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

The moment the scout finished speaking, the morale that had just been raised in the council hall froze instantly.

Apart from a few ponds and a small patch of barren grassland, Qingshuiwa was almost entirely devoid of anything of value.

Su Zhan pressed further, "5000 cavalrymen, lightly armed or heavily armored? What were they carrying?"

The scouts reported: "They were not carrying any heavy baggage, and were all light cavalry, but each horse seemed to have a bulging leather strap hanging from its side, and many were carrying shovels, hammers, and other such items."

The scout quickly added, "They brought so many tools, but not many other weapons?"

Bai Zhanqiu's fingers, which were tapping on the table, suddenly stopped.

There were no sturdy fortifications to dismantle in Qingshuiwa, nor any tribes to plunder. What were they doing there with digging tools?

Pheasant Neck suddenly leaned down to look at the map, then traced the marks around Clearwater Pond with his finger, his eyes sharp as an eagle: "Wait, Second Boss, Third Boss, look here."

He pressed his fingertip heavily against an inconspicuous symbol on the edge of Qingshuiwa, which was Shiyanwa.

"Ten miles west of Qingshuiwa, there is a natural rock salt mine. Although the quality is not very good and the output is limited, it has always been an important source of salt for several small tribes in the vicinity to replenish their salt in winter. Our Stone City's salt route also occasionally gets its salt from there."

Su Zhan's pupils suddenly contracted: "It's salt!"

A chill instantly crept up his back.

Bai Zhanqiu's face also darkened completely: "That old fox, the Nascent Soul cultivator, has a brilliant plan to cut off our supply lines! He doesn't intend to directly attack and seize territory, but rather to cut off our salt supply. On the grasslands, a lack of salt is more deadly than a lack of food. Without salt, livestock will lose weight, soldiers will lack strength to fight, and morale will waver, which will be troublesome."

Wild Chicken Neck quickly said, "Although Shiyanwa is not large, once it is completely destroyed and occupied by them, we will not be able to find an equally convenient alternative source in the short term. The empire's control over salt and iron is extremely strict. We could barely maintain it before by relying on Xiao Shenzan's channels, but recently the situation has become very tense, and this line is unstable. If the salt route is really cut off, we will be in serious trouble."

Su Zhan suddenly stood up, his eyes icy cold: "Our plan must be changed immediately. Whether it's a show of strength or a strategy to sow discord, it's too late."

The Nascent Soul cultivator directly struck at our weak point. He had calculated that we had just experienced a major battle and then made a long march to Black Wind Stronghold, leaving our men and horses exhausted and our attention scattered, preventing us from reacting in time to this seemingly insignificant sneak attack.

He intends to use this ingenious plan to undermine the foundations of our Stone City.

He immediately looked at Bai Zhanqiu: "Second Master, we must support Qingshuiwa. We must not only protect the salt mine, but also knock down his outstretched claws. We must let him know that no matter how exhausted Stone City is, it cannot tolerate his scheming."

Bai Zhanqiu took a deep breath, his eyes also blazing with fury. He slammed his fist on the chopping board and roared, "Su Zhan is right! Doesn't he want to see our prowess? Then let him see that none of these 5000 people will escape Qingshuiwa unscathed!"

His gaze swept over all the stewards present, and his roar was like thunder: "Issue the order! First, all the light cavalry that can be mobilized in the city shall immediately assemble, under the command of Su Zhan, with the strongest crossbows and oil canisters, one person with two horses, spare no effort, and must reach Shiyanwa before dark."

Second, Wild Chicken Neck, you personally lead a team of elite scouts, change to the fastest horses, and go ahead to find out the specific deployment and excavation progress of the White Cloud Alliance, as well as whether they have any reinforcements lying in ambush nearby. Be sure to pay attention to any other clues along the way.

Third, I will oversee the remaining units, immediately placing them on the highest alert, reinforcing city defenses, preparing equipment, and preventing the Nascent Soul cultivators from using a feint attack, as their main force is likely to launch a surprise attack on Stone City.

Fourth, the investigation into the source of the supplies by Zhu Yeqing must not stop for a moment. At the same time, immediately send someone to contact the Black Feather Tribe and casually let them know that the Nascent Soul cultivator has sent troops to dig out their winter life-saving salt source. Let's see if they will cower like turtles or dare to fight against the Nascent Soul cultivator!

The message was quickly relayed, and the war machine that had just been quelled in Stone City was set in motion once more.

The city gates opened, and Su Zhan took the lead, followed by more than a thousand elite light cavalrymen who had been hastily assembled and were filled with murderous intent.

Hooves flew and dust billowed as the column tore through the tranquility of the grassland like an arrow released from a bow, heading southwest towards Shiyanwa.

Amidst billowing dust, Su Zhan led over a thousand light cavalrymen straight towards the grasslands.

Shiyanwa is their lifeline, so they must get there as soon as possible.

The old fox, Hua Shen, didn't attack cities or seize territories, but instead targeted their most critical logistics. This was more vicious and deadly than tens of thousands of troops pressing in.

Without salt, let alone fighting a war, even the very foundation of the stone city would quickly rot away.

"Hurry up, we have to get to Shiyanwa before sunset!"

Su Zhan's roar clearly reached the ears of every soldier, and everyone understood the urgency of the situation and the significance of this mission.

They had just experienced a bloody battle at Black Wind Stronghold, and their bodies were exhausted, but their will was completely ignited by the wickedness of the Nascent Soul cultivator.

Meanwhile, Pheasant Neck, leading several scouts, had already left Stone City and was rushing forward at top speed.

They were the eyes and ears of Stone City, and they had to find out the true situation of Shiyanwa, the White Wolf tribe's troop deployment, sabotage progress, and any places where ambushes or traps could be set before the main Soviet forces arrived. Their figures transformed into arrows released from a bow, heading towards the distant danger.

When the pheasant reached Shiyanwa, the scene before him was almost exactly as cruel as he had imagined.

The depression that was originally scattered with grayish-white salt crystals is now a complete mess.

The thousands of White Wolf cavalry did not charge hastily, but instead used their horses as laborers.

They wielded iron shovels, hammers, and even knives and axes, frantically destroying this natural salt mine.

Salt mines were deliberately destroyed and buried, and exposed rock layers were smashed to pieces and mixed into the soil. Even worse, pack animals were driven to trample the salt flats in an attempt to pollute this resource.

The air was thick with choking dust and a faint, salty smell, mixed with shouts, the sounds of tools, and the neighing of horses.

A large banner of the White Wolf tribe was planted on the high ground at the edge of the depression. Under the banner stood a burly general in leather armor, arms crossed, coldly watching the scene of destruction before him.

A cruel smirk played on his lips. He was none other than Tu Lu Hua, the trusted general of the Nascent Soul stage and the centurion of the White Wolf tribe.

"Hurry up, all of you! Don't leave a single piece of meat or salt crystal for those Han dogs!" Tu Luhua's voice was rough and hoarse. "This place will be a wasteland before dark, so those mutts from Stone City will be licking mud next spring!"

The soldiers around him, heeding his words, intensified their destruction, their laughter echoing throughout the area. Hundreds of cavalrymen remained vigilant at the edge of the depression, their sharp eyes scanning the surrounding grassland horizon.

Clearly, Turuhua was not unprepared. He knew that Stone City would definitely come to the rescue after learning the news. However, he estimated that Stone City had just experienced a great battle and had traveled a long distance, so its reaction could not be so quick, let alone mobilize enough forces in a short period of time.

His five thousand elite cavalry will surely complete their sabotage mission before Stone City arrives to provide reinforcements and escape unscathed.

But they were wrong; Su Zhan wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.

Thirty miles from Shiyanwa, behind a grove of low trees, the pheasant reined in its warhorse, panting heavily, its forehead soaked with sweat.

He personally led his troops to scout, narrowly avoiding the outer cavalry scouts, and then brought everything back to the Soviet army.

At this moment, Su Zhan had also arrived at the place where the wild chicken neck was lying in ambush.

Wild Chicken Neck immediately rode up to meet them and began to report: "Third Master has confirmed that it is indeed the White Wolf Tribe's Tu Lu Hua leading the team, which numbers about five thousand lightly armed men. The troops are frantically destroying the salt mine in the depression, using iron shovels and hammers as tools. There are eight hundred cavalrymen on guard around the perimeter, stationed on the high ground on the northeast side of the depression, with a wide field of vision. So far, no other movements have been detected."

And the destruction has already begun, and it's progressing rapidly. If we don't stop it, this entire salt mine will be finished!

Su Zhan's gaze sharpened as he swept over the direction the pheasant's neck had pointed, then he asked, "How's the salt mine?"

Pheasant Neck said in a deep voice, "Large areas have already been destroyed. They're not mining, they're just destroying, filling in pits, pulling out ore, trampling people and horses."

Su Zhan's eyes flashed with a cold light: "Better than not, better than reaching the Nascent Soul stage. They want to destroy the very foundation of Stone City."

Order everyone to change horses, check the fuel, and prepare for battle immediately.

He took a deep breath, quickly suppressing his boiling killing intent, scanned the map, and his brain worked at lightning speed.

The enemy has 5000 men, while our side only has 1000. The enemy has the advantage of terrain and can wait in comfort. The enemy has made a long march and is exhausted.

Charging directly into the depression would not only expose one to a hail of arrows from the vigilant cavalry, but would also plunge one into a sea of ​​enemy troops engaged in destruction, making it extremely disadvantageous. Therefore, directly attacking the depression is not advisable.

Su Zhan then looked toward the relatively gentle, sparsely vegetated slope on the west side of the depression, which was the side where the enemy army was located.

"Wild Chicken Neck, take 100 of your best mounted archers, bring all the kerosene cans, circle around to the gentle slope on the west side, and once you see my signal rocket launch, charge with all your might, the target is the enemy's general's flag."

"No need for prolonged fighting. Disrupt his command center. Throw the oil canisters at the dense crowd and their spare warhorses. The goal is singular: to create even greater chaos."

A golden light flashed in the pheasant's neck, and it immediately nodded: "Yes, sir."

Finally, Su Zhan drew his scimitar and shouted, "The rest of you, follow me. Our target is the cavalry on the northeast flanks. Remember, we are the spearhead. Charge at break through their lines and don't linger."

After charging through, they plunged into the vicinity of the depression, raining down arrows on the wreaking hay, driving them away from the salt mine, disrupting their formation, and creating opportunities for Pheasant Neck.

More than a thousand soldiers responded with a roar, their fighting spirit soaring, their eyes filled with nothing but cold killing intent.

They quickly checked their equipment, strung their bows, and placed the oil canisters in the most convenient position.

Then Su Zhan glanced in the direction of Qingshuiwa, where smoke and dust were rising, as if the enemy was desperately destroying everything.

He spurred his horse, and it bolted forward: "For Stone City, for our future, for our foundation, charge!"

More than a thousand riders galloped up, raising a cloud of dust once again, heading straight for that low-lying area.

At the edge of Qingshuiwa, the White Wolf cavalry on guard had already spotted the rapidly approaching group.

"Enemy attack! The cavalry from Stone City is coming!"

As the clarion call of the horns rang out, hundreds of guard cavalrymen on the northeastern highlands reacted swiftly, drawing their bows and aiming their arrows at the ever-approaching dust dragon.

"Hold on! Hold on! Listen to my command, wait until they are within range before firing!" a centurion shouted sternly, trying to steady the formation.

However, the Stone City cavalry were faster than anyone could imagine. They spared no effort, pushing their speed to the limit, and the distance between the two sides rapidly decreased in the blink of an eye.

"Fire! Fire arrows now!" The centurion's scalp tingled as he watched the oncoming torrent of death.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—a flurry of arrows whistled through the air.

"Raise your shields and charge!" Su Zhan roared, lowering his body even further, almost touching the horse's back. The guards beside him raised their leather round shields, protecting everyone's vitals.

Arrows struck shields, leather armor, and even warhorses, the sounds ringing out in rapid succession, interspersed with muffled groans and the mournful cries of horses collapsing to the ground.

Some were hit by arrows and fell from their horses, then were swallowed up by the hooves of the following horses, but the momentum of the charge did not diminish in the slightest.

The Stone City cavalry retaliated with arrows that left their bows almost simultaneously; though outnumbered, they were far more accurate and ruthless.

The arrows flew like lightning, aiming straight for the enemy's throat and face.

With a series of thuds, people and horses tumbled and fell on the high ground, their screams echoing everywhere.

The White Wolf tribe's guard cavalry formation was torn open by this swift charge and precise counterattack.

"Charge!" Su Zhan took the lead, and his blade instantly cleaved off two heads.

The cavalry behind him charged fiercely into the enemy ranks, slashing with scimitars and thrusting with spears. In an instant, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and the cordon line quickly crumbled under the impact.

The White Wolf cavalry, who had miraculously survived, were scattered and unable to mount any effective resistance.

Without pausing, Su Zhan broke through the cordon, his bow was already drawn like a full moon, and the wolf-tooth arrow, with a piercing whistle, shot straight at a White Wolf soldier in the middle of the depression who was swinging a sledgehammer to smash a rock outcrop.

With a soft thud, the arrow pierced the soldier's breastplate with pinpoint accuracy. The man froze, his hammer slipped from his hand, black smoke rose from his face, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"Target the depression, cover the area, shoot those bastards who are mining!" Su Zhan roared like thunder. The cavalrymen who had already rushed to the edge of the depression reined in their horses and turned around. Poison arrows rained down on the White Wolf soldiers.

Many of them were shot by poisoned arrows before they could even put down their weapons, and they collapsed to the ground convulsing violently.

The sudden rain of arrows and the deafening sound of the edge of the warning line being breached instantly threw the White Wolf army, which was working hard in the depression, into chaos.

"Enemy attack! It's the people from Stone City, they've arrived so quickly! Protect the commander!" Turpan stood on the high slope, his face changing drastically.

He never expected that Stone City's counterattack would be so swift.

He looked at the warning line in the northwest, and at the soldiers falling in the depression like wheat being harvested. His heart sank, and an ominous premonition rose within him.

Just as the chaos reached its peak, whoosh! Bang!

A rocket trailing blinding red smoke shot up with a piercing whistle, hurtling into the sky from the direction where Su Zhan was, before exploding, its red light standing out starkly against the heavens.