Chapter 265: with translation of chapter title

Dawn on the fifth day.

When the first thread of daylight pierced the haze over Jinzhou's horizon and illuminated this war-torn land, the main force of the imperial guards led by Chen Wen finally reached the last ridge on Jinzhou's outskirts.

Both men and horses were silent.

After several days of near‑nonstop forced marches, over half the troops' strength was exhausted.

Now everyone clung to their positions, relying on stubborn will and the mental boost of finally reaching their destination.

Chen Wen reined his horse and stood on the ridge, his dark cloak fluttering slightly in the cold morning wind.

He looked down upon the vast basin, utterly twisted by war.

Jinzhou resembled a battered massive ship, stubbornly standing in the basin's center.

Once tall and mighty, the city walls were now pitted and cracked, especially on the west where a long stretch had taken on an eerie vitreous state, blackened and flashing an ominous blue sheen—the horrifying trace of having been burned by Netherfire.

On and off the walls, tattered flags lay amid corpses, and the debris of siege engines uncleared lay scattered, silently attesting to the brutality of the past few days' fighting.

And on Jinzhou's north, west, and east sides, the Northern Han allied camps were like a dense honeycomb, continuous and tightly encircling the isolated city.

Flags stood like a forest, spears like reeds; tens of thousands of enemy troops moved within, shouting and neighing, cooking smoke curling, exuding a confident, oppressive sense of certain victory.

Farther off, deep‑blue banners could be faintly seen drifting deep in the camps, out of place among the Northern Han's flags.

That was the insignia of the Iron Crow Army.

Chen Wen's gaze was eagle‑sharp, slowly sweeping across the whole battlefield.

His thirty‑twofold perception was pushed to the extreme.

Not only sight, there was also a superhuman sense.

He could 'see' above Jinzhou the faint but tenacious aura of Fortune Momentum that should represent the dynasty's legitimacy and the people's hearts, now being crushed by a vast, cold, dark‑blue energy field reeking of death and chaos, like a candle in the wind flickering uncertainly.

He could also 'hear' from that lone city the 'sound' of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians mixed with despair, exhaustion, and the last lingering hope.

At the same time he clearly sensed deep within the enemy allied camp's main base a cold will far stronger, more refined, and more frenzied than any of his previous senses, like a lurking venomous snake, firmly locking onto him.

That will carried undisguised killing intent, and… a mockery as if seeing prey finally step into a trap.

Your Majesty, that is the city wall burned by Netherfire.

Li Wu's voice sounded from beside him, filled with suppressed anger and lingering fear.

General Shi and the others… they truly crawled out of the gates of hell.

Chen Wen gave a slight nod.

His gaze swept over the battlefield, trying to find traces of the city's defenders.

Finally, on the ruined southern gate tower, he saw a banner bearing the character 'Stone', riddled with arrow holes yet painstakingly wiped clean.

The banner fluttered stubbornly in the morning wind.

As if sensing his gaze, several figures suddenly appeared on the tower.

Although the distance was great and only blurry silhouettes could be seen, Chen Wen could almost certainly tell that the unusually burly figure in the middle, whose robust aura could be felt even from afar, was Shi Dun.

And the tall, straight figure beside him, who retained his bearing despite fatigue, must be Li Hong.

They also seemed to have spotted the army that had suddenly appeared on the ridge, flying the dragon banner.

A slight commotion arose on the city walls.

Immediately afterward, a larger, hastily made 'Chen' character dragon banner was hoisted by several defenders and planted beside the 'Stone' banner!

The appearance of that dragon banner was like a spark, instantly igniting the lifeless Jinzhou city walls!

More exhausted defenders, their bodies wrapped in bloodstained bandages, appeared behind the battlements.

They strained to straighten their backs, waving their weapons toward the ridge!

No cheers.

The distance was too great for sound to carry.

But that silent waving, the hope rekindled in dire straits, was more moving than any shout!

Your Majesty! It's General Shi and General Li! They're signaling us!

Li Wu exclaimed excitedly, and the surrounding officers and guards were all moved.

Chen Wen drew a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his chest.

He slowly raised his right hand.

Behind him, the banner officer understood and vigorously waved the great dragon banner.

The dark-colored banner unfurled in the wind at the ridge's highest point, announcing to the defenders in the city and the hostile enemies opposite that the Great Chen emperor, commander of this army, had personally arrived on the battlefield!

Pass the order to the entire army.

Chen Wen's voice was calm, yet carried a power that could stabilize the heavens and earth, reaching every officer's ears.

On the ridge's reverse slope, relying on the terrain, immediately establish a solid camp.

Set up more anti‑cavalry obstacles like wooden stakes and ditches to guard against enemy cavalry raids.

Send out all scouts to closely monitor enemy movements, especially the area where the Iron Crow Army's banners are.

Personnel of the Ministry of Works, protected by the central army's guard battalion, select a suitable site and immediately begin assembling and debugging all equipment, especially the prototype of the 'Wide‑Area Disturbing Crystal Tower'!

Order the troops to seize the time to rest, eat, and recover their strength.

Tell everyone—

He paused, his gaze sweeping once more over the vast battlefield below, finally settling on the dragon banner that had just been raised, fluttering in the wind.

We have arrived.

Jinzhou will not fall.

The dragon banner of Great Chen shall forever be planted in this northern frontier's soil!

As ordered!

The officers responded in a thunderous assent, their voices brimming with long‑suppressed fighting spirit and confidence.

The orders were carried out swiftly.

The exhausted Jun Ying, like a precision machine, began operating efficiently once again.

The sounds of felling trees, digging, and artisans hammering as they assembled equipment replaced the silence of the march.

A stern and resolute aura began to gather in the air above the newly erected camp.

Chen Wen remained standing on the ridge, like a wedge driven into the earth.

He gazed at the allied forces' main camp opposite.

He could feel that icy will, when he gave the order to set up camp, especially when mentioning the "Wide-Area Disturbance Crystal Tower," produced an extremely faint fluctuation, akin to vigilance.

「You felt it, didn't you? 」

Chen Wen murmured silently in his heart.

「This is no longer the war you know. 」

「The rules of the game need to change. 」

The morning sun finally rose fully above the horizon, pouring its golden light across the battlefield and also illuminating the black dragon flag fluttering loudly on the ridge.

A new day began.

And the final chapter of the Battle of Jinzhou unfolded, as this fresh force arrived, pulling open a bloody curtain.