Although Cao Cao had done everything he could to order the navy to disperse its ships, the burning Han Army vessels came far too quickly.
The outer ships had only just begun to disperse when the fire ships plunged straight into them. More than a hundred vessels laden with grease, sulfur, firewood, and other combustibles charged into the fleet-the scene was easy enough to imagine.
Ramming prows had been fitted to the bows of these fire ships. With the wind and their speed behind them, they smashed great gashes straight into the hulls of many Cao Army warships.
One Cao Army warship after another caught fire.
Meanwhile, the entire Han Army navy had mobilized. None of its officers or soldiers had slept that night; all had been waiting for the order to march.
At Zhuge Liang's command, Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, and the others led the navy toward the Cao Army in a vast, surging force.
"Launch the fire oil!"
Zhang Liao gave the order, having the soldiers push the torsion catapults forward and launch jar after jar filled with fire oil.
The flames were not fierce enough yet. They needed to add more fuel to the fire!
Zhao Yun also led his officers and soldiers in shooting fire arrows. Soon, fire arrows and jars of fire oil blotted out the sky as they rained down on the chaotic Cao Army navy.
Initially, only the outer ships had been affected by the fire ships, but once the Han Army began launching jars of fire oil and fire arrows, the Cao Army vessels farther inside began catching fire too.
The wind borrowed the fire's momentum, and the fire bolstered the wind's might.
The blaze grew fiercer and fiercer.
Soon, fires burned throughout the Cao Army fleet, thick smoke billowing everywhere. Many