Snow Domain Heavenly Lake, North Mountain.
Lin Zhao recounted the recent events. Shen Xingchen and Leng Yan, as they had before, sat on the edge of the cliff, their long legs dangling. Their beauty was so captivating that Lin Zhao dared not stare for too long, lest his composure be shattered and his thoughts wander.
"Logically speaking, if the demon race were to make a move, their army should have departed today."
Lin Zhao rested his hands on his sword hilt, his Zanyang sword planted on the ground. He gazed at the cloud-shrouded Pan Yun Mountain in the distance and chuckled, "The demon army marches on foot. They have no cavalry. To travel from Pan Yun Mountain to the Gu Yao Pass area would take at least a day and a night. Furthermore, if they intended to set up an ambush beforehand, they would have needed to depart even earlier."
"Mmm."
Shen Xingchen nodded in agreement.
"Shu Zhi."
Lin Zhao turned his head and asked, "Did you count the number of demon army cookstoves at noon today?"
"I did."
Shu Zhi replied, "To be honest, sir, the number of demon army cookstoves at noon today actually increased by ten percent, as if an additional hundred thousand troops had suddenly joined. I'm not sure what that means."
"'Deceive the heavens by increasing the number of cookstoves, and lure the enemy to attack by decreasing them.' "
Shen Xingchen dangled her legs and said with a smile, "These are tactics as old as the ancestors. Following the art of war, where one appears to be strong when weak and weak when strong, if Shi Jun Gang is only operating at the first level of military strategy, then the demon army at Pan Yun Mountain would have long since advanced east. The troops remaining at Pan Yun Mountain are certainly not many. Otherwise, there would be no need to deceive the eyes and ears of Snow Domain Heavenly Lake by increasing the cookstoves."
"So that's how it is..."
Shu Zhi was completely dumbfounded. No wonder Lin Zhao had her count the demon army cookstoves every day; there was such a deep meaning behind it. That woman from another world was truly intelligent.
"Indeed."
Lin Zhao grinned. "I have already verified Shi Jun Gang's level of strategic thinking. It is indeed the first level, the kind where one only reads military texts. Essentially, what Xingchen guesses will likely not be far from the truth."
At this moment, Lin Zhao wished he could keep Shen Xingchen at Snow Domain Heavenly Lake as an advisor. With her insights into strategy, his every plan would be more thorough and his success more assured. Unfortunately, he was, after all, a player, and he couldn't offer Shen Xingchen any official position. If she stayed, she might not gain much tangible benefit, and the Scarlet Moon Knights also desperately needed Shen Xingchen's presence.
"Shu Zhi."
Lin Zhao frowned and said, "Dispatch one hundred Snow Domain cavalry soldiers, carrying our Chen banner, to the Gu Yao Pass area. Once the fifty thousand tribute sheep enter Gu Yao Pass, these cavalrymen are to raise the banner on Snow Ridge, allowing the demon race to see our flag. Remember not to let them approach the demon forces; merely show themselves. Once the demon race launches an attack, they are to retreat at full speed and return to Snow Domain Heavenly Lake."
"Yes!"
Shu Zhi nodded, understanding this as a feint.
"It seems we're truly going to raid their base?"
Shen Xingchen turned to Lin Zhao and asked with a smile, "Are you confident? Shi Jun Gang might have left behind one hundred thousand or two hundred thousand demon soldiers. If you launch such a hasty attack on Pan Yun Mountain, are you not afraid of being trapped?"
"It's fine."
Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Our Snow Domain Heavenly Lake cavalry are not made of mud. Shu Zhi, tell Xingchen, how many troops does our Snow Domain Legion have now?"
Shu Zhi happily replied, "Twenty-seven thousand elite cavalry, to be exact. Under the constant training of Generals Mu Zha, Chu Yu, Xiang Ji, and Xu Sheng, they have become well-disciplined and possess formidable combat strength."
"Twenty-seven thousand already?"
Lin Zhao himself was startled and laughed, "Then there's no problem. Back then, our thirty thousand cavalry dared to charge against four demon army camps. Now, with twenty-seven thousand elite cavalry of the Snow Domain Legion in hand, what is a single army camp's worth of soldiers? Moreover... Shi Jun Gang is focused on annihilating the main force of Snow Domain Heavenly Lake. Perhaps he has taken most of his troops with him. As for the supplies and provisions required by the four demon army camps, they cannot carry them. We'll go there and burn them, giving the demon race a New Year's celebration!"
Shu Zhi nodded with a smile.
Shen Xingchen also smiled, her dimples appearing. The more she watched Lin Zhao's strategic planning at this moment, the more she liked him. It felt as if some people were naturally kindred spirits. She favored open strategies, and Lin Zhao did too. The Sky Furnace strategy from years ago, luring the demon race into a trap, was a grand open strategy. This current diversion was also an open strategy. Faced with Lin Zhao's plan, Shi Jun Gang had no choice but to abandon either the fifty thousand tribute sheep or his stronghold. He would have to choose one to sacrifice, and it would be a gamble on which one Lin Zhao would choose. Losing the gamble was his own fault.
"A Yan!"
Shen Xingchen stood up and said, "Lin Zhao has plot rewards for his strategic arrangements here, and they are quite generous. Half of his Earth-grade equipment came from plot rewards. We can't compare to him. We don't have time to waste here with him. Let's go and check out the Vermilion Bird Camp on the northern mountainside. Perhaps there's a main quest we can take."
"Mmm."
Leng Yan leaned on her sword and stood up. With a bright smile, she looked at Lin Zhao and said, "Then we'll go and do quests and hunt monsters. You do your best. When Snow Domain Heavenly Lake descends from the mountain to attack, I will join you in the fight."
"Alright, go ahead!"
Lin Zhao smiled and watched the two of them depart. With their arrival, Lin Zhao inexplicably felt that his heart was no longer so empty.
...
Night fell.
At Gu Yao Pass, the wind and snow raged once more. A group of ragged, uncivilized figures, carrying tribute sheep, appeared in the blizzard, escorted by a group of fully armored Cang Nan iron cavalry. Some of the younger men among these barbarians bore injuries, with even some having their arms pierced by spears, bandaged superficially before being forced to continue.
Along the way, the barbarians resisted repeatedly. There was even a mutiny in the middle of the night. However, against the formidable Cang Nan iron cavalry, they had no chance. Moreover, these three thousand Cang Nan iron cavalry were led by a martial artist of the tenth realm of the Sea Crossing realm, leaving them with no hope whatsoever.
Among the cavalry, the man with a gold star on his collar was the commander of this expedition, Chen Yu, the cousin of Chen Xi. Only twenty-six years old, he was a tenth-realm martial artist and held a high position among the Cang Nan iron cavalry, serving as a cavalry commandant in charge of fifty thousand horsemen.
He seemed to fear the cold, his helmet pulled down low. Snowflakes clung to his sword-like eyebrows, and his gaze was icy as he looked towards Gu Yao Pass ahead.
"My lord."
A thousand-man commander said with a grave expression, "Are we crossing Gu Yao Pass? Or... should we drive these barbarians into Gu Yao Pass and immediately return south? Those demons... if I may speak frankly, they are not trustworthy. They might even devour our three thousand iron cavalry."
"Are you afraid?"
Chen Yu smiled faintly.
"Not afraid!"
The thousand-man commander frowned. "From the day I joined the Cang Nan iron cavalry, I have never feared death. I simply don't want to die so obscurely and indignantly."
"It's alright."
Chen Yu said calmly, "After crossing Gu Yao Pass, we will meet with the demon commander and have them sign the receipt for the tribute sheep. Otherwise, if the demon race breaks its promise, they will demand another one hundred thousand tribute sheep from our Great Shang. When will this endless greed end? After entering the pass, order everyone to be on guard and ready to strike the demons at any moment. If we must fight, our three thousand Cang Nan iron cavalry will not return home to face our ancestors in Yun Prefecture with a clear conscience unless we behead ten thousand demon soldiers."
"Yes!"
The thousand-man commander said in a deep voice, "Your subordinate obeys!"
...
Outside Gu Yao Pass.
In the chaotic wind and snow, a dense multitude of demon soldiers had hidden themselves within the snow-covered forest, covering themselves with ice and snow to conceal their presence as much as possible.
Shi Jun Gang, along with the commanders of the Feng Quan, Bai Ye, and two other army camps, and several hundred elite demons, waited on the main road to receive the fifty thousand tribute sheep. They were in the open, while the demon ambushes were concealed.
"My lord."
A hawk demon descended from the sky, folding its wings to transform into the appearance of a middle-aged human cultivator. He frowned and said, "The traces of the Snow Domain Heavenly Lake banner have been discovered on the mountain ridges on both sides of Gu Yao Pass. It seems cavalry are patrolling the ridges, their movements are very secretive."
"Hmph, it seems my guess was correct."
Shi Jun Gang smiled faintly. "Last time, Lin Zhao intercepted our tribute sheep and vowed that he would intercept every tribute offered by the Great Shang Dynasty. This villain is a disciple of the human Confucian Saint Qin Suihan and always claims to be benevolent and righteous, which is utterly nauseating. This time, no matter how many people from the Snow Domain Legion come, I will ensure they never return!"
"Mmm!"
Bai Ye sneered, "This time we have brought a full seven hundred thousand troops to ambush the Gu Yao Pass area in advance. Let alone Lin Zhao being only in the lower five realms, even if he were in the upper five realms, I guarantee he won't be able to escape!"
"Lord Feng Quan."
Shi Jun Gang looked at the highest-ranked great demon behind him and said with a smile, "You don't need to worry about anything else later. First, kill Shu Zhi, then kill Chen Ben and Mu Zha, and finally kill Lin Zhao. We absolutely cannot let him escape from under our noses again."
"Understood!"
Feng Quan embraced his long sword, his lips curling slightly. "My lord, rest assured, I will wield my sword with all my might! I guarantee that young man will not return!"
Just then, another hawk demon responsible for reconnaissance descended from the sky, knelt in the snow, and respectfully reported, "Reporting to my lord, the three thousand Cang Nan iron cavalry escorting the tribute sheep have passed through Gu Yao Pass and are heading north. It seems they are coming for us."
"Oh?"
Shi Jun Gang frowned. "What do a mere three thousand Cang Nan iron cavalry intend? It doesn't matter. Let them come. It's fine even if they are coming for me. I'd like to hear what they have to say."
"Yes!"
...
Meanwhile, at Snow Domain Heavenly Lake, North Mountain.
Countless warhorses neighed. Lin Zhao, riding the Snow Rock warhorse and carrying two swords, led the way. Behind him, over twenty-seven thousand Snow Domain cavalry, mounted on their steeds, armored and armed, descended North Mountain with Lin Zhao. Not far from the foot of the mountain, Leng Yan and Shen Xingchen were waiting. Leng Yan would ride alongside Lin Zhao in the expedition, while Shen Xingchen, unable to ride a horse due to her mage class, pouted unhappily, destined to stay behind and hunt monsters, unable to join the campaign.