Half an hour later, the overwhelming imperial forces steadily push Nangong Yingâs troops into retreat.
Anyone with eyes can see that Nangong Yingâs side is running on empty, completely drained.
At that moment, a report arrives: the remaining three armies of the Forbidden Army suddenly appear on the north bank of the Fengyue River, seemingly intending to join the battle.
Confident of victory, Nangong He sneers coldly. âHa⊠Now they want to defect? A little late, isnât it? Send orders for Fu Sifang to hold the north bank and protect our supply lines. Iâll reward him later for his contribution.â
The newly promoted Minister of War beside him remarks, âYour Majesty, heâs just showing up to claim credit. He hasnât done anything, but now that the outcome is clear, he comes running. What a clever move.â
In high spirits, Nangong He waves dismissively. âNo matter! After all, Fu Sifang is an imperial Fifth Rank Martial Warrior and a general of the Forbidden Army. If heâs willing to cooperate, Iâll give him whatever he wants. I donât care about these minor lapses in loyalty. Itâs all for the empire!â
The reason Nangong He favors Fu Sifang is because he needs him to reclaim the elite 150,000 troops left behind in the South Regions.
As Nangong He daydreams about governing the country, he suddenly spots a figure on a small hill across the river.
Using his telescope, he sees itâs Henwell, clad in armor and carrying a war spear.
Surprised, Nangong He asks, âWhy has this barbarian returned?â
A nearby official flatters him, âPerhaps he realizes he canât escape the imperial pursuit and wants to surrender.â
Before the words finish, two cavalrymen appear beside Henwell, holding high the banner bearing his name.
Henwell spurts forward on horseback, heading straight toward Nangong Heâs position.
Soon, thousands of cavalry gather on the hill, charging alongside Henwell.
Everyone realizes these are Nangong Yingâs remaining cavalry, rallying for a desperate suicide charge.
Nangong He immediately orders four cavalry units of five thousand each to charge from all directions, aiming to annihilate Henwell here and now.
No one believes Henwell can make any waves. After all, the imperial side has over twenty thousand cavalry, while Henwell commands just over five thousand. The gap is enormous.
But soon, everyone begins to sense something is wrong.
Itâs not just a few thousand riders, more and more cavalry pour down from the hill without stopping.
When the number behind Henwellâs squad swells beyond ten thousand, alarm bells ring.
Because these riders wear the uniform of the imperial Forbidden Army cavalry!
Nangong Heâs eyes widen in shock. âWhere did these Forbidden Army troops come from? Has Fu Sifang betrayed us?!â
No one can answer him. Meanwhile, no more cavalry appear on the hill.
Henwellâs force now gathers to fifteen thousand, all charging at full speed.
The four imperial cavalry units that had been closing in immediately change course and redeploy in response.
Henwell activates his Will Lock and Gene Lock, unleashing a roaring sea of golden-red flames that once again fills everyoneâs sight.
This time, the fire is even larger and fiercer than before.
The charging speed of Henwellâs cavalry cluster surges by roughly thirty percent.
Donât underestimate that thirty percent, itâs a very noticeable boost.
Generals in the central army formations shout orders to release volleys of arrows, determined not to let this cavalry get close.
But with the Civilization Light powered by the Will Lock, the cavalryâs defense improves dramatically. Ordinary arrows canât pierce their protection, and even the horses suffer minimal harm.
With their speed so greatly enhanced, the front lines of the central army canât adjust their formations in time and collide with Henwellâs charge.
Henwell crashes into the newly formed tower shields like a high-speed locomotive.
These two-meter-high massive shields have supporting poles and are held by over ten men each, forming a shield wall with small windows for shooting arrows and thrusting spears.
This formation is specifically designed to stop cavalry charges, and most riders dare not charge head-on.
But Henwell clearly isnât most riders!
At the moment of impact, the force from hundreds of cavalry behind Henwell channels through the Will Lock and surges into him.
The sturdy shield wall shatters like paper under Henwellâs assault.
Screaming soldiers fly through the air, shields break apart, and a gap over twenty meters wide opens up. It proofs that nothing can stop Henwell.
Hundreds of cavalry follow Henwell through the breach, charging fiercely to both sides.
The outer riders cut down enemies, while the inner riders draw bows and shoot deadly arrows at the stunned soldiers behind the shields.
The entire defensive shield wall quickly descends into chaos.
By the time the next wave of cavalry charges through, the gap has widened to over a hundred meters.
Most dangerously, the second line of defense hasnât even been fully organized.
Still, the imperial generals arenât fools. They sound the drums and bugles, ordering the four cavalry units to intercept and kill Henwellâs riders.
Theyâre prepared to sacrifice over ten thousand defensive troops to stall Henwellâs cavalry.
If they can hold him back, other formations will quickly close in and encircle Henwellâs fifteen thousand cavalry for annihilation.
But then, the imperial forces witness a shocking scene unfold.
On both sides of the battlefield, two separate armies suddenly appear, prompting the imperial generals to curse their scouts for such poor reconnaissance.
In truth, all the scouts have already been wiped out. With their numerical advantage and knowing Nangong Ying has no reinforcements, the imperial side dispatched only a limited number of scouts.
Since the Forbidden Army from the South Regions remains inactive, scout numbers were scarce.
Earlier that morning, Lucyâs troops began hunting down any scouts near the battlefield.
Now, the armies entering from the east and west bear two different banners.
On the left is Liu Mangâs Jingzhe Army; on the right, Benjaminâs Ying Zhao Army.
Each commands eighty thousand soldiers and arrived at the battlefield two nights ago.
To conceal their movements, they traveled in separate groups and flew the banners of forces loyal to Nangong He, maintaining the illusion of support for him.
As a result, the imperial side remains unaware that these two massive armies have already taken position.
Meanwhile, Lucyâs faction, the Yuwen Family, and Williamâs forces have joined to suppress any news leaks.
Within the capital, Henwell has planted covert agents to block information, keeping the imperial court oblivious to Liu Mang and Benjaminâs mobilization.
In fact, just days ago, the two were still pretending to accompany Nangong Heâs envoys in the South Regions.
At that time, their armies, along with the stranded Forbidden Army units, had already mobilized.
The troops the envoys saw were freshly recruited and still in training, so long as no fighting broke out, the illusion held.
Most importantly, Nangong He never suspects these two would side with Nangong Ying.
From his perspective, they have no reason to betray him, especially since his offers were generous enough.
Yet now, with these two armies advancing, the cold hard facts prove such an absurd betrayal has indeed happened!