Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3705 Planning for the Window
The wounded soldiers driven out of Xiangyang flowed slowly like a festering sore in the suffocating heat of midsummer in northern Jingzhou.

It's extremely hot.

It smells fishy and foul.

An oppressive atmosphere.

Within the ranks, the air was as thick as solidified grease, each breath burning the throat; what entered the lungs was not oxygen, but a toxic fog mixed with the stench of blood, sweat, decaying wounds, and despair.

The scorching sun mercilessly baked the earth, steaming up waves of heat that rose from the dirt road, distorting the outline of the barren hills in the distance, and also distorting the figures of people nearby, making these wounded soldiers and civilians look like a pack of stray dogs and stray cats.

Swarms of flies buzzed and greedily pursued the deathly procession, especially favoring the severely wounded whose wounds had worsened and whose rags were soaked with pus and blood.

Wang Su struggled forward amidst the desperate flow of people.

His back bore whip marks, and his left leg was ulcerated. The filthy, almost unrecognizable bandages tightly bound the wounds, which were already completely soaked and hardened by yellowish-green pus and dark red blood, emitting a strong, pungent stench.

Each time I dragged that leg, it was like pressing my bare nerve endings against a red-hot iron and searing them repeatedly. The sharp, burning pain shot from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my head, my vision went black, and cold sweat mixed with the dirt on my face streamed down, leaving a salty taste on my chapped lips.

He was hunched over, supported by a thick, thorny branch he had picked up at random. Every step he took was accompanied by heavy, suppressed breathing and the thud of the branch piercing the soil.

He's in pain...

He hated it...

His eyes were sunken, with dark circles under them, yet they resembled two volcanoes about to erupt, churning not with tears of pain, but with intense hatred.

He hated those arrogant generals in Cao Cao's army who treated them like dirt...

He hated this chaotic world, which crushed all his hopes like a millstone...

He even hated himself more for his cowardice and helplessness back then...

Now, hatred is the only fuel that keeps him moving through this hell.

……

……

When this ragtag army, exuding a strong aura of death and staggering along, was discovered by the scouts of the Flying Cavalry on the perimeter, even the veteran soldiers of the Flying Cavalry, who had seen countless battles and were used to mountains of corpses and seas of blood, couldn't help but frown.

The captain of the cavalry scouts, a burly man with a scar on his face, scanned the group of walking corpses before him...

Most of them had empty eyes and moved forward numbly, as if their souls had been ripped out, leaving only empty shells hollowed out by injuries and abandonment.

They were once swords and shields that charged into battle, bricks that could be moved wherever needed, and a fairly handy 'tool'.

Now, wounded and mutilated, they have lost even their value as 'tools' and become utter 'waste,' which Cao Cao's army dumped and drove out to 'give back' to nature.

They 'graduated'.

Even more insidious is that Cao Cao's army drove them here not only to get rid of their burdens, but also to pour the plague and despair on the Flying Cavalry like poison, attempting to corrupt and weaken them.

In the deathly still ranks, Wang Su raised his head, revealing an almost morbid excitement. Ignoring the horrified or numb gazes of those around him, and disregarding the heart-wrenching protests of his injured leg, he forced his way out of the ranks like a wounded beast. Dragging his pus-oozing, blood-soaked leg, he staggered step by step, yet with unusual determination, using a tree branch for support, and moved towards the scout team.

Wang Su's actions attracted the wary attention of the scouts, and one or two spears were instinctively pointed at him.

"I need to see your general!" Wang Su's voice was hoarse as he stared intently at the scarred face of the cavalry scout captain. "I know Stone Fortress! I know how to break in! Take me there, take me to your general!"

……

……

Inside the main tent of the General of the Cavalry.

The curtains were rolled up high, but the midsummer heat still lingered.

Liao Huazheng, his thick eyebrows furrowed, was discussing military matters with several of his trusted military commanders around a simple, unfolded map.

On the map, Xiangyang, Fancheng, the Han River, and the surrounding mountains and terrain are roughly outlined, with a few small stones representing the enemy's and our own situation placed in key positions.

"Kongming said that Cao Cao's army in Xiangyang... is about to make some big moves..." Liao Hua's deep voice broke the silence in the tent. He pointed to the location of Fancheng and Xiangyang with his finger. "Scouts report that Cao Cao's army has been moving around frequently these past few days... and in addition, surrendered soldiers and sick civilians have been arriving continuously. It is very likely that a large army of Cao Cao will arrive soon..."

A bearded military officer interjected, "Captain, if it were just Cao Zidan stationed in Fancheng and Cao Zixiao guarding Xiangyang, with our army and General Li supporting each other, relying on the fortifications of our camps, we could wear them down. But now..."

He paused, then said, "That old scoundrel Cao Cao has personally led his vanguard, and our forces... are indeed somewhat fewer in comparison."

The people inside the tent nodded silently.

The arrival of Cao Cao's vanguard was like a boulder weighing on his mind, instantly putting the previously advantageous Jingbei front under pressure.

Liao Hua did not respond immediately. His gaze swept across the map as he deduced and weighed the options.

He, Li Dian, and Zhuge Liang were all part of the "detached troops" of the Flying Cavalry, but now they were facing off against the "main force" of Cao Cao's army.

Although Cao Cao's move was tantamount to achieving the strategic goal of General of the Cavalry, since Liao Hua and his men came to disrupt Cao Cao's flanks and erode and threaten the base of Yu Province, whether or not they could take Jingzhou and Xiangyang was just icing on the cake.

Although the camp that was originally besieging Fancheng was damaged by Cao Cao's vanguard, the foundation of Li Liao and others is still intact.

Li Dian's troops were on the flank, and Zhuge Liang was about to send someone to Yin County...

If Liao Hua were to lead a separate force ahead, it would indeed put him under considerable pressure.

Just then, a personal guard came to report that a soldier of Cao Cao's army had taken the initiative to defect, claiming to know the inside story of the military situation of Shitoubao, an important outpost on the outskirts of Fancheng!

"Oh?" Liao Hua raised an eyebrow, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes for a moment, before it was quickly replaced by doubt.

Surrendered soldiers who voluntarily defected?
This is a good thing, but what core military intelligence could an abandoned soldier possibly know?
And what if it's just a feint by Cao Cao's army?

Or does this person have ulterior motives?

The military officers inside the tent exchanged glances, each lost in thought.

Liao Hua hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Bring him in. Be careful."

He needed to see for himself whether this was a desperate struggle for survival or yet another bait thrown out by Cao Cao's army.

Two guards practically carried Wang Su into the tent.

The air inside the military tent was originally quite fresh, but as soon as Wang Su arrived, the tent was filled with the stench of decay and blood.

Wang Su tried to straighten his back, which was hunched over from pain and exhaustion, but his injured leg made him unsteady on his feet.

"Someone! Get him a seat!" Liao Hua glanced at him and then called out, "Summon a physician to treat his injuries first!"

The doctor arrived quickly, examined the wounds on Wang Su's legs and the whip marks on his back, cleaned them, applied some simple ointment, and re-bandaged them.

"Thank you for your trouble... Please see the doctor off for me..." Liao Hua said to the doctor, then pointed to a trusted guard beside him.

The trusted guards understood and escorted the doctor out of the tent.

Liao Hua stared at Wang Su, who, under the doctor's treatment and bandaging, had regained some of his energy and spirit.

Wang Su also raised his head, his bloodshot eyes meeting Liao Hua's scrutinizing gaze without fear.

The trusted guard returned quickly and whispered a few words in Liao Hua's ear. Liao Hua nodded.

The injuries on my legs are old, and the injuries on my back are new.

This suggests that he didn't intentionally harm himself recently to gain trust...

Moreover, the whip marks on his back were very likely a form of military punishment...

There seemed to be no flattery or pleading in Wang Su's eyes, only an almost burning persistence...

And a hatred that wanted to destroy everything.

"You said you had important military intelligence..." Liao Hua asked, "What is it?"

"General!" Wang Su didn't mince words or discuss conditions; he went straight to the point, "Stone Fortress! That place... cough... is surrounded by water on three sides, with steep, scalable stone walls! The front... there's only one seemingly gentle slope leading up... but above that slope is a stone wall two people high, and beneath it a trench over ten feet wide, filled with sharp wooden stakes! However... it can be attacked!"

Upon hearing this, a military officer standing beside Liao Hua couldn't help but sneer, "Ha! A direct assault? How many lives will we have to fill that gentle slope and deep trench? Are you trying to make fun of us?!" As he spoke, he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes filled with hostility.

Wang Su shook his head, seemingly wanting to say something, but he was short of breath and coughed. It took him a while to catch his breath. He raised his head, his face flushed with a sickly redness, and through gritted teeth, he squeezed out a few words: "Fake! It's fake! General, you...you've all been deceived!"

"Fake?" Liao Hua's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward slightly. "What's fake?"

"The garrison at Stone Fort is a fake!" Wang Su's lips curled into a twisted smile filled with mockery and hatred. "In that fort, at most a hundred or so old, weak, and disabled people are just putting on a show! Every day they wave flags, shout slogans, bang on watchtowers, and cook meals to fool people! The real main force... the elite... are all hiding in that rocky depression behind the fort! The reeds there are taller than a person, and the ravines are crisscrossing. You could hide a thousand or so people there, and unless you're very close, you wouldn't be able to tell at all!"

"Huh?" Liao Hua was taken aback, then looked at the map.

The main force of the Stone Fortress was hidden in the depression behind it.
Liao Hua glanced at Wang Su again and found that his bloodshot eyes were filled with hatred, as if burning with a destructive flame that would drag everything into hell.

Is this revenge?

However, Liao Hua believed the actual situation more than just eye contact.

Indeed, Stone Fortress only has one gentle slope, making it difficult to attack. Therefore, during this period, Zhuge Liang had Shamoke attack small military camps and outposts, rather than tackling this tough nut to crack.

However, similarly, because there is only one gentle slope, it will be more difficult for Cao Cao's army to launch an attack from Stone Fortress.

But the reed-covered lowlands are different...

Liao Hua pondered for a moment, then stared at Wang Su: "Why did you tell us this? Aren't you afraid of Cao Cao's army retaliating against your family by revealing such military intelligence?"

This is a crucial question that must be asked clearly.

Motives often determine the veracity of intelligence.

Wang Su lowered his head, his gaze falling on his leg, which had been re-bandaged but was still bleeding slightly. His body trembled slightly, whether from pain or excitement, it was hard to tell.

After a few moments of silence, Wang Su spoke in a voice filled with weariness and resentment, "I... have enough... This worthless life should have been lost at Guandu long ago... I don't owe them anything... I paid them all back long ago! I don't understand anything..."

"But...why?" Wang Su suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, like a wounded lone wolf. His voice suddenly rose, sharp and shrill, "When they needed me, they talked so nicely! But once I'm no longer useful...they treat me like trash! Those who sit on top and give orders! They used us as stepping stones! As rags! Now that we're broken, they throw us away! They just throw us away! They just...cough cough, cough cough cough..."

Wang Su's chest heaved violently, as if he were enduring excruciating pain, or perhaps he was using his last ounce of strength. "General! Give me a chance! Give me a knife, no… give me a fire! I know a small path that leads around to the back of that depression! It's not high, we can climb it! You all just attack from the front… I… I'll take a few fearless brothers and set it on fire from behind! That depression is surrounded by reeds! It'll catch fire instantly! Burn! Burn these sons of bitches to death! Let them taste the agony of being roasted alive!"

He roared, his facial muscles contorted with extreme hatred and excitement, seemingly forgetting his physical pain for the moment due to the outburst of his emotions.

……

……

Just as Liao Hua was pondering how to use this intelligence, hurried footsteps came from outside the tent.

A guard announced loudly, "Captain! Zhuge, the Attendant, has arrived!"

Liao Hua was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Please come in quickly!"

Zhuge Liang strode into the tent, looked at Liao Hua, and said bluntly, "Yuanjian! This matter may be a trap!"

Although Zhuge Liang's words seemed somewhat rambling, Liao Hua understood his meaning: "Is there a trap? Are you referring to this newly arrived surrendered soldier? Judging from his appearance, he is filled with boundless hatred, and his words seem to come from the heart, not feigned."

Zhuge Liang waved his hand, "It's not that this person is deceitful! The one who is deceitful is Cao Zixiao!"

Zhuge Liang had indeed heard about Wang Su's affair and knew that Liao Hua had designs on attacking Stone Fortress.

Liao Hua was taken aback by these words, then frowned and pondered, saying, "What do you mean by that, strategist? Please enlighten me."

Zhuge Liang walked to the map, pointed to Xiangyang, and said clearly and calmly, "Cao Zixiao is a veteran general of Cao Cao's army, well-versed in military strategy, and certainly not a foolish or reckless man! He is now deliberately driving his wounded and sick soldiers here to our army like discarded shoes. Firstly, he wants to get rid of burdens and reduce his workload; secondly… he must have already deduced that among these abandoned soldiers, there might be those who know the true situation on the outskirts of Jingzhou, and harboring resentment, they might reveal some information to our army! This is his intentional act!"

"Hmm?" Liao Hua took a deep breath of Zhuyang fermented tofu and then fell into a deep thought.

Indeed, even if Wang Su hadn't taken the initiative to step forward, according to custom, he would have sent people to screen and question these surrendered soldiers, and they would have been able to uncover some fragmented intelligence about the garrison of Fancheng and Xiangyang.

However, Liao Hua then thought, wasn't Cao Ren deliberately exposing his weaknesses by doing this?
"That's not right..." Liao Hua stroked his short beard, his doubts deepening. "So, isn't Cao Ren exposing his own weakness? Luring me to attack his weak point? This... doesn't make sense!"

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly, "Not at all! Yuanjian, this isn't about exposing your weaknesses, but rather... casting bait to lure us into his carefully laid trap!"

"A decoy?" Liao Hua, a seasoned warrior, immediately grasped the idea. A name flashed through his mind, and he blurted out, "The strategist means... Stone Fortress?!"

Zhuge Liang lightly pointed to the location of Stone Fortress on the map and said confidently, "Exactly!"

Liao Hua also stood in front of the map, his eyes scanning the Stone Fortress from all sides.

"Here, and here..." Zhuge Liang pointed on the map, "These places have all been cleared by our Wuling barbarians... but we still haven't found any trace of Cao Cao's army... This means that Cao Cao's army is either still in Xiangyang and Fancheng, or they're here..."

Zhuge Liang pointed to the unexplored area.

"And, Yuanjian, look..." Zhuge Liang continued rowing downstream along the Han River, "Stone Fortress is near the shore...this waterway leads directly to Fancheng and Xiangyang!"

Stone Fortress guards a strategic point, controlling both land and water routes, making it the most solid thorn in the side of Fancheng!
Previously, when Li Dian and Liao Hua besieged Fancheng, these key outlying points had already been eliminated. However, later, when Cao Cao's vanguard arrived at Xiangyang, Liao Hua, Li Dian, and others voluntarily withdrew to preserve their strength, and these key points were recaptured by Cao Cao's army. After all, they were made of stone, and no one could take them away. Even if they were set on fire, only the wooden structure would be burned, with relatively little damage to the stone.

Liao Hua hadn't originally intended to take any action against Stone Fortress, but now that he'd received news that Stone Fortress was actually weak inside, with soldiers hiding in the depression behind the fortress, he couldn't help but think that some Fancheng thin-knife noodles were available...

However, Zhuge Liang now points out, "Cao Zixiao (Cao Cao) anticipates that our army has just suffered a defeat at the hands of Cao Cao's vanguard and needs to boost morale. He will surely seek an opportunity to attack, and Stone Fortress is the sweetest yet most deadly bait he has thrown out!"

Zhuge Liang dispatched Shamoke to sweep through the small Cao army outposts and outposts in order to dampen the Cao army's morale and boost his own. However, the targets at those outposts and outposts were indeed rather small...

While it's true that you can't live without steamed buns as a staple food, eating only steamed buns isn't satisfying!

Zhuge Liang paused, then looked at Liao Hua, "Previously, I sent the Wuling barbarians to harass their outer perimeter, cutting off their supply lines and scouts... How could a veteran general like Cao Zixiao sit idly by? He has been patiently waiting for this moment! This Stone Fortress plot is a carefully planned tactic to lure our main force out of their camp, then gather and annihilate them!"

Silence fell again inside the tent.

Liao Hua frowned and pondered.

This is a trap.

A bait deliberately thrown out.

Liao Hua's fingers traced the location of Stone Fortress on the map, weighing the options repeatedly.

After a moment, he looked up and said in a deep voice, "That old scoundrel Cao Zixiao is indeed cunning! However..."

Pressed down by Cao Cao's vanguard all the way, a voluntary retreat, while a superior strategy that allowed for greater strategic depth, inevitably left the soldiers feeling uneasy. Furthermore, the influx of wounded and sick soldiers from Cao Cao's army during this period also fueled the soldiers' impatience.

Liao Hua's eyes lit up as he looked at Zhuge Liang. "What if we... turn the tables on them?"