The first light of dawn crept over the mountain peaks as shouts and cries of battle echoed from the slopes beneath the Central Pass. Joseph Qiao stood at the crest, commanding his soldiers to attack. The enemy surged forward in a dark mass, and the situation at the pass was much the same as yesterday—less than half of the battlefield had been cleared.
"Archers, ready!"
At Joseph Qiao's shouted command, the soldiers at the crest unleashed a barrage of arrows, raining down over the slope. The advancing enemy immediately raised their shields, moving slowly but steadily, inching closer with every step.
The two breaches opened in the city wall last night had been patched up, but the repairs were still damp and unstable. At the base of the distant mountain, Joseph Qiao spotted battering rams being moved toward the slope.
"Push the rams down!"
With Joseph Qiao's command, three massive battering rams—disassembled and repurposed from yesterday—were pushed by the soldiers with all their strength. With a thunderous crash, the rams rolled down one after another, smashing into the enemy ranks and throwing them into chaos.
The three gigantic rams tumbled down the slope, exploding amidst the enemy. Seizing the moment, Joseph Qiao ordered his troops to fire a coordinated volley.
The enemy refused to give them any respite. While some soldiers were still clearing the battlefield, others quickly placed makeshift obstacles before retreating.
Joseph Qiao had fewer than a thousand soldiers left at the crest. Every enemy they eliminated was a gain, but they absolutely could not hold the position to the death.
Enemies continued to fall under the rain of arrows, but now those on both flanks began to charge. Joseph Qiao shouted again, raising the alarm.
Soon, the enemy retreated to the far side of the fifth trench, and the standoff resumed.
It was impossible to go out and clear the battlefield—the enemy would never allow it. By noon, Joseph Qiao ordered the soldiers on the battlements to rotate shifts; he himself was so hungry his stomach felt glued to his back.
But just then, the enemy in the distance suddenly charged again. Joseph Qiao’s heart leapt; these attackers were clearly rested, unlike the previous wave.
Most of the soldiers on the battlements were already starving, but now that the enemy was attacking again, there was no way to rotate shifts.
"Everyone, grab your bows—fire!"
Joseph Qiao shouted, grabbing a bow nearby. At that moment, a hand pressed down on his shoulder.
"Lona Long, why are you..."
As Joseph Qiao spoke, Lona Long had already nocked an arrow, her gaze sharp as an eagle. She released the bowstring with a whoosh, and the arrow struck an enemy holding a shield directly in the forehead.
"What’s going on, you all came too? Sebastian Zhao, what about the right mountain pass?"
Sebastian Zhao stood below, smiling and shaking his head. When they arrived, they brought the twenty thousand from the left mountain pass with them.
"Edward Grant, just stay put and don’t go out there."
Terry Mao pressed down on Edward Grant, who tried to follow them out, but Edward Grant shook his head, still gripping his spear.
"How could I leave something this important to a bunch of rookies like you? I’m the king of the Grant Domain."
Immediately, the soldiers on both sides of the gate pulled the ropes, and with a creak, the gate swung open.
"Follow me—kill them all!"
Edward Grant roared, and a thunderous battle cry surged from inside the mountain pass.
"Don’t worry, Joseph, we’ll keep an eye on Edward Grant."
Sebastian Zhao said, charging out after Edward Grant. The first clash erupted instantly. The unprepared enemy suffered heavy losses; in a flash, many fell beneath the thrusting spears.
Edward Grant roared, brandishing his spear at the front. Sebastian Zhao and Terry Mao flanked him, and together the three tore open a breach. Arrows from above provided cover—the counterattack had begun.
Arrows whistled. Joseph Qiao glanced at Lona Long beside him—her aim was flawless, every arrow piercing an enemy. Calmly, she nocked another arrow as soon as she loosed the last.
"So, the counterattack begins again?"
Liang Bing had just reached the mountain peak when the overwhelming roar of battle reached him. He picked up a spear and walked forward.
"Don’t say I didn’t warn you—there are a few tough fighters among the Grants. Be careful not to get yourself killed."
Lian Zhuo spoke from behind. Liang Bing shook his head and smiled.
"Enough talk. Today, I will kill Edward Grant."
"Of course it was from above. Keep pressing the attack—the Sage Domain’s army will arrive tomorrow, nearly a hundred and fifty thousand strong. I told them we’ve already lost almost fifty thousand, so they’re thrilled to join in. Even a fool knows the Central Pass can’t withstand such relentless assaults. If you intensify the offensive, then the left pass will have to make a move. If they don’t, the Central Pass is finished."
Bella Liang sighed heavily, weighed down by frustration.
"You bastard, Lydia Lien! You have no idea that by doing this, you’ll burn out our forces too soon. Even if we break through the pass, the supply lines will be stretched even longer, and we’ll still have to face the Grant Family’s reinforcements. You..."
Lydia Lien burst out laughing.
"So what? When the hungry soldiers see the lush pastures and the grain stores within reach, what do you think they’ll do? It’s you—and your timid attacks—that disgrace the Wynn Domain’s name."
At the right pass, Phoenix Yu gazed quietly at the distant Rocky Plain. The enemy had already appeared—members of the Zou Clan had regrouped and returned. This time, their numbers were not large; Phoenix Yu estimated around sixty or seventy thousand.
"Phoenix Yu, the enemy’s numbers are so small—let’s strike decisively."
A general spoke up, but Phoenix Yu shook her head.
"It won’t be as easy as last time. The enemy is prepared, and they won’t attack—they’ll hold the Rocky Plain to block us from advancing. Their main force will attack the Central Pass directly. Let’s play this out slowly; when the time is right, we’ll wipe them out."
A chilling glint flashed in Phoenix Yu’s eyes, and a smile curled at her lips.
"Keep firing—don’t stop. Move the wounded soldiers out of the way."
Atop the watchtower, Joseph Qiao kept shouting. The enemy had reached the base of the city wall again, and today’s assault was just as fierce. Arrows flew in from outside, and with little protection, many soldiers were struck down easily.
Though they had added some defenses to the battlements, the enemy outside the pass was still numerous.
Behind the gate, soldiers with spears stood ready to rush out. But Joseph Qiao was puzzled—he still hadn’t seen any battering rams in the distance.
The enemy kept attacking but didn’t use battering rams. Then, a retreat horn sounded—the enemy began to withdraw. Joseph Qiao was startled, but also deeply relieved.