Chapter 54: A Sweeping Victory

Upon seeing these men, Zhang Xiu’s eyes lit up. He had nearly forgotten—Liu Xie commanded twenty warriors of almost legendary prowess. With such figures present, perhaps the tide could be turned.

“Master, the Wolf Shadow Squad is fully assembled and awaits your orders!” The leader stood beneath the city walls and spoke loudly.

Liu Xie stepped forward with a grave expression. “Listen well. Your mission is singular: do your utmost to slay the leaders of the Cao army, and aim directly for Cao Ren and Cao Hong. You may proceed.”

With Liu Xie’s orders clear, the twenty men mounted their horses and rode out of the city. Each wielded a long spear in the right hand and a curved blade in the left, their weapons working together in perfect harmony. Barely had they breached the Cao army’s lines before they unleashed an unstoppable force.

They formed a strange formation, never lingering in combat, just as Liu Xie had instructed. They would not waste their strength on ordinary soldiers; their targets were specifically the leaders within the ranks—small unit commanders and deputy generals. The Wolf Shadow Squad specialized in eliminating such figures, all the while advancing swiftly toward Cao Ren and Cao Hong.

Observing this, Cao Ren and Cao Hong, who commanded from the rear, frowned. “What’s happening? Didn’t Wan City have only a few thousand troops left?” “Judging by their appearance, these seem to be mere commoners,” Cao Hong noted, surprised by the turn of events.

“Moreover, those twenty men have shown themselves—they’re with Zhang Xiu,” Cao Ren added. They had thought that Wan City would fall within half an hour, given the small numbers inside and their own fifty thousand elite soldiers. It should have been an easy matter.

But now, the sudden appearance of countless civilians made them realize things might not be so simple.

Inside the Cao army lines, the townsfolk hacked and slashed with their crude iron shovels. Of course, as ordinary civilians, they had little fighting experience, and suffered significant casualties as soon as they clashed.

Fortunately, the Wolf Shadow Squad joined in, slaying more than a dozen unit leaders, causing confusion among part of the Cao army. Led by Zhang Xiu, the townsfolk mounted a counterattack.

Soon, their advantage on the battlefield began to grow. The people fought with increasing courage, relentlessly assaulting the Cao forces. Meanwhile, the Wolf Shadow Squad pressed ever closer toward Cao Ren and Cao Hong.

The two generals had long noticed the twenty warriors, but at first, the men were far off and posed no immediate threat. It never occurred to them that these men might be coming straight for them. However, as the distance narrowed, their anxiety grew.

“They’re coming for us,” said Cao Ren. “Quick, kill them!” he ordered, recalling the humiliation they had suffered before Cao Cao because of these twenty men. Now, seeing them again, they were determined to make a decisive stand.

Many Cao soldiers converged to encircle the Wolf Shadow Squad. “Villagers, soldiers, press forward!” Hu Che'er, at the vanguard, commanded the townsfolk and troops to advance at once. The Wolf Shadow Squad led the charge, carving a path for the others, with Hu Che'er following close behind.

“Quick, stop them!” Seeing the situation deteriorate, Cao Ren and Cao Hong began to panic. Their forces could perhaps hold off Hu Che'er and his followers, but the Wolf Shadow Squad at the front was unstoppable. The perfect coordination of left-handed blades and right-handed spears meant that not a single enemy who approached survived—every one fell before them.

The Wolf Shadow Squad drew ever nearer to Cao Ren and Cao Hong. “Retreat, retreat, withdraw immediately!” The two realized they could not withstand the assault and hurried to escape.

“All forces, advance and seize the Cao army’s supplies!” Zhang Xiu shouted from atop the city wall. Hearing the command, the Wolf Shadow Squad immediately shifted their focus, charging toward the rear where the army’s provisions were kept, with Hu Che'er and three thousand troops and townsfolk following in their wake.

“Protect the supplies, protect them at once!” Cao Ren ordered loudly. Cao soldiers rushed to defend the food stores, but the Wolf Shadow Squad’s ferocity was overwhelming—many were cut down as soon as they met them.

Hu Che'er led the main force close behind, coordinating perfectly with the Wolf Shadow Squad. Even if the Cao army tried to flee with their supplies, the wagons loaded with grain moved slowly, making them easy targets.

Taking advantage, the Wolf Shadow Squad struck deep into the supply convoy, and as Hu Che'er led countless townsfolk into the fray, the Cao soldiers began to collapse. “Withdraw, retreat now!” They realized they had no hope of victory and must escape as quickly as possible.

Without the twenty Wolf Shadow warriors, the Cao army might have still been confident of winning. But these twenty men were like a sharp blade—perhaps unable to defeat an army of tens of thousands outright, yet capable of tearing open a gap in the enemy’s formation with ease. Once that breach was made, Hu Che'er and his followers would rush in, sealing the Cao army’s fate.

Such was their tactic: the Wolf Shadow Squad opened the gap, Hu Che'er widened it. In the end, the battered Cao army could no longer resist. Abandoning their supplies, they fled in disarray.

“Don’t pursue them—bring the supplies back to the city!” Seeing the townsfolk eager to chase the enemy, Hu Che'er quickly gave orders. Before long, hundreds of wagons loaded with grain returned to Wan City. The gates closed, and everyone erupted in celebration.

“We really drove off the Cao army! And we gained so much grain!” Zhang Xiu, standing on the city wall beside Liu Xie, felt as if he were dreaming. He could hardly believe that fifty thousand Cao soldiers had been repelled. It seemed impossible.

“Yes, now let’s see just how many townsfolk helped us in this battle,” Liu Xie mused. He estimated that over a hundred thousand had joined the fight.

“Master Liu, we have food now!” “Yes, Master Liu, we have food!” “It’s all thanks to you, Master Liu—come, everyone, bow and give thanks!” The townsfolk were beside themselves with excitement, dropping to their knees to express their gratitude.

Liu Xie smiled and stepped forward. “Rise, all of you. This is your due. I’ve said before: if you wish to eat your fill and avoid oppression, you must rely on yourselves. I merely gave you the opportunity. Thanks to your trust, you stood with me against the Cao army’s onslaught—this victory is yours.”

He continued, “You all know we have less than three thousand soldiers. If the Cao army attacks again, we won’t be able to withstand them.”

He sighed heavily at the end. Yet Zhang Xiu, beside him, raised his brow imperceptibly. He had once doubted Liu Xie’s methods and thinking, but now, he was beginning to understand him.

“Master Liu, I want to enlist. Who else will join me? Let’s protect our land and our food together!” Someone stood up and shouted, declaring their intent to join the army.

“I’ll enlist too! We’ll follow Master Liu and defend our land and grain!” With the first, came the second, then many more. Soon, countless people waved their fists, eager to enlist.

Liu Xie and Zhang Xiu exchanged a glance. Indeed, this was Liu Xie’s intention. He admitted there was calculation and strategy involved, but he felt no shame in it. His goal, after all, was to help the people—and himself.

“Very well, the government will organize a recruitment drive. Anyone wishing to join may register at the Prefect’s Office within the next half month. One thing I hope you all understand: once you enlist, you are no longer merely defending your own land and food. Enlisting means fighting, means war—and what do we fight for? For a better life, to create a prosperous, peaceful age.”

Liu Xie spoke with conviction, stirring the crowd’s blood. That day, he instructed Zhang Xiu to arrange the recruitment. At the Prefect’s Office, Zhang Xiu deployed over a hundred soldiers to handle enlistments.

With this glorious victory and the abundance of supplies, the townsfolk of Wan City realized that Liu Xie and his companions truly cared for them. Especially Liu Xie, who inspired them to cherish and defend their homeland. Thus, the number of recruits was overwhelming—a sea of people.

In the council chamber of the Prefect’s Office, Liu Xie, Zhang Xiu, Hu Che'er, and Jia Xu sat together, with Liu Xie naturally at the head.

“Lord Zhang, there is another matter to address. I estimate that this recruitment will yield tens of thousands of soldiers. But now that they are soldiers, they need armor, weapons, even horses. We do not yet possess these things, so our next task is to resolve these issues.”

Liu Xie spoke earnestly. The others nodded in agreement; indeed, this was their most pressing concern.

“Master, what do you intend to do?” Zhang Xiu inquired respectfully. His attitude toward Liu Xie had improved greatly, for he saw now that Liu Xie was truly exceptional and might well lead them to great achievements. So, Zhang Xiu and the others followed Liu Xie’s commands without question.