Chapter 9: Ruin

Selena stood on the third floor of the Merchant Guild's warehouse, gazing down at the docks of Grayfog City.

Her rifle gleamed under the dim lantern light, her ice-blue eyes reflecting the flickering flames in the night.

Beside her, Gold-Eye Lais knelt, his sweat-drenched, blind eye twitching as he stammered,

"Lucien's Iron Cavalry… They depart from the Far North in three days—five thousand elite soldiers—headed straight for Grayfog City…"

His voice trembled, thick with desperation.

"I swear on my life, I've told you everything! Please, spare me!"

"Three days."

Selena narrowed her eyes, the corner of her lips curling into a cold smirk.

She closed her eyes, activating "Wealth Perception."

A web of gold and influence unfurled in her mind—

The five smuggling ships at the docks.

The mercenary forces.

The thousands of gold coins and caches of firearms from the Merchant Guild.

All of it was hers.

She murmured,

"Lucien, you plan to trample me beneath your iron boots?"

"Then I'll drag you to the bottom of the sea."

She turned, pressing the barrel of her rifle against Gold-Eye's forehead.

Her voice was sharp as steel.

"That's not enough. Routes, supply points, weaknesses, troop formations—give me everything. One missing detail, and your brains paint the floor."

Gold-Eye shuddered, nearly choking as he spilled every scrap of knowledge he had.

"H-He's taking the South Gorge Pass. His supply base is in Black Pine Forest."

"His weakness? His overconfidence."

"His five thousand troops are split into three divisions: vanguard—one thousand cavalry, reckless and aggressive. Central army—three thousand, his elite core. Rear guard—one thousand, covering supplies."

"His logistics rely on my Merchant Guild and hired mercenaries. But now that you've taken control, he'll have to force-march. His soldiers will be exhausted. His vanguard is rash, his main force is his lifeline, his rear is his Achilles' heel."

Selena let out a cold laugh, withdrawing her rifle.

"Good."

She turned her gaze toward Jerome 'Fox' Black, who was leaning against the doorway, drinking rum, his drunken eyes glinting with cunning.

Her voice was low.

"Jerome, the terrain of the South Gorge Pass and Black Pine Forest—tell me everything. Every detail."

Jerome took a deep swig, then wiped his mouth, grinning.

"The South Gorge? That thing's a damn bottleneck."

"The entrance is fifteen meters wide, but the exit shrinks to ten.

Sheer cliffs on both sides, a hundred meters high."

"There's a wind tunnel at the top—air blows straight down. Perfect for scattering poison or smoke."

"Midway, there's a sharp curve—ideal for an ambush."

"Now, Black Pine Forest? That's a damn maze. Trees stand twenty meters tall, dense enough to trap cavalry."

"Three trails run through it—one leads to Grayfog, the other two are dead ends."

"If you set a fire in there, it'll smoke them out like rats."

He took another swig, grinning like a scoundrel.

"Miss, what's your flavor? Explosions, fire, or poison?"

Selena smiled coldly.

"All of them."

She turned to Finn.

"The docks. Ships, gunpowder, manpower—what's our stock?"

Finn stepped forward, voice steady.

"Five ships—three smuggling vessels, two merchant ships.

Twenty-five barrels of gunpowder.

Fifty dockworkers ready to follow orders.

Thirty firearms."

"Good."

Selena's gaze swept over her people.

"Lucien's five thousand cavalry outmatch us in numbers.

But this city is my hunting ground.

If he steps in—he never steps out."

"In three days, Grayfog will be his graveyard."

Three Layers of Death

"First layer—explosions to break formation."

"Second layer—fire and slaughter to sever his forces."

"Third layer—poison to finish them off."

She whispered,

"System, open the exchange menu."

[Current Luck Value: 1640]

Available Exchanges:

Intermediate Dark Magic (Summon shadow entities to fight, -300) Enhanced Shadow Step (Double teleport distance, -100) Tactical Insight (Boost battlefield strategy and judgment, -400) Aura Suppression (Temporarily intimidate enemies, -300)

"Tactical Insight."

Selena chose without hesitation.

Modern warfare told her—strategy was the key to crushing a war god like Lucien.

[Exchange Successful! -400 Luck Value.

Current Luck: 1240.

Ability 'Tactical Insight' Activated.]

Selena closed her eyes.

Grayfog's terrain and Lucien's route unfolded before her mind like a grand chessboard.

The South Gorge—a narrow throat.

The Black Pine Forest—a deadly trap.

The docks—a final killing ground.

She spoke, her voice calm, precise, and lethal.

"Finn—Take three ships to the South Gorge."

"Two will carry fifteen barrels of gunpowder, one will be loaded with boulders."

"Block the entrance and exit. Plant explosives mid-passage—blast his vanguard and rear."

"Jerome—Take a ship to Black Pine Forest."

"Fill it with fake supplies."

"Lay fire oil along the three paths.

Lead Lucien's main force straight into an inferno."

"Lina—Deploy eighty mercenaries."

"Forty in the forest, armed with muskets and cannons."

"Twenty ambushing the gorge, setting pit traps and caltrops."

"Twenty securing the dock's back entrance."

"Locke—Station a hundred men at the docks.

"Set up barricades, position every firearm."

"Rig five barrels of explosives inside the warehouse."

"Veil—Prepare fifteen barrels of Black Snake Poison."

"Five for the cliffs above the gorge."

"Five hidden along the forest edge."

"Five stored at the docks."

"I will personally oversee the ambush at the gorge."

Finn let out a grin.

"Miss, this is gonna be one hell of a fireworks show."

Jerome raised his rum barrel, laughing.

"Three more barrels for me, and I'll set that forest ablaze myself!"

Lina's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Eighty men is enough to roast them alive."

Locke's voice rumbled.

"Docks won't fall. Over my dead body."

Veil's grin was razor-sharp.

"Fifteen barrels of Black Snake Poison? The cavalry will be coughing up blood before they reach the city."

Selena turned toward the window, watching the flickering lights across the harbor.

In her mind, Tactical Insight mapped out every alley and cliffside.

Her voice was calm, but deadly.

"Three days to set the perfect trap."

Gold-Eye whimpered.

"Miss… Lucien's vanguard has heavy shield-bearers, his central army wields lances, his rear has archers. Even with explosives, some will break through…"

Selena turned her rifle toward him, her smile sharp as a blade.

"Then I'll burn them."

"If they survive the fire, I'll poison them."

"If the poison isn't enough—"

"I'll kill Lucien myself."

Day One

At dawn, Grayfog City stirred with movement.

Finn led fifty sailors, loading three ships with gunpowder and boulders, disguising them as merchant vessels before setting sail for South Gorge Pass.

At the entrance, he buried five barrels of gunpowder, covering them with dual fuses and packed earth.

At the midpoint, he buried another five, poured coal oil along the path, and laid ten tripwires disguised as vines.

At the exit, a ship lay hidden, stocked with ten barrels of gunpowder and boulders at the bow, while sailors stood ready with torches.

He whispered, "Miss, when this blows, his vanguard will be torn apart."

Jerome sailed toward Black Pine Forest on a fake supply ship, its deck loaded with broken crates and straw, while five barrels of oil were hidden beneath.

He poured oil along three paths, set up two fake camps per route, and scattered footprints and horse droppings to leave false trails.

He shouted provocatively, "Come take it, Lucien! The supplies are right here!"

Drunkenly, he jumped off the ship, and his men lit the first campfire, sending thick smoke curling into the sky.

Lina split eighty mercenaries into squads.

Forty entered Black Pine Forest.

Cannon Mouth carried two cannons, setting up three ambush points.

Five muskets hid behind trees per position.

Firebombs were tied to tree branches.

Tripwires crisscrossed the underbrush, disguised as fallen branches.

Twenty secured the midpoint of South Gorge Pass.

Three pit traps were dug.

Each was lined with spikes and hidden muskets.

Covered in leaves and set with tripwires leading to rolling stones.

Twenty guarded the warehouse's secret tunnel.

Five barrels of gunpowder were buried at the entrance.

Fuses were concealed between rocks.

She murmured, "Miss, once the forest burns, his central force will be blind."

Locke stationed a hundred men at the docks.

Sandbags reinforced the barricades.

Thirty muskets were set atop walls.

Thirty axe-wielders guarded the gates.

Forty watched over the warehouse.

Five barrels of gunpowder were buried in the cellar, fuses running to the walls.

Iron Bear growled, "Miss, this time I won't betray you. I'll hold this place to the death."

Locke snorted, "If you so much as flinch, I'll put a bullet in your skull."

Veil divided fifteen barrels of Black Snake Fog.

Five barrels were transported to the cliffs of South Gorge.

Five were buried at the forest's edge, masked with soil.

Five were hidden in the warehouse's secret chamber.

Ten vials of 'Serpent's Kiss' poison were distributed among key fighters.

He grinned, "Miss, once this poison spreads, Lucien will be on his knees begging."

Day Two

Selena inspected the setups, her Tactical Insight exposing weaknesses.

At South Gorge Pass, the entrance's explosives were too shallow.

She ordered Finn to dig another meter deep and add stone coverings.

A fake signpost was planted to mislead forces into Black Pine Forest.

In the middle pass, the tripwires were too obvious.

She instructed Lina to conceal them beneath dead leaves.

Five vials of 'Serpent's Kiss' were buried in the pit traps.

At the exit, the ship's presence was too noticeable.

She ordered fishermen to disguise it with fishing nets.

Two additional barrels of coal oil were placed to burn the ship completely.

In Black Pine Forest, she adjusted Jerome's fire routes, adding three additional false camps.

Five men were stationed in the treetops, armed with firebombs.

The ground was reinforced with spike traps.

At the docks, she noticed Locke's musketeers were too clustered together.

She restructured them into three firing lines:

Front row crouching fire.

Middle row standing fire.

Rear row reloading.

The warehouse's five barrels of explosives were double-fused, linking the outer wall to the secret tunnel.

She muttered, "Iron Bear, take ten men and hold the secret tunnel. If the docks fall—blow it."

Day Three

At dawn, the ground trembled with hoofbeats, dust billowing in waves.

Selena stood atop the cliffs of South Gorge, rifle in hand, whispering, "System, locate Lucien."

[Detected: Lucien Windrider, 50 miles from Grayfog City, leading 5,000 Iron Cavalry through South Gorge Pass.]

Selena sneered.

"He's here."

She signaled Finn, who lit the fuse.

Hell Unleashed

The entrance to South Gorge exploded, fire erupting skyward, boulders crashing down, crushing four hundred cavalry in the vanguard.

Coal oil ignited, choking the pass with black smoke.

Midway, five barrels of gunpowder detonated, throwing bodies and horses into the air.

Tripwires snapped, sending dozens sprawling.

'Serpent's Kiss' took effect—screams of agony echoed through the canyon.

At the exit, the hidden ship exploded.

Ten barrels of gunpowder blasted the rear guard's retreat, setting the river ablaze.

Lucien's main force of three thousand was forced into Black Pine Forest.

Jerome shouted from the trees, "Supplies are here! Come take them!"

As cavalry surged into the woods, fire ignited the oil, engulfing the forest in a burning inferno.

Lina's cannons thundered.

Two shots sent a hundred cavalry flying.

Tripwires tripped dozens.

Muskets fired—eighty men perished.

From above, firebombs rained down.

Black Snake Fog rolled in, suffocating soldiers.

The Turning Point

Then, disaster struck.

Through the toxic haze, a shadow broke forth—

A black-armored knight, his blood-streaked sword cleaving through the darkness.

Lucien.

His War God System activated.

Battlefield command surged through his mind, his voice booming—

"Selena, is this the best you can do?!"

His battered vanguard blasted open the canyon entrance.

His central forces pushed through the fire, counterattacking in the forest.

His rear guard stormed the docks.

Shield bearers blocked poison.

Lancers tore through the woods.

Archers shot down Lina's men from the trees.

Selena felt the shift—Tactical Insight blared warnings.

She shouted, "Veil! More poison!"

Five more barrels of Black Snake Fog were unleashed—

Lucien swung his sword, creating a wind vortex that blew the poison back.

He leapt onto the cliff, slashing Veil apart in a single stroke.

Selena shadow-stepped, firing three shots—

Lucien's armor deflected them.

He lunged, his sword tearing into her shoulder.

She tumbled down the cliff, blood streaking her coat.

"Impossible…" she muttered.

At the docks—

Lina's forces were routed.

Cannon Mouth was impaled.

Iron Bear switched sides, defecting.

The warehouse was half-destroyed.

Finn was thrown into the sea.

Jerome shouted, "Miss, run!"

Selena bit her lip, loading 'Serpent's Kiss' into her final bullet.

She fired.

Lucien dodged.

As his cavalry stormed the docks, she set off the last five barrels of Black Snake Fog.

Toxic gas filled the air.

She jumped onto a boat with Finn and Lina, disappearing into the mist.

As Grayfog burned, she whispered:

"Lucien, I will remember this. Next time, I'll take your life."