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For an ordinary soldier, drawing a bow would necessarily involve first stepping firmly into the stirrups, straightening the body, using the strength of the waist and legs to draw the bow and nock the arrow, hooking fingers to pull the bowstring, aiming, and then releasing the arrow at the instant the horse's hooves were all off the ground. Only then could the arrow's stability and accuracy be ensured…
But for Lü Bu, many of these steps were entirely omitted, almost child's play. Relying solely on the strength of his arms, he forcefully drew a strong bow that an ordinary person could hardly draw fully, unleashing three arrows in rapid succession without pause.
Although the Red Hare beneath him was still galloping wildly, Lü Bu's hands remained exceptionally steady, as if a bowl of water placed on his arm at that moment would not spill a single drop.
The arrows left the bowstring. In the initial moment, they seemed like eagles tucking their wings, preparing to dive, trembling slightly. Then, assisted by their fletching, they quickly adjusted their posture, suddenly cleaving through the air, shooting forth like lightning!
The triangular arrowheads tore through the air, the sound they produced like Death opening its mouth, forcefully sucking the souls of mortals from the air. One moment they seemed to be in Lü Bu's hand; the next, they were upon the enemy.
At the front of the enemy column, a man on horseback who appeared to be an officer of some rank was issuing orders to adjust the formation. In the blink of an eye, he found the arrows already before him…
The triangular arrowheads gleamed coldly. Lightly touching the rough, sun- and rain-darkened skin, they tore through it as easily as thin paper, effortlessly ripping open flesh, blooming into a tragically beautiful blood flower, carrying shattered throat bones with them. Their momentum undiminished, they only ended their journey after piercing another foot soldier behind. Yet the arrow fletching still swayed uncertainly in the wind, as if ready at any moment to leap up again, greedily seeking more blood, ending more lives.
Three arrows.
Three cavalrymen, arrows in their throats, spurted streams of blood. Without even time to cry out, they tumbled from their saddles.
The opposing formation fell into disarray. Lü Bu's gaze remained calm, as if nothing had happened, as if nothing was worth his notice. Casually, he reached back again, and three more arrows flew in rapid succession.
Another three arrows.
Six more officers leading their units instantly perished under Lü Bu's sudden assault. The efforts to organize the formation abruptly ended. Many ordinary soldiers were at a loss, unsure whether to go left or right, looking at each other in confusion, hands and feet uncertain.
The old Bingzhou wolf cavalry veterans, without needing orders, automatically gathered behind Lü Bu, striving to keep up with the Red Hare's extraordinary speed. They didn't possess Lü Bu's monstrous archery skills, but they could still loose a volley of arrows before the close-contact charge to disrupt the enemy formation…
The wind brushed past his face. Lü Bu slipped his long bow back into its quiver, grabbed his Sky Piercer halberd, and narrowed his eyes slightly, like a beast fixing its gaze on its prey's throat.
The enemy soldiers, having lost command, were thrown into disarray by the Bingzhou wolf cavalry's arrow volley. The enemy cavalry, originally positioned in the middle ranks, had only just spurred their horses, moving laterally to bypass the foot soldiers at the front, intending to intercept Lü Bu's wolf cavalry with a flank attack.
A slight curve lifted the corner of Lü Bu's mouth. Too late to intercept now!
The Red Hare's speed was terrifyingly fast, already opening a gap between Lü Bu and the wolf cavalry behind. But Lü Bu showed no intention of slowing down. Instead, he let out a long cry and single-handedly plunged straight into the enemy's infantry formation.
The Sky Piercer halberd carried a unique, shrill, whistling sound, as piercing as needles stabbing eardrums. The crescent-moon blade danced through the air, like a sickle cutting through hollow grass stems, effortlessly shearing through the spears blocking the Red Hare's path!
Crude spearheads flew through the air, scattering as they fell. Only then did the foot soldiers tremblingly holding empty spear shafts suddenly erupt with sprays of blood and bodily fluids, splattering everywhere, spattering onto Lü Bu and the Red Hare in droplets.
The thick, foul stench of blood mixed with the odors of other fluids was exceptionally strange and unpleasant, somewhat acrid. The spurting blood, in theory, should have been scalding hot. But when it splashed onto Lü Bu's face, he seemed to feel no temperature at all, remaining calm, steady.
Attacking an enemy formation was like chopping down a man. Killing these foot soldiers was like cutting the limbs. It seemed to cause a lot of bleeding, but in reality, it didn't strike a vital point. Only by fiercely attacking the central command system, like beheading the opponent with a single blow, would even the most massive limbs and greatest strength become futile.
The Sky Piercer halberd, a weapon that would be heavy and clumsy for an ordinary person to wield, was like a light saber in Lü Bu's hands. As if slicing through roasted meat, it instantly tore a huge breach in the enemy's battle formation.
Heavy yet sharp, powerful yet agile, savage yet skilled—anyone facing Lü Bu could not adapt to such immense contrasts. Just when it seemed like a crushing mountain-top blow was descending, and one prepared to brace with the spear shaft to meet it, Lü Bu's wrist would turn. A cold gleam of the crescent moon would flash, and the spear shaft and severed arm would fly together…
Lü Bu was like an immensely destructive drill bit, viciously boring through the battle formation. The Bingzhou wolf cavalry behind Lü Bu were like thousands of small knives, following in his wake, hooking and pulling out strips of flesh from the original wound, severing and destroying, tearing and enlarging the wound once more.
The enemy cavalry had only just circled out from the infantry formation when Lü Bu, in an instant, had already broken through the vanguard and attacked the enemy commander's central army!
The central commander's personal guards frantically gathered together, charging madly towards Lü Bu, attempting to intercept him.
"I am Feng Ding, Feng Ziping, of Shangdang! Who are you?!" the enemy commander hidden behind the wall of personal guards roared. The Feng clan was considered a major surname in Shangdang, having produced many notable figures since the Warring States period…
Lü Bu, brandishing the Sky Piercer halberd, did not pause upon hearing this. He cut down Feng Ding's personal guards attempting to resist him as if chopping melons and vegetables, gave Feng a contemptuous glance, and only then said, "An unknown nobody. Never heard of you." He then couldn't even be bothered to announce his own name, merely making the Sky Piercer in his hands even more fierce. Even though Feng Ding's personal guards were robust men meticulously selected and well-equipped, they simply could not withstand Lü Bu's assault.
Seeing the situation turning against him and his family name having no effect, Feng Ding, under the protection of a few guards, hastily turned and fled.
After killing the personal guards stubbornly clinging to him, Lü Bu did not immediately spur his horse in pursuit. He simply took out his bow again, narrowed his eyes slightly, and let fly an arrow.
Feng Ding, struck in the back by the arrow, cried out and fell from his horse.
With the death of their commander, the already chaotic and panicked enemy soldiers broke apart completely, fleeing in all directions. In contrast, Feng Ding's few remaining personal guards, seeing their commander dead, turned their horses around and charged Lü Bu recklessly, disregarding their own lives.
Considering these remaining guards somewhat loyal and brave, Lü Bu put away his bow, spurred his horse forward, and personally dispatched the last few guards as a sign of respect…
The enemy cavalry that had originally circled to the outside, preparing to charge the Bingzhou wolf cavalry, found their attack not yet launched when their own commander had already perished. Instantly, there was no more point in continuing the attack. Relying on their horses and seeing the situation was dire, they all wheeled their mounts around and fled.
Lü Bu reined in his horse, halberd held horizontally. All over his body, enemy blood dripped down his armor. The Red Hare was soaked crimson, snorting puffs of white vapor, still pawing the ground with its front hooves, as if not yet fully satisfied.
Watching his Bingzhou wolf cavalry begin mopping up, pursuing the enemy, Lü Bu pulled on the Red Hare's reins and frowned. "These Shangdang soldiers, why aren't they defending against the Black Mountain bandits? Why come here instead?"