Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 259 - 204 Strategy_2

Chapter 259: Chapter 204 Strategy_2

"These people may not directly defect or follow Yu Jiaxuan and the others to kill their way out, but as long as they slack off or turn a blind eye, it can greatly increase the likelihood of Yu Jiaxuan and his company breaking through.

"So, next there are two key issues to address.

"Since we’re talking about winning by strategy rather than an aggressive attack, we definitely need to think of a way to successfully meet with Ma Anbang without raising too much suspicion. Only by doing this can we ensure the highest success rate for the capture operation and minimize losses before the capture.

"Because once we initiate the capture, we’ll have shown our hand, and a fierce battle will inevitably follow. Before that happens, we need to conserve as much strength as possible.

"So, the first point is to think of a clever way to meet with Ma Anbang.

"As for the second point, it’s about how to ensure a successful escape after capturing the target.

"Although there are those in the camp who despise Ma Anbang and wish to defect to the Qi Dynasty, there are undoubtedly many of Ma Anbang’s loyal followers. The enemy’s power is still substantial.

"First, we need to create chaos in the camp and find a way to break out;

"Next, after capturing Ma Anbang, his close followers and confidants will surely pursue us. We must find a way to shake off the pursuers, otherwise, we will end up like Yunfeng Monk.

"Historical records state ’thirsting without time to drink, starving without time to eat, day and night without a morsel of food’—considering the need to evade pursuers, this is, of course, no problem, but while people can go without food, horses cannot go without rest.

"If the warhorses really had to gallop such a long distance, I’m guessing they would have died of exhaustion long ago.

"So... should horses be arranged along the way?

"Another point, according to historical records, Yu Jiaxuan ultimately led over ten thousand men to defect to the Qi Dynasty. So, when did these ten thousand men gather?

"In the Jin Camp, calling out with a raised arm? Summoning ten thousand men?

"This seems highly unlikely, because after capturing Ma Anbang, there was no time to stop and rally a thousand, much less ten thousand men while eluding pursuers.

"Therefore, these ten thousand men could only have been gathered previously from the Rebel Army’s camp."

As Li Hongyun’s analysis continued, the entire picture of the incident gradually surfaced.

Yu Jiaxuan bringing only fifty men to capture Ma Anbang was definitely not due to overconfidence in his own strength that led to bringing fewer men.

The reason he brought only fifty men was because with fewer people, it was possible to let Ma Anbang’s guard down, preventing him from reacting in time to the fact that they were there to capture him.

Find a way to infiltrate, then immediately act to capture Ma Anbang, subsequently using him as leverage to stir up conflict within the camp, preventing the soldiers from being fully prepared in time to close ranks and find a gap to escape.

Afterward, proper arrangements had to be made.

A defined escape route needed to be set in advance, with the gathered ten thousand men heading to a designated location to regroup, and then proceed to the Qi Dynasty. Fast horses should be arranged along the way so that fifty men could take Ma Anbang and sprint, switching horses but not riders, to escape the pursuers with the greatest speed.

All these links in the plan had to be executed smoothly to accomplish the feat of capturing Ma Anbang from within an army of fifty thousand and bringing him back to the Qi Dynasty.

After his analysis, Li Hongyun was fairly certain that Yu Jiaxuan’s capture of Ma Anbang wasn’t achieved through brute force.

Like many have analyzed, Yu Jiaxuan was a better fighter than General Qin Kaiyun, just managing to storm through the Jin soldiers’ formation with just fifty Cavalry and take the man captive... Obviously, this is a misinterpretation of the historical records.

Yu Jiaxuan was indeed a great fighter, but not to the extent of using fifty to fight fifty thousand.

What was documented as "leading fifty Cavalry barehanded" in the historical records might not be an exaggeration but the truth.

Under the circumstances at the time, Yu Jiaxuan couldn’t draw his sword before meeting with Ma Anbang, for drawing his sword would have been akin to starting a direct battle right?

He must have used this "barehanded" approach to lower Ma Anbang’s vigilance, and then succeeded.

However, Li Hongyun didn’t lower his estimation of Yu Jiaxuan for this; instead, he admired him even more.

Because this precisely shows that Yu Jiaxuan is not some mindless brute but a wise and commendably brave military strategist!

Daring to risk great danger personally, he could, however, rationally analyze the current situation and make the most accurate judgement, maximizing the chances of success and reducing his own side’s casualties to a minimum.

This did not in the slightest conceal the brilliance of his decapitation mission.

After roughly clarifying his thoughts, Li Hongyun couldn’t help but feel his blood stirring.

He quickly went on to perfect the relevant details, preparing to replicate Yu Jiaxuan’s moves in the game.

...

"Is there anyone who wishes to join me in capturing Ma Anbang alive to avenge Commander Geng?"

The Yu Jiaxuan played by Li Hongyun called out, and indeed, many responded.

Among them were Chen Shilong, Zhang Jun, and other generals from the Rebel Army.

They commanded over a thousand elite Cavalry, in addition to that, there were even more infantry.

But as before, how to kill Ma Anbang to avenge Commander Geng and where the Rebel Army should head next, these generals still couldn’t make up their minds.

So, it’s up to the player’s Yu Jiaxuan to decide.

Previously, like an idiot, Li Hongyun had led fifty Cavalry to blindly charge Ma Anbang’s military camp, only to be beaten black and blue, and he still felt a bit sorry for these two comrades.

But luckily, he now had more or less grasped the correct answer.

"Generals, may I have a word with you in private?"

Li Hongyun pulled aside Chen Shilong and Zhang Jun, two influential generals from the Rebel Army.