Chapter 47: Crisis

Several months later, Jiang Xiaomu's fingers lingered on the rough map, his fingertips rubbing the area marking Hulao Pass.

"What are you thinking about?" Ye Ying asked coldly.

Jiang Xiaomu withdrew his gaze, looked at Ye Ying, and forced out a smile:

"Nothing, just thinking about how to swallow that juicy piece of Hulao Pass."

"Hulao Pass is a great place; if we could take it, it would be very beneficial for us."

Just as his words fell, a cold system alert suddenly rang in his mind:

【Warning! The commander of Hulao Pass to the east, Cao Meng, plans to expand his territory.】

【Attack in seven days, target Tieniu Stronghold.】

【The host will personally lead the Tieniu Stronghold troops to meet the enemy, fall into an ambush, and die in battle!】

【After the host's death, Cao Meng will capture Wangjiang Cheng, sister Jiang Xiaoyu will be seized, abused to death, and her head cut off and displayed!】

Jiang Xiaomu's whole body tensed, his grip on the map whitening his fingers.

Die in battle? Jiang Xiaoyu captured alive?

A chill shot from his feet to his head; he sprang up and kicked over the map on the table,

"Damn!"

Ye Ying was startled by his sudden action:

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Xiaomu took a deep breath, struggled to suppress his fear and anger, and forced himself to speak calmly:

"Nothing, just thinking about something."

He couldn't let Ye Ying know about the system's warning, or it would only add to her worry.

"Your face looks awful—are you really okay?"

Ye Ying obviously didn't believe him.

Jiang Xiaomu squeezed out a smile uglier than crying:

"Really, I'm fine—just thinking about that old bastard at Hulao Pass makes me angry."

"I just need to rest."

Ye Ying shook her head helplessly and gently massaged his shoulders,

"Don't overthink it; everything will work out."

Jiang Xiaomu closed his eyes, his mind racing.

The system had forewarned him of his deadly ending; he must prepare in advance and absolutely prevent the prophecy from coming true.

"System, is there any way to avert this disaster?"

Jiang Xiaomu murmured silently in his heart.

The system's cold voice sounded again:

【The host can choose to spend Heavenly Fate Points to exchange for related items or skills.】

"What can be exchanged?"

Jiang Xiaomu pressed further.

【Spending seven hundred Heavenly Fate Points allows one to foresee detailed events that will occur within the next month.】

The system replied without emotion.

"Seven hundred Heavenly Fate Points?"

Jiang Xiaomu gritted his teeth; he had painstakingly saved up for so long, yet had accumulated less than two hundred Heavenly Fate Points.

But this concerned his sister's life; he could no longer hesitate.

"Exchange!"

One after another, images flashed like a revolving lantern in Jiang Xiaomu's mind.

He saw the commander Cao Meng's treacherous plot, saw himself walking into a trap,

saw himself die on the battlefield, and saw Xiaoyu dragged by Cao Meng's soldiers into a tent, her desperate cries……

Those seven hundred Heavenly Fate Points were well spent!

"Damn it, Cao Meng, you bastard!"

Jiang Xiaomu gritted his teeth, slammed his fist on the table, and cracked the wooden table with a fissure.

Ye Ying jumped in fright, quickly grabbed his hand to check,

"Are you crazy? Do you not want your hand anymore?"

Jiang Xiaomu reversed his grip on her hand, his strength astonishing,

"Ye Ying, help me prepare; I need to go to Tieniu Stronghold overnight."

Ye Ying's brows furrowed slightly,

"What are you going to Tieniu Stronghold for? The situation is unclear; acting rashly is too dangerous."

"No time to explain,"

Jiang Xiaomu's tone urgent,

"Cao Meng will move against Tieniu Stronghold in seven days; I must get there before them."

Ye Ying froze, then a flicker of worry crossed her eyes,

"How do you know?"

Jiang Xiaomu answered vaguely,

"I have my own sources; you don't need to worry, I'll protect myself."

Just then, a scout from Tieniu Stronghold ran in and reported:

General, Cao Meng has gathered troops at Tiger Lock Pass and will attack Tieniu Stronghold in seven days.

The enemy's numbers are unknown, and their weapons and equipment are unknown.

Ye Ying looked at Jiang Xiaomu, her eyes complex. This guy, just how many secrets does he still have?

Jiang Xiaomu ignored Ye Ying's doubts and said to the scout:

I understand, go back.

He secretly thought, Li Tieniu's talent for gathering intelligence is truly impressive; it was indeed right to painstakingly win him over back then.

Ye Ying gazed at Jiang Xiaomu, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

Cao Meng daring to attack Tieniu Stronghold must have made thorough preparations.

Moreover, Cao Meng is full of tricks; what plans do you have...

Ye Ying's tone remained cold.

Don't worry, I have a way.

Jiang Xiaomu interrupted her,

"But there are things I must do." He paused,

"It's fine, I promised you I would protect myself and also protect Xiao Yu."

Ye Ying said nothing more; unable to stop him, she could only silently support him.

The night was as dark as ink; Jiang Xiaomu, with a few personal guards, spurred his horse toward Tieniu Stronghold.

The biting cold wind scraped his face like a knife, yet it could not in the least cool the anxiety in his heart.

Tieniu Stronghold, inside the council hall, the atmosphere was solemn.

Li Tieniu, a burly man with a full beard, was pacing back and forth anxiously.

"Damn it, that bastard Cao Meng is going too far!"

Li Tieniu slammed his fist on the table, making the tea cup jump.

"Chief, stay calm!"

"What's most important now is to come up with a countermeasure, not to lose temper."

Bai Shen, one of the commanders of the Ghost Face Army.

Another tall man, also wearing a ghost-face mask, chimed in,

"That's right; we must calmly analyze to find a way to defeat the enemy."

He is the vanguard officer of the Ghost Face Army, Lei Bao, known as Ghost Face Asura.

"The two brothers are right,"

Li Tieniu took a deep breath: "Do you have any good ideas?"

Bai Shen pondered for a moment and said:

"Cao Meng's forces are mighty this time; a direct clash definitely won't work."

"The troops at Tiger Lock Pass outnumber us severalfold, and their weapons and equipment are superior."

"We must win by strategy, using the terrain to our advantage, and strike them unawares."

"Oh? Does this brother have a good plan? How exactly to win by strategy?"

Li Tieniu pressed further.

"Tieniu Stronghold's terrain is perilous, easy to defend but hard to attack,"

Bai Shen pointed at the map and analyzed: "We can...

Before he could finish, a sudden rush of footsteps came from outside; a scout came running in panic,

"Report! Chief, Lord Jiang has arrived!"

Li Tieniu and the others were first stunned, then their faces lit up with surprise and joy.

"Please hurry in!"

Li Tieniu strode out to meet him.

Jiang Xiaomu, dusty from travel, walked into the council hall, saw Li Tieniu and the others, and gave a slight smile,

"It seems I've arrived just in time."

"Lord Jiang, you've finally come!" Li Tieniu excitedly grasped Jiang Xiaomu's hand,

"If you had come any later, my Tieniu Stronghold would truly be doomed!"

"Don't worry,"

Jiang Xiaomu patted his shoulder and comforted him,

"With me here, Tieniu Stronghold will be fine."

He turned his head to look at Bai Shen and Ghost Face Asura,

"Lord Jiang has arrived; let's discuss countermeasures together."