"We're here. The enemy is right across from us, aren't they?"
Bella Liang dismounted, and the soldiers quickly began to set up camp. As the vanguard, they arrived on the eastern plain just as the moon began to dip westward.
The plain was vast, stretching nearly a kilometer in length. The only real concern was the mountains flanking both sides and the winding paths within them, which could allow the enemy to circle around and strike any position of their forces.
"What's your take, Commander Cyrus Sage?"
Bella Liang asked. At that moment, Cyrus Sage was helped down from his horse. His eyes were steely with resolve, as if the recent defeat hadn't shaken his confidence. He smiled faintly.
"The most practical move for the enemy would be to suddenly strike from both sides at the height of battle, splitting our forces and then slowly pushing toward us."
Bella Liang nodded, while Henry Lien burst out laughing.
"Let's settle this head-on. What do the two commanders think?"
With Cyrus Sage's nod, Bella Liang also nodded slowly. The Wynn Domain had always favored direct confrontation in battle, and Cyrus Sage knew this well. Unlike the Ji Domain, which was mostly forested, Wynn and Sage Domains had more barren, open land. The soldiers were accustomed to fighting head-on.
Cyrus Sage crouched down with effort. In the moonlight, he picked up a branch and began to draw on a patch of sand.
"The enemy will likely use their cavalry for the surprise attack, and their total cavalry numbers are around forty thousand. To effectively split the battlefield, they'll send at least thirty thousand cavalry in the assault—that's the optimal number. The rest will reinforce the front lines. As for our own cavalry, by tomorrow we'll have over thirty thousand assembled."
"It's a simple problem, really."
Bella Liang smiled with confidence. Despite the many challenges along the way, they'd finally reached the plains just three days from Grant City at this precious time in mid-spring. If they won here, the enemy would be utterly defeated.
"Station as many soldiers with spears as possible on both flanks. Even if the enemy launches a surprise attack, we won't be split apart so easily. All we have to do is break them head-on."
Bella Liang clenched her fist and squatted down, slamming it onto the area Cyrus Sage had just marked as the enemy's position. Thinking back, it was Lydia Lien who had reminded her—she'd been letting the enemy lead her by the nose for too long, losing her own rhythm. By the time she realized, the situation had already become this desperate.
Since invading the Grant Domain, they'd won every step, sometimes with minor flaws, but always crushing the enemy with sheer numbers and gaining overwhelming advantage on the front lines. Thanks to Lydia Lien's two strategic maneuvers, they'd also avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Now, the only thing left was to recapture the sharpness they had during the battle for the Central Pass—defeat the enemy head-on.
"Tomorrow morning, gather all the generals."
The unstoppable momentum returned to Bella Liang. She was as calm as frost, but once tactics were set, her fighting spirit burned like fire on the battlefield.
"Tomorrow, it's all on you, Commander Bella Liang."
"Rest assured, Commander Cyrus Sage. Your efforts will not be in vain."
It was already late at night, but the generals were still listening intently as Joseph Qiao explained tactics. Each face was charged with excitement—the coming battle would decide the fate of the Grant Domain, and there was no turning back.
Yuna Ji listened calmly as Joseph Qiao analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of both sides and the strategies for the battlefield. There was no trace of worry on her face—only coldness, as if the discussion had nothing to do with her.
"Yuna, Yuna..."
It wasn't until Joseph Qiao called her name a third time that Yuna Ji finally looked over. The generals were all gazing at her with renewed confidence.
She was used to it now. Before every campaign, and especially at moments of major decision, the generals would look to Yuna Ji, hoping to hear something from her—hope.
"Everyone, I have nothing special to add. The only thing I want to say is: Think carefully about why you stand here tonight."
Yuna Ji's words set the generals talking among themselves. Most spoke of resisting the invaders and protecting the Grant Domain. After a long while, Yuna Ji began to laugh—a chilling, continuous laugh. Even the soldiers outside the tent grew curious and peeked in, while the generals stared at her with grave expressions.
After a long moment, Yuna Ji stopped laughing.
"Yuna, this isn't something to laugh about. Everyone here is serious about defeating the enemy."
Lei Huo couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
But Yuna Ji immediately raised a finger and shook it, her smile vanishing from her face.
"No, that's all wrong! Even now, you still don't understand why you're here?"
Every pair of eyes turned to Yuna Ji, full of anticipation. She always had a way of saying shocking things, but it was undeniably effective.
"It's to kill. The essence of war is to kill the enemy—to kill every enemy you see. Even after a thousand or ten thousand years, this never changes. Tomorrow, what you need to remember is not how to win the war, but how to kill the enemy as quickly as possible. How to stab, how to drive your blade into the enemy's throat faster, how to kill more of them. That's what I need you all to keep in mind tomorrow..."
Yuna Ji's voice dropped, a cold murderous intent radiating from her, and the generals choked up.
"If you don't kill the enemy, you won't survive. Remember that—and when you return, make sure every soldier knows it. Every soldier who will fight tomorrow must understand."
Suddenly, Yuna Ji's voice rose again, and a burst of hearty laughter echoed through the tent.
"I agree with you, Yuna Ji! It's been a long time."
All eyes turned as James Grant swaggered in, his gaze full of admiration for Yuna Ji.
"Are you from Jiang Territory?"
In an instant, all the generals grew excited, and the heaviness on Joseph Qiao's face eased considerably.
"Don't celebrate too soon. We still have nearly two hundred thousand troops that can't reach us yet. Only ten thousand cavalry have arrived."
With James Grant's words, the mood in the tent quickly settled, though Joseph Qiao thought otherwise. The two exchanged a glance, smiled, and nodded.
"Can I count on you for tomorrow's northern assault?"
Joseph Qiao asked, and James Grant nodded.
"I'll do my best."
The burden eased instantly—this was why Joseph Qiao felt so relieved. The fifteen thousand cavalry assigned to the northern assault could now return to the battlefield. With about twenty-five thousand cavalry, their pressure on the front lines would be just as strong as the enemy's. He was certain the enemy wouldn't waste cavalry in unfamiliar mountain paths to block them, but would focus on combining massed cavalry and infantry to press forward. If they broke through the plain, it would all be over.
After a brief discussion, James Grant quickly understood the situation. He and Joseph Qiao conferred for a while, and then the generals dispersed.
Now, only Yuna Ji's nine closest generals and James Grant remained in the room.
"It's different now!"
James Grant kept a faint smile as he looked at the cold-faced Yuna Ji. He still remembered when she was innocent and carefree—now she was completely changed. Only now was he truly convinced. He'd heard the rumors: after the defeat at the Central Pass, Grant Domain had almost lost all hope. But this sixteen-year-old girl, after taking over as chieftain, had given them hope again.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go rest now."
Yuna Ji replied coldly. As she passed James Grant, he glanced at Nathan Shea standing outside and quickly stopped in his tracks.
"Can you really handle the north, General James Grant?"
A wave of conflicted emotions surged within James Grant. He couldn't bear to watch the massive battle unfold tomorrow, but he also couldn't ignore King Jiang's orders: Grant Domain had to lose once, to make them desperate. Then Nathan Shea would push for Yuna Ji to leave the front and go to Jiang Territory for marriage, forcing Grant Domain to surrender its last authority.
James Grant simply bowed his head and grunted. Yuna Ji slapped his shoulder with a sharp smack.
"Then do a good job, okay? Big brother who looks like a woman."
James Grant stared in astonishment as Yuna Ji walked away. For a brief moment, a smile flickered across her face, but it quickly returned to its icy coldness.
James Grant almost wondered if he'd imagined it. But that shoulder slap was something Yuna Ji used to do all the time—whether sad or happy, she'd always slap his shoulder. Back then, she barely reached his chest; now she stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
"What do you think I should do, Master?"
After being assigned to a hut, James Grant calmed down, but felt deeply lost. Tan Tian watched him coldly from the side and shook his head.
"Don't ask me about things like this, James."
James Grant rested his face in his hands, troubled. At that moment, Tan Tian poked him in the chest with a finger.
"Aren't people supposed to have a heart? Just follow your heart, no matter the outcome."
James Grant tilted his head back and took a deep breath, feeling much lighter. But then he realized something was off about Tan Tian's words, and he smiled.
"Master, what's with you? Everyone has a heart—don't talk like you don't."
But Tan Tian's face showed no reaction, and James Grant's smile slowly faded.
"Get some rest, James. Tomorrow's battle will be exhausting."