Within the big tent.

The generals had originally maintained a calm attitude, but at this moment they could no longer sit still.

A complex expression appeared on everyone’s face, with fear of Hu Yanhuan’s anger and deep worry about the current situation.

At this time, someone coughed lightly, trying to break the suffocating silence.

He slowly stood up, bowed and said, “General, the destruction of Hailanhak’s food and fodder is indeed a variable we did not expect.

But the most important thing right now is how to stabilize the situation and avoid greater losses.”

As soon as these words fell, another person stood up, speaking in an anxious tone: “That’s right! If Hailanhak abandons the front line and turns to encircle us, the rebels outside will take advantage of the opportunity to move in. By then, the situation at Hailan Ranch will be completely out of control!”

These words hit everyone’s heart like a huge rock.

The generals began to discuss in low voices, their expressions becoming increasingly solemn.

“Hailankak, these rubbish!” A general couldn’t help but curse in a low voice, his tone full of anger and dissatisfaction, “We could have just sat back and watched them fight the rebels to a mutual loss, but now we have to be implicated by them!”

“That’s right!” another general echoed, with a hint of worry in his eyes, “The current situation is extremely unfavorable to us.

Once Hailanhak withdraws his troops, the rebels will take advantage of the situation and move in. By then, the situation at Hailan Ranch will be completely out of control!”

“General,” a middle-aged general sitting on the right spoke slowly, his tone revealing a hint of solemnity, “The best way now is to stabilize them before a head-on conflict with Hailanhak. We must not let the rebels gain an advantage nearby.”

Listening to the advice of the generals, Hu Yanhuan slowly opened his eyes, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

At this moment, he only felt that the entire tent was filled with noise.

His face was still livid, but his anger was gradually replaced by calmness.

Because he understood that getting angry would not solve the problem, and the current situation required him to make a quick decision.

If he really doesn’t make a decision anymore, then all his hard work will be in vain.

Walking slowly to the map, he stared at the area marked with Hailanhak, his eyes becoming increasingly cold and stern.

The eyes were full of coldness, and everyone present felt like a thorn in their backs. They held their breath and waited for Hu Yanhuan’s next order.

After a moment, Hu Yanhuan spoke slowly, his voice low and cold, with an unquestionable majesty: “Pass the order down, no one is allowed to act rashly without my order!”

These words were like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of the generals.

The generals who were originally whispering suddenly became quiet and looked up at Hu Yanhuan, their eyes filled with confusion and puzzlement.

They never expected that Hu Yanhuan would choose to remain inactive at this critical juncture.

“General,” a young general could not help but stand up, with a hint of urgency in his tone, “Now that Hailanhak has abandoned the front line, the rebels may take advantage of the situation and move in at any time.

If we don’t act quickly, the situation will only get worse!”

“Yes!” Another general also echoed, with a hint of anxiety in his tone, “The rebels are cunning and cunning. If we let them seize the opportunity, our arrangements will be in vain!”

However, just as they were about to continue persuading, Hu Yanhuan suddenly waved his hand and coldly interrupted them.

“I haven’t finished speaking yet!” His voice was low and cold, as if carrying a bone-chilling chill, which instantly silenced everyone.

He snorted coldly, with a sharp cold light in his eyes.

He slowly turned around and walked to the map. He tapped the area marked with Hailanhak’s location with his fingers. There was an unquestionable power in his voice: “Send an envoy immediately, bring enough gifts, and stabilize Hailanhak first.”

He paused, his eyes became deeper, and his tone revealed a hint of murderous intent: “Tell Hailanhak that we in the Northern Barbarians cannot tolerate internal friction.

If he insists on being our enemy, don’t blame me for not caring about our kinship!”

When the generals heard this, their expressions relaxed slightly, and they obviously agreed with Hu Yanhuan’s approach. Stabilizing Hailanhak was undoubtedly the top priority in the current situation.

Otherwise, if there is a head-on conflict with Hailanhak, the rebels will surely take the opportunity to reap the benefits.

However, just when the generals thought that the matter had been settled, Hu Yanhuan’s next words made them worried again.

“In addition…” Hu Yanhuan slowly turned around, his eyes swept across the generals like a knife, his voice low and cold, “Please come back, my king, and discuss this matter immediately!”

There was a sudden silence in the tent. The generals looked at each other in bewilderment, obviously not expecting Hu Yanhuan to ask the king to personally inquire about the matter at this time.

This not only means the seriousness of the situation, but also makes them feel a little uneasy.

“General…” A general asked tentatively, with a hint of hesitation in his tone, “Should we alert the king about this matter? If it is not handled properly, I am afraid it will affect the morale of the army…”

“Affecting the morale of the army?” Hu Yanhuan sneered, his eyes revealing a hint of sarcasm, “Isn’t the current situation serious enough?

“The food and grass of Hailanhak have been destroyed, the front line has been lost, and the rebels may take advantage of the situation and invade at any time. If you don’t make a decision, I’m afraid you won’t even be able to save your heads!”

His words were like a sharp knife, piercing the hearts of the generals. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to say another word.

“Of course…” Hu Yanhuan’s tone suddenly changed, becoming more calm and steady, “We must also be prepared for both situations. While sending the envoy, order the army to be on alert.

If Hailanhak dares to harm us, we will fight back immediately. We must not let them disrupt our layout!”

“The general is wise!”

An older general stepped forward, cupped his hands and said with a hint of admiration in his tone, “This way, we can not only stabilize Hailanhak, but also prevent the situation from deteriorating further.”

However, at this moment, another general suddenly stood up, with a hint of uneasiness in his tone: “General, but what about the rebels? They are now sitting still, obviously waiting for an opportunity. If we just defend blindly, I am afraid they will take the initiative.”

Hu Yanhuan paused slightly when he heard this, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

He slowly turned around and walked to the map. He gently ran his finger over the area marked with the rebels’ position and said in a low and cold voice, “As for the rebels… send out scouts to closely monitor their movements.”

There was a hint of murderous intent in his eyes, and his tone was full of unquestionable power: “Whatever they want to do, it must be under our control.

If they dare to act rashly—” He clenched his hands into fists, making a “cluck” sound, “let them completely disappear from the grassland!”

The generals all bowed their hands in agreement and said in unison: “Yes, sir!” After a moment, the generals dispersed and the tent returned to its previous quietness, with only the crackling sound of the burning campfire echoing in the silence.

The bonfire flickered slightly, illuminating Hu Yanhuan’s isolated figure.

He stood in the center of the big tent, the shadow behind him stretched long and heavy on the ground, as if the fate of the entire grassland rested on his shoulders.

His eyes fell on the campfire, the flames swaying in the wind, as if mocking his powerlessness.

His face no longer wore the cold mask he wore during the day, but instead revealed a deep sense of fatigue and confusion.

His hands slowly clenched, his knuckles turning slightly white, as if he was using this method to suppress the emotions surging in his heart.

“Is it really God’s will to destroy us Northern Barbarians?” He murmured in a low voice, with a hint of bitterness and helplessness in his voice.

Repeated failures and repeated defeats at the hands of Lin Zhongyun had already wiped out the passion in his heart and made him deeply doubt his own abilities.

He was once the proudest god of war in the Northern Barbarians and the faith in the hearts of countless soldiers on the grassland.

But now, he had to face a cruel fact – he was being pushed into a desperate situation step by step by the young man from Central Plains.

His eyes gradually became empty, as if he saw the future of the Northern Barbarians through the campfire.

He seemed to see the devastated scene on the grassland, the people of the northern barbarians displaced in the war, and his own soldiers falling in a pool of blood, unable to stand up again.

“Am I really… wrong?” His voice was so low that it was almost inaudible, and his tone revealed a deep sense of self-blame and pain.

He slowly closed his eyes, and scenes of the battlefield emerged in his mind. Those scenes were like nightmares, deeply imprinted in his memory, making him feel suffocated every time he thought of them.

He saw those battles time and again – the rebel army was like a sharp blade, accurately cutting into the Northern Barbarians’ defenses and tearing his arrangements to pieces.

He saw Lin Zhongyun’s young but calm face, and his eyes revealed chilling wisdom and determination.

“Lin Zhongyun…” He gritted his teeth and whispered the name, with a hint of deep hatred and unwillingness in his voice.

He knew that this name had become an indelible shadow in his heart.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not escape the fate of being suppressed by the opponent.

And now, the fate of the Northern Barbarians is also at stake. If they are not careful, they may be completely destroyed.

However, in the abyss of confusion and pain, a power was quietly awakening deep in his heart.

He slowly clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, causing a stinging pain.

The pain woke him up from his self-blame and confusion, and made him realize that he couldn’t fall down and couldn’t admit defeat at this time!
“There is no doubt that this storm is unavoidable.”

His voice was low and calm, and a blazing light gradually ignited in his eyes. “And I must gain the upper hand in this game – no matter what the cost!”

He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze was as sharp as a knife, shooting out a ray of light.

It was a resolute look, a determination to give up everything and burn one’s boats.

He knew that the fate of the Northern Barbarians was in his hands. He had to make the most decisive decision and use the most extreme means to reverse the situation!
“Someone come here!” His voice was cold and low, but it carried an unquestionable majesty. It instantly spread out of the tent and echoed in the night.

The guards waiting outside the tent heard the call and quickly pushed open the curtain and walked in, bowing their heads and saying, “General, what do you want?”

“Call Wuyangxicuo!” There was a hint of chill in Huyanhuan’s voice, as if even the air was frozen.

The guards did not dare to hesitate for a moment, and immediately retreated and left quickly.

Soon, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the big tent. Wuyang Xicuo walked in hurriedly, his body straight and his face firm. There was a hint of nervousness in his eyes, but more of it was his absolute loyalty to Hu Yanhuan.

“I will accept your orders even if it means death!” He knelt on one knee, his voice loud and firm, like a towering mountain.

As he said this, he lowered his head tightly, and a layer of fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He knew that Hu Yanhuan’s character was always decisive and stern. He called him back just after the generals left. It was obvious that he had something extremely important to entrust to him.

And whatever it was, he had to give it his all.

“Get up.” Huyanhuan stepped forward quickly and helped Wuyangxicuo up, with a look of deep trust in his eyes.

Then, he turned to the guards in the tent and said coldly: “Send everyone away.”

The guards did not hesitate to leave the tent. Hu Yanhuan added ruthlessly, “Five steps away from the tent. No one is allowed to approach without my order!”

That cold tone was like an invisible knife, completely separating the inside and outside of the tent.

The big tent was silent again, with only the light of the campfire flickering between the two of them. Hu Yanhuan slowly turned around, his eyes like a knife falling on Wuyangxicuo’s face. His expression was cold and steady, and his voice was low and powerful: “The matter is urgent, so I will get straight to the point. I hope you will be the envoy sent to the Hailan tribe this time.”

When Wuyang Xicuo heard this, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

Without any hesitation, he knelt down on the ground, with a firm tone: “Please rest assured, General, I will complete the task!”

Hu Yanhuan was very satisfied with his reaction. The corners of Hu Yanhuan’s mouth slightly raised, revealing a rare smile.

He nodded slowly, with a hint of approval in his tone: “Very good, Wuyang Xicuo, you are worthy of being my most trusted confidant.”

However, the next words surprised Wuyang Xicuo even more.

“I asked you to go to the Hailan tribe this time because I actually have another purpose…” Hu Yanhuan’s voice was low and calm, with a deep chill in his eyes.

He slowly walked to the map, gently running his finger over the area marking the location of the Hailan tribe and the rebels, and then laid out his plan in full.

As Hu Yanhuan spoke, Wuyang Xicuo’s expression gradually became complicated.

His brows furrowed tighter and tighter, and there was an unconcealable shock and confusion in his eyes.

“General, what you mean is… our conflict with the Hailan tribe was just to create a false impression from the beginning?”

There was a hint of surprise in his voice, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. (End of this chapter)