Nearly every enemy soldier within bowshot had been shot dead.

Only Cui Haocang was still clinging to life, protected by a few dozen of his own guard.

Ning Chen had said he wanted him alive, so no more arrows could be loosed.

Yuan Long gave the order. "Fire the whistling arrows!"

Whoosh, whoosh!!!

Two whistling arrows shot into the air, one after the other.

That was the signal for the archers to stop.

Of course, the signals weren't fixed. They were changed for every operation... otherwise the enemy could easily learn them and exploit them.

The archers hidden on Rockfall Slope got the order and stopped at once.

Yuan Long picked out a hundred men. "Soldiers," he said in a low voice, "charge with this general! Take Cui Haocang alive, and avenge General Zhong and the Great Xuan's sixty thousand dead!"

The Great Xuan's soldiers hadn't forgotten that blood debt.

Now they fought the Gaoli Kingdom far more eagerly than they had ever fought Nanyue.

Hooves thundered.

Yuan Long led a hundred armored horsemen in a charge at Cui Haocang and the others trapped behind the mountain of bodies.

Li Xing spotted them first. "The enemy's charging! Protect the General..." he roared.

Cui Haocang had no more than thirty of his guard left around him.

They saw Yuan Long charging at them with his men, and panic crossed their faces.

Li Xing shouted, "You few, get the General out first... The rest of you, with me. Hold them off."

Cui Haocang's face was grim as he looked at Li Xing. He knew perfectly well that staying behind meant certain death.

"Deputy Li Xing..."

"Don't say it, General. You saved my life, and today I'm giving it back to you... What are you all waiting for? Get the General out of here..."

Cui Haocang looked at Li Xing and sighed. "Deputy Li Xing, take care of yourself!"

In truth, he knew Li Xing wasn't coming back.

Cui Haocang fell back under the protection of a few of his guard, but the ground was nothing but bodies and blood-soaked mud, and they…