Outside Hailan Ranch, inside the main tent of the rebel army, Lin Zhongyun, who was just thinking deeply about the next strategy, was suddenly interrupted by the noise coming from outside the tent.

A burst of hurried footsteps accompanied by the shouts of the messenger were getting closer and closer, breaking the gradually calming atmosphere in the tent.

“Your Highness, great news!” The messenger rushed into the tent breathlessly, his face full of excitement, his voice filled with undisguised excitement, “The Hailan tribe has retreated!”

When these words were spoken, all the generals in the tent were stunned, as if they couldn’t believe their ears.

“Hailaanhak retreated?” A general stood up suddenly, his tone full of disbelief, “How is this possible? Isn’t Hailanhak known for his stubbornness? Why would he retreat suddenly?”

“That’s right!” Another general followed closely behind, his face full of surprise, “They are the barrier of the Northern Barbarians, how could they give up Hailan Ranch so easily?”

All the generals looked at Lin Zhongyun, as if waiting for his explanation.

However, Lin Zhongyun, who was standing on the high platform, was also stunned at this moment.

His brows were furrowed, and there was a hint of deep doubt in his eyes.

“Halanhak retreated?”

At this moment, even Lin Zhongyun couldn’t help but repeat it in a low voice, as if to confirm whether he had heard it wrong.

He slowly walked to the map, his eyes fixed on the area marked with Highland Ranch, with a huge wave of emotion in his heart.

He had just decided to hold back and wait for Hailanhak’s next move. However, now Hailanhak actually took the initiative to retreat? This was too abnormal.

“Is Hailanhak really that afraid of our rebel army?”

Lin Zhongyun asked silently in his heart, with a deep doubt in his eyes, “Or is there another conspiracy behind this active retreat?”

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a “tapping” sound, as if he was using this method to calm his inner fluctuations.

According to his understanding, Hailanhak was no ordinary opponent. Having been able to lead the Hailan tribe for many years, this man would never easily make the decision to retreat.

“There must be a reason behind the retreat.”

Lin Zhongyun’s gaze gradually became profound, as if he saw through the map the conspiracy hidden behind it.

However, unlike Lin Zhongyun’s calmness and doubt, the generals in the tent could no longer contain their excitement.

They stood up one after another, with joyful smiles on their faces, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

“Your Highness, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” A general said excitedly, with a hint of impatience in his tone, “Hailanhak has retreated, which means they are afraid of us!”

“That’s right!” another general echoed, his tone full of pride, “The northern barbarians’ barrier has collapsed. Now we just need to make a concerted effort to completely defeat them!”

“Your Highness, now is the best time to counterattack!” More generals spoke up, their tone revealing undisguised excitement, “As long as we seize the opportunity to pursue, the Northern Barbarians will surely be in chaos!”

The emotions of the generals gradually became more and more excited, and the atmosphere in the entire tent was pushed to a climax.

Everyone’s face was filled with anticipation and excitement, as if they had already seen the scene of the Northern Barbarians’ collapse.

However, Lin Zhongyun, standing on the high platform, remained calm, with a look of deep thought in his eyes.

Hearing the news, he felt equally happy and excited.

You know, Hailanhak’s retreat this time also means that the Beiman’s defense line at Hailan Ranch has completely collapsed.

In this way, they can march straight in and support Li Zhongwu, Yuan Jingxin and others.

The situation in the Northern Barbarians will also be opened up. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their rebel army.

The reason why he had not given the order for action was because he was worried that if he advanced rashly, he would be surrounded by Hailanhak and Hu Yanhuan.

However, now that Hailanhak has voluntarily withdrawn, such concerns seem to no longer exist.

Just thinking of this, instead of joy showing on his face, his gloomy expression became even more solemn.

Because he understood that what Hailanhak could realize, he could also realize. So, how could Hailanhak not understand this?
“Could it be that Hailanhak has really been cornered by us?” He asked in his heart, with a deep doubt in his eyes. “If that’s the case, then why did they lead their troops to resist the rebels when we were surrounded?”

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a “tapping” sound, as if he was using this method to calm his inner fluctuations.

His intuition told him that this matter would never be that simple.

He slowly raised his head and his eyes swept across the excited faces of the generals like a knife.

There was a hint of coldness in his eyes, and his voice was low and powerful: “Everyone, is Hailanhak’s retreat really just because he is afraid of us?”

As soon as these words came out, the noise in the tent suddenly quieted down. All the generals lowered their heads, and the excitement on their faces was gradually replaced by calmness.

“Your Highness, what do you mean…” a general asked tentatively, with a hint of doubt in his tone.

“Hailanhak’s retreat was too sudden. There must be something else going on.”

Lin Zhongyun said slowly, with a deep look in his eyes, “Have you ever thought that Hailanhak’s retreat might be to lure us deeper?”

His eyes gradually became cold and stern, and his voice was filled with unquestionable power: “Hu Yanhuan of the Northern Barbarians is definitely not an ordinary person. He will definitely take advantage of Hailanhak’s retreat to set a bigger trap.

If we act rashly now, we will probably fall into their trap.”

After hearing Lin Zhongyun’s words, all the generals fell into deep thought. Although they were still holding back their anger, they had to admit that Lin Zhongyun’s judgment made sense.

“What His Highness said is absolutely true.”

An older deputy general spoke slowly, his tone full of admiration, “Hu Yanhuan of the Northern Barbarians has always been cunning and he will never give up the Hailan Ranch easily.

Hilanhak’s retreat could indeed be a trap.”

“That’s right.” Another general nodded, his eyes showing a hint of calmness, “If we attack rashly now, we will probably fall into the trap of the Northern Barbarians.”

“So how should we respond now?” a young general couldn’t help but ask, his tone revealing a hint of anxiety, “Should we just sit there and watch the opportunity slip away?”

When Lin Zhongyun heard this, there was a hint of depth in his eyes.

He slowly walked to the map, and gently ran his finger over the area marking the positions of the Rebel Army and the Northern Barbarians. His tone was calm, “Hailanhak’s retreat is indeed an opportunity, but we can’t move out easily.”

“If we do nothing now, won’t we miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in vain?” a young general whispered, with a hint of unwillingness in his tone.

“That’s right!” another general echoed, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes, “As soon as Hailanhak retreated, the Beiman’s defense line collapsed.

If we wait until they have re-arranged their defenses, won’t all our efforts be wasted?”

However, these words lacked the previous excitement and enthusiasm, and were more of a test and hesitation. They looked at Lin Zhongyun with a hint of expectation, as if they were waiting for his final decision.

In the silence, someone whispered, “If General Li Zhongwu were here, he would definitely stand up and turn the tide.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the generals’ eyes instantly became complicated.

Li Zhongwu, the mainstay of the rebel army, was now trapped in the enemy camp, his life or death uncertain. His name was like an invisible force, weighing on the hearts of the generals, making them feel both regretful and powerless.

“Yes, if General Li were here, he would definitely lead us to break through the Northern Barbarians’ defense line and join up with General Yuan Jingxin.” An elderly deputy general sighed, with a hint of deep regret in his tone.

“But now, even General Li has been captured. What can we do?” another general whispered, with a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Listening to everyone’s words, Lin Zhongyun’s heart was like a rolling tide, complicated and contradictory. He knew that the generals’ eyes were not only filled with expectations, but also with a pent-up anger in their hearts – that was hatred for the northern barbarians and resentment for Li Zhongwu and Yuan Jingxin being trapped.

“They are holding a grudge in their hearts, and so am I.” Lin Zhongyun said silently in his heart, his eyes fell on the map, his finger gently running across the area marked with Hailan Ranch.

Now there are two completely different paths before him.

One way is to take this opportunity to march straight into the core of the Northern Barbarians and join up with the trapped Li Zhongwu and Yuan Jingxin;

The other way is to remain inactive, lie dormant, and wait for a more secure opportunity.

Before hearing the news of Hailanhak’s retreat, he had decided to keep his troops in place because he knew that rash action might lead the rebel army into the trap of the Northern Barbarians.

However, the situation has changed now, and Hailanhak’s retreat seems to have opened a door for them.

“If we continue to wait and see…” Lin Zhongyun’s eyes flashed with a complex emotion, “Wouldn’t that mean we would miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in vain?”

He slowly closed his eyes, and the figures of Li Zhongwu and Yuan Jingxin appeared in his mind.

They were the backbone of the rebel army and his most trusted comrades. However, now they were trapped in the heart of the Northern Barbarians, with their lives and deaths uncertain.

“I can’t let Li Zhongwu’s efforts go to waste.” He slowly clenched his hands, and a determined light gradually ignited in his eyes. “No matter what, I must make the right decision.”

He knew that every decision on the battlefield was related to the life and death of countless people, and as the commander of the rebels, he must be responsible for these decisions. But he also knew that some opportunities, once missed, would never appear again.

“There is an old saying that goes, the most important thing on the journey to obtain scriptures is not whether you can obtain the scriptures, but to obtain them.”

Lin Zhongyun silently said in his heart, with a deep look in his eyes, “Since the opportunity is in front of us, we can’t retreat.”

He suddenly opened his eyes, and spoke in a deep and powerful voice, with an unquestionable majesty: “In this case, pass on my order, the army will be ready and march immediately!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the generals in the tent were instantly excited.

“Your Highness is wise!” A general stood up excitedly, his tone showing a hint of excitement, “I am willing to die for your Highness!”

“That’s right! This is a godsend opportunity. We will definitely not let your Highness down!” another general echoed, with a joyful smile on his face.

However, there was no sign of relaxation on Lin Zhongyun’s face, and his eyes were still cold and thoughtful.

“Pass the order!” Lin Zhongyun’s voice was low and calm, instantly suppressing the noise in the tent. “Order the scouts to strengthen the investigation around Hailan Ranch and make sure to find out the movements of the Northern Barbarians!”

His eyes swept across the generals like a knife, and his tone revealed an unquestionable power: “At the same time, to be on the safe side, send a vanguard to explore the way first, and the main army will follow behind, ready to deal with the enemy’s ambush at any time!”

Hearing Lin Zhongyun’s order, the generals nodded one after another, and the joy and excitement on their faces were gradually replaced by calmness and determination.

“Your Highness is wise!” An elderly deputy general said with a bow, his tone revealing a hint of admiration, “This way, we can seize the opportunity and avoid falling into the enemy’s trap.”

“That’s right!” another general echoed, his eyes revealing a firmness, “Your Highness’s decisions are always far-sighted, and we will definitely cooperate with you to the fullest!”

There was a hint of trust and expectation in the eyes of the generals. They knew that every decision made by Lin Zhongyun was carefully considered.

As generals of the rebel army, they must do their best to live up to his trust.

……

Night fell over the grassland, the stars twinkled, and the wind murmured in the wilderness, as if shedding the curtain on the coming storm.

Outside the rebel camp, the vanguard troops are ready to go.

The team was led by a young but experienced general, Zhao Dingan.

He was wearing light armor, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he was holding a spear in his hand. He looked calm and decisive.

“Brothers,” Zhao Ding’an said in a low voice, his eyes sweeping over the soldiers behind him, his tone revealing a hint of calmness, “Our mission is to scout the enemy and clear the way for the army.

Remember, always stay alert and never underestimate the enemy.”

“Yes!” The soldiers responded in unison, their voices deep and powerful.

The night wind blew, flags fluttered, Zhao Dingan waved his hand, and the vanguard troops set off quickly.

They marched across the grassland with brisk and steady steps, trying to avoid making any noise.

It was quiet all around, with only the sound of wind and the rustling of grass echoing in my ears.

Zhao Dingan looked around vigilantly, never putting down the spear in his hand.

He knew that Hailanhak’s retreat might not be as simple as it seemed, and it might be hiding a conspiracy of the Northern Barbarians.

“Pass the order down and send more scouts to explore the area five miles ahead. Make sure we are safe.” Zhao Dingan said in a low voice with a cold look in his eyes.

Soon, several scouts dispersed like ghosts and disappeared into the darkness.

The scouts moved quickly through the bushes like cheetahs, their movements light and agile, their eyes scanning every corner of the surroundings sharply.

“Something unusual has been discovered ahead!” a scout suddenly whispered, his eyes fixed on a high ground in the distance.

The other scouts approached quickly and followed his gaze, only to see faint flickering lights on the high ground, which seemed to be the enemy’s camp.

“People from the Northern Barbarians?” another scout asked in a low voice, with a hint of nervousness in his tone.

“Not sure.” The leading scout frowned and said with a hint of caution in his eyes, “But no matter what, we can’t approach rashly.

Mark this area immediately and report back to General Zhao.”

“Understood!” The scouts acted quickly, marked the location of the high ground on the map, and then quietly retreated. (End of this chapter)