The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

The night was as dark as ink.

Shuobei City, a majestic city that has stood for hundreds of years amidst the wind and snow of the northern frontier, now resembles a giant beast crouching in the darkness, quiet yet full of tension.

Torches flickered on the city walls, casting flickering light on the soldiers' hardened faces.

Beneath the city walls, on the boundless wilderness, lies a completely different scene.

Countless tents, like countless poisonous mushrooms growing on the grassland, stretched endlessly to the horizon.

Between the tents, campfires flickered, converging to form a sea of ​​stars.

That was the camp of the three-race allied forces.

An army of nearly a million surrounded Shuobei City. The clamorous shouts, the rough songs, and the neighing of warhorses could still be clearly heard from miles away, like waves crashing against the sturdy walls of Shuobei City.

The atmosphere inside the command post on the city gate tower was heavy.

A huge sand table was placed in the very center. The sand table was densely covered with small red and blue flags representing the forces of both sides.

The red flags representing the three-race alliance, like a sea of ​​red, surrounded the blue flags representing Shuobei City, forming an absolute encirclement.

Xiao Jingchen stood in front of the sand table, his gaze calm and revealing no emotion.

Behind him stood all the core generals of the Northern Army in this battle.

Su Mou, Cang Jia, Zhang Qinian, Lin Jingfeng, the commander of the Xuanjia Heavy Cavalry, and several newly formed legion commanders.

"Your Highness, the situation is not optimistic."

Cang Jia pointed to the sand table and said in a deep voice, "This time, the three tribes have come out in full force. To the east are 200,000 cavalry of the Wildlings, who are constantly on the move, and their main task is to cut off our connection with the direction of Fire Cloud City. To the west are 300,000 infantry of the Barbarians, who are building siege equipment and it seems they are preparing for a strong attack. And to the north, directly opposite our main city gate, are 400,000 of the Wolf Clan's most elite archers, whose Khan's tent is set up five miles behind the lines."

"They adopted a steady and methodical formation, encircling us from all sides. They wanted to use their overwhelming numerical superiority to wear us down little by little."

Zhang Qinian listened, his face turning pale.

Although he had led troops and fought battles, he had never seen such a large-scale battle. Nearly a million enemy troops—just hearing that number was enough to make one feel suffocated.

"Your Highness, in my humble opinion, our army should not engage in a decisive battle outside the city." Zhang Qinian stepped forward and expressed his opinion. "We should rely on the strong defenses of Shuobei City to launch a series of attacks, gradually wearing down the enemy's morale. If we can hold out for a month, the enemy will run out of supplies and will inevitably retreat without a fight."

This is the safest and most conventional tactic for defending a city.

Many generals nodded in agreement.

However, Xiao Jingchen shook his head.

"A month?"

He looked at Zhang Qinian and said calmly, "I can't wait a month. Neither can the Northern Border."

"Most of our troops are new recruits. A prolonged siege and intense defensive fighting will severely deplete their morale and stamina. If casualties become too high, it could easily lead to a rout."

"Moreover, behind us are millions of newly settled people. What they need is a resounding victory to solidify their confidence in us, not a protracted war of attrition lasting months with an uncertain future."

"We must finish this quickly."

"But...but Your Highness," Zhang Qinian said urgently, "the enemy outnumbers us. To go out of the city for a decisive battle would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock!"

"Who said I was going to fight their entire army to the death?"

A cold smile curled at the corner of Xiao Jingchen's lips.

He picked up the small black flag representing the "Black Armored Cavalry" from the sand table.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he carried the small black flag over the layers of red flags and planted it directly in the spot representing the Wolf Clan's royal tent.

"To catch the thief, first catch the king."

His voice, though not loud, was like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears.

"Tomorrow, at dawn, I will personally lead ten thousand Xuanjia heavy cavalry out from the north gate, without any entanglement or obstruction, and strike straight at the wolf clan's central army at top speed!"

"I will take the head of the Wolf Khan amidst the vast army!"

The entire command post fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by Xiao Jingchen's insane plan.

He personally led 10,000 cavalry to attack the enemy's central command tent, which housed 400,000 men.

How insane! How utterly audacious!

This is no longer a war; this is a high-stakes gamble!

They risked their lives, along with ten thousand of the North's most elite cavalry, for a slim chance.

"Your Highness! Absolutely not!" Su Mou was the first to step forward, his face ashen. "You are the commander-in-chief of the entire army, a person of inestimable worth. How can you personally risk your life? This matter can be handled by General Lin Jingfeng!"

"Yes, Your Highness! This humble general is willing to swear a military oath and will definitely take the head of the Wolf Khan and present it to Your Highness!" Lin Jingfeng, the commander of the Xuanjia Heavy Cavalry, also knelt on one knee and loudly requested permission.

"you?"

Xiao Jingchen glanced at them and shook his head.

"You guys are no good."

"This is no ordinary charge. The enemy has 400,000 troops, layered upon layered, like an iron barrel. To break through them before they can react requires more than just courage and force."

"What we need even more is an aura that will make all our enemies tremble with fear."

"Only I can give off this kind of aura."

His tone was full of absolute confidence and unquestionable domineering presence.

Everyone fell silent.

They knew that Xiao Jingchen was telling the truth.

In this world, if there is one person who can lead 10,000 cavalrymen, he would dare to charge into a camp of 400,000 men.

That person can only be Xiao Jingchen.

"Then... what about us?" Zhang Qinian asked, his voice trembling slightly, as he looked at Xiao Jingchen.

"You," Xiao Jingchen's gaze swept over all the generals present, "your mission is even more important."

"After I lead my troops out to attack, the wolf clan camp will surely fall into chaos. Their left and right flanks will also inevitably retreat towards the center, attempting to encircle me."

"And what you need to do is, at that moment, open the city gates and launch a full-scale attack!"

He pointed to the sand table, at the junction of the barbarian infantry and the wild cavalry, where the central army would inevitably be exposed due to the attack.

"Cang Jia, lead the veteran soldiers of the Zhenbei Army out of the west gate and relentlessly engage the barbarian infantry formation, preventing them from having a chance to reinforce!"

"Zhang Qinian, you lead all the new recruits out of the east gate. At all costs, hold off the barbarian cavalry! I don't care if you win, I just want you to keep them occupied!"

"The key to this battle lies not with me, but with you."

"It's up to you whether you can buy me enough time before I'm surrounded!"

All the generals felt the heavy pressure on their shoulders.

They knew that in this battle, each and every one of them was a protagonist.

"Your humble servant obeys!"

All the generals knelt on one knee in unison, their voices booming like thunder.

Xiao Jingchen nodded, waved for them to leave, and told them to prepare.

Soon, only he and Su Mou remained in the command post.

"It's still too risky." Su Mou looked at the sand table, still worried.

"Fortune favors the bold," Xiao Jingchen said calmly. "And so it is with this world."

He walked to the window and opened it.

The cold night wind, mixed with the clamor of the enemy camp outside the city, rushed towards me.

He received the imperial edict of "commendation" sent from the capital.

"Deputy Marshal of the Army and Navy?"

A mocking smile appeared on Xiao Jingchen's lips.

That Empress really has a clever plan.

They wanted him to go and die, but they were also afraid that if he really died, there would be no one to guard the North Gate.

So they gave him this empty title and put him on the hot seat.

Did she think he would care?

From the moment he decided to defy the imperial decree, Xiao Jingchen no longer cared about the court's opinion.

What he wanted was to carve out a bright and just world with the sword in his hand.

To forge a completely new way of life.

He looked up at the night sky.

In the east, a faint glimmer of dawn was already appearing.

A new day is about to begin.

Outside the city, the war horns of the three-race allied forces were already faintly sounding.

The desolate and long horn call seemed to urge the start of a bloody feast that would determine the fate of the North.

Xiao Jingchen slowly placed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

"bring it on."

"Let me see if your blood is enough to stain this grassland red."