541 Zhuge Liang and Jia Xus Insigh (2/2)
Also, Diaochan warned Zhuge Liang that Cao Cao and Cheng Yu had gathered animal corpses, human feces, and rotten mushrooms within one of their warehouse. They were mixing some sort of chemical weapon or a poison.
Zhuge Liang was concerned about Cao Cao and Cheng Yu's scheme, so he stopped his advance and avoided a direct confrontation for now. Once Xu Huang and Dong Bai finished their battles, they could flank Cao Cao Army from the north and the east. Then, Cao Cao Army would be overwhelmed by all Tong's elite officers and almost a million cultivators.
”I just hope that they aren't doing something immoral.”
Zhuge Liang wasn't sure if Cheng Yu might try to poison the water source or the Yangtze River to cripple his armies. Still, physical bodies of ordinary cultivators could repel mild poison or virus with ease. Zhuge Liang didn't think that Cheng Yu overlooked this fact and went on with the poison plan.
”I should ask Jia Xu for this. He's a master of vile tactics.”
…
\u003c\u003cDing\u003e\u003e
Zhuge Liang: ”Senior Jia. I would like to consult with you regarding this battle.”
Jia Xu: ”That's rare. What in the world can trouble a hot-shot like you? Ask away.”
Zhuge Liang: ”If you were to defend against my armies at Chibi and you have the possession of deadly poison, what would you do with it?”
Jia Xu: ”I'll assume that those sons of bitches Cao Cao and Cheng Yu are brewing some sort of poison, yes? If I were them, I would have added demon curses into the poison, then I would have enhanced them with angel blessings. I'll mix that poison with projectile weapons and shoot them at you. While I'm at it, I'll order my men to bath in this poison liquid and send them to suicide-bomb at your granaries or water sources, such as public wells, Yangtze River, or the ally wells. I can also use the scorch-earth tactic by spilling this poison all over the crops, ally granaries, and commoners' food sources before I retreat to the south. Even if you win, your army will suffer a lot of casualties from spreading epidemic or some sort of diseases.”
Jia Xu: ”Want me to continue?”
Zhuge Liang was glad that he asked the right person for his advice. This scary venomous strategist could come up with many ways to exploit Zhuge Liang Army with little information.
If Cheng Yu planned to do the same as Jia Xu had thought, then, Cheng Yu and Cao Cao might be planning to abandon this battlefield and retreat to a foreign country while harming their armies at the same time - A nasty hitting-two-birds-in-one-stone type of stratagem.
Zhuge Liang: ”Thank you, senior. I'm glad you're not my enemy.”
Jia Xu: ”Bah! I lost to you and Zhou Yu at Chibi. I merely thought of the similar tactic that you used to destroy my armies.”
Zhuge Liang: ”But I didn't use poison against you.”
Jia Xu: ”My troops got sick by the local diseases at that time, so it's the same. Well, good luck on your part. I'm still helping the doofus Xu Huang. If you encounter anything funny, tell me or Guo Jia, okay?”
Zhuge Liang: ”Sure.”
…
= South of Chibi Port City =
Cheng Yu was administrating a concoction of a chemical weapon within a warehouse, located far south of Chibi City.
As Jia Xu had predicted, Cheng Yu and Cao Cao schemed to poison the entire Yangtze River to damage Tong's soldiers. This poison was enhanced by Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and various demonic cultivators that recently awoke their souls.
Gan Ji's former 2,000 sect members also followed after Cao Cao and his troops after their migration from Sun Ce's frontline. These disciples were all demons with 2 wings, and they were responsible for casting every curse they could to all chemical fluid within a hundred giant cauldrons.
As for Cao Cao, he was reading the country map, searching for a sweet spot to pour the content of those cauldrons into the Yangtze River.
”We're evil, aren't we?”
Cao Cao felt bitter. He never dreamt that he had to kill innocent civilians to harass Tong's subordinates.
Cheng Yu scoffed, ”We're working for the sake of true immortality and freedom. This world is nothing but a ranch, and humans are livestock. We're the chosen one with the awareness of this universe.”
Both Cao Cao and Cheng Yu abandoned their humanity and embraced the genocidal mindset. For the sake of obtaining Lilim's skills and absolute authority over the world, they chose to be as selfish as Dong Zhuo in the other timeline.
Of course, this sinister scheme was without Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, or other officers' approval. None of them knew of this warehouse and the poison.
”By the way, Zhuge Liang seems to take too much time on his preparation. Why aren't they attacking us?”
Cheng Yu pondered after hearing Cao Cao's question, ”They have many eyes, so they probably are cautious about our fortification and cannons. From our latest intel, Sun Ce and Gan Ji should be already dead, so Zhuge Liang is likely waiting for other units to flank us from the east.”
”What about Huang Zu and Liu Biao? What are they doing?”
”I think Liu Biao isn't decisive enough to bet his life for Lilim. He should be cowering in fear in Xiangyang and refuse to utter a word about Lilim or the war. As for Huang Zu… I think he's dead as well.”
Cao Cao had a headache. His allies were unreliable.
”It doesn't matter. Let's begin our migration before winter.”