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

Figures ran and collided with each other in the firelight, their desperate cries, howls, the screeching of weapons striking hard objects, and the increasingly clear, chilling roars of monsters mingled together, creating a nightmarish symphony!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack in the northwest corner!"

"Not human! A monster! Invulnerable to blades and bullets!"

"Form ranks! Form ranks quickly! Don't run around!"

The shouts of officers at all levels attempted to stabilize the situation, but they had little effect in the face of the utterly irrational terror. Many soldiers only saw, in the flickering firelight, several enormous, twisted shadows covered in irregular black armor and ghastly white bone spikes rampaging through the tents!
They come in various shapes and sizes; some stand like humans but are taller and more robust, while others resemble ferocious beasts on all fours. But what they have in common is their immense strength and swift movements!
A valiant soldier mustered his courage and thrust his spear at a monster. The spear struck the monster's black armor on its chest, producing a metallic clang, leaving only a small white mark. The spear shaft was jolted out of his hand! The monster swung its hand back, its claw-like limbs sweeping across, tearing the soldier and his armor in two, blood and entrails splattering everywhere!
Arrows that struck them mostly bounced off, and a few embedded themselves in the gaps in their shells, seemingly having little effect. Chopping with knives and axes often left only shallow marks, which only fueled their ferocity.

They charged into the crowd, tearing with their claws and slamming with tremendous force. Wherever they went, flesh and blood flew, tents collapsed, and chaos reigned. A heavy stench of blood and a faint, decaying energy, similar to that of the sorcery zone of Cao Cao's camp, began to permeate the air.

Gu Rubing had already been awakened by the huge commotion outside the tent and the urgent reports from his personal guards.

He donned armor, drew his sword, and charged out of the central command tent, surrounded by his guards. He was immediately met with a blazing inferno in the northwest corner, and a chaotic roar surged forth like a tidal wave, the monstrous howls mingling with it making his heart sink.

"My lord! An unidentified monster has attacked in the northwest corner! The number is unknown, but it is extremely ferocious. Our ordinary swords and arrows are ineffective against it, and our casualties are heavy. The camp is in chaos!"

A captain, his face covered in blood and his armor askew, scrambled over to report.

Gu Rubing's gaze was sharp as he looked at the chaotic flames, where he could vaguely see the ferocious black shadows raging within.

His fist clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white.

The firelight illuminated Gu Rubing's cold, stern face. The monster's roar and the soldiers' screams mingled together, assaulting everyone's eardrums. Chaos spread like a plague through the northwest corner camp and threatened to spread to other camps.

By the flickering firelight, Gu Rubing finally made out some of the monsters' appearances—their bodies were covered with irregular black carapaces that seemed to be integrated with their flesh and blood. Pale white or dark red bone spurs grew from the gaps in the carapaces and at the joints. Their shapes were distorted, and some of them maintained a general human-shaped outline but were taller and more robust.

Some crawled on all fours like wild beasts, but without exception, they all exuded a strong, corrupt aura originating from the evil magic of Penglai. However, this aura seemed to be mixed with a more rigid and controlled feeling.

What's even more chilling is that these monsters don't just rely on brute force and their shells to rampage.

A humanoid demon beast suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a stream of dark green, foul-smelling liquid, which landed on the shields that were trying to form a defensive formation. The hardwood shields, which were made of iron, made a "sizzling" sound and were quickly corroded with large holes. The liquid splashed onto the arms of the soldiers behind them, and their skin was immediately torn open, revealing the bone. They screamed and fell to the ground!

In the midst of its attack, another beast-like evil beast suddenly thrust its head forward, unleashing an invisible shockwave of evil energy. Several nearby soldiers were instantly struck as if by a heavy blow, their eyes glazed over, they dropped their weapons, clutched their hair, and howled in pain, appearing as if they were going mad!
It's an evil beast from Penglai! Moreover, it's an evil beast that has been "tamed" or "improved" by Cao Cao's army in some way!
They not only retained their original ferocity and some of their evil power, but also seemed to have been given clearer attack commands and a certain degree of tactical coordination!

Clearly, this was Cao Cao's powerful counterattack against the daytime feigned attack on "Jingfang"! He used the same tactics against Cao Cao, also dispatching an elite squad.

Under the cover of night, they stealthily approached the camp and unleashed these terrifying weapons of mass destruction, intending to create maximum chaos and panic within Gu Rubing's camp and undermine his already strained morale due to the standoff!
"Don't panic!"

Gu Rubing's voice wasn't deafening, but it carried a strange penetrating power and an undeniable authority, instantly drowning out some of the nearby noise.

"They are nothing but a few evil creations, what is there to fear! Where are Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun?!"

"The general is here!"

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, three generals arrived from different directions. Guan Yu's face was solemn, his phoenix eyes flashing with cold light; Zhang Fei's beard and hair were bristling, his leopard eyes wide open, he was furious; Zhao Yun's expression was cold, but his hand holding the spear was as steady as a mountain.

"Yun Chang, lead your swordsmen and shieldmen to stabilize the central camp and prevent the chaos from spreading! Yi De and Zi Long, follow me to slay the evil beast! All other officers and soldiers, return to your respective camps, restrain your soldiers, form ranks and defend yourselves. Anyone who wanders off without permission will be punished according to military law!"

Gu Rubing spoke very quickly, and his commands were clear and unambiguous.

"As ordered!"

The generals responded in unison and immediately split up to carry out their tasks.

With a wave of his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, Guan Yu led his personal guards and the soldiers who had gathered nearby to quickly build a defensive line around the chaotic area. He ordered the fleeing soldiers not to charge the central army, and at the same time organized archers to suppress the evil beasts from a distance. Although the effect was limited, it at least slowed down their spread.

Gu Rubing personally drew his sword, and led Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and a team of his most elite guards against the retreating crowd, charging straight at the rampaging evil beasts!

"Suffer death!"

Zhang Fei was the most impatient of them all. His roar was like a thunderclap from a clear sky! This roar was not just a simple venting of anger. It contained his unique and domineering aura, which formed a ring of sound waves that were difficult to see with the naked eye!

A beast-like evil beast that was about to pounce on a group of fleeing soldiers was hit by the sound wave. Its movements suddenly stopped, and it shook its huge head, seemingly a little dizzy. Its momentum of attack slowed down!
"good chance!"

A glint flashed in Zhao Yun's eyes, and his figure shot out like lightning! He didn't engage the evil beast in a direct confrontation of strength; his gleaming silver spear, like a serpent emerging from its hole, pierced with unparalleled precision towards the eye socket of the dazed beast! That was where the carapace was thinnest!
"Pfft!"

The sound of the spear tip piercing flesh rang out, and the evil beast let out a painful roar, wildly shaking its head, splattering dark green blood. Zhao Yun retreated immediately after his attack, nimbly dodging its wildly swinging claws, looking for the next opportunity.

On the other side, the tallest of the three, a humanoid demon beast that seemed to be pieced together from several twisted human bodies, noticed Gu Rubing's group. It took heavy steps and charged over with an earth-shattering momentum, smashing a sidecar to pieces along the way!

It opened its enormous mouth, and dark green venom condensed in its throat!

"Lord, be careful!"

The guards exclaimed.

Gu Rubing's face was ashen, and his internal energy was circulating rapidly. Although his internal injuries had not yet healed, he could not care about that at the moment.

However, a figure in cyan was faster than him!

"Monster! Take this!" Guan Yu had already spurred his horse to the flank at some point, Red Hare moving as fast as a shooting star! He raised the Green Dragon Crescent Blade with both hands, his body surging with energy, and a huge, pale blue blade aura faintly appeared on the blade!
Man and horse, sword and blade, seemed to merge into one, transforming into a streak of azure lightning that tore through the night sky, meeting the venom that was spewing forth, and fiercely slashing at the head of the evil beast!
"boom--!"

The blade's energy clashed violently with the venom and the thickest carapace on the beast's head! A deafening roar erupted! The force of the impact caused the surrounding torches to flicker and dust to fly everywhere!
The evil beast was actually slashed so hard that it staggered back several steps, leaving a deep gash on its head. Blackish-red blood gushed out, and it let out a mournful howl. The venom was also interrupted.

Guan Yu was also shaken by the recoil, causing his blood and qi to churn. Red Hare neighed and reared up, but his hand holding the sword remained as steady as a rock, and the killing intent in his phoenix eyes intensified!
Seeing this, Gu Rubing did not hesitate. He drew his longsword and moved with it, coordinating with Zhang Fei's roar to create sonic interference. His sword light was like a bolt of lightning, piercing straight into the gap where the other evil beast's carapace was joined! Zhang Fei also swung his spear, smashing it hard against the evil beast's joints!
The battle became exceptionally fierce.

These improved evil beasts are more troublesome than those seen in Guzang in the past. They have harder shells, greater strength, and also possess ranged attack and interference capabilities.

Gu Rubing, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun worked together seamlessly, while Guan Yu provided support from the outside and blocked other evil beasts from getting close. The guards, at the cost of their lives, used spears, grappling hooks, and other objects to restrict the evil beasts' movements and create opportunities.

After suffering more than ten casualties among his personal guards, Zhao Yun finally seized an opening and thrust his spear into the open mouth of a beast-like evil beast, piercing straight to the back of its head. The evil beast convulsed violently a few times before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

Gu Rubing and Zhang Fei joined forces and cornered another humanoid monster that had been severely wounded by Guan Yu and was moving slowly. Gu Rubing pierced its heart with his sword, and Zhang Fei followed up with a spear that smashed its head.

After losing its companion, the last evil beast seemed to receive some kind of retreat order and tried to break through the blockade to escape, but Guan Yu seized the opportunity, chased after it on horseback, and with the overwhelming force of the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, cut it in two at the waist!

In the open space in the center of the camp, the enormous corpses of four ferocious beasts lay scattered, their dark green and blackish-red blood flowing across the ground, emitting a nauseating stench and lingering ferocious energy. The battle was over, but the camp was in complete disarray.

Dozens of tents were destroyed, the burning remains belching black smoke. More than a hundred soldiers lay dead and wounded on the ground, some torn apart, some corroded by poison, some bleeding from all seven orifices, and some mentally broken. The air was thick with the stench of blood, acridity, and the distinctive smell of decay.

The soldiers, still bearing the marks of terror, their hands gripping their weapons trembled slightly as they stared at the monsters' corpses, their eyes filled with lingering fear and an indescribable dread. Cao Cao truly possessed such evil and bizarre power! This was far more chilling than swords, spears, or arrows.

Gu Rubing stood beside the corpse of the evil beast, his chest rising and falling slightly, sweat beading on his forehead.

He surveyed the desolate camp, his face so somber it was almost dripping with gloom.

This night raid to release the evil beast was insidious and effective. Although it did not cause fatal damage, its impact on morale was probably far greater than the actual casualties.

"Order to strengthen nighttime vigilance, double the number of patrols, extend the distance between sentries by fifty paces, and set up more bells and tripwires. Add three more trenches around the camp overnight and place more barbed wire around them."

Gu Rubing gave the order in an icy voice.

"Zilong, send capable men to thoroughly search the area around the camp and see if there are any signs of Cao Cao's army infiltrating or any evil beasts that have been missed."

"You will finally understand."

Zhao Yun clasped his fists and accepted the order.

"Yide, lead men to assist the medical officers in treating the wounded, distinguishing between ordinary injuries and... injuries caused by evil poisons, and place them separately."

Gu Rubing then looked at Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei looked at his comrades who were corroded by the venom or driven mad, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and he gritted his teeth.

"That Cao Cao is truly wicked! Don't worry, brother, I know!"

Gu Rubing looked at the corpses of the evil beasts one last time, and then addressed the strategists and senior physicians accompanying the army.

"Examine these corpses of evil creatures carefully immediately, and be sure to find their weaknesses, especially where their carapaces are thinnest, what weapons or methods can effectively break through them, and what methods can be used to counteract their venom and evil energy attacks."

Please allocate the necessary manpower and tools.

"Yes, my lord!"

The strategists and physicians, knowing the gravity of the matter, readily agreed and directed the soldiers to carefully drag the demon beast's corpse to an open area, preparing to begin work that very night.

That night, no one in Gu Rubing's camp could sleep peacefully. Even when the soldiers returned to their tents, most of them kept their eyes open, listening to the sounds of fortifications being reinforced outside and the groans of their wounded comrades, their minds constantly replaying the terrifying figure of the evil beast and the tragic deaths of their companions.

A shadow called "fear" quietly spread through the military, taking a toll on their mental energy even more than the daytime standoff.

However, misfortune never comes singly. Before the shadow of the evil beast's attack had been completely dispelled, new and more insidious troubles, like lurking venomous snakes, began to quietly bare their fangs.

Perhaps it was the fatigue accumulated from days of fighting and sleeping in the open, or perhaps it was the influence of the soil and water in eastern Liangzhou, which was subtly polluted by evil magic, or perhaps...

Just as some soldiers privately fearfully speculated, it was indeed caused by the "bad luck" or "epidemic" brought by those evil beasts. Starting the day after the evil beasts attacked the camp, strange patients began to appear one after another in the military camp.

Initially, only a few soldiers in the northwest corner camp, the area most severely attacked last night, reported to their superiors that they felt headaches, fever, body aches and weakness, and some nausea and vomiting.

The on-duty military doctor came to check and, seeing that the symptoms were similar to those of a common cold or overexertion, prescribed some herbs to dispel wind and cold and replenish qi, as was customary, and advised the patient to rest well.

But the situation quickly took a turn for the worse. Instead of improving after taking the medication, the soldiers' conditions deteriorated rapidly within a day or two. High fever persisted, vomiting worsened, and they even began to experience diarrhea.

Even more disturbing is that some people have started to develop dark black spots the size of a fingernail with indistinct edges on their bodies, especially on exposed areas such as their arms and necks. These spots are painless and do not itch, but they are shocking to see.

Their spirits also became extremely low, their reactions were sluggish, and their eyes were dull.

Immediately afterward, the number of people falling ill began to increase at an alarming rate! It was no longer limited to the northwest corner camp; soldiers in other camps also began to show similar symptoms. The symptoms became increasingly bizarre and severe; in addition to black spots, some began to talk incoherently, uttering incomprehensible babbling. (End of Chapter)