Chapter 725: The Edge First Appears

On the third day dusk after Chang Yuchun's cavalry left the camp.

On the south wall of the camp, the lookout suddenly waved two red flags.

One long, one short.

That was the signal for the cavalry's return.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) stood by the newly completed improved blast furnace, watching the first trial smelt.

Hearing this, he turned around immediately.

"Xu Da, follow me to the south gate."

"Yes."

The two hurried across the camp.

Outside the south gate, dust rose.

Chang Yuchun led the charge on horseback, at the very front.

Behind him, the thirty horsemen were three short.

They were also missing five horses.

Everyone was wounded.

Chang Yuchun's left arm was wrapped in a blood‑stained cloth, and a fresh cut marked his face.

Seeing Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang), he dismounted and knelt on one knee.

"Chief, I'm back."

"Get up." Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) helped him to his feet, asking, "What are the losses?"

"We lost three brothers, eight were wounded." Chang Yuchun's voice hoarse, "We lost five horses."

"What did you encounter?"

"Yuan troops. But not ordinary Yuan troops."

Chang Yuchun took a deep breath.

"One hundred twenty li to the north, near Solid Fort."

"We discovered one of their supply convoys, about fifty guards."

"We had planned to avoid them, but at the rear of their column were a dozen or so prisoner carts filled with civilians."

He paused.

"The civilians were crying out, saying they were being sent to the northern mines, never to return."

"I couldn't hold back and attacked."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) did not blame him.

"Then what?"

"At first it went smoothly; we scattered the escort and killed over twenty."

"But then…" Chang Yuchun flashed a trace of lingering fear in his eyes, "From behind the supply wagons, a dozen or so soldiers in black armor charged out."

"They are exactly the kind spoken of in rumors."

"Their eyes faintly glowed blue even in daylight."

"When we slashed with our blades, it felt like striking an anvil, numbing our hands."

"Arrows were useless unless they hit the face squarely."

Chang Yuchun unwrapped the cloth from his left arm.

The wound was not deep, but its edges showed an eerie gray‑white hue.

"It was a gouge from the spear tip of one of those black‑armored soldiers."

"That spear tip was also a deep blue."

"The wounded brothers all have injuries like this, and they heal very slowly."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) stared at that wound.

"How did you get away?"

"We set fire to the supply wagons, then in the chaos used lasso ropes to trip a few, beheaded them, and only then subdued them."

"Is beheading effective?"

"Yes. Once their heads were cut off, those black‑armored troops finally stopped moving."

Chang Yuchun untied a bundle from the saddle.

He opened it.

Inside were three heads.

Their skin was gray‑white, eyes wide open, with a faint blue glow still lingering in the depths of the pupils.

The most horrifying thing was that, at the severed necks, what flowed out was not fresh red blood.

but a viscous, dark‑blue liquid with a metallic sheen.

"I brought two back." Chang Yuchun said, "The other… rotted away on the way."

"Rotted?"

"Yes. It melted like wax, leaving only a puddle of blue water that seeped into the soil, killing the grass."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) fell silent.

He had Xu Da take the bundle.

"Isolate the wounded immediately and assign them separate quarters."

"Everyone who had contact with the black‑armored soldiers, including the horses, must be thoroughly washed, and their clothing burned."

"Chief of the outpost, you too go tend to your wound, rinsing it with boiled salt water."

Yes.

Chang Yuchun turned to leave.

He stopped again.

"Chief, there's one more thing."

"Speak."

"When we retreated, we saw from afar that the flag flying on the city wall of Fortified Town was not the Yuan army's flag."

"What flag was it?"

"Blue background, black crow."

Chang Yuchun spoke each word clearly.

"The whole city is deathly still. The gate is open, but no one enters or leaves."

"Like a ghost city."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang)'s pupils shrank slightly.

"Understood. Go treat your wounds first."

Chang Yuchun left.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) stood where he was, watching the setting sun gradually sink in the south.

"Xu Da."

"Here."

"Pass the order to all squad leaders: after dinner, hold a meeting in the barracks."

"Yes."

"Also, have the artificer camp stop work regardless of whether the furnace yields iron."

"Summon the two masters and all the artisans who helped build the furnace."

"I want to ask questions."

"Understood."

Xu Da hurried away.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) walked back to the artificer camp area alone.

The improved bellows furnace had already gone out.

The furnace chamber was still radiating residual heat.

Two blacksmiths and several artisans gathered before the furnace, looking tense.

Upon seeing Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang), the old blacksmith stepped forward.

"Chief, the first smelt yielded something."

"Is it good or bad?"

"Hard to say."

The old blacksmith stepped aside.

On the ground before the furnace lay a freshly taken metal chunk, not yet fully cooled.

Dark silvery gray.

It was almost identical in color and texture to the piece Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) kept in his pocket.

But larger.

About the size of a washbasin.

"Done?" Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) asked.

"Half done." The old blacksmith gave a wry smile. "This 'strange iron' has been produced, but the furnace is nearly ruined."

He pointed at the furnace wall.

There were several fine cracks on it.

"The temperature is too high; the rammed earth can't hold."

"If we smelt another batch, this furnace will collapse."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) crouched and touched the metal lump.

It felt warm and smooth, unlike the roughness of ordinary iron.

"How many weapons can we make from this piece?" Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) asked.

"If we make knives..." the blacksmith estimated, "about ten short blades or five long blades."

"Not enough." Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) shook his head.

He stood up.

"The furnace must be able to keep smelting."

"Reinforce the cracks."

"If the rammed earth won't hold, use bricks."

"If there are no bricks, fire bricks."

He looked at the artisans.

"I need at least a hundred long blades of this material and three hundred spearheads."

"Time: one month."

The artisans looked at each other.

"Chief, this... this is too hard."

"I know it's hard." Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) said calmly, "but the enemy to the north won't wait for us to go slowly."

He pointed to the bundle in Xu Da's hand.

"Open it."

The bundle was unfolded.

Three skulls were exposed before everyone.

Exclamations rose.

Several young artisans even stepped back two steps.

"This is what came from the north." Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) said, "Blades cannot pierce it, arrows cannot penetrate."

"Only beheading can kill them."

"And now we barely have any blades that can cut through their necks."

He paused.

"You say, is it hard or not?"

No one answered.

Only the warm wind from the residual heat of the furnace blew over everyone's cheeks.

After a long while, the old blacksmith gritted his teeth.

"Chief, give me seven days."

"In seven days, I'll give you a brick furnace that can smelt 'strange iron'."

"But bricks need people to fire them, charcoal needs people to cut, ore needs people to mine."

"Manpower must be sufficient."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) nodded.

"Everyone in the camp, follow your orders."

He looked toward Xu Da.

"From tomorrow onward, the needs of the artificers' camp shall be listed as the camp's top priority."

"Halve the infantry drills, divert manpower to support."

"The cavalry is responsible for guard and reconnaissance; there must be no mistake."

"Yes."

Night fell.

In the camp's meeting tent, the oil lamps were bright.

All squad leaders arrived.

Chang Yuchun had bandaged his wound and also sat in the front row.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) placed the skulls from the bundle on the table.

Under the oil lamp, those bluish pupils appeared even more eerie.

"Everyone saw it."

His voice was not loud, but each word struck into everyone's hearts.

"This is the enemy we will face next."

"Not ordinary Yuan troops."

"It is some kind of... evil thing."

The tent was utterly silent.

Someone swallowed saliva.

Someone clenched their fists.

"'Are you afraid?' Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) asked."

No one answered.

"'I'm also afraid,' he said, 'but I fear more that when these evil things rush to our camp's gate, we won't even have a blade that can wound them.'"

He stood up.

"So, from tomorrow onward, the camp will enter a state of war readiness."

"The artificers' camp will smelt iron with all its might."

"The infantry will intensify drills."

"The cavalry will expand its reconnaissance range, but avoid engagement."

"Everyone, food and lodging will be at their posts; without orders, no one may leave the camp."

He looked around at everyone.

"One month."

"I give the artificers' camp one month to produce a hundred usable blades."

"I also give you one month to fatten your courage and harden your hands."

"After one month——"

He paused.

"We will take Baihe Town."

The squad leaders lifted their heads sharply.

Baihe Town.

Yuan Army Qianhu Office.

There were city walls.

The garrison numbered five hundred.

What, scared? Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) asked.

Not afraid! Chang Yuchun shouted first.

Exactly! Not afraid!

Hit his mother!

Shouts began to rise.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) raised his hand to halt.

It's not about reckless courage.

Attacking Baihe Town involves three reasons.

First, there is grain, iron, and the supplies we urgently need.

Second, seizing Baihe Town gives us a foothold; we will no longer be outlaws.

Third—

He gazed at the three skulls on the table.

We must prove to all that no matter how corrupt the world, it cannot outweigh the spirit within people's hearts.

That unyielding spirit that refuses to be beasts and wishes to live honorably.

The oil lamp crackled.

Light and shadow flickered.

Each face was reflected in the dim yellow light.

Resolute.

Or gradually becoming resolute.

Meeting dismissed.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) waved his hand.

Each prepare yourselves.

The crowd dispersed.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) stayed behind alone in the council tent.

He walked to the table and gazed at the three skulls.

Then he drew his side sword from his waist.

He struck down with one blow.

The blade lodged in the neck bone, failing to sever.

He frowned and twisted hard.

The skull rolled off.

At the fracture, dark blue liquid slowly seeped out.

He stared at the liquid.

Then he produced the small lump of strange iron from his pocket.

He scraped a bit of filings with the blade tip and sprinkled them onto the liquid.

Sizzle—

A faint white smoke rose.

The dark blue liquid quickly faded.

Turning into ordinary dark red.

Like congealed blood.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang)'s eyes lit up.

As expected…

He muttered to himself.

This strange iron can dispel evil.

The night was deep.

The camp gradually grew quiet.

Only the craftsmen's camp direction still glowed with firelight.

The brick kiln had been lit.

A new furnace body was being rushed into production.

And to the north.

Gu Zhen city wall.

A blue-background black raven flag fluttered silently in the night wind.

Under the city wall.

Several dozen figures emanating a faint blue light slowly walked out of the gate.

Heading south.

Toward the Huai River.

They began to move.

Their steps were stiff.

Yet resolute.