He paused, then suddenly pointed his spear forward, the dragon pattern on the shaft seemingly coming to life. "Taking Barak will not only cripple him, but also protect Soto—this is both punishing the rebellion for His Majesty and securing my own foundation. Issue the order: advance at full speed! I want to see Barak's walls within three days!"
Military orders are absolute, and the torrent of hundreds of thousands of troops surged even more fiercely. Sunlight pierced through the morning mist, illuminating the resolute faces of the soldiers, and also the pride belonging to the Yu family on Yu Tianheng's silver armor.
With the first objective clear, this campaign, launched in the name of the imperial decree, officially began on this battlefield, where the commander-in-chief's fate was at stake.
After two days of rapid march, the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Heaven Dou Empire, like a sharp sword, precisely pierced into the territory of the Balak Kingdom.
Along the border, the 80,000-strong army of the Balak Kingdom was already lined up and waiting. The dark army stretched for miles, and the Lion totem on the banners fluttered in the wind.
" Heaven Dou, how dare you invade my territory!" General Barak stood on the high slope, looking at the well-organized enemy army opposite him, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.
When he saw the small force of only three thousand men charging out from the Heaven Dou Army formation, he burst into laughter. "Are they looking down on me Barak? Sending only this many men to their deaths?"
His adjutant chimed in, "General, you are wise! It must be that the Heaven Dou Army's strength is insufficient, and they can only bluff!"
However, the "suicide squad" they were talking about was charging towards them with Thunderous Might force.
This team, uniformly armored and marching in perfect unison, charged with a strange rhythm – they were none other than the Divine Martial Army, personally trained by Yu Tianheng.
At the very front of the group, Mu Qing, dressed in a black martial arts outfit, moved like an arrow, with a faint aura surrounding him—a sign that Martial Dao cultivation had reached the Heavenly Human Realm.
" Divine Martial Army, follow me to break through the formation!" Mu Qing shouted in a low voice, which clearly echoed throughout the entire army formation.
The three thousand Divine Martial Army responded in unison, their voices shaking the very air. Although they had no Soul Ring to enhance them, each of them had Sinew Refining and bones, and every punch and kick possessed immense power. Even the weakest taxi driver was comparable to Three-Ring Soul Master. At this moment, their all-out charge carried an aura that could shake mountains and fill seas.
Before the smile on General Barak's face had faded, the three thousand figures crashed into his own army formation like a red-hot iron.
There were no fancy Soul Skill, only pure power and speed—the halberds in the hands of the Divine Martial Army soldiers swept across, easily shattering the shields of the Barak soldiers; Mu Qing's figure flashed, and where his palm wind passed, the enemy's armor shattered like paper, tearing a gap in the army formation.
"Impossible!" General Barak exclaimed in shock. He had never seen such ferocious infantry. The three thousand men were like an indestructible awl, tearing flesh and blood apart wherever they went, and the army formation was instantly shattered.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Barak's forward positions had already collapsed.
After breaking through the enemy's formation, the Divine Martial Army did not stop, but instead spun around and charged into the enemy's heartland like a top. The 80,000-strong army was thrown into disarray and could not support each other. In the blink of an eye, the number of dead and wounded exceeded 10,000.
On the high slope, General Barak, his face pale, looked at the Divine Martial Army that had maintained its orderly formation amidst the chaos, and finally realized what a ridiculous mistake he had made.
On the other side, Yu Tianheng calmly observed the battlefield, as if he had anticipated it all. He raised his hand and gestured, "Pass down the order: the main force advances and crushes them."
The 100,000-strong army responded to the call and launched a final assault on the already routed Barak army.
The smoke of battle gradually dissipated, leaving only a mess and the pungent smell of blood.
The first clash between the Heaven Dou Army and the Balak Kingdom ended in a near-crushing defeat—the outcome of the battle was already sealed when the last Barak flag was trampled underfoot by the Divine Martial Army soldiers.
The messenger, tallying the battle results, rushed to Yu Tianheng, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "General Yu! In this battle, we killed over 50,000 enemies, captured 30,000, and almost completely wiped out Barak's 80,000-strong garrison!"
Yu Tianheng reined in his horse and stood in the center of the battlefield strewn with corpses. His silver armor was splattered with dark red blood, but his face remained expressionless. He raised his hand and waved. "Extract the prisoners, inventory the military equipment, and enter the pass immediately."
With his command, the Heaven Dou Army surged into the heart of the Balak Kingdom like a flood bursting its banks, through the breach torn open by the Divine Martial Army. The Barak army, having lost its main force, was utterly powerless to resist, and the border guards either fled at the first sign of trouble or laid down their weapons and surrendered.
Wherever Yu Tianheng's iron cavalry passed, towns changed hands one after another. Those local officials who had previously outwardly obeyed but inwardly defied the Heaven Dou Empire now knelt down outside the city, holding their official seals, fearing that if they were even a step too late, their heads would roll.
The city gates of Suotuo City were almost wide open when the army arrived. Yu Tianheng rode into the city, and looking at the familiar scenes on the streets, a barely perceptible hint of resignation flashed in his eyes—at least, he had saved this place.
The city gates of Suotuo City slowly opened, Yu Tianheng led the Heaven Dou army into the city with steady steps.
Along the streets, the people, though apprehensive, could not hide their curiosity—this man, who was both the commander-in-chief of the Heaven Dou Empire and their legal lord, had returned as a victor, instantly casting a complex atmosphere over this weathered city.
Yu Tianheng did not linger at the city entry ceremony. He dismounted and headed straight for the Earl in the city center.
This was where he used to handle affairs of his fiefdom. Now, stepping back in, the familiar pillars and courtyard eased his tense nerves.
"Pass on my order: open the granary," Yu Tianheng commanded his personal guards, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The guards obeyed and left. Not long after, the creaking sound of doors opening came from several giant granaries located in the northwest corner of the city.
When the warehouse doors were flung open, revealing the mountains of grain and fodder inside, even the accompanying Heaven Dou generals were astonished—the golden grains and plump millet were enough to sustain an army of hundreds of thousands for half a year.
"Commander Yu, this..." A lieutenant couldn't help but step forward. He had never imagined that Suotuo City possessed such substantial reserves.
Yu Tianheng gazed at the scene inside the granary, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes.
Years ago, he had already seen the Balak Kingdom's centrifugal tendencies toward the Heaven Dou Empire, and knew that sooner or later they would clash.
Suotuo City, his fiefdom, was also the richest grain-producing area in Barak. He had long ago secretly laid out a backup plan—under the guise of improving people's livelihoods, he had been buying up surplus grain from surrounding farmers at high prices year after year, and even secretly transporting it from other city-states, thus accumulating this astonishing reserve.
"These provisions were prepared specifically for today," Yu Tianheng said calmly. "Order each battalion to collect one month's worth of provisions according to their assigned units. The remainder should be properly sealed and guarded by designated personnel from the Divine Martial Army."
At the order, the soldiers sprang into action. Carrying sacks of grain, the soldiers shuttled back and forth, and a long queue quickly formed outside the granary. The troops, who were slightly tired from marching for days, were instantly in high spirits upon seeing the ample food supplies.