Chapter 617: Northern Border Layout

Northern Garrison Pass.

The city walltop.

The wind was like a knife, the snow like sand.

Between heaven and earth lay a chaotic leaden gray.

Only on the walls of the pass, the splattered dark red that had frozen, and the lingering wisps of black smoke not yet fully extinguished, spoke of the recent battle's cruelty.

Shi Dun stood with his hand on his sword.

His specially made black iron heavy armor now bore more than a dozen deep scratches and dents.

In the seams of the armor plates, a mixture of blood and ice had congealed.

He had taken off his helmet and tucked it under his arm.

His short beard was covered in ice shards.

On his youthful face were a pair of eyes, as if tempered repeatedly by war's fire, calm as an abyss.

He gazed outward from the pass.

Three hundred steps outside the pass lay the last line of trench fortifications not yet completely overrun.

Farther out, there should have been a wide open buffer zone.

Now, however, it was covered with dense, disorderly tents and livestock pens.

That was the forward camp of the Northern Yuan Great Army.

Above the camp hovered an ominous, pale gray mist.

Even through the wind and snow, Shi Dun could faintly feel the weak radiation within the mist that made the skin tingle slightly.

Traces of dark energy.

Within the camp, figures moved to and fro.

Most were Northern Yuan cavalry wearing mismatched leather robes.

But occasionally one could see figures moving more stiffly, clad in deep gray armor, silently passing through.

Dark shades.

They patrolled, they watched.

Like sheepdogs guarding a flock, they also kept watch for distant hunters.

"This is the seventh time."

The Deputy General walked up to Shi Dun, his voice hoarse.

"They started attacking before dawn had fully broken, and only just now withdrew."

"Just like yesterday, they don't count casualties, they just fill the gap with lives."

"The two moats before the pass are almost filled in with corpses."

Shi Dun said nothing.

He merely swept his gaze over the city walltop.

The exhausted soldiers were seizing this brief respite to transport arrows and rolling logs, treat the wounded, and repair the damaged crenellations.

Their movements were somewhat sluggish.

In their eyes, besides resolve, there was mostly numbness and deeply hidden fear.

After more than ten days of intense high-intensity offense and defense, even iron-clad people were nearing their limits.

Moreover, the enemy was a kind of monster that seemed impossible to kill and grew stranger with each battle.

"Our casualties?" Shi Dun finally spoke, his voice dry.

"Today we lost another three hundred or more, with over two hundred seriously wounded." the Deputy General reported in a low voice, "Seven of the God-Slaying Crossbows are damaged, three sets of Soul-Stabilizing Bells are broken, and less than thirty percent of the incendiary oil remains."

Shi Dun listened silently.

In defending the city, what is being guarded is not merely the walls.

It is also morale, supplies, and time.

Now, all three are being rapidly depleted.

Especially time.

As for the lord's side, I don't know how the preparations are going.

"Commander Shi!"

A messenger, hunched over, hurried up the city wall's horse path, holding in his hands a sealed letter with three black goose feathers inserted.

The black goose feathers signify the highest rank, coming from the central hub of Xijing.

Shi Dun's spirit lifted.

He took the letter.

He quickly broke the wax seal.

It was Zhang Cheng's handwriting, but the content… clearly reflected the lord's will.

He quickly skimmed it.

His eyes went from solemn to sharp, then to a icy-cold realization.

"At last… we will move."

He muttered softly.

He lit the letter with the nearby torch, watching it turn to ash, swept away by the wind and snow.

"Give the order."

Shi Dun turned, facing the Deputy General, his voice low but carrying an undeniable resolve.

"Summon all officers of the rank of Colonel and above, as well as the chief artisan of the Heavenly Works Institute stationed with the troops."

After half an incense stick, the Governor-General's office held a meeting.

Yes!

Half an incense stick later.

The underground secret room of the Zhenbei Pass Governor-General's office.

Located deep within the mountain's core, it is extremely concealed and equipped with simple soundproofing and anti-spiritual-energy detection measures.

More than ten commanders and three artisans from the Heavenly Craft Institute gathered around a huge sand table.

Everyone looked weary, but their gazes all focused on Shi Dun.

Gentlemen.

Shi Dun wasted no words, getting straight to the point.

I just received the latest strategy from Xijing.

Our army's strategy in Bei Jing needs major adjustment.

He picked up the commander's baton, pointing at the model of Zhenbei Pass on the sand table, and then at the several red-marked trench lines outside the pass.

Effective immediately.

Abandon all forward trenches and small outposts outside the pass.

All troops and supplies are to be withdrawn to the main city of Zhenbei Pass.

Reinforce the main city walls, especially the severely damaged sections in the southeast and due north.

Behind the city walls, relying on the terrain and inner-city fortifications, construct three lines of defense in depth.

At the same time...

His commander's baton moved to the sand table, indicating the Yin Shan remnants and hilly areas on both sides of Zhenbei Pass.

Secretly detach a portion of the elite 'Night Not Ceasing' and 'Assault Formation' units, totaling fifteen hundred men, under Li Chong's command.

Carry light equipment and ten days' rations, dispersing and hiding in the mountains on both sides.

Without orders, do not engage in battle, do not expose yourselves.

The mission has only one objective——

Shi Dun's gaze swept over everyone.

When the enemy's main force is lured beneath the pass city, unable to break through after a prolonged assault, their troops grow weary and their guard loosens——

Seize the moment to move, cut off their supply lines, harass their rear camps, and burn their baggage trains.

Especially, focus on hunting down their messengers and small scouting parties to create chaos, delaying their information transmission and troop movements.

Upon saying this.

The commanders were first startled, then all showed looks of contemplation and sudden realization.

Abandon the outskirts, contract and hold fast.

This amounts to concentrating all pressure on the main pass.

The risk is extremely high.

But……

'Lure the enemy deep in? Wear them out with harassment?' a steady, senior colonel hesitated, saying, 'Governor-General, the enemy fears no death, their supply is strange; ordinary harassment may not work. If the pass city falls……'

The pass city will not fall.

Shi Dun cut him off, his tone firm and unyielding.

At least, for the time we need it to hold, it will certainly not fall.

As for whether the harassment will be effective……

He looked toward the three Heavenly Craft Institute artisans.

The lead artisan understood, stepping forward.

Minister Zhao has ordered that a batch of the latest improved 'little gadgets' be delivered together with this resupply.

He opened the wooden box he carried.

Inside were several dozen metal objects the size of a fist, shaped like honeycombs, and many thumb-thick sealed bamboo tubes.

'Bee‑buzz Thunder.'

The senior artisan picked up a metal object.

When buried or thrown and triggered, it emits a continuous high‑pitched screech and releases a weak but lasting spiritual‑energy interference ripple.

It has a certain jamming effect on enemies relying on spiritual‑energy communication or coordination, and may also cause minor interference to the perception of Yinying.

As for these 'Wailing Bamboo'……

He then picked up a bamboo tube.

Inside is a special powder; when ignited, the released smoke carries a strong irritating odor and can somewhat distort light and shadow, creating small‑scale visual confusion.

Although it causes no direct harm, used for harassment, sowing panic, or covering movements, it can be remarkably effective.

The commanders looked at these 'little gadgets,' and their eyes lit up.

In a head‑on clash, they might not be able to match those catalyzed monsters.

But when it comes to lurking in the mountains, laying stakes, tripping wires, and causing sabotage……

These veteran border troops are each and every one experts!

With these new gadgets assisting, the effect will surely increase greatly.

Furthermore.

Shi Dun continued the deployment.

The Heavenly Craft Institute garrison shall immediately install and reinforce spiritual‑energy detection arrays and the automatic triggering devices of the 'Yu Sha Crossbow' on all retreat routes to the pass and at the key nodes of the preset defense‑in‑depth.

I want Zhenbei Pass, from outside to inside, to become a……

He paused, then uttered two words.

"Mire."

"Let those Northern Yuan barbarians, with each step forward, pay a price in blood and be beset by all sorts of unexpected troubles."

"Let them feel that with just a little more effort, they can breach the pass."

"But they always fall just short."

The officers fully understood.

"This is to put up a posture of 'defending with all our might, yet perilously close to collapse.'"

"To draw the enemy's main forces in continuously, draining them continuously."

"Meanwhile, using elite harassment from the outskirts and layered defenses within the pass, we will keep bleeding them and keep delaying."

"For the Xijing side, to secure time and space for the true 'killer move'!"

"Li Chong." Shi Dun looked at the staff officer who had returned from Xijing.

"The humble officer is here!"

"Your 1,500 men are the key to victory. They must conceal themselves when hiding, and strike like thunder when moving. The specific harassment targets, timing, and methods—we will discuss them in detail after the meeting."

"I will surely not fail the Governor-General's heavy trust!"

Shi Dun nodded.

His gaze swept over all the officers again.

"Gentlemen,"

"This strategic adjustment concerns the overall situation."

"What I want you to defend is not just this pass."

"It is also the 'momentum' of the entire Bei Jing battlefield."

"We want the enemy to feel that we have exerted all our strength and are desperately holding an isolated city."

"We want the enemy to fix their gaze and their forces firmly here."

"For our true blade……"

He looked at the sand table, at the blank area deliberately left there representing the deep grasslands.

His gaze was deep and far-reaching.

"Create the deadliest opportunity for a killing strike!"

"Do you all understand?"

"Understood!" the officers exclaimed in unison.

The look of fatigue vanished completely.

Taking its place was a lofty fighting spirit, born of being entrusted with heavy responsibility and after grasping the full situation.

"Dismissed."

Shi Dun waved his hand.

"Return to your units and obey orders."

"Act swiftly and covertly."

"Yes!"

The officers filed out one after another.

In the secret chamber, only Shi Dun remained.

He walked up to the sand table.

His fingers gently brushed over the model of 'Zhenbei Pass.'

Then he pressed firmly on that blank area representing the deep grasslands.

"Your Sovereign……"

He murmured to himself.

"On this front, I will nail it down for you."

"And the rest……"

"It all depends on whether your blade is fast and fierce enough."

Outside the window.

The wind and snow grew fiercer.

It seemed to foreshadow an even more brutal offensive and defensive battle, yet one hiding profound secrets.

About to unfold at this Bei Jing stronghold.

To raise the curtain on a brand-new act.