How can you rule the world if I'm just a substitute for you?

The mountain valley in the middle of the Qilian Mountains.

The remnants of the Southern Barbarians set up camp to rest and recuperate, creating an extremely oppressive atmosphere throughout the camp.

Batu Lie stood on the pile of rubble, his face so dark it was almost dripping with water, his chest filled with resentment and anger.

Last night's battle at Eagle Sorrow Gorge was a sure thing for him. He was ordered by the Third Prince to surround and kill Lin Xuan. It was a sure thing that he could win, but in the end, Lin Xuan outmaneuvered him and played him like a puppet.

Not only did they fail to kill Lin Xuan, but they also suffered heavy casualties, with most of their clansmen killed or wounded. Now, only a hundred or so people remain to survive in the mountains.

What worries him even more is that if he fails to kill Lin Xuan, the 300,000 dan of grain promised by the Third Prince Lin Fu will also be lost, and when the cold winter comes, his Southern Barbarian tribe will suffer from hunger and cold.

With all sorts of pent-up frustrations building up inside him, Batu Lie gripped the hilt of his knife tightly until his knuckles turned white.

Just as he was filled with resentment, a Nanman soldier ran up quickly, bowed, and urgently reported: "General! A group of Wei soldiers are coming from the foot of the mountain. They say they are envoys sent by the second prince of Wei and request an audience with you!"

Batu Lie was taken aback by what he heard, his face full of doubt.

Wei Kingdom?

He had never had any dealings with the State of Wei, so it was truly strange that Wei Yan suddenly sent someone to find him.

"Let him in."

A moment later, an envoy dressed in Wei army standard armor walked steadily over, his attitude respectful yet harboring arrogance.

Batu Lie stared coldly at him, getting straight to the point: "What brings Prince Wei here?"

The envoy cupped his hands and smiled, saying directly, "My second prince heard that the Southern Barbarians have suffered heavy losses, so he specially sent me to invite Wei, Western Shu, and the Southern Barbarians to form an alliance."

Batu Lie raised an eyebrow: "An alliance? To join forces against whom? The Third Prince Lin Fu?"

The envoy shook his head slightly, his smile certain: "The Third Prince Lin Fu has already been defeated by our allied forces, with only twenty or so remnants remaining. He is completely out of the game and is no longer a threat. This alliance is only for the purpose of jointly besieging and annihilating the Crown Prince of Daqian, Lin Xuan."

Upon hearing this, Batu Lie was initially taken aback, as he had not expected Lin Fu to be defeated and eliminated by the Wei Kingdom.

Immediately, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, sweeping away all his annoyance and replacing it with intense fighting spirit and interest.

Last night's crushing defeat, the deaths and injuries of my soldiers, and our current dire straits are all thanks to Lin Xuan!

He remained resentful and consumed by thoughts of revenge.

Now that Wei and Western Shu have taken the initiative to form an alliance, they can not only use the allied forces to avenge their grievances, but the sincerity in the envoy's words also holds hidden benefits.

Before Batu Lie could speak, the envoy solemnly added, "The Second Prince has promised that after this battle, the Southern Barbarians will secure third place in this Six Kingdoms Hunt."

To avenge our defeat and secure third place.

It kills two birds with one stone; there is no better choice.

Without the slightest hesitation, Batu Lie declared in a deep voice, "Very well! I, the Southern Barbarians, agree to the alliance!"

He immediately issued an order, commanding all the Nanman soldiers to assemble and follow the Wei envoy to the Wei-Shu allied forces' encampment.

Before long, Batu Lie led more than a hundred Nanman soldiers to the camp of the Wei-Shu allied forces.

Wei Yan looked at Batu Lie striding towards him, a contemptuous yet satisfied smile playing on his lips.

"General Batulie is quite pragmatic."

He stated frankly that the promise was finalized: "The established alliance will not be changed, and the third place in this hunt will belong to the Southern Barbarians."

As soon as he finished speaking, his tone suddenly changed, becoming colder and more stern: "But since we have formed an alliance, we must obey your orders. The entire army must be deployed according to my command and must not act without authorization."

Batu Lie understood perfectly well that the Southern Barbarians were now weak and had no other choice.

He cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Second Prince, rest assured, since we have formed an alliance, our Southern Barbarians will naturally advance and retreat together with Wei and Shu, and will never disobey orders."

Wei Yan nodded in satisfaction: "Very good."

Batu Lie solemnly warned, "Second Prince, please be extremely cautious with Lin Xuan! This man is cunning and treacherous; you must not underestimate him!"

Nangong Cang, the leader of Western Shu, stood quietly to the side, nodding slightly, secretly cautious.

He knew the battle situation at Eagle's Sorrow Gorge last night and was well aware that Lin Xuan was cunning and resourceful, and by no means incompetent.

But this earnest reminder only earned him Wei Yan's disdainful look.

He scoffed, his face full of arrogance, completely disregarding Lin Xuan: "It's nothing but a petty trick from a shady sect, nothing to be afraid of."

In Wei Yan's eyes, the elite Wei army under his command was the best in the six kingdoms. With the help of Western Shu and Southern Barbarians, the more than 400 allied troops were united and had overwhelming numbers and combat power. Lin Xuan's more than 200 remnants could not cause any trouble.

Just then, a Wei scout rushed into the camp to report: "Your Highness! We have received intelligence that Lin Xuan has led the allied forces of Daqian, Beidi, and Yan to occupy the inner granary!"

Wei Yan's eyes narrowed, then he sneered, "You're quite quick."

Now that the other party has taken the initiative to gather in one place, it saves a lot of trouble.

"Perfect."

Wei Yan raised his hand and shouted an order: "All troops, form ranks! Charge straight into the inner circle! Annihilate Lin Xuan's three-way allied forces in one fell swoop!"

Having said that, he looked at Batu Lie and solemnly appointed him: "You will lead the southern barbarian troops as the vanguard!"

"Yes, sir!"

Batulie accepted the order and immediately led the Nanman soldiers to set off, speeding towards the innermost part of the Qilian Mountains.

Following closely behind, Wei Yan personally led the elite troops of Wei, while Nangong Cang commanded the troops of Western Shu. The three armies moved in unison and pressed towards the inner granary.

So far!

More than four hundred elite troops from Wei, Western Shu, and Southern Barbarians joined forces and pressed on the border.

The decisive battle in the inner circle is about to begin!

On the other side, Lin Xuan led the allied forces of Daqian, Beidi, and Yan to the inner granary.

Lin Xuan immediately surveyed the surrounding mountains, his expression decisive, and loudly ordered, "Everyone, immediately gather materials from the spot and construct temporary defensive fortifications!"

Just as everyone was about to set off, Murong Jin stepped forward quickly, his brows furrowed and his face full of urgency: "Brother Lin, I'm afraid there isn't enough time! I reckon the Wei and Shu armies are rushing this way at full speed, and in such a rush, they simply can't build a complete defensive line."

Tuoba Yu'er nodded emphatically, her expression grave: "Murong Jin is right. If we are attacked before the fortifications are completed, we simply cannot withstand it."

Everyone felt a heavy weight on their hearts, knowing full well that the current situation was critical.

Su Ling Shuang frowned slightly and questioned, "Can hastily constructed, simple wooden fortifications really withstand the fierce attack of the Wei army's elite troops?"

In short, the gloom in everyone's hearts deepened.

Lin Xuan remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic. He reassured everyone, "I have already devised a method for constructing the fortifications. They can be built quickly and have a strong blocking effect, making it extremely difficult for the Wei army to break through them easily."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at him, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Lin Xuan squatted down, picked up a dry twig, and drew on the ground, verbally reciting the detailed rules for constructing the fortifications:

"First, everyone should cut down the thin, hard branches nearby, sharpen the tips, and embed them in the soil in a crisscross pattern. Then, lay a layer of triangular barricades around the perimeter. When the enemy troops charge in a group, they will be tripped up by the wooden stakes, causing their dense formation to break up and greatly reducing their charging speed."

Secondly, select sturdy logs, stack them in pairs, interlock them tightly, and quickly build a half-person-high wooden wall without the need for earth and stone, which can block the advance of the enemy's front line.

Third, relying on the natural slope outside the granary, long logs were used to prop up the platform and nail it firmly to build shooting platforms of varying heights. Archers and our Daqian crossbowmen were stationed on two levels, with the high ground for long-range shooting and the low ground for close defense, forming a crossfire network. Enemy troops charging on flat ground were exposed to a rain of arrows the entire time.

The entire fortification was constructed using only wood, with simple construction techniques, and could be completed overnight. Its layers of obstruction were sufficient to withstand repeated assaults by the Allied forces.