Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

The atmosphere inside was oppressive, as if filled with lead; the air seemed to have solidified, and even the sound of each other breathing could be clearly heard.

The candlelight flickered on the desk, casting long shadows of the three people onto the mottled wall, like lurking ghosts, exuding an indescribable melancholy.

Liu Bei had already devised a plan to lure and kill Duan Yu, but Zhuge Gui and Sima Fang sensed an unprecedented sense of danger in his calm words—a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve, with every step concealing a fatal crisis.

Setting up an ambush to assassinate Duan Yu was a desperate measure to survive when all other options were exhausted, but the difficulty involved far exceeded expectations.

Not to mention that Duan Yu himself was a master of martial arts, known as a match for ten thousand men, and had a number of fierce generals and strategists under his command. He was always meticulous and suspicious in his military campaigns.

The core of this ambush was to use the two of them as bait to lure Duan Yu into the trap.

If their plan succeeds by chance, they might be able to reverse the decline of the Central Plains; but if it is exposed, or if Duan Yu sees through their trick, the two of them will surely be unable to escape and will end up with their heads separated from their bodies.

But now, Xuzhou has no strength left to defend itself. They have no other choice but to take this road. Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, they can only grit their teeth and forge ahead.

Zhuge Gui suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his gaze falling on Liu Bei, who sat upright in the hall. He asked in a deep voice, "Where do you think is the best place to ambush Duan Yu?" His voice was slightly hoarse, revealing the gravity of the moment.

Liu Bei narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingertips lightly tracing the teacup on the table. A sinister glint flashed in his eyes. After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable certainty:

"Since it's a trap, the core is 'luring.' The first thing to do is to write a letter to Duan Yu, drawing him into the trap." He paused, then slowly uttered two words: "Guangling..."

“Guangling City is the best place to set up an ambush,” Liu Bei explained further, getting up and walking to the map by the wall. He pointed to the direction of Guangling, “This is the only way to Yangzhou. We need to create a false impression for Duan Yu—the impression that he was forced into a corner by his army and had no choice but to flee to Yangzhou for refuge.”

Beyond Guangling lies the territory of Yangzhou, a city with well-developed waterways, but the Northern Army under Duan Yu has never been skilled in naval warfare.

Once we cross the Yangtze River, it will be incredibly difficult for him to find us again. Given Duan Yu's character, he will undoubtedly want to achieve a complete victory in one battle and annihilate us completely, giving us no chance to regroup. Therefore, he will certainly lead his army to intercept us before we cross the river.

Therefore, Guangling would be an ideal location for an ambush.

Upon hearing this, both Zhuge Gui and Sima Fang nodded slightly, a hint of agreement flashing in their eyes.

They exchanged a glance, having already figured it out in their minds: Xiapi and Guangling were not far apart, and if they traveled light and quickly, they could arrive within two days, with no obstacles in their journey.

However, Zhuge Gui quickly realized the key problem. His brows furrowed again, and he said in a deep voice, "My lord, although Guangling is close, we cannot ambush Duan Yu by making hasty arrangements. It will take at least five, seven, or eight days to prepare troops, survey the terrain, and set up traps."

But Duan Yu has already captured Pei County, and his army is at its peak. He could be at Xiapi in no time. If he learns that we have abandoned the city and fled, he will surely lead his army south in pursuit. At that point, we probably won't have enough time to set up an ambush.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei nodded slowly, clearly having already considered this point.

He glanced at Zhuge Gui and Sima Fang, and said in a solemn tone, "Therefore, we still need one person to stay behind and defend Xiapi. We don't need to defend it for a long time, just hold it for two or three days to buy us enough time to make arrangements. That will be enough."

These words caused an even deeper silence to fall over the inner hall. Since Liu Bei was going to personally deliver false intelligence, he naturally couldn't stay behind. Therefore, the person left behind must be either Zhuge Gui or Sima Fang.

Staying behind was almost tantamount to suicide—with the dilapidated city of Xiapi, fighting against Duan Yu's elite army, it would be the limit to hold out for two or three days. The day the city fell would be the day those who stayed behind would die.

Zhuge Gui and Sima Fang locked eyes, each seeing a resolute determination and tacit understanding in the other's gaze.

A moment later, Zhuge Gui stepped forward, bowed deeply to Liu Bei, and said in a calm but firm tone: "Since Your Excellency needs someone to stay behind, then I will stay."

However, I hope that you, my lord, will take my family with you before you depart, so as to preserve the Zhuge family line.

A hint of approval flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, and he nodded solemnly: "Of course. Jun Gong sacrificed himself for righteousness and died for the country. He will surely be remembered in history and be remembered for generations to come."

Whether or not he would be remembered in history was of no concern to Zhuge Gui.

He knew in his heart that the day Xiapi fell would be the day Duan Yu's army besieged the city, and it would also be the day of his death. He slowly closed his eyes, suppressing his worries for his family, and when he opened his eyes again, there was only a resolute determination in his eyes to face death.

However, at that moment, a hurried announcement suddenly came from outside the door, breaking the silence of the inner hall: "Reporting to the Lord, Lord Zhuge, Lord Sima, General Taishi Ci has returned!"

All three were taken aback, and then a sense of concern and unease welled up in their hearts.

They hurried to the entrance of the hall and saw Taishi Ci being helped in by two guards, staggering in. He looked extremely disheveled and lost in thought, as if he had suffered a great blow.

His armor was already broken in many places, with dried blood and dirt still clinging to the edges. His clothes underneath were tattered, and numerous wounds were visible through the holes. Many of the wounds were wrapped in old rags, and the oozing pus and blood soaked through the cloth, giving off a faint fishy smell.

His face was ashen, his lips were cracked, and his eyes were vacant, as if he had lost his soul. Even his steps were unsteady.

"Ziyi! Ziyi, how are you?" Zhuge Gui rushed forward and supported the swaying Taishi Ci, his voice filled with anxiety.

"General Ziyi, how are your injuries? What is the situation in the army?" Sima Fang followed closely behind, asking with a worried expression.

As the two called out repeatedly, Taishi Ci's empty eyes gradually regained focus, and he slowly came back to his senses. He stared at the three people before him, his lips trembling, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out broken words, his voice hoarse as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper: "Gone...all gone...the twenty thousand troops, and my fellow villagers...all gone..."

A chill ran through everyone, and they understood the ferocity of the battle. They knew that when Taishi Ci returned to Donglai County from Liaodong, he made a special trip back to his hometown, gathered three hundred fellow villagers, and brought them all the way to Xuzhou.

He carefully incorporated these three hundred local militiamen into the army, treating them as his personal guards.

In the battle of Liuxian, if it weren't for the three hundred fellow villagers and guards who fought desperately and cleared the way with their blood, Taishi Ci would probably have been buried in the chaos of battle and wouldn't have lived to return to Xiapi.

Zhuge Gui squatted down, held Taishi Ci's shoulders, and asked earnestly, "Ziyi, how many troops did Duan Yu lead this time? Where is his army now?"

Upon hearing the name "Duan Yu," Taishi Ci seemed to be provoked, suddenly raising his head. His eyes widened, bloodshot and filled with fear and despair, the light in them terrifying.

He shook his head violently, his voice trembling and choked with sobs, screaming incoherently, "We can't win! We can't win! Duan Yu's men aren't human! They're not human! They ride giant wolves, fearless and ruthless, charging like wild beasts... We're no match for them, we can't win!"

Liu Bei frowned, knowing that Taishi Ci was now completely terrified and would not be able to get any useful information from him.

He called out in a deep voice towards the outside of the hall: "Someone come here!"

Two bodyguards immediately responded and entered, bowing their heads and awaiting orders.

Liu Bei instructed, "Quickly take General Ziyi down to treat his wounds, and then summon the army doctor to examine him. Be sure to comfort him properly and do not neglect him."

The guards, following orders, carefully helped Taishi Ci, who was still dazed and muttering "I can't win," and slowly withdrew.

The inner room fell silent again, but the oppressive atmosphere was even more intense than before.

Liu Bei turned around, looked at Zhuge Gui, and cupped his hands again, saying, "Duan Yu's army will arrive in an instant. The situation is critical, and we must not waste any more time."

"Jun Gong, if you have any unfinished business or things to say, return to your residence immediately to make arrangements. After dawn, we will leave Xiapi and head towards Guangling."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Gui nodded slowly. Although he had countless concerns in his heart, he also knew that the situation was urgent.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Liu Bei and Sima Fang, then turned and strode out of the inner hall, his figure disappearing into the night.