(Foreword)

Cold ice can't break the water, and dead wood can meet spring again.

(Text)

Through our continuous efforts, we have finally turned the situation around us. Although we have not yet achieved a final victory, we have at least taken a big step forward.

This time, Soochow only sent 30,000 soldiers to fight against our army, which was equivalent to giving our army a fair chance to fight. Even without the use of any tactics of war, we have a 50% chance of winning this war.

"Summer City." Zhang Han suddenly asked Xia Cheng, "Why do you say Lu Xun did this?" Could it be that he really made such a choice just to keep the vanguard? Or is this another of his tactics? ”

"Zhang Han, don't care what tactics he has! In any case, the enemy's strength was reduced to the same size as ours, and from this point of view, we were victorious. "Cui Li's approach to things is always limited to the surface, not the inside.

"Zhang Han, do you mean that the enemy army did this on purpose? But why on earth did they make such a sacrifice? Professor Wu asked puzzled.

At this time, I couldn't help but think, if there is anything that can make Dongwu make such a big concession, I'm afraid it is only the organ in Yiling Pass.

"It's a mechanism. It's not so much that they want to save the lives of the vanguards, but that they want us to be unable to use the mechanisms in Yiling Pass. ”

It was only then that it dawned on me: if we had activated the mechanism in Yiling Pass, then the army of Eastern Wu would not be able to get close, and they would not be able to capture Yiling Pass. Xiang Zhuang dances the sword, which is intended for Pei Gong.

"I see, I didn't agree to them if I knew it. Aren't we giving them the chance to win now? Cui Li said regretfully.

I could clearly see the disappointed expressions on the faces of Zhao Yuyu, Cui Li, and Professor Wu, but Xia Cheng didn't speak.

I'm sure he didn't fail to take that into account, and he must have had a reason for doing so.

"You're right, if the mechanism of Yiling Pass is activated, then it will be impossible for the enemy soldiers to get close to us, and then they will not be able to capture Yiling Pass. But have you ever thought that we have been in this 'Strange Array' for too long, and I am afraid that the water and food stored in the 'Strange Array' are running out. If AEF's researchers have been unable to open the 'Strange Array' and we have been confronting him inside, even if we hold this Yiling Pass, it will be difficult to get out of this 'Strange Array' alive in the long run. Rather than this, it is better to accept this challenge, at least the last hope does not seem so slim. 30,000 enemy troops, as long as we defeat these 30,000 enemy troops, we can achieve the final victory in the battle of Yiling Pass, which also means that we can leave here, which is our final last hope. Xia Cheng said.

Xia Cheng was right, after we entered this 'strange array', water and food were limited every time, but recently, the supply of food has become less and less, so Xia Cheng will make such an inference. Once there is no water and food, let alone confrontation with the enemy, even the most basic bodily functions become impossible. This is indeed our last chance.

"Xia Cheng, what tactics do we have next? Lu Xun made such a plan, and he must have an idea in his heart. Although our army is slightly more than 30,000 in terms of strength, the army brought by Zhang Han must have been exhausted due to the long journey, and most of the soldiers who fought with us have been fighting for days and have long been very tired. The situation of Soochow was completely different, although they also fought with us for many days, they were able to choose the elite troops from the large army, so that the battle seemed to be fair, but it was not as we thought, and the balance was tilted. I said without thinking.

"Cheng Yin is right, and when we put back the Dongwu vanguard troops, we also put back their three generals. It's like restoring the weakened enemy forces again, and it also restricts the mechanisms of our army to defend the city. Lu Xun's move is really wonderful, on the surface he did make a big concession, but in fact, he took retreat as advance and defense as attack, and put our army in a predicament again. Li Ruina analyzed very methodically.

"I'm afraid that's not all we worry about right now." Zhang Han continued: "Lu Xun said that he sent 30,000 soldiers to attack Yiling Pass, but he didn't say that these siege machines were not included among the 30,000 soldiers, so how to destroy these siege machinery became the key to this duel between the two armies. ”

"Oh, we only think about these 30,000 troops, but we ignore those siege machines! These are considered large weapons for Soochow, and they are not living forces, so they will definitely appear in this decisive battle! Cui Li said with annoyance.

The situation that was so favorable to us became more and more difficult under our analysis, and the hope of winning became more and more slim.

"How so? How so? After a long time, we are still at a disadvantage! Xia Cheng, you said something, you kept agreeing to Lu Xun's plan, why didn't you say anything now? Since it was an agreement made between you and Lu Xun, what does it have to do with me? I didn't agree to your agreement! Arthur, where's the pawn that activates the mechanism? You don't turn off the engine, I'll come! Zhao Yuyu said angrily.

"But...... But...... But the chess piece is not in my ......," Arthur turned his gaze to Summer City.

"Xia Cheng, you can't activate the mechanism, then let me activate it. Anyway, I didn't promise Lu Xun. You put yourself in danger, why bring us? Zhao Yuyu said angrily.

Xia Cheng didn't speak, but handed the chess piece on his body to the angry Zhao Haoyu.

"Xia Cheng, do you know what you're doing? It's just a game, but the rules are the rules. If the agreement you made with Lu Xun is violated, then we are likely to be judged as a failure by the system. "I'm not alarmist at this time, it's the same as the usual setting in the game, if we don't follow the instructions of the mission, we will be judged by the system to fail, which will lead to the end of the game.

"Zhao Haoyu, you calm down, you should know very well what you will face when you activate the mechanism now, although it will not necessarily lead to defeat as Cheng Yin said, but at least Dongwu will never keep its promise to only send 30,000 soldiers to fight a decisive battle with our army. In the end, I am afraid that there will only be a situation in which both sides will lose, and a protracted war will begin. As Xia Cheng said just now, water and food will be our biggest dilemma. Zhang Han sternly stopped Zhao Yuyu's reckless behavior.

"I don't care about that! Being able to stop the enemy attack for more time is equivalent to buying more time for AEF researchers outside of the 'odd array'. With all due respect, I don't believe that you will win with the same number of troops, so I don't put my hopes in you, I just believe in the facts. Only the traps of Yiling Pass can stop the enemy army! After Zhao Yuyu finished speaking, he turned around and ran towards the organ of Yiling Pass.

"Cheng Yin, what should we do now? Could it be that he just watched Zhao Miyu activate the mechanism? Cui Li asked with a confused expression.

Actually, I don't know what to do, I'm afraid none of us can say anything about the current Zhao Haoyu now. But what makes me extremely puzzled is why Xia Cheng took out the chess piece that activated the mechanism? Did he also regret making such an agreement with Lu Xun? All the puzzles are waiting for Xia Cheng to solve them one by one.

Xia Cheng looked at us and said slowly: "Zhao Yuyu is right, I can't make the final decision on your behalf, but I know that is our last hope. I hope you can understand that it was also difficult for me to make such a decision. 30,000 soldiers and horses of Eastern Wu launched a decisive battle against our army, and at the same time there must be those siege machinery and the brave generals of the enemy army, although as you said, this battle is not as easy as we imagined, but it is undeniable that this is our last chance. Of course, if any of you are against this decision, you can be like Zhao Haoyu. Xia Cheng spread out his right hand, and in his hand there were four other chess pieces to activate the mechanism, and continued: "The activation mechanism needs a total of five chess pieces, except for the one I gave to Zhao Yuyu just now, there are still four left, I respect your choice." Any one of you can take a chess piece in my hand, and once all the chess pieces in my hand are taken away, it will be equivalent to the end of the agreement I made with Lu Xun. Where you go from here is up to you. ”

I looked at Xia Cheng in front of me, and I seemed to see a kingly demeanor in him. A few seconds passed, and no one took a single chess piece from Xia Cheng's hand.

"Okay." Xia Cheng clenched the four chess pieces tightly, "Since everyone has made their own decisions, let's start this final showdown." Cheng Yin, Zhang Han, you will gather all the soldiers who can fight, all outside Yiling Pass. ”

"Okay." Zhang Han and I replied in unison, and then left together.

Soon, we had our troops assembled. However, just opposite us, the army of Soochow was also ready to go, and a big battle was imminent.

Xia Cheng and they also came to the front of the army from the wall of Yiling Pass, and an hour would soon pass, and Lu Xun on the opposite side was already standing in armor among the ten thousand armies. It can be seen that this time he will personally put on the battle, and the people standing next to him are the generals of Eastern Wu, Zhou Tai, Han Dang, and Ling Tong. The siege machinery is also ready behind the enemy army, and the gears of fate have turned......

"It seems that you are ready, Ben will only send 30,000 soldiers to keep his word, of course, I hope you can keep your promise, otherwise the previous agreement will be null and void." Lu Xun shouted loudly.

"Of course, the general is true to his word, how can we be treacherous?" Xia Cheng said without showing weakness.

"Good! Then I will use the sound of three drums as a trumpet, and as soon as the drums fall, our army will immediately attack. Success or failure is up to you. Lu Xun said majestically.

After he finished speaking, the drums of the enemy army shook the sky, and after the three drums sounded in unison, the enemy army began to attack our army. This time, Han Dang was the vanguard on the left, Zhou Tai was the right man, Lu Xun led the army to attack head-on, and Ling Tong commanded the siege machinery and advanced under the cover of the army.

The enemy changed their tactics, and this attack was not the same as the last one, with two directions. Instead, Han Dang's left side was used as a breakthrough, and Zhou Tai on the right side only played a supporting role. And Lu Xun, who is on the front, is the main force that suppresses our army.

Now in front of us, there are also three plans: the first is to concentrate all the forces to repel the army Han Dang, disrupt the enemy's attack rhythm, and make Zhou Tai on its right completely useless, then the front Lu Xun's army will also lose the cover of the two wings; The second is to take the left side of our army as the mainstay, take the lead in repelling the relatively weak Zhou Tai on the right side, and then go around to the enemy from the left side, and the rotation of the siege machinery is very slow, so that our army has also taken the lead; The third way is to send two lines of soldiers to block the enemy's two flanks, and hit all the main forces to attack Lu Xun who is coming from the front, first repelling his commander, then the enemy's army will be lost, and then attacking the enemy's two ways, it is effortless.

However, each option comes with its own risks, and the enemy will change its formation to respond to our army's countermeasures. Since ancient times, the battlefield has been unpredictable, and only by constantly adjusting tactics can we win by surprise.

Xia Cheng did not make a quick decision, but carefully observed the pattern of the enemy's attack. In his mind, he probably already has dozens of matchup schemes, just like the delicate layout of a chess player before a game.

The same is true for Lu Xun of the enemy army, as long as Xia Cheng implements a response plan, he will inevitably change his deployment, or the formation of the enemy army in front of us is only playing a role in shaking.

The two armies faced each other, and the use of tactics played a decisive role.

"Cheng Yin, why doesn't Xia Cheng formulate tactics, this enemy army will attack us soon." Cui Li asked worriedly on the side.

"Don't worry, Xia Cheng will have his own way. If I'm not mistaken, the real formation of the enemy army will never be so simple, and if our army attacks with a little bit of composure, it will lose everything. Xia Cheng is now standing still, and he is constantly observing what the real formation of the enemy army is. I said to Cui Li.

I looked at the enemy troops rushing towards us and felt a sense of oppression that I had never felt before. At this time, I can understand Xia Cheng's deep feelings, leading thousands of troops is not an easy task. It is by no means easy to find a breakthrough in the attack in a short period of time, and at this time, I can only believe in the Xia Cheng in front of me.

(End of chapter)