The Hyou Ren Army advanced at a relentless pace toward Tonryuu.
Dust rose behind the marching columns as one hundred thousand elite soldiers crossed the western plains. Veterans who had survived the Coalition War marched with unwavering discipline, their banners fluttering proudly beneath Qin's skies.
At the center of the army rode Duke Hyou Ren beside his wife and strategist, Ri Yue.
Unlike the soldiers around them, neither of them celebrated the coming battle.
Their expressions remained grave.
"...Something is wrong," Hyou Ren muttered.
Ri Yue nodded in agreement.
"I have been thinking the same thing."
Silence fell between the two as the army continued forward.
After a long pause Ri Yue finally spoke.
"The reports simply do not make sense."
Hyou Ren glanced toward her.
"Explain."
Ri Yue unfolded a map across her horse.
"The rebellion has gathered over one hundred and fifty thousand men. That sounds impressive..."
"...until one remembers whose territory they have chosen."
Her finger tapped the lands surrounding Tonryuu.
"This region borders your duchy."
Hyou Ren narrowed his eyes.
"They should know my armies can mobilize within days."
"Exactly."
Ri Yue continued.
"Even if they somehow captured Tonryuu, they would immediately have to face your veteran army. These rebels are nothing more than peasants carrying farming tools."
She paused.
"And then there is Zhao."
"Their participation makes even less sense."
Hyou Ren nodded.
"Only twenty thousand troops."
"They cannot possibly believe twenty thousand Zhao soldiers are enough to oppose my army."
Ri Yue frowned.
"The greatest mystery..."
"...is Prince Seikyou."
Both remained silent.
"After the Coalition War," Ri Yue said quietly, "the relationship between His Majesty and Prince Seikyou had already been repaired. The two brothers formally reconciled before the court."
"So why rebel now?"
Hyou Ren slowly shook his head.
"No..."
"This is no ordinary rebellion."
He looked toward the horizon.
"We are missing something."
Two days away from Tonryuu...
The vast Mei Plains stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon sun.
Across the grasslands stood an enormous army.
One hundred and fifty thousand men.
Makeshift banners fluttered above ranks filled mostly with farmers, villagers and former laborers.
Standing at their head was Rebel General Ryuu.
Facing them...
The banners of Duke Hyou Ren appeared.
Tens of Thousands upon thousands of disciplined Qin veterans marched into formation.
Heavy infantry.
Elite cavalry.
Archer Squads.
Crossbow corps.
Every formation moved with machine-like precision.
The rebel soldiers unconsciously stepped backward.
Ri Yue observed the enemy.
"Their numbers are large..."
"...but the quality is pitiful."
"The majority are ordinary civilians forced into battle."
Hyou Ren gave a small nod.
"So our true enemy still hides in the shadows."
Before another word could be spoken...
A scout galloped toward headquarters.
"Duke!"
"The right flank!"
"Another army has appeared!"
Everyone turned.
From the eastern horizon emerged another force.
Twenty thousand Zhao soldiers.
Their banners flew proudly.
Leading them was Zhao General Maikou.
Ri Yue calmly examined their formation.
"Only twenty thousand..."
Hyou Ren narrowed his eyes.
"I recognize none of their commanders."
"They possess no famous generals."
Ri Yue frowned.
"The more I see..."
"...the stranger this becomes."
Hyou Ren raised his sword.
"The army will divide."
Immediately the massive Hyou Ren Army split with astonishing efficiency.
Orders echoed across the battlefield.
"General Bao Jun!"
"General Tian Hao!"
"General Mo Yun!"
"You three shall destroy the rebel army."
The three generals saluted.
"YES, MY LORD!"
Hyou Ren then turned.
"Lu Shen."
The veteran general stepped forward.
"The Zhao army is yours."
Lu Shen smiled confidently.
"It shall be done."
Finally Hyou Ren looked toward Ri Yue.
"The headquarters will remain mobile."
Ri Yue nodded.
"We will observe the battlefield and adjust accordingly."
Within moments...
The battlefield split into two separate wars.
Lu Shen's elite veterans crashed into the Zhao lines.
Steel met steel.
Horses screamed.
Arrows darkened the sky.
Although heavily outnumbered by Hyou Ren's overall force, the Zhao soldiers resisted fiercely.
General Maikou shouted.
"Hold your formation!"
"We only need time!"
Yet before anyone understood what he meant...
Another cloud of dust appeared.
A messenger screamed.
"General!"
"A Qin army approaches from the south!"
Everyone turned.
A familiar black banner emerged.
The character...
Hi.
As General Lu Shen saw this his eyes widened.
"The Hi Shin Unit?"
Leading the charge was Shin himself.
"We made it in time!"
The Hi Shin Unit exploded onto the battlefield like a raging torrent.
Kyou Kai calmly drew her sword.
"Advance."
Her unit disappeared into the Zhao ranks.
Like ghosts...
They slipped between enemy formations before suddenly erupting into slaughter.
Entire lines collapsed within moments.
Meanwhile...
High upon a nearby hill...
Karyo Ten rapidly surveyed the battlefield.
"There."
She raised her bow.
An arrow flew.
THUNK!
A Zhao commander collapsed instantly.
Another arrow.
Another officer died.
Without hesitation she issued fresh commands.
"Second Company!"
"Advance through the opening!"
"Third Company!"
"Support Shin's charge!"
Every opportunity created by Shin and Kyou Kai was instantly exploited.
Watching from afar, Lu Shen smiled.
"So..."
"That is the famous HI Shin Unit."
"...Not bad."
Far ahead...
Shin had already reached General Maikou.
The Zhao general roared as he swung his glaive.
"You insignificant brat!"
Shin simply smiled.
For the first time...
He wielded the legendary glaive inherited from Great General Ouki.
The enormous weapon descended.
BOOOOOOM!!
One swing shattered Maikou's guard.
The second...
Split him cleanly in half.
Zhao General Maikou fell dead.
A tremendous roar erupted across the battlefield.
"GENERAL MAIKOU HAS FALLEN!"
The Zhao army's morale instantly collapsed.
Back at headquarters...
A messenger knelt before Hyou Ren.
"My lord!"
"General Maikou has been slain!"
Hyou Ren looked up.
"By whom?"
"The Hi Shin Unit's commander... Shin."
Ri Yue smiled faintly.
"So..."
"He has finally begun using General Ouki's glaive."
Hyou Ren nodded.
"It suits him."
Seeing the Zhao army disintegrate...
Lu Shen immediately understood.
"There is no need to waste time here."
He raised his spear.
"All units!"
"Turn to the left!"
"We reinforce the main battlefield!"
The victorious veterans turned as one.
Like an iron tide...
They slammed directly into the flank of the rebel army.
At the same moment...
Bao Jun pressed from the front.
Tian Hao crushed the left.
Mo Yun attacked the rear.
Within minutes...
The one hundred and fity thousand was reduced by half their original strength.
Withins hours…
The rebels found themselves completely surrounded.
The remaining rebels armies were trapped inside an unbreakable steel ring of Hyou Ren soldiers.
Panic spread.
Some attempted to surrender.
Others threw down their weapons.
Many simply fled trying to find a wat out of this circle of death.
None managed to escape.
None was given mercy.
By sunset...
The rebellion had ceased to exist.
General Ryuu was dragged before Duke Hyou Ren.
His armor was shattered.
His body covered in blood.
He glared defiantly despite his defeat.
"You've already lost," Hyou Ren said coldly.
"Speak."
Ryuu laughed weakly.
"I would rather die."
Ri Yue stepped forward.
"That can be arranged."
What followed was several hours of relentless interrogation.
Under Hyou Ren and Ri Yue's supervision, every method of extracting information was employed.
At first...
Ryuu refused to utter a single word.
Then his resolve broke.
Between agonized breaths, he finally confessed.
"This... was never... Prince Seikyou's rebellion..."
Hyou Ren's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Ryuu coughed blood.
"Prince Seikyou... was captured..."
"He opposed them..."
"They imprisoned him..."
Ri Yue leaned closer.
"Who?"
"Hokaku..."
The name caused both Hyou Ren and Ri Yue to stiffen.
Ryuu continued.
"Hokaku has taken Lady Rui hostage..."
"He forced Prince Seikyou's followers to begin this rebellion..."
"It... was only... a diversion..."
Hyou Ren's expression darkened.
"So that is the truth."
The rebellion had merely been a smokescreen.
Someone else was moving behind the curtains.
Ryuu gave one final laugh before his body finally went limp.
Dead.
Silence engulfed the command tent.
Ri Yue slowly looked toward Hyou Ren.
"This changes everything."