"Oh no, we've walked into an ambush!"
"Get down the mountain, quick!"
"Stop pushing!"
Though the Dare-to-Bear Army, formed from slaves, had developed considerable fighting strength, its discipline left much to be desired. The moment the soldiers realized they had been ambushed, chaos erupted. Their first instinct was to flee the oppressive, narrow mountain path, without the slightest semblance of order.
That rush brought disaster. Some ran forward, others backward, and as men shoved against one another, their formation fell apart.
Shi Bufan, who mingled freely with his soldiers and treated them like brothers, lacked the authority to bring them under control. All he could do was shout, struggling to hold their formation together.
"Hold steady! Don't panic!"
"Form up! One at a time!"
Shi Bufan thought, There are only two options now. Either steady the ranks and break out along the way we came, or force our way through and decide what to do once we're past this narrow mountain path.
The Zhou Army laid an ambush here, so they must have prepared well in advance. Our retreat has probably already been cut off. It looks like we can only charge through in one surge-climb whatever mountains we meet, cross whatever waters we reach, and kill whatever enemies stand before us.
Having made his decision, Shi Bufan rushed straight to the front. He had once been a lowly slave and had hardly practiced martial arts even after becoming a general, leaving his personal combat skills unremarkable. But his armor and weapon had been made by skilled craftsmen, giving him fighting power far beyond that of an ordinary soldier.
After driving back several Zhou soldiers with a few blows, he roared, "All troops, charge! Push through in one surge!"
Unfortunately, Ji Fa had anticipated everything. Just as the Dare-to-Bear Army