Chapter 2704: Panlong's Dagger

The Ba Jia army will also invade the heartland of the Panlong Wasteland.

Zhong Shengguang's phantom and the Red Falcon exchanged a glance: "The next strategy indeed needs adjustment; we were just planning to come discuss it with you."

How coincidental, isn't it?

The Red General then said: "What do you have in mind?"

"Guarding Dragon Throat Pass, the eastern enemy certainly cannot break through, but it also amounts to binding the Red General, preventing her from utilizing her strengths. Coming and going like the wind is the prerequisite for the Red General's invincibility. Having her hold a position is self-binding of her hands—'since she is Panlong's greatest military strength, you should naturally go to a more suitable position, letting the enemy hear the wind and lose their courage.'

The Red General raised an eyebrow, intrigued: "A more suitable position? Where?"

He Lingchuan's finger traced Dragon Throat Pass, then east, then further east, pointing toward the Mao River Plain:

"Here!"

Zhong Shengguang and Wen Daolun were both startled, and the Red General fell into silent thought.

"The Red General is invincible in battle, the Great Wind Army is highly mobile, and the place where she can best unleash her fists and feet is the enemy's vast rear!" He Lingchuan spoke quickly, "The Ba Jia army's confidence in fighting Panlong lies in their numerous troops and ample supplies, hoping to wear us down through attrition. But once the Ba Jia army enters the Panlong Wasteland, they are fighting on our turf, without home-field advantage. Moreover, the autumn harvest has long ended, so the Ba Jia army's personnel, grain, and supplies must be transported from the rear—that is, the Mao River Plain—and their supply lines are stretched too thin."

The Ba Jia army marched from their homeland to fight in Panlong; leaving Ba Jia to the west, they passed through the Xiluo region, then the Mao River Plain, then crossed mountains and ridges before reaching the Panlong Wasteland; if they were to open a second front, they would still need to embark from Bai Sha Bay in the southern Mao River Plain, sail westward along a sea route, land, and then detour through three small states.

Thus, the Ba Jia army, fighting far from home, has behind it a supply line stretching thousands of li.

"Of course, Ba Jia could also procure some supplies in the Mao River Plain. Therefore, the Mao River Plain is extremely important to the Ba Jia army—it is both a necessary route for transporting supplies and a place to obtain provisions." He Lingchuan continued, "I know that over the past few months, Panlong has also sent small teams to the Mao River Plain to harass the enemy's rear. Although they have achieved some results, it still falls far short of the effect we desire."

Zhong Shengguang nodded, acknowledging that what he said made sense.

Previously, Panlong had indeed dispatched several units to conduct rear-area harassment, but they failed to affect the overall situation. Moreover, several units were unfortunately captured and died heroically.

"If the Red General were to carry out this mission, the effect would be completely different."

"That goes without saying." The Red General's tone was matter-of-fact, ignoring the difficulties and dangers in between: "But if I go to the Mao River Plain, what about the front lines?"

"The front lines——" He Lingchuan paused, "I am here, we are here."

This sentence was filled with immense confidence.

"The battle in the Panlong Wasteland cannot be avoided by hiding; it will come sooner or later." He Lingchuan said solemnly, "Instead of trying every means to delay, we should, while we still have strength, devise tactics early and prepare to meet the enemy head-on with a powerful strike!"

The other three had no objections.

Although Panlong in recent years can indeed be described as having constellations of generals, with heroes from all sides flocking to join, the true "Imperial Twin Stars" are only the Red General and He Lingchuan.

No one can match the brilliance of these two, no one can replace their role, and even they cannot substitute for each other.

The Red General is the invincible "General."

The Tiger Wing General is the strategic "Commander."

Over the past five years, the Tiger Wing General has fallen into a deep sleep. With the Red General's ability, facing the Ba Jia army also brings a feeling of being unable to cope alone.

No matter how strong she is, she is only one person; no matter how strong she is, the army she can command is also limited.

No matter how strong she is, the goals she can plan are also limited.

But facing the Ba Jia, their troop numbers and material supplies are endless and continuous, and their logistics also appear boundless and inexhaustible.

But the Tiger Wing General has returned, and now everything is different.

If a person has only one leg, they cannot even stand steadily; if both legs are sound, then they can leap and jump about with ease.

This is the effect of one plus one being greater than two—this is the effect of the Red General plus the Tiger Wing General.

As the situation grows increasingly dire, He Lingchuan's return has instantly made the front-line command become composed and at ease. Even the Ba Jia army now appears less invincible.

He possesses such a power that he can make everyone around him become confident and calm.

Zhong Shengguang said: "Let's first hear about your tactics."

"Roughly divided into two parts: we handle the front lines, and the Red General undertakes deep operations behind enemy lines. First, the Red General's part: Dragon Throat Pass is the strategic stronghold resisting the Ba Jia army from the east, and it must still be firmly defended, but I propose changing commanders—it could be replaced by Xu Zhiyu or Bai Lie." He Lingchuan moved his finger on the sand table, "Once the Red General's combat power is freed, she will immediately lead the Great Wind Army deep into the Mao River Plain. The numbers need not be large—each team capped at one hundred fifty people, rotating to follow the Red General, conducting light cavalry Mobile Corps Commander warfare, specifically targeting the Ba Jia rear!"

The Red General has a special constitution, essentially transcending human limits—she does not need sleep unless seriously injured, and can even go without food or drink, her energy nearly limitless. But the Great Wind Army are still living people, still needing food, sleep, and rest, so He Lingchuan said, let them rotate to follow the Red General.

Wen Daolun also nodded: "Reasonable. Back then, how the Red General conducted Mobile Corps Commander warfare against the enemy on the wasteland, this time she can roam freely across the Mao River Plain."

Coming and going like the wind, striking like fire—this is how the Great Wind Army got its name. The terrain of the Mao River Plain is equally suited to the Great Wind Army's ability to appear and disappear mysteriously.

"While the Ba Jia army fiercely attacks Dragon Throat Pass on one hand, they open a second front on the other, for which they have concentrated all their elite troops and strong generals at the front, leaving the rear defenseless. Previously, our rear units operated in scattered fashion with insufficient force, so the weakness in their rear was not exposed enough." He Lingchuan said solemnly, "These days I have been studying the Ba Jia rear situation, and Wen Changshi also mentioned that many officials and generals of Lingxu City have their sons and grandsons serving in the military; after the Pan-Ba war broke out, they also came with the army—for example, Wang Lushi, the grandson of Minister Wang Xu of the Ministry of Agriculture."

Speaking of this person, Zhong Shengguang also had a smile in his eyes: "That two-hundred-thirty-plus-pound fatso who can't even mount a horse?"

"Yes. When the war broke out, Lingxu City also promoted Wu Sheng, but without military background, advancement was difficult." The so-called "Wu Sheng" refers to officials and generals relying on accumulated military merit to rise in rank, such as Fu Shanlie, who strictly follows this orthodox path—"these official offspring must go to the military to earn some military merit, so they can be promoted later."

"But the vast majority of them do not know how to fight; once on the front lines, they either die in droves or issue chaotic orders, thereby harming others. Lingxu City could not bear it, so they could only transfer them to logistics and transport units, namely——"

Wen Daolun blurted out: "Mao River Plain!"