On the left, Jiang Yelan was dressed in black leather armor, the shadow moon blade hanging at her waist.

Standing behind her were Zhao Hu, Tie Dun, Su Yurou, and others, as well as over a hundred core members of the Night Whisper Legion.

Everyone was fully armed and silent, as quiet as a field of black reefs.

On the right, Jiang Zhaoyue's silver-blue armor glinted coldly in the setting sun. A silver-white spear was strapped to her back, and her hair was tied in a high ponytail, looking capable and spirited.

Behind her stood Su Yuehua, Feng Qingyan, Shi Pojun, and over two hundred core members of the New Moon Legion.

Lin Feng walked out of the city gate tunnel, and everyone turned to look at him at the same time.

Those on the left and right cupped their fists in unison: "Lord!"

The voices echoed back and forth in the gate tunnel, merging into a low roar.

Lin Feng nodded, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces before he looked back at Hangu Pass behind him.

The setting sun dyed the city walls a dark red, and the flags on the gate tower fluttered loudly in the twilight wind.

He turned back, faced the southeast, and said only two words.

"Set out."

With a kick of his feet, his body shot forward. Behind him, Jiang Yelan and Jiang Zhaoyue followed suit, the three figures charging at the very front side by side.

Zhao Hu waved his hand, and the main forces of the Night Whisper Legion and the New Moon Legion followed closely behind. The sound of footsteps and the clashing of armor merged into a low roar, erupting on the main road outside the East Gate.

Tie Dun ran in the middle of the group, his shield clanging against his back. As he ran, he shouted, "Brother Hu, where are we heading to fight?"

Zhao Hu didn't even look back. "You'll know when we get there."

Tie Dun muttered, "Keeping us in suspense again..."

Two hours later, the twilight had faded into complete darkness.

On the north gate tower of Fenghuo County, the light of torches flickered in the night wind.

Outside the city gate, a dense, dark army had already finished arraying.

Zhang Ping stood at the front of the formation, wearing a dark cyan robe.

Seeing Lin Feng descend from the night sky, he hurried forward, his right fist against his chest, and said in a booming voice, "Lord! The main force of the Beacon Guards has completed assembly as ordered!"

He stepped aside and pointed to the ranks behind him. "One thousand five hundred Great Qin Elite Soldiers, six hundred Great Qin Garrison Infantry, and two hundred Great Qin Garrison Crossbowmen, totaling two thousand three hundred men."

Thirty scaling ladders have been disassembled and loaded onto carts. Each person is carrying a five-day supply of Endurance Ration Pills. We are ready to set out at any time."

Lin Feng nodded, his gaze sweeping over the black-armored soldiers.

The two thousand three hundred men were arranged in twenty-three phalanxes, stretching from the North Gate all the way toward the Inner City.

The torchlight shone on their black armor, casting a cold, eerie glint.

Halberds were like a forest, their blades pointing upward, swaying slightly in the night wind.

No one spoke, no one looked around; even their breathing had an oppressed, orderly rhythm.

Lin Feng nodded and turned to face the others who were arriving one after another.

Jiang Yelan and Jiang Zhaoyue stood by his side. As the main force gradually fell into place, Zhao Hu ran to the front of the group, panting, with Tie Dun following behind him, shield on his back.

"According to the latest intelligence from the General Bureau today, the Orc Army arrived at Osaka Castle yesterday afternoon. This morning, the Orcs launched an attack, with thirty thousand besieging Osaka Castle."

He paused. "My intention is to strike directly at the Crying Rift Valley tonight, take Chidori County first, and then split our forces. I will lead troops west to take Akita County, while Ye Lan and Lord Jiang will head north to take Kumamoto County. The goal: capture three county towns before five o'clock tomorrow morning."

The group instantly erupted into an uproar.

Tie Dun was the first to jump up, his shield clanging against his belt. "Three county towns? Three in one night? Good heavens!"

Zhao Hu kicked his heel from behind. "Stand steady, don't embarrass us."

Tie Dun stumbled, regained his balance, but didn't stop talking. "Brother Hu, aren't you excited? Three county towns! In one night!"

Su Yurou held the bone healing staff, her voice soft but firm. "Lord, I will go with you."

Feng Qingyan waved her staff, the flames on the Fire Crystal leaping high. Her eyes were full of excitement. "Sister Jiang, are we going to attack Kumamoto County? Isn't there a famous hot spring in Kumamoto County? Can we go for a soak after we're done?"

Feng Qingshuang tried to pull her back from behind but failed. Feng Qingyan added, "Soaking is secondary; it's mainly to celebrate the victory!"

Feng Qingshuang finally couldn't take it anymore and whispered, "Shut up."

Feng Qingyan chuckled and fell silent.

Jiang Zhaoyue stepped forward and cupped her fists. "Lord Lin, the New Moon Legion is willing to lead the vanguard."

Jiang Yelan said nothing, merely placing her right ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) fist against her chest and bowing her head slightly.

Lin Feng raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

The noise vanished instantly, as if cut off by a blade.

The night wind blew from the north, causing the torchlight to flicker and cast dancing shadows on his face.

His gaze swept across every face, from left to right, then right to left, before he said two words: "Set out."

The two thousand three hundred black-armored soldiers turned in unison toward the northeast, their movements as synchronized as a single person.

The torchlight formed an orange-red river within the ranks, winding forward through the dark night like a fire dragon poised to strike, or a flaming python twisting its body as it lunged into the depths of darkness.

With a kick, Lin Feng shot forward, taking the lead and galloping toward the Crying Rift Valley.

The Wildfire Spear swayed gently on his back, the ancient seal script runes on the spearhead glowing dark red under the moonlight.

Behind him, over two thousand pairs of boots stepped out in unison, making the earth tremble beneath them.

The army set out.

...

The troop moved quietly under the cover of night.

Lin Feng led the way, followed by Jiang Yelan, Jiang Zhaoyue, Zhao Hu, Tie Dun, and others. Behind them were the two thousand three hundred Beacon Guards and dozens of Great-Horned Deer carts pulling scaling ladders.

Due to the burden of the supplies, the marching speed was considerably slower than expected.

It was already ten o'clock at night when they reached the southern entrance of the Crying Rift Valley.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and the surrounding fields were pitch black, with only the torchlight forming a winding river within the ranks.

Lin Feng stopped and looked up toward the Rift Valley; there was no mist.

Ever since the blood moon vanished, the night mist of the Crying Rift Valley had never appeared again. He glanced back at the troop behind him and waved his hand. "Enter."

The troops entered in single file.

The entrance to the Rift Valley was like a wound hacked open by a giant axe, with steep rock walls on both sides and a pitch-black valley floor.

Lin Feng was the first to step into the Rift Valley, his footsteps making faint crunching sounds on the gravel.

The others followed, their footsteps echoing between the rock walls like countless people walking through the valley at once.

The canyon environment was gloomy and desolate; the moss on the rock walls had long since died, leaving only a layer of grayish-black powder.

The dried-up riverbed was piled with gravel and withered bones; some belonged to monsters, while others were indistinguishable.

The valley floor was wide enough for ten people to walk abreast, but the deeper they went, the narrower the rock walls became, with the tightest spot barely allowing two carriages to pass side by side.

The air was filled with a damp, decaying scent—not the stench of corpses, but that cold, dank smell of stone and soil mixed together that hadn't seen sunlight for a long time.

The troop spent about forty minutes traversing the thirty-li canyon.

Lin Feng was the first to emerge from the northern mouth of the Rift Valley, and the view suddenly opened up.

The Brown Earth Plain spread out in the night, the grayish-brown land stretching as far as the eye could see. Moonlight spilled onto the ground, making the parched clods of earth appear deathly pale.

On the distant horizon, the silhouette of Chidori County's city walls loomed darkly in the moonlight, about five li away. The walls weren't high, roughly twenty meters.

Lin Feng raised his right fist, and the troop stopped.

He whispered the command: "Extinguish the torches. The entire army is to approach slowly and remain silent."

The torches were extinguished one by one, and darkness surged in from all directions, swallowing everything.

The troop moved like a silent black snake, crawling slowly along the ground toward the walls of Chidori County.