The mountain fire raged, thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Cold winds scattered ashes everywhere, staining Su Min's entire body a sooty gray as she charged toward the flames. Her face was smudged black, like a coal miner's.
"Just how many men did that bastard deploy? From the looks of it, there must be at least a hundred thousand on the other side."
Cursing inwardly, Su Min mentally damned the emperor's ancestors eighteen generations back. The army had sealed off the entire mountain range, even constructing fortresses on key peaks—some equipped with massive crossbows resembling modern sniper rifles.
Su Min was still flesh and blood. She didn't dare charge head-on. To prevent the fire from spreading toward their positions, the soldiers had clear-cut entire swathes of the mountainside, leaving no cover. Countless troops lay in ambush there. If she tried to break through, she'd be swarmed instantly.
But the fiery front was different—there might be a gap. To escape the encirclement, she had to go through the flames. No ordinary person could survive such an inferno.
But Su Min wasn't ordinary.
First, as a mid-stage Body Tempering cultivator, she could channel spiritual energy to protect herself. Second, among basic alchemical pills was one specifically designed to resist high-temperature spells. It wouldn't hold against a high-level cultivator's techniques, but ordinary fire? That was manageable.
"No one would expect me to charge straight into a firestorm."
Meanwhile, upwind, a handful of soldiers yawned as they watched the blaze. They'd never bothered searching the deep mountains—too rugged, too dense. Their mission had been simpler: spend months digging a massive firebreak around the range to contain the flames.
Now, a squad of twenty-odd men trudged lazily behind the advancing fireline. They had zero enthusiasm for this operation. The reward was generous, sure—but with hundreds of thousands competing for one prize, and most of it going to their superiors, why bother?
"Stay alert. Who knows what'll happen once this mountain's burned," the cavalry captain barked at his lethargic men.
Their units were spaced a kilometer apart—enough to rally quickly if needed. But compared to the forces stationed downwind, this contingent was pitifully thin. Twenty million men sounded impressive, yet for a mountain range this vast? It was barely enough to form a thin cordon.
General Mu's strategy was straightforward: use the fire to herd Su Min toward the southern choke point. If she appeared, she'd be bogged down long enough for reinforcements to swarm her.
A thousand soldiers could converge within a day—enough to overwhelm even a Body Refining cultivator. That much, he'd learned from the brothel madam. Body Tempering wasn't enough to face an army. Or withstand fire's searing heat. Hence this plan.
The troops sent into the mountains? Just scare tactics—to deny her rest, force her to keep moving. Starvation and exhaustion would do the rest. The main army's job was to dig firebreaks, ensuring the blaze didn't rage out of control. Then, come autumn, light the match and flush her out. Even caves would turn into ovens.
As a seasoned general, Mu preferred this methodical, near-certain approach over convoluted schemes. So this squad's role was simple: keep the fireline advancing. If it faltered, relight it.
But this wasn't war. There were no glorious battle merits here. Morale was nonexistent. Just as the captain finished his half-hearted warning—
Whoosh!
A shadow blurred past.
"ARGH—!"
The captain screamed as a kick sent him flying. A petite figure vaulted onto his horse, slapped its flank, and galloped away before anyone could react.
Su Min.
She'd never ridden a horse before—but this body's original owner had. In this era, horses were essential. Even noblewomen learned. The south was a fortified wall. But the north? Thinly guarded. An obvious gap she couldn't ignore.
Her target: the Jishui River, less than ten kilometers ahead. The Jishui was a massive river spanning kilometers in width—a natural moat cutting through the Great Wei Dynasty, flowing past the Min Mountains to the sea.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Cross it, and she'd be free. All defenses were on this side.
"SIGNAL THE ALARM! AFTER HER!"
The captain wheezed, struggling to his feet. He wasn't dead—just battered. A soldier fumbled with a tube at his waist, yanked a cord, and—
BOOM!
A firework streaked into the sky. Su Min heard the explosion. Within minutes, dozens of cavalrymen converged from all directions. This was just the beginning. If trapped, she'd drown in endless waves of soldiers.
No time to hesitate. Ten kilometers to the river. Ten kilometers to freedom.
"LOOSE ARROWS! AIM FOR THE HORSE, NOT THE RIDER!"
Normally, soldiers avoided targeting horses—even in pitched battles, mounts often outlived their riders. But this wasn't a normal situation.