Chapter 68, Assigning Tasks

  "Hundreds of meters of high mountains, how long a rope would that be? Are you kidding me?"

  Xu Feng glared at Guo Tu with a fierce gaze, scolding him severely. However, his plan had some similarities to his own. Xu Feng let out a long sigh, thinking that even though Guo Tu was a strategist, when faced with the number one stronghold in the world - Tiger Trap Pass, he was also at a loss and had no good strategy, which wasn't surprising.

  "Bring him here, take him down, and don't let him eat for three days. Hmph, after thinking for two hours, not a single strategy came to mind, how dare he trifle with me!"

  "It's better to kill him off at once," said Dian Wei, who had never had a good impression of Guo Tu, this treacherous and cunning little man.

  "It's not a waste of food anyway, let's keep it, maybe it'll come in handy later. If all else fails, we can always kill it then." Xu Feng said with a wave of his hand.

  "Yes, Commander Guo is wise and has a plan. As long as we can survive, I'm sure we'll be useful in the future." Although they had been starving for several days, as long as they could stay alive, Guo Tu was content.

  "Xue Cheng, gather all the craftsmen you brought from Yingchuan, I have an important task to entrust."

  "Alright." During the war years, blacksmiths were crucial, and although they were reluctant to leave, Xu Feng dragged them out of the workshops by force before departing.

  "Can you make a kite?" Xu Feng asked directly of the group of frightened and timid craftsmen who were brought before him.

  "Kite? Never heard of it." The crowd shook their heads, all looking puzzled. Xu Feng thought for a moment and suddenly understood. Although kites originated in the Spring and Autumn period and were invented by Mozi, they weren't called kites back then, but rather "mu yuan", which referred to large bird-shaped objects made of wood that were flown using strings. Since paper hadn't been invented yet, it was only natural that they wouldn't be called kites.

  "Wood kite? This one, will it work?" Xu Feng asked again.

  "Hmm" Many craftsmen nodded in agreement, about twenty or so of them who understood woodworking techniques.

  "It's alright, you don't have to be afraid. Although I've wronged you in many ways before, the Yellow Turbans are also helpless. I won't say more, after this is over, whether you want to leave or stay, Xu Feng will not stop you. You few craftsmen come here."

  Xu Feng gathered the kite craftsmen around him, drew a simple sketch according to the style of later gliders, explained some basic principles and asked them to make one based on their own ideas.

  "What is this thing? Could it be called a kite?" someone asked in doubt.

  Xu Feng's eyes turned cold, "No need to explain, just go and do it. The fewer who understand, the better for you." If these things were known by others and utilized, what if his own opponents learned them? Wouldn't Xu Feng be lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot?

  "Xuecheng, take some men to the mountain to cut down some essential bamboo and wood. Ma Wu, take some men to dismantle our tents and bring over some canvas. Zhang Ba, take some men to get some rattan ropes..." Xu Feng hastily instructed his men to prepare according to the materials needed.

  Paragliders, these people, don't even mention playing with them, they haven't even seen such things. Attacking cities and breaking through gates, although it can produce unexpected effects, but there will definitely be many casualties, and it's still self-inflicted damage. Many soldiers don't understand the principle, sliding down from high mountains, lightly injured, heavily killed. This point, Xu Feng understands, but also has no time to teach them, even if he had time, once discovered by the people of Tiger Trap Pass, it would be a troublesome thing.

  "Zhang Fei, take some craftsmen and build more cloud ladders, they will come in handy later."

  "Di Wei, gather your Tiger Guards, I have something to say."

  No way, ordinary soldiers, such a risky thing, naturally timid and worried in their hearts. Even if they have the courage to ride a hang glider, if they are not agile enough, they will not even have the chance to protect themselves. Only the Tiger Guard can minimize damage and better complete the mission of surprise attack. As for Zhang Fei and others, at that time, they would launch an attack on the front gate of Hu Lao Pass, taking advantage of the opportunity to divert the attention of the defending army, and win time and opportunities for the Tiger Guard.

  Five hundred Tiger Guards, under the command of Dian Wei, quickly gathered in front of Xu Feng in an orderly manner. Although they were the Tiger Guards, every time Xu Feng saw them, he felt uncomfortable. War was cruel, and the Tiger Guards were brave, but they also suffered the greatest losses. Every time, many familiar figures would leave, and many unfamiliar faces would join.

  "You are all good, several battles, you charge forward, fearless of life and death, without disgracing the prestige of my Yellow Turbans, without making me Xu Feng lose face." Facing the spirited and majestic elite Tiger Guards, whose morale is always so high, Xu Feng's heart was moved to speak, his true feelings revealed, as he praised them without reserve.

  "He led the way with ease, no coward among the Tiger Guards, in a sea of blades and flames, fearless of death." The crowd dared not shout loudly, for everyone understood that not far away was the Xiongguan Hu'erguan, where tens of thousands of government soldiers were stationed. Any slight noise could be discovered, and would alert the enemy, rendering all their efforts in vain.

  "Alright, tonight, there is a daunting and important task that needs to be handed over to you, I don't know if you have the confidence to complete it."

  "I'd die for Commander Xu." There were no grand words, no heroic phrases, only absolute obedience to Xu Feng's orders. Although the Tiger Guard had not been formed for long and was still taking shape, through the trials of blood and fire, they had already developed an aura that feared neither life nor death, nor difficulty. This was something that ordinary soldiers who had not experienced war could not compare with. Xu Feng nodded his head in satisfaction.

  "Have you ever seen someone who can fly?"

  Everyone was stunned, shaking their heads. Xu Feng smiled and said, "Tonight, your mission is to fly from the sky into the Tiger's Lair Pass, launch a surprise attack on the Tiger's Lair, take advantage of the opportunity to open the city gate, and we will respond inside and outside, taking down the Tiger's Lair Pass in one fell swoop."

  "You may be puzzled, thinking that I'm talking nonsense. Have you seen a wooden kite (yuan) before? It's made of wood and flies high in the sky, overlooking everything."

  "I know." The crowd slightly understood, could it be that the commander wants to treat everyone like a kite, using strings to fly them into the sky?

  "General, the east and west have already been made into one." Just worrying about not having a physical demonstration, after hearing the soldier's report, Xu Feng was overjoyed and hastily had someone bring over the glider that had been made.

  Although the workmanship is rough, the basic shape is very similar to a hang glider. The triangular wooden frame has an overall shape that resembles an eagle about to take flight. On top of the frame is wrapped thick cowhide, and inside there's another layer of thick fabric. Although simple, it's absolutely sturdy. Why use a triangle? Although Xue Feng didn't study much in his past life, he also understood the principle that triangles are the sturdiest shape.

  Looking at this strange wooden thing, all the Tiger Guards were stunned. This is not like the ordinary wooden kite they usually see. It's much bigger than that one and there are no strings to pull it. Can it really fly in the sky as Commander Qiu said?

  "Look carefully, I'll demonstrate first," said Xu Feng, bending down and crawling under the parachute's support. There was a frame below, which could hold two or three people without any problem. Xu Feng stepped on the lower support with both feet and grabbed the upper support with both hands.

  After steadying themselves, they charged at the crowd and said, "On the high mountain, there will be people to help you send this wooden kite to the sky. You must remember, stand firm with your body, keep your hands balanced, grasp the direction, once you have balance, you won't fall off the cliff and hurt yourself. From top to bottom, the wind is strong enough to let you fly in the sky, don't doubt this point. What you need to do is, at noon, from the left side of the high mountain above the Tiger Cage, dive down and fly into the Tiger Cage Pass, take advantage of the opportunity to launch a surprise attack."