Tang Dynasty: Starting with 3,000 elite cavalry, a bloody battle to retake the city.

His gaze passed through the palace gates and over the city walls, as if landing on the blood-red, desolate land to the north.

An indescribable sense of shame welled up in my heart.

I, the Son of Heaven, possess a vast empire, yet I am made insignificant by a soldier who refuses to show his face.

……

The news spread like wildfire, sweeping through Chang'an overnight.

"A great victory at Youzhou!"

"It's not Li Yingge! It's the Ghost-Faced General!"

"Clad in white, riding a black horse, he slaughtered the enemy camp, single-handedly crushing the Turkic vanguard!"

In the streets and alleys, in taverns and teahouses, everyone was talking about it, and the story was passed from person to person.

Someone drew a portrait: a silver mask, cold eyes like blades, three thousand iron cavalry galloping like a tide behind him, corpses strewn all around his feet.

Children learn to sing a new folk song: "The ghostly face appears, the barbarian horse cries, one rider breaks through a thousand troops, and the drums of Chang'an are silent at night."

The people burned incense and prayed, asking for the safe return of this nameless hero.

In Youzhou, at the eye of the storm—

The Han family mansion is now in ruins, overgrown with weeds.

Li Yingge stood amidst the ruins in full military uniform, her eyes weary yet stubborn as a nail.

She searched every inch of the land, dug up every cellar, and even interrogated all the surviving Turkic prisoners.

But Han Ye seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace whatsoever.

"Do you think... he might already be...?" The adjutant beside him hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

Li Yingge whirled around and shouted sharply, "Shut up! He's not dead! As long as I have a breath left, I will find him!"

The wind tousled her hair, but it couldn't dispel the unwavering determination between her brows.

In the distance, the setting sun cast a crimson glow over the entire ruined city.

It looked just like that night, with the flames of war raging everywhere.

Deep within the Han mansion, a cold wind swept through the courtyard, and the clanging of armor echoed.

Li Yingge stood under the corridor, her black battle armor gleaming coldly, and a scarlet cloak draped over her shoulders, fluttering wildly.

Her brows were furrowed, her eyes sharp as blades, as she paced back and forth in the silence, like a female leopard poised to pounce.

Just then, a little girl named Xiaotuan hurried by carrying a lantern, her skirt fluttering lightly as she made small, quick steps.

"etc!"

A cold shout suddenly pierced the night.

Xiao Tuan trembled, nearly dropping the lantern, and turned around abruptly, her eyes filled with panic: "Ah?!"

Li Yingge's gaze swept over them like lightning, her voice clear and cold like an icy spring: "Sit down, I have something to ask you."

The tone was irresistible, carrying the imposing pressure of a thousand troops pressing in.

Xiao Tuan could only obediently sit down, her hands folded on her knees, her head down, like a little rabbit being watched.

After a moment of silence, Li Yingge spoke, her words sharp and clear: "Just what kind of person is your young master, Han Ye?"

Mentioning Han Ye, Xiao Tuan's face instantly lit up, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn upwards: "Young Master? He's a god descended from heaven! Incredibly intelligent, he can spout a bunch of strange and wonderful theories the moment he opens his mouth—Newton's laws, universal gravitation, Darwin's theory of evolution... I was completely bewildered, I couldn't even remember them all..."

She spoke while giggling, her face full of admiration.

But Li Yingge's brows furrowed even more tightly.

Universal gravitation? Darwin?!

These words were like fragments that had been torn apart from another world and thrown in, so unfamiliar that they made her heart sink.

She suddenly realized—

She realized she knew absolutely nothing about that man.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the surging surprise and doubt in her heart, and asked again, "Then tell me, where is your young master now?"

Xiao Tuan looked up, her eyes sparkling with longing: "I think... Young Master is most likely the Ghost-Faced General! Even if he isn't, he must be one of his three thousand iron cavalry! Otherwise, how did he escape from Youzhou City when it was completely besieged?"

boom--!

This sentence struck me like a thunderbolt!

Li Yingge's pupils contracted sharply, her beautiful eyes widened suddenly, and a chill ran down her spine!

Yup!

Why can't it be Han Ye?!

Even if he wasn't the Ghost-Faced General himself, he must be connected to that person by blood and always by his side! Otherwise, how could a weak scholar like him pass through enemy lines as if they were empty?

Once the thought arises, it's hard to suppress.

She abruptly rose to her feet, her combat boots slamming heavily on the ground, her voice like the clang of clashing swords: "Send the order! Assemble the entire army!"

The order was given swiftly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

She wanted to go find it herself—

That elusive, masked general who twice stole her military achievements!

We must find Han Ye!

……

Outside Youzhou City, the war drums have not yet ceased.

Eight thousand armored soldiers were already arrayed on the training ground, their swords and spears like a forest, their banners obscuring the sky.

Xiao Tuan's unintentional remark has now become the spark that ignites a conflagration.

Standing on the high platform, Li Yingge's gaze swept over the army amidst the billowing dust, her heart filled with turbulent emotions.

Han Ye is not a general?

But without a powerful backer, how could he have left alive?

So the only possibility is—

He was right next to the Ghost-Faced General!

And that mysterious and unpredictable "Ghost-Faced General" who defeated the Turkic vanguard overnight and rescued Youzhou...

Who is it?!

The more she thought about it, the faster her heart beat.

This is not just a search, but more like a hunt to uncover the mystery.

"General!" a voice called out from the side, tinged with hesitation.

It was her personal guard, his face grave: "His Majesty's decree did not mention the pursuit of the Ghost-Faced General... If we act without authorization, we may be suspected of disobeying orders."

Li Yingge turned her head and glanced at him indifferently.

That glance was as sharp as a knife.

She knew that this man was nominally her bodyguard, but in reality, he was a spy planted by her father, Li Jing.

Now, she won't even bother to give it a second glance.

He sneered and retorted, "What does the imperial edict say?"

The guard immediately bowed his head: "Order the general to relieve Youzhou and annihilate the Turkic vanguard."

"Heh." She scoffed, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Who conquered Youzhou? Was it me? Who destroyed the Turkic vanguard? Was it me?"

She approached step by step, her voice chillingly cold: "Besides—Father personally ordered that Han Ye must be brought back unharmed! If I don't go find the Ghost-Faced General, where else can I find him? Hmm?"

Each word struck like a heavy hammer.

The guard opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent.

After a long silence, he could only shake his head with a wry smile: "Everything... is at the general's command."

Amidst the turbulent winds and clouds, Li Yingge mounted her horse.

Armor gleaming in the sunlight, red robes fluttering in the wind, she stood before a thousand troops, spear in hand, like a female war goddess descended from the heavens, her imposing aura so overwhelming that no one dared to look directly at her.

She gazed intently at the vast, distant land, her eyes burning with determination, and whispered a vow:

"Ghost-faced General... no matter how well you hide, this time, I will definitely drag you out!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she parted her lips and shouted sharply:

"Set off!!"

"drive--!"

Eight thousand iron cavalrymen roared into action, their hooves thundering, kicking up clouds of yellow sand as they charged toward the frontier.

Behind them, in front of the Han residence.

Xiao Tuan remained standing, gazing in the direction the army had gone, her lantern swaying slightly as she murmured softly:

"Young Master...where are you...?"

……

Beyond the borderlands, the world is desolate.

The Turkic army's southward advance left behind a trail of corpses and blood-stained wastelands.

The land was scorched for miles, and cries of anguish filled the air. Only crows circled overhead, their cries mournful and piercing.

In the deathly silence, one could almost hear the wailing of the departed souls.

The city of Chang'an was in an uproar, with rumors spreading throughout the streets and alleys that the Ghost-Faced General had returned.

The man who wore a bronze demon mask and charged through enemy lines as if they were nothing became a legend among the people.

The storyteller in the teahouse slammed his fist on the table and rose to his feet: "That night, blood stained the yellow sands, three thousand iron cavalry trampled ten thousand enemies, and the leader, with a face like a demon, drew his blade with ruthless precision!"

But what they didn't know was that Han Ye couldn't hear any of this.

He didn't even know that Li Yingge had defied the imperial decree and left Youzhou, riding away alone to find him.

She wasn't looking for the gentle prince of the past, but for the rumored cold-blooded and ruthless—the Ghost-Faced General.

At this moment, Han Ye had no memory of names or the past.

Only blood.

He changed starting from that village on the border of Youzhou, where everyone was slaughtered.

When Jiang Wen and the others were rescued, they huddled among the pile of corpses, unable to cry out.

The mutilated bodies of women and children hung on the broken wall, and the heads of children rolled over the edge of the well... That scene, like a branding iron, burned deep into his bones.

At that moment, his heart died.

All that remained alive was a weapon clad in armor and wielding a blade.

Three thousand elite cavalrymen followed closely behind, their hooves flying and kicking up clouds of yellow dust.

They pursued the group of Turkic cavalry northwards, slaughtering them until their souls were scattered.

"kill!!"

"Archers—fire!!"

"Charge! Leave no one alive!"

A roar tore through the sky, arrows rained down like locusts, piercing the enemy's back, and blood mist exploded.

The Turks originally had several thousand elite cavalry, but now only a few hundred soldiers remained, all wounded, and their warhorses neighed incessantly.

They dared not look back, only knowing to flee for their lives.

But the person behind him was like the King of Hell, relentlessly pursuing him.

"He's insane! He's insane!!"

"Run! Go find the Khan! Hold on a little longer!!"

The will to survive sustained them as they ran wildly through despair.

For a full day and night, without eating or sleeping, they fought until they died.

And just when they were on the verge of collapse—

Rumble!!

The distant earth trembled, war drums thundered, and battle cries shook the heavens!

"Siege!!"

"The Khan has decreed—a bloodbath in Dingzhou, slaughtering all Han dogs!!"

"The Turks! Victory!!!"

The sound was like a thousand troops pressing in, rolling in as if the heavens and earth were being torn apart.

The few hundred surviving Turkic cavalrymen were instantly moved to tears, weeping with joy.

"It's the Khan! It's his army!"

"We're alive! We're alive!! Brothers—charge!!"

In an instant, everyone seemed to have been given a shot of strong liquor, bursting out with their last bit of strength and charging forward like madmen.

Hope lies ahead.

But how could such earth-shattering shouts of battle escape Han Ye's notice?

Xiahou Dun rode forward, his face grave: "General, there is the main enemy force ahead. Judging from the noise, there are at least 30,000 men, probably as many as 50,000..."

The wind whips the battle flags, making them flutter loudly.

Han Ye stood on a high slope, his face covered by a mask, so no one could see his expression.

But those eyes were like a deep, icy pool, cold enough to freeze flames.

Thirty thousand? Fifty thousand?

His three thousand elite cavalrymen were only one-tenth of his force.

Ordinary generals would turn pale at the mention of this, but he simply gripped his long sword tighter.

Right now—

[Ding! Host detected to be in dire straits. Unclaimed reward has been generated. Claim now?]

A cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out.

Han Ye's heart skipped a beat.

system?

Since awakening this thing in Youzhou, he has been busy with battles and has never investigated it in detail.

So... there was an unclaimed gift hidden away?

His eyes narrowed: "Receive."

【Ding! 】

[Congratulations, host, on successfully breaking through Youzhou, reclaiming lost territory, rescuing the people, annihilating the Turkic vanguard, and completing this phase of the mission!]

[Rewards are being distributed]

[Ding! All attributes upgraded! Strength +30, Speed ​​+30, Strategy +30!]

[Ding! Acquired group skill - [Heroic and Skilled in Battle]! After activation, the entire army's combat power increases by 50% for one hour, with a 24-hour cooldown!]

[Ding! You have obtained an exclusive skill—[Berserk Battle]! Upon activation, the host enters an extreme battle state, more than doubling their strength for one hour. Cooldown: 24 hours!]

[Ding! Automatic repair of all wounded troops, all personnel restored to peak condition! Fallen soldiers are simultaneously resurrected and replenished, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry's strength remains constant at three thousand!]

boom--!

In an instant, the world seemed to stand still.

The three thousand iron cavalrymen shuddered in unison, their wounds healing, their fatigue vanished, and their eyes blazed with fighting spirit like a volcanic eruption!

The warhorses raised their heads and neighed, the iron armor clanged, and the entire army seemed to be reborn!

Han Ye stood at the very front, slowly raising his right hand, a slight smile playing on his lips beneath the ghost mask.

So what if there are 30,000 troops?

He has three thousand immortal battle spirits.

Even more so, the raging fire that burns across the eight wastelands.

"Form ranks." His voice was deep, yet it pierced through the wind and sand.

"Wait for them to come."

next moment--

"Prepare for battle."

"I want them to know what it means to... wipe them out completely."

boom--!

In the blink of an eye, Han Ye's pupils shrank, and an unprecedented sense of unease swept over his entire body like a tidal wave!

His muscles were tearing and rebuilding, every inch of his bones was growing wildly! It felt as if thousands of red-hot steel needles were piercing his bone marrow along his meridians, causing him to clench his teeth in pain. His lower lip was instantly torn apart by his teeth, and the taste of blood filled his mouth.

Cold sweat poured down his face, soaking through his armor.

Time seemed to stand still, yet it also felt like only a moment had passed.

But when consciousness returns—

He's changed!

The feeling was like a wild beast breaking free of its cage, a tiger trampling through the forest! Every muscle in my body was filled with explosive power, my blood surged like a river overflowing its banks, and my senses were so sharp that I could hear the sound of falling leaves a hundred paces away!

"All attributes +30..."

Han Ye whispered, his voice hoarse yet trembling with barely suppressed emotion, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing the night, "Now... I've truly stepped into the threshold of becoming a humanoid beast!"

not only that!

System notification sounds rang out in succession:

[Gain group skill - Valiant and Skilled in Battle]

[Gain exclusive skill: Berserk Battle]

The arrival of dual skills is like a divine gift!

But what made his heart pound even harder was the three thousand Tiger and Leopard Iron Cavalry that had fought so hard and was almost completely destroyed!

In an instant, a miracle occurred!

All the critically wounded soldiers were fully healed! Broken bones were set, their remnants returned to their bodies, and their spirit and energy were restored to their peak! Even the heroic souls who had long since fallen in the yellow sand were summoned back to the mortal world by a mysterious force to replenish the ranks!

The number three thousand, all gathered in a single breath!

The iron will has not cooled, and the fighting spirit soars to the heavens!

"General!" Xiahou Dun stood at the front of the formation, his eyes blazing beneath his black iron mask, his voice like the clash of swords, "At your command, I am willing to lead my iron cavalry to crush the enemy camp and bring the Khan's head before my tent!"

"I am willing to be a general and personally slay the Khan!"

"I am willing to be a general and personally slay the Khan!"

"I am willing to be a general and personally slay the Khan!"

Three thousand roars converged into thunder, shaking the city walls and causing dust to fall.

Warhorses neighed, spears stood like a forest, and the killing intent soared to the sky!