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

Gu Rubing turned back into the tent without hesitation, carefully opened the bamboo tube, and took out the silk cloth inside, which was stained with blood and the writing was somewhat blurred, but the key content could still be made out.

He quickly spread it out on the table, his eyes flashing like lightning as he swiftly scanned the hastily written yet crucial symbols and markings—the cycle of energy fluctuations, the location of the array's core, the weak point in the northwest corner…

As the information on the silk cloth was deciphered one by one, Gu Rubing's originally heavy brows finally relaxed slightly, and a sharp light, as if he had seen a way out of a desperate situation, suddenly flashed in his deep eyes!

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, pressing his finger heavily on the northwest corner marked on the silk cloth, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement and determination.

"There's always a way out! The key to breaking this deadlock has been found!"

The intelligence these scouts obtained with their lives and blood was extremely important!
Without the slightest delay, Gu Rubing immediately gave the order.

"Beat the drums! Raise the tent! All generals and strategists, come forward immediately for a meeting!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The deep, rapid beat of the rallying drums echoed through the camp, breaking the last silence before dawn.

Soon, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Ma Chao and other core generals, as well as several key strategists, gathered in the central command tent.

All eyes were focused on Gu Rubing and the blood-stained silk cloth in front of him, and the air was filled with an atmosphere that was a mixture of anticipation and tension.

Gu Rubing succinctly explained the contents of the intelligence to everyone.

"...In conclusion, the Guzang Evil Array is not perfect. Its energy circulation has a periodic fluctuation of about one hundred breaths. Each time the fluctuation reaches a trough, it is the moment when its defense is relatively weakest!"

Its weakest point is most likely in the northwest corner of the city wall! Furthermore, the ever-pulsating evil crystal atop the governor's mansion within the city is the core of this massive evil array that maintains its operation!

Upon hearing this, the generals were all invigorated, as if they had seen a ray of dawn in endless darkness.

"Haha! Great!"

Zhang Fei was the first to lose his temper. He slapped his thigh and shouted in a booming voice, "I'm taking the order!"

"Brother! Now that we've found the weakness, what are we waiting for? Give me, Old Zhang, some men, and I'll go and tear a hole in that damn northwest corner! We'll storm into the city and smash that damn crystal!"

His leopard eyes were wide open, his fighting spirit soaring, as if he could already see himself conquering Guzang.

However, Gu Rubing slowly shook his head and calmly looked at Zhang Fei.

"I know in my heart that my third brother is brave."

However, the enemy commander was by no means an incompetent person.

Since they left a flaw in the northwest corner, how could they not know it? And how could they not take precautions?

He pointed to the simple sand table of Guzang City, his tone solemn.

"If I'm not mistaken, the northwest corner may seem weak at this moment, but behind its city walls and even in the nearby streets and alleys, there must be a large number of troops lying in ambush, and even sorcerers secretly supporting them, setting up a trap! If we rely on intelligence and directly attack this place, we will be playing right into their hands!"

Even if the third brother manages to break through with his courage, he will inevitably suffer heavy losses and be severely weakened.

More importantly, this move will inevitably alert the enemy! If this leads to increased vigilance at their core array points, or even if the Penglai demons temporarily alter the array's operation, all the intelligence we've gained at such great cost will be wasted!

Zhang Fei opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but seeing Gu Rubing's unquestionable gaze and Guan Yu's slight shaking of his head, he swallowed his words, only breathing heavily with some resentment.

Gu Rubing's gaze swept over everyone in the tent, his eyes flashing with wisdom and decisiveness. After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke with absolute certainty.

"Since attacking weaknesses head-on is too risky, why don't we... turn the tables and use a feint attack!"

"Founding in the east and attacking in the west?"

The generals and strategists all looked thoughtful.

"That's right!"

Gu Rubing's finger suddenly tapped the east gate of Guzang City on the sand table, his voice rising abruptly, carrying a confident air of having a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

"Didn't they expect us to focus on our weaknesses? We'll do the opposite!"

He then issued a series of clear and swift commands.

"Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, listen to my command!"

"The general is here!"

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei immediately stepped forward.

"I order you two to immediately muster 8,000 infantrymen and concentrate most of the siege equipment, including all battering rams, ladders, and the few heavy crossbows that remain in the army!"
They made a big show of it, raising many flags and beating drums to cheer each other on, creating the impression that they would go all out and do whatever it took to launch a strong attack on the east gate!

"I want you to fight as fiercely as possible, launch as aggressively as possible, and make sure the defenders on the city walls firmly believe that our breakthrough point is at the east gate!"

"Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, listen to my command!"

"The general is here!"

Zhao Yun and Ma Chao solemnly responded.

"I order you two to lead all the cavalry to patrol the two flanks outside the east gate, waiting for an opportunity to strike! If the enemy comes out of the city to counterattack, intercept and kill them halfway; if they hold their ground, harass them with mounted archery, create chaos, and coordinate with the feint attack of Generals Guan and Zhang!"

"Huang Zhong, heed my command!"

"The general is here!"

Huang Zhong clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"I hereby order you to lead the archer battalion, occupy advantageous terrain outside the east gate, and be responsible for suppressing the crossbows and sorcerers on the city walls, covering the attacking troops!"

"The rest of the generals, follow me to the central command and coordinate support!"

Gu Rubing's gaze was intense as he surveyed the assembled generals before finally emphasizing his point.

"The key to this battle lies in the word 'realism'! We must let the defenders of Guzang see with their own eyes our 'main force' rushing to attack the east gate and feel the immense pressure!"
They will surely mobilize a large force, especially the sorcerer forces capable of disrupting and strengthening defenses, to reinforce the east gate! Thus…”

Before he finished speaking, all the generals in the tent already understood the strategic intent behind his words.

Once the east gate is under heavy attack and the enemy's attention is firmly drawn, then the real killing move will quietly reveal its sharp fangs in an unexpected direction!

"at the same time!"

Without pausing, Gu Rubing's finger moved with resolute force, suddenly shifting away from the east gate and landing precisely on the northwest corner of the Guzang City wall on the sand table.

"This is our true destination!"

His gaze was sharp as a knife as he swept over the generals in the tent, his voice deep and powerful.

"When the battle at the East Gate reached its most intense and protracted stage, the enemy's attention was firmly drawn, leading them to conclude that our main force was entirely in the east! At the same time, scouts risked their lives to confirm that the periodic fluctuations of the evil formation's energy coincided precisely with its lowest point! Right at that crucial juncture—"

He clenched his right fist and slammed it heavily on the northwest corner of the sand table, making a dull thud.

"I will personally lead you all, along with all the most elite soldiers in the army who are still capable of fighting, to form a true assault force. We will launch a sudden and fierce attack on the northwest corner! With overwhelming force, at all costs, we will tear open this breach and storm into Guzang in the shortest possible time!"

A chilling aura of killing intent spread with his words, and the eyes of the generals sharpened accordingly. However, Gu Rubing's plan was not yet finished.

His gaze shifted to Zhao Yun, who stood silently to the side like a pine tree, but whose eyes were already burning with fighting spirit.

"Zi Long!"

"The general is here!"

Zhao Yun stepped forward, clasped his hands in response, and replied in a clear and firm voice.

"I'm giving you the most difficult task, the one that will most likely determine the outcome of this battle!"

Gu Rubing stared intently at Zhao Yun, his tone extremely solemn.

"I want you to lead all your White Horse Cavalry, as well as all the light cavalry that can be drawn from the army, regardless of the cost or the speed, to bypass the main defenses of Guzang City and use the mobility of the cavalry to strike straight into their rear!"

As he spoke, he pointed to an inconspicuous canyon marker in the southwest direction of Guzang City on the sand table.

"According to the latest intelligence brought back by the Colonel of the Crossbow at great risk, a very important supply train from Penglai is secretly stockpiled here! Because of its relatively hidden location, and because the main force of Penglai is in the city and its surrounding camps, the defenses here are relatively weak!"

A cold light flashed in Gu Rubing's eyes.

"Your mission is to find it, and then—burn it! Leave not a single piece!"

He looked at Zhao Yun and emphasized each word carefully.

"Within Guzang City, Penglai's army, numbering two hundred thousand, is gathered! The daily consumption of food and fodder for the men and horses is astronomical! Once this crucial supply line is burned, the morale of the army within the city will surely collapse!"

More importantly, this move will greatly tie down the enemy forces. If they intend to send troops out of the city to pursue or support other areas, the news of the burned supplies will inevitably force them to return, thus greatly reducing the pressure on our frontal assault! If this plan succeeds, the achievement will be immense!

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhao Yun's handsome face was full of determination. He clasped his hands tightly and spoke with a resolute voice.

"Yun, I obey! I will not fail my lord's trust! Even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, I will burn the enemy's supplies to ashes!"

"it is good!"

Gu Rubing patted Zhao Yun's shoulder heavily.

"There's no time to lose. Go and prepare immediately, select men, replenish arrows and oil, and set off under the cover of night!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Yun said no more, gave Gu Rubing a deep look, nodded slightly to his comrades in the tent, then resolutely turned around and strode away from the tent, his figure quickly disappearing into the night outside.

After arranging this crucial surprise attack, Gu Rubing's gaze fell on the veteran general Huang Zhong.

"Hansheng!"

"The general is here!"

Huang Zhong's voice was as loud as a bell, and he clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, awaiting orders.

"I hereby appoint you to command all the archers in the army and form the Sharpshooter Battalion!"

Gu Rubing pointed towards the west gate of the sand table.

"Before the general offensive begins, your unit must secretly infiltrate the vicinity of the West Gate, find a favorable firing position, remain strictly hidden, and never reveal your whereabouts!"

He paused, then emphasized his words.

"Once the general offensive in the northwest corner officially begins, I need your unit to spare no arrows and unleash your full power! With the fastest firing rate and the most accurate archery, suppress all visible sorcerers and crossbowmen on the city walls!"

Especially those enemies who attempt to chant large-scale evil spells or turn their crossbows around in an attempt to provide support to the northwest corner!
Use your arrows to create a relatively 'clean' space for the main assault team to scale the walls! Is that even possible?

Huang Zhong's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and a sense of confidence and pride, typical of a veteran of many battles, arose spontaneously within him. He answered resolutely.

"Rest assured, my lord! With Hansheng here, we will not allow any evil forces to interfere with our army's ascent of the city! The sound of bowstrings will surely terrify the enemy chieftains on the city walls!"

"it is good!"

Gu Rubing nodded, and finally looked at the three generals Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Ma Chao.

"Yun Chang, Yi De, Meng Qi!"

"The general is here!"

The three responded in unison, their voices echoing through the tent.

"The three of you will stay with me in the central command, leading all the remaining elite infantry, conserving their strength, and ready to be at any time!"

Gu Rubing's gaze, like a burning flame, swept across the three resolute faces.

"We will wait for the feint attack at the east gate to draw away the enemy's main force, and for the moment when the evil formation's energy falls to the bottom of the valley. That will be the time for us to march forward, rush straight to the northwest corner, and fight the enemy to the death!"

"Your humble servants will obey your orders, lord! We are prepared to die a thousand deaths!"

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Ma Chao responded with a resounding roar, their powerful fighting spirit rising within the tent as if it were a tangible force.

With each instruction clearly issued and linked together, a complex and ingenious battle plan gradually took shape, taking full advantage of the enemy's psychological blind spots and inherent weaknesses in their formations, and combining feint attacks with surprise attacks. This plan was clearly imprinted in the minds of every general.

"Everyone!"

Gu Rubing surveyed the entire room one last time, his voice deep and powerful.

"This battle concerns the survival of our army, and the fate of Liangzhou and even the entire world! I urge you all to bravely advance, work together with one heart, and achieve victory in this one battle!"

"We must win! We must win! We must win!"

The generals roared in unison, the sound almost lifting the tent roof off!
Without further delay, everyone clasped their hands in salute, and with their respective missions and resolve, turned and strode away, quickly disappearing into the night of the camp. They began to mobilize their troops in earnest, making final preparations for the impending earth-shattering battle.

Time flew by amidst the intense preparations, and the eastern sky gradually began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

At dawn the next day, before the first rays of light on the horizon had completely dispelled the chill of the night, a deafening sound of war drums, seemingly capable of shattering the heavens, suddenly rang out outside the east gate of Guzang City!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The massive drumbeats, like the heartbeat of a savage beast, carried a primal savagery and a murderous aura, crashing into the towering city walls of Guzang!
Zhang Fei, who was already prepared, stood at the front of the formation, clad in heavy armor and holding a long spear.

Behind him were thousands of elite infantrymen, carrying the banner of Gu Rubing, the commander-in-chief, as well as numerous general flags. The banners fluttered, creating a magnificent spectacle, as if the main force had been deployed!

"My men! Follow me and kill!"

Zhang Fei let out a thunderous roar and swung his eighteen-foot spear forward fiercely!
"kill--!!"

A deafening battle cry erupted like a tsunami! Thousands of soldiers, like a flood bursting its banks, carried countless siege ladders and pushed heavy battering rams, launching a fierce feint attack on the east gate of Guzang under the cover of their own archers!

"Whoosh whoosh-!"

In an instant, arrows rained down on the city walls like locusts, blotting out the sky!

Behind them, the few remaining catapults were pushed to the front lines, and huge stones were hurled with tremendous force, slamming into the light screen flashing with eerie runes at the east gate of Guzang City with a piercing whistling sound! (End of Chapter)