Chapter 270: On the Eve of the Decisive Battle

The aftermath of the great victory in Hebei, like a spark thrown into boiling oil, on this already boiling battlefield of Jin Prefecture, provoked an even more violent reaction.

Chen's army camp morale was like a rainbow; the fatigue from days of fierce fighting seemed swept away, replaced by an eager, soaring fighting spirit to do battle with the enemy.

That battle report shot into the enemy camp clearly took effect.

After a brief silence, the Northern Han allied army's main camp fell into an unusual agitation.

Faintly audible from deep within the camp were rebukes, the noisy clamor of troops frequently mobilizing, and an indescribable, oppressive atmosphere mixed with shock and anger.

The fifty "Netherbone" entities, like emissaries of the netherworld, still stood silently outside the camp, but the blue soulfire burning in their eyes seemed more intense and unstable than before, as if it might burst forth at any moment.

Their very presence was a silent threat, an extension of the icy will of the Iron Crow Army's master.

Chen Wen stood on the watchtower, feeling the stillness and undercurrents before the great battle.

His inner Fortune Momentum vortex, spurred by the victory in Hebei and the army's high morale, spun and swelled at an unprecedented speed, its pale golden light almost bursting through his body.

The Growth Progress Bar, under the combined catalysis of successive fierce battles, internal stability, and external victories, had already broken through the ninety-percent threshold, advancing toward complete solidity.

He could clearly "see" that deep within the enemy camp, the core of that icy will, now like an angered beehive, was gathering and surging with azure energy at an unprecedented intensity.

Dozens of high-luminosity ether nodes were being consciously mobilized, moving toward the allied forces' frontline positions.

Especially the fifty especially dark, piercing light points representing the Netherbone, their positions were subtly shifting, like a venomous snake raising its head, locking onto several key defensive points of Chen's army camp.

A feeling of impending storm, wind filling the tower, weighed heavily on the hearts of every perceptive commander.

"Your Majesty, the enemy troops are moving frequently; they may be preparing a general assault."

Li Wu stood respectfully at Chen Wen's side, reporting in a low voice with a solemn tone.

Chen Wen gave a slight nod; his gaze seemed to pierce the camp, clashing with that mad will from afar.

"He knows he can no longer delay."

Chen Wen's voice was calm, yet carried a cold clarity that saw through everything.

"Hebei is settled; he has lost his most important restraint."

"Our army's morale is high; delaying further would be disadvantageous to him."

"He must launch a thunderous strike before our forces are fully integrated and the Ministry of Works' equipment can exert its maximum effect, to finish the job in one battle."

He paused, then issued a series of commands, speaking quickly and clearly.

"Order the entire army: effective immediately, enter highest combat readiness!"

"All soldiers, armor never leaves the body, blade never leaves the hand!"

"Archers and crossbowmen, nock your arrows; rolling logs and stones, take position!"

"Personnel of the Ministry of Works, the Wide-area Disturbing Crystal Tower must complete final debugging before dawn and enter a state ready for activation!"

"Order Shi Dun and Li Hong to have the Jin Prefecture garrison ready for sortie; once the enemy's general assault begins, seize the opportunity to harass from the flanks and respond to the main force!"

"Tell every soldier—"

Chen Wen's voice suddenly rose, like the ringing of metal, spreading across the entire watchtower and, via orderlies, quickly reaching every corner of the main camp.

"The moment of the decisive battle has arrived!"

"The Hebei bandit troops have already proven their valor!"

"Now it's our turn!"

"With the swords in our hands, tell those who seek to control fate and bring death, the demons and monsters—"

"This land is guarded by the warriors of Great Chen!"

"Its fate is decided by the myriad peoples living on this land!"

"Not by some icy will hiding in the shadows!"

"In this battle, advance with no retreat, victory with no defeat!"

"Great Chen—ten thousand victories!"

"Ten thousand victories!"

"Ten thousand victories!"

"Ten thousand victories!"

A roar like mountains and seas erupting burst forth instantly from every corner of the main camp, its sound shaking heaven and earth, even drowning out the agitation in the enemy camp!

That mighty sound wave, mixed with battle intent and belief condensed to the extreme, actually resonated faintly with Chen Wen's internal Fortune Momentum vortex!

A pale golden light flashed around him and then vanished.

At the same time, deep within the enemy camp, that icy will, stirred by this soaring momentum, suddenly erupted into an even more frenzied, reckless surge!

Azure light shot up from deep within the allied forces' main camp, bearing an aura of destruction and termination!

Dozens of ether nodes blazed with light, especially the fifty Netherbone; the soulfire in their eyes suddenly shot out blue blades about a foot long, their bony armor emitting a grating screech, as if they might erupt in attack at any moment!

Chen Wen clearly felt that the icy will had firmly locked onto him.

Within that will, there was no longer any mockery or calculation—only pure, mad killing intent that would stop at nothing to erase him together with this "erroneous" dynasty!

The backlash of the rules, successive miscalculations, have driven this so-called "Difficulty Controller" into a kind of logical madness.

"Come on."

Chen Wen slowly exhaled a turbid breath, his eyes sharp as blades, meeting that mad will.

His inner power surged and flowed; the Growth Progress Bar in his sea of consciousness emitted a scorching light.

The Fortune Momentum vortex was more active and substantial than ever before.

Three Wide-area Disturbing Crystal Towers, under the tense debugging of the Ministry of Works' master artisans, emitted a low hum from their internal resonance mechanisms, poised for release.

The twenty thousand soldiers in the camp, united in hatred of the enemy, burned with fighting spirit at its peak.

Within Jin Prefecture city, thousands of garrison troops sharpened their blades, awaiting the call to sortie.

All factors have been brewed to the utmost.

Like two fully drawn strong bows, the arrows are nocked, the target pointing straight at the opponent's heart.

The air seemed to solidify, and time also appeared to slow.

Only the heartbeat like war drums remained, and the pervasive, almost suffocating aura of slaughter that filled the entire battlefield.

On the eve of the decisive battle, the deepest darkness had already descended.

And after dawn, there will be a blood-red dawn that decides the fate of two worlds and two sets of rules.

Chen Wen stood firm on the watchtower, his black cloak dancing wildly in the ever stronger night wind.

Like a divine needle that stabilizes the sea, and also like a lighthouse guiding direction.

The ultimate showdown, imminent.