The sight of two hundred thousand troops pressing forward was truly awe-inspiring.
Even without exaggeration, the sheer number of Xiongnu soldiers was enough to instill terror.
At the very least, the people of Yanmen Commandery were terrified upon learning that an army of two hundred thousand was poised to attack Yanmen Pass.
"Two hundred thousand troops, do these Xiongnu intend to slaughter us all?"
"With such a massive army attacking Yanmen Pass, the Xiongnu clearly have no intention of leaving us alive!"
"Let's hope the Qin army and General Li Mu can defend Yanmen Pass, otherwise, our troubles will be immense!"
"Two hundred thousand troops are not easily repelled. We should also prepare our weapons and not wait for death. If the Xiongnu break through, we will fight them to the death!"
The Xiongnu were known for their ferocity, leaving no man nor beast alive in their wake.
The people of Yanmen Pass had endured Xiongnu raids for generations, clashing with them for centuries.
Therefore, they understood the Xiongnu's character all too well.
They knew that if the Xiongnu breached their defenses, resistance would be their only hope of survival. Otherwise, their families might perish at the hands of the Xiongnu, or worse, be devoured.
The Xiongnu had a habit of carrying very little grain when they went to war, relying on their warhorses to ravage and plunder as they went.
They would seize any grain they found.
If there was no grain, they were not deterred; they would eat people.
In their eyes, the people of the Central Plains were no longer humans, but "two-legged sheep."
As sheep, they could naturally be roasted, boiled, or dried for provisions to be consumed on their horses at any time.
Thus, these Xiongnu were a source of immense dread for the populace.
The presence of two hundred thousand Xiongnu soldiers filled many hearts with apprehension.
The more timid among them were eager to flee Yanmen Commandery, to escape this perilous place.
But most understood that no matter how far they fled, they would not escape.
Instead of fleeing, they chose to assist Lin Tian's army in defending Yanmen Pass.
Consequently, the people of Yanmen were on edge, constantly prepared for battle.
However, despite the Xiongnu's massive army of two hundred thousand assaulting Yanmen Pass, Lin Tian had no intention of allowing the civilians to join the defense.
Even his own army of one hundred thousand on Yanmen Pass remained unfazed.
Lin Tian and Li Mu stood calmly on Yanmen Pass, observing the Xiongnu's two hundred thousand-strong assault.
"Great General, shall we sally forth and engage these Xiongnu soldiers?"
"Not yet. Our cavalry's three essential items have not arrived. It is too early to attack them now."
"I concur. The moment I saw the Great General's cavalry's three essential items, I was already astounded. Since the Xiongnu have come, we must give them a grand reception and annihilate them!"
"General Li's thoughts align with ours! This time, we shall repel the Xiongnu's two hundred thousand troops!"
Repelling the Xiongnu's two hundred thousand troops was not a difficult task for Lin Tian.
He possessed numerous methods to counter cavalry.
Moreover, Lin Tian had prepared a large quantity of firebombs.
With these, the Xiongnu cavalry would be unable to pose a significant threat for a considerable time.
Therefore, as the Xiongnu army attacked Yanmen Pass, he merely ordered his soldiers to loose arrows and roll logs, refraining from leaving the city.
A barrage of arrows rained down upon the Xiongnu cavalry, which, lacking armor, was easily pierced.
After only two assaults, they had suffered over ten thousand casualties.
Fortunately, their numbers were sufficient, and they could afford such attrition.
Moreover, at this point, they had reached the gates of Yanmen Pass.
The Xiongnu general, therefore, paid little heed to their losses.
"Charge! Yanmen Pass is within our grasp, take Yanmen Pass!"
"Once Yanmen is captured, I grant you three days and three nights of revelry, where you may do as you please!"
To "do as you please" meant to have absolute power over life and death, to act according to their whims.
They could plunder wealth, seize women, and kill indiscriminately.
Things they had previously been unable to do, they could accomplish during these three days.
Upon hearing this, the Xiongnu army was instantly galvanized.
"Kill! Take Yanmen Pass!!"
"Brothers, Yanmen Pass is before us, charge!!"
To gain free rein to plunder within Yanmen Commandery, these Xiongnu soldiers attacked Yanmen Pass with frenzied intensity.
Dense ranks of cavalry surged towards Yanmen Pass.
They had no elaborate battle plan; they relied on sheer numbers and the advantage of their steeds to storm the defenses.
However, at the peak of their assault, the soldiers on Yanmen Pass deployed their firebombs.
Those peculiar bottles appeared before the Xiongnu, utterly baffling them.
They had no idea what these things were.
Because of this ignorance, they felt no fear.
Even though they sensed something was amiss, they did not halt their charge.
In their estimation, these strange bottles, even if dangerous, posed only a minor threat.
To break into Yanmen Commandery, a minor risk was negligible.
Their mindset was exactly what Lin Tian had anticipated.
In the next moment, a multitude of firebombs were hurled, landing amidst the dense mass of Xiongnu warhorses.
Instantly, a cacophony of explosions erupted.
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
Many Xiongnu soldiers not only experienced ringing in their ears but also felt a violent tremor beneath their feet.
Especially as large plumes of flame erupted from beneath them, instilling an even greater sense of dread.
In an instant, the terrified screams of soldiers and the terrified neighing of warhorses echoed throughout Yanmen Pass.
"Ah!! Fire, fire, there's fire!!"
"Save me, quick, save me!!"
"Neigh!"
The mingled sounds of warhorses' cries and human screams created utter chaos, disrupting all composure.
More importantly, the Xiongnu warhorses, like the warhorses of Yan, had not undergone professional training to resist the terror of firebombs.
Thus, their steeds, just like those of Yan, were thrown into a panic.
In mere moments, their formations were completely shattered.
Horses trampled men everywhere, and many Xiongnu soldiers, before they could even react, were thrown from the backs of the very steeds they relied on daily.
At this point, even their most exceptional horsemanship was rendered useless as their ranks dissolved into disarray.
Instantly, their offensive momentum vanished entirely.
Meanwhile, Lin Tian's army continued to rain down firebombs.
...