Chapter 592

The night on the grassland is as dark as ink, and the cold wind cuts like a knife.

Translation: "The night on the prairie was dark as ink, the cold wind like a knife."

The wind sweeps across the endless withered grassland, emitting a continuous wail.

Translation: "The wind swept over the endless withered grassland, emitting a continuous wail."

Occasionally, the distant howl of wolves mingles in, adding a touch of desolation and grimness.

Translation: "Occasionally mixed with the long howls of distant wolves, adding a touch of desolation and sternness."

In a wind‑sheltered mountain hollow upstream of the Wulan River, a huge bonfire crackles.

Translation: "In a sheltered mountain bend upstream of the Wulan River, a huge bonfire crackled."

Note: "Wulan River" is a river name; we need to decide how to translate it. As a proper noun, we will transliterate it as "Wulan River" and add it to the glossary.

The dancing firelight illuminated ring after ring of seated figures.

Translation: "The leaping firelight illuminated circles of seated figures."

They wore heavy fur coats, their faces roughened by wind and sand, but their eyes blazed bright.

Translation: "Their heavy fur coats, faces roughened by wind and sand, yet their eyes shone brightly."

Envoys and warriors from different tribes had gathered here, and the air was thick with the smell of mare's milk wine.

Translation: "Envoys and warriors from different tribes gathered here, the air filled with the scent of mare's milk wine."

The rough scent of roasted meat mixed with male hormones grew even stronger.

This line appears garbled; it likely means "The rough scent of roasted meat mixed with male hormones grew even stronger."

Then a vague yearning for conquest and plunder began to stir.

Translation: "Then surged a vague desire for conquest and plunder."

The man in the chief seat was Yesügei, leader of the Borjigin tribe.

Translation: "The man in the chief seat, Ye sugai, leader of the Borjigin tribe."

He had broad shoulders, a stern visage, and his fingers, gripping the silver wine cup, were thick and powerful.

Translation: "He had broad shoulders, a stern visage, and his fingers gripping the silver wine cup were thick and strong."

His gaze slowly swept over the familiar and unfamiliar faces beside the fire.

Translation: "His gaze slowly swept over the familiar and unfamiliar faces beside the fire."

His calm demeanor bore a growing, undeniable aura of authority.

Translation: "Amid his composure lay a growing, undeniable aura."

In recent months, the changes on the grassland have happened so fast they are dizzying.

Translation: "In recent months, changes on the prairie have come so fast as to dazzle the eyes."

To the east, the Tatar tribe was struck by plague, causing massive livestock deaths.

Translation: "To the east, the Tatar tribe suffered a plague, with livestock dying in droves."

To the west, the Kerey tribe descended into internal conflict after its leader died suddenly.

Translation: "To the west, the Kerey tribe fell into internal strife after their leader's sudden death."

Several tribes bordering the Jin to the south successively received batches of finely crafted, unmarked weapons and armor.

Translation: "Several tribes bordering the Jin to the south successively received batches of fine yet unmarked weapons, arrows, and armor."

Meanwhile, his Borjigin tribe seemed to have received special favor from Tengri.

Translation: "And his Borjigin tribe seemed to have received special favor from Eternal Heaven."

On his hunting expeditions he always found lush temporary pastures, and his encounters with other tribes could be won at little cost.

Translation: "When out hunting, he always found abundant temporary pastures, and conflicts with other tribes could always be won at minimal cost."

Even some chieftains of minor tribes would spontaneously come to swear allegiance, speaking with an almost dreamlike certainty.

Translation: "Even some small tribe leaders would inexplicably come to pledge allegiance, their words carrying an almost dreamlike certainty."

The tribe's felt tents proliferated like mushrooms after rain, and the number of archers doubled.

Translation: "The tribe's felt tents multiplied like mushrooms after rain, and the number of archers doubled and redoubled."

Yesügei felt his power growing in his hands, while a fervent ambition burned in his chest.

Translation: "Ye sugai felt his growing power in his hands, his chest burning with fervent ambition."

But occasionally, in the deep of night alone beneath the stars, or in the absolute stillness before a blizzard.

Translation: "But occasionally, when alone facing the starry sky at midnight, or in the absolute stillness before a blizzard,"

A faint, icy feeling would slip across his heart.

Translation: "a faint, icy strangeness would slip over his heart."

It seemed as if something beyond comprehension, in an unseen place, was gently plucking the strings of the steppe's fate.

Translation: "As if something beyond comprehension, in an unseen place, lightly plucked the strings of the prairie's fate."

It urged unity.

Translation: "Urging unity."

It urged a southern gaze.

Translation: "Urging a look southward."

"Chief Yesügei!"

Translation: "\"Chief Ye sugai! \"" (We need to keep quotes.)

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

Translation: "\"A voice interrupted his thoughts. \""

It was the envoy of the Jadaran tribe, his voice hoarse yet resonant.

Translation: "\"It was the envoy of the Zhadalan tribe, his voice hoarse yet loud. \""

"Your bravery can repel vicious wolves, your breadth can embrace the entire steppe! We, the Jadaran tribe, wish to follow your hooves!"

Translation: "\"Your valor can drive away evil wolves, your breadth can embrace the whole prairie! We, the Zhadalan tribe, wish to follow your horse's hooves! \"" (But we need to keep quotes.)

"We, the Hongjila tribe, are also!"

Translation: "\"We, the Hongjila tribe, are the same! \"" (Probably "We, the Hongjila tribe, too!")

"And we, the Wuliangha tribe!"

Translation: "\"And we, the Wuliangha tribe! \"" (Maybe "And we, the Wuliangha tribe!")

Voices of agreement rose and fell, the firelight lighting up face after flushed face.

Translation: "Voices of agreement rose and fell, the firelight illuminating one excited, flushed face after another."

Yesügei set down his wine bowl and stood up.

Translation: "Ye sugai set down his wine cup and rose to his feet."

The bonfire stretched his shadow huge upon the cliff behind him, like a waking giant.

Translation: "The bonfire stretched his shadow huge upon the cliff behind him, like a waking giant."

"The children of the steppe are born to soar like eagles and hunt like wolves!"

Translation: "\"Children of the prairie, you should soar like eagles and hunt like wolf packs! \"" (We need to keep quotes.)

His voice was not loud, yet deep and powerful, overcoming the wind and reaching every ear clearly.

Translation: "His voice was not loud, yet deep and powerful, overriding the wind and reaching every ear clearly."

"Yet the Jin people to the south occupy the richest pastures and river valleys, offering only a few tea bricks and bolts of cloth in exchange for our finest furs and steeds!"

Translation: "\"But the Jin people to the south occupy the richest pastures and river valleys, wanting to trade a few tea bricks and bolts of cloth for our finest furs and swift horses! \"" (We need to keep quotes.)

"They build high walls, regard us as tigers and wolves, yet use sweet words to stir brother against brother!"

Translation: "\"They build high walls, regard us as wolves and tigers, yet use sweet words to stir us brothers to fight each other! \"" (We need to keep quotes.)

"To the west, the Tangut block the trade routes and levy heavy taxes!"

Translation: "\"The Tangut people to the west block the trade routes and levy heavy taxes! \"" (We need to keep quotes.)

"Further south, in the cities of the Han, lie piles of silk, porcelain, grain, and silver and gold! These are things our ancestors could only dream of on snowy nights!"

Translation: "\"Further south, in the Han cities, lie piles of silk, porcelain, grain, and silver and gold! That is something our ancestors could only dream of on snowy nights! \"" (We need to keep quotes.)

He suddenly drew the saber at his waist, its blade flashing a piercing cold light in the firelight.

Translation: "He suddenly drew the saber at his waist, its blade flashing a piercing cold light in the fire's glow."

"Must our descendants, like us, gnaw frozen meat jerky in icy wastes while staring enviously at the south's prosperity?"

Translation: "\"Must our descendants, like us, gnaw frozen-hard jerky in ice and snow, staring blankly at the south's prosperity? \""

"No!"

Translation: "\"No! \""

The roar sounded like muffled thunder.

Translation: "\"The roar sounded like muffled thunder. \""

"Tengri grants strength to the united wolf pack, not to the lone wolf!"

Translation: "\"Eternal Heaven grants strength to the united wolf pack, not to the lone wolf! \""

"I, Yesügei, hereby swear—"

Translation: "\"I, Ye sugai, hereby swear—\""

"May we, with all tribes sincerely united, form the 'Anda', sharing blood wine and raising arms together!"

Translation: "\"May we, with all tribes sincerely united, form the 'An-da', sharing blood wine and raising weapons together! \""

"Our whip shall point at every enemy blocking our access to sunlight, pasture, and wealth!"

Translation: "\"Our horsewhips shall point at every enemy blocking our access to sunlight, pastures, and wealth! \""

"Take back everything that rightfully belongs to us!"

Translation: "\"Take back everything that rightfully belongs to us! \""

"Let the steppe's eagles fly over the Great Wall and look down upon the Central Plains!"

Translation: "\"Let the prairie eagles fly over the Great Wall and look down upon Zhongyuan! \""

"Hurrah!"

Translation: "\"Ura! \""

The frenzied roar erupted like a mountain‑shaking sea‑wave.

Translation: "The fervent roars erupted like a mountain‑shaking, sea‑crashing tsunami."

All tribal envoys and warriors leapt up, brandishing weapons, their faces twisted by excitement and drink.

Translation: "All tribal envoys and warriors leapt up, waving weapons, their faces twisted from excitement and drink."

Yesügei felt this near‑boiling fervor, his chest heaving violently, his ambition like a spreading wildfire.

Translation: "Ye sugai felt this fervor nearly boiling over, his chest heaving violently, his ambition like a prairie fire."

That faint icy sensation was utterly drowned in the rising roar and fervent longing.

Translation: "That faint icy strangeness was utterly drowned in the sky‑rising sound wave and fervent longing."

Perhaps this is the will of Heaven.

Translation: "Perhaps this is where heaven's mandate leads."

He raised his wine bowl high.

Translation: "He raised his wine cup high."

For the grassland!

For the alliance!

Do it!

At the same moment.

Chen Dynasty, Bei Jing, Zhenbei Pass.

Deep in the mountain's interior, a secret laboratory.

The lighting is made of specially crafted cold-light stone, providing steady and clear illumination.

Zhao Lao Nian wore a neat dark work uniform, sleeves rolled to the elbows, revealing sturdy forearms.

He looked about thirty, with a capable appearance and sharp, focused eyes.

At this moment he was intently staring at a complex instrument about half a person's height in front of him.

The instrument was composed of various metals, crystals, and dark-energy crystal clusters.

Its surface was covered with dials, pointers, and slowly rotating copper rings, emitting a low, steady hum.

Frequency abnormal, waveform distorted……

Zhao Lao Nian muttered to himself, his fingers swiftly adjusting several calibration knobs, his movements stable and precise.

Background dark-energy radiation intensity is rising unnaturally.

Two young assistants were busy at the recording desk nearby, continuously transcribing the paper strips spewing from the various copper tubes, printed with ripple patterns.

Teacher, urgent report from Northwest Monitoring Point Seven!

One assistant grabbed the paper strip that had just been transmitted, his voice tinged with irrepressible tension.

Dark-energy disturbance intensity surged, nearly 50% above baseline! The waveform shows…… strong active convergence features!

Zhao Lao Nian immediately took the paper strip, his gaze sweeping over it like electricity.

On the strip, the originally smooth waveform had become steep and chaotic, with sharp peaks, clearly not natural earth-pulse activity.

He frowned tightly, quickly walking to the huge map of Bei Jing on the wall.

On the map, dozens of red pins representing monitoring points now had more than half adorned with yellow markers indicating 'abnormal' beside them.

From the northernmost edge of the Gobi to the vast central grasslands, an invisible, unusually active 'band' was forming.

This is not pollution residue, nor a natural fluctuation……

Zhao Lao Nian's voice turned cold and solemn.

This is a purposeful, large-scale 'disturbance' and 'extraction'.

The scale is vast, the intensity high…… unprecedented.

He turned, looked at the assistant, and spoke quickly and clearly.

Activate the Class A No. 3 secret passage, urgently report to Minister Zhang and Minister Wang, directly to the throne.

Content: Bei Jing-wide dark-energy anomaly drastic change, showing active convergence trend, suspected to be a precursor to a large-scale catalytic operation by the Iron Crow Army. Threat level: Class A Superior.

Suggestion: All passes and garrisons in Bei Jing shall immediately enter first-class combat readiness; the dark-energy monitoring network shall be activated across all bands; defense equipment under the Ministry of Works shall be fully inspected and placed on standby.

Hurry up!

The assistant responded solemnly, turned and sprinted out.

The laboratory resumed its monotonous equipment hum.

Zhao Lao Nian placed both hands on the cold metal console, gazing at the northern blank area on the map gradually being covered by yellow markers.

His gaze was sharp as a blade, yet calm as a deep pool.

No turbidity, only solemn judgment.

The grass in the north is growing too hastily……

Your Majesty, how is your game in the south going?

The wind and snow here might arrive early.

Almost at the same moment the Zhenbei Pass secret report was issued.

Mang Mountain, Wild Boar Valley.

Inside the stone cavern, Chen Wen suddenly opened his eyes while in stillness.

In the depths of his calm eyes, a flash of extreme sharp cold light passed instantly.

A heavy, icy pressure came from his chest.

It was not fear, but a highly alert premonition.

Like an old sailor who has weathered many storms, feeling the sudden pressure change on his skin before a storm arrives.

He slowly rose and walked to the cave entrance.

The night was thick, the mountains and forests silent.

But his Shi Yong ability now showed him a completely different 'vision' at this moment.

In his perception, that heavy and stable 'qing qi' representing the Chen Dynasty's 180 years of accumulation.

Its northern vast territorial outline was being overtaken by a newly born, ink-black like iron.

The 'turbid current' containing endless barbarity and conquest desire, surging from the extremely distant north.

The turbid current was not turbulent, yet extraordinarily heavy, carrying a sense of slow and unstoppable erosion.

It was not aimed at a specific point, but like a tide, like a cold current, intending to cover and inundate the entire northern frontier.

At the same time

Some fragmented, blurry images and perceptions from the 'cause-effect fragments' also flickered sporadically:

Endless cavalry, like a locust swarm sweeping across the grasslands.

Wolf-head banners frenziedly dancing in the beacon smoke.

City walls collapsed amid a tremendous roar.

And… a pair of eyes, lofty and inhumanly cold.

Behind all of this, an indifferent gaze watches.

Chen Wen stands at the cave mouth, the mountain wind stirring his robes.

His face shows no panic, only a calm gravity.

He extends his hand, palm upward, as if to catch the intangible chill pressing upon him.

"North…"

He mutters softly, his voice steady.

"Finally, I have still stirred this chessboard."

"That's good."

He withdraws his hand, his gaze turning to the stone platform inside the cave, where several newly engraved tokens lie.

He also looks toward the dark ravine, at the allied soldiers sleeping or on watch.

"The wind and snow of the plains, the lingering gloom of Lin'an…"

"Then let's see, is it your catalyzed flood that is fiercer…"

"Or is it the roots I, this 'variable,' have planted, that are stronger?"

He turns and walks back into the cave.

His steps are steady, his back straight.

It seems that the earlier ominous portent, enough to make ordinary souls flee, was merely a hint of coolness brought by the night wind.

The true storm is still brewing.

And the one in the eye of the storm needs absolute calm and the fullest preparation.