"We're out! We're finally out alive!!"
For others, it was simply an escape. For Xiang Yan, it was survival.
It meant that his state of Chu still had hope.
To have broken free from the Qin army was a monumental relief.
However, Xiang Yan did not allow himself to be carried away by joy. He became even more cautious.
"Move! Keep heading east. We can't linger here, or the Qin army will likely catch up to us!!"
Even though they could no longer see Meng Tian's army, Xiang Yan remained extremely vigilant.
He knew that he and the army behind him represented the last hope.
Under such circumstances, carelessness was not an option.
So, they fled and fled, only relaxing their guard after having covered over a hundred li.
"Phew! After such a distance, the Qin army hasn't caught up. They definitely won't be able to catch us now!!"
"We can finally breathe a sigh of relief. I almost thought I was going to run myself to death!"
"Those Qin soldiers are too formidable. To fight them, we still need to train diligently!!"
In truth, the army under Xiang Liang's command was a new force, with most of the soldiers being recruits.
Despite their ongoing training, they had lacked significant combat experience before.
Consequently, their combat effectiveness paled in comparison to the veteran Qin soldiers.
The reason they managed to break through was twofold: they caught the Qin army off guard, and they were fueled by a fierce determination, an internal drive that propelled them through the engagement.
Now, having escaped death, it was a cause for celebration and a moment of self-reflection.
Hearing the soldiers lament their lack of strength, Xiang Yan felt a sense of deep satisfaction.
He sensed that his soldiers possessed ambition and a fighting spirit.
Such soldiers could be molded.
As long as they were present, there was still hope.
With this thought, Xiang Yan felt a renewed sense of happiness.
However, his joy was short-lived. Suddenly, a scout rushed in with dire news.
"General, disaster strikes! We have enemy forces ahead!!"
"Enemy? Where did they come from? Could it be Meng Tian's army catching up? That's impossible, isn't it??"
"Judging by their appearance, they don't resemble Meng Tian's army. They look more like... Qin General Lin Tian's forces!!"
"What? Lin Tian's army??"
Xiang Yan, who had been calmly seated on his horse, nearly tumbled off when he heard Lin Tian's name.
He wouldn't have been so terrified by other Qin generals.
After all, Xiang Yan's military prowess was acknowledged across all states.
Even facing Wang Jian of Qin, Xiang Yan would have claimed to be his equal.
But against Lin Tian, Xiang Yan was truly at a loss.
Especially after their previous encounter, where he had lost five cities and was forced to retreat to his own stronghold, too afraid to sally forth.
Ultimately, his army of two hundred thousand had surrendered to Lin Tian.
While he hadn't been in command of that army at the time, Xiang Yan knew that even he wouldn't have fared much better.
Therefore, he harbored a profound fear of Lin Tian.
Hearing that it was Lin Tian's army, he was utterly panicked.
"Are you certain it's truly Lin Tian's army??"
"Yes, we all saw it. They are flying Qin General Lin Tian's banner!!"
"Go! We must leave here, flee from this place immediately! If Lin Tian's army catches up, we are finished!!"
"Ah! We have to run again?"
Upon hearing Xiang Yan's command to flee, many were reluctant.
Having already run over a hundred li, many were exhausted.
They had barely had a moment's rest and were now being told to run again, something no one was willing to do.
Even Xiang Liang felt the weariness.
"Father, do we… do we really have to run again? The soldiers are all tired from running so far. They can't run anymore!"
"Run! We must run! Meng Tian's army is already formidable, and Lin Tian's army is even more so. If we don't run, we risk annihilation!!"
"But, but if we keep running like this, we'll completely exhaust our strength. By then, if Lin Tian's army catches up, we won't even have the power to fight!!"
The Chu army was in a precarious position.
They had already run for a hundred li and had little strength left to continue.
Any further exertion would push them to their breaking point.
Thus, many of them would rather face Lin Tian's army in battle than continue their flight.
This sentiment wasn't limited to a few soldiers; it was shared by the vast majority.
Xiang Yan was frustrated by their lack of resolve. He wanted to lead them away, but they were no longer cooperating.
Some soldiers even began to clamor for a fight against Lin Tian's army.
After all, Xiang Yan had told them they were going to rescue the capital and the King of Chu.
And to rescue the King of Chu, they would inevitably have to fight Lin Tian's army.
Now that Lin Tian's army was directly in front of them, how could they falter?
Hearing this, Xiang Yan was speechless.
If Lin Tian were so easy to deal with, other states wouldn't have fallen. If he were so easy to handle, his two hundred thousand troops wouldn't have surrendered directly.
However, while they were in their deliberation, Lin Tian's scouts had already discovered them.
"Report to the Great General! We have discovered the Chu army!!"
"Oh? Where did they come from? How many are there?"
"They appear to be coming from the west, and there are quite a few of them, perhaps a hundred thousand strong!!"
"A hundred thousand? It seems this must be Xiang Liang's army. What good fortune to have stumbled upon them directly!"
Upon hearing this report, Lin Tian's expression shifted to one of joy.
He was certain that Xiang Yan was among this force of one hundred thousand.
This meant he had encountered Xiang Yan head-on and wouldn't have to search tirelessly for his tracks.
With this thought, Lin Tian issued his command.
"All soldiers, listen to my order! Charge forward and annihilate the one hundred thousand Chu troops!"
"Furthermore, you must capture Xiang Yan and Xiang Liang alive!!"
"Yes, sir!!"
Upon hearing Lin Tian's order to charge, his army responded without hesitation and moved forward.
The vast force began to run, surging towards the Chu army.
The momentum of their charge was enough to intimidate many.
The thunderous sound of hooves instinctively instilled fear in many of the Chu soldiers.
At this critical moment, Xiang Yan cried out in alarm:
"No! The Qin army is attacking! Everyone, prepare to defend!!"