Chapter 213
Far outside the Supreme Citadel, the northern wind grew noticeably stronger as twilight approached. Snow drifted heavily across the rugged mountain paths as Wang’s massive army continued its steady forward march.
They were now remarkably close, only two and a half days away from reaching the outer valley of the Supreme Citadel.
The vanguard of the army stopped briefly near an ancient, ruined watchtower built into the side of a steep cliff. Several senior captains and elders gathered around Wang, who stood beside a temporary wooden table set up in the snow.
Captain Bren spread a detailed tactical map across the wood, placing small stone weights on the corners to keep the wind from blowing it away. "The next pass is right here, Patriarch. If we continue straight along this primary route, we’ll reach Black Wolf Ridge by tomorrow evening."
Another captain frowned, tapping a finger against the paper. "That’s precisely where Cassian’s outer patrol units and forward scouts usually begin their patrols. It’s heavily fortified terrain."
Wei Xiang leaned over the table, his sharp eyes scanning the drawn paths. "They’ll definitely be watching us from the high vantage points along the ridge."
Captain Bren nodded in agreement. "They’re expecting us to push directly through that pass. It’s an obvious choke point."
An elder spoke up quietly, his voice raspy from the cold air. "We should prepare for constant harassment attacks from their light cavalry. They’ll try to slow down our heavy supply wagons and tire out our vanguard."
Wei Xiang turned his head to look at Wang. "What do you think we should do, Patriarch?"
Wang studied the detailed map for a long, silent moment, his calm eyes taking in every trail, river, and dense forest area. Then, he raised a single finger and pointed toward a dense pine forest situated slightly south of the main road.
"They’ll expect us to protect our main supply line with heavy armor and slow moving guards," Wang explained calmly. "So... we’ll deliberately make it look as though our supply train is vulnerable and heavily reinforced at the same time."
Captain Bren blinked, looking slightly confused. "Instead of hiding our supplies or moving them through the rear?"
Wang nodded softly. "If Cassian wants information about our movements, let his scouts see exactly what I want them to see. We’ll feed them predictable patterns."
Several captains looked at one another as the brilliant tactical maneuver dawned on them.
Wei Xiang smiled, a sharp, clever glint in his eyes. "So you’re setting a massive psychological bait."
Wang finally let a small smile touch his lips. "A king who prides himself on knowing everything... sometimes believes his own intelligence reports too much."
Captain Bren threw his head back and laughed heartily. "I almost feel sorry for whichever Citadel commander falls into that trap!"
Wei Xiang folded the edge of the map with a smirk. "I certainly don’t."
Everyone standing around the table laughed quietly together, the heavy, suffocating burden of the approaching war becoming noticeably lighter in that brief moment of camaraderie.
Not far from the command table, several young Silver Leopard soldiers sat around a crackling bonfire, roasting strips of dried meat and warming their hands.
One of the younger recruits looked across the snowy campsite toward Wei Xiang, who was chatting comfortably with the elders. "The Young Master laughs much more these days, doesn’t he?"
Another soldier nodded, taking a sip of warm water from his canteen. "He really changed after Lady Lin disappeared. He used to be so intense and distant."
An older, battle-scarred warrior quietly stirred a iron pot resting over the flames. "He didn’t become weaker or soft, kid. He simply became calmer and more focused. He knows what he’s fighting for now."
Another young warrior asked in a low, curious voice, "Do you really think Lady Lin will come back with us when this is all over? What if the Manticore King doesn’t let her leave?"
No one answered immediately. The crackling of the dry wood was the only sound for several seconds.
Finally, the oldest warrior looked up, a confident smile on his weathered face. "Our Patriarch crossed entire realm boundaries and defied grand ancestral arrays for her. The Young Master nearly died in battle for her. If they say they’re going to bring her home... I believe them with my whole heart."
The younger soldiers looked at their veteran leader, and their own doubts quickly faded away, replaced by unshakeable trust in their leaders.
As evening fully approached, painting the winter sky in brilliant shades of deep purple and orange, Wei Xiang stood completely alone on a high, rocky cliff overlooking the vast, snow-covered valley below.
The biting northern wind blew through his silver-blue hair, but he barely felt the cold. In his right hand, he held a small, hand-carved wooden object. It was rough around the edges, far from perfect, and clearly made by someone who wasn’t a professional artisan.
But anyone looking closely could instantly tell it was carved into the shape of a tiny, graceful bird in flight.
He smiled softly to himself, his thumb brushing over the rough wood. "I still owe you another carving, Lin Wan."
Footsteps crunched softly in the snow behind him. Wang stopped a few paces beside him, his hands resting behind his back as he looked out at the breathtaking view. "Did you carve that yourself?"
Wei Xiang nodded without looking away from the horizon. "I started carving small things while I was recovering from my injuries. I’m terrible at it, as you can see."
Wang looked down at the little wooden bird in Wei Xiang’s hand. "It isn’t terrible at all. It just needs a bit more practice and patience."
Wei Xiang laughed softly, placing the carving into his inner pouch. "You’re just being kind, Patriarch."
"No," Wang replied calmly. "I’m simply being honest."
Wei Xiang turned his gaze back toward the distant, glowing lights of the Supreme Citadel perched high on the mountain peaks. "When all of this finally ends... I want to travel."
Wang glanced sideways at him, raising an eyebrow. "Travel?"
Wei Xiang nodded, a long, peaceful sigh escaping his lips. "I’ve spent far too many years fighting wars, training, and guarding borders. I’d like to actually see the world... the places she always talked about when she thought no one was listening."
"What places?"
"The ancient forests, the wide rivers in the south, the quiet farming villages," Wei Xiang murmured, a fond look in his eyes. "I want to see what life looks like when there aren’t swords drawn everywhere."
Wang became quiet, staring into the darkening sky. After a long pause, he spoke softly and clearly. "Bring her with you."
Wei Xiang looked at Wang in genuine surprise, blinking. "If she’ll have me, you mean."
Wang answered without a single grain of hesitation in his voice. "She will."
Wei Xiang looked deeply surprised by the Patriarch’s absolute confidence. "You sound so remarkably certain about that."
Wang looked toward the fading sunset, his voice filled with deep wisdom and quiet acceptance. "Because when she looked at you back in the courtyard... there was pure, absolute trust in her eyes. That kind of connection can’t be forced, bought, or faked."
Wei Xiang slowly lowered his eyes, a faint, genuine warmth spreading across his face in the cold night air.
Neither of them noticed that several nearby guards patrolling the ridge had overheard the conversation and were quietly smiling to themselves.
Back inside the Supreme Citadel, deep night had settled once again over the grand fortress.
Cassian stood completely alone on the highest balcony of the royal palace, where the freezing mountain wind tugged violently at his heavy black cloak.
His dark hair whipped around his face, but his broad posture remained as rigid and immovable as the mountain itself.
Captain Ronan appeared silently behind him, bowing low in the shadows. "Your Majesty."
Cassian didn’t turn around, his golden eyes fixed on the distant dark wilderness below. "The latest intelligence report?"
Ronan nodded, stepping a bit closer. "Wang’s army has stopped for the night near the lower ridge. They’re expected to resume their forward march before dawn."
Cassian looked toward the endless black void beyond the mountain range. "How far are they now?"
"Less than three days from our primary gates, sire."
A long, heavy silence followed. The wind howled against the stone pillars of the balcony.
Finally, Ronan asked carefully, hesitation clear in his voice, "Should we prepare to move our primary defensive line forward to meet them at Black Wolf Ridge?"
Cassian answered quietly, his tone flat and unreadable. "No. They won’t attack our gates immediately."
Ronan frowned slightly, confused by the King’s assertion. "You’re completely certain of that, Your Majesty?"
Cassian’s golden eyes remained locked on the dark horizon, shining with an eerie, cold intensity in the moonlight. "Wang isn’t marching across the realm to take my throne or conquer my kingdom. He’s coming... purely for her."
His voice was calm, devoid of anger or panic, yet filled with an unsettling clarity.
After another long silence that stretched between them, Cassian finally turned away from the edge of the balcony, his heavy cloak sweeping behind him. "Tomorrow... I’ll go see Lin Wan again."
Captain Ronan bowed deeply, his head touching his chest. "Yes, Your Majesty."
As Cassian’s tall figure disappeared into the dark, quiet palace corridor, fresh snow continued to fall silently over the majestic, sleeping Citadel. Neither side had drawn a single blade yet.
Neither side had spilled a drop of blood. Yet with every passing hour, every silent step across the frozen earth, and every quiet conversation in the dark... fate was pulling all of them inexorably closer to the moment that would decide the destiny of their hearts and their world.