The fires spread quickly through the jungle.
Ling Cao admired Lu Meng. When Lu Meng ordered him to collect water he was reluctant. However, that action proved to be necessary to avoid the current disaster.
“So this flammable oil could even set damp places on fire!” Lu Meng had not expected this. The fire from the dry areas would quickly evaporate the water from the damp areas before spreading even further.
Fortunately, Lu Meng had ordered Ling Cao to collect water to extinguish the fire.
“Men! Go and extinguish the fire!” Lu Meng ordered and the soldiers quickly executed his orders. Even though the fire caused by the oil could burn damp trees, they would still be extinguished when a lot of water is thrown on it.1
With the five thousand soldiers he had with him, the fire was quickly extinguished.
“Haha. The Zhang Liao’s Army must truly be very angry.” Ling Cao laughed along with the five thousand soldiers. After all, thwarting an enemy’s ploy is a happy matter. This group laughter within the jungle could also be heard by those outside the jungle.
“Haha!” Lu Meng laughed. He may not have thought about the oil but at the same time, Zhang Liao would not have expected him to prepare precautions for fire attacks.
“General. The fire did not seem to be effective!” Zhang Hu and Ge Jun looked at Zhang Liao with doubt. They could see the fire slowly disappear while hearing the laughter of the soldiers in the jungle.
“This Lu Meng is truly a cautious person.” Zhang Liao said to himself with a smile instead of replying Ge Jun and Zhang Hu.
“General! How about we attack Tuzhong with the rest of the oil? We would definitely be able to capture this. As for these soldiers in the jungle, give me two thousand men! I can make sure that they remain in the jungle.”
“Capture Tuzhong?” Zhang Liao laughed. “Without Tuzhong, what are we going to use as bait?”
“What is the time now?” Zhang Liao looked towards Zhang Hu and asked.
“It is around two in the afternoon.” Zhang Hu replied. It was the hour when the sun starts to set.
“It is time!” Zhang Liao said and got off his horse. He then went towards the five thousand Black Flag Army who had already been fully armed.
“Men! Are you ready?”
“We are ready!”
“There are five thousand enemy soldiers in this jungle! It seems like they are all elites! Are you all afraid?”
“No! The Black Flag Army is superior!” Xu Sheng and the other soldiers replied. Wang Wei had been made in charge of the catapults. On the other hand, Xu Sheng was the one in charge of the soldiers.
“General! You want to enter the jungle and fight?” Zhang Hu and Ge Jun asked.
“Why? Can’t I do that?” Zhang Liao asked back.
“It is not that we can’t. General. We are not familiar with this jungle and there may be ambushes. It would be hard for us to provide assistance!”
“So what if we get ambushed? We can charge out just as easily as we can charge in.” Zhang Liao’s eyes glinted as he looked at the Black Flag Army. In fact, the Black Flag Army were stronger than the Xiliang Cavalry. It was the Black Flag Army and the Urban Army that protected Lujiang.
When Liu Mang dispatched Zhang Liao, he only considered the Black Flag Army as the actual fighting force. The Xiliang Cavalry was only there for them to familiarize themselves with each other.
Zhang Liao’s confidence affected Xu Sheng as well. “General, don’t worry. We, the Black Flag Army will not disappoint you. If we are ambushed and would get completely routed, we will make sure to take the enemy down with us.”
“Stop. The Black Flag Army must not be defeated. If you lose the Black Flag Army and don’t come back, I would also have no face to see the Little Lord!” The Black Flag Army were Liu Mang’s most elite troops. If Liu Mang could give Zhang Liao control of the Black Flag Army, Zhang Liao must definitely not disappoint Liu Mang.
“An ambush?” Zhang Liao looked at the thick smoke from the extinguished fire and sneered. “Who do you think would be the one ambushing the other?”
Zhang Liao stretched out his hand to feel the wind. The wind slowly grew stronger and blew the smoke deeper into the jungle.
Xu Sheng smelled the scent of the smoke and wondered if it was mugwort. However, he was only half right. There was also the stink of excrement in the smoke. Xu Sheng did not know what the smell was but he could see the jungle getting covered by the smoke.
“Wear your head scarfs and take out your swords! Charge in with me and kill them all!” Zhang Liao shouted. They all took out a damp cloth and covered their entire head except for their eyes.
Zhang Liao had never intended to use fire.