Message received.

The enemy is attacking from the expected direction.

All reinforcements and plans are ready, so... there’s no need to panic!

Hai Xiangjin wiped the sweat off his forehead.

He donned his wolf fur cloak, mounted his own jet-black warhorse, and climbed to the highest point to look out.

Half a Shi Chen after the fighting began.

Hai Geli ran over to report.

"Emperor, the assault troops have been routed, and our people are eliminating them one by one!"

"Good!" Hai Xiangjin said confidently.

Just as he continued to imagine, when they capture the Great Chu, how he would successfully take control of the Central Plains with high stature...

An alarm was sounded again on the other side.

"Not good, not good, the enemy has invaded!"

Upon receiving the report, another group of soldiers immediately went up to continue the battle.

Everything was surprisingly orderly, busy but not chaotic.

Hai Xiangjin smirked sarcastically.

"Yang He, oh Yang He, another half-assed assault, that’s all you’re capable of!"

Seeing the army formation he set up is as strong as a fortress, unbreakable.

Hai Xiangjin felt elated.

"Today, I’ll make sure you don’t make it out alive!"

...

During the clash of the two armies,

Hai Tang could no longer sit still. She wrapped herself up tightly and rushed out of the tent.

She ran to the place where the armies were clashing, desperately searching for the people of the Great Chu.

She wanted to seize the opportunity to relay the message about the trap here.

But no matter how hard she searched,

she couldn’t find anyone to deliver the message to.

Hai Tang, extremely anxious, was like an ant on a hot pan, spinning around in circles.

Hai Situ, who was slashing people with great vigor, noticed this ’strange’ figure.

He frowned and walked over silently.

Continuously puzzled in his mind.

’Who is this?’

’Why are they dressed like this? Are they from the Great Chu or Western Xia?’

’What are they doing here?!’

Upon closer inspection, he found the other person was mingling with the Chu Dynasty troops.

Ha!

So, it’s a fool from the Chu Dynasty!

This idiot must be a deserter, not busy fighting but instead looking for people on the battlefield?

Crazy!

Displeased, he swung a large knife over.

Hai Tang sensed the cold killing intent.

She quickly turned around and narrowly avoided the deadly strike.

"Who is it?!" she glared angrily.

Upon closer look, it was indeed Hai Situ!

This guy was too dangerous.

Hai Tang did not want to get entangled with him.

She immediately pretended to be scared and went towards the Chu Dynasty’s ranks.

Hai Situ indeed did not pursue.

But his gaze continued to bore into her, as if trying to see through her.

Hai Tang felt somewhat guilty, doing her best to keep her back to him.

After some time, he reluctantly left. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Hai Tang breathed a sigh of relief, luckily she wasn’t exposed!

...

The battle became more intense.

The Chu Dynasty’s assault troops increased in number.

Western Xia was using the pre-prepared military tactics to combat them.

The two armies entered a fever pitch of battle.

As time passed, Western Xia gradually gained the upper hand.

Hai Xiangjin smiled haughtily.

"Hmph! My army formation is number one in the world, how could you fools possibly break it?!"

As soon as these words were spoken.

Suddenly, flames erupted all around the mountainside.

"Not good..."

"Not good!"

"It’s on fire! It’s on fire, run quickly!"

"If we don’t run now, we’ll be burned alive here!"

Someone shouted in the crowd.

The Western Xia soldiers, influenced by panic, ran haphazardly towards the less intense flames.

The tide of battle changed dramatically, the situation fell into chaos, and the battlefield quickly turned into a mess.

The situation for the Chu Dynasty changed from defeat to victory in an instant.

Yang He, though older, remained robust.

He rode his horse, leading a small team of elite soldiers, and charged into the enemy camp.

They wreaked havoc in all directions, completely dismantling the last formation of the Western Xia soldiers.

The other generals were not willing to be outdone.

Deputy General Cui led his men to encircle from the left.

Deputy General Qin led his men to fiercely pursue from behind.

Xia Tingfeng and Yang Chenyi led a small detachment to ambush at the only exit of the fire trap.

The two were ready for an ambush.

They were like hunters holding a net, just waiting for the prey to come to them.

This feeling was simply too good.

The morale of the Chu Dynasty surged.

The war drums thundered, thick smoke billowed, and firelight flickered.

The sounds of battle, wailing, the clash of weapons, and the cries of falling people and horses intertwined.

The Chu Dynasty fought more and more courageously.

The Western Xia soldiers grew more panicked with every setback.

Hai Xiangjin was furious, roaring at the sky.

"Damn it!"

"Damn, they’re so crafty!"

"I calculated everything but didn’t expect the enemy would use fire attacks!"

The surrounding chaotic hills, overgrown with weeds, and the dry climate here.

As soon as fire is lit around, this place becomes a tomb for the living!

Hai Geli fought a bloody path to rescue him, shouting loudly.

"Emperor, we must retreat quickly, or not a single soul will survive!"

Hai Xiangjin, having fought for many years, could clearly see the situation!

After scanning his surroundings again, realizing he was completely surrounded by flames, he felt resigned yet unwilling.

"I’ve been deceived!"

"Retreat!"

A proud old fox, the top warrior of Western Xia for many years, the newly crowned monarch of Western Xia.

If he were to be defeated entirely just after ascending, it would be a laughingstock.

So...

Compared to that, retreating now seemed less difficult to accept!

Reason told him: This is the most humiliating, yet most effective method.

"Retreat!"

With all his strength, King of Western Xia issued the command again.

He rode on a pure black horse, like a defeated but proud and unwilling lone wolf.

Hai Geli turned and rode out, issuing orders repeatedly.

"Retreat!"

"Retreat!"

"Retreat!"

But as the words came out, they were instantly swallowed by the endless sound of battle.

Who could hear him? Who would listen?

The formations had already been dismantled by Yang He, turned into chaos.

Startled by the fire.

Both soldiers and horses shrieked and scattered in panic.

He couldn’t even find his own troops?!

"Where is everyone?! Where is everyone?"

Hai Geli was completely bewildered.

The situation was in complete chaos!

But there was one person who wasn’t, and that was Hai Tang!

She had lost contact with Xia Tingfeng and others, and she must find them as soon as possible.

Amid the confusion, she tore off the human-skin mask on her face, stripped off the Crown Prince’s robe, and wrapped herself in black, mounting a warhorse to rush out.

She scanned sharply around.

Noticing a small gap in the fire circle.

There should be an ambush there; others might not know, but Yang Chenyi, expert in ambushes, must be there!

No time to think more, Hai Tang turned her horse and charged over.

As she was about to reach the gap,

Hai Tang suddenly felt a chill at her neck.

Lowering her head, she saw a large knife gleaming with a cold light pressed against her neck.

"Who?!"

"It’s me!"

Hai Situ’s voice sounded from the side.

Hai Tang’s eyes turned cold, not daring to move, but her wrist subtly shifted, attempting to retrieve the dagger hidden in her sleeve.

Hai Situ sneered.

"Don’t move rashly, Crown Prince!"

"I’ve suspected you for a long time!"

"So it’s you!"