Heaven Dou City lay in the heartland of the Heaven Dou Empire, surrounded by boundless plains. In ordinary times, this brought the city unparalleled prosperity, but when an enemy nation invaded, it also offered the enemy an easy route to drive deep into the empire.
The Spirit Hall Empire's six hundred thousand troops dispersed into smaller forces, scattering across the Heaven Dou Empire's vast territory to cause trouble and draw attention. Meanwhile, Pope Bibi Dong personally led the Holy Dragon Army's finest troops, slipping past the Sky-Blasting Gang's agents along the way. Their movements were only discovered at the edge of Sunset Forest, twenty kilometers from Heaven Dou City. By then, however, it was already rather late for the city's defenders.
As the sudden shadow of war enveloped Heaven Dou City and left its people in constant dread, Prince Xue Xing, entrusted with overseeing affairs in Gang Leader Yang Ming's stead during this crisis, faithfully carried out his duties. He personally led the troops onto the walls to face the Spirit Hall Empire's Holy Dragon Army.
A cool breeze brushed past, stirring a bleak sense of sorrow.
The soldiers on the walls stood motionless as stone statues. In their hearts, they knew these might be the final moments of their lives.
The flames of war were now rising throughout the Heaven Dou Empire. Every region was busy suppressing enemy forces, and they were too far from Heaven Dou City for reinforcements to arrive anytime soon. With so few men at their disposal, the defenders had no confidence in their ability to resist the Spirit Hall Empire's elite troops.
An elderly man ascended the walls, surrounded by a group of soldiers. He wore gleaming golden Zero-Character Battle Armor, engraved with clusters of flowers that somehow did not look cluttered. His graying