Father at the Start

Ten days later, the siege equipment was completed ahead of schedule.

Five hundred grappling hooks were neatly stacked on the open ground in the camp, their bamboo poles eighteen feet long and their iron claws chillingly sharp.

Sixty spiked ladders stood against the wall, their barbs gleaming eerily in the moonlight.

Cao Cao personally inspected it, picked up a pair of flying tiger hooks, weighed them in his hand, and tried swinging them a couple of times. He was very satisfied.

However, although the equipment was made, no one knew how to use it.

Liu Liang pointed to the grappling hooks and said, "This requires practice. How high to throw, when to release the force, how to use leverage the moment the hook flips over the wall—if you don't practice dozens of times, you'll be in chaos in battle."

Cao Cao immediately ordered: Find a secluded training ground in Luoyang, surround it with high walls, and conduct secret training day and night.

For the next few days, a muffled "thump-thump" sound could be heard every day from that courtyard.

The five hundred elite soldiers were divided into five teams and took turns training.

At first, someone threw the hook too hard, and the bamboo pole flew out of their hand.

Some people slipped and fell halfway down due to exhaustion.

Some people who climbed over the wall landed unsteadily and fell, getting bruised and battered.

Xiahou Dun stood under the wall, hands on his hips, cursing for two days straight.

After he finished cursing, he went up to try it himself. He fell down three times, but finally stood up steadily on the fourth time.

By evening of the fourth day, the five hundred people were able to throw their hooks and climb the wall simultaneously, and it only took sixty breaths from the moment they threw their hooks until they were all on top of the wall.

Meanwhile, Xi Zhicai's feint attack had already begun.

During the day, the four gates of Luoyang were wide open, and squads of soldiers carrying supplies and provisions slowly headed east.

The people in the city whispered among themselves.

Is Cao Cao leaving? Abandoning Luoyang?

When the news reached Hangu Pass, Zhao Cen was drinking on the gate tower.

"Cao Cao withdrew?" He put down his wine cup, somewhat surprised.

The scout replied, "Yes. For several days in a row, they have been withdrawing three thousand men each day, heading east."

Zhao Cen remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "I thought Cao Cao was so capable, but it turns out he's also one to back down when faced with difficulties. Luoyang is an empty city, with no grain and no manpower. What's the point of defending it?"

The lieutenant said from the side, "General, you must not be careless. Cao Cao is cunning and treacherous; there may be a trap."

Zhao Cen waved his hand: "So what if it's a trap? Hangu Pass is a natural fortress; he can't possibly fly up here."

With that, he picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Several days later, the garrison at Hangu Pass completely relaxed.

Daily patrols continue as usual, but the number of nighttime sentries has been reduced by more than half.

The upper floor of the gatehouse was brightly lit, and Zhao Cen drank every night, falling asleep after getting drunk.

Meanwhile, thirty miles east of Hangu Pass, in a secluded valley, five hundred elite soldiers had been lying in ambush for two days.

Xiahou Dun squatted behind a large rock, gazing at the outline of the gate wall in the distance, his eyes gleaming.

Xiahou Yuan whispered from the side, "The moon is dim tonight, it's the perfect time."

Xiahou Dun nodded emphatically and glanced back at the assassins behind him.

Five hundred men, all dressed in black short-sleeved clothing, with short knives tucked into their waistbands and grappling hooks strapped to their backs.

These men were handpicked from an army of 20,000; they were skilled climbers and adept at night combat.

Night fell, at the third quarter of the hour of Xu (7:45 PM).

Cao Cao's rear guard arrived at the valley entrance silently.

Liu Liang, Xun Yu, and Xi Zhicai accompanied him, followed by 1,500 reinforcements led by Cao Ren and Cao Hong.

Cao Cao climbed to a high place, looked at the pass wall that stretched across the canyon, and said in a low voice, "Mr. Zishan, if we succeed tonight, I will give you the greatest credit."

Liu Liang said, "The greatest credit goes to those soldiers who scaled the city walls. I only drew a few diagrams."

Cao Cao smiled and said nothing more.

It is exactly 9:00 PM.

Xiahou Dun waved his hand, and five hundred elite soldiers crept along the mountainside toward the pass wall.

The walls of Hangu Pass are built against the mountain, with the highest point being over five zhang and the lowest point being three zhang.

Xiahou Dun chose a corner on the eastern section.

There's a shadow at the base of the wall here, and the patrolling soldiers on the wall always turn around when they reach this spot, giving them a brief respite.

Five hundred men crept to the base of the wall, holding their breath and waiting.

A patrol of soldiers walked past the wall, the light of their torches sweeping across the top of the wall before fading into darkness.

This is the moment!

Xiahou Dun gave a low shout: "Go!"

The first row of assassins simultaneously threw out their grappling hooks.

The bamboo pole with the iron claw was thrown upwards. The iron claw went over the top of the wall, flipped over, and with a soft "click," it gripped the inside of the wall bricks.

Someone tried it, and the hook held the force.

Then came the climbing.

These people were well-trained and now they used both their hands and feet to quickly ascend the bamboo pole.

There was no sound from the wall, only the faint rustling of the bamboo poles bending slightly.

Thirty breaths later, the first dark figure climbed over the wall.

Then came the second, the third...

A loud shout suddenly came from the direction of Guanlou: "Who goes there?"

Discovered!

Xiahou Dun waved his hand, and the remaining assassins stopped hiding, simultaneously throwing out hooks and climbing.

The alarm gongs sounded loudly on the gate, torches were lit, and the guards were awakened from their sleep, rushing out of the barracks in disheveled clothes.

But the first batch of assassins who climbed the wall had already established themselves.

The junior officer in charge drew a short knife from behind and slit the throat of the nearest guard, then turned and guarded the entrance to the wall ladder.

The second and third waves of suicide soldiers kept scaling the wall and quickly formed a defensive line.

When Xiahou Dun climbed onto the top of the wall, the eastern section of the city wall had already fallen into the hands of the assassins.

He stood on the wall, drew the horn from his waist, and blew it with all his might.

"Waaah—"

The sound of horns ripped through the night sky.

Outside the closed door, Xiahou Yuan waved his hand: "Set up the ladder!"

Sixty spiked ladders were erected simultaneously, their barbs driven deep into the ground.

Cao Ren and Cao Hong led 1,500 elite soldiers who surged up the siege ladders like a tidal wave and charged toward the fortress wall.

Inside the pass, Zhao Cen jumped out of bed and rushed barefoot out of the bedroom.

"What's going on?!"

The lieutenant, his face covered in blood, rushed in: "General! The east wall has fallen! Cao Cao's army has broken in!"

Zhao Cen's head buzzed: "How many people?"

"I...I don't know...it's all dark and everywhere!"

Zhao Cen grabbed his knife, rushed out of the room, and ran into a group of fleeing soldiers.

The soldiers, their armor disheveled and their helmets and armor discarded, ran past him without even glancing at him.

"Stop! Stop right there!" Zhao Cen swung his sword and cut down one soldier, but he couldn't stop the fleeing soldiers.

In the distance, the sounds of battle shouts grew closer and closer.

Xiahou Dun, covered in blood, fought his way to the gate tower with his sword in hand.

They ran right into Zhao Cen.

Zhao Cen's legs went weak when he saw that fierce glint in his eyes.

"Who goes there!" Zhao Cen shouted, raising his sword, but his voice trembled.

Xiahou Dun did not answer, but drew his sword and slashed.

Zhao Cen barely managed to block the blade, but the blow split his hand, and the blade flew out of his grasp.

When the second slash came down, he only had time to turn to the side. The blade cut into his shoulder blade, and blood sprayed all over Xiahou Dun's face.

Zhao Cen collapsed to the ground, twitched twice, and then remained still.

Xiahou Dun beheaded Zhao Cen with a single stroke, held the head in his hand, and strode into the gate tower.

On the gate tower, Zhao Cen's general's flag was still fluttering in the night wind.

Xiahou Dun cut the flagpole in half, causing the flag to crash to the ground.

He leaned out and threw Zhao Cen's head down from the gate tower, shouting down at the pass: "Hangu Pass has fallen!"

At the pass, Cao Cao's army surged in like a tidal wave.

The defending troops scattered and fled, and countless soldiers knelt down to beg for surrender.

Outside the gate, Cao Cao stopped his horse on a high slope, gazing at the fallen flag on the gate tower, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Xi Zhicai whispered from the side, "My lord, it's done."

Cao Cao nodded and turned to look at Liu Liang.

"Mr. Zishan, the credit for this battle belongs to none other than you. Cao Cao has noted it down."