The night was dark and cold. A bonfire burned deep in the mountains. Though the fire could not fully ward off the biting chill of the surroundings, it blazed intensely, fueled by the dry wood of an old tree.
Except for the soldiers on guard duty, most of Ri Boku's private forces had fallen asleep near the fire.
In the silent valley, apart from the crackling of burning wood, the only sounds were the occasional murmurs of drowsy soldiers.
Ri Boku sat leaning against an ancient tree, his deep black eyes gleaming under the stars. He remained completely awake, lost in thought.
The battle between the coalition forces and Jun's cavalry the previous night had been a hasty beginning to their involvement in the war. While they managed to save a general, exposing themselves had placed Jun's forces at a disadvantage on the battlefield.
Now, they were being pursued by an enemy army while other troops advanced safely into the interior of Qin territory.
Despite the precarious situation, Jun's appearance on the battlefield was unforgettable. Not only did he halt the coalition forces and Ri Boku's private army with his formidable cavalry, but he also massacred over five thousand soldiers, suffering only a few hundred casualties in return.
Even against such uneven odds, Jun's army had managed to stay calm in the face of danger, stabilize their defensive line, and swiftly launch a counterattack, nearly annihilating the infantry that bore the brunt of the assault.
Fortunately, Ri Boku had been well-prepared. Each of his soldiers carried small pouches of lime powder. This seemingly minor measure proved invaluable at a critical moment, ultimately helping his forces avoid total destruction.
The next battle would be the most crucial, marking not only the end of the war but potentially the fall of the warring state of Qin.
Many anticipated Qin's downfall, while others lamented it.
However, Ri Boku was not naive enough to believe that sheer numbers would guarantee the conquest of Qin without significant challenges. Now that they had breached the enemy's defenses, the path ahead was far from simple.
The goal was not merely to claim the head of Qin's king. Training a cavalry as skilled as the one Jun commanded was no easy feat.
Even with their limited numbers, Jun's soldiers, fighting to the death, could easily crush an infantry army of thirty thousand.
Yet Ri Boku knew how to systematically weaken that army.
Now, no force could stop his coalition from surviving in this turbulent world. From this day forward, the united forces would focus on finding Jun and exterminating him along with his army.
Establishing a foothold in the Central Plains was utterly out of the question for them.
Once the advance resumed, Jun's private forces would be crushed under the overwhelming might of the coalition army.
"Fire!"
Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the valley, startling many soldiers awake. The sound of wings flapping filled the air as birds took flight, vanishing into the empty mountains beyond.
Ri Boku quickly looked up and saw a figure clad in massive armor approaching him. Behind the figure was one of his subordinates, his face worn and weary.
...
In a fortress near the mountains, the atmosphere in the meeting hall was grim. Nearly all of Jun's advisors and generals were present.
Even Duke Hyou and Shin had been urgently summoned to participate.
Shen had just reported that thirty thousand soldiers had passed through the mountains and were advancing southward toward the cities. They had already joined forces with allied armies from other states.
"This is a grave situation!" Jun thought for a long time before sighing. "The enemy's numbers are far greater than I estimated. Over two hundred thousand soldiers have entered Qin in the last twenty-four hours."
"It's impossible to defend against them!"
Duke Hyou rarely agreed so readily. "Yes. If we send too few troops, the consequences could be disastrous. If we send too many, the logistical demands for food and supplies would be enormous, and our march would slow. How can we stop them?"
Shen, after hearing this, added, "What's even more challenging is that these soldiers are completely different from the ones we stopped earlier. They don't defend camps or occupy the mountains. They ride swiftly, pillaging as they go, appearing and vanishing like the wind. It's hard to predict their next move or intentions, making it nearly impossible for our army to prepare, let alone respond effectively."
Duke Hyou, whose injuries had only recently healed, growled and clenched his teeth. "So, does that mean our army can only sit here and wait to be slaughtered?"
Hyou's expression was fierce. A linen bandage wrapped diagonally around his head covered his left eye completely. Yet his exposed right eye still burned with murderous intent.
In the previous battle at Qin's pass, Duke Hyou had nearly been killed in a trap set by Ri Boku. Fortunately, Jun had mobilized his vanguard to cover the retreat. However, Hyou's left eye was now permanently blind.
Even so, they were now practically fleeing from the coalition army, awaiting the arrival of Qin's king, Ei Sei, in the city where they planned to establish a defense.
"I'll hold off the enemy so our forces here can regroup. My generals will take command of the orders, and all you need to do is wait." Jun had his plans and was clearly unfazed, having anticipated scenarios like this in advance.
The real question he grappled with was whether it was all worth it.
But with Ei Sei's involvement, Jun had no doubts anymore.