The fourteenth day of the Coalition War.
On the Zhao battlefield, nothing appeared different.
The same plains stained by weeks of blood.
The same banners fluttering beneath the scorching sun.
The same stalemate that had consumed both armies since the beginning of the campaign.
Yet, beneath the calm surface, one side had already finished preparing.
Inside the Qin headquarters, Hyou Ren stood before a large battlefield map while Ri Yue remained beside him.
For fourteen days they had fought the Zhao Army.
Fourteen days of probing attacks.
Fourteen days of testing formations.
Fourteen days of observing every commander on the field.
Hyou Ren calmly looked across the map.
"We've seen enough."
Ri Yue nodded.
"Rihaku favors static defense."
"Keisha only commits his reserves after confirming the enemy's intentions."
"Gaku Ei responds quickly."
"Kin Mou is cautious."
"And Son Sei..."
She pointed at the left flank.
"...is consistently the slowest to react."
Hyou Ren smiled faintly.
"Exactly."
"The battlefield has already answered every question."
He looked toward Ri Yue.
"Today."
"We end this."
Morning arrived.
Instead of launching a full assault, Ri Yue deployed only her famous horse archers.
Thousands of mounted archers galloped across the plains.
Without slowing, arrows rained upon Zhao formations before they disappeared beyond pursuit.
The Zhao soldiers gritted their teeth.
"Damn them!"
"They're running again!"
Another volley struck.
Then another.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Every time Zhao attempted pursuit, the horse archers simply vanished before circling back minutes later.
The harassment continued throughout the morning.
The sun climbed steadily higher.
The Zhao frontlines became increasingly exhausted.
Men were forced to keep shields raised for hours.
Their formations gradually loosened.
Far behind the frontlines, Hyou Ren watched silently.
"Their shoulders are lowering."
"The shield wall has begun opening."
"The horses are tiring."
He slowly opened his eyes.
"It's time."
Ri Yue raised her hand.
The signal flags rose into the sky.
Every cavalry commander immediately understood.
The entire cavalry force began moving.
Instead of charging directly forward...
They split into two enormous formations.
Thousands of riders began circling across both flanks.
Dust rose into the heavens.
From above, the formation resembled two gigantic spirals spinning faster and faster.
The Zhao officers stared in disbelief.
"What formation is that?"
"I've never seen cavalry move like this!"
The spirals grew larger.
Faster.
Closer.
Rihaku narrowed his eyes.
"...Rin Dou."
The twin spirals suddenly accelerated.
The outer circles collapsed inward.
Like two dragons coiling before striking.
Then…
"CHARGE!!"
The entire cavalry exploded toward the center.
BOOOOOOM!!
The impact shattered the Zhao center.
Soldiers were thrown into the air as the tightly compressed cavalry punched straight through the formation.
The Zhao front completely collapsed.
Ri Yue rode at the very front.
Her sowrd danced like flowing water.
Every swing claimed another life.
"Follow me!"
The cavalry ignored everyone else.
There was only one destination.
General Rihaku.
Inside Zhao headquarters, Keisha's eyes widened.
"They're aiming directly for Rihaku."
He immediately shouted.
"Gaku Ei!"
"Kin Mou!"
"Son Sei!"
"Attack their rear!"
"Cut off their retreat!"
The three armies immediately began moving.
Exactly...
As Hyou Ren had predicted.
Watching from the rear, Hyou Ren smiled.
"They reacted."
"As expected."
He calmly raised his sword.
"Bao Jun."
"Tian Hao."
"Intercept Gaku Ei and Kin Mou."
Both generals saluted.
"Yes, General!"
The Qin armies immediately moved to block the advancing Zhao reinforcements.
The battlefield split into multiple engagements.
Meanwhile...
Hyou Ren looked toward the final moving banner.
Son Sei's army.
Just as Ri Yue had predicted...
It was the slowest to respond.
"There."
He pointed forward.
"Lu Shen."
"Mo Yun."
"We take Son Sei."
The three armies surged forward simultaneously.
Son Sei had barely organized his troops when dust clouds appeared before him.
"What…!?"
Before he could finish…
BOOOOOOM!!
The Qin charge smashed into his formation.
Lu Shen's infantry pinned the front.
Mo Yun's cavalry crashed into the flank.
Hyou Ren personally led the center.
The Zhao formation instantly descended into chaos.
Son Sei desperately attempted to regroup.
"Hold the line!"
"Protect the general!"
Too late.
Hyou Ren had already broken through.
Their horses crossed paths.
Son Sei swung first.
Hyou Ren calmly parried.
CLANG!!
A second strike.
A third.
Each exchange pushed Son Sei further back.
"You...!"
"Who exactly are you…"
Hyou Ren interrupted him.
His sword flashed.
One clean strike.
SHHHK!!
Son Sei's head flew into the air.
The Zhao soldiers froze.
"General Son Sei...!"
"...has fallen!!"
The entire Zhao left wing collapsed.
At nearly the same moment…
Ri Yue finally reached Rihaku.
The veteran general attempted one final stand.
But exhaustion had already slowed him.
Ri Yue's sword slipped past his guard.
SHHK!!
The blade pierced straight through his chest.
Rihaku coughed blood.
"So..."
"...this..."
"...was your plan..."
Ri Yue gently withdrew her sword.
Rihaku collapsed.
"The Zhao General Rihaku has fallen!!"
The cry echoed across the battlefield.
The Zhao center broke completely.
The battlefield had changed.
Two Zhao generals had fallen.
Son Sei.
Rihaku.
A massive opening had appeared.
Lu Shen looked toward Hyou Ren.
"Milord!"
"The path to Keisha is open!"
"We can end the Zhao battlefield right now!"
Even Mo Yun nodded.
"If we push now, we may reach Keisha's headquarters."
Hyou Ren remained silent.
His eyes shifted beyond the Zhao battlefield.
Far in the distance...
Behind the Chu armies...
Lay the Coalition Headquarters.
Where the true commanders watched the war unfold.
Shun Shin Kun.
Riboku.
Hyou Ren slowly spoke.
"We have two choices."
He pointed toward Keisha's headquarters.
"First."
"We continue."
"We take Keisha's head."
Then he pointed beyond the horizon.
"Second..."
"We disappear from this battlefield."
His officers looked confused.
Hyou Ren's eyes sharpened.
"We cut off the snake's head."
He looked directly toward the distant Coalition Headquarters.
"Shun Shin Kun."
"Riboku."
"If they fall..."
"...the Coalition loses its brain."
Silence filled the command group.
Finally, Lu Shen smiled.
"So..."
"That has been your objective all along."
Hyou Ren nodded.
"From the very beginning."
He turned toward Lu Shen.
"Take your army."
"Reinforce Ri Yue."
"Tell her that command of the Zhao battlefield is now hers."
Lu Shen saluted immediately.
"It shall be done."
He galloped toward Ri Yue's position.
Then Hyou Ren faced Mo Yun.
"We leave now."
Without drums.
Without horns.
Without banners announcing their destination.
The Hyou Ren Army...
and the Mo Yun Army...
quietly vanished from the Zhao battlefield.
Neither Keisha...
nor Riboku...
nor Shun Shin Kun...
realized that nearly twenty five thousand Qin soldiers had disappeared.