Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3834 Mountain Forest
A comeback.

Even a salted fish wants a chance to turn its life around.

Who doesn't want to turn their life around from the brink of disaster and bounce back from rock bottom?
Who likes to sing praises all the time, only to see their assets shrink again and again?
Cao Jili is now smiling as if he just touched a ghillie suit.

It's fate!
These ghillie suits have been passed down through generations of people!

Once you put it on, and lie down in the grass, who can deal with him?
At that time, the world's insignificant people will be his best cover; he will only be exposed once he leaves those insignificant people...

Cao Cao's smile concealed a complex mix of emotions, so much so that even Xun Yu couldn't immediately discern whether it contained a hint of madness. "Wenruo knows me. Fei Qian and Fei Ziyuan, relying on the advantage of gunpowder, have repeatedly defeated my army… using it as their weapon to dominate the world, ha ha, ha ha! But little do they know…"

Before the map, Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his back, his silhouette somewhat distorted in the flickering torchlight. "They don't realize that such a weapon, if misused, can turn against its master! They flaunt their power with gunpowder; I will repay them in kind!"

This wasn't the first time Cao Cao had tried to kill Fei Qian with gunpowder.

An attempt was made to set up a defense at Zhongtiao Mountain, but it failed.

When Cao Cao summarized his experiences and lessons learned, he believed that Guo Jia's death had caused chaos in the camp and led to mistakes in deployment.

If Guo Jia hadn't died, he would have definitely had a way to lure Fei Qian into the ambush when Fei Qian advanced...

such a pity!
if……

Cao Cao calmed himself, turned around, glanced at Xun Yu, and said, "If I were to set up an ambush using gunpowder and wait for Fei Ziyuan to arrive in person... in your opinion, wouldn't that... be considered a sign that the Mandate of Heaven... still rests on the Han dynasty?!"

Despite having a premonition, Xun Yu still felt a chill run down his spine when he heard Cao Cao say the plan aloud.

I even sensed a hint of absurdity!

gunpowder?

Fate?!
The profound implications of this, and the ruthless and decisive nature of Cao Cao's final gamble, left Xun Yu speechless for a moment.

Dog-like man seemed to be witnessing a meticulously planned, brutal explosion, with the entire battlefield as its stage and countless lives at stake...

Can it be done?
"My lord... this plan... is far too risky," Xun Yu said with difficulty. "Leaving aside the difficulty of setting up the gunpowder and determining the detonation time, General Fei is a cautious strategist; why would he easily venture into such a dangerous place?"

Cao Cao laughed, "Yes... Wenruo asserts that something will definitely happen at Mengjin and Xiaopingjin... I also assert that Fei Ziyuan will definitely come to Heluo!"

Cao Cao spoke with absolute certainty, his tone carrying an unusual air of conviction.

Intuition is a strange thing sometimes.

Sometimes it's inaccurate, and sometimes it's very accurate.

Previously, Cao Cao thought that the General Cavalry must be in Ji Province, but now Cao Cao thinks that Ji Province is probably a decoy!
Go back on what you say?

No, it was Cao Cao who was suspicious.

Not to mention that Cao Cao himself often felt he had made the right decision one second and then comforted himself the next, saying it was a mistake. Even ordinary people often experience this kind of back-and-forth. For example, when passing by a lottery shop, you might have a gut feeling that you'll win the jackpot, which is usually inaccurate; but after leaving home and closing the door, you might have a gut feeling that you forgot your keys, and when you check your pockets, you find that you haven't brought them...

Xun Yu couldn't say whether Cao Cao's current intuition was a matter of "winning the lottery" or "forgetting his keys," but Xun Yu judged that Cao Cao had already made up his mind.

Gunpowder finally arrived, but Cao Cao didn't use it in the attack on Luoyang.

It could even be said that they didn't launch a full-scale attack on Luoyang City at all...

"Then," Xun Yu took a deep breath, "where does our lord intend to place the gunpowder?"

Cao Cao's eyes flickered. He walked back to the map, his finger tracing several locations: 'Mount Beiman? Taigu Pass on Mount Song? Or perhaps... the area beneath Luoyang City?'

Cao Cao's finger traced across several key points, seemingly seeking Xun Yu's opinion.

Xun Yu stared intently at the map, his mind racing as he weighed the pros and cons of each location.

Beimang Mountain.

If Mengjin and Xiaopingjin fall, the Flying Cavalry will inevitably have to pass through Beiman Mountain if they want to march south to attack Cao Cao's army.

This is a place we must pass through!

However, although Beiman Mountain is called a mountain, its terrain is not particularly dangerous, and the valleys are quite open, which is not conducive to the concealment of gunpowder and the maximum concentration of its power. Moreover, if the main force of the Flying Cavalry Army marches south, it will advance from multiple directions, making it unlikely that it will engage in a decisive battle with Cao Cao's army at Beiman Mountain.

Beneath the walls of Luoyang...

The city of Luoyang seemed to be the most likely location for the decisive battle, but the surrounding environment was flat and crisscrossed by waterways. The cavalry of the Flying Cavalry were highly mobile, making it difficult to lure their main force into a specific, narrow area filled with gunpowder.

If the explosion is detected in advance, or if it fails to achieve the desired effect, it will be like throwing something into an empty space. Not only will it be useless, but the gunpowder that was painstakingly transported will also be wasted.

Xun Yu's gaze finally settled on the treacherous pass in the Songshan Mountains, the one that had once inflicted heavy losses on Cao Cao's army—

Taigu Pass, and Guiku Pass.

There……

Xun Yu seemed to see the terrain around Taigu Pass before his eyes.

On both sides are towering cliffs that reach into the clouds, and in the middle is a narrow pass that can only allow a few riders to ride abreast. The passage is winding and the terrain is rugged. Although it is not a sheer cliff that goes straight up and down, most of it is a steep slope that is extremely difficult to climb. Once you enter it, it is like entering the belly of a natural gourd, with no way to go forward or backward.

More importantly, the rock formations there...

Some areas seem to be quite loose, and if explosives were used, it could potentially cause serious secondary damage.

"My lord," Xun Yu raised his head, his gaze fixed on Taigu Pass and the Ghost Cry Pass, pointing to it, "I believe this is the best location."

"Oh? Tell me in detail." Cao Cao's gaze sharpened.

"Taigu Pass is strategically important, with difficult mountain roads. The cavalry's advance through it will be slowed considerably. Guiku Pass is even more perilous, with a narrow passage and steep mountains on both sides," Xun Yu analyzed. "If the cavalry intends to intercept our southward advance, Taigu Pass is their only route. Although General Fei is known for his cautious tactics, he will undoubtedly send his elite troops to contest key passes! This place is a must-win!"

Xun Yu continued, "The terrain here is also suitable for an ambush. We can send craftsmen and soldiers to select places with thin rock layers or existing cracks inside the mountains on both sides of the pass to dig caves, bury gunpowder deep inside, and cover them with stone and soil so that they are difficult to detect..."

"If the Flying Cavalry attacks, our army can feign weakness, pretending to be outnumbered, to lure the main force of the Flying Cavalry deep into the pass... At that time, we only need to detonate one explosive..."

In that kind of terrain, a massive explosion would not only cause horrific casualties directly, but could also trigger a chain reaction!
Landslide!

Countless rocks and soil poured down, enough to completely bury the entire pass, turning all living things within, whether human or horse, soldier or general, into dust!

That would be true destruction, more thorough and irresistible than the charge of a thousand troops.

Ruo Fei was indeed among them...

No matter how outstanding his personal martial prowess or how elite his army is, he will be reduced to ashes before the might of heaven and earth, or rather, the man-made might of heaven.

Cao Cao listened to Xun Yu's analysis and nodded slightly.

Xun Yu's proposed plan was undoubtedly very tempting, and the chances of success were quite high.

but……

Given the crucial location and treacherous terrain of Taigu Pass, wouldn't the Flying Cavalry be extra cautious?

Fei Qian and his advisors, such as Pang Tong and Jia Xu, were not easy to deal with.

Would they be so easily lured into such a desperate situation?
More importantly, the success of this plan depended on Fei Qian personally leading the main force to launch a strong attack on Taigu Pass.

But what if?
What if Fei Qian doesn't choose to go through Taigu Pass?
Therefore, planting more gunpowder at Taigu Pass would be meaningless.

Diversify your investments?

However, the amount of gunpowder is not unlimited. To achieve a powerful "meteor impact," it is definitely not possible to use it in small, scattered ways.

This was a gamble, a gamble on the main direction of the Flying Cavalry's attack, a gamble on Fei Qian's decision.

Cao Cao's caution and suspicion prevented him from making a decision immediately.

"Wenruo's plan is brilliant," Cao Cao finally spoke slowly, but did not immediately issue the order. "However... troop deployment and gunpowder transportation will both take time. Let's wait for reports from the reconnaissance of Mengjin and Xiaopingjin before making a decision."

Cao Cao needed more information and to confirm the true situation at the northern ferry crossing before he could decide which gamble to take this fatal blow on.

"My lord, you are wise," Xun Yu said, bowing respectfully.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent, and a guard shouted, "Prime Minister! Urgent military report from Yique Pass!"

"Bring it here!" Cao Cao frowned.

The guards entered and presented a sealed military report.

Cao Cao quickly opened the report, glanced at it, and his face instantly turned extremely gloomy. He handed the report to Xun Yu.

Xun Yu took a look and his heart sank.

The military report was brief: Cao Cao's scouts patrolling outside Yique Pass discovered some unusual traces on the edge of Mount Song...

Traces of what appeared to be temporary campsites were found along some remote valley streams. Although the area was cleaned up, some ashes from a campfire were still found...

In his military report, Cao Fan deduced that a small force of cavalry might have infiltrated the foothills of Yique Pass using secret mountain paths. Their intentions were unclear, but they could pose a threat to Yique Pass and even the southern part of Luoyang.

"The cavalry? Where did they come from?!"

Cao Cao frowned, staring intently at the map.

Xun Yu was also looking at the map when, after a moment, a thought suddenly struck him: "My lord! Could the enemy at Yique... be coming from Wuguan Pass?"

"Wuguan Pass?!" Cao Cao turned his head, glanced back at Xun Yu, then turned back to continue staring at the map. "Why do you say that?"

Xun Yu said, "Under the General of the Flying Cavalry... there are cavalrymen skilled in galloping, and I've also heard of soldiers adept at traversing mountains and forests, and crossing rivers as if they were flat ground... Thinking back to the Wei clan during the Taihang period... now at Yique Pass, if it weren't for the soldiers from Wuguan advancing diagonally... where else could they have reached Yique?"

"Hmm..." Just thinking about Wei Yan made Cao Jili feel uneasy all over, and he muttered half a sentence, "That Cao Zixiao... sigh..."

Cao Cao wanted to scold Cao Ren, since Cao Ren was mainly responsible for the defense of Jingzhou, but Cao Cao held back in the end.

On the one hand, Cao Ren is not a superman, and Jingzhou is a mess. He doesn't have enough troops to deploy everywhere. On the other hand, if it's just a small group of troops infiltrating, how can they be stopped? Even the Taihang Mountains couldn't stop them, let alone the Songshan Mountains.

The situation instantly became even more unpredictable and critical. The uncertainty surrounding the northern ferry crossing had not yet dissipated, and signs of enemy infiltration emerged in the Songshan Mountains to the south.

How to do?
……

……

In late autumn and early winter, the forests of Songshan Mountain are ablaze with color, a truly magnificent sight. However, those who walk through the narrow mountain paths at this moment have no leisure to appreciate the scenery; instead, they are filled with panic and fear.

The mountain wind swept through the treetops, bringing with it a mournful wail.

A small squad of Cao's messengers galloped along the mountain path, their hooves crushing fallen leaves and raising a cloud of dust.

The lead messenger looked anxious, glancing back frequently as if a demon were chasing him.

Suddenly, a short spear shot out from the dense forest to the side with a sharp whistling sound!

*Pfft!*

The short spear pierced precisely through the foremost Cao soldier, lifting him off his horse and pinning him to the ground.

The warhorse was startled, reared up with a neigh, and then darted into the bushes.

"Enemy attack!"

The Cao army messenger in the middle shouted, wildly waving his sword in front of him, seemingly trying to preemptively block short spears that might be shot or thrown from somewhere.

In the mountains and forests, the light and shadow are dappled.

The branches of the shrubs swayed precariously.

The messenger stared wide-eyed, but could see nothing.

"careful!"

A Cao soldier in the rear screamed.

The messenger hurriedly turned his head, also trying to avoid it...

But it was too late.

Another short spear whistled out and knocked him off his horse.

As the short spears were thrown, dozens of figures leaped out of the woods. They were agile, dark-skinned, and their faces were painted with strange greasepaint. Their movements were exaggerated, yet they moved extremely fast in the forest, like mountain demons.

The leader was particularly imposing, wielding a heavy iron mace; it was none other than Shamoke.

Kill! Leave no one alive!

Shamok grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

The battle was brief but bloody.

Although Cao Jun's messengers were somewhat elite, they were like moths caught in a spider's web before the Wuling barbarians, who were familiar with mountain warfare. Even if they fluttered around, it was all in vain, and they were quickly killed.

Shamoke kicked the fallen corpse of Cao Cao's messenger over, then rummaged through his robes for a moment before pulling out a sealed envelope. He roughly tore it open, took out the silk scroll, stared at it for a long time, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper…

It wasn't that the report contained any important information, but rather that Shamoke was not very literate, and the text in the military report was quite difficult for him.

Although Shamok has tried his best to learn, speaking Chinese is easier than writing and reading.

"Damn it! What kind of nonsense is this?!" Shamoke cursed irritably. "Why can't it be shorter?!"

The semi-literate Shamoke prefers simple and concise texts, as they are easier for him to understand. Even if he is unfamiliar with a few words, he can guess and make inferences...

"Let me see." A steady voice rang out.

Li Yuan walked up from behind. He took the silk scroll, quickly glanced through it, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"What did it say?" Shamok asked impatiently.

"It's an order from Luoyang to the garrison commander of Yique Pass," Li Yuan said in a deep voice. "It instructs him to strengthen defenses, especially to ensure the safety of several temporary grain storage points on the southern slope of Mount Song... The order also marks the specific location and defense status of one of the points."

Shamoke's eyes lit up instantly, like a hungry wolf smelling blood. "A supply depot? Great! Brothers, grab your weapons and take it!"

He brandished the mace, about to signal his men to take action.

"Wait!" Li Yuan shouted, blocking Sha Moke's path. "Chief Sha, have you forgotten Zhuge's military orders?"

Shamoke paused, "Lieutenant Li, I haven't forgotten! Zhuge Liang ordered me to intercept the messenger and harass the supply lines! Right? The Cao army's supply depots are still supplies, aren't they? The opportunity is right in front of us; taking down these depots would be a greater achievement! How can we let this chance slip by?"

Li Yuan's expression was serious as he frowned and said, "Zhuge's orders are clear! Small squads are to intercept and kill, while the main force disrupts! Absolutely no proactive attacks on Cao Cao's camps or fixed strongholds are permitted! Moreover, we've already intercepted and killed many of Cao Cao's messengers; how could Cao Cao not know we've infiltrated this area? This storage point… I suspect there might be an ambush."

"An ambush?" Shamoke scoffed, pointing to the silk scroll. "It says here that the garrison there numbered no more than a hundred, and those were auxiliary troops! They scattered as soon as they were killed! What kind of ambush could this be?"

"What this book says may not be true; it might be bait! Even if it's true, a supply depot couldn't possibly only have auxiliary troops! Besides, the commotion would be too great. Once we're bogged down, the surrounding Cao army will hear and surround us, making escape difficult!" Li Yuan's tone was resolute. "Zhuge Liang wants us to disable Cao Cao's intelligence network and disrupt their logistics, not to show off our temporary bravery!"

That's right, Zhuge Liang sent Shamoke here.

In this mountainous region, Shamoke and his Wuling barbarian soldiers, along with a portion of the Piaoqi mountain troops, could unleash their full power!

Shamoke and his men were powerful enough in the mountains and forests, but their precision was somewhat lacking, which allowed them to be detected by Cao Cao's army, something that Zhuge Liang had anticipated.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang not only sent Sha Moke, but also Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was, in a sense, an "old man," with little ambition and a somewhat complacent attitude, which helped him avoid getting involved in the Wei clan's turmoil. However, as a member of the Guanzhong clan, Li Yuan was not immune to some of the consequences.

Furthermore, with a large number of gentry from Guanzhong and Hedong joining the ranks of the General of the Cavalry in recent times, Li Yuan's career inevitably stagnated. These factors led Li Yuan to return to the battlefield, but his mindset was completely different from Shamoke's. Li Yuan already had children and businesses, so he preferred limited risk rather than a reckless gamble.

This meant that when Li Yuan was by Shamoke's side, she would act as a control valve, stopping Shamoke's sometimes impulsive behavior without thinking...

Like now.

Li Yuan disagreed with Sha Moke's plan to raid Cao Cao's army's grain storage points.

Li Yuan felt that finding them within the Songshan Mountains would be incredibly difficult for Cao Cao's army, but if they went to a certain spot, Cao Cao's army wouldn't need to "search" anymore; instead, they would have revealed themselves...

Even if the grain storage points were real, Cao Cao's army still needed to transport the grain. They could keep an eye on the grain transport teams and find places to ambush them along such a long mountain road. Why bother focusing on one point?
However, Shamok clearly felt that it would be easier and more rewarding to take everything from the storage points.

Shamoko's chest heaved as he glared at Li Yuan, clearly extremely unwilling.

The Wuling barbarian soldiers and the Piaoqi mountain soldiers around them also split into two groups, watching the two men, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Li Yuan glanced at Sha Moke, frowned, and pondered for a moment. "Chief Sha, Zhuge knows of your bravery, hence he entrusted you with this important task and sent me to assist you. This is to ensure that this mission prioritizes the greater good and doesn't lead to dangerous situations for petty gains."

Shamoke was silent for a moment, then spat angrily and said in a muffled voice, "Then what do you suggest? Are we just going to pretend we didn't see this message?"

Li Yuan could force Shamoke to carry out the order, but that would undoubtedly create a rift between the two previously harmonious parties. However, if they were to launch a surprise attack according to Shamoke's plan, the risks would be too great, with too many uncontrollable factors...

How to do?