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

Chapter 855 Xiang Yu attacks again, morale declines!

Xiang Yu also couldn't afford another "loss".

Gao Yao's gaze sharpened. He knew full well that Xiang Yu's hesitation wasn't simply due to the fictitious 5,000 cavalry. The key was the cost! Before truly capturing the key to Yangping Pass, Xiang Yu could not afford another major, unplanned loss.

Before the battle, who could have imagined this pass would be so formidable, already absorbing 15,000 elite Chu troops? This number would be enough to make any commander feel pain and alarm. If they were ambushed at this point, losing thousands or even more men, it would be devastating even for Xiang Yu, who commanded a vast army.

Taking Yangping Pass would secure the key to Hanzhong, securing the strategic initiative. They could then advance to plunder Hanzhong's heartland or retreat to defend the strategically important pass, effectively sealing Gaoyao's forces south of the Qinling Mountains. No matter how they looked at it, the Chu army was invincible.

But if the pass wasn't captured, and the troops had already suffered heavy losses... Xiang Yu couldn't bear the consequences. Such heavy casualties would severely dampen the morale of the troops, shake their resolve, and disrupt the entire strategic plan mapped out for him by Fan Zeng and Yi Xiaochuan. Would there still be sufficient troops and morale to carry out the subsequent plan? Even Xiang Yu himself couldn't guarantee it.

"So, you're afraid..." Gao Yao muttered to himself, staring at the symbol representing the Chu army camp on the sand table. "You're not afraid of my 'five thousand cavalry'. You're afraid of the unbearable cost, of complications arising from the victory so imminent, of not being able to explain to your father-in-law and your fellow soldiers."

Gao Yao saw this "can't afford to lose" mentality as the only weapon he could, and must, utilize. He placed all his bets on Xiang Yu's caution. The night wind whistled through the window lattice, making a whimpering sound, as if foreshadowing the bloody storm to come. This was a contest that neither side could afford to lose, and the outcome hung in the balance.

Light ripped through the night, painting the mountains and the fortified camps with a cold blue. Inside Xiang Yu's central tent, candles had burned brightly all night, and now the place was bustling with activity. Scouts, dusty and weary, filed in, reporting hurriedly in low voices the results of their night's explorations.

Xiang Yu sat upright behind the command desk, armor clad, his face as calm as water, only his knuckles, slightly white from exertion, betrayed the turmoil within him. He listened attentively, taking in every detail, from the complex terrain of the surrounding valleys and dense forests to the frequency of enemy outpost activity.

However, each reward was like a heavy stone thrown into the lake of his heart, making the water bottomless but with turbulent undercurrents.

"Report! No traces of large-scale enemy cavalry have been found in the western valley!"

"Report! No sign of crossing the river along the northern river!"

"Report! Fresh horse hoof prints were found deep in the dense forest to the south, but they disappeared after tracking for several miles. We can't determine their exact whereabouts!"

Those five thousand cavalrymen vanished like ghosts in the predawn darkness, leaving no trace. Their inability to find them was precisely what was most disturbing. They were like a sword hanging overhead, poised to fall at any moment, forcing the Chu army to constantly divide its forces to guard its flanks and rearguards during the siege.

"Report! We've discovered a large number of Southern Border Army scouts operating around our camp. They're extremely aggressive, and they quickly flee when we try to drive them away!"

——These eyes that are as lingering as flies are undoubtedly closely monitoring the every move of the Chu army, and further confirm the existence of the ghost cavalry. They need intelligence to guide the direction of the assault.

The final report made Xiang Yu's brow furrow even deeper. "Report! The garrison at Yangping Pass has changed guard. The soldiers I see... their helmets and armor are shining, and they are in high spirits, showing no signs of fatigue at all! Completely different from yesterday!"

This news, like a cold needle, pierced Xiang Yu's last shred of hope. Soldiers could feign fatigue, but the exhaustion ingrained in them after a bloody battle was impossible to completely conceal. The "vigorous" fresh troops on the city walls were practically irrefutable proof that reinforcements from the Southern Frontier Army had arrived!

The tent fell into a depressing silence. All clues pointed to the worst possibility: Gao Yao had not only received reinforcements, but also concealed a powerful mobile force, lurking nearby.

Advance or retreat?

Xiang Yu's gaze swept across the map on his desk. Yangping Pass stood like a stubborn nail, a crucial chokepoint on his march toward Hanzhong. Fan Zeng's instructions, Yi Xiaochuan's schemes, the enormous toll of casualties, and the unpredictable risks involved... all these thoughts clashed fiercely in his mind. Time slipped away in silence. Outside the tent, the restless neighing of war horses and the clamor of soldiers preparing to attack the city reached him.

Finally, a fierce, resolute look flashed in Xiang Yu's eyes. He was the Overlord of Western Chu. How could he be held back by doubt and fear? Great risks often come with great rewards. He stood up abruptly, his armor clanging, his voice resolute and resolute, breaking the dead silence in the tent:

"Order the three armies to prepare for attack!"

At noon, the deep, powerful sound of war drums resounded like rolling thunder, shaking the valley. The black Chu army's battle formation surged once again like a tide, slowly approaching the towering Yangping Pass. Swords and spears formed a forest, reflecting a cold luster.

On the city wall, Gao Yao leaned against the cold battlements, gazing at the endless waves of enemy troops below. His heart beat faster involuntarily. His palms perspired slightly, not out of fear—having reached this point, he had already disregarded life and death—but rather a physiological reaction to extreme stress.

He capitalized on Xiang Yu's suspicion and caution, successfully stalling for time and laying a false front. But Xiang Yu ultimately chose to attack! The Overlord's courage and decisiveness surpassed even his most optimistic expectations.

Now, while the deceptive attack strategy had disturbed Xiang Yu's mind, it hadn't completely deterred his offensive. The real test had just begun. Gao Yao took a deep breath, suppressing the throbbing in his chest, his gaze sharpening. He had to hold on, he had to hold on until the moment that would truly decide victory or defeat arrived.

"Prepare the crossbows! Rolling logs and rocks!" His command echoed from the top of the city walls, drowning out the approaching drums and footsteps. "Tell my brothers, if you want to go home to your parents, wives, and children, then give me all your might! The Chu army is coming!"

Gao Yao also understood at this time that it was impossible for Xiang Yu to retreat without fighting. What he needed to do now was to pretend to hold on and lure the enemy into deep. The better he did, the less likely Xiang Yu would dare to attack easily. This was all relative.

Judging from the momentum of the Chu army's attack, the Chu army at this time was indeed far less threatening than in the previous few days. It was strong at the beginning, then weak at the second, and finally exhausted at the third!