"Lucille Xing, hurry up! How long are you going to let your emotions get the better of you? Joseph Qiao already said you must withdraw from the Mountain Pass immediately!"
Mason Mao urged anxiously, but Lucille Xing remained motionless atop the Mountain Pass watchtower, staring at the restless enemy in the distance.
The soldiers were already organizing supplies. Dusk was approaching, and Lucille Xing felt terrible. Three passes had been lost overnight to a raging fire, and now they had no choice but to surrender them to the enemy.
"Sophie Grant fought so hard for this—she risked her life to win it back."
Mason Mao said nothing, quietly watching Lucille Xing cry alone. This Mountain Pass held too many memories for her; she had grown up here with Sophie Grant and spent much of her life at this very pass.
"Please, Lucille, let's go."
Mason Mao placed a hand on Lucille Xing's shoulder, but she only tilted her head back, shaking it over and over.
The enemy in front of the Mountain Pass began to advance, while the soldiers continued to frantically pack their belongings.
Time was running out. Mason Mao clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he stared at Lucille Xing.
"If we don't leave now, the enemy from the Central region will come down, and then it'll be too late to escape. Joseph Qiao said we must return to the Central Plains as quickly as possible."
Lucille Xing looked at Mason Mao, still shaking her head.
"You go. I need to..."
"Don't joke around."
Mason Mao roared in anger.
"If you're not willing to give up, then get revenge. If you can't accept this, kill the enemy. Instead of dying here with that attitude, why not go back, reorganize the troops, and fight again? We still have a chance. Snap out of it!"
But at this moment, Lucille Xing seemed to have lost all drive, her face blank as she stared at the enemy before the Mountain Pass.
Mason Mao sighed, then angrily started climbing down the watchtower.
"If you want to stay, suit yourself. I'm taking the troops back. If you want Yuna to hear about your death and be devastated, then stay here and die with this Mountain Pass."
A large number of soldiers and reserves began to leave. The column marched down the main road. Mason Mao ordered the horses to be left behind for the remaining defenders, then folded his arms and sat beneath the watchtower, looking up at Lucille Xing.
With a loud bang, the gate of the Central Pass was smashed open. Burn marks were everywhere—nothing was left. Smoke still rose from the woods, rain kept falling, and the soldiers began to clear the road.
The houses had been burned to ash, their original forms unrecognizable. Only vast patches of charred foundations remained.
"They got in so easily."
Gus Bull rode on horseback as waves of cavalry rushed past him, galloping down the mountain. They had to reach the plains as quickly as possible, eliminate the fleeing enemy, then secure key routes in the Central Plains, occupy the south, and finally encircle and capture Grant Domain from three sides.
"Move aside! Why are you dawdling? Time waits for no one—accelerate the entire army!"
With several loud cracks, Lydia Lien whipped her riding crop. Soldiers clearing the ruins quickly made way, and the troops began to jog.
"No need to rush so much. The enemy must have already fortified the road to the plains. Even if we get there, a tough battle awaits us."
"I've already ordered my cavalry to head to the Central Pass as soon as they breach the eastern pass. They're faster than us—do you really want to miss such a good opportunity?"
Lydia Lien said this as she galloped off. The Sage Domain cavalry quickly followed, and Gus Bull immediately ordered the entire army to move at top speed. Tonight, they would reach the crossroads and launch their attack.
Si Chen caught up with Lydia Lien, smiling.
"The timing is just right, but it's a problem if Jiang Territory sends troops. If they do, we might have to wait until next year to continue our offensive."
Lydia Lien sneered coldly.
"They won't send troops. The fate of the Grant Family is already sealed, and the May Domain next door is no friend either. Let's end this boring war before winter."
"Commander Lydia, you're in a good mood today."
Si Chen looked at Lydia Lien beside him. She was different than usual—her brow, always furrowed, was now relaxed.
"Let's hurry up and finish off the enemy in one go. I don't want this to drag on any longer. We've prepared enough for this war."
At the crossroads in the Central region, soldiers dragged felled trees from the forest, binding them tightly with ropes and setting up defenses. Edward Grant kept shouting orders.
The troops from the Eastern Pass had all gone to the southern granary, suffering few losses. Now, the enemy was likely to attack the Central Pass from the east, while the West Pass still hadn't reported in. Earlier that morning, Mason Mao had just passed through the pass.
Phoenix Yu lay quietly atop a tree, watching the end of the road. The rain had extinguished the flames, and the enemy was surely on the move. He estimated they'd arrive by morning. They had to hold out until the West Pass troops returned; otherwise, if the enemy attacked from three sides, it would turn into a rout and spell disaster for them.
This was their last force—at most 150,000 men. The three strongholds behind them were almost empty, left with masses of peasant soldiers. These men were barely trained, just following the reserves. Though they were numerous, most were old, weak, or sick and couldn't withstand a direct assault from the enemy's main force.
Now all they could do was strengthen the defenses at the three strongholds, regroup the retreating forces, and figure out how to fight the enemy.
Joseph Qiao had anticipated this situation long ago, so he started preparing supplies to reinforce the three strongholds early on. Someone else had once voiced similar ideas—Simon Grant had previously suggested relocating the plainsfolk to these mountains, opening new roads, and stationing most soldiers here. If any of the three passes changed, reinforcements could be sent immediately. Even if a pass fell, they could still encircle and trap the enemy like a net.
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But now, everything was over. Phoenix Yu watched Edward Grant, who was still busy below, with deep concern.
Edward Grant had the charisma to unite the tribe, but he wasn't suited for war. War required someone like Joseph Qiao—cautious and meticulous. The lesson this time was far too painful.
If they'd followed Joseph Qiao's advice from the start and abandoned the three passes, ending the autumn harvest quickly, the enemy would have gained nothing even if they broke through. Once winter came, the enemy would collapse on their own.
"This is bad—the enemy cavalry has appeared on the eastern main road!"
A voice rang out. Phoenix Yu immediately turned his head. Even though rain was falling, dust still rose from the distant road—there were many enemy cavalry. Edward Grant cried out in alarm.
"Pick up your spears and shields! Form a line—don't let the enemy cavalry break our defenses!"
"Joseph, don't be reckless. Calm down—you haven't recovered from your illness yet."
Aaron Lin held Joseph Qiao back, who was planning to lead several thousand soldiers to the front line.
"We can't wait any longer—the enemy must have started their advance. They won't miss this chance to wipe us out."
Aaron Lin looked at the sky above the Central Pass in the distance. The gloomy sky was pouring rain, and his mood was bleak.
"Joseph, even if you go, it won't change anything. The enemy won't miss any chance to pick our troops apart. They'll do everything to block our escape. Going now is just throwing your life away."
"Get the cattle ready, Aaron. I have to go. If our troops get encircled, they could be wiped out. The pursuing enemy will come, and only the charge of the cattle might break their pursuit. I must go."
Seeing he couldn't stop him, Aaron Lin nodded. Joseph Qiao mounted his horse and led over two thousand newly equipped cavalry out from the stronghold.
Shouts and screams erupted everywhere. The enemy cavalry's frontal assault was powerful—defenses collapsed in an instant. The soldiers were thrown into chaos, fighting on their own. The scene was total confusion.
Night began to fall. One by one, soldiers dropped to the ground under the enemy cavalry's charge. Edward Grant gripped his spear, roaring as he pierced a cavalryman's horse. As the rider hit the ground, Edward stomped on him, pulled out his spear, and stabbed down.
The forest was filled with the sounds of battle. Enemy cavalry kept charging in waves.
"Don't panic—destroy the enemy!"
The clash of weapons rang through the woods. Using their mobility, the enemy cavalry repeatedly charged along the main road. Their combat strength was formidable.
Tens of thousands of troops were scattered with ease, split into many groups. In the fierce fighting, their own soldiers kept falling. Edward Grant shouted in fury.
Night had quietly fallen; darkness was about to descend.
With a swish, a cavalryman was shot down. Phoenix Yu, holding his bow, nocked another arrow.
"Archers, climb the trees!"
Phoenix Yu kept shouting, and the tactic quickly proved effective.
But what shocked Phoenix Yu even more was that enemy cavalry were now charging down the distant mountain. The situation was dire—they couldn't retreat, and even if they did, the highly mobile cavalry would catch them.
On the western main road, many figures appeared—the West Pass troops had finally arrived. But now, it was too late.
The enemy cavalry on the mountain were about to charge down.