fall into the trap

Outside the walls of Bladebreak City, encircled by the four cardinal directions, the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry caught sight of the flickering flames within the city. At the command of their leaders, without hesitation, every soldier spurred their steeds into a frenzied gallop, making a beeline towards Bladebreak City.

In a moment's notice, the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry reached the outskirts of Bladebreak City. With a confident stance, they unslung their bows from their backs. Abruptly, the glow of fire illuminated the scene as every soldier among the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry readied their incendiary arrows.

The arrowheads ignited abruptly, flames dancing upon the shafts as they were drawn taut. With a swift release, they soared into the sky, countless fiery projectiles slashing through the night, igniting it with unparalleled splendor.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the Mo Yue soldiers within Bladebreak City, the endless barrage of fiery arrows descended from the heavens, as if sent from another realm.

After unleashing their flaming volleys, the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry outside the city swiftly changed positions, galloping onward. With each successive volley, the sky was illuminated anew, transforming the night into day.

In a brief span, Bladebreak City was engulfed in a sea of flames, its soldiers thrown into disarray by the sudden onslaught.

Meanwhile, within the city, Lin Feng and his elite soldiers moved with precision, executing their covert assassinations.

For those prepared, these descending fire arrows posed little threat to elite soldiers of the Spirit Martial Realm and above, let alone the elite forces of Mo Yue. However, they were sufficient to decimate many of Mo Yue's ordinary soldiers and disrupt their formations.

The raging inferno rendered Mo Yue's army unable to regroup, their steeds frenziedly fleeing in all directions.

Atop a tower, Mo Jie stood clad in a robe, hands clasped behind his back.

A rocket streaked before him, illuminating his countenance, serene yet profound.

"The flames engulf the city; Liang Canglan is indeed worthy of the title General of Divine Arrows."

Mo Jie's voice was indifferent as he spoke, then lowered his tone. "Spread my command: all soldiers retreat to the north gate, do not extinguish the flames, nor pursue the Snow Moon soldiers within the city. Everyone must converge at the north gate to prepare for the enemy's arrival."

With Mo Jie's decree, his orders were swiftly disseminated, voices carrying amidst the blaze-engulfed Bladebreak City.

Immediately, Mo Yue soldiers ceased their efforts to douse the flames or engage with the elite Snow Moon troops within the city. Instead, they rushed en masse towards the northern gate.

Meanwhile, in a certain part of Bladebreak City, a flash of swordlight ensued, and a man fell to the ground, slain. Simultaneously, Mo Jie's orders spread through shouted commands, causing other soldiers to forsake their pursuit of Lin Feng, disregarding him, and heading northward.

Not only these soldiers but all Mo Yue troops who heard the command complied without question or hesitation.

"Mo Jie wields considerable influence within the military," Lin Feng observed, inwardly impressed. Mo Yue aimed to shape Mo Jie as the emblem and deity of their nation, and indeed, within the Mo Yue army, he commanded unparalleled respect.

Of course, Mo Jie's capabilities were beyond doubt.

Should Mo Yue's soldiers continue in disarray, driven by anger and confusion, casualties would only escalate. Gathering together, concentrating the army's strength, then breaking through from one point would be the optimal strategy.

"Now, we must rely on Uncle Liang," Lin Feng thought to himself, sheathing his longsword. With a swift motion, he blended into the throng of soldiers dashing amidst the flames, running alongside them towards the north gate.

Even if Mo Yue's army could amass its forces, they would remain disorganized. Clad in Mo Yue armor, Lin Feng would not easily be recognized.

Among tens of thousands of troops, it was impossible for everyone to know each other.

Fire arrows continued to rain down towards the direction of the north gate. Yet, this place harbored Mo Yue's elites, many possessing ice and snow martial souls, capable of controlling icy waters to extinguish the flames. Thus, while the rest of Bladebreak City was engulfed, this area remained relatively safe, albeit dimly lit.

Nonetheless, individuals continued to converge towards this safe haven. In a short time, nearly a hundred thousand troops amassed, their numbers steadily increasing.

However, all remained silent, attuned to the distant chaotic roars and approaching footsteps.

At this moment, Mo Jie stood at the forefront of the crowd, gazing towards the gate, his expression calm. "Open the gate."

"Open the gate!"

The herald shouted abruptly, and with a resounding rumble, the northern gate swung wide open.

"Five thousand vanguard cavalry, pave the way and wait five miles ahead," Mo Jie commanded again. Upon his order, cavalry gathered and swiftly galloped towards the outskirts.

In the darkness, ambushes could not be discerned. By sending a vanguard, even if there were ambushes, the entire army wouldn't be caught off guard.

Among the crowd, Lin Feng's eyes flickered. What a calm individual, what a terrifying Mo Jie.

Even now, his orders were executed with such precision. This was the epitome of leadership, unwavering in the face of adversity.

Otherwise, if the generals panicked, how could the army remain steadfast? Such a force, no matter its numbers, would crumble at the slightest pressure.

The north gate was far from Bladebreak's End, where Mo Jie suspected Liang Canglan would lay an ambush. Instead, it was positioned between Bladebreak's End and Bladebreak City, intercepting Mo Yue's retreat and trapping them within the city. Hence, he chose the northern gate.

The five thousand vanguard cavalry charged into the darkness. Ahead, silence reigned supreme, interrupted only by the rhythmic pounding of hooves.

At that moment, the neighing of warhorses sounded abruptly, and soldiers in the vanguard felt the ground collapse beneath them, tumbling along with their mounts into the gaping earth.

Following closely, the rear cavalry also rushed forward, plummeting into the collapsed ground. In an instant, chaos engulfed the vanguard.

"Ambush!"

The cry rang out sharply as Mo Yue's vanguard halted, but many warhorses remained buried in the collapsed earth. Others collided with those in front, resulting in a chaotic tumble.

Mo Yue's vanguard immediately halted its advance, attempting to retreat. Yet, before they could take more than a few steps back, more stumbled upon hidden tripwires, followed by a hail of arrows whistling through the night, striking unseen.

Wails of agony resounded incessantly, echoing through the air.

Hearing the distant cries of agony, the Mo Yue soldiers within Bladebreak City paled. They had fallen into a trap; the vanguard was doomed.

"Move out, head to the west gate," Mo Jie stated calmly, his expression unchanged. The army turned and headed towards the west gate once more.

Despite the presence of ice and snow martial souls guiding the way, many soldiers perished in the flames along the path to the west gate. The intermittent fire arrows descending from above also claimed numerous casualties among the crowd.

However, the army congregating at the west gate not only did not diminish but swelled in numbers. As they traversed Bladebreak City, countless Mo Yue soldiers rejoined their ranks.

Gathered now at the west gate were over two hundred thousand troops. Yet, Mo Jie couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding. The scorched earth tactic was ruthless, but undeniably effective. It turned their half a million-strong force into trapped beasts within Bladebreak City.

"Open the gate. Three thousand vanguard cavalry, lead the way to Bladebreak's End. Stop."

Mo Jie's voice, still impassive, issued the command. This time, he opted for a smaller vanguard force of three thousand.

As the gates swung open once more, cavalry surged forward, prepared to pave the way.

However, as the gates parted, the Mo Yue army's collective gaze fixated on an unexpected sight: countless Snow Moon soldiers stood before them, their eyes glinting with cold resolve amidst the fiery glow.

Leading them, resplendent in armor, was none other than the Snow Moon General, Liang Canglan.

They had been outmaneuvered.

In an instant, the Mo Yue soldiers understood; Mo Jie's earlier decision had been correct. This west gate, not the north, concealed the ambush of the Snow Moon army. The north gate had only traps, a masterful deception within a deception.

"General Liang's strategic brilliance is unmatched. In this battle, Mo Jie concedes," Mo Jie declared, his tone indifferent.

At that moment, the Snow Moon soldiers moved as one, drawing their bows, flames glinting off their arrows. The entire space was bathed in the fiery illumination.

Blocked by the city's walls, the Mo Yue soldiers couldn't see the full extent of their enemy's numbers, only the shimmering red glow of flames.

"This victory does not belong to me," Liang Canglan said calmly, raising his hand.

"If not yours, whose strategy orchestrated this battle?" Mo Jie inquired, his expression betraying confusion.

"Lin Feng."

With a decisive motion, Liang Canglan's hand descended. Instantly, a deluge of fire arrows descended from the heavens, raining upon the hundreds of thousands of Mo Yue troops.

In this volley alone, countless lives were claimed. Moreover, the flames spread, feeding off the soldiers' bodies as fuel.

Seeing the Snow Moon soldiers once again raising their arrows, Mo Jie knew there was no retreat. The battle was inevitable.

"Attack!"

A resounding cry erupted, Mo Jie's voice piercing through the chaos. The Mo Yue army surged forward, meeting the oncoming barrage of flames with unwavering resolve.

And in that moment, every soldier etched a name into their memory: Lin Feng.

After this battle, Lin Feng's name would echo throughout both Snow Moon and Mo Yue, forevermore.