GBP Chapter 1800 Hope in despair!
Chapter 1800 Hope in despair!
"Spearman! Hold on! Don't retreat!" Gongsun Ao roared as he swung his sword to block a stray arrow.
After three rounds of arrow rain, Zhao Yu lost his patience and pointed his spear forward: "Infantry, advance and break the chariot formation! Cavalry, prepare to charge!"
The Chu army infantry, armed with giant axes and heavy hammers, rushed towards the chariot formation like a black tide, howling under the cover of shield bearers.
"Archers! Release!" Gongsun Ao seized the opportunity and gave the order in a hoarse voice.
The sparse arrows shot from the Han army's formation caused limited casualties, but they slightly hindered the pace of the Chu army's infantry.
“Bang!” “Crack!”
Giant axes and heavy hammers smashed down on the carriages and baggage carts, sending wood chips flying! The Chu army infantry frantically destroyed this fragile barrier.
"Hold on! Spearmen, stab!" Gongsun Ao's eyes were bloodshot and he rushed to the front line himself.
When the Chu army infantry tried to push away or destroy the vehicles, countless spears suddenly shot out from the gaps in the chariot formation!
Suddenly, some Chu soldiers were pierced and fell down screaming.
But more Chu troops rushed forward, slashing with swords and stabbing with spears, fighting with the Han army across the chariot formation.
A brutal hand-to-hand combat broke out instantly!
Gaps were constantly being torn open in the chariot formation, but were quickly filled with the bodies and lives of the Han army.
The battle entered the most brutal stage of attrition from the very beginning.
The Han soldiers fought desperately with the courage brought by desperation and the slight advantage of terrain.
Chu soldiers were constantly being stabbed down by spears, and Han soldiers were constantly being dragged out of the chariot formation and hacked to death.
Zhao Yu watched coldly from the outside, constantly dispatching new troops to attack in turns.
He was not anxious, like a hunter watching the final struggle of his trapped prey.
Time passed slowly in the bloody battle.
One hour, two hours...
The Han army's chariot formation had already been riddled with holes and was completely destroyed.
The remaining soldiers could only form small circles and stand back to back for their final resistance.
The position was shrinking, and the ground was covered with layers of corpses. The blood soaked the dry land and turned it into mud.
Gongsun Ao was covered in blood, his armor was torn, and it was unknown how many times that he had been pulled back from the brink of death by his personal guards.
He leaned on his curved sword, breathing heavily, and looked around.
Of the original team of 3,000 people, there are now less than 500 people still standing!
Moreover, everyone was injured and exhausted, and was surrounded in several small circles by the Chu army, whose numbers still held an absolute advantage. They were like a few small boats about to capsize in the stormy waves.
The Chu army seemed to have temporarily stopped attacking and just surrounded them tightly.
The light of the torches flickered, illuminating the cold and murderous faces of the Chu soldiers, as well as the unconcealable despair and exhaustion on the faces of the remaining Han soldiers.
The situation is critical!
With every breath, I seemed to hear the footsteps of death approaching.
In the direction of Hongdu City, there was still dead silence and darkness.
The night was like a huge inky curtain, covering the tragic battlefield.
Corpses were scattered all over the ground, broken spears and flags were everywhere, and the air was filled with the disgusting smell of blood and gunpowder.
After a series of bloody battles, the thousands of Han troops led by Gongsun Ao were reduced to less than 500 people. They were surrounded by the Chu army commanded by Zhao Yu on a low hillside, forming a broken circle and making their last resistance.
The Chu army's offensive was like a tide, one wave after another, seemingly endless.
The Han soldiers were already exhausted. Many of them were injured and their armor was torn. They were only barely holding on by relying on their instinct for survival and their last bit of will.
The front line was crumbling, and every time the Chu army charged, it seemed as if it would completely crush this last bit of resistance.
Gongsun Ao led the charge, his armor stained with blood, and it was impossible to tell whether it was the enemy's or his own.
The long sword in his hand had cut several notches, and he kept encouraging his subordinates with a hoarse voice:
"Hold on! Hold on! His Majesty will never abandon us!"
However, the cruel reality caused despair to spread like a plague among the remaining Han troops.
The disparity in troop strength was too great, and a breakout was hopeless, with even less hope of reinforcements.
The eyes of many soldiers have begun to blur, and their movements have become numb and slow.
At this critical moment when the defense line is about to collapse completely——
"Rumble, rumble..."
A dull and rhythmic sound, extremely penetrating, came faintly from the distant southeast, as if the earth's heartbeat was accelerating.
At first, the sound was drowned out by the shouts and clash of weapons on the battlefield and did not attract much attention.
But soon, the sound became clearer and louder, like the muffled thunder before a summer rainstorm, rolling in with an unstoppable momentum!
It's the sound of horse hooves!
Moreover, the thunderous sound of horse hooves can only be produced by an extremely large group of cavalry!
Gongsun Ao, who was fighting bloody battles, was stunned for a moment, then listened attentively. A trace of disbelief first appeared on his face covered in blood and fatigue.
Then, that trace of disbelief quickly turned into ecstasy!
He slashed back a charging Chu general with his sword, then suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction where the sound came from!
On the distant horizon, some twinkling lights appeared, like fireflies in the jungle on a summer night.
But those light spots quickly became dense and bright, and connected together to form a rushing fire dragon!
Those are countless lit torches!
In the light of the fire, you can vaguely see a forest of flags and a black torrent of cavalry!
"Hahahaha! Heaven will not destroy me! Heaven will not destroy me, a mighty man!"
Gongsun Ao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into an almost insane laughter, his laughter filled with ecstasy and catharsis of escaping from a desperate situation!
He brandished his long sword with a curled blade, using all his strength to shout at his subordinates who were already on the verge of despair:
"Brothers! Did you hear that? Did you see that? It's reinforcements! Our reinforcements have arrived! The court hasn't forgotten us! Reinforcements are coming!!!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice almost breaking: "Hold on! Everyone, hold on! Reinforcements have arrived, victory is at hand! Kill! For the Han!"
The sudden thundering hooves and Gongsun Ao's hoarse shouts were like injecting boiling oil and strong winds into the dying ashes!
The remaining Han soldiers, who had been depressed and ready to give up, seemed to have been injected with a stimulant and were greatly encouraged!
They looked in the direction Gongsun Ao pointed, and saw the fire dragon approaching with great momentum. Their desire to survive and their will to fight were instantly ignited to the peak!
"Reinforcements! Really reinforcements!"
"Kill! Our reinforcements are coming!"
"Brothers, hold on! Fight with Chu Gou!"
"Reinforcements have arrived, we are saved!"