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

The group reached a consensus: they could not wait any longer and had to engage Lü Bu in a decisive battle as soon as possible!

Having made up their minds, Li Jue and Guo Si began to mobilize their troops in earnest.

Under the guise of the imperial court, they conscripted laborers and collected provisions (in reality, a final act of plunder) to gather troops scattered around Chang'an and those transferred back from places like Hongnong.

On August 25th, a rally was held outside Chang'an City.

Li Jue appointed himself commander-in-chief and Guo Si as his deputy, claiming that he was acting on the emperor's orders to punish the traitor Lü Bu.

Claiming an army of 200,000, their actual strength was only about 100,000, including more than 10,000 cavalry and more than 80,000 infantry. With banners waving, they marched in a grand procession to attack Lü Bu.

Such a large-scale military operation could not be kept secret, and the scouts sent out by Lü Bu had already sent the intelligence back at lightning speed.

August 26th, early morning, Bahe Camp, central command tent.

Lu Bu's civil and military officials gathered, the atmosphere was tense, but there was no panic.

On the contrary, most of the generals had a fighting spirit on their faces.

Lu Bu, clad in gleaming armor, sat regally in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd: "Li Jue and Guo Si have mobilized a total of 100,000 troops, advancing in three columns. The central force of 60,000, personally commanded by Li Jue and Guo Si, is heading straight for our camp at the Ba River; the left flank of 20,000, led by Fan Chou, is advancing along the southern foothills of Mount Li, intending to outflank and attack Lantian County; and the right flank of 20,000, led by Li Jue's nephew Li Li, threatens our flank from the east of Baling. The enemy's forces are formidable. What are your thoughts?"

Hao Meng spoke first, his tone cautious: "General, the enemy outnumbers us ten to one and is attacking from multiple directions with overwhelming force. Should we temporarily avoid their advance and have our main force retreat to Yaoguan Pass to defend it?" He still preferred the safer approach.

Zuo Feng echoed, "Commander Hao is right. The walls of Lantian County have been reinforced, but they cannot withstand an siege of tens of thousands of troops for long. Yaoguan Pass is a natural fortress and cannot be lost."

Zhang Liao, however, held a different opinion: "General, I believe we should not easily abandon Bahe and Lantian! This place is our gateway. If we abandon it, the road to the north through the Qinling Mountains will be cut off, all the momentum we have built up will be destroyed, and the route for refugees to come to us will also be blocked! Our army has abundant supplies, our soldiers are fighting bravely, our equipment is excellent, and our morale is high. We are not without the ability to fight!"

Although generals such as Wei Xu, Song Xian, and Hou Cheng did not speak, the fighting spirit in their eyes showed that they supported Zhang Liao more.

After listening, Lü Bu slowly rose, walked to the map, and pointed to Ba Bridge: "Wen Yuan's words are exactly what I was thinking! Retreat, and all our previous efforts will be in vain! Advance, and the world will be ours!"

He turned around, his voice resolute: "Although our army is small, it consists of battle-hardened elites, well-fed and strong, with sturdy armor and sharp weapons! Although the enemy's army is numerous, it is mostly a rabble, lacking supplies and with low morale! Li Jue's division of his forces into three routes may seem grand, but it is actually a cardinal sin in military strategy! This dispersion of forces gives our army the opportunity to defeat them one by one!"

He began issuing a series of orders, clearly and confidently:

"Cao Xing!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You remain at Wuguan Pass to ensure the southern front is secure! If Yuan Shu makes any moves, repel him decisively!"

"promise!"

"Hao Meng!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"The defense of Lantian County and Yaoguan Pass is in your hands! I will send you an additional thousand infantrymen and conscript laborers from within the city to assist in the defense! Your task is not to repel Fan Chou's twenty thousand men, but to rely on the city walls and hold him off for at least five days, and ensure that Yaoguan Pass does not fall!"

Hao Meng's expression turned serious: "Your subordinate obeys. The city stands as long as we are here!"

"Meng Cheng!"

"Your humble servant is here!"

"You must coordinate rear-area administration, ensure the smooth transfer of supplies, and prevent chaos in the resettlement of displaced people! The needs of the front lines must be met without fail!"

"Understood, sir!"

"Zuo Feng!"

"exist!"

"Your unit is responsible for the transportation and guarding of military supplies. Send out more scouts and report back at any time."

"yes!"

Finally, Lü Bu looked at the generals Zhang Liao, Cheng Lian, Wei Xu, and others: "Zhang Liao, Cheng Lian, Wei Xu, Song Xian, Hou Cheng!"

"Your subordinate is here!" the generals responded in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles.

"Follow me to the Ba River camp to confront Li Jue and Guo Si's main force in the central route!" Lü Bu's gaze was sharp as a knife. "In this battle, I will show Li Jue and Guo Si what true elite warriors are!"

"Yes, sir!" The generals responded in unison, their morale soaring.

After the military meeting concluded, the generals departed to prepare for their respective duties, leaving only Zhang Liao and Cheng Lian behind.

"Wen Yuan, your light cavalry battalion has another important task in this battle," Lü Bu said in a low voice. "You don't need to participate in the direct confrontation. You will lead the light cavalry, using their mobility to patrol the perimeter of the battlefield. First, monitor the movements of Li Li's right flank army; if they cross the river, attack them while they are halfway across! Second, locate the main force's grain depot; if you can burn their grain supplies, this battle can be won!"

Zhang Liao's eyes lit up: "This subordinate obeys!"

"Cheng Lian," Lü Bu then looked at his personal guard commander, "your heavy cavalry battalion is the sharpest blade in my hand! We've raised them for a thousand days, to use them for one! In the decisive battle, heed my command and charge straight at Li Jue's central army banner. I will slay the general and seize the flag in one fell swoop!"

Cheng Lian, his face flushed with excitement, pounded his chest and assured the general, "Rest assured, General! The five hundred heavy cavalry of the personal guard are already parched and eager for battle; they will surely follow you to crush the enemy lines!"

After making the arrangements, Lü Bu left the main tent.

The Bahe camp was fully mobilized. Soldiers were inspecting their weapons and armor, officers were loudly relaying orders, and laborers were busy reinforcing the camp and moving defensive equipment.

The air was thick with the tension of an impending battle, yet there was no panic; everything proceeded smoothly under the command of officers at all levels.

Lu Bu looked north, where smoke and dust were faintly visible, and Li Jue's army of 100,000 was approaching.

He clenched his fist, feeling the surging, superhuman power within him.

This battle will be the decisive one for Lü Bu, who has traveled to this chaotic world of the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms, to truly gain a foothold and even control the Guanzhong Plain!

Li Jue's central army did not move quickly, and the majority of its troops were infantry. The army of 100,000 men had a lot of supplies and stretched out in a very long line.

It wasn't until the afternoon of August 27th that the vanguard arrived at the north bank of the Ba River, where they confronted Lü Bu's army across the river.

Surrounded by numerous generals, Li Jue and Guo Si stood on the high slope on the north bank, gazing at Lü Bu's army camp on the south bank.

The camp was built along the river, with a well-organized layout, complete with trenches, barricades, and arrow towers. The flags in the camp were bright, and the soldiers moved in an orderly manner, exuding a chilling atmosphere.

Guo Si pointed to the opposite bank and said to Li Jue, "Brother Li, look at this camp. Lü Bu is quite knowledgeable about military strategy."

Li Jue scoffed disdainfully, "No matter how well the camp is built, it's nothing but a death throes! My 100,000 troops can drown him with a single spit from each of them!"

He turned to a scholar-looking man beside him and asked, "Wenhe, what do you think is the best way to defeat the enemy?"

This person was Jia Xu, who usually served as Zuo Fengyi (a prefecture north of Chang'an, one of the three prefectures of Chang'an along with You Fufeng and Jingzhao Yin, the prefecture name and official title were the same, similar to the Sili Xiaowei at the state level).

At this moment, he remained calm and did not react to Li Jue's arrogance.

Jia Xu bowed slightly: "Lü Bu is valiant, and his Bingzhou troops should not be underestimated. Forcibly attacking Ba Bridge or crossing the river will result in heavy casualties. It would be better to first send troops to probe various suitable crossing points to find his weak points, and then advance from multiple directions. Lü Bu's troops are few and will be exhausted in dealing with them. At the same time, order Fan Chou and Li Li to speed up their actions, forcing Lü Bu to divide his forces. At that time, our army can then seize an opportunity to launch a fierce attack and achieve complete success."

Li Jue agreed, nodded, and said to one of his generals, "Li Xian (Li Jue's nephew), I order you to lead five thousand infantrymen to launch a probing attack on Ba Bridge and other crossings! Let's see how Lü Bu is handling things!"

"Yes, sir!" Li Xian accepted the order and left.