"Captain Chen, you've really gotten me killed this time!"
Outside the central command tent, Yu Song was so angry he nearly cursed outright. He almost blurted, "If you want to die, go alone—don't drag me with you!"
"Lieutenant Yu," Chen Sanshi said in a low, steady voice, "following my plan might not guarantee survival. But following them—that's a sure death."
Out of 18,000 men, fewer than 180 would live to see the end.
Yu Song sighed heavily. "What's left to say now? Captain Chen, if you get me killed, I… never mind. My eight wives and twelve children will definitely come looking for you! Let's go!"
Orders were passed down.
Lu Shuhua, Xie Sishu, and the others looked stunned.
"What the hell?"
"Captain Chen, are you out of your mind?"
"You're not following the main army? Acting alone? You trying to die faster?"
"..."
"Ridiculous!"
Lu Shuhua crossed her arms over her sword, face dark. "We're both Thousand-Commanders. Why should we break away from the main army because of one man's word? If you want to throw your lives away, go ahead—but I'm going to find General Sha!"
"Wait for me, I'm coming too!"
Xie Sishu hurried after her.
"You two got worms in your heads or something?"
Bai Tingzhi sneered. "Some people are just too stupid to save from themselves!"
But soon enough, both Lu Shuhua and Xie Sishu were sent back.
General Sha Wenlong's orders had already been given—and he never reversed a command.
"You lot—Thousand-Commanders, Lieutenants—what are you afraid of, huh? A bunch of useless cowards!"
Zhu Tong cursed loudly. "Back in Poyang County, Little Shitou led a handful of broken troops and wiped out 20,000 southern barbarians! Then, while being hunted by tens of thousands more, he led 40,000 civilians all the way from Yunzhou to Youzhou—and still survived! You bunch of dumb dogs!"
"How dare you!"
Xie Sishu's glare was fierce. "A Hundred Commander dares speak so rudely to me? You're courting death!"
"I think the man's right!"
Bai Tingzhi hefted his broad blade onto his shoulder. "What, you got a problem with that?"
"Clang—!"
Dozens of blades were drawn at once, soldiers from both sides squaring off, ready to fight.
"Enough!"
Chen Sanshi's voice thundered across the camp. "We're facing death already, and you still want to tear each other apart?! Zhu Tong, stand down! Lu Shuhua, Brother Xie—trust me on this. If crossing the river costs us heavy casualties, you two can take my head yourselves. I won't resist."
"Fine!"
Lu Shuhua finally backed off. "You said it yourself, Captain Chen—everyone here heard you!"
She and Xie Sishu might have given up the race for true inheritance in their sect, but the pride of genius still burned in them. Especially Lu Shuhua—with a Martial Saint as her master, she was destined to be a Sword Saint herself. Being led around by the nose was not in her nature.
"Xu Wencai!"
Chen Sanshi called out sharply. "Bring me the map!"
...
"Your Highness, your strategy is brilliant."
Sha Wenlong praised, "Now that we've split from them at Yangchun Prefecture, if they dare cross the river and head south, they'll be marching straight into death. Meanwhile, we can hold Yangchun for at least twenty days."
"It's not my brilliance," Cao Fan said flatly from horseback, resting his Azure Dragon Crescent Blade against his shoulder. "He's just in a hurry to die. I'm merely letting him have his wish."
"Well said. The man should've died long ago."
Sha Wenlong knew full well why he'd been reassigned—it was because his cover had almost been blown. He was the last person who wanted Chen Sanshi to rise any higher. If that man kept growing stronger, it would spell disaster for him sooner or later.
"Dong An's an ungrateful bastard!"
Cao Fan spat. "Back then, he lost to Fang Qingyun during the selection trials. If my imperial grandfather hadn't handpicked him as Martial Champion and poured resources into him, he'd still be a deputy commander of a single battalion! How the hell did that traitor end up a provincial governor, ruling a whole state's army and government!"
"The lure of the Heavenly Book of Divine Military Arts is too great," Sha Wenlong said, already guessing the motive. "Your Highness, if someone offered you a technique above Martial Saint in exchange for loyalty—wouldn't you take it? And as for him, the empire was never truly his. To him, it's just a change of masters."
"Damn it all! The Great Sheng Dynasty has been too lenient, raising wolves who bite the hand that feeds them. Sun Xiangzong at least earned his merits. But Dong An? That traitorous dog deserves to be flayed alive!"
Cao Fan reviewed the situation in Mingzhou carefully. "General Sha, remember what Chen Sanshi said earlier—that there's no food in Yangchun Prefecture. If he's right, what will we do then?"
"Collect grain along the way," Sha Wenlong said cautiously. "Before reaching Yangchun, we'll pass through several counties. We'll seize their stores."
After all, the biggest problem in defending a city was always food.
As long as they had enough grain—and high enough walls—they could hold.
"Mingzhou's had a rough year," Cao Fan said. "There were floods and famines. I heard even taxes weren't fully collected. The local granaries alone won't be enough."
"Then we'll take what's left from the commoners," Sha Wenlong said coldly. "They'll just suffer a bit more. Your Highness needn't worry. I'll take the blame."
"General Sha, you're most loyal."
"..."
...
Eagle Beak Mountain.
Main camp of the Red Brows Army.
Inside the central tent—
Before the sand table stood Jia Siye.
He had been taken to Meishan by his father as a child, joining the mountain bandits. By sheer luck, he'd found a good master and learned solid martial skills.
Later, he expanded his bandit clan, uniting all of Meishan's scattered strongholds under one banner—amassing over 2,000 men.
He knew that once a bandit gang grew too large, it either had to become stronger or face total destruction.
But Jia Siye alone lacked the strength or vision to expand further—until one day, a scholar came to their mountain stronghold, claiming he could make them powerful enough to one day rule all of Mingzhou.
At first, Jia Siye laughed at him.
A frail bookworm wanting to become a bandit? He hadn't even offered a single token of loyalty. It was absurd—a joke fit for drunken tavern talk.
The scholar knelt and said, "Give me three months. In three months, I'll turn your mountain bandits into a disciplined army. If I fail, I'll end my own life. But if I succeed, you'll help me kill and seize the bride I desire."
Jia Siye thought it amusing and decided to give the man a chance.
Three months later, his men were completely transformed.
They followed orders, marched in formations, and moved with discipline. They weren't a mob anymore—they looked and fought better than the official Mingzhou troops!
"Sir, your talent is divine!"
Jia Siye knelt before him then and there. He knew he had to keep this man no matter what, and so he led his men down the mountain to help the scholar steal back his bride.
The scholar had fallen in love with the daughter of a wealthy household, and the two had privately pledged themselves to each other.
At first, her family hadn't objected. The scholar was well known across ten villages, a handsome and clever man who everyone believed would soon pass the imperial exams and become a scholar-official.
But as the years passed, he failed the exams again and again, until he became a local laughingstock.
The wealthy family's attitude turned completely—driving him away and forbidding him from seeing their daughter ever again.
Later, he and the young lady planned to elope. But they were caught. His legs were broken, and the girl was forcibly betrothed to the foolish son of a local official.
Heh.
That man was not only sentimental—he was ruthless.
After snatching his bride back, he slaughtered the official's entire household—more than fifty people, men and women, young and old, none left alive.
When it was done, he didn't leave.
When Jia Siye asked why, the scholar replied, "There must still be a child hiding somewhere."
And sure enough, half an hour later, a boy under ten crawled out of the cellar.
The scholar stepped forward and, with a single chop of his cleaver, severed the boy's head.
Capable—and vicious.
After that, he returned to the mountain and was made the second-in-command of Meishan.
Over time, they discovered that the scholar possessed a divine artifact—a Heavenly Book.
The Book recorded mysterious formations and military techniques that drew upon the forces of Heaven and Earth. It was by using this Book that he trained their army.
Then greed began to fester.
Jia Siye and his lieutenants plotted to take the Book. But when they finally stole it, they found they couldn't understand a single word. Slowly, they realized—the scholar had been chosen by the immortals themselves, sent to lead them in overthrowing the corrupt Great Sheng Dynasty.
And so, Liang the Second Leader became Liang the Great Leader.
They gathered soldiers, raised banners, and rebelled.
At first, the response was overwhelming.
Several cities opened their gates willingly, the common people greeting them as liberators.
Gradually, Liang the Great Leader became known as Grand Marshal Liang.
He established correspondence with the emperor of the Western Qi Kingdom, used the Heavenly Book to buy over Mingzhou's governor Dong An, and together with his top men, devised a grand plan—to divide the realm into three powers within five to ten years, each ruling their own dominion.
When that time came, Jia Siye—an original founder of the uprising—would be titled Marquis at the very least. For the Jia family, it would be the greatest fortune their ancestors could ever dream of.
"Sect Master Xiang," Jia Siye said cheerfully, "wasn't joining us the best decision you ever made? You're already at the Profound Manifestation Realm. Your future's bound to outshine mine, haha!"
"Hahaha!"
Xiang Tian roared with laughter. "Fourth Lord Jia speaks true! I should be thanking you for that secret letter you sent me back then. If not, I'd still be bowing and scraping to those other sects!"
His sect had once been among the top-tier powers, but for the past century, they'd produced no Martial Saints. The younger generation lacked even Profound Manifestation aptitude. If things continued that way, their sect would inevitably fall into decline and lose its wealth and land.
So why not gamble everything and carve out a new world?
"Come, come, pour the wine!"
Jia Siye raised his bowl with a grin.
"Bastards!"
Just as they were about to drink, the tent flaps were thrown open.
A general in black iron armor strode in, his face full of disdain. "The battle's not even over yet, and you dare sit here drinking?! If this delays our campaign, can you take responsibility?!"
"General Dong, no need to get worked up," Jia Siye said lazily. "The outcome's already decided."
"The Liangzhou troops haven't been completely wiped out!"
Dong An roared, "Tell me—who leaked the plan? Who warned Zhao Wuji, causing him to refuse joining forces with me?!"
"Calm yourself, General Dong," Xiang Tian quickly interjected. "It wasn't us! According to the prisoners we captured, the leak came from the Reserve Camp."
"The Reserve Camp? Someone there figured it out?"
Dong An narrowed his eyes. "Yuan Dai? No, if he were that smart, he wouldn't have died by my sword. Who else? Give me the full list of Lieutenants!"
"Here it is."
"These Lieutenants are all useless drunkards. Couldn't be them. That Crown Prince's heir, Cao Fan, knows strategy—but he's too rigid. Not him either."
"Anyone else?" Dong An demanded.
"That's all," Jia Siye said. "Other than them, just a bunch of Thousand-Commanders. But they're not ordinary ones—each selected from the latest martial trials. A few even possess Martial Saint Bodies. Oh, and Sun Xiangzong's last disciple is among them."
"I know."
Dong An tossed the list aside. "That river-crossing captain—Chen Sanshi, isn't it? Eight or nine times out of ten, Fang Qingyun, that crippled bastard, must've warned him beforehand! Once again, that wretch has ruined my plans!"
"General Dong, what's our next move?" Xiang Tian asked cautiously.
Dong An's eyes blazed. "I just received word—the Great Sheng Dynasty has sent 170,000 troops marching toward Mingzhou! And you still have the nerve to sit here drinking?!"
Dong An pointed at the sand table. "Before the Great Sheng Dynasty's reinforcements arrive, we must annihilate all the Liangzhou troops inside Mingzhou. Once they're gone, we can focus entirely on the foreign front. We cannot, under any circumstance, leave a blade behind us!"
Those 40,000 Liangzhou soldiers could not be allowed to live.
They were elite troops—each one of them trained to perfection. Even for a vast empire like the Great Sheng Dynasty, losing such a force would be a devastating blow.
What's more, among them were five Martial Saint Bodies, and even the Emperor's eldest grandson himself.
Once they were dead, the northern frontier would have no true successors for the next fifty years. Taking control of the north would then only be a matter of time.
"Relay my command!"
Dong An's tone was sharp, his posture that of an absolute commander. He pointed his long blade toward the map. "They have only one path left—Yangchun Prefecture. Move all troops from Jianmen Gorge and the east bank of the Hongze River, surround them completely, and wipe them out! Xiang Tian, you and I will lead the attack personally!"
The Western Qi army still needed to guard the border entrance at Yanzhou and couldn't commit all forces. But even so, they had more than enough manpower.
At least 120,000 soldiers could be moved freely.
As long as they destroyed the 20,000 remaining Liangzhou troops, the entire situation would be settled!
"Yes, sir!"
Xiang Tian took the order and went to deliver it.
"You're Jia, right?"
Dong An turned his gaze toward Jia Siye. "Your commander Liang has talent—quite the strategist."
"Of course!" Jia Siye said proudly. "Our Grand Marshal Liang is a man chosen by the immortals."
"I hope he's also a man of his word," Dong An said coldly. "Don't forget what you promised me."
"Rest assured, General Dong! We wouldn't dare go back on it. And even if we did, the Western Qi Kingdom wouldn't allow it."
…
Two hundred li outside Yangchun Prefecture, the wilderness stretched endless and silent.
Chen Sanshi spread out the map, surrounded by Yu Song, Xu Wencai, Lu Shuhua, Xie Sishu, and the ever-loud Xu Wencai.
Even now, Lu Shuhua and Xie Sishu looked deeply uneasy.
"Captain Chen, have you lost your mind?" Lu Shuhua snapped. "Our lives are hanging by a thread, and you still insist on bringing that old scholar into this mess?"
"He's a friend of General Fang!"
Chen Sanshi brought up his backing without hesitation. "General Fang once spent three days and nights in deep discussion with Xu Wencai. Do you really think someone he valued would be useless?"
At that, the protests quieted.
"Xu Wencai, your thoughts first."
Chen Sanshi gestured for him to speak.
"Lord Yu," Xu Wencai said, bowing respectfully before raising his feather fan. His voice was calm and confident. "After dividing our forces here, I estimate that within seven days, General Sha and his men will capture the undermanned Yangchun Prefecture. The grain they gather along the way will keep them supplied for a time.
"But!"
He flicked the fan open with a snap. "Soon after, at least 50,000 enemy troops and two to three Profound Manifestation Realm experts will move in to besiege them. Even if the city holds for a while, their daily casualties will be immense. That means, Lord Chen leading us eastward is the only path to survival.
"Next, our task is simple. While all enemy forces focus on Yangchun Prefecture, we cross the Hongze River to the east, strike swiftly, and take the counties of Qingbo, Jiankou, and the other two nearby. These will serve as temporary bases for rest and reorganization. Afterward, we push south toward the Great Wasteland!
"Once we reach the Wasteland, Mingzhou won't be able to send large forces after us. We'll regroup, regain strength, and maybe—just maybe—meet the Imperial Army marching north from the capital. Then we'll return and crush these rebel dogs until not a single one remains!"
When he finished, no one spoke.
No one objected—but no one praised him either.
To most of them, it sounded like nothing more than a desperate flight for survival, a plan that could collapse at any moment.
"Alright, we'll do it," Yu Song finally decided. "Those counties won't have anyone above the Tempering Organ stage. We can take them easily. Whether we succeed in moving south… that's another matter."
"Move out, move out!"
"Hurry, everyone, keep up!"
Three days later, their march went smoothly—too smoothly.
They hadn't encountered a single enemy force by the time they reached the banks of the Hongze River.
But then came the problem staring them right in the face.
How were they supposed to cross?
There were no large ferries, and only a handful of small boats. The only viable way across was an old floating bridge—but if they used it, what would they do about their horses?
Altogether, their left division now had 3,800 soldiers, of which 2,500 were mounted.
But these makeshift bridges could barely support people, let alone warhorses.
"What about the horses?!" Xie Sishu shouted. "These floating bridges are crude things made by commoners. Even a man walking across has to go slow. They'll never hold a warhorse's weight! We can't build new ones either—we don't have the time! Maybe a day or two before the enemy tracks us down, and then we'll be slaughtered!"
Chen Sanshi's reply was simple. "Release them."
"Release them?!"
Xie Sishu gaped. "Are you insane?!"
"Captain Chen, do you even understand how valuable these horses are?" Lu Shuhua snapped. "They're the reason we can move so fast! You're cutting off our only means of survival!"
"This 'means of survival' is the very thing blocking our way out," Chen Sanshi said firmly. "Let them go—all of them. We cross the river on foot."
He paused, then added, "And if the need arises later, we might just find them again."
"Find them again?" Yu Song frowned. "What do you mean? You expect the horses to stand around waiting for us?"
"Qianxun!"
Chen Sanshi shouted.
"Neigh—!"
Qianxun, his White Swan Horse, reared and let out a sharp cry that echoed across the plains.
One after another, the other horses responded, neighing wildly, ignoring their riders' commands. One by one, they gathered around the white steed as if summoned.
"This…"
Everyone stared in shock.
Was that horse some kind of spirit beast? How could it command all their warhorses like that?
"Everyone off your mounts!" Chen Sanshi ordered. "Tie the grain packs to the horses' saddles and let them carry the supplies. My White Swan Horse will lead them to a safe place. If we need them again, they'll return to us!"
"This is unbelievable…"
Xie Sishu couldn't help edging closer to get a better look, only to nearly get kicked in the face. "You—"
He wanted to snap back but stopped himself just in time.
"Qianxun, come here."
Chen Sanshi stroked the white horse's mane and whispered, "I hereby name you Grand Commander of Warhorses. You better do your duty well, understand? Hide carefully, don't get caught. When I return next time, I'll reward you with spiritual grain."
Qianxun nodded as if it understood, then neighed sharply. Leading over 2,000 horses, it turned and galloped away, the herd moving like a trained army until they vanished beyond the plains.
Even Chen Sanshi himself was momentarily stunned.
"Cross the river!"
Yu Song gave the order.
More than 3,000 men crossed the river on foot, pushing forward day and night until they reached the outskirts of several small counties.
The eastern defenses had already been stripped bare—troops either marched south or west to surround the main Liangzhou force. These towns were practically empty, guarded only by a few dozen constables and yamen runners. When they saw the approaching army, they were shocked at first, then immediately opened the gates and surrendered.
The army pressed south and finally stopped at Jiankou County to rest and reorganize.
On the map, the distance looked short. But traveling it on foot covered hundreds, even thousands, of li. Without horses, even martial soldiers had their limits. After forced marches like these, if they didn't rest soon, exhaustion alone could kill them.
Since crossing the river, fifteen days had passed. They had suffered almost no casualties—only fatigue.
"Chirp—!"
A gyrfalcon landed on Chen Sanshi's arm, delivering the latest report.
Outside Yangchun Prefecture, 70,000 enemy troops were besieging the city, attacking every day. The garrison had fallen from 18,000 to 15,000, suffering heavy losses. For now, they held on thanks to the city's sturdy walls, but food was running low.
The fastest reinforcements were still more than twenty days away—and they were from Yanzhou, entering Mingzhou from the far western border. That was 108,000 li away from the east, and they would have to fight through Western Qi's lines just to get here.
As for any other defensive forces, there was nothing left to say.
On the city wall, Chen Sanshi held his Five Tiger Soul-Breaking Spear and continued his daily cultivation.
[Technique: Dragon Spear of Nation-Suppression – Transforming Strength (Mastery)]
[Progress: 256/1000]
Without Qianxun, his training time was shorter, but thanks to the spiritual grain ointment and precious elixirs, his progress wasn't too slow.
Time passed in the blink of an eye.
It had been nearly three months since the campaign began—now already the fifth month of the Yongchang Era's seventy-third year.
Lan jie'er would be five months pregnant by now; her belly must be showing clearly.
Back in Liangzhou, once they heard what was happening in Mingzhou, they'd surely be worried sick. Maybe they already thought he was dead. But what could they do? Messages couldn't get through.
Beacon fires burn for three months; a single letter from home is worth its weight in gold.
Their gyrfalcons were needed for reconnaissance, not something as luxurious as carrying letters.
"Captain Chen!"
Yu Song came hurrying back, covered in dust. "News from the rear—Western Qi's army has sent 10,000 men from Jianmen Gorge to hunt us down! We can't stay here any longer. You made the plan, so what now?"
"Head south," Chen Sanshi said without hesitation. He tapped the map at the southernmost pass. "We move straight for Luotian Pass. We'll see if we can get out of Mingzhou alive."
Luotian Pass—the final checkpoint of the south.
If they crossed it, they'd be free.
"Good!" Yu Song nodded. "Hear my command! The entire army marches—destination, Luotian Pass!"
…
Yangchun Prefecture.
"Kill!"
"Brothers, hold the line!"
Steel clashed, arrows screamed. General Sha Wenlong split an enemy commander clean in half atop the city wall, barely halting the latest assault.
Beside him, Cao Fan slumped to the ground the moment the retreat horn sounded, utterly spent.
Fifteen days.
They hadn't slept a single night in fifteen days.
Every moment was spent either defending the walls or rebuilding fortifications. Their losses mounted daily, and supplies were running dry. At this rate, they wouldn't last long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
"Go," Sha Wenlong said quietly, unfastening the message from the gyrfalcon's leg and letting it fly.
"Cough, cough…"
Cao Fan wiped blood from his lips. "General Sha, that letter—it's from Chen Sanshi, isn't it? How are they doing?"
"They're still alive."
Sha Wenlong clenched his fist, crushing the parchment to dust with his gang qi. "They're leading Yu Song's force south to Luotian Pass."
"Luotian Pass?" Cao Fan sneered. "They should call it the Heavenly Noose Gate. With only three thousand men and three Martial Saint Bodies, neither Dong An nor Western Qi will let them through. Even now, both sides are probably reinforcing the pass. They're doomed. All we can do is wait for the death report."
Once the falcon's master died, it would seek out the nearest officer with another gyrfalcon—proof that its original handler was gone.
"Pity…"
Cao Fan closed his eyes. "Not that we'll live much longer ourselves."
"Don't lose hope, Your Highness," Sha Wenlong said calmly. He'd been through countless campaigns. "Even if the city falls, I have ways to get you out. Once Chen Sanshi dies, you'll return to Liangzhou and claim the position of true successor."
…
Outside the city.
Inside the rebel main tent.
"Report!"
A scout knelt on one knee. "Marshal Dong, fewer than 4,000 troops from the Reserve Camp crossed the river. They're marching south, likely aiming to seize Luotian Pass and escape through the Great Wasteland."
"Hmm."
Dong An's expression darkened.
After arriving at this point, they had already received intelligence that the Liangzhou army had split near Yangchun Prefecture—one force crossing east over the Hongze River, the other staying behind to attack and defend the city. They had even captured a Thousand-Commander alive, who revealed that this entire plan was proposed by Sun Xiangzong's final disciple, the one personally commended by His Majesty—Chen Sanshi.
That man had reportedly argued fiercely with Sha Wenlong before leading fewer than 4,000 soldiers away on his own, abandoning all their warhorses in the process.
Dong An's eyes glimmered coldly. "What a bold one! He knew staying to defend meant certain death, yet still dared defy his commanding general's orders and act alone. If he lives, he'll surely become a great figure one day. Unfortunately… he won't have that chance."
Almost at the exact same time, though separated by distance, Liang Jinian of Meishan and Dong An outside Yangchun Prefecture gave identical orders.
"Send word to the Western Qi general stationed at Jianmen Gorge. Immediately dispatch another 20,000 troops to pursue from behind. And at Luotian Pass, prepare 30,000 soldiers in advance, with a Profound Manifestation Realm general in command. I want them wiped out completely!"
…
Before Luotian Pass.
At Xiao Luo County.
Beyond this small county lay Luotian Pass itself.
The latest reports from Yangchun Prefecture had arrived—and just as Chen Sanshi predicted, the situation there was disastrous. The defenders were trapped and bleeding out with no hope of escape.
In addition, new information came from Zhao Wuji.
After his troops were scattered earlier, he had fled west with the remnants, wandering between several counties. They hoped to seize the under-defended Wutong Prefecture as a temporary stronghold. However, their numbers were too few—if they had another 3,000 to 4,000 men, they could easily take it. He asked whether Chen Sanshi could send reinforcements or link up with him. Wutong Prefecture was well-fortified and contained abundant grain; once captured, it could be held for at least forty days.
Outside Xiao Luo County's gate, Chen Sanshi and his officers waited for the final report before deciding their next move.
"Report—!"
Zhao Kang came running, breathless. "Sir! Terrible news! Luotian Pass has at least 30,000 troops stationed there. And there seems to be a Profound Manifestation Realm general among them!"
"Report—!"
Another scout rushed in from the rear. "Sir! Enemy reinforcements are approaching from behind! We can't determine their exact number, but it's at least 20,000 men!"
"This…"
"What do we do now?!"
Xie Sishu's face turned pale as he spun in circles. "Wolves ahead and tigers behind—death either way! I told you we shouldn't come to Luotian Pass, but you insisted! Captain Chen, what now?!"
Lu Shuhua frowned, glaring hard at Chen Sanshi. "We should've stayed with the Crown Prince's heir and defended the city. With a few thousand more men, maybe we could've held out until reinforcements arrived!"
"Captain Chen, this was your plan!"
Yu Song drew his saber. "You tell us what to do now! If there's no way out, we'll fight our way back and die trying!"
"The map!"
Chen Sanshi held out his hand.
Xu Wencai, who had been ready for this moment, quickly spread the map open on the ground.
"Second crossing of the Hongze River!"
Chen Sanshi's palm slammed onto the map's western edge.
"Cross again?!"
Xie Sishu looked stunned. "If we move west, we'll reach Eagle Beak Mountain and Jinquan Prefecture. Sha Wenlong fought the Red Brows Army there not long ago and was crushed! You still want to go there? Are you insane?!"
"Different time, different situation."
Chen Sanshi had no choice but to explain patiently.
He was too low in rank, too lacking in authority. He had never commanded a major battle and had little reputation among them. To make them follow, he had to reason with them, not order them.
"Have you all forgotten what the enemy's main forces are doing right now?" he said. "Over half of them are in the western region preparing to meet Yanzhou's army. Most of the rest are still assaulting Yangchun Prefecture. Add in the 50,000 chasing us, and that leaves the area around Eagle Beak Mountain and Jinquan Prefecture nearly undefended—no more than 2,000 men at most, and completely off guard!
"If we move now, we can shake off pursuit and maybe even burn their supply depots, making their coming battles with our Imperial Army far costlier!
"And if you doubt it, Zhao Wuji's intelligence confirms this. Look for yourselves."
The men exchanged uncertain glances.
It was Yu Song who finally broke the silence after reading Zhao Wuji's report from the gyrfalcon. "Fine. We'll do as Captain Chen says. We cross the Hongze River again and head straight for Jinquan Prefecture. Staying means certain death anyway. If we make it, we'll join with Zhao Wuji's forces. With a Profound Manifestation commander on our side, we'll have at least one path to survival!"
Zhao Wuji…
Chen Sanshi sighed inwardly.
The distance was too great; it was unlikely they'd ever actually link up.
But he couldn't say that yet.
He needed to lead them out first—alive.
"Move out!"
"Wait," Chen Sanshi said as Yu Song prepared to give the order. "We can't leave yet. We need a decoy force to feign an attack and cover the crossing. Once we're across, the warhorses will come back for us, and the enemy will never catch up."
Yu Song's eyes swept over the men. "Who volunteers?"
"I'll go!"
Bai Tingzhi stepped forward without hesitation. "I'll stay behind and cover Captain Chen!"
"It's a feint, not a last stand!"
Chen Sanshi reminded him sternly. "Just make noise every so often. Don't actually die here!"
He still didn't feel entirely at ease.
Both Bai Tingzhi and Zhu Tong were brave—but not exactly cautious.
Lu Shuhua and Xie Sishu, on the other hand, would never agree to stay behind.
"Sir, let me stay."
Everyone turned in shock as Xu Wencai stepped forward, his face pale but determined. "Sir, with me here, I can make them believe we truly intend to assault Luotian Pass. You can move ahead without worry—don't look back."
"Lazy Xu, since when were you this brave?" Zhu Tong blurted out in disbelief.
"Old Zhu," Xu Wencai said sharply, "I've never been a coward afraid of death! This is the time for me to prove my worth!"
"Good!"
Zhu Tong thumped his chest. "I'll stay with you! I'll be your personal guard! As long as I'm alive, no one will lay a finger on you!"
"Bai Tingzhi."
Chen Sanshi turned to him and said seriously, "If you trust me, from this moment on, you and your men must respect Xu Wencai's commands. He'll handle things properly."
"Yes, sir!"
Bai Tingzhi clasped his fists. "With your word, General, Mister Xu is my commander now! Everyone, listen up—follow me! Attack Luotian Pass!"
"Thank you for your hard work."
Chen Sanshi couldn't stay behind. If he did, once the others crossed the river, they'd almost certainly turn back to find Zhao Wuji—and die on the way.
They moved out immediately, making their second crossing of the Hongze River.
"The horses!"
"They're our horses!"
Cheers broke out.
The soldiers saw the herd waiting obediently by the riverside. When they counted, the number hadn't gone down—it had increased by more than one hundred. No one knew where Qianxun had found the extras, but it felt nothing short of miraculous.
"Move! Don't waste time!"
Chen Sanshi shouted.
The troops mounted up and rode out swiftly.
Under Xu Wencai's command, the rear group's feigned assault went smoothly, drawing most of the enemy's attention. The pursuers became convinced that they truly intended to force their way through Luotian Pass into the Great Wasteland to escape.
But when the pursuing army finally caught up—
The supposed force of 3,000 men had already vanished hundreds of li away, near Eagle Beak Mountain. To the enemy's eyes, those soldiers had been charging toward Luotian Pass just a moment ago, and then—gone. Not a single trace remained, as if they had vanished into thin air.
…
"They disappeared?"
Dong An frowned deeply at the report.
"Strange. Where could they have gone?"
Xiang Tian studied the map, puzzled. "Did they sprout wings and fly?"
"Fly my ass! We've been tricked!"
Dong An's face darkened instantly. "They must've crossed the river again! They're taking advantage of the weak defenses in the central region—moving around Eagle Beak Mountain toward Jinquan Prefecture, trying to link up with Zhao Wuji's scattered troops! Wait… how many soldiers are still stationed at Jinquan Prefecture?"
"About 2,000," Xiang Tian recalled. "Most of our forces are here. The rest went west chasing Zhao Wuji. The ones left behind are just laborers with no combat strength."
"Damn it! The grain!"
Dong An slammed his fist on the table. "That supply can feed both our army and the Western Qi troops for a full year!"
He barked new orders: "Quick! Gather all troops east of the Hongze River. Once assembled, cross to the west and take the fastest route to Jinquan Prefecture! And send word to General Zhong of Western Qi—order him to dispatch another 10,000 men to the southwest. They must intercept Chen Sanshi's group before they reach Zhao Wuji. Losing Wutong Prefecture isn't the end of the world, but it'll be a damned mess if they destroy our supplies!"
"O-okay, understood!"
Xiang Tian was half lost in confusion, but he didn't dare question the command and hurried off to relay it.
"Chen Sanshi… interesting."
Dong An picked up a brush and traced the enemy's route across the map. His gaze sharpened as an uneasy feeling rose in his chest.
This sense of pressure—he hadn't felt it in almost thirty years.
The last time was when he'd competed against Fang Qingyun for command of the Vanguard Corps.
The previous Fang Qingyun hadn't died yet.
And now, could there be… another Fang Qingyun rising?
"Hmph…"
Dong An took a deep breath, steadying himself. "No. I refuse to lose to him. If I lose to some upstart greenhorn, what's the point of living?"
War was a chessboard.
Both commanders were players—but players who could never see each other's faces.
Only after one side made its move could the other respond.
Right now, his opponent was at a disadvantage but had found an opening. Dong An needed to crush that spark before it could ignite.
"If the grain has to burn, then let it burn," he said coldly. "But that little force of theirs—must die."
…
"The grain must not burn. Damn it!"
At Meishan, Liang Jinian slammed his fist repeatedly on the table upon hearing the delayed report. "A full year's supply! If that's destroyed, how am I supposed to answer to Qi Kingdom?"
He seethed, pacing furiously. "Idiot! Dong An is so close to them—how can he not stop it? No wonder he spent his life under Feng Chu's shadow! They call him a war maniac; I say he's just a fool!"
"Western Qi's army has already set up camp in the northwest, waiting for Jinquan Prefecture's supplies. If we have to ship more from within our own borders, who knows how much extra cost this war will bring!"
His future position, his rewards from the Western Qi court—all depended on the success of this campaign.
Not to mention, his celestial artifact grew in power through victory. If they lost—if the grain burned—its strength might even decrease.
"Marshal, calm yourself!"
A general stepped forward to placate him. "Is there any way to make up for it?"
"Yes. Now. Immediately!"
Liang Jinian barked, "Send 10,000 men from Meishan Prefecture aboard large warships! Cross the river as fast as possible and try to intercept them halfway!"
"10,000?"
The general hesitated. "Marshal, we originally had 50,000 troops in Meishan. We already deployed 30,000, and only 20,000 remain. Are you sure we should split off another 10,000?"
"I have the natural barrier of the Wushui River! What's there to fear? And besides, we still have another 10,000 here!"
Liang Jinian shouted, "Move! Don't waste another second!"
"Yes, sir!"