Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

"What? The Vermilion Bird Legion has been brought in as well?"

"That's the foundation from which Chu Ning built his power; their combat strength is extremely formidable!"

Where are they now? What's their destination?

"Our army is now bogged down beneath the fortified city, unable to breach it after a prolonged siege, and Chu reinforcements have arrived. How... how can we possibly continue this fight?"

Immediately, discussions arose, and the previously calm atmosphere vanished, replaced by panic and anxiety.

Deputy General Zhang Xun frowned and said to Li Jing with great concern, "General, if the news is true, the situation is indeed extremely unfavorable for our army!"

"Our army and the Scorpion Clan's allied forces, totaling 100,000, are no match for the 100,000 Chu troops who are holding the fortified pass."

"If we add the upcoming 100,000-strong Vermilion Bird Legion to the mix... our army may be in danger of being surrounded!"

Another general chimed in, "Yes, Commander, our army's supplies are transported over long distances, resulting in huge losses."

"With the war dragging on, the pressure on the national treasury is increasing day by day."

"If we continue to confront the reinforced Chu army in a prolonged stalemate, or even engage in a decisive battle with our main forces, and if anything goes wrong, I'm afraid... I'm afraid the losses will outweigh the gains!"

"That's right, food supplies are a big problem, and the supply lines are too long."

"The Chu army is well-rested and has strong fortified cities to defend, making this battle increasingly difficult."

Pessimism and doubt spread like a plague within the command tent.

The generals took turns analyzing the current predicament, and their words revealed a general loss of confidence in the prospects of continuing the fight.

The immense pressure seemed to dim the light of the tallow lamp, and the atmosphere inside the tent was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Li Jing listened silently to the discussions of his generals, his gaze falling once again on the complex markings on the map, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

Chu Ning's troop deployment indeed struck at his Achilles' heel.

The initial expectation of a swift victory has vanished. What follows will be an even more difficult and brutal contest, one that could determine the fate of the nation.

The cracks within the alliance began to surface in the face of this sudden bad news.

Inside the command tent, an atmosphere of pessimism and doubt permeated every corner like thick ink.

Although the generals' discussions gradually subsided, their unease about the future was clearly written on everyone's faces, and even the flickering lamplight seemed to waver.

Li Jing, seated at the head of the table, took in everyone's reactions.

He knew that, as the head coach, he absolutely could not show the slightest wavering at this moment.

He took a deep breath, as if the pent-up anger in his chest was forcibly suppressed, and his usual composure and decisiveness reappeared on his refined face.

He coughed softly, a sound that was not loud, but it instantly attracted everyone's attention. The tent fell silent, and even Helian Wujiu suppressed his surprise and looked at him sharply.

"Everyone,"

Li Jing's voice was clear and firm, breaking the oppressive silence:

"The movements of the Vermilion Bird Legion that I just mentioned have been verified by multiple sources and are absolutely true, not just empty words or intimidation."

He first affirmed the reliability of the information, dispelling any wishful thinking, then changed the subject, his gaze sweeping across the room with a solemn air of being entrusted with a critical mission: "That is precisely why the situation is so urgent!"

"The reason I have summoned you all here today is not to boost the morale of the enemy and diminish our own, but to deal with this critical situation, readjust our military deployment, and seek an opportunity to defeat the enemy!"

He suddenly stood up, walked around the wooden platform, and went to the huge map, pointing precisely at the location representing Luoxia Mountain.

There, flags representing the Chu army under Xue Huaide, the Black Wolf Scorpion tribe, and the Tang general Wang Zhongsi's army were planted.

"Consider this, everyone,"

Li Jing's voice carried a strong persuasive force: "If the 100,000 Vermilion Bird Legion truly reaches the eastern front smoothly."

"Whether they join forces to defend Zhennanguan or attack Luoxia Mountain together with Xue Huaide's troops, our army will be at an absolute disadvantage, unable to advance or retreat, and the situation will inevitably spiral out of control!"

"Therefore, we must not allow this fresh force to arrive safely on the battlefield, and we must not allow them to combine with the existing forces of the Chu army!"

His fingers struck the spot on Luoxia Mountain heavily, producing a dull thud.

"Therefore, our goal is not to continue to fight against the impregnable Zhennanguan Pass."

"Instead, we must take down the Chu army at Luoxia Mountain with lightning speed before the Vermilion Bird Legion arrives!"

"Luoxia Mountain?"

Why Luoxia Mountain?

Upon hearing Li Jing's words, all the generals in the tent were taken aback, their faces showing confusion.

Even Helian Wujiu frowned and asked in a gruff voice, "Marshal Li, this chief doesn't understand!"

"Since Chu Ning's main force is here and the Vermilion Bird Legion is also on its way, why not concentrate our forces and launch a full-scale attack on Zhennan Pass before their reinforcements arrive? As long as we take this pass, the morale of the Chu army will surely collapse!"

"Instead of dividing our forces to attack Luoxia Mountain on the flank? The terrain there is complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Isn't that going against the grain?"

Faced with Helian Wujiu's barrage of questions, Li Jing was not annoyed; he had already anticipated this question.

He turned around, his eyes fixed intently on Helian Wujiu and all the generals in the tent, and explained in a deep voice:

"Chief Helian, that's a good question! That's exactly the key to this plan—we're going to exploit a time difference and launch a battle that the Chu army doesn't expect!"

He traced his finger across the map, outlining his strategic vision:

"As you all see, Chu Ning has just arrived, and his attention will inevitably be focused on the front of Zhennan Pass."

"He must have known that after our army learned that the Vermilion Bird Legion was coming to our aid, it would either intensify its attack or hesitate and retreat."

"He would never have imagined that we would dare to launch a surprise attack on his flank at this time!"

"How to do it?"

Li Jing answered his own question, his eyes gleaming with cunning: "We can feign an attack on one side while secretly advancing on the other!"

"The main force of the army remains here, continuing to beat drums and shout every day, and sending out small units to launch feigned attacks, making it appear as if they are going all out to attack, thus deceiving Chu Ning and Feng Anguo into believing that our army's strategic focus has not changed."

"And at the same time,"

His voice was low, with a hint of determination: "We will secretly dispatch an elite force, bypass the Chu army's sight, and march day and night straight towards Luoxia Mountain!"

He pointed to Luoxia Mountain again, analyzing its weaknesses:

"The Chu army at Luoxia Mountain had just suffered a defeat, and their commander, Guan Yun, was seriously injured and unable to leave the battlefield, which had already damaged their morale."

"Although Xue Huaide went there and stabilized the situation, he was, after all, a guest general. In a short period of time, it would be difficult for him to fully integrate Guan Yun's old troops with his own forces, and command and coordination would inevitably be hampered! This is the first point."

"Secondly, our army achieved a minor victory at Luoxia Mountain, and morale is high!"

"Thirdly, and most importantly, the Chu army absolutely did not expect that we would launch a full-scale attack on Luoxia Mountain at this time, disregarding the pressure from the front!"

"This is an attack on their unpreparedness, a surprise attack!"