What tactics? The great guerrilla warfare!

Ge Long smiled and gestured for him not to be nervous, pointing to the sand table on the table. "Let's skip the pleasantries. You led the reinforcements on a fifteen-day journey, arriving a few days earlier than expected. How is it that Star Luo scouts didn't intercept you on the way?"

"Reporting to Marshal, we encountered them a few times, but they were all handled properly," Chen Chu nodded, his gaze falling on the sand table. The Heaven Dou army camp was built around the fortified city. To the left were the treacherous mountain paths of the Pamir Plateau, and to the right, boundless wilderness. The Star Luo army camp was pitched on the plains ahead, their encampment stretching far and wide, utilizing very favorable terrain.

Ge Long's expression shifted. "Oh? How were they handled? Most of Star Luo's scouts are led by well-trained agile-type Soul Masters. If I recall correctly, more than half of the Imperial Guard you brought are new recruits, aren't they?"

"New recruits can fight too, of course," Chen Chu's fingertip tapped on the mountain path area of the sand table. "My soldiers have strict discipline, patrolling day and night without interruption. The scouts also conducted early investigations during the day, so basically, no one could get close to the supply camp."

As soon as he said this, the generals in the tent were stunned. The Imperial Guard had always been the imperial city's honor guard, and no one had taken these soldiers seriously. But Chen Chu was actually able to use these new recruits to defend against Star Luo scouts? That didn't seem right.

Ge Long slammed the table and laughed heartily, "Good! Well said! I hate those cowards who always say new recruits can't fight and that they lose battles because of poor troop quality! Whether soldiers are good or not depends on how the general leads them! You, young man, are quite interesting. It seems His Majesty has truly brought me a surprise."

As Ge Long's laughter subsided, he tapped the area of the Star Luo army camp on the sand table, his tone turning serious. "Alright, let's get down to business. Star Luo has hundreds of thousands of troops pressing down, their camp is pitched below the plateau, leaning against desolate mountains on the left and a primeval forest on the right. They have set up more than a dozen Soul Cannons, and there are at least three Soul Douluos guarding the front. Although our fortified city is strong, it cannot withstand their assault. What do you say, how should we fight this battle?"

As the military intelligence was revealed, the tent fell silent. Several old generals frowned, while the younger commanders couldn't help but speak up, "Marshal! Star Luo has traveled a long distance and is physically and mentally exhausted. Why don't we take advantage of their unstable camp and launch a preemptive strike, destroying their Soul Cannon positions and supplies first!"

"Exactly! The Imperial Guard has just arrived, perfect for using the new recruits' sharpness to charge!"

Voices of agreement rose and fell, but Chen Chu remained silent. His fingertip drew a line between the mountain path and the fortified city on the sand table, his gaze fixed on the desolate mountains and the several supply lines behind them.

Ge Long scanned the crowd, his gaze finally returning to Chen Chu. "General Chen, why aren't you speaking? Do you think they are wrong?"

Chen Chu looked up, glanced at them, and said in a steady voice, "Launching a preemptive strike, I believe, would play right into Star Luo's hands."

As soon as he said this, the tent fell silent. The general who had suggested the preemptive strike's face darkened. "Chen Chu! What do you mean by that? Are you suggesting we cower in the fortified city and take a beating?"

"Cower?" Chen Chu stood up, picked up a wooden rod, and pointed at the sand table. "Star Luo's camp is by the plateau, their artillery positions are on the high mountains, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack. Their Soul Cannons have an extremely long range. We would be bombarded less than five miles outside the fortified city.

They want us to charge forward, using their Soul Cannons to slowly deplete our forces."

He paused, then turned the wooden rod towards the desolate mountains. "The desolate mountains on the right, though not perilous, have many ravines. Star Luo scouts dare not venture deep. If we bypass them, we reach their supply lines. We can send small teams to guard the mountain ravines and cut off their supplies.

The mountain path on the left is steep. Star Luo can only transport their grain and fodder through the mountain path. This greatly increases their transportation costs and limits the volume they can carry. As long as we send Soul Master teams to continuously harass them, their grain and fodder won't last a year."

"We will defend the fortified city and send a hundred-person team daily to harass their supply lines. We don't need to fight hard battles; we burn their grain and retreat.

Star Luo is in enemy territory and will suffer from the unfamiliar climate. This is a plateau, and many soldiers will fall ill. Once their supplies are cut off and their morale collapses, we will then march out from the fortified city and, with one decisive push, break their camp!"

The tent was silent. Several old generals' eyes lit up. Ge Long suddenly stood up, strode to the sand table, and clapped Chen Chu heavily on the shoulder. "Good! You've said it perfectly! It's the young people who have ideas. However, you still underestimate Star Luo!"

"Soldiers, General Chen's combat strategy is excellent. We can essentially remain in an invincible position. For us, Heaven Dou, not losing is winning."

"But I must remind everyone to be prepared for a protracted war. Star Luo has many high-end combatants. The future battlefield situation may not be about soldiers clashing, but about duels between top Soul Masters. Therefore, the supplies they consume may not be as much as we imagine."

Ge Long paused again, his gaze falling on Chen Chu. "Your idea just now was very good, but you haven't considered many factors. We can intercept their supplies once or twice, but if we exceed that number, the enemy will inevitably send high-level Soul Masters to lead the escort. At that point, this will no longer be a good plan."

Upon hearing this, Chen Chu did not panic. Instead, he nodded slightly. "Marshal, you are absolutely right. I did overlook the containment of top Soul Masters."

The generals in the tent breathed a sigh of relief. So Chen Chu's plan had flaws, and the Marshal saw it more clearly.

The general who had suggested the preemptive strike earlier curled his lip, waiting to see how Chen Chu would salvage the situation.

However, Ge Long's eyes flickered, signaling him to continue.

Chen Chu picked up the wooden rod, his fingertip landing on the blind spot between the Star Luo army camp and the primeval forest on the sand table. "It's inevitable that Star Luo will send high-level Soul Masters to escort their supplies. But they only have a few top Soul Masters. If they escort the supplies, they cannot protect the artillery positions or the main camp."

He paused, and the wooden rod drew three lines. "We will proceed in three steps.

"Step one, we will march out of the city for training every day, projecting an image of an offensive posture. Whether it's real or fake will depend on the specific situation. This will force the enemy to station high-level Soul Masters in their central army.

"Step two, if our plan to attack their supplies is successful, the enemy's transport teams will inevitably have to send high-level Soul Masters to provide support. At that time, the pressure on our front will be relieved.

"Step three, there is this large primeval forest next to the army camp. It is extremely complex, with powerful Soul Beasts within. It is an excellent place for us to conduct guerrilla warfare. In this way, the enemy's rhythm will be in our hands, as long as we can hold on in frontal combat and with our supply lines."

Chen Chu finished explaining his idea. In essence, it was an extension of some great strategies from his previous life: "When the enemy advances, we retreat; when they encamp, we harass; when they are tired, we attack; when they retreat, we pursue." This tactic was always effective.

After listening, Ge Long heavily tapped the primeval forest on the sand table, his eyes shining terrifyingly. "Well said, 'keeping the rhythm in our hands'! These three steps will simply make Star Luo's top Soul Masters run circles around them!"

The generals in the tent also reacted. The young general who had curled his lip earlier now had a very displeased expression. It turned out Chen Chu hadn't overlooked anything; he had already prepared a contingency plan! The old generals nodded in praise. This strategy was much more ruthless than simply having soldiers fight head-on; it perfectly exploited Star Luo's weaknesses.