I run a casino in the immortal realm.

Xu Qian immediately walked to the bookshelf, opened a thick local history of western Xinjiang, and began to read it quickly.

After a moment, he stopped on a page, looked up at Zheng Yifei, and nodded solemnly.

Local chronicles clearly record that twenty years ago, Gongsun Yan, the general of Pengcheng, was ordered by the imperial court to have his entire family executed and nine generations of his relatives exterminated for colluding with the Western Rong and betraying the country.

"You are a wanted criminal."

Zheng Yifei stared at Gongsun Zhi, his eyes revealing a dangerous aura, and a pressure belonging to the Void Refinement Realm was slowly released, enveloping Gongsun Zhi.

"Yes."

Gongsun Zhi gritted his teeth and withstood the pressure without flinching: "Twenty years ago, my father sensed that someone in the court was trying to frame him, so he sent me out of Pengcheng in advance to live in anonymity."

Later, all 372 members of the Gongsun family were beheaded outside the Meridian Gate.

Gongsun Zhi's eyes reddened, and his voice trembled slightly: "For the past ten years or so, I've changed my appearance and rejoined the Pengcheng army, starting as a lowly soldier, all so that one day I could uncover the truth and clear the name of my Gongsun family!"

Zheng Yifei looked at him, his tone calm but with a hint of pressure: "You told me this secret that could lead to the extermination of nine generations of your family. Aren't you afraid that I'll arrest you right now and send you to Bingzhou to ask the Prince of Pingxi for a reward?"

Even the remnant of a traitor is a considerable achievement.

Gongsun Zhi gave a bitter laugh: "My lord, I have no way out."

He pointed to his worn-out leather armor: "I have been hiding my identity for more than ten years. I have been ostracized and suppressed in the army. In order not to expose my identity, I dare not show my cultivation or military strategy. I can only be a squad leader at the lowest level."

If things continue like this, I will never have the chance to clear my family's name or avenge my parents in my lifetime.

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with a frenzied flame: "Today during the day, I heard the magistrate's recruitment notice. I know this is an opportunity, and my only opportunity."

I can only take a gamble, betting that you, sir, are a general who truly wants to defend Pengcheng and kill the orcs, and not one of those mediocre officials who only know how to embezzle military funds.

If you want to arrest me, I accept my fate; but if you want to win, if you want to defend Shenzhen, you need me!

The sealed room was so quiet that the only sound was the crackling of the burning charcoal in the brazier.

After a long silence, Zheng Yifei withdrew his oppressive aura and said calmly, "I don't care what you were called before, nor do I care what grievances your family has suffered. I only care about the present. What ability do you have to say that you need me?"

Gongsun Zhi stood up straight: "I am a native of Pengcheng. My ancestors have guarded the western frontier for generations and know this land like the back of their hand."

My subordinate has been well-versed in military strategy since childhood. He began training in the army with his father at the age of thirteen. At the age of sixteen, he personally planned an ambush against the Western Rong Wind Wolf Cavalry, beheading three thousand and achieving a great victory.

If it weren't for the family troubles, I would at least be a general by now.

He looked at Zheng Yifei with absolute confidence in his eyes: "Sir, in war, you must know yourself and your enemy, but you don't understand the Western Rong people, while I do."

"Oh?"

Zheng Yifei became interested: "Then tell me, what exactly is going on with the Western Rong people?"

Xu Qian also picked up his pen and ink, ready to take notes.

Gongsun Zhi took a deep breath and began to speak: "The Western Rong Kingdom is not a centralized country like our Tianlong Dynasty. It is more like a loose alliance composed of many orc tribes."

The Western Rong people are half-orcs, born with human faces and animal bodies, retaining the physical characteristics and some habits of wild beasts.

They are mainly divided into eight major warring tribes: the Ox Tribe, the Horse Tribe, the Fox Tribe, the Tiger Tribe, the Wolf Tribe, the Lion Tribe, the Leopard Tribe, and the Eagle Tribe.

He paused, his tone becoming heavy: "Their intelligence is only about 70% of that of humans. Although they can speak human language, they are inherently cruel and worship force."

They don't farm, their productivity is low, and their main way of survival is plunder. All the countries that border them are their prey.

Our Heavenly Dragon Dynasty is relatively wealthy, making it a prime target for their annual plundering after the autumn harvest.

A glint of hatred flashed in Gongsun Zhi's eyes: "They not only rob food, spirit stones, and spirit herbs, but they also eat people! Apart from the Bull Clan, known for their strength and defense, and the Horse Clan, who are skilled in long-distance raids and transportation, all the other tribes are cannibals."

In their eyes, we humans are just two-legged sheep, walking rations.

Zheng Yifei frowned deeply.

He had killed sea beasts in the East Sea and demonic beasts in the Southern Wilderness before, but those were all mindless animals.

Now he is facing a group of half-orcs who have human appearances, can speak human language, but treat humans as food.

"The former ruler of the Western Rong Kingdom was a relatively mild-mannered fox king. He knew that the Tianlong Dynasty had a deep foundation, so he signed a non-aggression pact with the court."

To appease the situation, the imperial court sent large quantities of grain, spirit stones, and medicinal herbs to the Western Rong Kingdom every quarter in exchange for peace on the border.

Gongsun Zhi continued, "But just three months ago, a coup occurred in the Western Rong Kingdom, and the new ruler was Tuoba Lie of the Wolf Clan."

The wolf tribe was the most bloodthirsty and warlike tribe in the Western Rong. As soon as Tuoba Lie came to power, he tore up the agreement, gathered an army of 300,000, and launched a large-scale invasion in three routes.

The one attacking our Qizhou is none other than his right-hand man, the Left Guli King, leading an elite army of 300,000. Meanwhile, the one directly attacking Pengcheng is the Tiger Clan's commander-in-chief.

"Since you know them so well, what do you think is the best way to break this current situation?"

Zheng Yifei stared at him.

Gongsun Zhi answered without hesitation: "My lord, with the current 10,000 or so demoralized remnants of Pengcheng, plus the dilapidated city defenses, we absolutely cannot withstand the fierce attack of 100,000 orcs. To hold out is to wait for death."

"You mean, take the initiative?"

Xu Qian put down his pen, frowned, and asked, "Send over ten thousand remnants to fight in the field? Isn't that sending lambs to the slaughter?"

"It wasn't a field battle, it was an ambush."

Gongsun Zhi walked to the desk and pointed to a point on the map of Western Xinjiang: "Fifty miles west of Pengcheng, there is a place called Wanhun Valley. It is the only way from Cangshan County to Pengcheng."

"If the Western Rong army wants to invade Pengcheng, its main force of supplies and infantry must pass through there."

Gongsun Zhi's eyes sharpened: "We can ask a high-level array master to set up a bewitching array and a killing array in Wanhun Valley, and then send a decoy force to provoke the vanguard of the Western Rong army."

Orcs are arrogant and easily angered by nature. As long as the bait is convincing, they will definitely pursue us. Once we lure their main force into the Valley of Ten Thousand Souls, we can close the door and beat them to a pulp, annihilating their vanguard force in one fell swoop!

"If we win this battle and inflict heavy losses on them, we can deter the Western Rong army's follow-up forces, preventing them from advancing easily and thus buying Pengcheng precious time to regroup and seek reinforcements."

Zheng Yifei looked at the long and narrow terrain marked "Valley of Ten Thousand Souls" on the map, his eyes gleaming.

He didn't know the specific terrain of Wanhun Valley, but he knew that it was the only feasible way to break the deadlock at present.

"Night Owl! Wang Changsheng!"

Zheng Yifei suddenly shouted.

"Your subordinate is here!"

Outside the door, two figures flashed into the secret room in an instant; it was Night Owl and Wang Changsheng.

"Immediately gather your forces and come with me to the Valley of Ten Thousand Souls!"

Zheng Yifei stood up decisively.

"Sir, shall we go now?"

Xu Qian was taken aback: "It's too dark, visibility is poor, and the orc scouts may already be active nearby."

"It's precisely because it's dark that we have to go."

Zheng Yifei said coldly, "In war, time is of the essence. Gongsun Zhi, you're coming with us. Ouyang Zhan, Xu Qian, and Zheng Hai, the three of you stay in Pengcheng to stabilize the camp. Anyone who dares to cause trouble at this time will be executed!"

"Yes, sir!"

Half an hour later, more than two hundred dark figures, under the cover of night, silently flew out from the west gate of Pengcheng.