Chapter 344: Feigning as retreating garrison troops

Zhang Honghong was ecstatic, raising the long spear in her hand high: "Brothers! General Luo has broken through the pass from the rear! The city gate is about to open! Follow me and kill! The moment to break the pass is now!"

The morale of the Ming Army was greatly boosted; their offensive became even more fierce, charging toward the city gate without fear of death.

"Crack!"

Finally, under the combined hacking of Luo Feng and the others, a critical iron chain snapped, and the heavy winch began to loosen.

"Push the winch!"

Hundreds of Ming soldiers blocked the outside, fighting the garrison, while the remaining men used their last bit of strength to push the winch.

That city gate, which had withstood the Ming Army's fierce attacks for an entire night, finally opened slowly at this moment!

"The city gate is open! Charge in!"

Zhang Honghong's eyes were bloodshot; she spurred her horse and was the first to charge toward the wide-open city gate.

The Ming soldiers behind her let out roars, swarming toward the city gate entrance.

The garrison commander saw that the situation was lost and hurriedly abandoned the pass to flee; fighting to the death now was not a good strategy, as preserving strength to defend the second pass was the superior plan.

The Ming Army naturally would not watch them escape, immediately pouncing to slaughter as many enemy troops as possible.

The garrison had no intention of resisting, only wanting to rush to the second pass.

Standing on the ramparts of the first pass of Guansongling, Luo Feng was covered in blood, leaning on his notched long saber and panting.

Of the five hundred men in the City-Chiseling Battalion, only a little over a hundred were still standing here alive. But their sacrifice was worth it; they had broken the city gate in one night.

Zhang Honghong walked over with long strides and landed a heavy punch on Luo Feng's shoulder: "Well done! You madman Luo!"

Luo Feng grinned, his expression extremely exhausted, "This is only the first pass; there are still two more!"

Zhang Honghong nodded: "At least we won't be so passive anymore."

Bai Ting also walked over after receiving the news, but he was clearly somewhat sullen, "There was no one walking on that side at all; we couldn't even block anyone."

"I didn't expect things to go so smoothly either. Your side was meant to guard against a protracted war, but it wasn't needed!" Luo Feng shook his head; although exhausted, he was still very happy.

Bai Ting pondered and said: "The city walls of these three passes are all the same height, but our Beijiang terrain is high, so this first pass, built against the mountain, naturally has a much higher vantage point. This can be considered an advantage of taking the first pass."

"Exactly!" Luo Feng nodded, wiping the blood from his face indiscriminately.

"The first pass has the highest vantage point, and the third pass is the lowest, so it will be much easier for us to fight from here on!"

Zhang Honghong took over the conversation: "But the advantage of a surprise attack is gone!"

After this, the garrison would inevitably be on guard, and the Ming Army's time was very tight; they simply could not afford a long delay.

"Who says there's no advantage of a surprise attack?" A flash of madness crossed Luo Feng's eyes, "The garrison retreated into the second pass, their souls still shaken; they certainly won't have time to prepare siege equipment, and news of reinforcements hasn't arrived yet.

At this moment, they are at their most chaotic and weakest! If we give them a chance to catch their breath, wait for news of reinforcements, and wait for them to reorganize, we'll have to pile up human lives to take this second pass!"

Bai Ting frowned: "General Luo, the brothers have been fighting for a night and are already exhausted. A forced attack now, I'm afraid..."

"It's not a forced attack!" Luo Feng interrupted him, "It's a lightning strike! Chasing the tail of the retreating troops! The retreating troops entering the pass will inevitably impact the garrison's formation and bring panic. We will mix in among the retreating troops, or follow closely behind, and seize the gate in the chaos!"

Bai Ting's eyes lit up: "Mix in among the retreating troops? You mean..."

"Immediately find some nimble brothers, have them change into the garrison's armor, and smear more blood and filth on their faces and bodies."

Luo Feng said quickly, "We don't need many people, a hundred is enough. When the retreating troops approach and call for the gate to be opened, mix in with them. Once the gate opens, launch an attack immediately to seize the city gate!"

"Zhang Honghong, you lead the main force to follow closely behind. Don't stay too far away, but don't get too close either. Maintain pressure to create a sense of urgency for the retreating troops and our men that they 'must enter the gate immediately,' and also make the garrison commander afraid to easily close the gate and refuse entry!"

"This plan is too risky!" Bai Ting said with some worry: "What if we are discovered..."

"That's why we must be fast! While they are still shaken and haven't had time to carefully distinguish!"

Luo Feng continued decisively: "We have no time to rest, and no time to slowly besiege the city. The Imperial Court's vanguard cavalry will arrive at any moment! We must take at least two passes before they arrive, only then will we have the capital to hold our ground! Bai Ting! Zhang Honghong!"

"Here!"

"Take your men and set off immediately. Feign pursuit of the retreating troops, be careful to maintain distance, create chaos, and coordinate with the operation!"

"Understood!"

"As for the City-Chiseling Battalion..."

Luo Feng looked at the hundred or so brothers remaining by his side, his heart hardening, "Those who can still move, follow me! Change into the clothes; we are the 'retreating troops'!"

"General Luo! You have wounds on your body, you cannot take any more risks!" a personal guard said urgently.

"Nonsense! Can I manage if I don't go?"

Luo Feng had learned much from Jiang Jinshi, and what was most profound was that as long as Jiang Jinshi stepped onto the battlefield, he would never shrink to the rear.

Luo Feng snatched a garrison uniform that was covered in blood and still relatively intact and put it on, "Execute the order! Set off immediately!"

The garrison troops who had fled in defeat from the first pass, having discarded their helmets and armor, gathered in a wretched state under the tightly closed gate of the second pass.

The cries of those still shaken, the groans of the wounded, and the furious cursing of the officers mixed into a mess.

"Open the gate! Open the gate quickly! We are the subordinates of the first pass garrison!"

"The Ming Army is killing their way here! Let us in quickly!"

"There are pursuers behind! Open the gate!"

The torches on the pass wall were bright, and the garrison troops drew their bows and arrows, their expressions tense.

The Guansongling garrison commander appeared behind the battlements, looking down at the chaotic retreating troops with a gloomy face.

"Where is Garrison Commander Wang?" the commander shouted.

"Garrison Commander... Garrison Commander has died for his country!" someone below shouted with a crying voice.

"How many Ming soldiers are there? Where have they reached?" the commander asked again.

"Many! Countless! They climbed up from the back! The city gate was broken in an instant! They'll be here soon!" The retreating troops spoke incoherently, and their extreme panic was highly contagious.

The commander frowned, his heart filled with suspicion. Zhenbei Pass broken in one night? And the Ming Army could climb up from the cliff in the back?

This sounded like a fantasy, but the retreating troops before his eyes and the faint sounds of killing in the distance could not be faked.

What he feared most was that there were spies mixed in among the retreating troops, but below was a dark, panicked mass; how could he distinguish them?

"General, should we let them in? What if the Ming Army really is chasing them..." the vice general said in a low voice.

"Wait a moment, look closely..." the garrison commander hesitated.

The risk of opening the gate was too great, but if they were truly comrades and he stood by while they died, how could he lead troops in the future? Besides, what if the Ming Army was really following close behind and took the opportunity to seize the gate...

Just then, more terrified shouts came from behind the retreating soldiers: "They're here! The Ming Army's cavalry! They've chased us down!"

The faint sound of hooves and battle cries seemed to draw closer. The retreating soldiers below the pass became even more chaotic, pounding desperately on the gate, and some even began trying to climb it.