Yin Kuang wriggled through the surging crowd like a loach, heading straight for where the heads were most densely packed. About a hundred meters behind him, Justin's group, arranged in an arrowhead formation, continuously tore through the crowds blocking their way, rapidly closing the distance to Yin Kuang. No matter which direction Yin Kuang went, they could lock onto him with precision. One fled ahead while the other pursued from behind, neither willing to give ground. Gradually, this vast, turbulent mass of people reached the junction between the eastern and western camps.
In the distance, by the faint firelight shining from behind, rows of shields could vaguely be seen erected there, forming a shield wall across the path of the crowd, seemingly meant to block the panicked soldiers of the eastern camp from passing through. Behind one section of that shield wall, a general whose features could not be made out caught Yin Kuang's attention. Yin Kuang wondered, Who could that be? Then, a dull horn blast sounded alongside the sharp, urgent clang of gongs. This was the signal for "warning" and "cease all movement."
As expected, they were soldiers, after all, and could basically obey orders without question. Upon hearing the horn and gong, the soldiers at the front of the crowd gradually stopped. They were no longer panicked, terrified, or disorderly. However, the soldiers in the rear had no choice but to press forward because of the flames gradually spreading behind them. Thus, the moving crowd in the rear collided with the stationary crowd ahead, shoving those who had already stopped another stretch forward.
At that moment, the general who had caught Yin Kuang's attention acted. With a flick of his broad sleeve, he shouted, "Quiet!!" His voice was not loud. In such a noisy scene, no matter