With Deputy General Lin's demise, a somber mood engulfed the soldiers, causing a pause in the assault on the entrance. The belief that the general would perish before achieving success cast a foreboding shadow over the situation.
Adding to the disheartenment, many soldiers recognized the daunting challenge of attacking the entrance. The prospect of being transferred to the vanguard now seemed synonymous with facing certain death.
Fortunately, the secret of the oil and fire had been kept, sparing them from additional panic.
Chiliarch Yang dispatched individuals to the nearby mountains in search of evidence indicating the source of the fatal arrow. Establishing culpability for the incident could incriminate Qin Silong and provide an explanation to higher authorities. Unfortunately, their efforts yielded no results—the sharpshooters had vanished without a trace.
