Chapter 264: Racing Through the Starry Night

Military orders are as firm as a mountain.

The dragon flag bearing the character "Chen" snapped in the wind, pointing the way.

The twenty thousand elite forbidden troops formed a dark torrent; under the emperor's decisive order, like a wound‑up war machine, they suddenly changed their original rhythm.

Taking the Gu Pass Trail meant they would abandon the relatively flat, easy main road and instead cut onto a narrower, more rugged shortcut.

This road could shave off at least a day and a half of travel, but the cost was equally great.

The wheels ground over the exposed gravel, emitting a grating sound that set the teeth on edge.

Horse hooves shattered the thin ice on the stream banks, spraying up cold water.

The soldiers ran in silence; the heavy armor plates and weapons clanged with a clatter, mixed with heavy breathing, forming the sole accompaniment to the marching song.

Chen Wen continued riding in the middle of the column, his gaze sweeping over the cliffs and forests flashing by on either side.

Thirty‑twofold efficiency within his body sustained him, letting him stay awake and strong longer than ordinary folk, yet the fatigue of days of marching clung like a bone‑deep ulcer, silently gnawing at everyone.

He could see that some soldiers' lips were chapped and their steps were beginning to falter.

"Pass the order: rest in place for fifteen minutes! Drink water, eat!"

Chen Wen's voice sounded through the heavy air.

The order was passed down the ranks.

Like a dam releasing floodwaters, the troops that had kept tight formation instantly loosened up.

The soldiers almost immediately slumped to the ground, eagerly unslung their water bags and gulped down water.

Others pulled out the hard biscuits from their packs and gnawed at them fiercely.

No one spoke; only the sounds of gulping and chewing filled the air.

Chen Wen did not dismount; he scanned his surroundings.

This was a perilous stretch of the Gu Pass Trail, where the steep mountains on either side allowed only three or four horses to ride abreast.

In ordinary times, this spot would be prone to ambush and far from ideal for camping or resting.

But now, time was the very lifeline of the defenders on Jin Prefecture's walls.

"Your Majesty, have a sip of water."

Colonel Li Wu handed over a water skin; his face was also covered in dust, his eyes sunken.

Chen Wen took it and took a sip.

The icy water slid down his throat, slightly dispelling some fatigue.

"Have the Ministry of Works personnel caught up?" he asked, more concerned about that.

"They have!"

Li Wu pointed to several wagons in the rear of the column that were loaded with special equipment.

"The few master craftsmen and their apprentices sent by Minister Zhao are gritting their teeth and following along; they've covered those treasures with thick felt, but this road is so rough that the loss may be considerable."

Chen Wen nodded.

Zhao Lao Nian's research breakthrough is one of the key variables in this battle.

The prototype of the Resonant Wide‑area Disturbing Crystal Tower, which has not yet undergone large‑scale combat testing, and more Disturbing Crystal Disks, are their greatest reliance against the Iron Crow Army's uncanny tactics.

There must be no loss.

"Tell the brothers guarding the Ministry of Works' wagons: personnel present, equipment present."

Chen Wen's voice was not loud, yet it carried undeniable weight.

"I understand, sir!" Li Wu replied solemnly.

The rest period was as brief as a white colt slipping through a crack.

Just as the fifteen minutes elapsed, even before some soldiers could swallow the last bite of their biscuit, the urgent assembly whistle blew.

No one complained.

Everyone silently rose, straightened their gear and formation, and stepped forward again with heavy tread.

The dark torrent continued to surge northward.

The farther north they went, the more pronounced the chill in the air became.

At dusk, a fine cold rain began to fall from the sky.

The rain soaked the armor, seeped into the clothing, and turned the already difficult mountain path into even more muddy and slick ground.

Occasionally a soldier's foot slipped, sending him sprawling into the mire, only to be hauled up by his comrades' sheer effort.

The column's advance speed inevitably slowed.

The oppressive atmosphere, like this cold, gray rain curtain, weighed on every heart.

Chen Wen could feel that the icy will from afar had grown clearer.

It was like a massive block of ice, exuding an invisible pressure that sought to freeze the army's morale and fervor.

He could even faintly "hear" the mockery and waiting within that will, as if it were saying: "Come, come, exhaust your strength in this mire and cold, then come to Jin Prefecture to die."

"Your Majesty, the rain is intensifying; should we look for a place to camp?"

A commander came forward to ask for instructions, his voice laced with worry.

"The brothers are all exhausted; forced marching now would likely increase casualties rather than reduce them."

Chen Wen wiped rain from his face and lifted his eyes to the gray‑white northern horizon.

The beacon fires on Jin Prefecture's walls seemed to burn before his eyes.

Shi Dun's roar of the "five‑day limit" echoed in his ears.

He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath of the icy, damp air.

Within him, the active Fortune Momentum vortex seemed to sense his mood, spinning a little faster and giving off a gentle, steadfast warmth that dispelled the invisible chill's erosion.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was clear and resolute.

Pass the order down.

His voice remained clear in the rain.

Don't stop! Keep moving forward!

Tell all the troops that the brothers-in-arms of Jinzhou are suffering in blood and fire, risking their lives to buy us every moment!

If we are late by even a moment, another brother may fall, and Jinzhou City faces greater danger of falling!

I will march with them, eat and sleep with them, and surely lead them to victory!

The orders were swiftly conveyed.

Without stirring drums, only the emperor's words "I will march with them" were quietly conveyed amidst the cold rain and within the weary Jun Ying.

The originally low morale seemed to be infused with an invisible force.

He fell, got up, wiped off the mud, and kept walking.

His steps were heavy, yet utterly resolute.

The black torrent, amidst wind and rain, persistently surged toward that northern land of blood and fire, unwavering.

Night fell unnoticed.

The rain stopped, but the cold grew more intense.

The troops lit torches, a long dragon of fire winding its way along the rugged mountain path, a magnificent sight.

Chen Wen remained on horseback, his silhouette stretched long in the firelight.

He no longer urged haste, merely pressing forward in silence, his presence steadying the troops' morale.

Li Wu rode up close and spoke softly.

Your Majesty, please rest a moment in the carriage; your health is paramount.

Chen Wen shook his head.

The soldiers are all on foot; how could I sit comfortably in the carriage?

It's fine; I can still hold on.

He raised his head and gazed at the night sky.

After the rain cleared, the sky was filled with stars, the Milky Way shining brightly.

That icy will, under the starlight, seemed to contract somewhat.

But he knew this was merely the calm before the storm.

He gently stroked the warhorse's mane, feeling its warm body heat.

Soon.

He murmured softly, unsure whether he was speaking to the horse, to himself, or to that distant lone city.

Almost there.

Under the starlight, this army bearing the fate and hope of a newborn dynasty, like relentless pursuers of light, fearlessly rushed toward the dawn destined to be dyed red by blood and fire.