Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

[Unusual troop movements, martial law imposed on the city, and a chilling atmosphere enveloped Xiangyang.]

[It created a sense of impending doom and tension for everyone.]

[You have entrusted Wei Yuan with the command of the army, allowing him to take charge of strategic policies. As a military strategist, he is more adept at this.]

You, meanwhile, are in charge of the Censorate, where intelligence agencies are operating at full capacity, with information flowing in and out like a torrent.

[The phrase "having extensive knowledge and a prodigious memory" implies a level of accuracy that leaves no detail unrecorded.]

News from the Yuzhou front arrived quickly, the blood-red words a shocking sight.

Faced with Wu's long-planned scheme, the entire nation's military force, and the command of Chen Chao, a powerful and ruthless leader in this chaotic era, was mobilized.

The border defenses simply couldn't stop them.

The border defenses of Yuzhou were breached the very night intelligence of the Wu invasion was received.

[Wait until Xiangyang City responds and all orders are relayed to the front lines.]

The troops organized by various prefectures and states were like rotten, crumbling dikes, utterly unable to withstand the onslaught, and their defeats were swift and devastating.

As you look at the blood-soaked battle reports, a chill creeps into your heart.

[It seems Yuzhou cannot be defended...]

【唷! 】

The cry of the exotic falcon tore through the air, piercing the heart like a sword, sending chills down the spine of those who heard it.

A sense of unease is creeping in.

[You remove the bronze tablet. The news of defeats, casualties, city falls, and lost territory in recent days has almost numbed you.]

[Even after seeing the contents of the bronze tablet's intelligence, he couldn't suppress a cold laugh.]

[His anger was so intense that he couldn't help but laugh, tinged with a hint of helplessness and sigh.]

Tianmen City has fallen.

As the capital of Yuzhou, and a naturally fortified city on par with Xiangyang, it was easily breached by the Wu army.

[Originally, Tianmen City was situated with its back to the Huai River, relying on the natural barriers of Tianmen Mountain on both sides, along with the defensive formations and magical artifacts that had been set up over many years.]

This will greatly delay Chen Chao's advance, and even if he is defeated, he will pay a heavy price.

Unfortunately, just like more than a decade ago, the seemingly impregnable Tianmen City crumbled from within.

Because the Yuanfu Palace, high above Tianmen Mountain, has made its move.

During the ten years of its founding, the State of Chu maintained frequent trade relations with the Yuanfu Palace, and practically monopolized its magical artifacts and talismans.

The relationship has eased somewhat.

Now, the State of Wu is attacking Chu, and the flames of war have once again engulfed Yuzhou, something that the Yuanfu Palace abhors most.

Maintaining stability is the fundamental principle of the Yuanfu Hall.

Only a stable situation can promote trade and commerce, allowing magical artifacts and talismans to be exchanged for large quantities of resources needed by the Yuanfu Palace at higher prices.

As for having the mentality of an arms dealer?

[Just kidding, the Yuanfu Palace is located at Tianmen Mountain. If they dare to use war to inflate the prices of magical artifacts and talismans for exorbitant profits, Pang Hai's blade will strike immediately.]

During wartime, trading at 60-70% of the original price is considered fair and just.

However, the current situation is that neither Pang Hai nor Xu Hui are present.

[In addition, the State of Qi also sent troops.]

[In Yuanfu Hall's view, the division of Chu by the two states, Qi and Wu, was only a matter of time.]

It would be better to end the battle as soon as possible, maintain stability, and focus on doing business.

It doesn't matter who you do business with, it's still business.

Therefore, on the day the celestial beings descended upon the city, natural defenses, formations, talismans, and magical artifacts were all rendered useless.

Chen Chao captured Tianmen City without losing a single soldier.

[You drop the intelligence.]

"With the fall of Tianmen City, Yuzhou had no choice but to abandon it and retreat the battlefront to Jingzhou."

Your gaze is calm, like a faint glimmer of light in a dimly lit room.

"Bai Guanting and Zhang Xiuzhi led the army to resist the invasion of Qi, and Xiang Che did not appear on the front line, which was fortunate amidst misfortune."

[You had some suspicions about this, but the intelligence sent to Pang Hai disappeared without a trace after entering Suzhou.]

It seems he was implicated by Xiang Che.

"Qi can resist, but Wu... we can only stall for time."

[Year 49, age 65.]

The battle between the states of Chu and Qi was fierce, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers clashing, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing.

[Bai Guanting and Zhang Xiu, leveraging their defensive advantages, withstood the attacks of Ji Wang and Long Ce despite being outnumbered.]

[Yuzhou has completely fallen, and Chen Chao continues his southward march.]

Unstoppable.

The heavy workload and pressure of intelligence work have turned your temples gray.

[Looking at the latest intelligence in my hand, I quickly completed the analysis.]

"At most one month... Chen Chao will besiege the city with his army."

Your deep, ancient voice drifted through the room, and your spies relayed the message to all sides.

[Pang Hai remains unreachable, and given that Xiang Che has also disappeared without a trace, the situation is likely still at a stalemate.]

However, Xu Hui seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

[Because the top-tier combat forces you control in both Qi and Wu, including Pei Qingyu and Gong Si, have both made appearances here.]

That's why you analyzed Xu Hui's situation as different from Pang Hai's.

[They weren't being held back; they've truly disappeared.]

January has passed.

You, clad in silver armor and a black robe, with a long sword at your waist, ascend the walls of Xiangyang.

Bai Guanting and Zhang Xiuzhi have voluntarily abandoned their defensive lines and concentrated all their forces to defend Xiangyang to the death.

The Han River rolls on, its white waves blazing, and you gaze at the distant horizon.

The terrifying smoke billowed into the sky, like dark clouds pressing down on the city.

[Military Might!]

Hundreds of thousands of elite troops, under the command of the unparalleled general, the dragon and serpent of a chaotic era, formed ranks and unleashed their killing intent with iron fists and golden spears.

[This coalesced into a terrifying military force.]

Enough to destroy cities and shatter mountains, enough to stain rivers with blood.

This explains why the State of Chu suffered such a devastating defeat after losing Pang Hai and Xu Hui.

[Not only are the two of them top-tier combatants, but more importantly, they have gleaned the principles of warfare from the 'Tomb of the God of War'.]

[An invincible advantage, a plan with no flaws.]

With the two of them present, commanding the fierce army, they formed ranks and solidified their military might.

Even if Qi and Wu join forces, they can still resist.

"Go ahead."

[You issue the order to Bai Guanting and Zhang Xiu.]

The two men were trained by Pang Hai and Xu Hui respectively. After years of fighting, each gained three parts advantage and three parts strategy in military tactics.

Unfortunately, the gap between them and Pang Hai and Xu Hui remains enormous.

[Perhaps it can be said that, in the world, no one can rival, or even come close to, the synergy between these two in the art of war.]

[Pang Hai and Xu Hui, in particular, stood at the pinnacle not only in military strategy but also in martial arts.]

Let them become the absolute masters of the battlefield.

Hundreds of thousands of troops besieged the city, the air thick with a chilling aura of killing intent.

[The troops formed ranks, their combined might resembling a tangible dark cloud, obscuring the sky, plunging the world into a somber, gloomy atmosphere.]

Without warning or delay, the Battle of Xiangyang broke out.

The initial intensity of the war was shockingly brutal.

Blood cascaded down the city walls like a waterfall, heads rolled everywhere, and corpses piled up in the Han River, almost damming its flow.

You have long since left the Censorate and ventured deep into the battlefield.

The lines of time are etched on his face, his hair is streaked with white, and the murderous intent in his eyes is palpable.

His silver-black armor was riddled with holes, and the eight-edged sword in his hand gleamed menacingly.

[This armor is a low-grade magic weapon crafted and forged by the Yuanfu Hall. Pang Hai and Xu Hui don't need it; it's for your self-defense.]

[This sword was a gift from Wei Qi, and Pang Hai forged it using secret weapon-making techniques, making its sharpness approach that of a celestial-grade weapon.]

The Battle of Xiangyang has been raging for a month without ceasing.

Although you are only at the Innate Realm, you possess talent attributes such as "Master of Intelligence," "Foresight," "Concealment," and "Unfettered Sword Qi."

[Including "The Enemy" and "Hotarubi Ranbu"]

[You become a ghost on the battlefield, leaving no trace, thanks to various enhancements.]

[In the darkness and nothingness...]

[Draw your sword and thrust straight in!]