Continuous rain drizzled down, and the sky remained gloomy. It had been seven days now, with no sign of the rain stopping.
In the Wynn Domain army, the soldiers looked listless. Although supplies had arrived three days ago, the rain had dampened their desire to attack. With weather like this, the mountain peaks were always shrouded in mist, and visibility was very low.
"That woman should have admitted defeat by now, right? Since she said it herself, as a commander-in-chief like us, she should at least take responsibility for her words and actions."
Gus Bull seemed to be in a good mood, while Bella Liang remained calm. She gazed at the fine rain outside and frowned.
"Even if the rain stops, it'll take three to five days before we can launch an attack. The mountain roads are muddy and slippery now."
"A few days ago, enemies appeared on our western route. It seems they've noticed our movements upstream on the river."
At this, Bella Liang smiled, while Gus Bull seemed to recall something.
"In the end, it was thanks to that woman's plan that we managed to turn the northern tribes against their allies."
"Yeah, back then she suggested blocking the river with fishing nets, trapping all the fish upstream. Everyone thought her plan was a joke, but it actually worked. Many of the northern tribes depend on that river's fishery."
Both of them looked toward the distant mountain peak shrouded in mist, their expressions growing serious.
"It seems your worries were unnecessary, Joseph."
Lucille Xing had already arrived at the Central Pass. The two sat under the eaves outside, gazing at the hazy forest in the distance. The rain was light, but the atmosphere was unusually quiet, and they could hear the faint sound of dripping.
"I hope so. Maybe I was just overthinking."
What Joseph Qiao found odd was Lucille Xing herself. Not long ago, she seemed in a terrible state, almost as if she might devour someone, her expression twisted and ferocious. But now, she had recovered, her demeanor much more relaxed.
"Joseph, I'm sorry about earlier."
Lucille Xing lowered her head and spoke softly. Joseph Qiao looked at her in surprise.
"What brought this on all of a sudden?"
"The pain of losing someone you love... it's hard to bear."
Lucille Xing spoke in a low voice, inhaling sharply. Her expression was bitter as she raised her head and sniffled.
"Yes."
Joseph Qiao seemed to understand—Lucille Xing had come to terms with things.
"There was a time when I was drowned in grief over my father's death. Back then, Queen Grant once told me: 'Take a good look around you and see what's left.' Only later did I truly understand—there's still so much left. At least I still have my clan, and all of you."
"Joseph..."
Lucille Xing's voice grew very soft, her cheeks suddenly flushed, and their eyes met.
"Whoa, it's getting hot in here."
A burst of laughter and a teasing voice—Phoenix Yu walked over, and the two quickly pulled apart.
"Let's save these conversations for after the war. The enemy at the right pass is making a move."
Joseph Qiao shot Phoenix Yu a glare, but his expression quickly grew serious.
The Zou Clan has already advanced a great distance, less than 500 meters from the pass. It looks like they're preparing to attack.
Joseph Qiao nodded.
Sebastian Zhao and his men should be heading over. As long as we hold our ground, the enemy will only attack a few times before stopping. It’s probably the Wynn Domain forcing them to attack, just to wear down our strength.
The sky over Grant City was a deep blue, almost cloudless. Unlike the rain elsewhere, here the temperature still felt like summer, even though autumn had arrived.
King Grant returned to Grant City early this morning. As soon as he arrived, he collapsed—his condition was very bad.
"Don't worry, Yuna. He'll be fine. He just needs some time to recover."
Mason Mao stood outside the King's Residence, comforting Yuna. He was responsible for bringing King Grant back. In the central pastures, Mason Mao was renowned among the local tribes for his skill with lassos and wild horses. To make up for the cavalry losses, the tribes often roamed the plains in search of wild herds.
"Thank you for bringing my father back, Mason."
Mason Mao grinned.
"It was nothing. I’ll be heading back tomorrow—I need to deliver the trained horses to the front lines for Terry and the others."
Yuna nodded, looking at the playmate who had accompanied her for years. She couldn’t help but glance at him in confusion.
"Aren’t you worried, Mason? About Terry and the others..."
King Grant shook his head.
"Yuna, do you remember what I once told you about the origin of your name? I made a promise to the northern tribes, hoping to win their loyalty in return. Unfortunately, things still turned out this way. But at least, among the younger generation of the tribes, there are many promising people now."
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Yuna responded with a soft 'oh' and nodded. She couldn't detect any worry on her father's face; instead, he seemed remarkably at ease.
"Your elder brother has grown a lot, and with Yusheng and the others supporting him, everything will be fine, Yuna. Perhaps the envoy from Jiang Territory will arrive soon."
Yuna let out a surprised sound and looked at King Grant.
"Since the marriage agreement is set, we must honor it. You don't need to worry about Grant City, Yuna. Prepare yourself to marry into their family."
For a moment, Yuna remembered her pending marriage. Her expression dimmed.
"Aunt Yuna!"
A childish voice rang out as Ji Si ran in. King Grant happily waved, but Ji Si hid behind Yuna.
"Grandpa, do you really have to send Aunt Yuna away? That's so mean! I'm not going!"
King Grant nodded, then tried to stand but struggled. Yuna quickly led Ji Si over. Ji Si pouted, looking at King Grant with dissatisfaction.
After a while, Yuna left with Ji Si. She held his small hand, planning to head to the training grounds for a little practice. Now she had one more thing to worry about.
"Aunt Yuna, will we win?"
At this moment, Ji Si looked at Yuna with innocent eyes and asked. For a moment, Yuna was flustered, but she nodded.
"Si, we will. The Grant Family will win."
"Why force yourself? Hehe!"
A cold, seductive laughter echoed in the dead of night. Yuna sat alone at the doorway, clutching a long spear, a strange smile on her face.
"Who are you, really?"
"Still asking that? I am you, of course—Yuna Grant. Only, I am me and you are you, but we are one and the same. If you don't want to marry, then leave it to me. Hand everything over to me."
"No, Father would never allow it."
"Go to the battlefield. That place is perfect. Pierce the enemy's body, slit their throats. That's the only way. Win this war—once your brother is dead."
"What are you saying? Don't jinx it!"
"Isn't it true? You've noticed, haven't you? That pass may not hold much longer."
Yuna's face flickered between gloom and forced smiles.
"Nonsense! We can hold it—the pass will..."
"You're not a child anymore. How could you possibly hold it? The enemy isn't like the northern tribes or the Zou Clan—they're not weak. Soon, the pass will fall. Everything will be ruined."
"Shut up!"
Suddenly, Yuna sprang to her feet. At that moment, someone stood at the doorway, snapping her back to reality.
"Yuna, who are you talking to?"
Lona Long hurried over, placing her hands on Yuna's shoulders, her face full of concern. Yuna managed a stiff smile.
"It's nothing, Lona. I just couldn't sleep and came out for some air."
But Lona's face was pale as she leaned her forehead against Yuna's.
"Yuna, tell me honestly—what's going on? Lately, you've had some frightening expressions."
"It's nothing, Lona. I'm fine, really."
Yuna quickly pushed Lona away, panicked, and hurried inside. She lay on her bed, pulled up the covers, and pressed a hand to her forehead. She knew something was wrong with her. Sometimes, she'd snap back to awareness in the training grounds, her body exhausted. Sometimes, she'd wake up in the bath, with no idea how she got there.
Early the next morning, a large group of riders gathered at the western city gate. They were impeccably dressed, their long procession laden with goods, slowly entering Grant City.
A sudden jolt woke Yuna, her eyes sore. Lona Long looked at her anxiously.
"Yuna, the betrothal envoy from Jiang Territory has arrived in the city."
"What?"
Yuna bolted upright from bed, clutching her aching head.
"I don't want to marry them, Lona. I don't want to go."