Chapter 25: Bound by Inescapable Ties

Qian Ye admitted frankly, “My mind has been quite restless lately, so I came to see the General, hoping to learn about the upcoming battle plans.”

Wei Bonian was slightly surprised and smiled, “That’s not like you. Eager for battle? There have been quite a few people coming to see me recently, from the expeditionary headquarters and some spirited young men in the city.”

As time went on and the external situation evolved, Wei Bonian’s strategy of holding back faced renewed criticism both from within and without. Many young, passionate individuals in Blackstream City wished to go out and fight the dark races to the death.

However, Wei Bonian maintained strict discipline over his troops. Anyone who dared to leave the Seventh Division or the temporary recruitment list without permission would be severely punished. At the height of unrest, several were even executed on the spot, silencing all dissent.

Wei Bonian thought for a moment and said, “Since you asked, Qian Ye, I might as well let you in on some details.” He stood up, retrieved a map from the bookshelf, and laid it on the table.

In one corner of the map, Qian Ye saw a small seal, an ancient character “Wei,” which he had seen on many of Wei Bonian and Weipotian’s belongings. Clearly, this map did not come from the expeditionary forces but from the Wei family’s sources.

Wei Bonian tapped the map lightly and said, “This is the current, true situation of the Eternal Night, sourced directly from the Empire’s military. Only the aristocratic families and high-ranking clans involved in the war on the Eternal Night continent can obtain it. Even the expeditionary headquarters only allows a select few to view it.”

Qian Chong walked over to the table and studied the map intently. Indeed, this map provided far more detailed information than the one hanging on the wall. Besides the distribution of dark forces, it included various data and arrows indicating projected troop movements. The Empire’s side had added several markers to indicate the positions of the expeditionary forces and reinforcement divisions, clearly showing that key figures were present in some units.

Looking closely, every dark army unit was marked at the heavy division level, indicating that each unit had the combat power equivalent to a full-strength imperial heavy division. This was a terrifying revelation; each imperial main division typically only contained two such heavy divisions.

There were twelve such dark race armies!

Qian Ye was shocked and exclaimed, “How can the expeditionary forces withstand this?”

Wei Bonian nodded and said, “In fact, the expeditionary forces have already lost a third of their strength and half of their territory. However, the situation is still barely manageable. Two main divisions have already arrived, and more reinforcements are on the way. The Bai and Zhao factions of the four great clans are also sending their strongest fighters, and they will arrive soon.”

Qian Ye studied the map and suddenly remarked, “The movements of the dark races are rather peculiar. Why are these units heading to this particular area?”

Qian Ye traced the predicted movement arrows with his finger. The attack direction of these dark armies was inexplicable, bypassing the fortified city and moving towards an unoccupied wilderness. Moreover, according to the marked dates, these units settled down after reaching their destination, seemingly waiting for the Imperial forces to engage them.

Wei Bonian agreed, “It is indeed strange. I’m also puzzled. Their actions suggest that these are the chosen battlegrounds, yet most of these locations are open plains with no defensive advantages.”

Typically, when preparing for a major engagement, the side that could pre-select the battlefield and force the opponent into it would gain a significant advantage. However, they usually chose strategic, defensible locations. These open plains offered no tactical benefits, leading to a head-on clash, which seemed disadvantageous for the dark races.

Qian Ye recalled what Yen Tu had said the previous night: this war was not what the humans thought it was.

Wei Bonian tapped the map at those spots and said, “The Imperial military has now reached a preliminary consensus to engage the dark races in these areas. As for the number of troops, we will send a slightly superior force to each battlefield.”

Qian Ye found this even more puzzling: “It sounds like the kind of knightly duel favored by the dark races. When did they become so straightforward?” For centuries, human tactics had always held the upper hand, while the dark races excelled in combat. A head-on confrontation would almost certainly result in higher casualties for the Empire.

Wei Bonian sighed, “You’re misunderstanding them. It’s not that they don’t want to use unconventional tactics or strike first. They simply can’t afford to.”

“Why can’t they?”

“Currently, the dark races have assembled a much larger force on the Eternal Night continent. Since they have already set up such an obvious engagement, the military fears that deviating from their rules would make the situation uncontrollable. You see, all the dark armies have now assembled. If they launch a full-scale attack, only a few key cities will hold, and the others will fall quickly.”

Qian Ye understood Wei Bonian’s point. If the Empire and the dark races were planning a large-scale, head-on engagement, whether the Blackstream City garrison participated would have little impact on the overall situation. Holding the city still had value, as it posed a threat to the dark races, who could be cut off if the front lines suffered too much damage.

“So, we are just waiting for the results of these battles?”

“Exactly.” Wei Bonian nodded, “But our defenses must remain vigilant, or the dark races will surely take the opportunity to destroy Blackstream City.”

Qian Ye fell silent, choosing his words carefully before saying, “In that case, I would like to go out and find opportunities, perhaps to eliminate some of the black blooded foes.”

Wei Bonian looked deeply at Qian Ye and said, “Qian Ye, since you are the trusted friend of the Young Master of the Qǐyáng Clan, I will take the liberty to advise you. Being a lone hunter cannot compare to commanding an army. Look at how much glory you gained in just two battles at Black Mud Town. That was not the work of a single person. You must learn patience and restraint, and look at the bigger picture.”

Qian Ye nodded sincerely, “Thank you, General, for your guidance. But I still need to hone my individual combat skills, so I hope to engage in more battles and gain more experience.”

Wei Bonian grunted and waved his hand, “Fighting to improve, that’s Zhang Boqian’s philosophy. You young people are all like that! You don’t realize how rare it is to have someone as talented as Commander Zhang. The Empire has only one Zhang Boqian.”

Nonetheless, Wei Bonian did not stop Qian Ye, only asking a few questions about the Dark Flame Mercenary Corps’ defense arrangements and confirming the contact commander for when Qian Ye was away, then let him go.

Returning to his quarters, Qian Ye packed his gear and, without delay, mounted his motorcycle and rode out of Blackstream City into the vast wilderness.

Instinctively, Qian Ye wanted to leave this conflict zone as quickly as possible. He told himself that Blackstream City was unlikely to see any more battles soon, and if he wanted to fight, he needed to go further to find enemies. Deep down, he might not even realize what he was avoiding. If he encountered Yen Tu again, what reason would he have to avoid fighting?

The wilderness remained shrouded in the unchanging dusk. The time for sunlight to reach the Eternal Night continent had not yet come, and the recent overcast weather made it uncertain if the sun would appear. Looking afar, the land stretched to the horizon, covered by a thin mist like a blanket.

The wind blew cold and damp, signaling the intersection of the dark season and the light season, bringing a rare, vibrant life force to the wilds.

Qian Ye hunched over his motorcycle, pushing it to its limits. The engine roared like thunder, and flames shot from the four large exhaust pipes. The motorcycle vibrated violently, speeding up like a wild horse, flying across the endless plain.

The sharp, knife-like wind stung his face, and the surroundings became a blur. The sensation of extreme speed made Qian Ye’s blood boil, and he began to relish the thrill.

In the fog, many beings were startled by the roar of Qian Ye’s motorcycle, their eyes fixated on the trail of flames.

“A foolhardy little creature…”

“Should we pursue and kill him?”

“Better not, it would be troublesome.”

Similar whispers filled the air. The wilderness, though seemingly calm, was fraught with danger, and both humans and dark races had reduced their outdoor activities, making the desolation only an illusion.

Qian Ye sensed the unfriendly gazes, and he hoped enemies would appear. As long as it wasn’t a war general, the outcome would still be uncertain. A fierce fire burned in his heart, fueled by the roaring wind.

To his slight disappointment, he traveled over a hundred kilometers without encountering any dark race pursuers, not even the swift vampires.

Ahead lay the mountains. Qian Ye found a cave, sealed the motorcycle inside, camouflaged the entrance, and then headed into the ranges. His goal was the nearest dark race battle area. Though he couldn’t influence the entire battle, he hoped to find an opportunity to inflict minor damage.

The journey was peaceful, encountering only occasional beasts. Clearly, the dark races had entered full battle readiness, a rare situation for their generally lax warriors.

By evening, Qian Ye came upon a gentle valley. It was large, covered with nightglow grass, which absorbed sunlight during the day and glowed faintly at night.

However, nightglow grass rarely grew in such abundance. The sight before him was a sea of glowing lights, creating ripples with the wind. This was a rare beauty, but in the Eternal Night, unusual occurrences often had special reasons, such as hidden mineral deposits.

In the valley, two groups were locked in a deadly struggle. One side was a coalition of vampires and spider demons, the other human warriors, likely a private clan army.

Without hesitation, Qian Ye stealthily approached the battlefield. The battle was intense, and the sides had been engaged for a long time, with few scouts around. He easily closed to within a hundred meters.

Qian Ye set up his eagle strike and observed through the scope. Leading the dark races were two vampire barons, while the highest-ranking human was a ninth-level warrior.

However, the private army’s overall level was on par with the dark races, well-trained and skilled in coordinated attacks. Despite being a private force, they clearly understood regular warfare and were gradually gaining the upper hand.

After a while, Qian Ye took action, aiming at a vampire. The blood knight was a key figure, and the eagle strike was perfect for dealing with such an opponent.

He calmly began charging the weapon and added special abilities. Qian Ye aimed for a one-shot kill.

Just as the origin bullet formed in the chamber, a girl leaped into the scope. Her movements were raw and wild, indicating she had recently received formal combat training but still relied on instinct.