The damp, cold wind carried the stench of blood everywhere. The gathering sounds of the Xiongnu ambushers gradually coalesced into a majestic force, pressing down upon the shield wall below.
Beyond the clamor, deep within the forest's concealment, the Blood-Clad Army soldiers stationed around the perimeter lay silently in wait. They formed groups of three, their bodies blending into the woods, their presence suppressed to the utmost limit.
A junior officer of the Blood-Clad Army gazed at the five thousand ambushers Huyan Du had brought below, a cold curve touching his lips. He whispered to the soldiers beside him, "This is the last ambush force. Time to draw in the net."
The surrounding Blood-Clad Army soldiers gave slight nods, sharp glints flashing through their eyes. Special birdcalls left their throats, carrying the signal to close the net to their comrades lying in ambush nearby—and to Meng Tian below.
They had already confirmed that no further Xiongnu ambushers would arrive.
The trap unit in the forest, tasked with intercepting the enemy's divided forces, had also completed its mission. They had cleared the traps and killed some of the Xiongnu soldiers who had come to provide support.
Now, more and more Blood-Clad Army officers and soldiers gathered from every part of the forest, silently taking up positions in the shadows. The crossbows in their hands had long been drawn taut, their arrowheads aimed precisely at the backs of the Xiongnu soldiers gathering grimly below, preparing to force their way through the shield wall.
Bowstrings were stretched tight, awaiting only an order to unleash a deadly rain of arrows.
Like crouching tigers, they silently watched the movements below, patiently awaiting the best moment to draw in the net, without exposing a trace of themselves.
Meanwhile, in the clearing below.
The First Officer led