Inside the rebel camp.

The dim candlelight flickered slightly, and the dim flame reflected on Lin Zhongyun’s face, making his figure look so cold and stern.

His eyes were fixed on the map in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed, and he was obviously thinking deeply.

“It seems that we don’t have much time left!” Lin Zhongyun said in a low voice, with a hint of calmness and determination in his tone.

He knew that the current situation did not allow them to hesitate any longer.

The movements of the Northern Barbarians are becoming more and more frequent, especially Hailanhak’s deployment of troops, which has made the situation even more tense.

“By the way, has Hailanhak made any other moves?” Lin Zhongyun raised his head and looked coldly at the guards standing beside him.

When the guard heard Lin Zhongyun’s question, he stepped forward and said respectfully, “General, Hailanhak has recently transferred a lot of troops out, apparently to strengthen the border defense.”

He paused here, with a look of doubt in his eyes: “General, should we continue to wait like this?”

Hearing this, Lin Zhongyun shook his head slightly, his tone showing a hint of calmness: “There’s no need to wait.

There is no point in waiting any longer. If we are going to act, we must do it as soon as possible and never let them react.”

His eyes fell on the map again, and his finger gently tapped a key position, as if making the final confirmation for the upcoming action.

The guard stood aside and nodded slightly after hearing Lin Zhongyun’s words. He thought about it and felt that the general’s decision did make sense.

“Your Highness, we will listen to you no matter what.” The guard said in a deep voice with a firm tone.

But soon, his expression turned into resentment, and he gritted his teeth and said: “If it weren’t for this northern barbarian, how could we have left our homeland and come here till now!”

There was a hint of long-suppressed anger in his voice. Obviously, all these years of exile had already filled him with deep hatred for the Northern Barbarians.

Hearing the words of the guard, Lin Zhongyun smiled slightly, his eyes showing a hint of calmness. He slowly said: “You are right, but anger cannot solve the problem. We must prove ourselves with actions and take back what belongs to us with victory!”

His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable power, as if every word struck everyone’s heart.

“Even so, we are about to succeed now!”

Lin Zhongyun continued, his tone more excited, “Cracks have appeared within the Northern Barbarians, and we are the wedge that will pry open the cracks!”

When he said this, his eyes were cold and fierce: “As long as we can seize this opportunity, we will be able to completely tear apart the Northern Barbarians’ defenses and make them pay for their crimes over the years!”

Lin Zhongyun’s words were like a shot of adrenaline, injecting into everyone’s hearts. The guards in the tent straightened up, with a hint of fighting spirit in their eyes.

“Your Highness is right!” A guard said in a deep voice, with a firm tone, “We will definitely succeed, and we will make the Northern Barbarians pay the price for what they have done!”

“That’s right!” another guard echoed, his eyes revealing a hint of anger and determination, “What we have lost over the years, we will eventually take back with our own hands!”

The atmosphere in the tent gradually became more lively. Everyone was infected by Lin Zhongyun’s words, and a hint of hope appeared in their eyes.

Seeing everyone’s reactions, Lin Zhongyun nodded slightly, with a hint of calmness in his eyes.

He knew that these people had been inspired by his words, but that was not enough.

“Next…” Lin Zhongyun spoke slowly, with a thoughtful tone, “We need to conduct a final test of the Northern Barbarians’ defense line to confirm their troop deployment and weaknesses.”

His fingers gently tapped several key locations on the map, his eyes shone with a cold look: “These places are the lifeblood of the Northern Barbarians.

As long as we can find a breakthrough, we can defeat their defenses in one fell swoop and pave the way for our next move!”

“Yes, Your Highness!” everyone responded in unison, with a hint of excitement in their tone.

When the atmosphere in the tent calmed down a little, Lin Zhongyun slowly stood up and looked coldly at the grassland outside the tent. His hand slowly tightened the long knife at his waist, and his eyes revealed a hint of coldness and determination.

“Northern Barbarians…” Lin Zhongyun said in his heart, with a cold look in his eyes, “Your doomsday is coming soon.”

The wind outside the tent was still howling, rolling up green waves and causing the tent to sway slightly.

Lin Zhongyun’s figure appeared particularly tall and straight in the sunlight, like an unshakable mountain.

But at this time, the guard paused and said hesitantly: “Your Highness, I have an idea in my mind, but I don’t know whether I should say it or not.”

“Um?”

Lin Zhongyun said with a slight doubt and looked back, only to see that he had a trembling face and was very frightened.

“Tell me, there is nothing to be taboo about here, Your Highness!”

He waved his hand and said, “Any news now is of vital importance to us.”

After hearing this, the guard dared to speak: “Your Highness, I understand your feelings. However, now that the Northern Barbarians are fighting between the two factions, we can completely reap the benefits.”

“And…and this so-called loophole in the defense line is most likely deliberately shown to us by the Northern Barbarians.”

Hearing this, Lin Zhongyun shook his head slightly, and said cautiously: “I understand, you are right. All this is not necessarily a loophole, but their bait.

But no matter what, this is a taboo that we must grasp.”

Lin Zhongyun’s eyes fell on the map again, his fingers gently slid across the supply line of the Northern Barbarians, his tone low and calm: “The reason why the Northern Barbarians’ defense line is so strong is not only because of their strong military strength, but also because their supply lines are unobstructed.

If we can cut off that supply line, we can force them to disperse their forces and create an opening for our next move.”

He paused, his tone becoming more stern: “But this operation must be swift and covert, and we must not give them time to react.

Otherwise, we will not only fail to break through their defense, but may also provoke a full-scale counterattack from them.”

Hearing this, the guard couldn’t help but ask, “General, what is the goal of this operation…?”

Lin Zhongyun’s finger stopped at a mark on the map, which was a main supply line connecting the Northern Barbarians’ front line with the rear.

He said slowly: “The target is here. This supply line is one of the lifelines of the Northern Barbarians. As long as we can destroy their food and supplies, their rear will fall into chaos.”

He turned around and looked at the generals standing nearby.

There was a hint of nervousness and hesitation in their expressions, and it was obvious that they were not completely free of doubts about this action.

An elderly general frowned and said, “General, although there is a gap in the Northern Barbarians’ defense line, this may be their bait.

If we act rashly, we might fall into their trap.”

Another young general also echoed: “Moreover, our military strength is limited. If the operation fails, it will probably greatly weaken our strength.” The atmosphere in the tent became a little depressing because of these words. Several generals looked at Lin Zhongyun, waiting for his response.

Lin Zhongyun’s eyes were calm and firm. He glanced around slowly and then said, “I understand your concerns, but please remember that we don’t have much time. If we continue to wait, it will only give the Northern Barbarians more time to consolidate their defenses.”

His voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to carry an unquestionable force.

“Every one of us has personally experienced the power of the Northern Barbarians,” Lin Zhongyun continued, with a hint of excitement in his tone, “but they are not invincible. Their defenses are not solid, and their supply lines are not impeccable.”

He paused here, his eyes showing a hint of coldness: “This war is not for ourselves, but for those who lost their homes under the iron hoof of the northern barbarians.

Every action carries risks, but if we don’t take them, we’ll never get back what’s ours!”

Lin Zhongyun’s words were like a shot of adrenaline, injecting into the hearts of the generals. Although there was still a trace of worry in their eyes, there was more fighting spirit.

“The general is right!” A general whispered with a firm tone, “If we continue to wait, it will only give the Northern Barbarians more time to prepare. Now is our only chance.”

Hearing this, Lin Zhongyun nodded with satisfaction, a look of relief in his eyes.

He turned around, looked at the map again, and said slowly: “This operation will be led by an elite team. Their mission is to sneak into the supply lines of the Northern Barbarians at night, destroy food and supplies, and collect as much intelligence as possible.”

He pointed to several routes on the map and explained the team’s action plan in detail to his guards and generals: “This is the supply camp of the Northern Barbarians, and there are patrols around it.

The team must avoid these patrols, sneak in from here, move quickly, and never fight.”

Upon hearing this, the guards and generals nodded, “Yes, General!”

Before the team set off, Lin Zhongyun personally summoned the soldiers and gave them a final mobilization.

He stood in front of the soldiers, his eyes showing calmness and determination.

“Everyone, this mission is crucial to the future of the rebel army.” Lin Zhongyun said slowly, with a touch of excitement in his tone, “You are the best fighters in the rebel army. I believe you can complete this mission.”

He paused here, his eyes becoming more profound: “But remember, no matter what happens, protecting yourself is the most important thing.

The Rebels need you, and our compatriots need you.”

The soldiers responded in unison: “Yes, General!”

Lin Zhongyun looked at their determined gazes, and a complex emotion surged in his heart.

He knew that this mission was full of danger, but he had no choice.

……

On the grassland at night, the wind was blowing softly, the moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, and the whole world was shrouded in deep darkness.

Lin Zhongyun personally saw off the elite team. He stood at the edge of the camp, watching these black-clad warriors disappear into the night.

There was a hint of calmness and uneasiness in his eyes, and his hands involuntarily tightened the long sword at his waist.

“May you return safely.” Lin Zhongyun said in a low voice, with a hint of prayer in his tone.

Led by the deputy general, the team quietly passed through the rebels’ defense lines and headed towards the supply line of the Northern Barbarians.

Their figures were like ghosts on the grassland, blending into the boundless darkness.

Soon, after several hours of stealth, the team finally approached the supply line of the Northern Barbarians.

In the distance, the outline of the camp was looming in the night, with firelight shining through the tents. Several Northern Barbarian soldiers were patrolling the camp. They occasionally talked in low voices, and their voices were particularly clear in the silent night.

The team members were lurking in the bushes outside the camp, holding their breath and staring closely at the patrolling soldiers.

The deputy general lowered his voice and said to the team members around him: “The patrol team will change every fifteen minutes. The next time we change shifts, it will be the best time for us to act.”

All team members remained silent and tried to breathe as lightly as possible, as time passed by every second.

Finally, the patrolling soldiers walked away, and the team members acted quickly, sneaking into the camp silently.

The camp was filled with large quantities of food and various supplies, and the air was filled with the mixed smell of grass and leather. These supplies were the guarantee for the survival and fighting of the Northern Barbarian Army.

The team members quickly dispersed and evenly sprinkled the kerosene prepared in advance on the food piles and supply boxes.

Everyone moved extremely quickly and cautiously, trying not to make any noise so as not to alert the enemies in the camp.

However, just as one of the team members was about to light the fire, a horse in the distance was suddenly frightened and let out a loud neigh.

The northern barbarian soldier in the camp frowned when he heard the sudden noise. He tightened his grip on the scimitar at his waist and slowly walked towards the direction where the sound came from.

“What happened?” the soldier muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the surroundings vigilantly, trying to find the source of the sound.

All the team members held their breath, and the ones hiding in the shadows slowly clenched the daggers in their hands, ready to deal with any possible danger at any time.

However, just as the soldier was about to approach the team’s hiding place, a slight noise suddenly came from another direction, attracting his attention.

“Maybe the wind blew something.” The soldier muttered to himself, he turned around and walked towards the source of the sound.

The deputy general breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. He immediately whispered, “Light the fire, quick!”

Fire instantly rose up in the camp, the raging flames illuminated the entire camp, thick smoke rushed into the night sky, and chaos and panic began to spread in the camp.

The grain piles and supply boxes burned rapidly in the flames, making crackling sounds, as if announcing the beginning of chaos and foreshadowing the difficulties that the Northern Barbarian Army would face.

“It’s on fire! Get up quickly!” The shouts of the Northern Barbarian soldiers echoed in the camp, and more soldiers rushed out of the tents, trying to put out the sudden fire.

However, the fire spread extremely quickly and soon engulfed most of the camp. The flames spread everywhere like greedy fire snakes, ruthlessly destroying everything.

Just as the team was preparing to evacuate, one member suddenly discovered that there was an area in the camp in the distance that was not affected by the flames.

The supplies piled up in that area were obviously different from those in other places. They seemed to be specially prepared for a certain elite force. The quality and quantity of the supplies were particularly important.

“There…” the team member whispered, with a hint of hesitation and struggle in his eyes.

The deputy general took a look at the unburned area and said in a deep voice: “There is no time, retreat immediately!”

However, just as the team members were about to leave, a sharp horn suddenly sounded.

Then, a dozen northern barbarian soldiers rushed out from the flank of the camp… (End of this chapter)