The sun had barely risen when the alarm sounded. Scouts rushed into the camp with grim news: the enemy was regrouping faster than expected. Their remaining forces were massing on the western front, bolstered by fresh troops from the rear. The decisive moment was fast approaching, and Su Jin knew there was no time left for further hesitation. The final confrontation was inevitable.
Su Jin stood in the center of her camp, her eyes sweeping over her soldiers. Every man and woman in her army was battle-worn, their faces etched with fatigue, but their resolve had only hardened. The night raids had bought them precious time, but now they had to face the full might of the enemy.
"They're coming," Zhang Huai reported, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "Their numbers are larger than before, but their supply lines are still in disarray thanks to our last strike. They'll be desperate."
Su Jin nodded, her mind racing through the possibilities. "Desperate means they'll be aggressive, but they'll also be disorganized. If we can exploit that, we might still turn the tide."
Gu Tingfeng joined them, his expression unreadable. "We can't wait any longer. We need to strike first, before they gather their full strength."
Su Jin's gaze hardened. "Prepare the men. We go on the offensive."
Hours later, the battlefield stretched out before them. The two armies faced each other across the open plain, separated by nothing but a thin line of trampled grass and dirt. The wind howled through the valley, carrying with it the distant clatter of weapons and the murmurs of men preparing for war. Above, the sky was a steely gray, as if reflecting the grim mood below.
Su Jin rode to the front of her forces, her armor glinting in the faint light. She raised her hand, signaling her commanders to take their positions. The plan was clear: they would strike hard and fast, using the enemy's weakened supply lines against them. With their reinforcements still scattered, the enemy would struggle to maintain a cohesive defense.
But even as she issued her final orders, Su Jin couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The enemy's movements, though erratic, still seemed unnervingly calculated. It was as if they were expecting this.
"Watch for any unexpected maneuvers," she said quietly to Gu Tingfeng as he rode up beside her. "They've been too well-prepared at every turn."
Gu Tingfeng nodded, scanning the horizon. "If they have something planned, we'll be ready."
The clash came with the fury of a storm. Su Jin's forces surged forward, meeting the enemy in a violent collision of steel and flesh. The sounds of battle filled the air—shouts of command, the clash of swords, and the thundering of hooves. For hours, the two sides fought fiercely, neither giving an inch.
Su Jin fought at the heart of the battle, her sword flashing as she cut through the enemy ranks. Her soldiers rallied around her, their spirits lifted by her presence. But despite their initial success, the tide of the battle began to shift.
The enemy, though battered, fought with an intensity that Su Jin had not anticipated. They seemed to have endless reserves of soldiers, throwing wave after wave against her forces. Worse still, the enemy's tactics were shifting, becoming more coordinated and precise as the battle wore on.
"They're adapting too quickly!" Zhang Huai shouted over the din of battle as he rode up to her. "It's like they're reading our movements!"
Su Jin's eyes narrowed as she glanced around the battlefield. "There's no way they could anticipate everything... unless—"
Her thought was cut short as a horn blast echoed from the enemy's rear. From the hills beyond the battlefield, a new wave of enemy forces appeared—reinforcements that Su Jin had not expected. These troops were fresh, untouched by the previous battles, and they charged toward Su Jin's flanks with terrifying speed.
"This was their plan all along," Su Jin muttered through gritted teeth. "They've been drawing us in, waiting for this moment."
Gu Tingfeng was at her side in an instant, his eyes blazing with fury. "What are your orders?"
Su Jin's mind raced. She had no choice but to adapt, and quickly. "We can't hold them on both fronts. We need to split their forces. Gu Tingfeng, take a detachment and attack their rear—cause as much chaos as possible. We'll hold the line here."
Gu Tingfeng nodded without hesitation. "I'll see it done."
The battle raged on, more brutal than any Su Jin had ever fought. Her soldiers were being pushed to their limits, and she could see the exhaustion in their faces. But they held the line, refusing to give ground despite the overwhelming odds.
In the distance, she could see Gu Tingfeng leading his detachment toward the enemy's rear. His forces clashed with the fresh enemy troops, and though they were heavily outnumbered, their attack threw the enemy into disarray.
Su Jin's plan was working, but the cost was high. Her army was stretched thin, and with each passing moment, the enemy pressed harder.
Suddenly, a messenger arrived, bloodied and out of breath. "Your Highness! We've discovered the traitor! It's someone inside our ranks—a high-ranking officer!"
Su Jin's heart raced. "Who?"
Before the messenger could answer, a figure emerged from the chaos of the battlefield—a familiar face, one of Su Jin's trusted commanders. His expression was cold, his sword dripping with the blood of her soldiers.
"It's over, Su Jin," the traitor said, his voice calm amid the turmoil. "You've fought well, but this battle was never yours to win."
Rage burned in Su Jin's chest. "You betrayed us," she hissed, gripping her sword tighter. "You betrayed everything we've built."
The traitor smiled faintly. "I did what I had to. You're too stubborn to see that this war is lost. But don't worry, it will be over soon."
Su Jin lunged at the traitor, their swords clashing with a sound that echoed across the battlefield. The two fought with deadly precision, every strike and parry calculated to bring the other down. Around them, the battle raged on, but for Su Jin, everything else faded away. This was personal.
As their blades met again, Su Jin saw her opening. With a swift movement, she disarmed the traitor and drove her sword into his chest. His eyes widened in shock before he fell to the ground, lifeless.
Breathing heavily, Su Jin turned to survey the battlefield. Despite the treachery and the overwhelming odds, her forces were still holding. Gu Tingfeng's attack on the enemy's rear had caused enough chaos to buy them time. But the battle was far from over.
As the sun began to set, the tide of the battle finally turned. Su Jin's forces, though battered and bloodied, had broken through the enemy's lines. The enemy, leaderless and scattered, began to retreat. Victory, hard-fought and costly, was theirs.
But as Su Jin looked over the battlefield, littered with the fallen, she felt no triumph. The traitor's words echoed in her mind. The war was not over—it had only just begun.