Dong Zhuo stared across the battlefield, his expression dark and unreadable.
If he had to name a general under his command who could match the man before him…
Only one came to mind.
Lü Bu.
But Lü Bu had once served Zhang Xin.
And that alone made him unusable.
"Where did Zhang Ziqing find so many fierce generals…?"
Frustration gnawed at him.
On the battlefield, chaos erupted.
"Evil one! The Evil One is here!"
As Dian Wei rampaged through the frontlines, wielding his weapon like a storm unleashed, Dong Zhuo's soldiers faltered. Fear spread like wildfire.
Morale collapsed.
In contrast—
The White Wave soldiers roared with rising courage.
Zhang Xin seized the moment.
"Charge!"
Once again, he led from the front, bursting out of the camp with his troops like a breaking tide.
Dong Zhuo's soldiers could not withstand it.
They retreated.
"Hold the line! No retreat!" the supervisors screamed, swords flashing as they cut down fleeing men.
Forced back by fear of death behind them, the soldiers turned again—
Only to see Dian Wei charging forward on horseback, halberd in hand.
"Evil One!!!"
They broke.
Completely.
Even executions could not stop the rout.
Dong Zhuo watched silently.
Then exhaled.
"…Enough."
The gong sounded.
Retreat.
His army was exhausted.
They had marched hard from Chang'an, barely rested, and fought relentlessly for three days and one night.
Their strength was gone.
Their spirit—drained.
Continuing would only waste lives.
Inside the camp, Zhang Xin finally allowed himself to breathe.
"Strike once—momentum rises. Strike twice—momentum wanes. Strike thrice—momentum is spent."
He looked at the retreating enemy and smiled faintly.
"Dong Zhuo's men are finished."
Even without reinforcements, he could hold.
But reinforcements—
Were already here.
That night, under darkness—
Yu Jin arrived.
The next morning—
Dong Zhuo marched out again.
But what he saw made his heart sink.
Before him stood not Zhang Xin's battered camp—
But a fresh army.
Four thousand soldiers.
Fully armored.
Perfectly aligned.
Silent as steel.
And above them—
A banner.
"Yu."
Dong Zhuo narrowed his eyes.
"Reinforcements…?"
But something felt off.
This army was elite.
Yet Zhang Xin himself was not present.
Nor were his famed generals—Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun.
Instead—
An unknown commander.
Dong Zhuo's mind raced.
Then—
He laughed.
"Of course…"
"Zhang Xin has fought me for three days straight. If my army is exhausted—so is he!"
"He personally led charges yesterday. He must be unable to command now!"
"This must be a newly arrived force, led by some nobody!"
Confidence surged.
"If I crush them—my army's morale will recover!"
"Then I strike the camp and end this!"
"Drums!"
"Advance!"
Dong Zhuo raised his sword.
"Kill!"
The battle began.
Inside the camp—
Zhang Xin was asleep.
Soundly.
Without concern.
As long as there was no rain—
Yu Jin would not lose.
"Lord."
Dian Wei stepped inside.
Zhang Xin stretched, yawning.
"How goes the battle?"
Dian Wei grinned.
"Wen Ze has already driven them back."
"Dong Zhuo has retreated."
Zhang Xin smiled.
"As expected."
Later, Yu Jin entered to report.
"How did it go?" Zhang Xin asked.
Yu Jin spoke calmly.
"I only ordered a volley of arrows… then had Zang Ba and the others charge."
"The enemy collapsed."
"They were already exhausted—body and spirit."
He paused, then added with quiet confidence:
"If I could not defeat such an enemy…"
"I would not be worthy to live."
Elsewhere—
Dong Zhuo was furious.
"Damn it!"
He slammed his fist.
He had known his army was exhausted.
But seeing an unfamiliar commander—
He had gambled.
And lost.
Worse—
From the enemy's formation and control—
This "Yu" was no ordinary man.
Another general of great ability.
"Where… does Zhang Xin find these people?!"
But anger changed nothing.
Dong Zhuo forced himself to calm down.
"No more attacks."
"Rest. Recover."
"Then… a decisive battle."
He stepped outside, looking at the sky.
"I just hope…"
"…his next reinforcements haven't arrived yet."
Back in Zhang Xin's camp—
A new plan was already forming.
"Wen Ze," Zhang Xin said.
"Tonight, take two thousand men."
"Cross Fengling Ford. Go to Puban."
Yu Jin frowned.
"Why?"
Zhang Xin smiled.
"Dong Zhuo will not attack tomorrow. He will rebuild morale."
"He wants a decisive battle before my next reinforcements arrive."
"But…"
He tapped the table lightly.
"Our next army is still twenty days away."
"If we fight now—we lack numbers."
Yu Jin's eyes sharpened.
"You intend… deception?"
Zhang Xin nodded.
"Leave your armor behind."
"Have Wang Meng's men wear it and march here."
"Let Dong Zhuo think fresh reinforcements keep arriving."
Yu Jin's eyes lit up.
"Feign strength… to break his will."
He bowed deeply.
"This general understands."
As Yu Jin departed to carry out the plan—
Zhang Xin turned toward the city.
"Send for Yang Biao."
"If we're going to deceive Dong Zhuo…"
A faint smile appeared.
"…then we might as well make it convincing."
"Expand the camp tomorrow."