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I held the position responsible for raising and training the Bing Province Army, but the military command ultimately rested with Ding Yuan. It was only natural. Ding Yuan refused to relinquish command authority. From the start, he knew it was the sole source of his power in Bing Province—the thread that kept him alive.
I had no particular desire to seize it. I never even considered taking it. But if Ding Yuan started recklessly wasting the soldiers I'd painstakingly raised and trained, or if he failed to order a sortie when it mattered most, resulting in avoidable losses in battles we could have won, or failing to save those we could have rescued... Then the day would come when Ding Yuan would be stripped of his official robes—or lose his head.
But not yet, at least. It might be soon, but Ding Yuan wasn't that oblivious.
"General Lü."
"Don't talk while galloping. You'll bite your tongue."
"If a Bing Province cavalryman bites his tongue from atop his horse, he should dismount right then."
"Agreed."
Hou Cheng and Zhang Liao kept pace beside me.
"The enemy numbers five thousand Black Mountain Bandits. Our force: fifteen hundred cavalry."
"Not confident?"
"Pardon?"
"Confident in victory."
The state of the battle? Overwhelmingly in our favor. They had superior numbers, but we were cavalry.
Just charge straight in, and most battles like this were won. Of course, plenty would die in the process.
"Hou Cheng. Accurate scout report?"
"Yes. They knew how to fight government troops."
The enemy wouldn't be complete fools.
"First ranks: spearmen. Second: archers. Center: their own weapons."
"Amateur bandits mimicking a proper army."
"Yes."
"Formation?"
"Square."
Square formation. I pictured it in my mind. Infantry tensing at the sight of cavalry. Aiming spears and bows our way. Cavalry charging straight at that front—like a wedge piercing through. Flank attacks? Casualties? I could survive. What about the cavalry following behind?
"Split the force into three."
I pointed left and right, assigning Hou Cheng and Zhang Liao respectively.
"Hou Cheng takes the left wing, Zhang Liao the right. On my signal, fan out to the flanks and split in half."
"What about the center?"
"As always."
I nodded emphatically at Hou Cheng and Zhang Liao, then raised high the command banner wrapped around my Fangtian Halberd.
"One-point breakthrough."
Wang Dang, leader of the Wang Dang Band—a group of Black Mountain Bandits operating around Henei Commandery in Ji Province—was utterly dumbfounded. Vast plains. A barren wasteland where not a single blade of grass grew properly. The only thing visible was the shadow of tall mountains on the horizon, yet dust clouds were rising from the east.
"Boss. Something's coming from over there."
Wang Dang tilted his head at his subordinate's words.
"Coming?"
"Yes. They're coming."
"Not fleeing?"
No wind was blowing. Dust rising meant deliberate action, and from his experience, such massive clouds came from only one source.
"Fugitives kicking up that much sandstorm?"
"Chase them?"
"No, no. Chasing would just stir more dust. ...What the hell is it?"
Wang Dang racked his brain through his experiences again and again.
"Did we let a lot slip away?"
"No way. Our orders were to massacre the locals in this godforsaken area who couldn't even feed their horses properly."
"Right."
Wang Dang and his subordinate turned to look behind them. Their camp in the rear. Villages burned, subordinates hauling rice and valuables from storehouses, floors littered with those who'd tried to stop them and bled out. A few had fled early in the raid, but not enough to kick up dust like that. Later, there'd be hell to pay—
"Hold on."
Wang Dang retraced his thoughts.
"Kicking up?"
Dust, being brought this way? Coming?
"Hey. Isn't that getting closer?"
"Boss, I've been saying from the start—something's coming."
"..."
Wang Dang grabbed the spear slung on his back. Its blade was caked in blood, but no time to wipe it clean.
Rumble rumble.
The vibrations seemed to be drawing nearer, slowly.
"Isn't that government troops?"
Government troops? Impossible.
"No way Henei troops could be here now."
They already had a sort of agreement with the government troops. Though that secret deal wasn't with some lofty court official—
"Even if they were coming, shouldn't it be from the west, not the east?"
If government troops were inbound, they'd have sent word secretly.
"Boss. It's getting closer."
"I see it."
Charging through the dust. The ground felt like it was shaking beneath their feet, sending a chill up Wang Dang's spine for some reason.
"That's..."
As the outlines sharpened.
"C-Cavalry!!"
He could see them now. Who was kicking up the dust.
"B-Boss!"
"Don't panic. We're not some idiots waving single swords."
Wang Dang calmly pointed ahead.
"Spearmen up front. Cavalry or not, thrust those long spears forward, and they're skewered helpless."
"S-Spearmen forward!!"
At the subordinate's shout, the bandits hesitantly stepped up. They'd already beaten government troops several times.
"Think of us as a spiky turtle. Hold firm and solid—that's all it takes."
No matter how many cavalry, how do you pierce spearmen bracing with long spears thrust forward and legs planted firm?
"Hey. What about the bows and arrows from raiding that camp last time?"
"Got the lads all equipped."
"Archers to the rear, stand ready."
"B-But we suck at shooting bows!"
"Blindfire's fine! Just don't hit our lads in the back!"
"G-Got it! Lads! Nock arrows high! Fire when they come!"
Sloppy command, but the bandits drew their bowstrings, awaiting the signal.
"Hoo."
Wang Dang chuckled inwardly. Zhang Yan's words flashed through his mind.
—Though we started as bandits, we're now worthy of the title general.
General.
—We're bandits now, but someday we'll be soldiers in some unit. This is practice for that—fear not.
Not regular army yet, but one day they would be. He didn't know Zhang Yan's full scheme, but when invited to the true Black Mountains, he'd learn.
Who Zhang Yan—the Black Mountain Bandits' chief—had allied with in the court. Yes. Not long now. The day Zhang Yan's ally seized the court, they'd shed these black rags and become proper officials—
"B-Boss!!"
"Quit panicking. ...What?"
"Th-That!!"
The subordinate pointed straight at the oncoming cavalry.
"I said quit panicking. Flee cavalry on open plains?"
"N-No, not that!! Th-That banner!!"
"Banner's a banner. Government troops fly 'em."
As the enemy cavalry charged, Wang Dang trembled slightly.
"Whatever the banner, we hold formation tight..."
He was illiterate, couldn't read the fluttering banner's characters, but he knew that symbol well.
—If you see a banner like a well, run first.
Zhang Yan, their leader, had said it.
Asked who they were, Zhang Yan replied: Bing.
—Bing Province Army.
Cavalry faster than arrows, infantry solid and heavy as rolling boulders. Their might renowned even before the Yellow Turbans rampaged; even Zhang Yan avoided their main force.
Rumors. An undefeated monster lurked among them. Such foes now before his eyes?
"L-Legs firm!! Ar-Arrows, d-don't shoot yet!"
Was it panic? In the moment Wang Dang bit his tongue, a few arrows flew weakly over the spearmen, embedding in the wasteland.
Whoosh.
The cavalry scattered left and right in unison. Splitting like water around an obstacle.
"T-Turn to face them! Arrows at the flanks—!!"
"Boss!! They're coming!"
"Of course!! I know!"
"No, straight ahead—!!"
He looked where the subordinate pointed.
"...One?"
A single officer charging on horseback. At the tip of his spear held low to the side gleamed twin crescent blades.
—Especially, beware one monster.
Fear was contagious.
—Beware the one with antennae-like plumes fluttering from his helm.
Zhang Yan had described the monster, clearly terrified. He'd laughed then. But realizing the source of that fear, Wang Dang nearly dropped his spear.
The sensation of facing a massive tiger in the mountains crept through the gaps in his cold armor. Yet amid that sensation, only one figure appeared. Yes. One.
"Th-The enemy commander's charging first... single horse at full gallop!!"
All eyes fixed on him. No attention for the flanking cavalry—the lone rider straight ahead drew every gaze.
"S-Spears forward!!"
"B-Boss?!"
"He's human! Just one man!!"
One man. No matter his fame, one couldn't fight like that.
"Unhorse the monster! Target the horse! Spear it down!"
That seemed best.
"Loose arrows!! Fire now! Worry about hits later—just stop him!!"
If showered in arrows, he'd retreat, right? Feint a solo charge into the center, then the flanks would pour in. If that was the plan, he'd order the left and right wings.
"He's coming!!"
Why couldn't eyes tear away from that monster? Why was the horse under him naturally arcing to change course? Just a bluff after all? No. Before the horse fully turned, the monster was already leaping off.
Thud.
Twisting greatly from the saddle, weapon raised, he vaulted down, then hit the ground sprinting. As if the horse had been mere propulsion.
"No."
Wang Dang wanted to ask sincerely.
"If you're dismounting anyway, why ride—"
Boom!!
With an explosion, three soldiers flew skyward. Blood sprayed massively the other way.
"Out of the way—!!"
Wang Dang charged forward.
"I'll handle him!!"
"Boss!!"
Spear in hand, he ran ahead.
"Fool who leaped from his horse!!"
Why did generals ride? Obviously, high ground advantage.
"Wang Dang will face you—!"
Mimicking a general's roar from his youth, Wang Dang cleaved through spearmen, charging the oncoming warrior.
"Fool!"
Wang Dang braced his legs, gripped the spear two-handed, and thrust low. Aim for the gap in the armor of the one spinning after slicing three soldiers—use the height difference to slam him down.
Clang!
That was the plan.
"?!?!"
His eyes couldn't follow. He'd barely blocked the spear—why was his own bouncing away? Why was the halberd that had swung at another soldier now swinging at him?
"Guh?!"
Instinctively, Wang Dang jerked his head back. But his body lurched rearward, legs giving out, and he toppled.
Neigh!!
Falling from horse. But he still gripped the spear—quickly recover stance—
Crunch!
"!!"
Spear met halberd blade. The crescent gleamed inches from his throat. Instinct had blocked with the spear; otherwise, decapitated.
"Hah."
The monster looked down impassively. One hand gripped the halberd, the other choked a soldier's neck, eyes fixed solely on him.
"You're the leader."
"Y-You m-monster...!!"
Wang Dang rose, pushing against the halberd in a contest of strength. To compensate, he gripped the spear blade's front with both hands, shoving.
Grind.
"Wh-What...!"
Even two-handed, it strained. Couldn't hold it short like a dagger. Grip fails, spear drops, throat severed.
No. He hadn't fought this long to die here. Not lived to be sliced by that blade three words away.