Transmigrating to the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu: I Have a Pseudo-Apocalypse System

The barracks were converted from the original barracks, with wooden bars added to the doors and windows. Zhang Ren was sitting on a straw mat, resting with his eyes closed, when he heard footsteps. He opened his eyes, saw Lü Bu, and stood up, bowing respectfully: "Lord Jin."

Lu Bu ordered his personal guards to wait outside, then went into the barracks alone and closed the wooden door behind him.

"Justice, I have a question for you," Lü Bu said bluntly. "Are there any hilltops on either side of Jianmen Pass that could be used to attack the pass from above?"

Zhang Renyi was taken aback, but then he understood Lü Bu's intention and pondered, "The pass is surrounded by mountains to the east and west. There is a hill on the east side called Yingpanzui, which is about thirty zhang higher than the pass and only about three hundred paces away from the pass wall. If we place a catapult on the hill, we can indeed throw stones at the pass."

Lü Bu was secretly delighted: "Is there any flat ground on the hilltop? Could we place a few catapults there?"

"The mountaintop is about five zhang square, enough to house two or three catapults. But..." Zhang Ren hesitated, "The mountain is surrounded by sheer cliffs on three sides, with only a narrow path leading to the pass. It's usually guarded by soldiers. How will Duke Jin get up the mountain? How will he transport the catapults and stones up there?"

Lu Bu laughed: "Just tell me that there is such a place. As for how to get up there, I have my own way."

Zhang Ren looked at Lü Bu and suddenly asked, "I've long heard that the Duke of Jin possesses the divine ability to store grain; is that true?"

Lu Bu didn't answer. Instead, he flipped his right hand, and a water pouch appeared out of thin air in his palm. He handed it to Zhang Ren, saying, "Thirsty?"

Zhang Ren's eyes widened as he took the water pouch. It felt heavy in his hand. He pulled out the stopper, and clear water overflowed. He then saw Lü Bu wave his left hand, and a plate of steaming hot mutton appeared on the table, its aroma filling the air.

"This..." Zhang Ren's voice trembled, "This is truly divine magic!"

"Inside the granary, there are hundreds of catapults and ballistae, countless stone projectiles and crossbow bolts, as well as provisions, military supplies, and other materials," Lu Bu said calmly. "As long as there is a way to get up the mountain, I can naturally place catapults at Yingpanzui, and breaking through Jianmen Pass will be just a matter of a day or two."

Zhang Ren took a deep breath and knelt on one knee: "Now that I have surrendered to Duke Jin, I will do my best. I can draw a detailed map of the terrain of Yingpanzui. However, those garrison soldiers are all fierce warriors, and the mountaintop is easy to defend but difficult to attack. If Duke Jin is strong, the slightest movement will cause them to light the beacon fire, and the people inside the pass will know immediately, thus losing the effect of a surprise attack."

Lü Bu helped Zhang Ren up: "It's alright, you go ahead and draw the map. As for how to get up there, how to clear out the garrison, and how to attack the pass, I have my own plans."

Zhang Ren took out paper and pen, and by the light of the oil lamp, carefully drew a topographical map of Yingpanzui. He drew it in great detail, marking where there were paths, cliffs, and places to climb.

"This path," Zhang Ren pointed to a spot with the tip of his pen, "starts from a secluded spot behind the granary inside the pass, winds its way up the mountain ridge, and is about two miles long. At its narrowest point, it is only wide enough for one person to pass sideways."

After carefully examining the drawing, Lü Bu folded it up and put it in his pocket: "Gongyi, you should rest here in peace. I will make arrangements after we break through Jianmen Pass."

"Lord Jin," Zhang Ren said in a low voice, "Wu Yi is my comrade-in-arms. If we can capture him alive, I hope you will spare his life."

"I will try my best," Lü Bu said as he pushed open the door, "but on the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes, and I cannot guarantee anything."

Zhang Ren said sadly, "I understand."

Early morning of March 24th, outside Nanzheng City.

More than 8,000 troops were assembled, including 1,000 Imperial Guards, 6,000 infantry and cavalry from Cao Xing's First Army, and 1,000 elite troops from Hanzhong led by Yang Ang, with banners fluttering in the wind.

Lu Bu, riding his Red Hare, stood at the front of the army. Behind him, four generals—Cao Xing, Zhang Xiu, Xu Huang, and Yang Ang—were clad in armor and armed with weapons.

"Set off!"

The army set off, first arriving at Yangping Pass, and then heading south along the Jinniu Road.

As usual, Lü Bu stored all the provisions and supplies in his storage space, and the entire army marched swiftly with light equipment. With the experience gained from building the Baoxie Road, Lü Bu and his engineering battalion were able to repair bridges and roads even faster.

On the way, Cao Xing asked Lü Bu, "My lord, Zhang Ren's plan is excellent, but Yingpanzui is a sheer cliff, dozens of feet high. How do we get up there?"

Lu Bu gazed ahead: "Once we arrive, we'll act according to the situation. Since I can use the Heavenly Granted Granary to clear roads through mountains and build bridges over rivers on the Baoxie Road, how can a single mountain peak stop me?"

Zhang Xiu caught up from behind: "My lord, this humble general is willing to lead a suicide squad to scale the cliffs and seize Yingpanzui!"

Lu Bu shook his head: "No need, I'll go myself. You all focus on preparing for a frontal assault. Once we've captured Yingpanzui, launch catapults to bombard the pass, and then you'll immediately lead your troops to attack."

"But my lord is of inestimable worth..." Xu Huang said.

"My martial arts skills are unmatched, and with the help of the Divine Granary, a few mere mountain guards cannot do anything to me." Lu Bu's tone was calm, yet it revealed an undeniable confidence.

Yang Ang listened from the side, deeply moved.

He had only surrendered to Lü Bu a few days earlier, but seeing that Lü Bu was willing to personally brave arrows and stones and lead the charge in attacking the mountain, he felt even more that Duke Jin was capable of great things.

During the march, Lü Bu would frequently take cooked food and water from the granary and distribute them to his soldiers. The soldiers ate hot meals and drank clean water, experiencing none of the hardships of previous long campaigns, and their morale was high.

When Lü Bu led his army straight to Jianmen Pass, a thousand miles away in Chengdu, the governor's mansion was deathly silent.

Liu Zhang slumped in the main seat, his face deathly pale, the silk scroll in his hand trembling uncontrollably.

Below the hall, the civil and military officials, including Zhang Song, Wang Lei, and Huang Quan, all stood with their heads bowed, none daring to speak.

"Fifty thousand troops! Fifty thousand troops!" Liu Zhang finally cried out, "All gone in one fell swoop! Zhang Ren was captured, and Wu Yi escaped with only a thousand or so cavalry. The elite forces of Yizhou have suffered heavy losses!"

Zhang Song stepped forward and said, "My lord, now is not the time to weep. Lü Bu has already captured Hanzhong, and his army is poised to strike Jianmen Pass. If Jianmen Pass falls, Chengdu will be wide open, and Yizhou will be in grave danger!"

Wang Lei said in a deep voice, "Ziqiao is absolutely right. We should immediately send troops to reinforce Jianmen Pass and rely on its natural defenses to repel the enemy. At the same time, we should issue orders to all counties to conscript soldiers and gather provisions to prepare for a long-term defense."

Huang Quan added: "We also need to be wary of Liu Biao of Jingzhou. Yizhou and Jingzhou have a long-standing feud. If Liu Biao takes advantage of our troubles, we will be attacked from both sides, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

Liu Zhang wiped away his tears and asked in a trembling voice, "How many troops are currently guarding Jianmen Pass?"

The courier knelt below the hall and reported, "My lord, General Wu has gathered the defeated troops, and together with the original garrison, Jianmen Pass now has a force of over 12,000. However, the recent defeat has left their morale low, and they urgently need reinforcements to boost their spirits."

"Twelve thousand," Liu Zhang gritted his teeth. "Issue the order to transfer eight thousand troops from Chengdu and five thousand from Mianzhu to quickly reinforce Jianmen! Also, order Pang Xi, the prefect of Ba Commandery, to dispatch three thousand troops from the commandery northward via the Micang Road to support Jianmen."

Zhang Song said urgently, "My lord, the garrison in Chengdu only numbers 15,000. If 8,000 are transferred away, only 7,000 will remain. How can we defend the city?"

"We can't worry about that now!" Liu Zhang slammed his fist on the table. "If Jianmen Pass falls, Chengdu won't be able to hold either! Protecting our defenses is the most important thing!"

Wang Lei sighed, "With such a redeployment, the defenses of each prefecture will be weakened. If the Southern Barbarians or Jingzhou were to invade..."

"Let them come!" Liu Zhang suddenly erupted. "I, Liu Jiyu, cannot stand idly by and watch my father's legacy be taken away! Issue an order to the entire prefecture that all men aged fifteen to fifty must serve in the military! Every household must contribute grain and money to help the army fight the enemy!"

Seeing that Liu Zhang was unusually assertive, all the officials bowed and accepted the order.

However, delivering orders and mobilizing troops takes time. It took two days for the 8,000 garrison troops in Chengdu to assemble and set off. And the journey to transfer troops from Jiangzhou and Ba County was even longer. It would take at least ten days for the orders to be delivered, the troops and supplies to be assembled, and for the main force to set off before they could reach Jianmen.

Unbeknownst to them, Lü Bu's army had already arrived outside Jianmen Pass.