426. Bao Xin's Death

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Bao Xin, realizing the gravity of their situation, tried to rally his men. "Hold your ground! Regroup and fight back!" But it was too late. The ambush had been perfectly executed, and the momentum was firmly in Lie Fan's favor. Li Tong and Meng Da fought valiantly to stabilize their lines, but the coordinated attacks from Lie Fan, Xu Rong, and Ji Ling left them with little chance to mount an effective defense.

Bao Xin, drawing upon his extensive battlefield experience, barked out orders with an authoritative tone that cut through the chaos. "Form ranks! Hold your ground! Archers cover our flanks! Infantry, shield wall!"

His voice rallied the demoralized troops, and slowly but surely, they began to respond. Li Tong and Meng Da, seeing Bao Xin's determined effort, redoubled their own efforts to stabilize their lines.

Lie Fan, Xu Rong, and Ji Ling observed the enemy's renewed cohesion with a mixture of surprise and a bit of respect for Bao Xin. The damage inflicted by their ambush had been significant, but they knew the battle was far from over.

Lie Fan, noting the enemy's resolve, signaled for a strategic withdrawal to regroup. "Fall back! Regroup and prepare for another assault!"

The Qilin Army obeyed swiftly, falling back in a disciplined manner. They had inflicted severe casualties, but the enemy's newfound defense needed to be broken with a more calculated approach.

As the Qilin Army pulled back, Bao Xin took advantage of the brief respite. "Li Tong, Meng Da, form a defensive perimeter. We need to fortify our position and prepare for their next attack."

Li Tong nodded, issuing commands to his subordinates. "Shield wall, advance! Spearmen, ready yourselves! Archers, cover our approach!"

Meng Da, leading by example, rallied his men. "Hold the line! We must stand firm! Cavalry head to the rear of our formation!"

Despite their heavy losses, Bao Xin's coordination and leadership gave his men a renewed sense of purpose. He also managed to save them from a possible total annihilation.

The defensive perimeter began to take shape, with shields locked and spears bristling, presenting a formidable barrier against another cavalry charge. As for the cavalries, due to the surroundings, they were positioned in the rear as a last resort.

Lie Fan, observing the enemy's movements from a slight elevation, turned to Xu Rong and Ji Ling. "They've managed to regroup and fortify their position. We must be smart about our next move."

Xu Rong nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. "We can use our archers to weaken their defenses before sending in the infantry, My Lord. We still have the numerical advantage."

Ji Ling agreed. "I agree, My Lord. A concentrated barrage followed by a coordinated infantry assault should break their lines, with the Tian Mao Battalion attacking after the infantry managed to break their lines."

Lie Fan, considering their advice, issued new orders. "Archers, to the front! Prepare a concentrated volley. Infantry, ready yourselves for the assault. We will break their defenses with overwhelming force. The Tian Mao Battalion follow me on my command!"

The Qilin Army archers moved into position, their bows drawn and arrows nocked. At Lie Fan's signal, they loosed a devastating volley, the sky darkening with the sheer number of arrows.

Bao Xin's men raised their shields, bracing themselves against the deadly rain. The arrows struck with brutal force, many finding their marks despite the shields. Cries of pain and the sound of metal on metal filled the air.

Lie Fan, seeing the enemy's defenses momentarily weakened, gave the command. "Infantry, advance!"

The Qilin Army infantry, led by Ji Ling, surged forward with a battle cry. They collided with Bao Xin's defensive line, the force of their charge driving into the weakened ranks of Bao Xin infantries.

Bao Xin, Li Tong, and Meng Da fought fiercely, their weapons flashing as they tried to hold the line. But the sustained pressure from Lie Fan's coordinated assault proved too much. One by one, their soldiers began to fall, their defenses crumbling under the relentless onslaught.

Lie Fan, seizing the moment, led the Tian Mak Battalion into a charge alongside Xu Rong, his halberd cutting through the enemy ranks. The combined might of the Qilin Army proved to be overwhelming for Bao Xin, Li Tong, and Meng Da as they never expected such fierce power.

Bao Xin, realizing that the battle was lost, called for a retreat. "Fall back! Save yourselves!" The remnants of Bao Xin's army tried to flee the battlefield, but unfortunately for them, this choice was a bad one for them.

The chaotic retreat of Bao Xin's army presented an irresistible opportunity for the Qilin Army. Lie Fan, Xu Rong, and Ji Ling pressed their advantage, leading their troops in a relentless pursuit. The enemy's

back was now exposed, turning their retreat into a slaughter.

Lie Fan, with his halberd gleaming, was at the forefront of the Tian Mao Battalion, carving a path through the

fleeing soldiers alongside Xu Rong. Ji Ling on the other hand led the infantries to flank Bao Xin's men, ensuring that no corner of the battlefield was safe.

Bao Xin, desperate to salvage the remnants of his force, tried to establish a rear guard to slow the Qilin Army's advance. "Hold your ground! Protect the retreat!" he shouted, rallying his men around

him.

His presence and commanding voice temporarily bolstered his soldiers, and they began to form a

defensive line, with Li Tong and Meng Da, followed suit to help him.

However, fate had other plans. As Bao Xin turned to organize his men, he found himself face-to-face with

Lie Fan. The moment was electric, the noise of the battlefield fading into the background as the two of them locked eyes.

Lie Fan wasted no time. With a fierce battle cry, he charged at Bao Xin, his halberd swinging in a deadly

arc. Bao Xin parried the first strike with his glaive, their weapons clashing with a sound that resonated across the battlefield.

Li Tong and Meng Da seeing what happened tried to go toward Bao Xin's location, but they were soon blocked by Ji Ling and Xu Rong respectively who stopped them from reaching Bao Xin.

On the other hand, the duel was a swift and brutal one. Bao Xin, a seasoned warrior, fought with desperation, but Lie Fan's skill and strength were undeniable and soon overwhelmed him.

Within fifteen bouts, Lie Fan found an opening. With a powerful swing, his halberd slashed across Bao Xin's torso, the blade cutting deep at his torso ignoring the armor that Bao Xin wore as it was cut through.

Bao Xin staggered, blood pouring from the fatal wound. He looked at Lie Fan with a mix of shock and

respect before collapsing to the ground, his last breath leaving his body. The sight of their leader's fall shattered the remaining morale of Bao Xin's troops.

Lie Fan got down from Pangu and stood over Bao Xin's body, cutting his head off with his halberd before raising the head high. "Bao Xin is dead! Surrender, or face the same fate as him!"

The remnants of Bao Xin's Army, seeing that their leader was slain and the unstoppable force of the Qilin Army bearing down on them, caused many of them to throw down their weapons and surrender.

There are those who continued to flee but they were soon cut down by the relentless pursuit of

the Qilin Army.

Li Tong and Meng Da hearing and seeing what Lie Fan had done, immediately ditched Ji Ling and Xu Rong, before leading their units to flee the scene albeit with heavy casualties for them.

On the other hand, Xu Rong and Ji Ling don't pursue them but quickly lead their men to secure the prisoners and gather the spoils of war. The battlefield

was now firmly in Lie Fan's control. The victory was complete, and the Qilin Army had proven their might once again.

Lie Fan dropped Bao Xin's severed head to the ground with grim satisfaction, leaving it to his men to decide whether to bury it or burn it alongside Bao Xin's body with the rest of the bodies around the battlefield.

Turning away from the fallen enemy, he made his way through the battlefield, past the wounded and the victorious, to where Xu Rong and Ji Ling were overseeing the prisoners and securing the spoils of war.

Xu Rong and Ji Ling saluted as Lie Fan approached. "My lord," Xu Rong began, "we've managed to capture

approximately 11,000 men. Our casualties number around 5,000, primarily due to the fierce resistance Bao Xin put up after stabilizing his defense."

Lie Fan nodded, taking in the information. "You both did well," he said. "Our losses are heavy, but the victory is decisive. Ensure that the prisoners are treated as we might be able to use them as leverage in future negotiations or incorporated into our army."

Ji Ling stepped forward. "We will see to it, my lord. The spoils of war mainly rations have also been gathered. We'll inventory everything and distribute it among the men."

"Good," Lie Fan replied. "Let the men know they have fought bravely and that their efforts will be rewarded. We need to maintain morale, especially with the battles ahead."

As Xu Rong and Ji Ling moved to carry out his orders, Lie Fan took a moment to reflect on the day's events. The death of Bao Xin and the capture of his army would send a strong message to Cao Cao, but it also

meant that Cao Cao would be even more determined to strike back against him.

Lie Fan addressed Xu Rong and Ji Ling once more. "We need to be prepared for Cao Cao's next move now after he loses Chenliu's defensive Army. Fasten what we are doing here and let's hurry back to support Zhang Liao and Gao Shun."

Xu Rong and Ji Ling quickly relayed Lie Fan's orders to their men. The soldiers moved with urgency, hastily gathering the supplies and securing the prisoners. The bodies of the fallen were set ablaze in large pyres, the flames licking the darkening sky as a grim reminder of the day's bloody conflict.

Lie Fan mounted Pangu, his eyes scanning the battlefield one last time before turning to his men, ordering them to move out. The Qilin Army, though weary, responded with a unified roar of determination. They quickly assembled into formation, their discipline and readiness a testament to their rigorous training.

The journey back was grueling, but Lie Fan and his army pushed forward, driven by the knowledge that their comrades were depending on them. Along the way, scouts were sent ahead to relay their progress and gather information on the current state of the battlefield. When they finally reached back to Zhang Liao and Gao Shun's position, Lie Fan immediately sought out his commanders. "Report," he demanded, dismounting and striding towards Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, Jia Xu, and Xun You.

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Name: Lie Fan

Title: Three Heroes Who Defeat Lu Bu

Age: 31 (198 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 825

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 936 (+20)

VIT: 598 (+20)

AGI: 583 (+10)

INT: 587

CHR: 96

WIS: 509

WILL: 397

ATR Points: 0