Chapter 91: Human Hearts (II)

Li Kuo’s prediction was correct—nearly 20,000 Tibetan soldiers were stationed in the valley leading to Bolun Post.
The Tibetan cavalry were equipped entirely with long spears and silver armor. With fierce eyes and high morale, they clearly hadn’t faced any resistance. They were camped deep in the valley, their felt tents clustered together, blocking the mountain path.
Although Li Kuo had won many battles through clever tactics, he was well aware of the strength of his own army. The Tibetans were skilled in horseback riding and archery, their cavalry’s combat power on par with that of the Turks in the northern deserts, and they possessed an even fiercer fighting spirit. If tens of thousands of their troops marched toward Jiuqu to aid their king and happened to encounter these “Tang raiders” along the way, wouldn’t they tear them to pieces with rage?
Li Kuo wasn’t a reckless man, so he certainly wouldn’t engage in such a suicidal mission. From Lin Feng, he learned that the Tibetans set up their camps rather carelessly, without proper fortifications, and even their defensive barriers were haphazardly arranged. After consulting with his generals, the young man decided to wait until nightfall before launching a surprise attack.
Although attacking the camp with cavalry carried great risks, he had no choice. The Tibetans were eager to reinforce their forces and would surely not stay in the valley for long. There was only one path to Bolun Post, and if they hadn’t withdrawn from Jiuqu by sunrise the next day, they would inevitably clash head-on with the Tibetans.
He wouldn’t risk the lives of thousands of his comrades. Though he had won many battles and gained fame at a young age, he wasn’t arrogant enough to think that 4,000 cavalry could defeat 20,000 elite soldiers head-on without any preparation.
As dusk fell and the cold moon appeared, a force of several thousand cavalry was neatly lined up on the narrow mountain path. Some wore the special Mingguang armor of the Tang army, while others wore leather coats made from the grasslands of the high mountains. Though their armor wasn’t uniform, they all stood resolutely, awaiting their commander’s orders.
With an enemy force several times their number deep in the valley, this Tang army exuded a determined spirit. They stood straight, showing no sign of fear.
“Hiss!”
The warhorses snorted impatiently, stamping their hooves and raising clouds of dust.
Li Kuo glanced at the flickering lights in the distant valley, took a deep breath, and shouted, “Set off!”
Instantly, the soldiers cracked their whips to spur their horses. The allied forces gradually gathered into a sharp spearhead, led by Captain Li Kuo, heading deep into the valley.

Zhang Yanji, Zhou Wuzui, Lin Feng, Xian Yu Cheng, and other Tang generals stood closely guard beside their respective commanders, surrounding them like stars surrounding the moon and neutralizing any threats from the outside. Severely injured Pu Dachui and Dou Qing rode together with their personal guards in the middle of the column. As for Ai Na and Tubo, they led three thousand White Wolf tribe warriors at the rear of the army.

Each soldier held a burning torch. As soon as they entered the enemy camp, they would throw the torches into the felt tents. The intense flames could cause great chaos, and the more panicked the Tibetans became, the easier it would be for them to break through.

Zhang Yanji glanced at his good friend Li Kuo beside him. Seeing his resolute and calm gaze, he breathed a sigh of relief. He must be observing the enemy camp—he hadn’t been frightened by the sudden changes!

The thundering sound of horse hooves grew louder, like rolling winter thunder. The Tibetan guards on duty behind Lu Chai were dozing off when they were awakened by the noise and looked blankly into the distance. Rubbing their sleepy eyes, they were instantly terrified when they saw what was there and collapsed to the ground.

“Tang invaders! Night attack! Tang invaders are attacking at night!”

He scrambled to his feet and rushed toward the center of the camp. “Whoa!”

Before he could take a few steps, he felt a chill on his back and collapsed to the ground.

Thirty steps away, a handsome young Tang general put away his black bow and whipped his horse fiercely. “Follow me! Don’t engage in battle!”

Once the warhorses gained speed, they were unstoppable. Thousands of Tang cavalry charged forward like meteors and lightning toward Lu Chai.

“Crack! Crack! Crack!”

The Tang generals at the front used their lances to lift the obstacles in their path and throw them into the grassy areas nearby. “Charge forward! Don’t stop!”

A deep horn sound rang out in the center of the camp, but it was urgent and carried a mournful tone.

“Whoa!” “Whoa! Whoa!”

Li Kuo shot three arrows in quick succession, directing the flames toward the nearby felt tents. As soon as the flames touched the thick felt, they burned tall, emitting loud crackling sounds like those of evil spirits.

These three arrows served as a signal, and the Tang generals understood each other instantly. Thousands of Tang cavalry crossed the wooden fences, overturned the tents, and kept moving northward toward the valley. They threw their torches into the nearby tents and quickly used flint to light another torch…

The fierce flames illuminated the night sky, casting deep shadows on the back side of the tents. In an instant, the shadows disappeared, and thousands of bright red lotus flowers bloomed within the Tibetan camp. The flames licked at the felt and spread farther, with plumes of smoke rising from the tops of the flowers, resembling wandering spirits dancing in the air.

“Damn it, the Tang invaders are attacking at night—get out, damn you!”
A Tubo officer rushed out of his tent, covering his nose and mouth, and coughed several times.
“Tang invaders! Tang invaders!”
“Come out quickly! The Tang invaders have attacked the camp!”
The Tubo soldiers still asleep were awakened by the flames and shouts, stumbling out in a panic. Most of them hadn’t even had time to put on clothes, grabbing spears from beside their beds with bare backs.
“Tang invaders! Stop them! Stop them!”
A Tubo centurion was terrified when he saw waves of Tang cavalry charging toward him. He frantically waved his arms, ordering his men to confront them. Forced to do so, the soldiers charged forward with their spears. But how could infantry resist charging cavalry? Before they could thrust their spears, the approaching Tang generals swung their swords, cutting off their heads.
“Gurgle!”
Blood gushed from the Tubo soldiers’ necks as their heads rolled across the ground several times.
The Tubo soldiers trying to block the Tang cavalry were knocked down by their horses, which trampled them mercilessly.
“Ah!” Cries of pain echoed one after another as more and more Tubo soldiers fell to the ground, their ribs crushed.
The howling wind, the loud shouts, the rapid beat of war drums, the soldiers’ cries and curses, and the gasps of the dying all combined to create a tragic and heroic anthem.
“Just charge into the camp! Don’t engage in a prolonged battle!”
Li Kuo held the reins in one hand and shouted the order loudly.
“The commander orders us to charge into the camp! Don’t engage in a prolonged battle!”
“Just charge into the camp! Don’t engage in a prolonged battle!”
“Just charge into the camp…”
The shouts spread like waves from the front of the troops to the back.
That night, a magnificent fire dragon ignited in the secluded valley.