Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Black Mountain is not a single mountain, but a vast, barren, and rugged hilly region. Deep within it, relying on several strategic natural passes and the ruins of a small military fort abandoned by the imperial court in earlier years, it has been developed and expanded over the years into the arrogant stronghold of the "Black Mountain Commander"—the "Black Mountain Camp." Here, flags are scattered haphazardly, and the camp is built against the mountainside, layer upon layer, filled with a murky stench of sweat, horse manure, cheap liquor, and malevolent energy. On the watchtower, the large banner painted with ferocious black mountain patterns hangs listlessly in the dry, hot wind.

However, the atmosphere inside the largest building in the center of the camp today, the "Hall of Righteousness" constructed of logs and rammed earth, was completely opposite to the languid summer day. It was as oppressive as the rumble of thunder before a storm, filled with anger and murderous intent that seemed to solidify into reality.

The Black Mountain Commander was arrogant and domineering, around fifty years old, with a burly build and a face full of scars. A deep scar ran diagonally from his left forehead to the right corner of his mouth, making his already fierce appearance even more grotesque. He was no ordinary bandit; in his early years, he had served as a mid- to low-ranking officer in the border army. Later, he seized the opportunity of chaos to raise an army, and with ruthless methods and some military experience, he swallowed up local bandits, large and small, gradually becoming a powerful warlord with tens of thousands of troops. He was cruel, bloodthirsty, greedy, and suspicious, and proclaimed himself "Grand Marshal of the Black Mountain Heavenly Protection Army." His subordinates were mostly scattered government troops, bankrupt vagrants, fugitives, and pitiful civilians he had coerced. His army had extremely poor discipline and lived by plunder.

At this moment, Zhang Kuang sat on a rough stone seat covered with tiger skin, his copper bell-like eyes fixed on several defeated soldiers and scouts kneeling in the hall, trembling like leaves. These people were some of the survivors who had narrowly escaped from Wild Wolf Slope a few months ago and had finally made it back to Black Mountain after a long and arduous journey, as well as the leaders of several scout teams he had recently sent to gather information in the direction of Starfire Fortress who had just returned.

"Say it again." Zhang Kuang's voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth, hoarse with a metallic scraping quality. "Han Meng... how is my adopted son? And what about the five thousand soldiers?"

A defeated soldier, his arm missing and his face ashen, didn't dare to lift his head. He sobbed, "The... the commander... the young commander... he was trapped by the bandits of Xinghuo Fortress at Wild Wolf Slope... by their demonic formation, and then wounded by an arrow from a female general in red... and finally... finally killed in the formation... five thousand brothers... some died, some scattered... those who came back... that's all..." As he spoke, he couldn't help but break down in tears.

"A demonic formation? A female general in red?" Zhang Kuang's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, veins bulging on the back of his hands. "That brat Chen Xing is nothing but a lucky vagrant leader. What demonic formation did he have? What female general did he have?!"

Another scout leader added tremblingly, "Reporting...Reporting to the Commander, it's absolutely true! That Xinghuo Fortress is no ordinary place now! We risked our lives to get close and scout, and they...they're building the fortress with all their might! The walls are higher and thicker than our camp's! They're growing a kind of magical grain called 'potatoes' in the fields, and I heard it can yield thousands of catties per acre! The market inside the fortress is bustling, a mix of Han and non-Han people, and...and there's even a school! They've been holding a grand military parade recently, with infantry, cavalry, and archers, probably no less than five thousand, all in bright armor and in perfect formation...and...and there are several large carts covered with tarpaulins, very mysterious, I wonder what they're carrying..."

"Five thousand soldiers? Brightly armored? And a school too?!" Zhang Kuang kicked over the low table in front of him, shattering wine jugs and cups on the floor. "I've fought my way up for over a decade to accumulate this little bit of wealth! That Chen Xing, a mere brat who's only been around for two years, dares to kill my adopted son, seize my troops, and even brazenly build a city, train soldiers, and open a school?! Who does he think he is? A government official?! Huh?!"

A furious roar echoed through the Hall of Righteousness, sending dust flying from the beams. The dozens of leaders and generals standing on either side of the hall were all silent, too terrified to utter a sound. Everyone knew that although Han Meng was not Zhang Kuang's biological son, he was his adopted son, whom he had raised single-handedly, and whom he relied on and favored most—his designated successor. Han Meng's death not only caused Zhang Kuang the loss of his beloved general but also brought him shame and damaged his prestige. Furthermore, the rapid development and military strength demonstrated by Xinghuo Fortress seriously threatened the Black Mountain Army's survival space and its "dominant" status.

"And there's more!" Zhang Kuang's bloodshot eyes swept over the crowd. "Sun Han of Iron Rock Fortress sent someone a while ago, saying that Starfire Fortress is powerful and asking me to uphold justice and join forces to wipe them out. Hu Yong of Gray Valley Fortress is even more two-faced, and recently it seems he's hooked up with that Chen Xing! The old fox from the White Deer Tribe in the north actually sent an envoy to Starfire Fortress, and supposedly even signed some bullshit trade treaty! These opportunistic bastards! Do they all think my Black Mountain Army is made of clay?!"

He grew angrier with each word, suddenly drawing his ornately decorated dagger from his waist and slashing it deep into a nearby wooden pillar: "If I don't avenge this, how can I, Zhang Kuang, face the world?! If Starfire Fortress isn't destroyed, my Black Mountain Army will be devoured until not even bones are left!"

"General, please calm down!" An elderly man with a gloomy face and a goatee, who looked like a strategist, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "That brat Chen Xing has indeed become a force to be reckoned with and should not be underestimated. However, his rise has been too rapid, and his foundation is bound to be unstable. The newly annexed people are not yet loyal; the mix of Han and non-Han peoples will inevitably create discord; building cities and training troops will be extremely costly; moreover, his ostentatious display of power has already made the surrounding forces wary. These are his four major threats."

Zhang Kuang, panting heavily, glared at the strategist: "Then what's your opinion?"

The strategist stroked his goatee, his eyes gleaming with calculation: "The best course of action now is to quickly send a large army, taking advantage of the fact that their city walls are not yet fully fortified, their new recruits are not yet well-trained, their hearts are not yet fully won over, and they have not yet formed a close alliance with their neighbors, to crush them in one fell swoop with overwhelming force! However, we must not underestimate the enemy and advance rashly as we did last time."

He walked to a simple map hanging in the hall: "Our army must mobilize all its forces, at least 15,000 elite troops, claiming 30,000 to bolster our prestige. We will divide our forces into three routes: one main force, a mix of infantry and cavalry, carrying siege equipment, will rush straight to the front of Xinghuo Fortress, drawing its main force away and launching a fierce attack on the weakest point of its new city wall; another flanking force, mainly cavalry, will flank it, harassing its outposts, burning its grain fields, cutting off its supply lines, and forcing it to divide its forces; the third route can be a surprise force, selecting brave and resolute soldiers, carrying oil and other supplies, to infiltrate its fortress or approach its granaries and workshops under cover of night or when the fighting is at a stalemate, setting fires to create chaos and coordinating an attack from within!"

Zhang Kuang listened, his anger subsiding slightly, but his brows remained furrowed: "Good idea. But what about Iron Rock Fortress and Gray Valley Fortress..."

The strategist chuckled sinisterly, "Although Sun Han fears Xinghuo Fortress, he fears us even more. We can send another envoy, promising him great rewards, stating that after Xinghuo Fortress is wiped out, its wealth and population will be shared with him. At least we can keep him neutral, or even send troops to help us. As for that slippery Hu Yong, we just need to press in with a large army and demonstrate absolute superiority, and he will naturally know which side to side with. Perhaps, he can even become our spy or inside man within Xinghuo Fortress."

"What about the White Deer tribe? What if they support the Starfire Fortress warhorses..." a general asked worriedly.

"The merchants of the White Deer tribe are driven by greed and fear of power," the strategist scoffed. "Once our army moves and our forces are deployed, they will retreat to the grasslands to observe. After the battle, if they know what's good for them, we'll share the spoils; if they don't... well, we'll take them all down at once and seize their horses and cattle!"

Zhang Kuang slammed his fist heavily on the stone armrest: "Good! Let's go with this plan! Issue my orders: all camps and fortresses, immediately take inventory of troops and provisions, and repair weapons! All combat-ready soldiers must assemble at the Black Mountain camp within ten days! Anyone who delays or slacks off will be executed! Provisions officer, gather enough provisions for me for three months! Craftsmen, expedite the construction of siege ladders, battering rams, and catapults!"

His eyes flashed with a fierce light as he surveyed his generals: "This time, I'll personally lead the charge! I swear I won't rest until I've razed Xinghuo Fortress to the ground, twisted Chen Xing's head off to use as a wine jug, and seized his red-clad woman to reward the entire army!"

"We obey the commander's orders!" The generals responded in unison, their shouts filled with ferocity.

The Black Mountain camp, like a raging beast, began to operate frantically. Messengers, carrying arrogant orders and promises, galloped towards the various auxiliary camps and Iron Rock Fortress. Within the camps, shouts, whips, and urgings filled the air as soldiers were driven to pack their gear and sharpen their weapons. In the makeshift workshops, the furnaces burned day and night, their clanging constant. The air was thick with the restless atmosphere of impending battle, a mixture of fear and greed.

In a dark corner of the Black Mountain camp, the goatee-bearded strategist whispered instructions to a trusted confidant: "...Send the most clever man to infiltrate the refugee caravan heading towards Xinghuo Fortress. Tell Hu Yong of Huiyu Fortress that the commander-in-chief understands his intentions, and that he should weigh the consequences himself. If he achieves merit, he will be rewarded handsomely. If he dares to disobey... the Black Mountain army's swords show no mercy."

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in Xinghuo Fortress, the hustle and bustle of the military parade had just ended, and the atmosphere was filled with a mix of confidence and busyness. But in the study in the fortress lord's mansion, which was covered with maps, the atmosphere was far from relaxed.

Li Shu hurried in, presenting Chen Xing with a summary of the latest intelligence, his face grave: "Lord, our 'eyes' have reported back from the Black Mountain direction. The Black Mountain camp is showing frequent unusual activity, messengers are out in all directions, and all affiliated camps are gathering troops. The workshops are working day and night to build siege equipment. Also… Zhang Kuang seems to have sent a special envoy to Iron Rock Fortress. Furthermore, our people mixed in with the caravan heading to Gray Valley Fortress discovered that Gray Valley Fortress has recently strengthened the defenses of its eastern low wall, and its lord, Hu Yong, has become increasingly secretive after meeting with several groups of unidentified visitors."

Chen Xing took the intelligence report and quickly scanned it, his eyes landing on keywords such as "Zhang Kuang will personally lead the expedition," "He has assembled more than 15,000 troops," "He is carrying a large number of siege weapons," and "He is contacting Tieyan Fortress and putting pressure on Huiyu Fortress." He looked up at Wu Xuejiu, Chen Wei, and Murong Mingyue, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

"They've finally arrived." Chen Xing's voice was calm, but his eyes were sharp as knives. "A little faster than we expected, but still within expectations. Zhang Kuang is going all out to achieve his goal in one fell swoop."

Wu Xuejiu stroked his beard, his face grave: "Fifteen thousand... even if that's an exaggeration, their actual strength must far exceed that at Wild Wolf Slope. And they're carrying siege equipment, clearly prepared for a protracted siege. Iron Rock Fortress's attitude is unclear, and Gray Valley Fortress might change its mind. This is truly a critical moment of survival."

Chen Wei sneered: "We'll meet force with force and water with earth. He may have been defeated at Wild Wolf Slope, but this time, he'll suffer the same fate! We just need to be wary of his divided forces attacking and his surprise attack with fire."

Murong Mingyue said, "The cavalry has been initially formed and can be used for patrolling the perimeter, harassing their supply lines, and intercepting their detachments. However, their forces are numerous, so close coordination between infantry and cavalry, relying on the city walls, is necessary to deplete their manpower to the greatest extent possible."

Chen Xing walked to the huge situation map and pointed heavily at the area between the Black Mountain Camp and Xinghuo Fortress. "Order: The entire fortress is immediately placed on high alert! Construction work will continue day and night, prioritizing the completion of the city walls and key defensive structures! All outposts will be under military control; the elderly, weak, women, and children will be gradually moved into the fortress and core outposts, implementing a scorched-earth policy! Increase the number of troops guarding the granaries, artisan areas, medical facilities, and water sources, and strictly investigate spies!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Zhang Kuang wants a quick victory, but we'll wear him down! Rely on the high walls to deplete their strength and morale, and once they're exhausted, we'll look for an opportunity to counterattack. Chen Wei, you're in charge of overall defense command, refine the defense plans for each section of the city wall. Mingyue, the main cavalry force will retreat to the perimeter of the fortress for maneuver, but send elite squads out to scout ahead, making sure to grasp the movement of their main force and their troop deployment. Mr. Wu, Li Shu, do your utmost to ensure logistics and internal stability, and keep up with the propaganda efforts; you must not only let the people know the danger, but also make them believe in your words!"

"Furthermore," Chen Xing's eyes flashed coldly, "notify our resident representatives in the Bailu tribe, reminding them of the potential threat posed by the Black Mountain Army. At the same time, spread the word through all channels: the Black Mountain Commander's purpose in coming is plunder; wherever he goes, nothing will be spared! Let's see how those still wavering neighbors choose!"

As orders were issued, the fervor that had just surged within Starfire Fortress due to the harvest and the military parade quickly cooled and solidified, transforming into a more resilient and chilling state of combat readiness. The shadow of war had never been so heavy, looming darkly over Starfire Fortress.

Montenegro's fury manifested as a steel torrent poised to sweep south. Starfire Fortress's response was a silently tightening fist and ever-rising walls. The ultimate showdown, determining the fate of both sides and even the future of this region, had already begun its bloody curtain call.