Romance of the Four Kingdoms

Chapter 38

About 10 minutes later a cavalry force galloped with speed to the garrison by an armoured officer at the forefront. Most of the cavalry force were riding standard chestnut brown warhorses while the officer rode around a dark shade horse. The soldiers were mostly armed with spears and shields. As the officer enters the garrison he holds his fist up ordering the cavalry force to stop. One by one the riders entered the garrison looking around the garrison and seeing so many dead bodies, something they weren't expecting to see within their own garrison. The riders make sure the horses don't tread on the corpses. The riders spread out in the garrison. They all spot Mitsuko near the exit, the armoured officer slowly makes his horse ride to her with his personal guard of 8 soldiers behind him in case she tries something. He stays on top of his horse as he pointed his spear at her.

'State your name woman.' He ordered. Mitsuko didn't look up at him.

'I am Mitsuko, my lord.' Whispers started to spread throughout the enemy ranks. They heard of her strength and tenacity in battle against Yuan Shu, as well as her serpent armour.

'So you're the serpent I've heard about? Hmph you don't seem like much, I am Cao Chun cousin to lord Cao Cao himself and these are my men. The tiger and Leopard cavalry.' He introduced himself and his men. He had great pride in his voice as he introduces his men who cheered, raising their spears in the air.

'So was this your doing?' Cao Chun questioned motioning to the dead bodies in the garrison. Mitsuko nodded.

'Yeah it was. We tried to execute a flanking attack on the castle however we underestimated the strength of Cao Cao's and Liu Bei's soldiers and only I remained. I wondered what else to do but then you arrived out of nowhere...I'm not sure what I should do.' Her voice resonated resignation and defeat which pleases Cao Chun as he smirks.

'Is that so? Hmph I thought the serpent would've put up more of a fight but no matter. So what is it now that you seek? Mercy? Or perhaps you wish to pledge your allegiance to lord Cao Cao?' Mitsuko didn't respond straight away.

'Would Cao Cao really accept one such as me?'

'Hmph I am not sure myself however I'm sure if you grovel for your life before me he may consider it.'

'D-don't listen to him my lady!.' Pang Tong started to rise up from his potion next to Mitsuko while coughing.

'Pang Tong?' Mitsuko replied out of shock.

'M-my lady you mustn't surrender to him.'

'This is none of your concern hermit!' Cao Chun yells at Pang Tong. 'This is lord Cao Cao's mighty tiger and leopard cavalry force, what chance do you think you have against us!?'

'He's right, we're outnumbered here and outskilled what can we do?' Mitsuko quizzingly looked at him, uncertainty in her voice.

'You forget we have something that they do not.'

'And that is?'

'We have the serpent on our side.' Pang Tong did his signature chuckle, soon Mitsuko also demonically laughed alongside him.

'Silence! Silence I say! If you do not wish to join us then you both will be slain!' Cao Chun threatens however that made Mitsuko laugh even harder. She brings her free hand to her face and looks down. She then looks up to Cao Chun revealing her reptilian eye through her fingers.

'You can most certainly TRY! Everyone attack!' Mitsuko commanded. Suddenly the soldiers under Mitsuko who seemed they were slain shot back up and began to gore the horses and the soldiers on top of them. The riders had very little time to react, they didn't expect this kind of ambush. By the time they knew what was going on most of their horses were speared and toppled or they were dragged off their mounts and gutted without mercy. Cao Chun and his guard, as well as a few stragglers frantically look around horrified by the sight of their comrades being killed so easily by such an underhanded tactic. Archers emerge on the outskirts on the garrison and fire their arrows at all the stragglers including the guards who one by one fall off their horses with arrows stuck in their chests or heads.