The wind blew all night and didn't stop until dawn; it had been cloudy for several days in a row.
Outside the barbarian army camp, Shan Yi gazed at the distant Yanluo Mountain. Under the dim light, the towering mountain was not clearly visible.
He withdrew his gaze, turned around, and followed the other generals into the tent.
Inside the tent, Wu Kui was already dressed in armor and robes.
He wore a suit of armor made of iron plates, a golden beast-face belt around his waist, two bronze breastplates in the front and back, a scarlet robe with floral patterns, two gold-trimmed velvet ties hanging down, and a pair of slanted leather boots.
His already exceptionally tall frame appeared even more imposing in his military uniform; simply standing there, he seemed as majestic and awe-inspiring as a towering mountain.
He gripped a tiger-taming, gold-inlaid spear tightly in his hand, his gaze piercing, inspiring fear in anyone who looked at him.
At this moment, Wu Kui turned his gaze to Bai Miao and asked, "Where has Jin Mang gone?"
Bai Miao's face was ashen as he spoke:
"They're still about three miles away from us; they're not coming fast."
Wu Kui nodded slightly.
"Okay, that's enough!"
"Let's proceed according to last night's plan."
The next moment, he glanced at the generals, and then slowly said:
"In the past, our barbarian tribe was strong and powerful, with the strength to conquer the world. But we were out of luck and Qin Haotian emerged, leading the Crimson Flame Army to fight us for many years."
"Back then, Father led the army to fight Qin Haotian in Chiyang Valley, and we were defeated."
"After the Battle of Chiyang Valley, we were in a slump for many years."
At this point, the generals lowered their heads, their eyes filled with sorrow.
Wu Kui took a deep breath and continued, "Over the years, I, Wu Kui, have never forgotten that defeat; rather, I have always kept it in mind."
"Now, several years have passed, and I have finally trained my own troops. You have followed me for many years, fought countless battles, and are all the best in the army."
"And now, it's time for us to rise up!"
"Today, march on Yanluo Mountain!"
"Slay Qin Ze! Display the might of our army!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the eight fierce generals, their faces beaming with excitement, shouted in unison:
"Suppress Qin Ze! Display the might of our army!"
Wu Kui flicked his long robe, picked up his Tiger-Taming Gold-Inlaid Spear, and strode out of the tent, followed immediately by the other generals.
Outside the tent, countless barbarian soldiers were already fully armed and ready to go.
At his command, the group spurred their horses and galloped straight towards Yanlu Mountain...
——
Meanwhile, in the rear, Jin Mang's army was also on its way.
Unlike the excited expressions of Wu Kui and the others, Jin Mang had a somber face, his lips were tightly pursed, and his gaze was mostly fixed on the distant mountains.
Peng Yue, the deputy general beside him, noticed that his commander was in a bad mood and spoke up:
"General, although Yanlu Mountain is a dangerous place, fortunately Qin Ze does not have many troops. Even with this advantageous terrain, it is still not enough in the face of our powerful forces."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin Mang glanced at him sideways and said coldly:
"What? You also listened to the young prince's explanation? You think Qin Ze is just bluffing at Yanluo Mountain?"
Peng Yue hesitated for a moment, then continued:
"This humble general believes that Qin Ze is indeed bluffing."
"If the barbarians sent people to investigate, and Qin Ze had a large army in the mountains, they would have already started fighting with them. Why would they let them come back?"
"When facing these barbarians, shouldn't we kill as many as possible? Is Qin Ze going to be soft-hearted?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Mang scoffed:
"Heh, what if Qin Ze lets them go back so that more people can get in?"
Upon hearing this, Peng Yue's expression changed. "This... how could this be?"
"Doesn't that mean he's fully confident he can deal with us?"
"Could it be that..."
Jin Mang shook his head and said calmly, "It's just my guess. It's not a fact, so don't worry about it."
"However, the worst-case scenario is this."
"Of course, this time the force sent to Yanluo Mountain is indeed too large. With the barbarians and the people under our control, even if Qin Ze really set some kind of trap, it would have little effect."
"However, we still need to be careful. Qin Ze is in this mountain. At this critical moment, who knows what he might do?"
Peng Yue nodded, "Yes, General!"
"I am confident that I will be able to wipe them out at Yanluo Mountain!"
"Once the matter of Qin Ze is settled, His Majesty will surely promote the general to a second-rank official, and at that time..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jin Mang waved his hand and interrupted with a smile:
"Alright, alright, stop flattering me."
"With the young prince here, the credit should belong to him. I must not speak recklessly, lest the young prince think I am stealing the credit."
Peng Yue blushed and hurriedly nodded, saying, "Yes, General."
Jin Mang raised his head and looked into the distance again.
Ahead, a cloud of dust had already risen from the ground, caused by the advance of the barbarian army.
This place is very close to Yanluo Mountain, and we can enter before noon. Everyone has made thorough preparations for this trip, so the marching speed is not too fast.
After all, once we entered Yanluo Mountain, that would be the main battlefield.
Meanwhile, at the rear of the Jin Mang army, the Thousand Machine Battalion followed at a leisurely pace.
At the very back of the procession stood Jin Jiande, clad in gilded armor with magnificent dragon and phoenix carvings adorning his chest, but his expression was one of anger.
"These barbarians are moving so slowly, we can't keep up with them!"
"With so many troops under his command, Wu Kui should have charged straight in when he saw Qin Ze in Yanluo Mountain! His indecisiveness has caused him to wait several more days!"
"Hmph, Father married Yongning to him, I think that's a good deal for the boy!"
After muttering something to himself, he changed the subject:
"I wonder if Qin Ze will choose to run away now that he's noticed so many of us coming, or if he'll continue to hide in the mountains..."
The guard Xiao Yiming said in a deep voice, "Your Highness need not worry. Qin Ze has already appeared at Yanluo Mountain. Whether he hides or flees, he will leave traces."
"With us here, we will find his trail."
Jin Jiande nodded slightly and said:
"Well, hopefully Qin Ze won't die in the chaos of battle. It would be best if we could capture him alive."
"Hmph, if he falls into my hands, I'll make him wish he were dead! Show him what I'm capable of!" Jin Jiande said with a ruthless look on his face.
Xiao Yiming said in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Highness, we will try our best to capture Qin Ze alive."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin Jiande looked at him and said:
"By the way, once we're inside, keep an eye out for any activity in the mountains. Qin Ze is like a cornered beast; he'll definitely launch a counterattack."
"Your first priority is not to capture Qin Ze, but to protect me! Understand?"
"Yes, Your Highness!" the crowd immediately replied.
Jin Jiande pursed his lips slightly and muttered to himself;
"Your Majesty, this time, I will completely relieve your worries!"
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