Battle for Northern Frontier: The game begins with the grassland woman buying him.

At this point, the heavy armor of the Ironclad Pagoda had become a burden, making movement in the water difficult. However, they still relied on their physical strength and willpower to pull each other out of the mud and quickly formed a defensive formation on several unsubmerged stone platforms.

Li Ergou's henchmen also climbed onto the walls and rooftops, using bows and crossbows to temporarily suppress the scattered wolf soldiers who were trying to counterattack.

Although the explosion and flood did not cause great chaos or casualties, they unexpectedly destroyed the Black Wolf God's last defensive deployment, completely submerging his carefully prepared barbican trap in the mud and water.

More importantly, the explosion point may be near the granary, which means that the supplies that Black Wolf God is relying on to defend may be completely destroyed.

The Black Wolf God stood on the stone tower, staggered by the unexpectedly powerful explosion, and almost fell over.

Looking down at the vast expanse of water and the raging flames, his face showed no joy, but rather astonishment and despair.

The explosion point seemed too close to his cellar where he stored oil and some secret gunpowder, his last resort for a desperate last stand, to take the enemy down with him.

"Idiots! Who told you to order that?" He grabbed the collar of the guard captain next to him, his eyes blazing with fury.

"N-no, Your Highness!" The commander of the personal guards was terrified.

Just then, an even fiercer shout of killing came from the side.

Covered in blood, Chen Bao led a dozen of the most valiant men of the Batian Gang, somehow finding a path that hadn't been flooded, and charged toward the stone tower where the Black Wolf God was.

"Black Wolf God, you old dog! You slaughtered the elders of my Wild Valley Gang, today you shall pay for your blood debt!" Chen Bao saw the figure on the top of the tower, his eyes instantly flashing with a terrifying red light, and he rushed over without regard for anything else.

The men of the Overlord Gang behind them roared, treading on the mud and corpses, brandishing their broken weapons, and charging forward relentlessly despite the stray arrows raining down from the tower.

Although the stone tower guards were elite, their numbers were limited, and they were distracted by the chaos below and intimidated by Chen Bao's reckless and mad aura, so they were unable to react for a moment.

The gate teetered on the brink of collapse after several violent impacts.

Black Wolf God looked at Chen Bao getting closer and closer, then at the fortress below that had become a swamp, with flames soaring into the sky and constant shouts of killing and howls of agony, and finally glanced at the distant northern sky.

He knew he had been utterly defeated. The foundation he had painstakingly built over decades crumbled in just a few days under the cold indifference of the royal court and the poisonous blade of Su Zhan.

A surge of resentment and rage welled up within him. He shoved aside his guards, drew his gold-inlaid sword, and roared, "You want to kill me? You Han dog, you're not worthy!"

He then launched a counterattack instead of a defensive one, leading several guards down the steps to meet Chen Bao, who had burst through the door: "Die!"

Two figures collided violently on the narrow stone tower steps.

Chen Bao's scimitar, burning with vengeful fury, slashed an arc straight at the Black Wolf God's head; the Black Wolf God's heavy and domineering blade met the attack head-on without hesitation.

"when--!"

The deafening clang of metal against metal drowned out the surrounding noise, and sparks flew everywhere.

Chen Bao was struck by the immense force, his hand split open, and he staggered backward, nearly dropping his scimitar. Black Wolf God also grunted and took a half step back, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: This Han dog's strength is so great!

"Protect the Prince!" the guards roared and rushed forward, trying to separate Chen Bao.

"Get out of my way!" Chen Bao's eyes were bloodshot. He disregarded his own danger and pounced on Black Wolf God again, a desperate move that could have them both killed.

The men from the Overlord Gang beside him also fought back fiercely against his bodyguards, and blood and flesh flew everywhere on the steps in an instant.

Su Zhan cleared a high ground below and was directing his soldiers to rescue the wounded and stabilize the front line, while sending troops to probe the grain depot area.

He witnessed the fierce battle on the stone tower, and the life-or-death struggle between the Black Wolf God and Chen Bao, but he did not intervene. This was Chen Bao's blood feud, and he had to settle it with his own hands.

He simply gave the cold order: "Control the entrance beneath the stone tower. Don't let that old dog get away."

The fight inside the stone tower was brief but intense.

Although Black Wolf God was brave, he was old and frail, and his mind was shaken, making it difficult for him to continue. Chen Bao, on the other hand, was completely ignited by revenge and the blood of his comrades, and every swing of his knife was filled with a resolute determination to die.

After a frenzied collision, Chen Bao, despite the deep, bone-revealing cut on his shoulder from the precious sword, crashed into Black Wolf God's arms, holding him tightly as the two tumbled down several steps together.

"Let go!" Black Wolf God was shocked and furious, and slammed the back of his knife into Chen Bao's back.

Chen Bao held him tightly, biting down on Black Wolf God's neck.

The excruciating pain caused the Black Wolf God to let out a miserable howl.

Just then, a stray arrow shot from nowhere, piercing through the two wrestling men with a "thud," embedding itself deeply in Chen Bao's left rib and grazing the leather armor on Black Wolf God's arm.

The intense pain caused Chen Bao to loosen his grip, and Black Wolf God seized the opportunity to escape, kicking Chen Bao in the chest and sending him tumbling down the steps and crashing into the corner of the wall.

Black Wolf God, clutching his bleeding neck and still in shock, was about to lunge forward with his knife to finish off Chen Bao when a muffled thud was heard. A dark figure shot in from the entrance beneath the tower, and a heavy blunt weapon slammed into Black Wolf God's wrist, which was holding the knife.

With a sickening crack, the sound of bone breaking rang out, and the Black Wolf God's treasured sword clattered to the ground.

Li Ergou appeared at the door, covered in filth and blood, holding a spiked club in his hand, his eyes fierce as if he wanted to devour someone.

He swung his bat again, slamming it hard against Black Wolf God's hastily raised left arm to block.

With a "whoosh," his arm twisted and deformed instantly, and the Black Wolf God let out a heart-wrenching scream. He was sent flying and crashed into the stone wall, spitting out blood. He was clearly going to die.

Without even glancing at the limp Black Wolf God, Li Ergou rushed to the corner, helped up Chen Bao, who was covered in blood, had arrows stuck in his ribs, and was almost unconscious, and shouted, "Chief Chen! Hang in there!"

He quickly tore off a strip of cloth and pressed it firmly against Chen Bao's fatal rib wound.

Chen Bao was in a daze, blood foaming from his mouth, but he stared intently at the Black Wolf God lying paralyzed not far away, making a "heh heh" sound in his throat, filled with resentment and lingering killing intent.

Su Zhan's figure also appeared at the tower entrance, his cold gaze sweeping over the mess inside the tower.

He glanced at the dying Black Wolf God and the seriously injured Chen Bao, then looked at Li Ergou and said, "Take him down and do everything you can to save him."

Li Ergou nodded, carefully carried Chen Bao on his back, and staggered down the stone tower.

Su Zhan walked up to the dying Black Wolf God and looked down at him.

The Black Wolf God's eyes were unfocused, and he kept spitting out blood and foam from his mouth. A gurgling sound came from the gaping hole in his throat: "The royal court...will not let him go..."

Su Zhan, expressionless, bent down and picked up the gold-inlaid sword that belonged to the Black Wolf God. The blade was heavy and its cold light was chilling.

He weighed it in his hand, flicked his wrist, and with a "whoosh," the blade flashed, and the Black Wolf God's unwilling head flew high into the air, rolling onto the blood-stained stone steps.

The headless corpse twitched a few times, then remained completely still.

Su Zhan grabbed the black wolf god's white hair, lifted his head with its eyes wide open in death, and strode out of the stone tower to the open space outside.

The chaotic battle below gradually subsided under the continuous influx of Stone City soldiers and their powerful suppression. The resisters were quickly wiped out, and many more chose to drop their weapons and kneel down to beg for mercy.

The flames were still burning, but the situation had been brought under control; in the mud, soldiers were struggling to clear the rubble and search for their comrades.

Su Zhan raised the Black Wolf God's head high, channeling his inner strength, his voice echoing across the entire Wolf Den Fortress: "The Black Wolf God is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

This shout was like pressing the freeze button on the battlefield; the sounds of fighting, crying, and exploding flames stopped for a moment.

Countless gazes—the terrified remnants of the wolf soldiers, the exhausted yet excited warriors of Stone City and the Overlord Gang—all focused on the stone tower, on the grotesque, bristling head in Su Zhan's hand.

After a brief silence, a deafening roar erupted: "Long live Stone City! Long live General Su! We've won! We've won!"

The men of Stone City and the Overlord Gang, tears streaming down their faces, raised their broken weapons and roared, "Revenge! Avenge our fallen comrades!"

The last vestiges of resistance quickly dissipated, and hordes of wolf soldiers, covered in mud and with despair in their eyes, dropped their weapons and knelt in the cold mud.

Su Zhan stood atop the tower, with the hellish battlefield ruins beneath his feet and the head of a powerful enemy in his hand.

His gaze swept over Wolf's Den, over the cheering crowd, over the prisoners struggling in the mud, and finally turned to the far north.

The destruction of the Black Wolf God has removed the most important thorn in the side of the royal court in the north, and Stone City's territory and prestige will see an unprecedented surge.

But he did not relax in the slightest; on the contrary, he became even more serious. This great battle had to continue, and he had to brace himself and keep attacking.

Finally, he tossed the head of the Black Wolf God to his guards and said in a cold voice, "Hang it at the highest point of the fortress gate for three days as a public display."

The guards accepted the order and carefully presented the head before retreating.

Su Zhan's gaze swept over the broken walls and ruins inside Wolf's Den Fortress, the battlefield stained with mud and blood, and the surrendered soldiers kneeling on the ground.

The cost of this war was far too high. The Ironclad Cavalry suffered nearly a hundred casualties in the street fighting, and the members of the Overlord Gang were almost wiped out. Chen Bao's fate was unknown.

All of this was merely an appetizer before the formal confrontation with the behemoth that was the Royal Court.

"Li Ergou".

"Your subordinate is here." Li Ergou quickly ran over from Chen Bao's side, his body still covered in blood and mud, his eyes sharp.

"How is Chen Bao?"

"The arrow wound has penetrated into the lung. The military doctor used Yunnan Baiyao to keep him alive, but he has lost too much blood and has a persistent high fever. Whether he can pull through is up to fate."

Li Ergou's voice was low and sorrowful.

The Nogaya Gang's hopes, which had just been rekindled amidst the bloodshed, were suddenly dimmed again.

Su Zhan was silent for a moment, then said, "Move him to the rear, use the best medicine, and spare no expense to save him."

"Yes!" Li Ergou nodded emphatically.

"Halbala." Su Zhan's gaze fell on the general who was counting prisoners and gathering the wounded.

"Your subordinate is here!" Harbala strode forward.

"The prisoners were screened one by one. Those who had blood on their hands were beheaded and their heads were used as a sacrifice to the flag. The rest were stripped of their armor and weapons, made into laborers, and escorted back to Stone City to repair roads and build the city. The granaries and wells were immediately taken over, and the remaining grain was tallied to ensure the food supply for our soldiers and the women and children in the fortress."

Before nightfall, I want to see Wolf's Den restored to basic order and all remaining enemy sentries eliminated.

From this moment forward, Wolf's Lair is under the rule of Stone City.

"Yes, sir!" Harbala obeyed, immediately turning around, his voice booming through the chaos: "Stone City, heed my command! Order the fortress to be pacified!"

Orders were issued one after another, and the massive war machine of Stone City began to operate efficiently once again.

Suppressing their excitement at victory, the soldiers began clearing away the corpses, aiding the wounded, collecting supplies, and comforting the surviving inhabitants of the fortress.

After a brief moment of jubilation, the surviving members of the Batian Gang were plunged into deep sorrow and bewilderment, silently collecting the remains of their comrades, their eyes frequently glancing in the direction of Chen Bao.

Su Zhan turned and walked toward the Black Wolf Temple, the highest point in Wolf Den Fortress. The temple was in a mess, with gold and silver artifacts scattered all over the floor, and the black leather cloak symbolizing the power of the Black Wolf God was carelessly discarded on the cold stone steps.

Bai Zhanqiu was already waiting in the hall, examining the intelligence that Zhu Yeqing had just handed over by the dim light coming through the broken window.

"How about the second-in-command?" Su Zhan asked, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

Bai Zhanqiu raised his head, his gaze sharp, his face devoid of any triumphant joy, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity: "The situation is worse than expected. The royal court has issued the Azure Wolf Order."

Su Zhan's eyes narrowed: "The Azure Wolf Order? That's the highest war mobilization order of the grassland royal court, commanding all Khans and Taiji nobles to gather troops to defend the king and punish the rebels. Its objective is self-evident."

Bai Zhanqiu unfolded a rough sheepskin map, on which were marked with shocking arrows in charcoal: "The news of Yingchoujian's bloodshed, the destruction of Tianlang, and the decapitation of the Black Wolf God has crashed into the grassland royal court, enraging not only Jinlang Khan."

Its directly subordinate Golden Horde has been mobilized in full force, with 10,000 elite troops personally led by the eldest prince of the royal court, Batu, expected to reach the former territory of the Yegu Gang within three days; the allied forces from the northern, southern, and western deserts are rushing to the front, with a conservative estimate of no less than 200,000 troops.

"Two hundred thousand..." This number struck Su Zhan's heart like a cold hammer.

After a bitter struggle, Stone City, having integrated the Overlord Gang and the Wild Valley Gang, plus newly recruited soldiers, had only about 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers capable of fighting.

Even with the advantage of a city's location, facing a grassland storm of this scale, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Finally, Bai Zhanqiu pointed to the place on the map where the flames of war had once burned: "Batu's vanguard has a very clear objective: the ruins of the Wild Valley Gang."

That place guards the throat of Yingchoujian, and is the link connecting our newly acquired three cities with the Han Chinese allies in the grasslands behind us.

Taking that place would not only sever our connection with the rear and trap us in the valley, but also severely damage the morale of the Han Chinese alliance and demonstrate that the majesty of the royal court is not to be challenged. They know the terrain of the Wild Valley Gang better than we do.”

Su Zhan remembered that Xue Tianlang had set up camp and laid an ambush there, and nodded, "Yes."

Moreover, Batu was brave and bloodthirsty, and a strong contender for the next Khan of the royal court.

In this battle, he must strive for a swift victory, crushing the Wild Valley Gang with overwhelming force, intimidating all heroes, and establishing his prestige.

His vanguard must be the royal court's most elite Golden Horde Wolf Guards, all warriors chosen from among the best.

The hall fell into a deathly silence, with only the whistling sound of the wind passing through the broken windows.

After settling the castle, Li Ergou hurriedly entered the hall and overheard the last few words.

The weariness on his face was instantly replaced by shock and anger: "That mad wolf Batu actually dared to come! Third Master, give me some troops, I'll raid the Wild Valley Gang tonight, build fortifications before them, even if it costs me my life, I'll hold them off!"

Su Zhan slowly shook his head: "It's too late."

The royal cavalry can travel hundreds of miles a day, and their vanguard is probably already nearly a hundred miles away.

We have just fought a bloody battle at Wolf's Den, and our men and horses are exhausted, making it impossible for our troops to ride.

Sending light cavalry to reinforce would be tantamount to throwing eggs against rocks, only increasing casualties.

"What can we do then? Are we just going to stand by and watch the Nogaya Gang be slaughtered again? Watch Batu block our throats?"

Li Ergou said urgently, "The Wild Valley Gang must hold on, otherwise we will be the next Black Wolf God trapped in the tortoise shell, and this tortoise shell is much weaker than the Wolf Den Fortress."

He pointed in the direction of Stone City.

Before he could speak, a golden glint flashed in Bai Zhanqiu's eyes: "You mean to take the initiative and confront Batu at the Nogaya Gang?"

Su Zhan sneered: "This isn't a confrontation, it's an ambush, it's an encirclement and annihilation."