48, Like the Scorching Sun, Streaking Across the Sky!

To Lin Xuan, Zhang Guangmu poisoning the entire Flame Wolf Fortress was not that serious. No matter how many commoners died, he did not care.

Being permitted to live within Flame Wolf Fortress was already an enormous blessing. In this chaotic world, there was no shortage of refugees. Once this batch died, there would always be another.

As long as Flame Wolf Fortress remained, his power and status would not be shaken.

As long as he and the Wolf Riders under his command could obtain the antidote, every problem would resolve itself!

He would never make the same mistake twice!

From now on, any food or water brought to his lips would have to be tested for poison in advance!

As his thoughts raced, Lin Xuan heard Zhang Guangmu's wild laughter.

The Young Vice Fortress Lord laughed with unrestrained madness, displaying a bearing far beyond that of ordinary people.

"What are you laughing at?"

Lin Xuan was burning with rage, his brows furrowing tightly. "In the end, poisoning is nothing more than a despicable, shabby trick and some sinister scheme. Do you think that so-called 'Ten-Day Death Potion' can reverse the situation?"

"I refuse to believe you can withstand the Dark Wolf Guard's torture!"

At that, Zhang Guangmu slowly rose to his feet, patted the dust from his clothes, and said leisurely, "I've heard about the Dark Wolf Guard's brutality. To be honest, I don't have much confidence that I can withstand their interrogation."

As soon as he said this, the Xiao Bai Group floating in the low sky could not help complaining one after another.

The viewers transformed into Xiao Bai Groups could speak directly in the Voice Channel or use Mind Typing to send out text bubbles. Since far too many viewers were following this Decisive Battle, translucent text bubbles filled half the sky in an instant.

"You're being modest! Brother Mu Zi, you're really too modest!"

"When it comes to taking hits, President Mu is a professional!"

"Second Generation of Changhe: Young Fortress Lord Lin Xuan, I advise you not to humiliate yourself."

"Mu Zai is so sturdy and durable. I suggest he develop directly into a professional punching bag. This is really entertaining! (Sincere face)"

"Yang Chi, don't be so damn hard-headed! You can't beat this guy! He's genuinely tough as nails!"

"I've already unfollowed him. Yang Chi has changed. He's practically a different person from before. I'm heartbroken..."

"Unfollowed +1! Honestly, it wouldn't matter if his performance were a little worse. After all, victory and defeat are commonplace for soldiers, right? It's just that his collapse was too severe. It feels like someone stabbed me in the heart. It hurts so much."

"Actually, you can't blame Yang Chi for this. It's because a lowly person like me isn't worthy of being his fan."

"Enough babbling. I'm out of here!"

"From Lin Xuan, played by Yang Chi, I can no longer see even the slightest trace of that hot-blooded youth from before. He no longer sympathizes with the working masses and has not a shred of compassion for ordinary people. Every other word is 'lower class' or 'commoner.' I definitely can't bring myself to like him anymore."

"This is all the Production Team's fault!"

"The Control Group has already done their best, okay? Yang Chi dropped such a huge bomb, and you're still a fan? Sis, listen to me. Run!"

"They used Script Hints to help him so many times! Becoming a superior person was Yang Chi's own choice, and looking down on the common people was his own behavior! Director Sun has already been good enough to him. Saying he did everything he could would not be an exaggeration!"

"Waiting for Zhang Guangmu to hold out until he's tortured to death, then for Lin Xuan and the others to be poisoned and buried with him. 'Flame Wolf Fortress' will Wrap Up Filming directly, welcoming the Total Annihilation ending!"

"I'm dying laughing. Some people always assume that if they can't do something, nobody else can either. Lin Xuan is judging others by himself, completely unaware that Brother Mu Zi isn't afraid in the slightest."

"I finished catching up on 'Endless Food Bag' earlier. To be fair, Zhang Guangmu really is the ultimate tough guy. Yang Chi miscalculated badly."

"...I still think Vice Fortress Lord Tian Guang is bluffing. His previous scene with Fort Master Lin Yan left too deep an impression on me. I haven't seen any of his other works, but you can See a Spot and infer the whole picture. His ability to seize the initiative is truly incredible!"

"He is the Second Generation of Changhe, after all—the successor personally chosen by Zhao Zhengrong. What did you expect?"

"Whoa! Was this Vice Fortress Lord cultivated by the 'Newcomer Crusher'? A Famous Teacher Produces Talented Students... No wonder he's so incredible!"

"Stop making things up. They merely admired each other during the scene. It's purely a friendship."

"Why did I hear that this 'scholar' is Boss Zhao's son?"

"Don't believe rumors, don't spread rumors! Watch with civility, starting with me!"

"I care more about how much Vice Fortress Lord Tian Guang has actually done. Judging by how utterly fearless he looks, poisoning them clearly isn't his only trick, right?"

Zhang Guangmu did not disappoint the viewers.

Picking up from what he had said earlier, he continued calmly, "But..."

Everyone present perked up and listened intently.

They all knew that the essence was often found after the word "but"!

Zhang Guangmu's gaze fell on Lin Xuan. "Do you really have a way to capture me?"

As he spoke, he clapped his hands.

Boom! Boom!

Two balls of Fiery Red Blazing Flames in the shape of wolf heads burst from his bracers and shot into the sky.

This was Flame Wolf Fortress's signature move: "One arrow pierces the clouds, and thousands of troops come running to meet it!"

At first, nobody reacted. Zhang Guangmu's action looked just like he was setting off fireworks to entertain everyone.

Lin Xuan instinctively raised his head and looked toward the sky. As he watched the wolf-headed flames gradually dissipate, he fell into thought.

His reaction was swift. He immediately realized that Zhang Guangmu had used a method to Call for Reinforcements. His breathing grew rapid, his heart pounding as adrenaline flooded his system.

Cold sweat soaked Lin Xuan's palms, making them slick and extremely uncomfortable.

It was his body's instinctive reaction.

Coming back to himself, Lin Xuan thought carefully and gradually realized that even if all of Zhang Guangmu's reinforcements gathered together, they would only amount to roughly one-third of his side's combat strength.

They still had the advantage!

And it was a huge advantage!

However, Lin Xuan considered himself a cautious man.

As the saying went, "A man of wealth does not sit beneath a collapsing wall." If he could minimize the risk, he absolutely would not take even the slightest extra danger.

"Kill him... No!"

Lin Xuan's thoughts raced. He immediately retreated two steps and ordered, "Get him! Capture him!"

Unfortunately, only a few Wolf Riders reacted.

After rising to power, his authority had grown increasingly oppressive, and his rules increasingly severe. Most of his subordinates were bound together by profit and had no common goal. For most Wolf Riders, it was enough to Muddle Through. Why strive to rise above the rest?

Working under a leader like this, the more one did, the more mistakes one made; the less one did, the fewer mistakes one made; and doing nothing meant making no mistakes!

Thus, even after the few Wolf Riders and Cub Wolf Guard who wanted to curry favor with Lin Xuan gathered together, they still could not form an absolute suppression over Zhang Guangmu's side.

So...

Even these "loyal and devoted" people could not help harboring some ulterior thoughts.

Since they could not overwhelm the enemy through sheer numbers and lacked an overwhelming advantage, people would die once the real fighting began!

Who would willingly die if they could stay alive?

They certainly would not!

If Lin Xuan were truly that incredible and confident that he could capture the Young Vice Fortress Lord "Tian Guang" before the reinforcements arrived, he would not have said "Get him" just now. He should have said, "Let's get him."

If he did not even dare to charge himself, what else was there to say?

As it turned out...

The language skills of a faction leader were extremely important. Even a difference of two words could have a tremendous impact on the morale of one's own faction.

Some opportunities vanished forever once they were missed.

Just as this group hesitated, caught between advancing and retreating, dense footsteps gradually rang out from all directions.

They belonged to a group of people who had no Flame Wolves accompanying them.

A little more than a month ago, a single Flame Wolf could have slaughtered them all!

The Wolf Riders considered it a blessing whenever these people received even a glance from them.

But now...

These people, who had originally been nothing more than ordinary fortress residents, wore identical Vermilion Full-Finger Combat Gloves on their hands and carried Strange Brown Water Bags at their waists, as though they had been produced on an assembly line.

They were Flame Artifact Users!

They were a new generation of combatants capable of matching the Wolf Riders!

"How can there be so many?"

Lin Xuan's pupils dilated slightly, and his breathing quickened. His mind felt like a lump of paste, stars swam before his eyes, and his ears rang loudly.

He instinctively murmured, "This is impossible!"

The next moment, Lin Xuan recalled the most criticized of the many measures Vice Fortress Lord Tian Guang had implemented after taking office—raising craftsmen's status to the same level as that of Wolf Riders.

"So that's how it is. I understand now..."

Lin Xuan looked at Zhang Guangmu, an expression of fear gradually appearing on his face. "You used status and money as bait, luring those commoners into becoming craftsmen..."

"You had them devote all their strength to forging a large number of Flame Artifacts for you, then found an excuse to kill them all afterward!"

"That way, not only could you keep the Flame Artifact forging blueprints secret, you could also obtain a large batch of divine weapons that nobody would ever be able to replicate!"

Lin Xuan felt that he had discovered the blind spot and seen through the truth. His voice began to tremble. "Tian Guang, how ruthless you are!"

"What you wanted was never the position of Fort Master of Flame Wolf Fortress!"

"You wanted to completely destroy Flame Wolf Fortress and rebuild a 'Flame God Fortress' that belonged to you alone atop its ruins!"

That was what he said, but as the Plot Protagonist, Lin Xuan had the advantage of timing, terrain, and popular support. His first-mover advantage was simply too great.

Even though Zhang Guangmu had made numerous preparations, the two sides' overall combat strength remained roughly equal, making it difficult to determine the victor.

"Summer insects cannot be spoken to about ice."

Zhang Guangmu could not be bothered to deal with Lin Xuan. After tossing out that remark, he began looking around. "Looks like everyone's here?"

"Good!"

"Today's battle will determine both victory and defeat, and life and death!"

"Everyone..."

"Follow me!"

After saying this, Zhang Guangmu suddenly rubbed his thumb and middle finger together.

Boom!

A mass of flames roared out.

With a light snap of his fingers, Fiery Red Blazing Flames coiled around both of Zhang Guangmu's fists.

The next moment, a dazzling red glow suffused his entire body. Like the scorching sun streaking across the sky, he charged into the enemy ranks at the head of the assault!