The battle in the mountains raged on, with Su Jin's army locked in fierce combat, and the sense of unease she had been suppressing now threatened to overwhelm her. Reinforcements had arrived for the enemy, and the situation was spiraling into unpredictability. Meanwhile, in the capital, the rebellion continued to spread like wildfire, growing faster than she could return to contain it. She felt trapped between two crises, where every decision could determine the kingdom's fate.
The battlefield was thick with blood and chaos. Despite the bravery of Su Jin's elite forces, they began to falter under the weight of the enemy's reinforcements. Just as Su Jin prepared to lead her reserves into the fight, a stranger appeared at the edge of her camp. His arrival was sudden and unexpected, so much so that the guards were slow to react.
"Stop! Who are you?" a guard shouted, drawing his sword to block the man's path.
The man raised his weary face, revealing deep-set lines of exhaustion. His clothes were tattered, his hands trembling, but his eyes burned with determination. "I bring urgent news from the capital," he said, his voice strained. "I must speak with the queen immediately."
Su Jin stepped out of her command tent, her expression stern as she fixed her gaze on the messenger. "You're from the capital? What news do you bring?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
The messenger bowed his head and presented a letter, his tone urgent. "Your Majesty, this is a secret missive from Lord Wang. He says you must know this at once."
Su Jin's brow furrowed as she took the letter, quickly breaking the seal and scanning its contents. As her eyes moved over the words, her face darkened. The message was alarming—far worse than she had anticipated. The rebellion in the capital had grown beyond her expectations. Not only had Cao Ying rallied militia forces outside the city, but he had also successfully swayed key figures within the court to his side. Even more troubling, the letter hinted that an external force—an unknown army—was advancing toward the capital. Its origins were unclear, but it appeared to be backing Cao Ying's insurrection.
"Cao Ying is in league with foreign powers…" Su Jin muttered under her breath, her grip tightening on the paper. She understood that although this information was not fully verified, Lord Wang was not one to send unreliable intelligence. If this mysterious army was real, the rebellion had already surpassed the scope of mere internal unrest.
Gu Tingfeng noticed Su Jin's troubled expression and stepped forward. "What is it, Your Majesty?" he asked cautiously.
Su Jin handed him the letter, her tone grim. "Cao Ying is not acting alone. It seems he's secured outside support. An unknown army is approaching the capital, and the scale of this rebellion is larger than we thought."
Gu Tingfeng's face grew serious as he read the letter. "If this foreign force joins the rebellion, the situation will become even more complicated. We need to act immediately."
Su Jin nodded. She knew the situation was becoming dire. Her army was still locked in combat with the Crimson Hand, and now, with the capital facing both internal unrest and potential foreign invasion, she could not afford to split her forces any further. A critical decision had to be made—one that could shift the balance of power in the kingdom.
Meanwhile, outside the capital, Cao Ying stood atop a small hill, his eyes fixed on the distant city walls. Surrounding him were his senior commanders and strategists, all discussing the next phase of their plan. Though the rebellion within the city was gaining ground, Cao Ying knew that Su Jin's loyalist forces still posed a significant threat. If she emerged victorious from her battle with the Crimson Hand and returned to the capital, the situation could quickly turn against him.
At that moment, his lieutenant, Liu An, approached with a satisfied grin. "Cao General, the foreign reinforcements are nearly at the city's outskirts. Their numbers are larger than we expected."
Cao Ying's heart leaped with excitement. "Excellent. Once they arrive, the capital will fall without resistance. Su Jin will have no way to recover."
Liu An, however, remained cautious. "Their leader is mysterious, though. We still don't know their true intentions."
Cao Ying sneered. "As long as they help us overthrow Su Jin, nothing else matters. We'll use them to achieve our goals, and then we can decide how to deal with them afterward."
Back on the battlefield, the situation was growing increasingly tense. Su Jin's forces continued to press the attack, but the Crimson Hand's reinforcements had turned the tide. As the enemy's numbers swelled, Su Jin's troops began to struggle to maintain their foothold. From her vantage point, Su Jin saw the danger and immediately ordered her reserves to join the fight.
"We must break through their lines before they overwhelm us!" she shouted to her commanders.
The clash intensified, and both sides fought with the knowledge that the outcome of this battle would shape the future of the kingdom.
At the same time, chaos was erupting in the capital. Cao Ying's rebels launched a series of coordinated attacks on key positions within the city. The loyalist forces, caught off guard by the ferocity of the rebellion, struggled to hold their ground. Panic spread through the streets as civilians fled, unsure of who would emerge victorious in the growing conflict.
Within the palace, Su Jin's remaining advisors worked frantically to maintain order, but the situation was spiraling out of control. Without Su Jin's leadership, the kingdom was teetering on the brink of collapse.