At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the drill ground of the military camp in Haizhou City was already bustling with activity.

The bugle call tore through the pre-dawn silence, its deep and lingering sound echoing throughout the entire military camp.

One by one, the tents were opened, and soldiers poured out, donning armor, fastening belts, hanging swords, and lining up.

The flags in the center of the drill ground fluttered in the morning breeze, and the character "乾" on the flag was faintly visible in the morning light, like a fierce beast opening its eyes.

Xu Cheng stood in the front row, his iron armor gleaming, a long sword hanging at his waist, his eyes piercing.

He patted the armor he was wearing, a smile he couldn't suppress appearing on his lips.

He wore this armor during the battle of Ninghai City, when he was badly beaten and covered in dust. Wearing it again today feels completely different.

Qin Hao stood beside him, his spear planted firmly on the ground, its tip gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Han Shixun stood on the east side of the training ground, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze fixed intently on the soldiers who were gathering.

Several captains around him huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, their voices filled with barely concealed excitement.

"Old Su is truly efficient! He's only been here a few days, and he's already launching an offensive!"

"He's so confident! You didn't see how Old Su looked on the reviewing stand the other day. His eyes, his aura—he doesn't look like a centenarian at all!"

"When the Crown Prince was around, we were stuck in the city all day getting beaten up. We were practically going to get sick from being cooped up like that."

"Now things are great! A change of leadership is like a change of blood; our morale is high, and we can finally fight back!"

"Fifty thousand men lost to thirty thousand, that was because the crown prince was leading the army."

"The same soldiers, with a different commander, are completely different!"

Han Shixun listened to their discussion, a slight smile playing on his lips. He said with a laugh, "How can the Crown Prince compare to General Su? They're worlds apart."

"At the mouth of the South Gate, Su Lao faced an army of 30,000 men alone and was able to take the enemy general's head from the midst of the enemy. That is what it means to charge into battle. Hiding behind the city wall and waiting for others to retreat is called waiting to die."

"General Han is absolutely right."

"Luckily, the Crown Prince was dismissed from his post, hahaha..."

The captains nodded in unison, then burst into laughter, the sound echoing around the drill ground.

On the other side, Xu Cheng turned his head to look at Qin Hao and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Qin, to be honest, I, Xu Cheng, have been in the East China Sea Navy for almost twenty years and have led troops in dozens of battles, but I have never felt like this before."

"In the past, when we sent troops, we were just thinking about how to hold the city. Today, when we send troops, we are thinking about how to take Ninghai City back."

Qin Hao smiled slightly: "General, I've experienced this feeling before in the Northern Territory. Fighting alongside Elder Su is just different."

Xu Cheng nodded vigorously, his gaze returning to the direction of the reviewing stand: "Brother Qin is right. This time, I will definitely avenge this humiliation."

At the edge of the training ground, Xiao Zhixia and Xiao Zhiqi helped Xiao Yichun walk slowly over.

Xiao Yidong followed behind. He had almost recovered, but he was still unable to go to the battlefield to fight.

Xiao Yidong looked at the soldiers who were standing in formation, his voice filled with a touch of excited emotion.

"Brother, it's been so long since I've seen such a spectacular scene!"

Xiao Yichun's gaze also fell on the neat rows of people, and he was filled with emotion.

"Yes, it's a pity my injury hasn't fully healed yet, otherwise I would have been able to join the ranks too."

Xiao Zhi Qiu laughed.

"Big brother, second brother, you should focus on healing your injuries first!"

"Eat more meat and drink more soup, and get your body back to normal quickly!"

"Otherwise, by the time you can move again, the battle in the East China Sea will probably be over."

"You haven't witnessed General Su's abilities; he's incredibly fast, accurate, and ruthless!"

Xiao Yichun smiled too.

"yes!"

"Old Su...at the age of 100, he still has such ability, charging ahead and leading troops into battle."

"It is a great fortune for our country that such a person has emerged from our great nation."

Xiao Yidong immediately chimed in, "Second Sister, Third Sister, you're all familiar with General Su. You'll have to put in a good word for me and get him to take me on as his apprentice! I want to learn his skills too!"

Xiao Zhi Qiu patted his shoulder: "That depends on your performance."

Just as the group was talking, the noise on the training ground suddenly subsided.

Su Mu walked out from behind the command platform.

He was also dressed in iron armor and fully armed.

His white hair was tied back, fluttering gently in the morning breeze.

After he stood still, the drill ground immediately fell silent, and all the soldiers' eyes were on him.

Then he began to speak:

"Soldiers, the Eastern barbarian bandits have invaded our Great Qian land, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities."

"They occupied Zhenhai Pass, slaughtered Wanhu City, and robbed Ninghai City."

"How many common people died by their swords? How many men of the Great Qian fell before them?"

"In the past, our Great Qian army has retreated, defended, and endured."

"Today, I have no intention of retiring."

"I have only one request, and that is to charge forward with me."

"Drive the Eastern barbarian bandits out of the land of Daqian!"

"Take back every single city they've plundered!"

"May our fallen brothers rest in peace! May our murdered people find peace of mind!"

The drill ground fell silent for a moment.

Then, like dry tinder being ignited, tens of thousands of people simultaneously erupted in a roar:

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The sound waves were like a real tsunami, echoing across the training ground and making the flags overhead tremble.

After saying that, Su Mu turned around, facing the direction of Ninghai City to the north, and slowly drew the Dragon Slayer Saber from his waist.

The blade gleamed coldly in the morning light, its tip pointing straight into the distance.

"Army, march!"

Then, the war drums sounded and the bugles blared.

The cavalry in the front row moved first, their hooves pounding the sandy ground with a dull thud, gradually increasing in speed and from scattered to orderly.

The infantry of the central army followed closely behind, their steps perfectly synchronized.

The archers and supply train at the rear also slowly started moving, and the column, like a long dragon awakening, meandered northward in the morning light.

Banners fluttered in the wind, and the sounds of horses' hooves and footsteps merged into a continuous torrent.

Outside Haizhou City, more and more people poured out of the streets and alleys, crowding on both sides of the road to watch the army depart.

Some people held up rations and water bags and stuffed them into the soldiers' hands, some clasped their hands in prayer, and some bowed deeply to the figure riding a white horse at the very front of the column.

They were all praying that the old war god Su could win this great battle, wipe out the Eastern barbarian bandits, and reclaim the land of Daqian!

……

Ninghai City, the main military tent of the Eastern Barbarians.

Ryunosuke Shimazu is discussing the next steps with his generals.

This included how to report to the Emperor, how to request reinforcements, and how to stabilize the morale of the defeated soldiers who had retreated from the southern gate of the river.

Just as Ryunosuke was about to continue the discussion...

"Report!"

A messenger abruptly lifted the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee, his voice so urgent it was almost distorted:

"Reporting to the Commander! Urgent report from Haizhou City... The Daqian army has set off and is heading towards Ninghai City!"

The tent fell silent instantly.

Ryunosuke suddenly stood up, his expression one of surprise.

"What did you say? Set off?"

"Su Mu has only been in Haizhou City for a few days, and he already dares to raise an army to attack?"

Among the soldiers, Otomo Tetsumaru was the first to stand up.

"Haha! Perfect timing! I've been looking for an opportunity to meet that old man!"

"If he dares to come, I'll smash his head in with this stick and see how he tries to play tricks then!"

A general standing nearby excitedly said, "The Great Qian dogs are so eager to come and die, which saves us the trouble of making another trip to Haizhou City."

"What kind of trouble can they possibly cause with such a small group?"

Another general echoed this sentiment.

"Exactly! Last time we withdrew because our plans were disrupted, not because we couldn't defeat them!"

"If we were to fight head-on, those 20,000 remnants of the Great Qian army would be no match for us!"

"Let him come! Let's see how long he can be so arrogant!"

The tent was filled with shouts and commotion, but Takenaka Hyōe remained silent.

He turned to look at Ryunosuke, his brow furrowed, and said warily, "General, Su Mu's actions cannot be judged by conventional thinking."

"He has only been in Haizhou City for a few days, yet he dared to take the initiative, which shows that he is already confident."

Ryunosuke's expression had returned to calm. He nodded: "The strategist is right. We cannot underestimate the enemy."

He turned around and glanced at the generals in the tent.

"Order the entire army to stand ready! Prepare for battle!"

"yes!"

The generals responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, carrying a surge of fighting spirit.

Otomo Tesmaru slung the iron rod over his shoulder and strode out of the tent, his voice drifting in from outside:

"Bring on those damned dogs! I've waited long enough for this day!"

Ryunosuke stood in the tent, watching the backs of the generals filing out, his fists clenched and his teeth clenched.

"Su Mu...you came fast enough."

"But do you think Ninghai City is still so easy to conquer?"