Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 832: The battle breaks out again, prepare for a fierce battle!

"Clean up the battlefield immediately!" Gao Yao's voice suddenly rose, carrying unquestionable majesty. "Clear the corpses and repair the city gates! Gather all available arrows, logs, and rocks! Re-boil the golden liquid! Immediately block all gaps in the city defenses with sandbags, wood, and stones! No slacking off!"

"Yes!" Ma Chang, suppressing the pain, croaked in response. The captain of the personal guards behind him also responded immediately, turning around to convey the order.

At Gao Yao's command, the remaining defenders on the city walls, along with the three thousand newly arrived, still-shine-armored personal guards of Gao Yao, sprang into action like clockwork. The exhausted defenders were helped down to the city walls for bandages and rest, while the personal guards, without hesitation, plunged into the arduous task: dragging bodies from the city walls with grappling hooks, carrying heavy stones and timber to reinforce the walls, gathering scattered arrows one by one, and resetting crossbows... The stench of blood in the air was overshadowed by the stronger smell of burning and the salty tang of sweat. Everyone knew that their respite was limited; the next storm could strike at any moment.

Gao Yao stood atop the city wall, his hands behind his back, his gaze as deep as a cold pond as he gazed toward the distant Chu camp. No matter how many reinforcements he had brought, Xiang Yu would know them. He had never been so naive as to believe that his mere presence could frighten off the domineering Overlord of Western Chu. Xiang Yu's retreat was a tactical one, not a strategic surrender. The true test had just begun.

In the Chu army camp, inside the central military tent, the atmosphere was as heavy as iron.

Xiang Yu strode into the camp with great speed, his heavy footsteps thumping against the ground. He tore off his blood- and dust-stained cloak and tossed it to his guards. The rage burning in his pupils didn't die out with his retreat, but instead solidified into a more terrifying, predatory glow.

"Have you checked it out?" Xiang Yu's voice resonated like thunder in the tent. His gaze swept across the other generals, finally settling on the scouting officer. "The man coming up from the city wall is indeed that eunuch Gao Yao?! How many reinforcements did he bring?!"

This question is of vital importance! It is directly related to whether the Battle of Yangping Pass can continue, and even to the success or failure of the entire strategy.

"Reporting to the Overlord!" The scout commander knelt on one knee, speaking rapidly but clearly, "Confirmed! The royal banner with the word 'Gao' hoisted on the city wall, and the leader is none other than Gao Yao himself! Judging from the size of the reinforcements, pouring out from the mountain road, their formation is neat, but the number... according to eyewitness estimates, the combined infantry and cavalry number around two to three thousand! No more than five thousand!"

"Two or three thousand?" Xiang Yu's thick eyebrows twitched sharply, and a faint light suddenly shone in his pupils. An uncontrollable excitement rushed through his body like an electric current! The humiliation of his previous defeat at the hands of Gao Yao was like a poisonous snake gnawing at his heart. At this moment, the snake seemed to see the dawn of revenge!

"Mr. Fan and General Yi were right!" A nearby counselor immediately chimed in, his tone tinged with relief. "Our army has surrounded the enemy and attacked their reinforcements, while our main force is holding down their various divisions. The heavy troops in Xianyang are being closely watched by General Yi's cavalry, leaving them unable to defend both ends. Even if Gao Yao could manage to squeeze out some reinforcements, it would be a drop in the bucket! Five thousand is already the limit! Now only two or three thousand have arrived. This is a blessing from heaven, Your Majesty!"

Xiang Yu slowly sat down, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the hard desk. His mind raced: Yangping Pass, a fortified pass, held by only 3,000 remnants had already cost him dearly. If Gao Yao had truly brought 20,000 reinforcements, relying on the fortified city, he would be helpless. A forced attack? The casualties would be unbearable, and the time wasted was even more costly. If Liu Bang's additional reinforcements arrived, he would be trapped in a tight encirclement! At that point, he would have no choice but to abandon his plan.

But, there are only two or three thousand people!

What did this mean? It meant that the total force at Yangping Pass, even with reinforcements and remnants, could never exceed six thousand! And most of them were wounded and exhausted from the bloody battle! While Gao Yao's two or three thousand men were fresh troops, in Xiang Yu's eyes, they were merely a few more stones on a crumbling dam! More importantly—Gao Yao himself had arrived! This enemy, whom he hated to the core, had actually thrown himself into the meat grinder!

"Great! Great Gao Yao!" Xiang Yu slammed his hands on the table and stood up suddenly. A terrifying glint flashed in his pupils. His previous sense of defeat was completely replaced by a strong will to fight and murderous intent. "There is a road to heaven, but you don't take it. There is no door to hell, but you break in! This time, Yangping Pass will become your burial place! Pass the order!"

His voice, like the clanging of metal, resounded throughout the tent: "All troops, rest and prepare food! In two hours, beat the drums to gather the troops!"

"Siege equipment, immediately prepare and repair! Send in more ramming machines!"

"Tell the boys, that eunuch Gao Yao is at the gate! Whoever takes his head will be rewarded with ten thousand gold and be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!"

The generals in the tent responded with a roar of agreement, their morale instantly ignited. The flames of revenge and the great temptation burned fiercely in the Chu army camp.

Two hours passed in a flash.

In the Chu army camp, the soldiers, having feasted on their battle meals and rested briefly, donned their armor and drew their weapons once again. The heavy drumbeats, like the heartbeats of a giant beast, shook the earth. An even larger army formation than before regrouped outside the pass, its murderous aura intensifying! Repaired ladders and newly deployed battering rams exuded a cold aura of death before the battle.

At Yangping Pass, Gao Yao also stood at the highest point. After two hours of repairs, the breach in the wall had been barely sealed. The gate was reinforced from the inside with huge crossbeams and piles of sandbags. Gold liquid bubbled in the iron pot, emitting a sickening stench. His personal guards and the remaining defenders were mixed together, ready for battle. Arrows, rolling logs, and stones were stacked back behind the battlements.

Gao Yao's gaze, past the thinning smoke, was fixed firmly on the fluttering "Xiang" banner in the distance in front of the Chu army. He could clearly see the Chu army's formation adjusting, the focus of their attack becoming clearer, and a murderous aura, even more violent and determined than before, washed over him.

"Finally... it's finally here." Gao Yao's voice was so low that only he could hear it. He slowly raised his hand and gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure. The touch of the cold metal calmed his turbulent emotions. He knew Xiang Yu would never give him a break. The next round of attack, even more brutal and frenzied, was about to begin.

Within the walls and beyond, a deathly silence reigned, the only sound being the whimpering of the wind and the heavy breathing of soldiers on both sides. The air seemed frozen, filled with a suffocating tension. Yangping Pass, this blood-soaked pass, was about to be transformed once again into a terrifying millstone devouring lives.