The Xiongnu did not know that Lin Tian had already had a large number of caltrops scattered.
Even if they had known, they likely would not have cared much.
In the heat of battle, who would worry about their warhorses!
Thus, the Xiongnu cavalry charged towards Lin Tian and his men without hesitation.
Upon seeing Lin Tian's cavalry, they felt their time for revenge had arrived.
However, as soon as they raised their curved sabers and before they could strike, their warhorses let out cries of pain.
"Neigh!"
In agony, the warhorses immediately reared up.
The Xiongnu cavalry on their backs reacted swiftly, clamping down hard on their steeds to avoid being thrown off.
But as they attempted to resume their attack, they found their warhorses could no longer gallop.
They moved as if lame, reluctant to run, their bodies listing to one side.
This was an unprecedented situation for the Xiongnu cavalry. Some of them tried to investigate what was happening to their warhorses.
Yet, before they could ascertain the cause, the swords of the Qin cavalry had already descended upon their heads.
Many of the Xiongnu cavalry at the forefront of the charge were directly beheaded.
Even so, the Xiongnu cavalry did not cease their charge.
In their view, death in battle was a normal occurrence.
Especially for those at the very front, being killed was perfectly understandable.
Therefore, they felt no surprise. Instead, they were driven by a desire to avenge themselves upon Lin Tian's army.
However, it was only when their army truly broke into Lin Tian's ranks that they truly regretted their actions.
For they had to contend not only with Lin Tian's decisive army but also constantly guard against their own warhorses rearing up.
Many witnessed their comrades, mid-fight, have their warhorses suddenly rear up.
And this was not an isolated incident; a great many were experiencing the same thing.
This peculiar situation made many Xiongnu cavalry uneasy.
Even when fighting, they were hesitant and timid, unable to unleash their full combat potential.
As a result, the Xiongnu cavalry soon suffered heavy casualties.
The Qin cavalry quickly gained the upper hand, and Wang Wu and his men charged with even greater ferocity.
"This is very wrong. Our soldiers possess greater combat power than this. Why have we been put at such a disadvantage by the Qin cavalry in such a short time?"
"I am also puzzled. Our warriors are clearly strong, yet their warhorses are inexplicably losing control during battle, rendering them combat ineffective. This is truly strange!"
"These Qin people must have used some treacherous means. Quickly order our men to investigate and find out what is happening!"
If the Xiongnu could not find the reason, they would likely remain at a disadvantage.
It was even possible that this battle could lead to the utter defeat of the Xiongnu army.
Therefore, understanding the cause of their warhorses' injuries was of utmost importance to the Xiongnu.
Once they dedicated manpower and identified the direction, their search became simpler.
Soon, they discovered the long nails scattered on the ground and realized these nails could pierce their warhorses' legs, causing them injury.
This discovery enraged the Xiongnu.
"Indeed, these Qin people are too treacherous! They are specifically targeting our warhorses!"
"Our warhorses are like brothers to our warriors, the second life of our soldiers. For these Qin people to harm our warhorses is akin to slaughtering our brothers right before our eyes!"
"I cannot bear it any longer! I will fight these Qin people to the death!"
Upon learning that their warhorses had been targeted, many Xiongnu lost their composure.
Many were filled with righteous fury and charged forward.
More, however, were left bewildered.
They could sense the great harm these nails inflicted upon their warhorses, and a single misstep could lead to their steeds being incapacitated.
Under such circumstances, they dared not act rashly.
Meanwhile, the Xiongnu chieftain was also in a quandary.
The caltrops laid by the Qin army were an open ploy.
If the Xiongnu chieftain disregarded them and ordered his soldiers to charge, many warhorses would inevitably be injured, and the soldiers would fight with trepidation, unable to perform at their best.
If the Xiongnu chieftain decided against engaging Lin Tian's army, the Xiongnu army would certainly have to retreat.
Once an army retreats, its momentum is lost.
When Lin Tian's army attacked again, they might not even have the chance to engage.
Either choice was not a wise one for the Xiongnu chieftain.
In the chieftain's opinion, the Qin army's cunning far exceeded his imagination.
Fortunately, he was not without a solution.
"This area is already covered with caltrops by the Qin army. We cannot continue to fight the Qin army here, or we will suffer greatly!"
"Order our soldiers to fight and retreat, to find a place without caltrops, and then engage the Qin army!"
"Yes!!"
As soon as the Xiongnu chieftain gave the order, the Xiongnu army immediately complied.
Fighting and retreating was something the Xiongnu cavalry could accept.
Because they knew that such a retreat was temporary, and once they found a suitable area to fight, they would still engage the Qin.
Therefore, their hearts were not filled with dejection, but rather with a sense of enduring hardship for the sake of future retaliation.
Lin Tian naturally observed the Xiongnu's state.
He knew that the Xiongnu chieftain was not foolish and would not let the Xiongnu cavalry remain stagnant here. He would surely fight and retreat.
They would wait until they found an opportune moment and place to engage Lin Tian's army.
However, Lin Tian was not afraid of this.
Although Lin Tian had employed a tactic that severely disadvantaged the Xiongnu warhorses, giving him the upper hand, it did not mean that Lin Tian's own forces were not strong.
On the contrary, their strength was immense, but it was not yet time to reveal it, so Lin Tian had not allowed them to display their full capabilities.
The Xiongnu were unaware of this.
They believed that Lin Tian's army was no more than this, and their previous victory over the Xiongnu's twenty-thousand-strong army was solely due to cunning tactics.
Therefore, the Xiongnu chieftain, while ordering a retreat, shouted:
"These Qin cavalry are utterly incompetent. The only reason they gained the advantage, and the only reason they defeated our army of two hundred thousand previously, is due to their trickery and deceit."
"As long as we break through the Qin's schemes, killing these Qin cavalry will be as easy as slaughtering sheep!"