Chapter 839: Preparations on Both Sides

"Military Advisor Fa, what you said just now is making me feel uneasy. I’ve heard people say that before going into battle, embarking on a dangerous mission, or taking risks, it’s not a good sign to talk like that," Gan Mo, who had been silent for a while, finally couldn't hold back and spoke.

"Oh, I know about that. Zichuan has mentioned it before, but it doesn't matter. At this point, with thorough planning and catching the enemy off guard, if something happens that even I can't handle, then it simply means I, Fa Zheng, have a short life," Fa Zheng turned his head and smiled at Gan Mo, completely unconcerned.

"That makes sense," Gan Ning nodded in agreement. If Fa Zheng, with all his careful calculations, still couldn’t handle an unexpected situation, then it would indeed be fate, and anything else would be useless.

"I feel that I can already face anyone without fear. In this state, what I need is no longer careful planning, but maintaining my confidence and trusting in my abilities!" Fa Zheng looked toward Xuzhou with a hint of pride on his face.

"If I start doubting myself over mere superstitions, I’ll likely spend the rest of my life on the battlefield, even if it’s only for that one decisive moment!" Fa Zheng stood up with overwhelming pride. "If a person doesn’t believe in their own abilities, how can they expect others to trust them?"

"You’re absolutely right, Military Advisor Fa," Gan Mo reflected on Fa Zheng’s words for a moment, then quietly retreated, once again becoming the silent figure he had been.

"You really aren’t afraid of facing anyone?" Gan Ning asked curiously. "What about Military Advisor Guo? I heard he used to mentor you."

"Of… of course," Fa Zheng’s mouth twitched slightly, but he managed to give a confident reply.

If Fa Zheng were to meet Guo Jia on the battlefield today, he wouldn’t feel intimidated. On the contrary, if Fa Zheng could defeat Guo Jia on the battlefield, it would break the shackles that had always constrained him, and his abilities would take a significant leap forward. Unfortunately, it was unlikely that the two would ever face each other on the battlefield in this lifetime.

However, in everyday life, Fa Zheng would still feel uneasy around Guo Jia. Guo Jia, for his part, enjoyed teasing Fa Zheng.

"Alright, enough talk. Let’s get ready to make our mark," Fa Zheng extended his hand with a serious expression. This was his first time leading an operation against an army of a hundred thousand, and the goal was to defeat them with far fewer troops.

"I believe in you. You’ve never missed a prediction before!" Gan Ning could see the slight apprehension in Fa Zheng’s eyes and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder with a smile.

"No need to say more. I will absolutely fulfill the promise I made to Advisor Jia!" Fa Zheng declared proudly. In that moment, any trace of doubt or hesitation vanished from his eyes.

That night, Gan Ning returned to Xiapi to mobilize the troops, while Fa Zheng began selecting the most elite soldiers. He needed three hundred of the strongest, bravest, and most fearless warriors for a task that only legendary generals had previously attempted.

Soon, three hundred battle-hardened veterans were chosen, all physically strong and experienced in combat. Among them were more than ten warriors who had fought their way through the most dangerous battlefields alongside Gan Ning. If not for their position as Gan Ning’s personal guards, each of them would have easily qualified to be a centurion or even a company commander elsewhere.

"I’ve chosen you because I need you for an extremely dangerous mission. There’s a high chance that you will all die," Fa Zheng said bluntly to the soldiers in front of him. "Anyone who wants to back out can leave now."

"Good, no one is backing out," Fa Zheng said with satisfaction, seeing the determination in their eyes. "It seems that Gan Ning has already understood my intent. These men are ready to face death."

"Since you’ve all made up your minds, write down your final words. If you can’t write, I’ll write them for you. As for your families, don’t worry. I, Fa Zheng, am not known for being the most righteous person, but I always keep my word. If you die on the battlefield tomorrow, I’ll make sure your families are taken care of," Fa Zheng solemnly promised. One thing about him was that he was true to his word, whether it was in favor or enmity.

The three hundred soldiers exchanged glances, and soon the atmosphere became chaotic, but Fa Zheng didn’t stop them. He quietly wrote down each man’s final words, noting their names. Although someone else could have done this task, Fa Zheng needed to personally remember each one of them.

"Tomorrow, come to me to receive a set of silk undergarments and armor," Fa Zheng said, his hand aching from writing, but the time spent was enough for him to match every name to a face.

"Understood!" the soldiers responded in unison, bowing deeply. Although Fa Zheng hadn’t mentioned any rewards for surviving, they all understood. If they won the battle tomorrow and lived to tell the tale, the fact that Fa Zheng had personally written their final words was a clear indication that they would be generously rewarded.

The next day, following Fa Zheng’s orders, Gan Ning split the nine thousand soldiers of Xiapi into nine groups. The first group consisted of three thousand soldiers, while the other eight groups ranged from five hundred to one thousand men. All were dispatched to various ambush sites that Fa Zheng had carefully selected.

That morning, Zhang Fei led six thousand men to the location south of Xiapi, where they had agreed to meet the Yu Province army for a formation battle. Chen Deng made no effort to hide, riding beside Zhang Fei, blatantly revealing to the enemy scouts that he was personally commanding the troops.

"Report, General. Our scouts have confirmed from a distance, with the help of soldiers who have seen Chen Deng before, that it is indeed him," a scout captain reported to Li Tong.

Li Tong, Li Yan, and the others were overjoyed and immediately began issuing orders to mobilize their troops. "Zhengfang, Ziyu, I’m leaving the battle with Zhang Fei in your hands. Be cautious. Your main goal is to stall them. No matter what, hold them off for at least three hours. Even if it drags into a night battle, don’t retreat."

"Rest assured, General. Unless something goes terribly wrong, I will not retreat!" Li Yan replied with a serious expression. He knew he was still bearing the weight of his previous offense for leading troops without permission, even though Li Tong hadn’t made an issue of it.

"Zhang Fei is your responsibility. As for the rest of the troops, order them to cook, prepare rations, and pack three days' worth of food for each soldier. If we can capture Xiapi in one strike, we must press the advantage!" Li Tong instructed as he nodded to Li Yan and addressed the rest of the officers.

"Understood!" the officers stood and responded in unison.

"But the camp..." Li Tong hesitated slightly.

"Abandon it. If we keep the camp, it’ll serve as a fallback. If we abandon it, and still fail to take Xiapi, we’ll retreat to Jiangdong without delay," Lai Min spoke up, seeing Li Tong’s hesitation. The other officers exchanged glances but quickly understood Lai Min’s reasoning.

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