On the rugged Guan Mountain, Silver Ancient Moon led a group of soldiers, climbing in the dark, intending to sneak into Nanming Pass under the cover of night.

But within the walls of Nanming Pass, pairs of eyes watched the movements of Silver Ancient Moon and his men, guns cocked.

The hunters were quietly waiting for the prey to walk into the trap.

...

...

"At this point, Lan Yan, you don't need to tell those lies that no one will believe."

Gao Jin hadn't changed much; he was still that young man in his twenties. But those who knew him before definitely wouldn't recognize him now: the once vibrant face had become lifeless, the meticulously groomed hair turned white and unkempt, the once straight back slightly hunched.

Only the hatred and fleeting madness in his eyes showed that he wasn't a self-degrading walking corpse, but the White Night Walker, Gao Jin.

Lan Yan, however, was unhurried. "Having survived with great difficulty, why not continue to live well?"

"Lan Yan, I am already mad. I can only find a bit of warmth through relying on your despair," Gao Jin said calmly. "With endless darkness around me, how can I not be like a moth to a flame?"

"The only way to soothe the pain within is revenge. The life I have left is meant to be used to defeat you."

Lan Yan shook his head and ignored Gao Jin, saying to Tong Xuan Ye, "General Tong, every word the White Night rebels say to you, you'd better not trust even a punctuation mark."

"General Lan, there's something you might not know," Tong Xuan Ye said. "I actually don't have much loyalty to Hui Yao. Of course, I'm not a White Night member either, but when Principal Cha asked me to let a few White Night Walkers pass through, I didn't refuse."

"So, General Tong, you're saying you're more willing to cooperate with the White Night rebels?"

"No, I only believe in the truth I see." Tong Xuan Ye looked at the silent attendant beside him. "Please, have this attendant remove the hood and let Mr. Gao identify him."

"If Mr. Gao doesn't recognize this attendant, then I will trust General Lan and cooperate with the Linhai Army to block the Blood Source Army."

"If Mr. Gao not only recognizes this attendant but also knows who they are... then that's a different story."

"Are you going to keep pretending, Lin Linlin?" Gao Jin shouted. "This kind of cowardly behavior doesn't match your identity as the leader of the assassins!"

The attendant was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing, lifted the hood, revealing a youthful face with black hair. It was none other than Lan Yan's hired number one assassin, Lin Linlin!

"Being exposed before the assassination is a first for me," Lin Linlin shook his head helplessly. "Maybe among the assassin leaders throughout history, I'm like a one-of-a-kind with a scorpion's tail — so humiliating."

"Are you the leader of the White-Haired Assassins?" Tong Xuan Ye was somewhat surprised. "Not quite what I imagined."

"Do you think the leader of assassins is young, middle-aged, or old?" Lin Linlin was rather talkative. "Ugly or beautiful, thin or fat, hiding in the city, or hiding in the court?"

Tong Xuan Ye was momentarily stumped, then thought and said, "It has nothing to do with appearance. The assassin leader I imagined should be someone who instantly makes others think of an assassin."

"The kind of person you're talking about is the least likely to become an assassin," Lin Linlin laughed. "The first step for an assassin is to not make anyone think they are an assassin."

"Makes sense, I've learned something," Tong Xuan Ye nodded and slowly stood up, saying, "So, General Lan, is there anything else you'd like to explain?"

"Nothing to explain," Lan Yan said calmly. "Mr. Lin and I are on good terms; taking him with me into Nanming Pass proves nothing."

"If just having the number one assassin in the world proves nothing, then what about these spies?"

The main hall doors suddenly flung open, and three bodies were thrown inside. A guard at the door reported, "General, just as Mr. Gao anticipated, after Lan Yan passed, these traitors attempted to assassinate the gate guards to open the gate! Luckily, we stopped them in time, or else the consequences would have been unthinkable!"

"Quite the strategy, truly impressive," Tong Xuan Ye lamented. "It's rumored the assassin leader possesses the Extreme Divine Weapon 'Veil of Strife,' capable of creating a dark environment anytime, anywhere, meaning when this assassin leader saw me, my head was already in his pocket."

"By the time I'm dead, the traitors open the gate, and you and the Blood Source Army join forces with the Linhai Army, allowing you to take this famously secure Nanming Pass without bloodshed."

"But using such a risky strategy, a dangerous move, it could mean either a great victory or a great defeat," Tong Xuan Ye said. "In 'Military Strategy Theory,' there's no strategy where the commanding general puts themselves in danger. The ultimate strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, then their alliances, then their army, and the least is to attack their cities, and now there's another... the least is to attack the general."

"Long Wange has been an ancient figure from two hundred years ago, his theories are no longer applicable," Lan Yan said calmly. "A general shouldn't cling to outdated views; what's outdated may not be inferior. What the ancients failed to achieve, modern people may accomplish!"

The general outside the door chuckled and burst into laughter at Lan Yan's words, "Is this the dominance of peerless generals? Did everyone hear that? The peerless general intends to take Nanming Pass all by himself!"

"There are ten thousand soldiers inside the pass; does the peerless general plan to fight ten thousand alone?"

"How much liquor did he drink? Have some peanuts!"

However, Tong Xuan Ye and Gao Jin did not laugh; instead, Gao Jin became even more serious.

"But all of this is within your calculations, Lan Yan. The reason I know your plan is entirely because you deliberately leaked it to me."

At Gao Jin's words, the laughter of the generals seemed to be silenced, like being choked.

Gao Jin stared at Lan Yan, seriously saying, "Just like when I knew Lv Zhong's plan before, making White Night your tool to help you murder your father-in-law; just like when you deliberately let me find Lv Heng to leak your intention to eliminate him completely so that Lv Heng would gather all the forces opposing you in Chenfeng, allowing you to solve all troubles at once."

"This time, the information I got from the Linhai Army's intelligence was also guided by you!"

"Although it's true the traitors could open the gates, the risk is high and likely to be discovered, so it's just your first layer of planning!"

"Lan Yan, since Xia Lingguo advised you, you like others to know your next step. I've been fooled by you once, twice, and I won't be fooled a third time."

"When I found out about your first layer of plan, I began to wonder what your second layer is. It wasn't until I discussed with General Tong on how to deal with you that I realized Lin Linlin was our unavoidable obstacle."

"Lin Linlin can create large-scale dark fields; therefore, sending martial artists against you is like throwing buns to a dog. The only solution is to arrange a large number of gunmen and shoot you down with a Bullet Storm, leaving you no chance for close combat!"

"And this is your second layer of the plan!"

"You use yourself as bait, forcing Nanming Pass to deploy their best Martial Artists here, leaving the defenses on the walls inevitably empty. Without Fire Eye-equipped Martial Artists to observe, your people can climb Guan Mountain to the walls, and thus launch a night assault on Nanming Pass!"

At this point, although Blue Flame remained calm, Lin Linlin's face had already changed dramatically.

"Blue Flame, there isn't a single Martial Artist outside. All Nanming Pass Martial Artists are on the walls, awaiting your night assault forces!" Gao Jin's voice grew more and more passionate, as if representing the heavens, pronouncing fate: "All generals, come in!"

Pop! Pop! Pop!

The window shattered into pieces as one Martial General after another broke into the main hall. Judging merely by their spirit and presence, not one was below the realm of Integration and Mastery, and there was even another who had reached Peak of Perfection!

More importantly, they were all drenched in white fuel, their armor, skin, and hair completely dyed white, resembling snowmen!

"This is truly... well-prepared!" Lin Linlin exclaimed.

"Photographic dye from Dongyang, capable of concentrating light explosion with counterattack power even in absolute darkness!" Gao Jin said: "One of the Steam Guild's best-selling items, transported from Yanjing to Nanming Pass in half a day!"

"Now, Blue Flame, Lin Linlin, let the performance begin." Gao Jin shouted frantically: "Blue Flame, aren't you the unparalleled Divine General who fights against thousands? Lin Linlin, aren't you the leader of Assassins who can kill anyone? I just wonder, who can you kill now!"

Blue Flame raised a glass and took a sip, calmly saying: "Don't boast rashly, it only exposes your weakness."

"Blue Flame, you're on the brink, still trying to maintain your composure?" Gao Jin laughed in rage: "You've already lost, this time I've won!"

"Someday, someone will defeat me. But it won't be today, and it won't be you."

With that, Blue Flame looked at Lin Linlin: "Isn't it about time?"

"It's already late." Lin Linlin took out a pocket watch to check the time: "The National Relief Association unfortunately isn't punctual; seems they're not quality clients."

Gao Jin felt some confusion about their demeanor; he could tell they were not pretending to be calm, but rather confident!

What factors have not been considered?

What conspiracies are being launched?

Just as Gao Jin was racking his brain, a shriek suddenly erupted from beside him!

He turned to see a Martial General as strong as a tiger grow out orange fur, pinned down his comrades next to him, and fiercely bit through the comrade's neck!

"What's happening—"

Screams rang out one after another, animalistic howls echoed through Nanming Pass, as if a contagious phenomenon was occurring, with Martial Generals one by one growing fur, falling into madness, attacking their comrades like bloodthirsty beasts! Even the Martial Pillar from Yanjing whose aid was sought had grown brown fur, transforming into a terrifying giant bear!

Soon, the vast main hall became a hunting ground for beasts; some turned into prey, others into Hunters!

The most powerful Martial Generals of Nanming Pass thus fell into mutual slaughter and internal conflict!

However, Gao Jin's mind was not focused here, but rather outside.

If these Martial Generals underwent mutation, what about those soldiers guarding the city outside?

"Beast, what have you done!"

Boom!

Tong Xuanle punched forward, the dining table exploded, and Blue Flame and Lin Linlin dodged the attack casually. Lin Linlin laughed: "In this place, the term beast wouldn't be used to describe either of us, would it?"

Gao Jin looked at Blue Flame with a complex expression, lips trembling: "Blue... Flame... Could it be you..."

"Gao Jin, your judgment is indeed correct." Blue Flame smiled: "I really enjoy letting people know my next move."

"But... occasionally, I let others know my next two moves."

"Now, it's time to respond with actions to your previous questions."

Blue Flame casually flipped the neighboring mutated Martial General, taking away his long halberd: "Am I the unparalleled Divine General who fights against thousands?"

Lin Linlin reached out, pierced the eyes of the living Martial General beside him, took his sword amidst the General's screams: "Am I the leader of Assassins, who can kill anyone?"

...

...

"And I, Silver Ancient Moon."

Silver Ancient Moon led the night assault squad, leisurely strolling on the walls of Nanming Pass, swinging a long sword lightly, slaying all soldiers guarding the walls.

He glanced into Nanming Pass, only to see Nanming Pass had fallen into chaos; all soldiers were battling furiously amongst themselves, beasts killing people, people killing beasts, people killing people, beasts killing beasts.

Perhaps without needing Blood Source Army and Linhai Army to intervene, by the time dawn breaks tomorrow, there might not be many alive in Nanming Pass.

Silver Ancient Moon sighed.

"When will Blue Flame finally die so I can take his place?"