Please Come Into the Urn!

The four hundred and fifty thousand-strong army, vast and mighty, Like a black dragon stretching beyond the horizon, swept northward from Balak City.

Banners blotted out the sun, and iron armor gleamed with a chilling light.

The sounds of hooves, footsteps, and wheels merged into a dull, thunderous roar, And the earth trembled under the trampling of tens of thousands of feet and hooves.

The commoners along the way shut their doors and windows, hiding behind them and peering out through the cracks in the wood.

The endless army ground its way across the imperial road, kicking up clouds of dust that made it hard to breathe.

"It's over... it's all over..." an old farmer crouched in a corner, clutching his head, his body trembling. "Is the Empress going to be driven from the throne?"

"What does it matter to you who is Emperor? We're just dirt-grubbers anyway; isn't it all the same whoever comes?"

"It's not the same!" another young tenant farmer lowered his voice, his eyes filled with resentment.

"The Empress abolished fiefs, abolished hereditary titles, and even established the Imperial Examination!

My son is good at his studies; he was supposed to go take the exam in two years!

If those nobles drive the Empress away, all of that will be gone!"

"Keep your voice down! Do you want to lose your life?"

The young man gritted his teeth and said nothing more, but his fists were clenched tight.

Indeed, the nobles hated the Empress to the bone because they had lost their fiefs, their hereditary rights, and their private armies.

But what about the common people?

The Empress's new policies—

Abolishing fiefs, implementing the Imperial Examination, and the Twenty-Rank Military Merit System—

Which of these was not paving the way for the commoners?

In the past, a noble's son didn't have to do anything to inherit titles, land, and glory.

Yet a commoner's son, no matter how talented, could only scrape for food in the mud.

Now that the Empress had opened the Imperial Examination, regardless of status or wealth, anyone who passed could become an official.

Even nobles were to be beheaded for breaking the law, and setting up private courts was considered an act of usurpation.

Which of these things was not protecting the common people?

But now, with four hundred and fifty thousand troops pressing on the border, could the Empress still hold on?

The people dared not speak, dared not ask, and could only pray silently in their hearts.

That woman sitting on the imperial throne must not lose.

The army continued its northward advance.

Several days later.

The silhouette of Heaven Dou City finally appeared on the horizon.

Marshal Haierge reined in his warhorse and raised a hand to signal the entire army to halt.

He narrowed his eyes, gazing at the towering city in the distance, and said in a deep voice, "Pass the order: make camp and fortify the position."

Prince Xue Ye rode up to his side, his brows furrowed.

"Marshal, why not attack the city directly? We have four hundred and fifty thousand troops, while the garrison inside is barely over twenty thousand. With a fierce assault, we could break the city in a single day!"

Haierge shook his head, his voice steady. "Your Highness, our troops have been marching for days and are exhausted.

If we attack the city immediately, assaulting a fortified position with weary soldiers, even if we succeed, we will pay a heavy price.

Once the offensive is blunted, morale will inevitably plummet."

He pointed toward Heaven Dou City. "Furthermore, that woman in the city is full of schemes; we do not yet know how many tricks she has up her sleeve.

We have just arrived, we are unfamiliar with the terrain, and the enemy's situation is unclear. To attack rashly is a great taboo in military affairs."

Though Xue Ye was reluctant, Haierge was the pillar of the Heaven Dou Empire military, having commanded troops for decades; his experience was far beyond his own.

He suppressed his impatience and nodded. "The Marshal is right."

"Set up camp and secure our footing," Haierge commanded with a wave of his hand.

"Link the camps for miles, with strict fortifications.

Each army shall camp in its designated zone.

The Northern Border Legion shall take the center, the Balaque Army the left, and the Noble Allied Army the right.

The camps must be situated near mountains and water; walls, trenches, caltrops, and watchtowers—not a single thing shall be missing."

"Understood!"

The four hundred and fifty thousand-strong army began to bustle with activity.

Tens of thousands of laborers and soldiers swung their shovels, carving out deep trenches.

The excavated earth was piled into walls, then reinforced with sharpened wooden stakes and caltrops to form a simple yet sturdy line of defense.

Watchtowers were erected every few dozen paces around the perimeter of the camp, equipped with heavy crossbows and manned by vigilant sentries scanning the surroundings.

Inside the camp, the various barracks were arranged according to their units, with the central command tent positioned at the heart of the encampment, heavily guarded by the personal elite forces of Marshal Haierge.

Provisions and supplies were stacked at the rear, under the watch of heavy guards.

Passageways were left between the camps to facilitate the movement of troops and the transport of supplies.

The camp of King Kundera of Balak City was situated on the left flank, the Noble Allied Army occupied the right, and Haierge's Northern Border Legion held the center and the rear.

In just a few short hours, 450,000 troops had transformed the open ground for miles around into a massive military fortress.

However, what they did not know was this:

On a high ridge several kilometers away from the camp, a pitch-black, cylindrical object was aimed directly at the bustling encampment.

It was a monocular telescope, its lens crafted from finely polished crystal and shimmering with a faint ripple of soul power.

The person holding the telescope was draped in a grey cloak.

He was a puppet whose memories had been wiped—formerly a Soul Emperor bodyguard for a noble house, now a low-level scout for the Net.

There were a dozen others just like him.

They were scattered across every corner of the high ground, their telescopes locked firmly onto the Allied Army as they set up camp.

From the moment the Allied Army left Balak City, they had been under constant surveillance.

Along the sides of the imperial roads, at village intersections, and within the hills and forests, there were always "people" who arrived ahead of time to occupy the high ground, recording the Allied Army's marching speed, troop distribution, and the location of their provisions.

These people were the masterpieces of the Tide Enchantress over the past dozen days.

From the captured private soldiers and retainers of the nobility, she had selected a group of "usable individuals" at the Soul King and Soul Emperor levels—those with few past crimes but deep familial ties.

Yan Lingji had personally intervened, completely erasing their memories and imprinting them with commands of absolute loyalty.

These were the first batch of assassins for the Net:

Pain-free, fearless, selfless, knowing only how to serve.

Over these past days, they had already infiltrated every corner surrounding Heaven Dou City.

Every move the Allied Army made was under their watchful eyes.

High above in the sky, a flock of birds circled overhead.

Their eyes were no longer those of ordinary birds; deep within their pupils, there was a faint, ink-black mark.

That was a tiny wisp of symbiotic tissue that Jiang Ce had separated from his own body, attaching it to the birds and transforming them into living "surveillance cameras."

The birds looked down upon the earth, and everything in the Allied Army camp—

the layout of the tents, the location of the supplies, the position of the command tent, and the patrol routes—

was clearly visible, transmitted in real-time to Jiang Ce's consciousness through the mental link between the symbiotes.

In the jungle, in the grass, and even on the rats and wild dogs roaming the perimeter of the Allied camp, there were those same ink-black marks.

They lurked silently under the very noses of the Allied Army, recording every detail inside the camp.

The 450,000-strong army believed their defenses were impenetrable, unaware that they were already trapped in a net from which there was no escape.

Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, back courtyard.

Yan Lingji, the Tide Enchantress, Xiaomeng, the Snow Maiden, and Na'er were gathered together, monitoring the movements of the Allied Army outside the city through the vision and hearing of the birds, beasts, and insects parasitized by Jiang Ce's Venom symbiote.

"450,000 troops, camps stretching for miles, defenses as solid as iron."

The Tide Enchantress spoke with a hint of mockery, "Haierge is certainly cautious and steady."

Yan Lingji chuckled softly, "Let them set up. The more secure they make it, the better."

"Sister, you mean—"

"Tonight." Yan Lingji held up a finger, a cold light flashing in her peach-blossom eyes, "A dark night with a high wind is the perfect time for killing."

Xiaomeng opened her eyes: "The Net and the Bad People have already infiltrated, and the tunnels dug by Earth-Breaking Three are ready. With an attack from both inside and out, they won't even know how they died."

Yan Lingji nodded and began to assign tasks:

"Xiaomeng, take Earth-Breaking Three and infiltrate through the tunnel to strike directly at the central command tent.

Your targets are Helge and the coalition high command.

Kill them if you can; if not, scatter them."

"Mingzhu, you are responsible for coordinating with the Net.

Once the signal is given, detonate from within, prioritizing the elimination of mid-level officers and sentries."

"Snow Maiden, take the Bad People and provide long-range support.

Use your abilities to create illusions. Disrupt the enemy's morale and make them unable to distinguish friend from foe."

"Na'er, you stay in the city and remain by my side. Learn how a war is fought."

The women acknowledged their orders.

Yan Lingji reclined on a soft couch, her nine tails swaying gently, the candlelight reflecting in her peach-blossom eyes.

A pitch-black tentacle emerged from beneath her dress. She reached out to grasp it gently, leaning her red lips forward to plant a kiss on the cold tip of the tentacle, her eyes filled with enchantment and docility.

"Master, what do you think of these arrangements?"

Jiang Ce's tentacle brushed against her lips as his voice echoed:

"Not bad. A pincer attack from inside and out, advancing on three fronts—they won't be able to hold."

A satisfied curve tugged at the corners of Yan Lingji's lips.

She kissed the tentacle once more, her nine fox tails swaying joyfully behind her.

"Then I can rest easy."

She stood up, her black and red dress spreading out, her nine tails fanning behind her, a sharp edge appearing in her peach-blossom eyes.

"After tonight, let them know—what a dimensional strike truly means."

"Sister is so amazing."

Na'er, standing to the side, had eyes that sparkled.

"And is my master amazing?"

Yan Lingji pulled her over, pinched her cheek, and said teasingly.

A tentacle also pressed against her lips.

Na'er said obediently: "Brother is also extremely amazing."

"Heh heh, is that so?"

"Na'er, you've learned to be glib. Let Brother see for himself."

"Mmph..."

Na'er was unable to speak for a moment.