Battle for Northern Frontier: The game begins with the grassland woman buying him.

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn; the night had passed, but the oppressive atmosphere of Stone City remained.

Torches flickered on the city wall; the defenders were all exhausted, yet exceptionally resolute.

They gripped their weapons tightly, gazing at the battlefield below.

The battlefield of last night's fierce battle has not yet been cleaned up; the smell of blood and burnt food still lingers.

Inside the council chamber, the lights were still on, and orders were being issued like snowflakes.

Despite his bloodshot eyes, the pheasant was full of energy and led several trusted men straight into Bai Zhanqiu's command.

The parchment and copies of the secret letter were carefully sealed and marked, carried by the most loyal and skilled assassins, with their target being the camp of Elder Chishabu, the desk of Xiao Shenzan of the Northern Military Governor's Office, and the secret strongholds of various leaders of forces scattered across the grasslands.

Another elite team was quietly carrying out an even more dangerous mission: spreading rumors about the secrets of Agudamu's origins among Agudamu's main army.

Bai Zhanqiu once said that if he wanted to make this rumor as ubiquitous as the wind, he would do everything in his power to make it happen.

Bai Zhanqiu stood in front of the city defense map, his voice steady, and issued orders clearly: "Add three more crossbows to the east gate, and pile up rolling stones and giant logs behind the crenellations in the enemy's main attack direction."

There was also oil; all the stored oil was immediately divided into earthenware jars and placed next to the crossbows to preheat.

When Xiao Shenzan's last batch of firearms arrived, they were prioritized for allocation to the reserve forces at the west gate and in the north.

The wounded soldiers' battalion did its best to treat all the wounded, and those who were able to move and were lightly wounded were incorporated into the reserve force to be responsible for patrolling the city and transporting supplies.

The granaries must be double-guarded, and the water sources must be checked again to ensure absolute safety!

His gaze swept over every manager in the hall, and he said in a deep voice, "Agudam's main force could arrive at any time. The longer we hold on, the more hope our brothers scattered outside and other teams will have of surviving."

Stone City is our foundation; we must defend it to the death, not retreating an inch!

Su Zhan leaned back in his chair, his shoulder still aching.

He was forced to drink a large jar of thick medicine by the military doctor, who was forcibly suppressing his churning blood and qi.

His eyes were sharp as he stared at the hourglass in the corner. Time was passing quietly, and every drop of sand struck his heart.

"Still no news from the scouts we sent out?"

"Reporting to the Third Master, not yet." A liaison officer shook his head. "The search area has been expanded to 150 li, and we have only found a few traces of fighting and scattered corpses, some of ours and some of the grassland cavalry."

The team was indeed scattered, and their whereabouts are unknown.

He paused, then added, "However, there are no signs of a massacre. Perhaps some people are still alive, just hiding."

Su Zhan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Five hundred brothers, thousands of slaves who had just gained a glimmer of hope, and all those precious supplies have disappeared without a trace.

They faced numerous dangers on the grassland, scattered and hiding, with their hope of survival extremely slim.

He suddenly opened his eyes, bloodshot: "Keep searching! Send more men. Don't miss any hiding place. We must find him alive, or bring his remains back for burial!"

At this moment, the atmosphere in the city had reached its peak.

Women and the elderly silently moved between the barracks and supply depots, carrying hot water, strips of cloth, and food.

The children were kept at home by the adults, and only a heavy atmosphere remained in the air.

Everyone would occasionally gaze northwards, where fear was spreading across the horizon, but more than that, there was a resolute determination to burn their bridges. Behind them lay their families and loved ones; they had nowhere left to retreat.

Suddenly, a hoarse voice shattered the silence before dawn.

A scout, covered in blood, was dragged into the council hall by two soldiers: "Urgent report! Fifty miles to the northwest, dust fills the sky, banners obscure the heavens—it's the Golden Wolf Banner! Agudamu's main force has arrived! Their vanguard cavalry has broken away from the main force and is charging forward with all their might, numbering at least tens of thousands! Behind them are an endless line of infantry and siege equipment!"

This news struck everyone like a thunderbolt.

Although it was expected, the oppressive feeling instantly gripped everyone when the news came as confirmed. The air seemed to freeze, and even breathing became difficult.

Bai Zhanqiu slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump: "What's the panic? Follow the plan, everyone to your positions!"

Su Zhan forced himself to stand up despite his shoulder injury. His figure swayed slightly, but his eyes were incredibly terrifying, even more intense than during the battle the night before.

He grabbed the blood-stained longsword from the table and said coldly, "They've finally arrived. Pass down the order: the assassins responsible for spreading the news can begin their operation."

I will make Agudamu's army taste the bitterness of having their rear burned and their morale crumbling before they even begin to attack the city!

Everyone immediately sprang into action and surged onto the city wall.

The smoke rising from the northwest resembled a black, raging torrent, rolling in with overwhelming force.

Scouts frequently brought urgent reports, but Bai Zhanqiu remained calm. His roar drowned out the suffocating atmosphere: "Everyone to your positions according to the pre-arranged plan! Order the crossbows to cock, the rolling stones to be in place, and the oil to be ready for ignition! West and north reserves, distribute firearms as soon as they arrive! The wounded soldiers' camp, prepare to receive the wounded! Everyone, hold your positions to the death, not a step back!"

The order was quickly relayed, and the brief panic was suppressed, replaced by a resolute determination to burn one's bridges.

The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes fixed on the ever-approaching plumes of death.

The women quickened their pace in carrying the supplies, while the children, trembling with fear, hid deep in the cellar.

Su Zhan endured the sharp pain in his shoulder and stood beside Bai Zhanqiu, his gaze sweeping across the fork in the road on the map where the escort team had lost contact last time.

Five hundred brothers, thousands of slaves, and now the lives and fortunes of one hundred thousand soldiers and civilians in Stone City are all tied to this impending great war.

The wind was biting cold, and the iron horses clattered.

Su Zhan leaned against the cold battlements, gazing into the distance where the golden wolf-head banner fluttered in the farthest reaches.

This was the vanguard of the most elite forces of the Agudam royal court; they were like a golden torrent, their menacing scimitars reflecting a cold light.

Behind them stretched an endless, dark mass of infantry, their rudimentary yet incredibly threatening siege weapons looming like monsters.

The dull thud of footsteps and the neighing of horses merged into a sonic boom, crashing heavily against the walls of Stone City.

"They're here!" The city guard's throat was dry, and his palms, gripping his weapon, were covered in cold sweat.

As the suffocating pressure reached its peak, the vanguard of the Golden Wolf Cavalry began to organize their formation at the edge of arrow range, preparing to launch the first probing charge.

But then, several shouts in the grassland language suddenly erupted from the Golden Wolf Cavalry opposite them: "It's all fake! Agudamu is an illegitimate son, a murderer who usurped the throne. Huyan Zhuo's bloodline has long been extinguished! He is a thief, a traitor to the Wolf God! I have a secret letter from Elder Chishabu as proof that Agudamu's ascension to the throne was illegitimate!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it sounded particularly jarring in the eerie silence of the army.

A few rolls of parchment acted like sparks, instantly igniting the astonishment and doubt among some of the cavalry.

"What illegitimate child? Elder Chishabu's secret letter?"

"Nonsense! Who dares to slander the great Wolf Lord?"

The loyal officer shouted angrily and slashed at the soldiers who were spreading rumors.

But once a crack is torn in people's hearts, fear and suspicion spread like wildfire.

Especially when it comes to defending the supreme orthodoxy on the grasslands, those voices and parchments are picked up, and even a blurry imprint has a power far exceeding that of a thousand troops.

The momentum of the Golden Wolf Cavalry's charge clearly faltered. The shouts of the officers and the whispers of the soldiers mingled together, and their once indomitable spirit was shattered.

A glint of light flashed in Su Zhan's eyes. This was exactly what he had arranged with Wild Chicken Neck, and the timing was perfect.

"You steppe people wanted to press your advantage, didn't you? You were riding high, weren't you? I'll give you a good beating and show you the power of information warfare!" He slammed his fist into the battlement, the impact causing excruciating pain in his wound, but he paid no heed. "Fire! Ballistae, prepare! Aim at those huddled roe deer and fire!"

As soon as Su Zhan gave the order, the steward beside him immediately made the arrangements.

But the Golden Wolf Riders still charged over from afar.

The oil in the fire pot was ignited, and the ballista fired accordingly.

The piercing sound of horns tore through the sky; it was not a signal to charge, but the roar of Stone City's counterattack.

A dense rain of arrows poured down, but even more intimidating than the arrows were the massive crossbows, which, with a piercing whistle that tore through the air, plunged fiercely into the chaotic vanguard of the Golden Wolf Cavalry, instantly causing men and horses to fall and blood and flesh to fly everywhere.

Immediately afterwards, before the steppe people who had just rushed to the city walls could even organize their siege equipment, they were hit by pottery jars filled with oil.

The earthenware jar shattered instantly, scalding oil splattered everywhere, and flames quickly spread and climbed, igniting the warhorses and engulfing the soldiers.

The screams drowned out the bugle calls for the charge and the neighing of the warhorses. Before the first wave of probing attacks could even climb the city walls, it had already turned into a chaotic sea of ​​fire below the city.

Behind the chaotic vanguard of the Golden Wolf Cavalry, at the heart of Agudamu's main army, beneath the largest golden wolf-head banner, a burly figure with a deep-set face suddenly reined in his warhorse.

He was Agudamu Khan. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's as he looked at the chaos and carnage on the battlefield and heard the rumors. His rage instantly overwhelmed his reason.

He suddenly drew his broadsword from his waist, the blade pointing directly at Stone City: "Han dogs, your despicable tricks! Raze Stone City to the ground, slaughter every last man and woman! Anyone who breaches the city will have their sword unsheathed for three days!"

Inspired by Agudamu's voice, the grassland soldiers unleashed a devastating storm of force, accompanied by his frenzied roar, as the grassland army launched a full-scale, destructive attack on Stone City.

The city walls began to tremble under the impact of countless iron hooves and battering rams. Even though the people on the walls desperately shot arrows and threw oil, they still could not stop the steppe people's attack.

Su Zhan, on the city wall, drew his bow with all his might and kept shooting at the steppe people who charged up, turning them into live targets on the ground.

Such horrific scenes occurred in every corner of the battlefield.

The fierce resistance from the small stone city was truly beyond the expectations of the grassland people.

Faced with the temptation of "no sword lock for three days", every grassland man charged forward desperately. Although they doubted Agudamu's legitimacy, they could not care about such things in the face of huge profits. They only wanted to rush into the city to make a name for themselves, seize the women and treasures of the Han people. This was an opportunity to change their fate.

Tens of thousands of troops attacked in succession, and Stone City was like a lone boat being battered by wave after wave of waves, teetering on the brink of collapse.

The people on the city wall were already overwhelmed. The fearless steppe people set up siege equipment, climbed the city wall, and a fierce hand-to-hand battle began on the city wall.

Su Zhan held his knife, his eyes fixed on the leader of the grassland people. Anyone who dared to climb up would be killed with a single blow.

Other grassland soldiers who attacked were also killed by him one by one.

The warriors of Stone City were equally brave; every one of them knew they had to hold the walls. For their own sake, and for the sake of their loved ones, retreat meant certain death.

This battle must be won; there is no turning back.

They are like a small stone on the vast grassland, tiny yet resilient.

A sinister smile appeared in Agudamu's eyes from afar.

In his view, Stone City was simply asking for trouble for being so arrogant.

All the tribes of the grasslands will be under his rule. He will rule the world like the wolf kings of the past, and may even march south to conquer the entire Central Plains, making the Han people tremble under his iron hooves.

The current losses are insignificant; as long as the goal can be achieved, any price is worth paying.

The battle intensified, with the fighting on the city walls becoming extremely fierce, littered with corpses, and the area below the walls awash in blood and carnage.

The corpses of both nomads and Han Chinese were piled up in layers, and some nomads even climbed directly up the mountain of corpses to fight the defenders.

The battle descended into complete chaos. Everyone was blinded by rage, with no option to retreat, making the path ahead increasingly difficult.

Agudamu's smile grew even more unrestrained, as if he could already see Stone City fall and turn into a sea of ​​blood.

Anyone who dared to resist him would be killed outright, which was the ending he hoped for. Until clouds of dust rose from the distant grasslands, all the grassland people turned to look.

Suddenly, countless unfamiliar warriors appeared and charged towards the grassland army.

Su Zhan, who was fighting on the city wall, suddenly saw his eyes light up. The reinforcements they had been waiting for had finally arrived! They were not only Han Chinese tribes scattered outside, but also all kinds of rebellious slaves, and even an imperial army armed with firearms.

The steppe people were terrified at the sight; the Han people on the city wall, however, were instantly emboldened, and someone shouted, "Brothers, our reinforcements have arrived!"

In an instant, everyone was overjoyed and looked at the reinforcements rushing towards them from afar.

Those reinforcements were a large and powerful force, the main force of Stone City that had been scattered outside and had not been able to return in time.

At this point, these people will become the final straw that breaks the camel's back for the grassland people.

Sure enough, when those people appeared, the grassland people on the field immediately panicked, and they all looked around in fear.

Countless Han Chinese had already charged in, making the already chaotic formation even more tumultuous.

The reserve force, which had been full of enthusiasm and ready to attack Stone City, was completely scattered.

They didn't have time to change their battle strategy.

They were originally transporting siege equipment and thought it was just a simple siege.

Moreover, they didn't take this small town seriously. As long as they could storm into the town, they could burn, kill, plunder, and indulge in pleasure.

Now they were facing some fierce-looking Han Chinese, and before they could even put down their siege equipment, they were completely overrun.