Is “He offered the chain-link scheme to persuade Cao Cao to link his warships together.” true?

The Records of the Three Kingdoms has no record of Pang Tong going to Cao Cao's camp to offer the chain-link plan to lock the ships; the locking of ships at Red Cliffs was Cao Cao's own decision to prevent wind and waves and seasickness among his navy. Original text: 「统密谓肃曰：“统密谓肃曰：“欲破曹兵，须用火攻；但大江面上，一船著火，馀船四散。除非献‘连环计’，教他钉作一处，然后功可成也。””」（Source: Chapter 047.txt）