The Three Rivers Lost, Hearts of the Army in Chaos; Defending the Yurts, Awaiting the Wild Geese

The north wind swept up whirling dust, carrying the outline of a crimson tide into view south of the White Wave Shoal royal court.

Tens of thousands of soldiers stood in formation. At the front, the Blood-Clad Army wore heavy refined-steel armor forged by the Mohist Pavilion. Their cuirasses, stained with dark brown blood, gleamed with a cold, hard, dark-red metallic sheen beneath the sun.

The longswords and halberds in their hands pointed straight toward the royal court. Their ranks were as neat as if cut by a blade, without the slightest clamor. The sounds of breathing and armor rubbing alone exuded a suffocating pressure.

Behind them, twenty thousand elite Yan troops followed close after, banners snapping in the wind and drums thundering dully, forming a stark contrast to the Blood-Clad Army's deathly silence.

Atop the rammed-earth wall by the royal court's southern main gate, Kumo personally held command. All thirty thousand elite Wolf Riders had already been deployed.

Outside the wall, several trenches crisscrossed one another, their bottoms filled with sharpened wooden stakes.

Beyond the trenches, cheval-de-frise and deer-fence barricades stood layer upon layer, sealing the main gate passage completely.

On the walls, several thousand archers and crossbowmen had arrows nocked and bowstrings drawn, arrowheads glinting coldly. Great heaps of rolling stones and fire oil had also been piled below; clearly, they were ready to fight to the death.

"Get yourselves together!"

Kumo gripped his curved saber and roared at the top of his lungs. The scar on his face twisted in the wind. "Those rabble only broke through Black Wind Valley and seized the horse ranch by taking advantage of an opening!

"Today, with the natural defenses of the royal court at our backs, we'll make sure they come but never return!

"Hold the main gate, and we