Twenty Sharp Daggers! . . .
Wenren Jianyin's countenance darkened. "This Lord Xiao is incredibly audacious and reckless. Does he truly believe I can be so easily vanquished?"
"He has gone too far!"
"Prepare for a full-scale battle!"
"Ma Wupeng!"
"Yes!"
"Listen to the sounds. This appears to be a significant force. They must be short on manpower to guard the gate. Take fifty thousand capable men with you. Pay no heed to the harassment and launch a direct assault on the gate!"
"Yes!"
"Ling Dongsheng!"
"Yes!"
"Take one hundred thousand men with you. Follow Ma Wupeng and provide support whenever necessary."
"Yes!"
"Han Shangyun! Dong Qiliang! Zhang Yunduan!"
"Yes!" The three responded simultaneously.
"We'll attack all four gates simultaneously. Three sides will launch feigned attacks, while one will be a real assault. Ma Wupeng will lead the primary assault, and you others will create diversions to distract their defense forces."
"Yes!"
"Prepare ambushes around our camp! Be ready for the incoming enemy!"
"Yes!"
"Expendable Team, get ready!"
"Yes!"
"Confidential Team, come with me!"
"Yes!"
Wenren Jianyin acted swiftly and decisively. He made the best possible decision to counter the surprise attack.
Outside the camp of the Lan-Feng army, Song Jue shouted, "Brothers, slaughter them all!"
He brandished his broadsword, causing a blood-red light to streak through the sky. It smashed through the camp gate, hurling it into the air, and bodies flew along with it, shrieking before plummeting to the ground. Blood splattered in a gruesome spectacle.
Steward Song paid little heed to the spectacle. He was the first to enter the camp. Swinging his sword, he severed countless limbs and appendages from the enemy. He laughed triumphantly and bellowed like thunder. He was back on the battlefield and the familiar scent of blood had ignited the malevolence deep within his heart.
It didn't take him long to become a ferocious and unstoppable force. When the fires of malevolence burned within him, none were more powerful. With a few swift strokes, he cut down anyone daring to obstruct him. Even his horse felt the surge of power and fought alongside its master. Initially able to leap ten meters, it could now rush dozens of meters with each stride.
Song Jue was akin to a god, and his steed was like a dragon. The horse was exhilarated, and Song Jue's excitement was palpable. He couldn't contain the fervor in his heart any longer.
He bellowed loudly, dismounted, and charged toward the most densely packed area. With a single sweep of his sword, he cut down anyone in his path. He pushed forward, and the enemy combatants fell one after another.
Witnessing their leader fight so fiercely, five thousand men were emboldened. In unison, they became incredibly animated. Their hair stood on end as they bellowed ferociously and charged into the fray.
Song Jue's martial brilliance was on full display as he led the way into the heart of the camp.
– Fire! Fire! Fire! –
The sky ignited like two bolts of lightning converging in a stormy clash. Hundreds of crimson streaks soared heavenward, transforming the sky into a fiery inferno within moments.
Song Jue and his five thousand soldiers were like a blazing dagger thrust through frigid butter. Their advance into the enemy ranks was relentless and overpowering.
On the opposing side, Ning Biluo's lengthy blade danced in front of him like a river of stars, while Zhao Pingtian brandished a knife in his left hand and a sword in his right, methodically delivering deadly strikes as he advanced. Liu Changjun, although somewhat less formidable, maintained a pace no slower than Ning Biluo and Zhao Pingtian.
The twenty squads were akin to twenty razor-sharp knives, each penetrating the Kingdom of Lan-Feng's camp from distinct directions. There were no stragglers among them, all with the same objective in mind.
Their aim was singular: converge within the camp and subsequently fight their way out in different directions. The strategy was nothing short of insane and perilous, especially given the stark numerical disadvantage they faced. It was not a particularly prudent plan, but its execution at the opportune moment had taken the enemy entirely by surprise, working to their advantage.
However, the risky final step of the plan—reuniting the twenty squads in the camp—raised concerns. The enemy would have undoubtedly taken measures to counter the assault. By targeting the camp's central point as the gathering place, they risked falling into a trap.
Cha Eun Xiao's plan was enigmatic and hard to fathom. Releasing the squads from different directions at the last stage of the battle wasn't a strategy many would employ, for it appeared tantamount to suicide. Yet, he had absolute faith in his extraordinary soldiers.
Though his numbers were modest, his forces comprised exceptional individuals. Even so, most commanders would hesitate to embark on such a perilous endeavor.
In the Kingdom of Lan-Feng's camp, vigilance had prevailed since the initial surprise attacks. After enduring multiple unexpected assaults throughout the day, the renowned general Wenren Jianyin found himself confounded by the audacity of his adversary's tactics. In his view, Cha Eun Xiao was needlessly placing the lives of his troops in grave peril, dangling them precariously over the edge of a blade. One slight misstep would lead to catastrophic losses.
Yet, permitting Cha Eun Xiao to proceed unchecked would be equally detrimental. Wenren Jianyin decided not to fret about the risk of assassination. He stood aloft on a chariot, overlooking the battlefield.
Beside him, it was no longer the elderly Sky Origin Stage man but rather Wenren Chuchu, clad in white. She exuded an icy, resolute air, her hand resting on her sword and an aura of fierce spiritual energy enveloping her. She understood that leaving her uncle to join a distant battle would only culminate in finding his lifeless body. It was a guaranteed outcome.