Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

"What exactly is inside those carriages covered with thick felt?"

Wang Ping lay down beside Zhao Yun and asked in a very low voice, his tone full of surprise and doubt.

"Is it the special materials needed to refine that 'Divine March Army'? Or... people captured from various places? Or something even more terrifying?"

Zhao Yun shook his head, his face so solemn it could drip water.

"Not sure.

But Penglai's investment and management here are absolutely extraordinary! We must find out more!

He made a quick decision and gave instructions to Wang Ping.

"You take our men and Brother Zaxi and continue to keep a close watch here, recording the detailed patterns of their personnel changes and vehicle entry and exit. Don't miss any details."

"And what about you, General?"

Wang Ping asked.

Zhao Yun's gaze fell to the upper side of the mountain where the cave was located.

"Noru and I will try to get around to the top and take a look."

A cave of this size might have more than one exit, or... one could observe something else from above.

This was undoubtedly an adventure. The mountainside was exceptionally steep, with almost no foothold.

But under the guidance of Nauru, the true "son of the mountain," the two, with their superb skills and amazing perseverance, used the protrusions of the rocks and the tenacious shrubs growing in the crevices, like geckos, to climb slowly and laboriously up a cliff to the side.

The process was fraught with danger; in several places, they were practically suspended in mid-air, with a dizzying abyss below. Even Zhao Yun, with his exceptional martial arts skills, was terrified.

Nauru, on the other hand, appeared much more composed, demonstrating his extreme familiarity with the mountain and his extraordinary climbing ability.

Finally, the two successfully reached a small platform located not far above the cave, hidden by several protruding rocks.

Looking down from here, you can see the entire valley and cave entrance area, offering an excellent vantage point.

At the same time, Zhao Yun keenly noticed that on the rock face not far in front of them, there were several extremely fine, almost imperceptible cracks, from which wisps of smoke were slowly escaping.

The smoke wasn't from cooking; it was very pale in color and carried an indescribable, peculiar smell, like the aroma of burning mixed herbs, with a faint hint of a sweet, fishy smell similar to that of the cave entrance.

The smoke was quickly dispersed by the mountain wind, and they would never have been able to spot it if they hadn't been in such a special location.

"what is that?"

Nuolu also saw the smoke and asked in a low voice in Qiang language.

Zhao Yun felt a chill run down his spine, and a thought flashed through his mind.

"Alchemy? Or... some kind of secret ritual that we can't understand?"

He realized that the structure inside the cave might be very complex, and the smoke indicated that there were other spaces or ventilation shafts inside the mountain, and that the people of Penglai were carrying out vital activities inside!
"We can't stay any longer, get off!"

Zhao Yun whispered.

This place is not safe to stay in; we'll be easily discovered.

The two carefully returned the way they came and met up with Wang Ping and the others who were anxiously waiting at the foot of the mountain.

"General, what have you discovered?"

Wang Ping immediately asked.

Zhao Yun briefly described what he had observed from above, especially the peculiar smoke. Combined with what he saw of the base operating below, a clear conclusion emerged in his mind.

"We may have... actually found an important hideout of Penglai in Liangzhou, or even one of its core strongholds!"

Zhao Yun's voice was more solemn than ever before.

"This place is no ordinary place; we must report back to our lord immediately!"

Without further hesitation, he immediately summoned the accompanying scribe and recounted what he had seen and heard—

The location of the cave base, traces of artificial excavation, a strong ominous smell, tight guard, mysterious carriages frequently entering and leaving, and peculiar smoke emanating from above the mountain were recorded in as much detail as possible on a piece of soft, tanned parchment, along with a simple topographical map and the location of the cave entrance.

“You,” Zhao Yun pointed to the most agile captain, especially skilled in mountain running, and solemnly handed him the sealed parchment scroll.

"Take the Zaxi brothers as guides and deliver this secret report back to the main company as quickly as possible, at all costs! Remember, this matter concerns the safety of Liangzhou and even the entire country; it is of utmost urgency!"

"Yes, sir! I will not fail you!"

The captain solemnly accepted the order and carefully hid the parchment scroll on his person. Zaxi also nodded, indicating that he was willing to lead the way.

The two disappeared swiftly into the dense forest like ghosts, racing desperately towards Gu Rubing's stronghold.

Several days later, this secret report, which contained astonishing discoveries, was delivered to Gu Rubing at top speed, with the horses being changed along the way at great speed.

Inside the underground stronghold, lights flickered.

Gu Rubing unfolded the parchment, still covered in dust and sweat, and scanned it line by line with dense writing and a simple yet clear topographical sketch.

As he read on, his expression grew increasingly somber, his brows furrowed, and his knuckles turned white from gripping the parchment so tightly.

The cave base, the man-made excavation, the mysterious horse-drawn carriage, the peculiar smoke... each piece of information felt like a heavy boulder crashing down on his heart.

Penglai's actions were too swift! And on such a massive scale!
This was far more than just a cavalry force that looted and created panic.

This is a powerful force with a clear objective, a tight organization, and has already taken root deep in Liangzhou, establishing a secret base of considerable size!
What they are plotting is probably far more terrifying than simply occupying a piece of land!
He slowly placed the parchment on the table, letting out a barely audible sigh, yet the sigh weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone present.

"The existence of this secret base... means that the chaos in Liangzhou for months, the slaughtered tribes, the vanished caravans, and even the increasingly tense atmosphere on the border are not accidental."

Gu Rubing's voice was deep and cold, echoing within the underground stronghold.

"This is the result of Penglai's meticulous planning and long-term strategy!"
Like venomous snakes, they have long since buried their fangs deep into the land of Liangzhou!

He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, who had just returned from his adventure and whose face still bore the marks of the mountain winds. His eyes were as sharp as a sword about to be drawn.

"Waiting is too late."

Gu Rubing said decisively, “Every moment of delay means that Penglai might create another batch of ‘Divine Army’ in that cave, their evil magic might advance further, and more innocent lives might be sent into that demonic abyss to become their victims!”

We must act swiftly and destroy this hideout! At the very least, we need to find out what horrific things are happening inside!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei's leopard eyes widened, and he roared in a low voice.

"Big Brother is right! Why bother reasoning with these demons? Let's just charge in and wipe out their lair!"

Guan Yu, however, remained relatively calm. He stroked his long beard and said in a deep voice.

"Third brother, don't be hasty. A direct attack is not the best strategy. The enemy has the advantage of terrain; the caves are easy to defend but difficult to attack, and the defenses are very strong. Moreover, there are those fearless and incredibly strong monsters called the 'Divine Marchers.' Our forces are limited, and we are deep behind enemy lines, making resupply difficult."

If the offensive is thwarted and a stalemate ensues, and news of the conflict leaks out, the consequences could be disastrous.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the map, pointing towards the outer perimeter of the cave.

"Don't forget, Sun Jian's 10,000-strong army is stationed on the border, eyeing us covetously. And Cao Cao of Yizhou is by no means a peaceful and obedient man."

If we are bogged down in a fierce battle here and held back by Penglai, any move by either Sun Jian or Cao Cao could plunge us into a desperate situation, attacked from both sides, leading to disastrous consequences!

Zhao Yun nodded in agreement.

“Brother Yun is absolutely right. We are outnumbered and outmatched, and cannot fight them by force. We can only outsmart them.”

Inside the central command tent, the wick of the oil lamp occasionally crackled softly, the flickering flame casting the somber figures of the men onto the mottled earthen wall, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.

Guan Yu pondered for a moment, then pointed to the location of the cave entrance on the map and proposed his own plan.

"In my opinion, we should select an absolutely elite squad. It doesn't need to be large, but each member must be a ten-man elite warrior. Using the hidden path discovered by Zilong, we should approach stealthily, avoiding direct confrontation. Our objective is not to capture the cave, but to destroy it!"

He traced a circle with his finger near the entrance of the cave.

"Find their stockpiles of grain and supplies, or key locations such as stables and workshops, and attack them with oil and rockets to set them on fire! Their base is hidden in the mountains, and once a fire breaks out inside, chaos will ensue, and poor ventilation will be fatal."

Once their formation falls apart and their forces are busy putting out fires and saving themselves, we may take advantage of the chaos to retreat, or we may plan a follow-up attack depending on the situation.

The core of this plan lies in creating chaos. Victory can be achieved through chaos, and this strategy can also severely damage their reserves and delay their actions.

After listening, Zhao Yun thought for a moment and added.

"Brother Yun's fire attack plan is brilliant. Perhaps we can use two methods simultaneously. A group of elite troops can create a disturbance near the cave entrance, feigning a strong attack to attract the attention of the main guard."

Meanwhile, another group of the most skilled brothers took advantage of the chaos to try to sneak into the cave from the smoking spot above the mountain, or other possible weak points.

Even if in-depth exploration isn't possible, close-up observation is still possible. Creating greater chaos, such as detonating any flammable or explosive materials they might be storing, would be even more effective! A combined attack from both inside and outside would overwhelm them, leaving them unable to attend to both ends!

Zhang Fei nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Hehe, this is a great idea! I, Old Zhang, am willing to lead a feint attack to lure those bastards out!"

Gu Rubing listened intently to the opinions of his generals, his mind rapidly weighing the pros and cons.

A direct assault is not advisable, and a simple infiltration is too risky. Guan Yu's fire attack plan is safe and effective, while Zhao Yun's two-pronged approach is more aggressive and surprising. However, dividing the forces also means increased risk and higher requirements for the executors.

His gaze returned to the map, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the mark representing the cave.

Finally, his finger paused, then he extended his index finger and pressed heavily on the spot Zhao Yun had mentioned earlier, the place above the mountain where strange smoke was emanating.

"Let's use Guan Yu's fire attack strategy!"

Gu Rubing made his decision, and his voice left no room for argument.

"But the target is not the supply depot near the cave entrance."

He raised his head, his eyes gleaming with insight.

"Zilong observed smoke rising from the top of the mountain, accompanied by a medicinal smell. That place is very likely a key location for the core secret techniques of this base! For example... the workshop for refining those 'Divine Marching Soldiers', or the hub for maintaining the operation of some kind of large-scale formation! It could also be an important ventilation shaft!"

He slashed his finger downwards sharply, as if a sharp sword were piercing that spot.

"This is their heart! We'll start here! Use the other hidden path that Zilong discovered to go straight up the mountain pass! Use this as a breakthrough point to plant the seeds of fire there! Once the fire starts there and the thick smoke pours in, the impact on the base hidden in the mountain will be devastating!"

He looked at everyone and outlined the specific actions.

"At the same time, Yide led 150 elite soldiers, carrying gongs, drums, and horns, to ambush the enemy at a strategic location outside the cave entrance. Once the fire was lit above, they immediately beat the drums and shouted, making it appear as if they were launching a strong attack on the cave entrance, thus drawing away the enemy's main force!"

Zilong, you will lead one hundred of the most skilled climbers and stealth fighters to set fires above and monitor the mountain to prevent the enemy from escaping or counterattacking from other exits.

"Yun Chang, you will lead the remaining 250 elite troops to ambush the only road leading to this place. On the one hand, you will block any enemy troops that might return from the outside to reinforce; on the other hand, if the enemy troops inside the cave flee in disarray, you will intercept and kill them halfway!"

Gu Rubing took a deep breath and stated the ultimate goal of this operation.

"Remember, the main objective of this battle is not to annihilate the enemy, that's unrealistic. Our goal is..."

Destroy their core facilities to the greatest extent possible, create chaos, and seize the opportunity to gather intelligence! If possible, capture one or two individuals who appear to be leaders or technicians amidst the chaos and extract information from them! If the situation is unsuccessful, after successfully setting the fire, immediately evacuate along the predetermined route; do not linger in battle!

Everyone was awed and clasped their hands in unison, shouting softly.

"The last general takes command!"

Everyone was well aware of the dangers of this journey, like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth or venturing into a dragon's den or tiger's lair.

But with the situation at this point, there is no turning back. We must take this risky step in order to seize a sliver of hope and uncover the tip of the iceberg of the Penglai conspiracy!
In the dead of night, under a dark and windy sky, thick clouds obscured the starlight and moonlight, plunging the mountains and forests into complete darkness. Only the howling mountain wind swept through the valleys, emitting mournful wails like a hundred ghosts roaming at night. It was the perfect time to act.

Gu Rubing personally donned his armor and went into battle, wearing soft inner armor, a tight-fitting outer garment, and a long sword at his waist.

His gaze was calm, yet it revealed an unwavering determination.

Generals such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun were also ready, with five hundred carefully selected suicide soldiers behind them.

These men all had sharp eyes and calm demeanor; they were clearly veterans who had survived countless battles. They were well aware of the impending danger, yet none of them showed any fear.

Led by Zaxi and Nuolu, Qiang guides familiar with the route, the team, carrying an important mission, quietly left their temporary base and, under the cover of night, once again made their way to the Penglai Cave hidden deep in the Qilian Mountains.

The mountain winds howled wildly through the branches of the Qilian Mountains, whipping up sand and gravel, and rustling the trees. This natural clamor ironically served as excellent cover, completely swallowing up the faint footsteps and the rustling of armor of Gu Rubing and his group. (End of Chapter)