Chapter 44: Breakout and Rescue

"General, you can't escape!" A cavalry general rushed to Lu Bu's side, his voice echoing urgently as he stared ahead.

The path ahead lay obstructed by two formidable enemy formations. While not entirely impassable, halting here would spell doom. Even without the coalition forces approaching from the rear, stopping meant inviting encirclement by Bao Xin's troops. This was the enemy's rallying point, a deadly trap awaiting them.

Lu Bu remained silent, his body leaning forward slightly, Fang Tianhuaji pointing skyward. Chituma surged forward with increasing speed, gradually overtaking the Xiliang iron cavalry, charging headlong towards the enemy lines with an unwavering determination.

In this dire moment, both advance and retreat spelled death. There was a slim chance of pushing forward, but stopping would inevitably lead to annihilation. Lu Bu refused to meet such a humiliating end, and his only course was to fight with all his might.

Infectious determination spread among the Xiliang Iron Cavalry behind him, and they too began to ride fiercely. Even the renowned bravery of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry was rarely seen. The impact was immense but also devastating. Cavalry training was far from casual, unlike infantry recruitment. Their elite status wasn't just due to their horsemanship; they were far more formidable than ordinary soldiers even on foot. This was what made them elite. Yet, charging headlong into enemy formations led to extraordinarily high casualties. Under normal circumstances, cavalry would not be used this way.

However, the current situation was far from normal. It was time to fight with everything they had.

Hua Xiong clung tightly to his horse's belly, following closely behind Lu Bu. His longsword formed a lethal angle with the ground, the perfect posture for dealing death with a blade.

The coalition forces ahead seemed to sense the cavalry's intent, causing their formation to descend into chaos. As Lü Bu approached, the momentum of their galloping army turned their commotion into pandemonium.

This wasn't an elite unit. In fact, it seemed more like a group of ill-prepared conscripts. Faced with such a relentless charge, many panicked and fled, leaving fewer and fewer to hold their ground.

Like a fiery tempest, Lu Bu and his red rabbit horse burst into the enemy ranks, sweeping aside spear thrusts as they cut through the troops. Fang Tianhua's halberd swung left and right, and these enemies proved even less formidable than Lu Bu had imagined. After an initial resistance, they crumbled as Lu Bu charged into their midst, causing the troops to quickly fall into disarray.

The Xiliang Iron Cavalry, once pressed from behind, became the catalyst for the enemy's collapse. They were crushed into pieces within moments, buried under countless hooves. Just moments ago, these soldiers had been alive and well, but now there was nothing left of them. The stark contrast between life and death shattered the morale of these inexperienced soldiers, causing it to crumble like an avalanche.

While the Xiliang cavalry and Lu Bu charged in without fear of death, they faced a foe resembling a pack of wolves. Qiao Mao's Dongjun soldiers, overwhelmed, could no longer withstand the immense pressure. They scattered in all directions, creating a path for Lu Bu.

This was a true rabble!

Lu Bu realized that the Bingzhou Army and the Northern Navy he'd encountered earlier were like steel divisions compared to this army. This was the primary issue with raw recruits—they hadn't yet witnessed the horrors of war and fled when faced with adversity. Generally, those who could endure 10% casualties were considered elites. The coalition soldiers in front, however, couldn't be categorized as such; they capitulated faster and more decisively.

Their defeat was instantaneous, as if triggered by a single button, and it crumbled like a mountain. The speed and extent of this coalition's collapse exceeded even Qiao Mao's expectations. Lu Bu hadn't anticipated that this battle would prove so unexpectedly easy to win.

But for him, this was a stroke of luck. Fang Tianhuaji had brought forth a storm of blood, and soon, his vision cleared. After this group of foes had been vanquished, there were no more coalition forces closing in to surround him.

Victory!

As Lu Bu turned around, he spotted Hua Xiong and the Xiliang cavalry following him, but Gao Shun and the Northern Army were conspicuously absent. A sense of concern washed over Lu Bu. After all, the Northern Army was infantry, unable to keep up with the speed of the cavalry, and had likely been left behind.

"Hold on, let's continue the breakthrough!" Lu Bu pulled the reins, and Chitu Ma came to a swift stop.

"Where's the general?" Hua Xiong inquired with suspicion, observing Lu Bu halting his warhorse abruptly.

"Gao Shun hasn't broken through yet. I need to go back and support him!" Lu Bu didn't elaborate. Previously, the Xiliang Army had followed his orders out of necessity, but now that they had broken through, would they still listen to him? Lu Bu didn't want to take that risk.

"Stop!" Hua Xiong raised his sword high, and the formation of Xiliang cavalry gradually came to a halt. He addressed the assembled cavalry with a resounding voice: "Generals, let's go back and rescue them. We Xiliang soldiers do not abandon our comrades!"

Without further ado, he led the charge against the beleaguered Dongjun army, carving a path for Lu Bu.

The Xiliang soldiers were already weary, and their morale had plummeted. However, witnessing Lu Bu return alone to rescue their trapped comrades, no one objected. A fearless leader who had found his way out of dire straits was highly esteemed among the troops. Furthermore, Lu Bu was now going back to rescue the besieged Paoze, which reassured them in following such a commander into battle.

Lu Bu was aware of the developments behind him, but he didn't look back. Amid the chaos of battle, Gao Shun and the Northern Army had become encircled by the Jibei and Danyang armies. The Northern Army, not being cavalry, lagged significantly in terms of mobility and was quickly overwhelmed. 

Amid the relentless enemy assaults, the Northern Army's formation teetered on the brink of collapse, and their morale had sunk to rock bottom. Even Gao Shun, who seldom showed emotion, couldn't help but feel a tinge of despair.

In this tumultuous moment, Lu Bu's striking figure and distinctive attire on the battlefield drew the attention of both sides. Lu Bu began by picking off several enemy generals with his bow and arrow before swiftly switching to his Fang Tianhua halberd upon close contact with the enemy. He charged into the Jibei army, leaving Bao Xin uncertain whether to continue the siege or focus on Lu Bu.

Upon witnessing Lu Bu return alone after successfully breaking through the encirclement, the soldiers of the Northern Army felt an ignited fervor burning within them. Even Gao Shun, who rarely displayed emotion, had a glint of fire in the corners of his eyes.

Raising his sword high, Gao Shun exclaimed loudly, "Generals, our leader has broken through, but we can still fight for our lives. We are all men; why retreat when we can stand and fight? Join me in battle!"

Morale was instantly rekindled, and the Northern Army charged forward with fervor, their eyes ablaze. Bao Xin, who had been wavering, was also taken aback by this sudden surge of determination. At this crucial moment, the sound of approaching hoofbeats reached their ears – it was Lu Bu, having already broken through the encirclement and heading straight for Bao Xin!