After a long while, the generals entered the room, each with a grim expression, silently staring at Yuna Ji.
"It only takes two days to reach Red Plume Fortress from here. Right now, all forces from the three fortresses are concentrated at Crimson Plume Fortress. Red Plume Fortress is left defenseless, and since it's the closest to the central front, it's likely that troops have already been dispatched to fight there. So now is the time to assemble the army, set out immediately, and make a long-range assault—bypassing White Plume Fortress and attacking Red Plume Fortress directly."
Looking at the map, Red Plume Fortress is separated by a range of rolling mountains, but the road to White Plume Fortress is direct. If this plan is to be executed, the army must circle around the plains on the outskirts, and the only possible attack point is the front.
Many generals opposed such a risky move. At that moment, a messenger rushed in to report that the Imperial army had advanced significantly and was now stationed just three hundred meters outside Crimson Plume Fortress, ready to launch another attack at dawn.
Many generals objected to this plan, saying it was far too risky. With such a large-scale march, the enemy certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough not to notice.
At this, Yuna Ji burst out laughing and shook her head.
"Their attention is completely focused here. I’ve already sent word for reinforcements to head northeast. It’s just nightfall, and the enemy is fixated on retaking this fortress. I only need a hundred thousand soldiers to help defend the city; the rest, you take with you. Leave before dawn, and I’ll lead a surprise attack with a few troops. By the time they notice, you’ll be close to Red Plume Fortress. With the city so under-defended, if anything happens at Red Plume Fortress, the central army won’t sit idly by."
After Yuna Ji’s explanation, many generals finally nodded in agreement. Large numbers of troops began to exit through the south gate. At that moment, Yuna Ji grabbed me.
"Ethan Zhang, your mission is to delay General Red Plume if he’s in the fortress. Your body will remain here to help defend the city."
I nodded. It was clear that Yuna Ji was determined to win no matter what. She had made an incredibly risky decision and was ready to gamble everything. With so many enemies before us, holding this fortress seemed nearly impossible.
The western and southern sides of the fortress are protected by a moat, so the Imperial army can only attack from the north, where the two fortresses are connected. To the east lies a vast mountain range, completely impassable.
Massive numbers of troops have already begun to move onto the plains, circling toward Red Plume Fortress.
The sky was gradually turning gray and white—it would soon be dawn. Yuna Ji was already prepared to launch the attack, with large numbers of cavalry gathering at the north city gate.
I moved with the troops, and less than half an hour after leaving the city, I heard faint sounds drifting from afar. The surprise attack had already begun.
Generals kept shouting, and all the soldiers were running forward, trying to reach the front of Red Plume Fortress as quickly as possible.
There was no cover on the open plain. I could only hope the Imperial army wouldn’t notice our movements for now. Just as dawn broke, a report arrived from the central front: the Imperial army was pressing in on all sides, having destroyed several Rebel Legion strongholds in the central plains and forcing the rebels back into the massive fortress to the west. More troops kept leaving from six different fortresses, and even the northern forces were starting to retreat.
There were rumors that the Empire's generals were no longer cooperating, and their overwhelming momentum caused the Rebel Legion to collapse instantly.
Now the Rebel Legion has no way out. As the Imperial army advances, the Resurrection Pits near the plains strongholds have already been occupied by Imperial forces.
If Yuna Ji’s plan fails, this war will be lost—and she’ll lose her bet to that monster.
The army marched quickly, the atmosphere tense and rigid. We had circled a wide arc; Yuna Ji should now be leading the soldiers in a surprise attack. The three-day deadline she mentioned is the final limit—if Crimson Plume Fortress is retaken, the reinforcement point will also fall into crisis.
After several hours of marching, we successfully joined up with the soldiers from the reinforcement point. Some siege equipment was also brought out.
Night fell. After a full day of movement, the army was allowed to rest—but only for one hour. The cavalry pressed on, and I rode with them, continuing forward.
What I hoped most was that General Red Plume wouldn’t be inside the fortress, but I hadn’t seen him on the battlefield yesterday.
All through the night, by dawn, we reached the mountains nearby and could finally see Red Plume Fortress. As expected, there was a long moat, the drawbridge was raised, and a few soldiers patrolled the walls—but not many. Our entire army lay in wait behind the mountains.
The siege equipment hadn’t arrived yet, and the rest of the troops were still on their way. All we could do was climb to the mountain top for a distant look at Red Plume Fortress.
I and several generals quickly reached a peak in the mountains ahead, crouching in the woods to observe Red Plume Fortress.
As expected, there weren’t many troops inside the fortress—at a glance, perhaps only ten or twenty thousand.
Red Plume Fortress was surrounded by mountains. The city wall was only about sixty or seventy meters long, like a narrow opening—it wouldn’t be hard to take. If I could get onto the wall, open the gate, and lower the drawbridge, the Rebel Legion could charge straight in. According to the map, a Resurrection Pit was just six or seven kilometers east of the fortress.
That means after we break into the city, we’ll need to clear the enemy within half an hour, then rush to the Resurrection Pit and capture it.
Just then, the rest of the troops began to arrive. Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the sky. My heart leapt; the generals beside me hurried down the mountain. There was no time to think—we had to attack immediately.
We were spotted by the enemy’s scouts—a Skeletal Giant Eagle circled overhead, then flew toward Red Plume Fortress.
The newly arrived soldiers quickly formed ranks, bypassed the mountain, and entered the gap, advancing rapidly toward the city wall. I rode out at the front—I had to open the city gate immediately so the rest of the troops could follow.
The city wall was packed with people—the Imperial army was already building defenses. We were less than two hundred meters from the city when I heard a series of sharp, piercing sounds. Black dots in the sky swooped toward us. Alarmed, I turned and shouted.
"Scatter! Scatter immediately!"
There was a thunderous roar—it was something invented by Luban, The Engineer. On the city wall, rows of small black launchers could be seen.
In an instant, the charging troops fell in droves; the explosions threw the formation into complete chaos.
Explosions erupted around me. My horse broke apart beneath me, and I tumbled to the ground. The moat was now visible. I drew Eagle's Requiem, but the soldiers behind me didn’t stop attacking—the order for a full assault still rang out across the battlefield.
My only target was the city gate. I reached the edge of the moat, leapt high, and jumped across, brandishing Eagle's Requiem. Just then, a flash of red light burst before my eyes.
"Where did this brat come from? Looking for death?"
With a thunderous crash, I landed just below the city wall and leapt backward. The ground in front of me suddenly collapsed—General Red Plume was there, wielding a long staff and smashing it toward me.
I knew his strength—he was definitely formidable. I didn’t dare take his attack head-on and kept retreating. Soldiers were dying in droves; black beads rained down from the wall, each exploding in a small blast upon impact.
Dodging constantly, I eyed the steel cables on the drawbridge. I had to cut them. Just then, General Red Plume brought his staff down again—I flattened myself against the wall as the ground collapsed. I circled to his side as a volley of arrows rained down from the generals.
Suddenly, a pitch-black staff blocked my way, slamming into the wall with a deafening crash. I ducked low as a foot swept over my head—a slender bone hand gripped the staff, and, like slicing through tofu, it carved down through the wall.
With a heavy blow, my shoulder took a solid hit. Arrows rained from the wall, and soldiers near the moat fell one after another. Some planks were already in place, and the troops began their assault. Things looked grim—reinforcements were still arriving, but only a handful had made it to the wall.
With a swish, General Red Plume yanked his staff free and smashed it down at me. I raised my hand to block, and with a bang, my entire arm shattered instantly. Ignoring his attack, I leapt forward as General Red Plume gave chase.
I was close to the drawbridge. Roaring, I raised Eagle's Requiem and leapt, slashing at a steel cable. A gust of force struck my abdomen, slamming me into the city gate. I hit the ground, my body no longer obeying me. Soldiers kept falling in waves before my eyes.
The staff was at my neck. Eyes wide, I twisted aside and dodged, then sprang up and slashed at another cable with Eagle's Requiem. With a swish, I severed it, but a crushing blow landed on my back. My consciousness slipped away in an instant.