Afterwards, Sun Wu and Guo Jia saw the enemy scouts enter and leave safely, proving that the enemy had not discovered Wei Qing and the others.
If they had found any trace of Wei Qing and the others, these scouts would not have worn such casual expressions on their faces.
"Next, it's up to our General Wei himself. I'm curious, what kind of surprise can he give me?"
Sun Wu chuckled. His territory had many excellent generals, and each legion commander was highly capable. With such outstanding generals, they, the marshals, would have a much easier time.
Many matters didn't even require them to explain clearly; a single command would suffice for the generals to understand their intentions. They could even use their intelligence to refine the tasks.
"I believe Wei Qing and Qin Qiong will bring a wealth of surprises to the enemy this time," Guo Jia also said.
"This shows the importance of reconnaissance. We cannot be exploited by the enemy. Although reconnaissance aircraft are excellent, we must not relax the role of scouts. Only by combining both can we ensure the safety of the army."
From Wei Qing's matter, Sun Wu immediately thought of the safety of his own army. This was Sun Wu, the wisdom of a top commander.
"Marshal, rest assured. I am personally overseeing this matter, and those are diligent scouts." Guo Jia naturally understood this principle.
Sun Wu nodded in satisfaction after hearing this. Guo Jia was strong in details, something he himself could not match.
Every top talent had their unique strengths.
"Speaking of which, the enemy's vanguard should be arriving soon, shouldn't they?" Sun Wu checked the time.
"It should be about time." Guo Jia immediately checked the enemy's position and said, "The timing is about as we predicted. They have now taken the bait."
The scene shifted to the vanguard of the Long family's army led by Dong Xiuxian.
Dong Xiuxian was indeed meticulous in investigating the mechanical traps ahead. He dispatched men to scout several kilometers in advance.
At this moment, these men had reached the location of the traps. After a careful inspection, they found nothing.
This was normal, as there was no anomaly here initially. After they left, people emerged from various concealed locations and began to set up a massive, cunning trap.
This was Sun Wu's stratagem, "Steal Across the Sea."
Wasn't Dong Xiuxian very cautious? Didn't he like to investigate? Then let him investigate, let him investigate thoroughly.
Those men were skilled at detecting mechanical traps, but if people were hidden, they couldn't see them. Furthermore, with Sun Wu using the skill [Steal Across the Sea], these men found no trace of abnormality.
Then, after those men had finished their reconnaissance, it was time for these people to perform. Half of these individuals were members of the Underworld Ghost Soldiers, carefully selected and reliable.
This was because their stealth abilities were strong, making them less likely to be discovered.
As for the other half, they were Xie Xuan's [Northern Army]. Sun Wu had also dispatched Xie Xuan to set up mechanical traps here.
The arrangement here was crucial, so Sun Wu naturally had to send someone meticulous and capable. This person was, of course, Xie Xuan.
Xie Xuan was somewhat like Gao Shun, a very serious person, but they were also different.
Gao Shun was somewhat stubborn and single-minded. Once he received an order, he would not show any mercy, adhering strictly to military discipline. Even if it meant death, he would complete the order.
Moreover, Gao Shun was extremely loyal, which was why in history, Gao Shun refused to surrender even at the cost of his life.
Although Xie Xuan was also very serious, he was not as rigid as Gao Shun.
Xie Xuan knew the importance of this matter, so he would observe every detail multiple times before leaving, ensuring there were no problems.
Their time was very limited. They had to be fast and also avoid being detected by the enemy.
In this regard, Xie Xuan's mission was also extremely important.
"Everyone, be quick and don't make any mistakes!" Xie Xuan urged them, while meticulously observing the arrangement of the traps and also paying attention to the enemy's marching distance. Any carelessness would lead to the failure of Sun Wu's plan.
Even with the strategies and abilities of top commanders and strategists, if the soldiers below were not capable, their powers would be rendered useless.
Sun Wu and Guo Jia were also waiting for Xie Xuan's news, and they were paying close attention to the enemy's distance.
This was a game of wits.
If they won, the enemy's vanguard would suffer heavy losses. If they lost, they would have to rely on the terrain behind them to find opportunities.
The enemy was getting closer: two kilometers, one kilometer, eight hundred meters, seven hundred meters, five hundred meters.
But at the critical five hundred-meter mark, Xie Xuan had finished the setup and then disappeared. To be precise, he had teleported away from the area.
However, many ghost soldiers who could use earth遁 (earth evasion) and flying ghosts remained hidden. Some hid in trees, and some hid underground, waiting for the enemy to arrive.
Upon seeing that Xie Xuan and the others had successfully completed the setup, Sun Wu and Guo Jia breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's finally done."
"Next, it's time for us to proceed to the next step," Sun Wu smiled. His plan was a series of interconnected steps. After the initial success, it was time to proceed with the next stage.
"As the Marshal says, we can now notify General Yuan Chonghuan and Aimeila to prepare." Guo Jia also nodded.
Upon receiving the orders, Aimeila and Yuan Chonghuan each dispatched their soldiers towards the enemy's flanks. They followed instructions and did not march rapidly but proceeded slowly, as they still needed to wait for the opportune moment. Until then, they would march at this pace.
The Long family's vanguard.
The enemy soon passed through this jungle, but the ghost soldiers hidden underground did not act, as the time was not yet right.
They were also waiting for the command, which would be the sounds of screams, wails, and explosions from the shore.
Ten minutes later, within the enemy's vanguard, terrifying explosions suddenly erupted. The enemy was engulfed in flames, and countless soldiers were burned.
The enemy began to flee in all directions, their wails filling the air. Countless enemies were torn apart by the inferno.
Furthermore, these enemies discovered that no matter where they ran, they could not escape the center of the flames.
They found themselves constantly circling, turning in place.
Sun Wu's illusion formation had completely disoriented the enemy, preventing them from taking a single step out of the battlefield.
The enemy could only be annihilated and completely eliminated within this area.