It goes without saying.

The newly repaired mountain road allowed for much faster travel than before. Before long, a small village nestled at the foot of the mountain appeared before them. The village consisted of dozens of households, backed by lush trees, while the other three sides, where the land was more level, had been diligently cultivated by the villagers. Though the season lent a somewhat bleak air to the surroundings, one could still imagine the tranquil and picturesque scenery of spring and summer. In Wang Bo’s previous life, such a place would have surely attracted many lovers of the outdoors. But now, with thatched cottages burning everywhere, the crackling of flames mixed with the strange cries of beast soldiers, all beauty was utterly destroyed.

Wang Bo and his companions fell silent. They rendezvoused with Li Damu, who had gone ahead to scout. Under his guidance, using the cover of trees and ruined walls, they slowly approached the gathering place of the enemy soldiers in the village.

As they drew near, the first thing that met their eyes was a field of corpses, blood splattered everywhere. Judging by their fallen positions, most villagers had been herded together and executed en masse. Some forty fierce soldiers clad in leather armor were either laughing as they gathered spoils or resting beside their horses. Blood-soaked heads were tied together with ropes, strung neatly in several rows; occasionally, one could still make out the terrified faces of the dead. A dozen smaller heads lay discarded nearby, some still steaming.

The sight made Wang Bo and his men’s teeth clench in rage, a violent fury surging to their heads, sweeping away all the cautious plans made on the road.

“Throw spears! Throw spears!” With several heart-shaking shouts, a wave of white spears, propelled with tremendous force, flew toward the laughing officers on horseback. After a few screams, Xu Chu, not waiting for the cavalry to fall, charged ahead, raising his long broadsword, shouting, “Your lives are mine!” as he plunged into the midst of the enemy. His blade swung left and right, blood marking every strike, as if no one could stand before him.

The outermost enemy soldiers were caught completely off guard, their heads falling with bewildered expressions. A few who reacted quickly tried to defend themselves, but Xu Chu, in his fury, sliced through both men and weapons with ease.

Wang Bo quickly stopped his men from throwing more short spears and waved his hand, “Charge!” Ping Han, Yang Feng, and others responded, splitting into two groups to attack. The dozen or so on foot formed three squads, armed with long spears and short javelins, following Li Damu into the fray. They targeted stray or wounded enemy soldiers on the edge, first throwing short spears and then stabbing fiercely with their lances.

Though Wang Bo had witnessed bloodshed before, he had never killed a chicken. Now, burning with anger, he gritted his teeth, threw two spears, stabbed with his lance, and managed to kill an injured enemy officer, indulging in the grim thrill of taking a life.

The outcome was inevitable. With battle-hardened warriors like Yang Feng, Ping Han, and Li Damu leading the charge, and Xu Chu killing with such ferocity, the rest surged forward in a wave. The surprised enemy soldiers were slaughtered in less than a minute, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Some had died earlier, yet were still stabbed repeatedly by spears, while Niu Feihu, frustrated at not finding any prisoners, rode from corpse to corpse, confirming their deaths.

“Clean up the battlefield! Search for supplies!” Wang Bo issued orders calmly, though he mourned the loss of fine leather armor. He sighed inwardly: It was clear that strict discipline and intensified training were needed.

After burying the villagers, they led away the captured horses, gathered all the long spears and blood-stained sabers, along with whatever supplies could be found in the village, and returned to camp. Wang Bo also ordered the severed heads of the enemy soldiers to be hung from the trees around the camp.

Victorious, they returned, but none felt any joy, all falling silent. Wang Bo was about to encourage them when Niu Da, returning from hunting, brought good news: He had discovered a superb slope nearby, ideal for a camp, just eight or nine miles away.

Wang Bo was delighted and told Niu Da he would inspect it personally the next day. He then summoned Yang Feng and the others for a post-battle review.

Once everyone was seated, Wang Bo saw their heavy hearts and spoke first, “Brothers, there is no need for such sorrow. In these chaotic times, calamity is ever-present, and we simply happened to cross paths with it. Rather than mourning, why not turn grief into strength to slay the enemy? By our efforts, we can save innocent people from misery and suffering!”

Yang Feng nodded in agreement. “The lord speaks truly!”

“I have gathered you for two matters. The first is to review the battle. Reflect on today’s achievements and mistakes—speak freely.”

After some silence, Yang Feng spoke, “My lord, you were reckless, risking the safety of the camp. You have not yet experienced the ways of battle, nor mastered the skills of survival. If you were injured, our camp would be left leaderless, descending into chaos. The Yellow Turban cause would lose another commander.” He paused, then added, “From now on, Ping Han and Xu Chu will serve as your personal guards, never leaving your side. Do not let the lord venture into danger again!” He then turned sternly to Ping Han, “Do you understand?”

Xu Chu answered loudly. Ping Han, glared at by Yang Feng, replied, “I remember the order!” Wang Bo opened his mouth to speak, but Yang Feng’s frown silenced him, so he merely smiled sheepishly.

Li Damu then stood and said, “Killing the enemy is not mere venting of anger! Once they are dead, there is no need to waste strength turning them into mince. If another enemy approaches, our soldiers will be exhausted and unable to fight.”

Wang Bo clapped his hands. “Well said! That is why I called everyone to review the battle. We all rushed in together, without leaving scouts or maintaining vigilance. Our teamwork was lacking, and even five men suffered minor wounds while taking down a single enemy—this should not happen!”

Everyone began to discuss, pointing out weaknesses and vowing to learn from them. Encouraged by Wang Bo, the atmosphere became lively, erasing the old days when they acted separately despite being together. Through the trial of battle, a brotherly bond of life and death emerged, bringing Wang Bo and Yang Feng much satisfaction.

Finally, Wang Bo pressed his hands down, “Today was our first real battle; mistakes are inevitable. From now on, these post-battle reviews will become routine. By examining our flaws and the enemy’s weaknesses, we can improve and kill more with fewer losses in future battles.” Everyone nodded in agreement.

“The second matter is good news: Niu Da has found a treasure of a location. If it proves true tomorrow, our brothers will have a place to call home! No longer will we fear enemy attacks without the strength to resist…”

He hadn’t finished before everyone erupted into joy.

The next morning, Wang Bo, Yang Feng, and others followed Niu Da to the site he had described. Wang Bo and the others exchanged satisfied glances.

The area was elevated, backed by a towering mountain. The forest was dense and rarely visited. To the left, a ridge connected in a T-shape, while the right ridge slanted across, forming two natural passes at the junction. The left ridge was exceptionally steep, with a narrow mountain river running outside it. The inside, due to earthquakes or landslides, had a large, gentle slope. With some work, it could easily become a camp. Guarding both passes, they could advance to attack or retreat to defend—the geography was ideal.

Wang Bo immediately decided to make this their new camp, Yang Feng agreeing. Back at the old camp, he organized everyone: Yang Feng and a few stayed to keep watch, while the rest split into three groups. Niu Da led one, Niu Hong another, both tasked with opening roads to the new camp’s passes.

The roads had to accommodate two horses abreast, clearing thorns and trees, leveling with rocks and earth. Where they skirted deep ravines, they inserted thick, pointed stakes and made simple fences with grass ropes and vines for warning.

Wang Bo led a group to the gentle slope, clearing stones and weeds to prepare for the camp.

With newfound hope, everyone worked with smiles, even naked children hopping about to bring water. By day's end, two mountain paths had been carved out, and the camp’s outline was taking shape.

The next day, they dug pits, felled trees, and built fences. Wang Bo led Zhou Xiu, Wang Qi, and others to tidy the entrances, building walls and gates at the passes for defense.

Near noon, Niu Feihu reported that a squad of fifty or so soldiers had passed below, escorting prisoners. Their armor was mismatched, likely local county troops. Yang Feng had gone to investigate, sending Niu Feihu to ask Wang Bo whether to ambush them.

Wang Bo saw no reason not to and led more than fifty able-bodied men to intercept. Before reaching the forest edge, Yang Feng hurried over, saying, “The men below are Du Yuan and Wu Huan, two of our commanders! I beg you, lord, please rescue them!”

Wang Bo steadied Yang Feng. “Don’t worry, brother! Even without our Yellow Turban brothers, we must still slay these enemy soldiers! Feihu, lead the way!”

A squad of soldiers was resting by a stream. Their gear was indeed inferior to the previous troops, lacking the bloodthirsty ferocity of elite soldiers. Only five or six horses, fewer than ten archers, the rest armed with short knives.

Nearby, more than twenty strong villagers pushed wheelbarrows, piled high with loot. The prisoners’ arms were bound to a wooden beam, ropes tied to horses around their necks, beaten occasionally with whips—truly pitiful.

“The enemy has archers. The stream offers no cover. If we charge, the enemy will be alert and ready. Arrows and blades are blind; our brothers may suffer casualties. But these troops are far from the elite we faced before. All we need is to charge, kill their leaders, and the rest will fall!”

He paused and swept his gaze over the group. “Here is my order: Anyone who hesitates or flees before the battle is over—will be executed!” Everyone saluted solemnly, “We will obey!”

Wang Bo was about to lead the charge when Yang Feng stopped him, “Does the lord’s earlier promise mean nothing? Zhongkang will protect the lord!”

“No! I’ll stay in the forest where it’s safe. Zhongkang in battle can kill enemies swiftly, reducing our casualties. He cannot stay here!”

Yang Feng considered and agreed, “The lord will remain! Brothers, follow me!” He then charged out of the forest.

By the stream, the enemy soldiers were laughing and discussing their spoils. Suddenly, they saw a group charging from the woods. Amidst the panic, someone shouted, “Form ranks! Form ranks!” They moved quickly enough: a dozen spear-wielding soldiers took the front, blades behind, archers at the rear, nervously watching the charging group.

Two hundred paces from the enemy, Yang Feng saw they were prepared and gave up on a surprise attack. He ordered his men to halt and form ranks. Brandishing his sword, he shouted at the enemy, “You have burned, killed, and plundered—evil upon evil! I, Yang Feng, stand here. Surrender your horses and weapons, and perhaps Heaven will spare your lives! If you persist in folly, I will leave none alive!”

“Scoundrels! How dare you boast so! If you have skill, show it in combat! Why waste words? You are nothing before the mighty Zhongqiu army. If you repent, surrender now! Otherwise, I promise, my iron spear will not spare you!”

“Ha! Good words, villain! Brothers, follow me—charge!” With a shout, over forty cavalry split into two groups, flanking the enemy. The rest, led by Xu Chu, advanced on foot, long weapons in the left hand, short spears in the right, charging straight at the enemy.

“Archers, protect the flanks!” the enemy commander called, but with only ten archers divided on two sides, five or six arrows posed little threat. Yang Feng had his cavalry spread out; he, Ping Han, Li Damu, and other skilled horsemen led, knocking away arrows. The enemy managed only two volleys before dropping their bows for knives. At the last moment, Yang Feng’s cavalry tightened formation and charged both flanks.

As the saying goes: Longer weapons mean greater strength. Yang Feng and his men, wielding long spears and blades from horseback, struck before the enemy with knives could get close, slaughtering them almost unopposed. Only two unlucky riders fell from their horses and were cut to pieces.

The enemy’s formation was small. Within moments, the cavalry had crossed through both sides. From above, Wang Bo saw the once dense formation now churned like a plowed field, strewn with enemy corpses. The county troops, already weak, panicked after the cavalry’s charge. Right then, the foot soldiers with short spears, led by Xu Chu, hurled their javelins with the speed of their running, then rushed in with lances, thrusting into the chaos.

After a round of slashing and trampling, followed by a rain of spears, the spear-wielders charged the front while the cavalry struck from both flanks with thunderous force. The frightened enemy finally broke, some screaming and fleeing only to be cut down, others throwing down weapons and begging for mercy. The enemy commander tried to escape on horseback, but Xu Chu hurled his long knife like a javelin, piercing the man’s back and chest, ending him. The surrendered soldiers trembled in terror. Thus, the battle ended.

Everyone returned to camp victorious, having gained much: the wheelbarrows were filled with grain and loot taken by the soldiers, over forty short knives, several bows, and more than forty prisoners, including the villagers.

It was then learned that Du Yuan and Wu Huan had been escorting the “Saint Maiden” with Liao Hua, heading to Lower Quyang. After only two days, Emperor Hupu and others had surrounded them with a large force. “General of Earth” suffered a defeat, was killed by his subordinate Yan Zheng’s betrayal, and the Yellow Turban elite, leaderless, fought bravely but perished. Liao Hua, Gao Sheng, Zhou Cang, and others defended the “Saint Maiden,” broke through to the east, hoping to join Chief Bu Yi in Qingzhou. Du Yuan and Wu Huan volunteered to pretend to be the “Saint Maiden” and flee west, misleading the enemy. In the chaos, most were separated; only ten remained when they reached the Ten Thousand Mountains, exhausted and wounded. After days trapped in the woods, they sent someone to scout for news. But the scout saw the county’s reward notice, turned traitor, and led the county troops to surround them. After fierce fighting, the wounded Du Yuan and Wu Huan were captured alive and taken to the county.