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

In the east, Cao Cao's elite troops were fiercely attacking northern Yizhou, their arrows sharp and aimed straight at the heart of the region; in the north, Sun Jian's Anluo Empire's iron cavalry was rampaging across the border, like hungry wolves ready to pounce and tear off a piece of flesh at any moment.

retreat?

Retreating to Yizhou, relying on the natural defenses of the Shu roads and Lu Su's talent, might allow them to temporarily halt Cao Cao's advance and stabilize their base.

But this means that they will completely abandon the vast land of Liangzhou, abandon the soldiers and civilians who are still resisting and waiting for the royal army, and allow the inhumane evil magic of Penglai to take root and spread deeply in this place, turning this once vibrant land into a demonic realm where demons breed!
Retreating today is tantamount to raising a tiger to cause future trouble. Once Penglai has digested Liangzhou, it will use its evil magic to generate a massive army and sweep down with the momentum of Liangzhou. At that time, we will be attacked from two sides. No matter how dangerous Yizhou is, how long can it hold out? Where will the people of the world be placed?
This is by no means a long-term solution; it's practically digging our own grave!
Should we advance westward and engage in a decisive battle with Penglai's 200,000-strong army in the heart of Liangzhou?
Not to mention that our side has just experienced a fierce battle at the main camp, with heavy losses in troops and soldiers who are exhausted and injured, it is questionable whether we can directly confront that large and unpredictable enemy army.

The mere fact that Yizhou in the rear is empty, the northern border is difficult to defend, and the foundation is in danger of being shaken is enough to make people tremble with fear!

If Yizhou is lost, or if Sun Jian breaks through the border and marches straight in, they will become like a rootless duckweed or water without a source, and their destruction will be imminent!

Gu Rubing's gaze, like the sharpest blade, was fixed on the detailed map of Liangzhou, especially on the important town of Guzang, which was specially marked and symbolized as the seat of Liangzhou!
His fingertips unconsciously traced across the rough map, his mind racing with calculations of the enemy's and his own forces' positions, troop strength, food supplies, marching routes... every thought weighed heavily.

The fact that Penglai was able to sweep through Liangzhou in just three days demonstrates the unity of their actions and the speed of their offensive, something that could not have been accomplished by scattered and disorganized troops.

Their main force, and even the command center for this lightning offensive, must be gathered here!

That place is the heart of Liangzhou, and also the place where Penglai's destiny rests in Liangzhou!
Just then, the cold touch of the blood-stained token in his palm came through clearly once again.

Wang Ji... Zhangye... This is not just bad news of the city's fall and the loss of its people, but also a final message conveyed with their lives!
It was telling Gu Rubing that Liangzhou had not completely surrendered. Under the iron hooves and evil magic of Penglai, there were still embers of resistance burning in the darkness, still waiting, waiting for him, Gu Rubing, and for his army, which represented hope and the royal army, to return!

"call……"

Gu Rubing slowly exhaled a breath of foul air tinged with the smell of blood. A surge of ruthless energy, mixed with grief, indignation, determination, and even a do-or-die mentality, rose uncontrollably from his chest, instantly dispelling the weakness brought on by his injuries and exhaustion. His eyes became as sharp as a hawk's and as cold as a star.

The more critical the situation, the more important it is not to lose your composure! The more desperate the situation, the more important it is not to be led by the nose!
Penglai thought that by throwing out Liangzhou as a huge bait and setting up this deadly trap of surrounding him from all sides, he could make Gu Rubing panic, unable to defend himself from both ends, and fall into a passive and defensive situation.
That would allow him to abandon Liangzhou in order to preserve the foundation of Yizhou, thus enabling them to consolidate their gains and solidify the foundation of this evil art.

"wishful thinking!"

Gu Rubing let out a cold sneer in his heart.

He suddenly raised his head, and his face, which had been pale from blood loss, now flushed with an unusual redness—a sign of extreme excitement and impending decision.

He no longer looked at the threats from the east and north, but instead poured all his attention and all his resolve into the west!
He took a step forward, stepping over the table in front of him. His right index finger, like a sword drawn from its sheath, slammed heavily and fiercely onto the map at the location that represented the core of Liangzhou and was surrounded by countless enemy marks—Guzang!
"boom!"

A muffled thud, as if striking the drumbeat of fate, made everyone present jump.

"Everyone!"

Gu Rubing's voice was hoarse, yet it carried an undeniable, resounding power, like the clanging of metal against metal, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"The sorcerers of Penglai think that by throwing away the fat meat of Liangzhou and then inciting the two traitors Cao and Sun to attack us from both sides, they can make us lose our footing and throw us into chaos!"
They were wrong!

He surveyed the generals in the tent, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his brothers-in-arms, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Ma Chao, and others. He saw the same weariness, yet the same undiminished fighting spirit.

"With Zijing (Zhang Zijing) stationed in Yizhou, relying on its strategic passes, deep trenches, and high walls, even if Cao Cao's army is powerful, it will be difficult for them to cross in a short time! The northern garrison, holding its ground in strategic locations, is also able to delay Sun Jian's advance and buy us time!"

He spoke slowly, but with great persuasiveness, as if he were analyzing something, but also reinforcing everyone's beliefs.

"And Liangzhou!"

His finger struck Guzang heavily once more.

"It seems that Penglai has managed to build an impregnable fortress, with 200,000 troops stationed there, making it as solid as a rock."

However, since they had just established their rule over Liangzhou, their foundation was not yet secure, and most of the counties and prefectures were likely subdued by force, not by popular support. Their main force and command core would surely be concentrated in Guzang.
If we can strike at the heart of the enemy with lightning speed, capture Guzang, and behead its leader, then the 200,000-strong army will be leaderless and inevitably descend into internal strife!

At that time, the righteous men lying in wait throughout Liangzhou and the loyal officials still resisting will surely rise up in response!

At this point, his voice suddenly rose, carrying an almost frantic determination.

"Therefore, I have decided not to return to Yizhou, and to ignore the harassment from Cao Cao and Sun Quan! We will gather all our remaining fighting forces, abandon all unnecessary baggage, take only a few days' worth of rations, and march westward with the fastest speed and the strongest momentum! We will take Guzang directly!"

The tent fell into an instant silence; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was shocked by Gu Rubing's extremely bold and crazy plan!

This is nothing short of a colossal gamble that puts one's own fate and the future of the entire group at stake!

They gambled that Lu Su could hold the core of Yizhou with limited troops, that the border garrison could use their flesh and blood to hold back Sun Jian's southward cavalry, and that their exhausted army could, before the Penglai army could react, defeat the overwhelming force and complete the seemingly impossible decapitation operation, thus conquering the heavily defended Guzang in one fell swoop!

If any link in this chain goes wrong, it will lead to complete failure and utter ruin!

However, after a brief silence—

"Hahaha! Excellent! Brother, this plan is exactly what I, Old Zhang, wanted!"

Zhang Fei was the first to burst into thunderous laughter. He slapped his thigh, stood up, and his leopard eyes flashed with an extremely excited and ferocious light.

"Those damned Penglai demons, do they think they can intimidate us just because they outnumber us? I'll see if their necks are tougher, or if my spear is sharper! Let's march straight to Guzang and chop off those demons' dog heads! How satisfying! How satisfying!"

Guan Yu slightly opened his phoenix eyes, lowered his hand that was stroking his beard, and a chilling sword intent naturally permeated the air. He said in a deep voice.

"Since my elder brother has made his decision, I, Yu, will gladly die for him! The Azure Dragon Blade needs the blood of demons and monsters as a sacrifice!"

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice still steady, yet carrying an unwavering determination.

"Yun is willing to be the vanguard, even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, to pave a path to Guzang for our lord!"

Huang Zhong's beard and hair trembled slightly as he spoke in a loud voice.

"Although Han Sheng is old, his bowstring is still strong! He will surely use the arrows in his hand to clear the way for the army and shoot down all enemies who block the way!" Ma Chao was so excited that his face flushed, as if he had returned to the days when he dominated Xiliang. He said firmly.

"Mengqi and the Xiliang cavalry have long yearned for a decisive battle with the main force of Penglai! Where our lord points, our troops will advance!"

Even the strategists and scribes who had been silent all along were infected by the atmosphere of determination to fight to the death, and they all bowed.

"We are willing to follow our lord and serve him to the death!"

After the initial shock came a surge of intense fighting spirit, like a volcanic eruption!
They were well aware of the danger of this plan, which was practically a matter of life and death!
But they also understand that in this seemingly hopeless situation, this may be the only chance to turn defeat into victory and reverse the tide!
Instead of passively defending and waiting for the situation to worsen, we should take the initiative and create possibilities from the impossible!
This is consistent with their style of rising up in adversity and creating miracles under the leadership of Gu Rubing!

Looking at his loyal and courageous generals, and seeing the fighting spirit he had rekindled in their eyes—a spirit that could burn away all difficulties and obstacles—Gu Rubing felt a mixture of pride and solemnity in his heart.

He nodded heavily, without any further hesitation, his voice resolute, like the final drumbeat of war.

"Alright! In that case—"

Gu Rubing's eyes flashed with a chilling light, like the biting wind sweeping across the barren plains in winter. His gaze swept over the five resolute and eager faces in front of him, and his voice was firm and unwavering.

"Break camp immediately! Travel light, abandoning all unnecessary baggage, carrying only ten days' rations and essential weaponry! The entire army advances at full speed, target—Guzang!"

He paused, then emphasized with a cold, resolute tone.

"If we encounter enemy resistance along the way, we must not linger in battle. Breaking through and shaking them off is our top priority! We have only one goal: to reach the gates of Guzang before Penglai can react and mobilize a large force to encircle us!"

"The last general takes command!"

The five generals responded in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles, and an aura of murderous intent instantly filled the air.

Military orders are absolute. This secret outpost, which had just experienced a fierce battle and had not yet had time to rest, instantly became like a huge war machine wound up tightly, starting to operate at high speed under excessive load.

All the exhaustion and pain were forcibly suppressed at this moment, replaced by a do-or-die, resolute determination!
The heavy tents were abandoned without hesitation, excess food and fodder were buried on the spot or distributed to any scattered civilians nearby, and all equipment unrelated to the battle was discarded.

The soldiers silently and quickly organized their remaining armor and weapons, checked their bowstrings and arrows, and carefully stuffed the dry rations and water they had been allocated—enough to sustain them for ten days—into their packs.

A tragic and oppressive atmosphere enveloped the entire army; no fear was visible on anyone's face, only an almost indifferent resolve.

They all knew in their hearts that this westward expedition would take them deep into enemy territory, into the heart of the enemy forces, and into battle against an enemy army many times their size. Their retreat was cut off, and perhaps... there would be no way back.

But no one retreated, no one complained; only their tightly gripped weapons and resolute steps spoke of their choice.

"set off!"

With Gu Rubing's order, this army, which had been streamlined to the extreme, as if stripped of all redundancy, leaving only its sharpest combat core, was brought to its knees.

Like a bowstring taut with its power suddenly released, it transforms into a sharp arrow, tearing through the not-yet-completely-dissipated morning mist, and begins its desperate dash westward, towards that deathly land shrouded in the demonic aura of Penglai!
Gu Rubing adopted Zhao Yun's suggestion and formed a powerful vanguard force with all the remaining elite cavalry in the army, including the remnants of Zhao Yun's White Horse Cavalry and the best of Ma Chao's Xiliang Iron Cavalry.

Their mission was singular: to clear paths through mountains and build bridges over rivers, sparing no effort and disregarding casualties, to tear away all obstacles in the way of the main infantry force and ensure the overall speed of the army's advance!

"Zilong, Mengqi, the important task of being the vanguard is entrusted to you!"

Gu Rubing, on horseback, addressed Zhao Yun and Ma Chao, who were standing side by side, in a deep voice.

"Remember, speed is everything! If you encounter a small group of enemies, defeat them; never pursue and engage in prolonged combat!"

"Rest assured, my lord!"

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

"I will not fail in my duty. Even if a thousand troops block my way, I will pave a smooth path for my lord!"

Ma Chao brandished his spear, his heroic spirit soaring to the heavens.

"The men of Xiliang are no ordinary men! My lord, watch how we pave the way for the army!"

After saying this, the two men pulled on the reins and led their cavalry vanguard, which moved like a whirlwind, away in a cloud of dust. Their hooves shattered the silence of the wasteland and kicked up clouds of dust.

Following closely behind was the main force of the central army, with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei at its core, Huang Zhong providing support, and Gu Rubing personally in command.

All infantrymen were required to abandon all distractions, maintain tight formations, and push their marching speed to its limit.

They gritted their teeth, their legs, heavy with exhaustion and feeling like lead, following closely behind the dust kicked up by the cavalry ahead, not daring to relax for a moment.

The entire procession was like a silent yet surging torrent of iron, rolling westward.

On the Penglai side, it was clear that they had not anticipated that Gu Rubing, in the absolute predicament of being surrounded on three sides and suffering heavy losses, would not choose to shrink his defenses and retreat to Yizhou to hold on, but instead launched such an aggressive and reckless counterattack!

This was completely beyond their previous calculations and arrangements.

Therefore, at the beginning of the westward advance, the resistance encountered along the way appeared hasty and scattered.

Often, just after defeating a small, aimless horde of zombie soldiers, a patrol of dozens of Swift Army soldiers would appear ahead.

These enemies attempted to intercept them using their ferocity and cunning, but what kind of army were they facing!

This is an iron torrent, determined to fight to the death, with only the goal ahead in their eyes, and concentrating all their strength on a single point to break through!

Any obstacle that stands in the way of this torrent will be mercilessly crushed!
"Those who block my way shall die!" (End of Chapter)