Waves of scorching heat swept in from the east, the flames roaring, crackling loudly. Horses neighed in distress, growing restless. Soldiers hurriedly loaded supplies onto the horses or carried them on their backs, beginning their descent down the mountain. It would still take a day to reach the central grasslands from here.
Soldiers have already been sent to notify the eastern and western passes. Now, the only option is to retreat. If the road connecting to the Central Pass is blocked by the enemy, the soldiers stationed at both passes could easily be surrounded from within.
Edward Grant clenched his fists, gripping a bucket of water, his face ashen and head bowed, utterly motionless. His mind felt on the verge of exploding as memories surged forth. Rage shook him, making him tremble, while Phoenix Yu watched quietly from the side.
"How long are you going to stand there? The fire is almost upon us."
Phoenix Yu shouted, but Edward Grant remained motionless. Slowly, his anger faded, and his expression turned blank and sorrowful as he looked up.
"I promised them, in front of everyone in the tribe, in front of all the clan leaders. I swore I would stand in for Simon Grant, that I would defend the pass for the sake of everyone in the Grant lands. I said it—clearly I said it... Clearly..."
Edward Grant threw his head back and roared, as if trying to release every ounce of his rage and sorrow.
"Why? Why, when I clearly..."
Phoenix Yu widened his eyes at Edward Grant. For the first time, he saw Edward cry—a string of tears rolled down his cheeks. Edward was deeply unwilling to accept this. He desperately wanted to prove he was not inferior to Simon Grant, that as the elder brother, he would not lose to his younger sibling. His mind was filled with images of himself taking charge of the three passes.
With a loud slap, Phoenix Yu struck Edward Grant across the face, gripping his head. Edward, now weeping openly, wore an expression Phoenix Yu had never seen before—raw, overwhelming sorrow erupting from deep within.
Phoenix Yu shouted, "Look closely at the soldiers' condition over these days. Even without this fire, we would have lost the pass. Now we must hurry back, organize the troops, and prepare to face the enemy's attack. There is still a chance. Joseph Qiao said the plains offer us many advantages. No matter how many enemies there are, we can find a way—there must be a way! Run, Edward Grant!"
Phoenix Yu shouted loudly, then slammed her head into Edward Grant's cheek. With a loud bang, Edward dropped the bucket, and the two of them took off running.
The merciless flames had already reached the eastern foothills and were preparing to sweep over the pass.
"Joseph Qiao, it's bad! There's a fire—the mountain is burning!"
Awakened from sleep, Joseph Qiao saw Mason Mao rush in from outside, drenched in sweat. He hurriedly threw on his clothes and ran to the balcony, looking north. Though it was just a faint glow, he could see it clearly—the fiery red light stained the sky above the mountains and forests.
"Immediately order the troops at the Eastern Pass to retreat south and assist with the harvest. Move as much grain as possible—burn what can't be taken. Go yourself to the Western Pass and tell Lucille Xing to withdraw all forces."
Joseph Qiao spoke breathlessly. He had been running a high fever for days, and finally felt a bit better today. He had planned to return to the pass early tomorrow.
With a bang, Joseph Qiao slammed his fist on the wooden railing, his heart burning with frustration as he watched the raging fire so close yet so far.
From the Eastern Pass, one could reach the southern granary by following the mountain range. The Western Pass, however, had only a main road through the mountains and a few small paths, requiring a detour to the Central Pass before reaching the grasslands. Joseph Qiao could only hope the fire wouldn't die out too quickly.
Once the flames die down, the enemy will surely rush in and seize the mountain road. Then, with the enemy pursuing from the Western Pass and blocking from the Central Pass, the more than one hundred thousand troops at the Western Pass would be completely wiped out.