"Eat your fill and drink up. Everyone take five days' rations. Once you've finished, follow me. Prepare to move out."
Sophie Grant kept shouting. The sky had turned gray; night was falling. The gate at the left-side mountain pass was open and planked over. Sophie led her soldiers out of the pass, heading straight for the foot of the mountain, which could be reached in half a day. Lucille Xing followed beside her.
"Sophie, if we go out like this, the enemy will definitely know."
Sophie smiled and shook her head.
"Even if the enemy knows, it can't be helped. We have thirty thousand men. If we take the high ground at the foot of the mountain, and the enemy's army is concentrated at the Central Pass, they'll need at least fifty or sixty thousand to wipe us out. If the forces at Central Pass decrease, Joseph Qiao won't miss the opportunity."
The horses had just left the gravel, and on the yellow earth ahead, sure enough, a small enemy group was resting. Sophie's eyes gleamed with excitement, and she immediately shouted.
"Charge!"
In an instant, the riders surged forward. The hundred or so enemies ahead scrambled onto their horses and began to flee in panic.
Lucille rode with Sophie. She drew the short bow from her back and nocked an arrow. The enemy was already fleeing toward the forest, and some who had no horses were now within reach.
With a sharp twang, Lucille loosed her bowstring. An arrow struck a terrified enemy square in the chest, dropping him to the ground. Sophie had already charged ahead, her spear raised, and in an instant, several enemies fell.
The skirmish ended quickly, leaving dozens of corpses behind. The soldiers began to clear the area, while Sophie led the main force onward to the foot of the mountain.
Once they held the foot of the mountain, it would be extremely difficult for the enemy to attack them. Even without assaulting Central Pass, they could circle around and strike the enemy's rear.
Five days would be more than enough to reach the north.
Night had grown deep. Bella Liang sat by the fire, gazing quietly at the distant night sky. A messenger had just arrived: the enemy had already set out from the left-side mountain pass, numbering in the tens of thousands.
The chieftains of the northern tribes were all present, along with generals from Wynn Domain and Sage Domain. They debated heatedly, while Stanley Tang's face was dark with worry.
"The enemy has already moved. Are we just going to let them circle behind and destroy our base?"
Stanley Tang immediately stood up and demanded an answer. Bella Liang stared at him coldly.
"Is that really what you think?"
Bella Liang then stood up and shouted for silence. Instantly, the whole gathering quieted down.
"The enemy wants to unsettle us, hoping we'll make a move. So what if our rear is exposed to them?"
As soon as Bella Liang finished speaking, the northern tribal chieftains erupted in protest.
"Move your people now—get your tribes close to Sage Domain. Their army is advancing toward us. I want to take Central Pass within ten days. This will be a hard battle. Once we seize Central Pass, Central Pasture, and the Southern Granary, we can push straight in, rest while the enemy tires, and wear them down bit by bit. If we drag this out, we have no chance of winning."
Bella Liang spoke forcefully, then began to issue orders.
"You there—take twenty thousand men to guard the forest on our right flank."
Stanley Tang was still dissatisfied. It would take less than two days for the enemy to reach his tribe's gathering place from the mountain's foot. He was deeply worried. Even with defenses in place, he knew they couldn't hold if attacked.
Tang Lan tugged at his sleeve. At this moment, Bella Liang ordered everyone to rest and prepare for an attack at dawn. She wore a cold smile, utterly confident in victory.
"Uncle, what are they trying to..."
"If you haven't lived through real war, don't get involved. Those little skirmishes don't count. Besides, the other two commanders haven't even come to the front. There are only about three hundred thousand troops here now; the rest are massed at the borders of Wynn Domain and Sage Domain. That means they already have a plan."
Stanley Tang couldn't swallow this. He had to obey others in everything—even his tribe's army had been merged into Wynn Domain's forces, leaving him with no command. The injustice infuriated him.
Joseph Qiao was still sitting cross-legged on the platform, silently watching the distant starry sky. His expression was grave. The torches hissed as the wind made them flicker.
Today, Joseph Qiao's plan—to have Sophie lead the troops out the left-side mountain pass and seize the foot of the mountain—seemed feasible, but there was a blind spot. They still didn't know exactly how many enemies lay beneath the slope; it looked like hundreds of thousands, but the true number was unknown.
"Joseph, let me keep watch. Go get some rest."
Leonard Lei climbed up.
Joseph Qiao nodded.
"It's fine. Sophie and her team will make the enemy suffer when the battle begins."
"Let's hope so."
The father and son were still at an impasse. Nearby, Sebastian Zhao had already awakened from a nap, glanced at the sky, and then smiled.
"Father, let me go. Let me..."
"King Grant, we can move now."
Sebastian Zhao spoke with determination in his eyes. Edward Grant glanced at him.
"What do you mean?"
"The enemy traveled from Zou City to this rocky field, which takes two or three days. Now it's already late at night. No matter what, the enemy needs rest. I've ordered the soldiers who will attack to rest before nightfall. This was Joseph Qiao's advice—we must wait until dawn to launch a surprise attack."
The defensive gate at the cave entrance was opened, and the spiked barriers outside were moved aside by the soldiers. Edward Grant sat astride his horse, gripping his long spear, with ranks of cavalry lined up behind him. Sebastian Zhao followed Edward, while King Grant watched anxiously.
"Don't worry, King Grant. I'll protect Edward."
In an instant, Edward glared at Sebastian.
Sebastian merely smiled faintly as the horses began to move forward at a slow pace. With fewer than two thousand cavalry, they entered the rocky field. Just as Edward was about to swing his whip, Sebastian grabbed his hand.
"Move slowly, don't make too much noise. Wait until we're close enough to see clearly before making a move. That way, the enemy will be unable to mount an effective resistance while they're still asleep."
The sky grew brighter. Early spring fog began to rise over the rocky field. Sebastian had previously sent soldiers out to familiarize themselves with the terrain, so they easily recognized their positions.
Edward looked at Sebastian in surprise.
"When did you do all this?"
"We started half a year ago, as soon as we arrived here. We've also predicted where the enemy would set up camp."
Sebastian continued, "There are two spots along this long ravine where the rocks are densely packed. Some of the larger stones, if tied together with ropes, form excellent defenses. The area is large enough to create a semicircle, providing effective protection for the troops on the flat plain behind."
At this moment, Sebastian stopped and looked around. Through the thinning mist, they could see tall rocks in the distance, and faint firelight was visible from that direction.
"Just as expected?"
As Sebastian spoke, Edward raised his bow, but Sebastian quickly grabbed his hand.
"Don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Go around the left side—there are fewer rocks there, perfect for a charge. Strike directly at the enemy's center. Once the battle begins, the infantry inside the fortress will come out. Joseph Qiao said, the only chance to defeat the Zou Clan is on the night they first arrive."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Sebastian smiled helplessly.
"Even if I told you earlier, would you listen? Every time I bring up these things, you get annoyed and don't want to hear it."
"You..."
Edward's face flushed with anger as he glared at Sebastian. The soldiers behind them burst into quiet laughter.
"What's so funny?"
The enemy arrived at sunset and spent the night busy building defenses and setting up sturdy straw tents.
Many soldiers had only dry grass to sleep on, covering themselves with animal hides and sleeping on the ground.
Joseph Qiao had secretly investigated the Zou Clan's troop structure for years. Zou Mu is an arrogant man—give him a glimmer of hope, and he'll overestimate his own strength.
Zou Mu did what he did to Lana Grant, and the Grant Family did nothing. Now, with the armies of Wynn and Si pressing in, their forces outnumber the Grant Family several times over, and more troops are on the way. Zou Mu knows the situation favors him.
Today, after their arrival, the Grant Family showed no signs of action. To make Zou Mu mistakenly believe the Grant Family would defend the pass to the death, Joseph Qiao had sent his own people to spread the rumor two or three years ago: if war breaks out, the Grant Family will hold the pass at all costs.
Sebastian raised his hand, and the soldiers behind him halted. The area ahead opened up, with few rocks, and they could already see the enemy at the foot of the slope, still a good distance away.
"Nock your arrows."
Sebastian called out softly. The soldiers behind him passed the order along, and soon everyone had their bows ready. The tactic had already been explained: the first wave would be a volley of arrows, then they'd switch to spears once they charged into the enemy ranks.
To ensure the cavalry could charge successfully across the uneven rocky ground, Joseph Qiao instructed every soldier to tie themselves to their saddles with rope.
Edward stared intently at the distant enemy, his eyes nearly blazing with fury.
"Give the order."
Sebastian spoke, and Edward took a deep breath.
"Charge!"
In an instant, he led the charge downhill. After only a short distance, the enemy spotted them, and the long, deep sound of a horn echoed.
Sebastian nocked an arrow. As they drew closer, the whistle of arrows filled the air, wave after wave. The enemy at the foot of the hill panicked, thrown into chaos. Some desperately grabbed ropes, trying to trip the charging horses, but it was already too late.