Chapter 7, The Howl of the Wolf

Hundreds of soldiers gazed at the figure disappearing into the darkness. Some stepped forward to pursue, while others hesitated for a moment before following behind. Beneath the starlight, the clouds in the east gradually began to turn a fish-belly white.

The woman hurriedly embraced the rushing child. In her line of sight, a figure clad in a deep blue robe and a beast-headed armor flashed past on horseback, drawing a bow and switching weapons amidst the flames. With a dull thud, a dismounted Xiongnu warrior was struck and sent flying by the powerful charge of the horse, rolling twice before finally coming to a stop, blood gushing from his mouth and nose.

He knows that there are many such places... that are currently suffering from inhumane plundering

In the midst of his speech, Gongsun Zhi suddenly turned his face forward and raised his arm: "Everyone stop—" His voice was loud and clear, causing the hundred horse bandits behind him to pull on their reins and slow down.

... ...

With a pull of the reins, the warhorse neighed loudly and reared up. On its back, a figure clad in a beast-headed bronze armor swung a blade, cleaving through the charging Xiongnu warriors, severing both man and horse in a single stroke. Blood and gore splattered into the sky, while the corpses tumbled to the ground, crashing into the burning wooden house, sending countless sparks and charred wood flying.

Wow ... ... Aahーー

He let out a sigh, and the horse beneath him slowed its pace. He said, "If you spend years dealing with wolves, observing their communication, how they call to their companions with their howls, and how the wolf king commands the pack with sounds, then you too will..."

The number of Xiongnu raiders attacking this village was not large. At this moment, under the uncertainty of the enemy's numbers, they were suddenly surrounded. The Xiongnu soldiers, caught off guard and unable to discard the grain and livestock they had seized, collided hastily with the Han soldiers, and in an instant, they were toppled to the ground, several of them stabbed to death in a pool of blood. The Han general, who had volunteered for the mission, was none other than Zhang Liao. After he swung his sword to slay a body attempting to climb onto his horse, several Xiongnu cavalrymen on the side drew their bows and shot arrows at him.

The hooves thundered as hundreds of warhorses galloped across the gradually yellowing grassland. The rabbits, munching on the grass, hurriedly flipped over and ran back, but in the instant they burrowed into their holes, the hooves had already passed over them.

The scent? Gao Sheng fanned his nostrils and furrowed his brows: "It seems to be the smell of burnt wood... and... the stench of charred, overcooked meat..."

"We have fewer horses..." He tightened his grip on the knife handle, "Let's go to the next village..." Then, taking a deep breath, he said, "Let's save as many people as we can..."

Rumbling

With a snap

Herod

The mournful and tragic howl of the wolf echoed across the grassland

Bang bang bang

A slap landed on her face, and her clothes tore apart with a loud rip, exposing her emaciated chest. The woman continued to struggle, her eyes closed as tears streamed down her face, repeatedly waving her arms towards the small figure staggering towards her, pleading to the Xiongnu above: "Do not harm him... I will not move... Please do not take his life... I beg you."

As Zhang Liao swung his long knife to deflect the arrows, more than ten Han soldiers pulled the few arching Xiongnu cavalrymen down from their horses, stabbing them to death in anger. Only a few Xiongnu managed to escape on horseback, and when someone attempted to pursue them, they were stopped by Zhang Wenyuan's admonition

Not long after breaking out of the woods, he took the piece of wolf throat hidden in his cloak into his mouth and howled at the first rays of the rising sun

The night was deep and dark, as crimson hues climbed the sky. The burning houses could not withstand it and collapsed with a crash, scattering the fiery debris across the ground. Blood spread through the soil, while frantic screams and the figures of horsemen wielding swords intertwined amidst the flames. A child, around five or six years old, was filled with terror, sitting in front of a corpse and crying loudly. Not far away, a Han woman struggled as a Xiongnu man in a fur coat and felt hat carried her on his shoulder, then threw her down among the ruins. He savagely tore at her clothing, and the woman let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Astonishing

Several corpses floated in the pond by the forest, rising and falling with the waves, their crimson color staining the mud on the shore. The group slowed their horses, casting a glance; the sight of the corpses was not unfamiliar to them, but judging by the clothing visible on the water's surface, the coarse and simple hemp garments indicated that they were likely ordinary commoners. Gong Sun Zhi kept his lips tightly sealed, saying nothing, and followed the path along the pond, riding into the woods. There, they saw heads, wide open in fear, with hair tied and hanging from the branches, including that of a child. The group slowed their horses, casting a glance; the sight of the corpses was not unfamiliar to them, but judging by the clothing visible on the water's surface, the coarse and simple hemp garments indicated that they were likely ordinary commoners. Gong Sun Zhi kept his lips tightly sealed, saying nothing, and followed the path along the pond, riding into the woods. There, they saw heads, wide open in fear, with hair tied and hanging from the branches, including that of a child.

Gongsun Zhi cracked the whip, and the horse's hooves moved again, entering the territory of Dai County. Before long, a wisp of faint black smoke rose into the sky from the woods below the hills ahead, and there was a choking smell in the air

A figure appeared, standing firm with a sword, their voice booming like thunder: "Swift battle, swift resolution"

At this moment, he turned his head and said to the person beside him: "Do you smell anything?"

Behind him, the shouts of battle suddenly erupted, as hundreds of figures approached from the surrounding village. The shapes of Han soldiers echoed in response, like rolling waves, roaring: "Kill!"

Let's go take a look ahead

Do not come over! The woman struggled and shouted, raising her head.

In the midst of relaxation, Gongsun Zhi cast a glance at him

The Hunnic man turned to look at the figure rushing over, swiftly drawing the blade from the ground. A cruel smile curved at the corners of his mouth, as if he had found something more entertaining. He temporarily spared the pale body beneath him. As he took half a step forward, a pair of hands reached from behind and embraced him. The woman there shook her head in desperation. The figure with the knife raised his leg and kicked her, lifting his arm, ready to strike down violently, aiming for the woman's neck.

"It can't be bandits..." Gao Sheng felt little sentiment about this scene. During the time of the Yellow Turbans, he had witnessed much worse. After a moment of silence, he said: "Bandits won't kill everyone; otherwise, it would be equivalent to cutting off their own path to survival"

"How do you talk to a wolf..." After Gao Sheng posed the question, he felt a twinge of regret in his heart. To the side, his tangled hair danced in the wind, while Gong Sun Zhi maintained an expressionless demeanor, seemingly indifferent to the question.

Whoosh

The bandits also discovered that most of the deceased were elderly and children, with very few women and young men seen. Gongsun Zhi pulled the reins, turned the horse's head, and through his fierce gaze, he saw a small flag slowly moving on the phantom map. The next moment, he shouted loudly: "Everyone follow me, let's ambush that group of Xiongnu people"

Hearing his mother's anguished cries, the child got up and ran towards the ruins, extending his small arms and crying out: "Mother... Mother..."

We are heading north to Dai County ... ... '' Zhang Liao tightened the reins, his voice resonating in the night: `` Those who fear death should not come! ''

Gao Sheng rode up from the middle of the cavalry, positioning himself near Gongsun Zhi. He glanced back at a white shadow hanging at the rear side of the formation and said, "Chief, I have something I have been holding back for a long time."

Walking along this terrifying path through the woods, the view ahead becomes clear and magnified. The charred wooden beams weakly rest against a broken earthen wall, while more than ten headless corpses lie in a blackened heap, as if they had been burned together by someone. Several spots still have flickering flames, hissing softly on the grease.

The wind brushing over the grass carries a burnt odor, the sun rises in the sky, and the birds, startled, circle around before turning and flying away

The southward advance of the Xiongnu had actually begun that afternoon, but it was only by evening that it spread to the vicinity of Yanmen Commandery. He learned from the governor Guo Mian that among the areas most severely affected by the military disaster, the closest to here was Dai Commandery, and by the time he arrived, it was likely to be nearly dawn.

A faint sound of arrows whizzing through the air was heard, and the Hun turned around as a feathered arrow pierced through his chest, embedding itself in the crumbling wall behind the corpse, its fletching still quivering slightly, dripping blood onto the bricks below