Deployment and Formations, the Shadow Legion Hypothesis!

Dai Yunzhao sat steadily at the head of the central command tent.

The thirteen generals below were all hardened veterans who had been tempered along the Star Luo border for many years.

Now, standing before Dai Yunzhao, not only were they free of dissatisfaction, their faces were filled with pride.

The Art of War and the Thirty-Six Stratagems that Dai Yunzhao had provided were truly heaven-defying.

They had never imagined such schemes before!

In his previous life, Dai Yunzhao had enjoyed reading historical records and ancient texts, and he was still trying to recall other military treatises.

Once they were compiled into volumes, they would add another measure of fighting strength!

With better military doctrines and battle formations, fewer people would die.

Seated in the tent, Dai Yunzhao spoke softly. "The Heaven Dou Empire does not want to make this a major affair. I hear they are sending an army of one hundred thousand."

This fantasy world truly was different.

In his previous life, an army of one hundred thousand would already have been terrifying!

But in this fantasy world, those one hundred thousand were merely the troops that could be deployed; the logistical forces were basically not even counted.

And this could only barely be called a battle of any scale at all!

Anyone capable of commanding an army of one hundred thousand was an exceptional commander.

Unfortunately, in this fantasy world, it all came down to the most direct and straightforward head-on clash!

Dai Yunzhao shook his head.

"They are treating this as nothing more than a skirmish, a matter of fighting for pride."

"But Star Luo cannot bleed for nothing. If we gain nothing from war, then we are the losers!"

"This time, I want to push the national border north by one hundred li and uproot the more than ten formidable cities blocking our path!"

Dai Yunzhao's words startled every general.

Move the border north by one hundred li!

What kind of audacity would that take?

But...

If they could wipe out the enemy in this battle, they might really be able to do it.

Or rather, crush them!

Following the methods in those military treatises, it truly was possible to push the border northward!

Xiong Ao, standing at the front, slapped his chest.

"Your Highness, just tell us how to fight. We'll all follow you!"

The other generals immediately echoed him.

"That's right, we'll all follow you.

"Anyway, we're just a bunch of border troops. What do we have to fear!"

"It's been years since we fought like this. Let's beat them until their heads split and their brains spill!"

"I've already studied The Art of War. I feel terrifyingly strong!"

At that moment, Xiong Ao, who stood at the very front, suddenly coughed.

His gaze fell on Dai Yunzhao.

"Um... Your Highness, it's a fine military treatise, but why is it called The Art of War? It sounds like an insult."

Dai Yunzhao, who had been making arrangements, was briefly left speechless.

How was he supposed to explain that, in ancient Dragon Nation, "zi" was an honorific form of address?

Dai Yunzhao pressed down on the command tally, his voice cool. "This military treatise was not written by me. An immortal taught it to me in a dream. The immortal's surname was Sun and his given name was Wu. He said that where he came from, 'zi' was a respectful title for people."

An immortal?

The generals looked at one another.

They could all see disbelief in each other's eyes!

For the sake of secretly insulting them a few times, this Fourth Prince had even dragged immortals into it!

Even if true immortals existed, they might not necessarily possess such military wisdom and strategy.

The crowd exchanged glances, each seeing what the others were thinking.

What The Art of War? This was clearly the Yunzhao Military Treatise!

Dai Yunzhao had no idea they had privately settled on that name. He truly respected the military sage Sun Wu; in the art of war, Sun Wu really was an ancestral master!

Dai Yunzhao did not concern himself with any of that. He simply increased the troop count to three hundred thousand in secret!

One had to know that, in the original story's final battle, the Star Luo Empire far surpassed the Heaven Dou Empire in both troop numbers and the number of Soul Masters.

Its only shortcoming was the quality of its Soul Masters.

Dai Yunzhao had to guard against the powerful Soul Masters who might appear on the battlefield!

For example... Dugu Bo!

This intelligence was quite clear: Prince Xue Xing and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe jointly held command.

There was bound to be discord between them, and Prince Xue Xing particularly disliked Xue Qinghe.

As they restrained each other, they would keep Title Douluo at their sides to prevent the other from doing something desperate!

The two Title Douluo beside Xue Qinghe were a major problem.

Dugu Bo, at Prince Xue Xing's side, posed an even more nuclear-level threat!

Dai Yunzhao swept his gaze across every map, then swiftly made his arrangements.

"Old General Xiong Ao, take Old General Cheng and General Xue to hold the northwestern gateway."

"General Ying, lead your men to guard Three Gorges Pass, then treat them to another round of shutting the gate to catch the dog!"

"Generals Li and Guo, lead the remaining generals and seal off the eastern gate."

"I will personally command the central army and face them head-on."

"Remember the beacon-fire orders. There must be no disobedience!"

The generals all bowed and said:

"We obey the Grand Marshal's command!"

Every general had his own habits when leading troops into battle.

But before this, they had already discussed how to deal with the enemy army. Letter after letter had been delivered into Dai Yunzhao's hands.

Although this was their first formal meeting, they already had a fairly thorough understanding of the deployment.

The three sides would support one another. If any side encountered trouble, reinforcements could arrive swiftly.

Now, Dai Yunzhao had to consider how to deal with Dugu Bo.

Dai Yunzhao looked toward Shadow.

"Shadow, are you confident you can handle Dugu Bo?"

Dugu Bo's poison was ineffective against Shadow, so it lost its greatest deterrent power.

Shadow spoke softly. "Getting away from him would not be difficult. If I get a chance to launch a sneak attack, I may be able to kill him!"

Poison Douluo's poison was unparalleled under heaven.

Once his poison lost its threat, Shadow's opportunity for assassination would come!

On Douluo Continent, almost no one possessed all-around enhancements.

Dai Yunzhao said with a smile, "Since you are confident you can come and go freely against Dugu Bo, then go capture Prince Xue Xing!"

"If there is an opportunity, make Dugu Bo release his poison and throw the Heaven Dou camp into chaos!"

Dugu Bo had to be made wary of harming the hostage. Otherwise, his poison would pose too great a threat on the battlefield.

Shadow rolled his neck and vanished into the shadows.

The generals looked at one another as well.

They knew there was a formidable Black Armor Warrior behind Dai Yunzhao, but they had not expected him to send him to deal with the most troublesome enemy the moment he spoke!

Dai Yunzhao pointed at the mighty pass ahead.

"Before White Tiger Pass, I will fight Xue Qinghe in a decisive battle."

The Star Luo Imperial Family possessed the White Tiger Martial Soul, and White Tiger Pass was the foremost formidable pass in the entire Star Luo Empire.

Stationed here, he would use defense as offense!

From the moment the battle began, travel between the two nations could no longer be permitted at will.

Even so, Dai Yunzhao remained somewhat worried.

After all, the two Title Douluo at Xue Qinghe's side would find it easy to infiltrate White Tiger Pass.

"Tell everyone that I am at White Tiger Pass, and that the central army I command is here as well!"

Dai Yunzhao intended to create an imposing illusion.

Moreover, he had deployed troops along three routes. Prince Xue Xing could not possibly be in the same place as Xue Qinghe!

That way, he might be able to capture the enemy commander in a single battle.

Dai Yunzhao let out a breath. "Remember to help me search for people with the Black Demon or Shadow Martial Soul. Even those with only innate level-three Soul Power will do."

"As long as you find them, bring them before me!"

Shadow alone was still not enough.

But what if it were an entire Shadow Legion?!