The most difficult thing in life is probably making choices, especially when it concerns life and death. The more paths there are, the greater the possibility of choosing incorrectly.
When Ma Chao faced the Xianbei vanguard, he no longer had a choice. If there had been any choice at this moment, Ma Chao wouldn't have led his over seven thousand trusted aides to charge into an army of two hundred thousand, because that's not bravery, that's insanity!
However, since there were no choices, Ma Chao had no option but to forge ahead, regardless of whether it seemed insane or not. Retreating would lead to total annihilation, though perhaps he alone might have a chance to escape; charging meant one in ten thousand odds of survival, but it gave his loyal troops a slight chance of escaping alive.
Therefore, Ma Chao made the reckless choice. He did what King Xiang did back then, leading his remaining seven thousand personal soldiers to thrust into the Xianbei's ranks with fury!
