"Before nightfall, remember to place water beside the house in case of fire."
Edward Grant shouted, watching as the soldiers carried buckets of water up from the foot of the mountain. The enemy was quiet for now, and the defensive positions were nearly set. If the enemy attacked again, it wouldn't be as easy as before.
Edward Grant looked confidently at the Mountain Pass before him. This was the hardest pass to conquer in Grant Territory. No matter how many enemies came, he was sure he could withstand their assault.
"Father, why are you out here again? The wind is strong, be careful not to catch cold. I think you should return to Grant City and leave this to me. Joseph and the others should be back in a few days."
King Grant nodded, then looked at Edward. His health was poor these days, lacking energy all day, coughing often, and unable to sleep well at night.
"Alright, Edward, I'll head back tomorrow morning. I'll check on the central and southern regions as well."
Edward nodded. He knew his father was still uneasy, planning to personally oversee the autumn harvest. After all, there were over twenty thousand prisoners. Even though they'd been scattered across the central and southern regions, they remained a potential threat.
"Something's wrong, Chief! You need to come quickly!"
The sun was just about to set. Edward, puzzled, followed the general to the Mountain Pass. After climbing the watchtower, he saw thick smoke rising from the forest.
"Are the enemy planning to set the mountain on fire?"
A general beside him spoke up, and Edward Grant burst out laughing.
"That whole mountain forest? Impossible. You're overthinking it."
As the sun set and the sky turned gray-white, the thick smoke gradually lessened.
"See? Impossible. Even in late autumn, there are still plenty of plants in that dense forest that won't wither, and sunlight rarely reaches the ground. It's nearly impossible to set it on fire."
Bella Liang added, "We sent some soldiers into the forest at noon today, lighting fires in a semicircle where there were withered plants. But as soon as the sun set, the fire went out."
"If we can't set it on fire, the enemy will manage to do it eventually."
Lydia Lien said as she turned away. Gus Bull and Bella Liang both looked at her helplessly.
"Why is she always like this? It's unsettling. She always thinks up these underhanded tricks."
Gus Bull spoke as Bella Liang shook her head.
"If this forest really could be set on fire, it might actually be good for us. We could end the war early."
"Forget it. Supplies will arrive in a few days, and we should thank that guy from the Sage Domain. They'll be here tomorrow. Once the supplies arrive, we'll rest up for two days and then attack. I haven't returned to my tribe in ages—my child must be this tall by now."
Gus Bull said, placing his hand on his waist to indicate the height. Bella Liang managed a rare smile.
"We're all the same. It's been ages since any of us went home."
Just after entering the West Pass, Joseph Qiao casually ate something, mounted his horse, and rushed toward the Central Pass.
"Joseph, you should rest for a bit."
Lucille Xing called out, but Joseph Qiao had already left. Phoenix Yu sighed helplessly.
"It's no use. Joseph is worried the enemy will set the mountain on fire."
On the road to the Central Pass, Joseph Qiao whipped his horse furiously. The soldiers behind him could barely keep up. He was desperate to return to the pass, to persuade Edward Grant to abandon it and retreat to the central region, reinforce the three strongholds, and send soldiers to help with the southern harvest—move the grain first.
Setting the forest on fire sounded impossible, but there hadn't been heavy rain lately. Though the dense woods rarely saw sunlight and were cold and damp, it was still possible. If the enemy kept trying, all it would take was one successful spark and the consequences would be unimaginable.
That would be far more brutal than direct combat. If that happened, forget defending the pass—they'd have to run for their lives. And once the fire died down, the enemy would invade the central region, the harvest would be ruined, and the three strongholds couldn't be reinforced. It would be the worst possible outcome in an instant.
"Give me the order. Every day, you take soldiers into the mountains and set fires."
A general looked at Lydia Lien's serious face, deeply puzzled. They had already tried several times today, but each time the fire was quickly extinguished by the dampness.
"Commander Lien, that mountain..."
The general immediately stopped speaking, sighed, and walked out of the room in resignation.
"Sigh, Commander Lien really knows how to make people suffer."
Getting into the forest was much harder than expected. It was urgent to go deep into the woods, but once inside, it was easy to get lost—and some soldiers didn't make it back until late at night.
Early the next morning, Joseph Qiao entered the Mountain Pass. His face was pale—he hadn't rested properly in days. He hurried up the mountain and immediately had someone wake Edward Grant. The sun was just rising, and Edward looked at Joseph, still groggy.
"Joseph, why are you..."
"Edward, let's retreat. Leave this pass now while we still can. If the enemy sets fire..."
Before Joseph Qiao could finish, Edward Grant burst out laughing.
"The enemy already tried yesterday. There was smoke several times, but the fire quickly died out. Plus, it's autumn—there will be frequent rain, so it's impossible to set it ablaze."
Joseph Qiao's face grew even more grave.
"That's just a few times. What if the enemy tries dozens or hundreds of times? If they succeed even once, this place will turn into a sea of fire in an instant."
Edward Grant sighed and placed both hands on Joseph Qiao's shoulders.
"Joseph, look at you—you're so pale. Go get some rest. I'll have someone make you some wild chicken soup later."
Joseph Qiao immediately brushed Edward Grant's hands away.
"Simon..."
Suddenly, Edward Grant stared blankly at Joseph Qiao.
"Simon once said—even if he was half-joking—that the Mountain Pass's greatest weakness is fire. If the forest burns, the war could end in an instant."
"Enough."
Suddenly, Edward Grant roared in anger, glaring at Joseph Qiao.
"He's been gone a long time, hasn't he? Get a grip, Joseph. No one would keep doing something like this forever."
Joseph Qiao looked quietly at Edward Grant, then quickly apologized. He knew that mentioning Simon always unsettled Edward.
Back in his room, Joseph Qiao lay on the bed to rest, still worrying about the possibility of the forest being set on fire.
"Sigh, did that woman get brain damage from her last injury?"
Gus Bull looked angrily at the soldiers heading into the mountains with tools—there were over a thousand of them, and even the leading generals seemed helpless.
"Forget it, say less. Her tribe was one of the largest in Wynn Domain, more powerful than either of ours. She may have some cunning, but at the end of the day, she's still a woman."
Bella Liang spoke, and Gus Bull sneered in contempt.
At that moment, Lydia Lien stood cold and handsome in the distance, watching Gus Bull and Bella Liang.
"Hmph. I'll show you—I'm not just any woman."
Awakened by the aroma, Joseph Qiao got up to find a steaming bowl of wild chicken soup on the table.
After eating, Joseph Qiao felt much better. But when he opened the window, his face changed instantly—he saw several distinct plumes of black smoke drifting in the distant sky.
It was nearly dusk. Joseph Qiao hurried out, climbed the watchtower, and though he didn't know what the enemy commander was thinking—such an impractical idea that even children wouldn't believe it—someone was actually doing it.
"Ha! Joseph, look—it's impossible to succeed. There were several plumes of smoke earlier, but now only two are left. The rest have gone out."
"Edward, we should still withdraw from the pass. There's still time."
Joseph Qiao was serious as he looked at Edward Grant, but Edward just shook his head.
"Joseph, this pass is indispensable for the Grant Domain. Back in the tribal wars, the Grant Family won thanks to this pass and two others. That's how we won the war, and it'll be the same this time."
Finally, Joseph Qiao nodded. He knew the army couldn't be withdrawn from the pass now. His plan would collapse if it failed, and holding the pass was safer. But lately, Joseph kept thinking of Yuna Ji—her figure on the battlefield that day.
That reckless charge was like a gamble. Not losing the pass was already incredibly lucky, and in the end, they even won the war.
For three days in a row, the enemy set fires in the forest. Every day, Joseph Qiao watched the flames in worry. On the third day, it finally started to rain lightly, and he felt much more at ease.