Dongfang Mao's gaze turned distant. He stood outside the tent for a long while, then abruptly turned and went back inside, ordering his men to spread out a military map.
His eyes swept slowly across it, finally settling on the Ishi Plain, where the heartlands of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields met.
If they couldn't break through by force, why not cross the grasslands of the Land of Fire, charge straight in, and plunder the heart of the Land of Rice Fields?
After all, there were no fortress walls along the Land of Rice Fields' borders to stop them!
At the thought, a ruthless glint flashed in Dongfang Mao's eyes. He immediately shouted,
"Guards, summon all the commanders here for a meeting!"
"Grand Governor!"
Before long, several commanders hurried into the tent and saluted in unison.
Dongfang Mao nodded, then immediately gave his orders.
"Since the defenders of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields are hunkered down behind the pass and won't come out, there's no need for us to force our way in! Yasuke, Kyuzo, gather three thousand New Martial Army troops and ten thousand New Auxiliary Army troops at once. Have them rest and recover their strength. Tomorrow, they'll follow me around the Ishi Plain and strike straight into the heart of the Land of Rice Fields, catching the enemy off guard!"
The two exchanged a glance, excitement in their eyes. They had been seething with frustration over those cowardly turtles for days. At the news of a surprise attack by a roundabout route, their fighting spirit surged, and they answered together,
"Yes, Grand Governor!"
Dongfang Mao then turned to Jieshi, the Third Commander of the New Martial Army, and Chang Chuang, the commander of the Divine Machine Battalion.