Chapter 730: Pre-battle Preparations

Southeastern highland of Eagle Beak Ridge.

The makeshift camp was hastily erected, but defensive works were prioritized.

The wooden palisade only managed to enclose the core area, while anti-cavalry obstacles and traps were set up around the perimeter.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) stood at the highest point of the camp, observing the approach with a monocular.

In the northeastern sky, that gray-blue pollution field had ceased spreading, but had not dissipated.

It resembled a semi-transparent wall spanning between heaven and earth, its edges constantly twisting and writhing like a living thing.

"Based on two hours of observation, this 'miasma' does move with a pattern."

Liu Ji stood at his side, holding a makeshift sundial and a simple wind indicator.

"Initially it spread southward at extreme speed, but stopped upon reaching the old camp on the riverbank."

"Then it began extending east-west along the Huai River course, as if… demarcating a range."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) lowered the monocular.

"Demarcate what range?"

"The pollution range." Liu Ji pointed at the edge of that 'wall': "You see, its edge always runs parallel to the tributaries on the north bank of the Huai River."

"It seems like some kind of energy field, using the hydrographic network as a conduction path."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang)'s heart jolted.

Energy field.

Hydrographic network.

This sounds more like some kind of… environmental modification weapon.

Or, put in terms Liu Ji wouldn't understand—large-scale terrain contamination agreement.

"Any news from Chief Scout Chang?"

Xu Da hurried over.

"Chief Scout Chang sent a messenger back with word that they have reached the woods five li outside Baihe Town, lying in ambush."

"They observed that the frequency of blue light flickering in the town at night has increased, once every quarter hour, extremely regular."

"The town gates remain closed, but transport convoys come and go, escorting cage carts covered with thick cloth."

"Cage carts?"

"The signal soldiers said they heard living things struggling inside the cage carts, but neither human nor ordinary livestock."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) and Liu Ji exchanged a glance.

"What movements do those black-armored soldiers have?"

"The signal soldiers said that at dusk yesterday, about a hundred black-armored soldiers marched out of the city in formation, heading south."

"Their speed was not fast, but their march was neat and uniform, not like living people."

"Direction?" Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) pressed.

"Due south." Xu Da paused, "Pointing straight at our old camp's direction."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) immediately walked to the simple sand table.

His finger traced south from Baihe Town.

Passing the old camp.

Continuing south…

"Their target is not the old camp."

His voice turned cold.

"It's us."

On the sand table, that line ultimately pointed to this very highland.

"Distance?"

"At the black-armored soldiers' marching speed, they will arrive at the latest by tomorrow night."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) straightened up.

Time, tighter than he had anticipated.

"Tang He."

"Here!"

"Defensive works need to be strengthened. Dig a second moat three hundred paces outside the camp, with stakes buried at the bottom."

"Yes!"

"Xu Da, gather all the 'strange iron' weapons and prioritize issuing them to the archers and crossbowmen."

"Make arrowheads from 'strange iron'?"

"Yes. Although the quantity is small, it's still more effective than ordinary arrows."

"Understood."

"Master Liu."

"Ji is here."

"Continue observing the pollution field's changes, especially note whether it correlates with the black-armored soldiers' march."

"If anything abnormal occurs, report it to me immediately."

Liu Ji solemnly clasped his fists.

Everyone dispersed to prepare.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) alone remained at the edge of the highland.

He took out that lump of 'strange iron' from his bosom.

In the sunlight, the fine blue light flowing within the dark silver-gray pattern on the lump's surface became more noticeable.

As if responding to something.

Or rather, as if giving a warning…

He attached the lump to a wooden post.

On the post's surface, centered on the lump, a faint ripple quickly spread outward.

Where the ripple passed, the wood grain became clear, as if purified by some force.

"As expected…"

He muttered softly.

This "Strange Iron" not only can counter Yuneng Pollution, but also can generate a kind of purification field.

Although the range is extremely small, the significance is great.

"Chief."

Guo Rong hurried over, holding a roll of coarse burlap.

"These are things brought back from the fishing village."

"We were in a rush, so we only picked these up."

He unfolded the burlap.

Inside were several fragments of fishing net, a broken fish basket, and… a half piece of pottery shard.

On the pottery shard clung dried dark-blue viscous substance.

"It was picked up from the edge of that pit in the threshing field."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) crouched, using a twig to carefully lift a bit of the viscous substance.

The viscous substance glittered with a metallic sheen in the sunlight, exactly the same as that found at the bottom of the fishing village pit and on the old camp's wooden walls.

He took out the Strange Iron lump and brought it close.

At a distance of three cun, the surface of the viscous substance began to emit extremely fine white smoke.

As if being evaporated.

And the temperature of the Strange Iron lump rose noticeably.

"Guo Rong, go fetch a ceramic jar and fill it with clean river water."

"Yes."

Moments later, the jar was brought.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) scraped that bit of viscous substance into the water.

The viscous substance did not dissolve in water; instead, it began to spread, turning the whole jar of water a light blue.

He suspended the Strange Iron lump above the jar's mouth.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

The light blue water in the jar began to fade at a visible speed.

After ten breaths, the water returned to clarity.

Meanwhile, the lump's surface temperature had become hot to the touch.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) quickly moved the lump away.

During the cooling process, the flowing blue light gradually dimmed, finally returning to its original state.

"The purification process consumes energy…"

He pondered.

"Moreover, the energy source might be some antagonistic substance stored within the lump itself."

This discovery left him both excited and worried.

What excited him was that Strange Iron truly is an effective weapon against Yuneng Pollution.

What worried him was that production is too low and consumption too fast.

With current output, it's utterly impossible to purify the entire river, let alone counter that gray-blue "wall."

"Chief!"

Tang He ran over quickly, his face pale.

"The eastern scout reported that Li Family Village fifteen li away… has also met disaster."

"Explain clearly."

"The whole village, over three hundred people, have all vanished."

"The situation is the same as the fishing village: everything inside the houses remains, but the people are gone."

"But this time… there are footprints on the ground."

Tang He drew a deep breath.

"Not human footprints."

"They are three-toed, webbed, like… like some large water bird."

"The footprints stretch from the edge of the Huai River all the way to the village center, then disappear into a newly appeared pit."

"The pit's bottom is entirely covered with that blue slime."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) clenched his fists.

The pollution is spreading.

It spreads along the Huai River system.

And those missing people...

He thought of the prison carts of White River Town, and thought of the struggling sounds of those 'neither human nor beast'.

A horrifying conjecture took shape in his mind.

"Order all scouts to withdraw immediately, and not to act alone anymore."

"The camp enters highest alert."

"Double the night watchposts, and keep all bonfires burning all night."

"Yes!"

Tang He turned to leave.

"Wait."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) called out to him.

"Send someone toward Haozhou to find the return route of Chang Yuchun's signal bearer."

"Tell them, the White River Town operation is cancelled, withdraw immediately."

"The main force of the black-armored troops may have already left the city; if they infiltrate now, it's like walking into a net."

Tang He startled.

"But Scout Captain Chang and his men have been lying in ambush for two days..."

"Then send a signal—use fireworks, use beacon fires, use any method—to notify them to retreat."

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang)'s voice was firm and resolute.

"Carry out the order."

"...... Yes!"

Tang He hurried away.

Zhu Yue (Zhu Yuanzhang) looked toward the north.

Toward White River Town.

Chang Yuchun, and those twenty finest brothers...

Hope it's not too late.

Hope they can see the signal.

Hope they can...

Come back alive.

At the same time.

Five li outside White River Town, in the mountains and forests.

Chang Yuchun lay prone behind a rock, his eyes fixed firmly on the distant city wall.

Dusk had arrived.

On the city top, a dim blue light flared—those were not torches, but some kind of glowing crystal set into the wall.

The blue light blinked on and off in a regular pattern.

Like breathing.

Behind him, twenty elite veterans lay hidden without a sound.

Each wore camouflage, their faces smeared with mud and ash, their breathing suppressed to an extreme low.

They had been hiding here for two days and two nights.

They had observed the rhythm of the city gates' opening and closing, the guard's relief schedule, and even worked out the supply convoys' routes.

They only needed to wait until midnight tonight, to act when the guards were most fatigued.

But just then.

On the southern horizon, three red fireworks suddenly rose.

In the darkening sky, they burst into a blinding red light.

Chang Yuchun's pupils contracted sharply.

That was the agreed-upon emergency withdrawal signal of the camp.

Three red lights signified utmost danger; immediate withdrawal was required.

"Chang Tou'er... " a veteran beside him whispered.

Chang Yuchun gritted his teeth.

He stared at White River Town, tantalizingly close.

The city gate was right there.

The locations of the granary, arsenal, and yamen were all known to them.

If they could infiltrate, set fires, create chaos...

But military orders are as immovable as a mountain.

The withdrawal signal has been issued; it must be obeyed.

He clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms.

Finally, he glanced once at the city bathed in blue light.

Then he let out a low roar:

"Withdraw!"

Twenty-one rose like ghosts and retreated deep into the mountains and forests.

Their movements were swift and soundless.

And less than half a quarter-hour after they departed...

The gate of White River Town opened again.

Thirty black-armored soldiers marched out in formation.

They held some kind of crystal device in their hands; the device's top emitted an azure light that swept across the mountains and forests like a searchlight.

It swept over the position where Chang Yuchun and they had just been hiding.

The light lingered for a moment.

Then, it turned toward the south.

It turned toward the direction of their retreat.

The leading black-armored soldier raised his hand.

He pointed.

Thirty figures activated simultaneously.

Toward the depths of the mountains and forests.

They pursued.

Their speed was at least twice as fast as before.