The sun's first rays spilled over the eastern peaks, casting long, fractured shadows that danced across the battlefield. But these shadows were not static; they moved, a terrifying, silent surge running down the steep, single trail of the hill. They were two hundred strong, grouped in packs of six war-beasts, their massive, golden-brown to brownish-gold bodies streaked with black stripes that allowed them to blend seamlessly with the rising light and the mottled earth.
The sharp wind, blowing off the enemy camp, carried the dense, metallic scent of their foes directly into their nostrils. As they surged closer to the foot of the hill, that scent became a visceral, infuriating memory: the unmistakable odor of the swore enemies who had killed their brothers, their sisters, and those who had raised them. Their fierce, yellow-striped eyes were widened, not by surprise, but by pure, focused primal rage.
The Razaasia infantry, entirely absorbed in their charge toward the city gate, were utterly unaware of the catastrophe about to engulf their flank. Then, the pack leader did not hesitate. With a terrifying snarl that cut through the battle din, the immense feline leapt forward, covering the final distance in a single, devastating bound. Its massive jaws snapped shut, seizing the nearest Razaasia soldier by the neck, instantly crushing bone and silencing the man's scream as the rest of the pack exploded into the vulnerable, unsuspecting column.
A single, high-pitched female voice echoed from the top of the hill. "Hey...! Yee...!" The primal, ringing cry cut through the battle din, instantly alerting every Razaasia soldier in the camp.
As if the woman's shout was a command, the two hundred tigers that had just burst upon the flank quickly changed their focus, zeroing in on the disorganized soldiers still sheltering inside the camp perimeter. The scent of their specific, hidden enemy was now clearer than the morning air.
Still rushing toward the Razaasia cavalry to intercept the main line, Konn looked over Chinua's shoulder and yelled, "Who is that?"
"That's one of the best female captains you will ever see in battle," Chinua yelled back, a proud grin splitting her face. "I advise you not to ever fight her!"
On top of the hill, as the first sunray shone across her dark, tanned face, sweat on her forehead catching the light and visible against the shiny black of her skin, Hibo turned her head and commanded her massive force, "Warriors of Umusa! Show No Mercy!"
With that short command, Hibo charged her horse down the steep flank. The thousands of Musian soldiers rode down the hill after her in a terrifying wave, heading straight toward the converging battle point between Chinua, Konn, and the desperate Razaasia cavalries.
Standing on the unstable rampart city wall, Chong, Xue, and the three remaining captains were gripped by confusion. They stood stunned, unable to determine if the sudden, terrifying reinforcements were friend or foe. The four-legged animals were too distant to be correctly identified, but their coordinated, brutal method of attack clearly indicated they were highly trained war-beasts.
Hye was momentarily speechless. He watched the tiger force of the Umusa surge down the hill, followed closely by the familiar, commanding shout of Hibo. How? he thought to himself. This was far beyond the scope of his plan. Could this truly be Chinua's contingency plan, developed without consulting him?
Xue, observing Hye's intense focus, realized the strategist wasn't stunned by fear but was wrestling with a strategic puzzle.
"Hye!" Xue rushed toward him. "Do you know them? Are they enemies or allies?"
Hye kept his eyes on the raging battle below. "They are neither your friend nor your enemy," he said cryptically.
"What do you mean?" Xao demanded.
Hye sighed and finally explained. "They are the sworn enemy of the Razaasia."
Mao, one of the remaining captains, pressed him further. "Who are they and why are they here to help us?"
Hye took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "They are the Umusa's finest warriors." He turned to face the men. "They are not here to help your city, Generals and Captains; they are here mainly to help that soldier down there with your young captain."
Just then, a loud, piercing horn blew, echoing from the top of the hill, signaling the full descent of the new force.
Hye's smile broadened. "Generals and Captains, here come the true bandits." He turned to face the chaotic battlefield. "You will witness how true bandits fight."
A wave of terrified muttering swept through the remaining soldiers huddled on the unstable city wall.
"Bandits..."
"We are facing the Razaasia soldiers, and now two forces of bandits."
"Today is the day Zaoging falls."
The word "bandits" hung heavy in the air, a label that terrified the exhausted, besieged Ginmiao soldiers more than the advancing Razaasia.
"Bandits?" Chong turned to look at Hye, whose face shone with an unnerving lack of worry. "Do you know which group of Bandits they are?"
Hye smiled, a slight, knowing curve of his lips. "The Bandits of Salran Hill of Hmagol Kingdom."
The two generals and their three captains immediately recognized the name. The Salran Hill Bandits were not common thieves; they were a fiercely independent, highly organized tribal federation, notorious for their brutality toward any official government, yet they held an ancient, unyielding loyalty to Hmagol Kingdom. This realization brought another wave of agonizing regret to Chong, who understood the depth of the loyalty Hye commanded—loyalty Chong had dismissed when he failed to pay Hye's price years ago.
Chong's face cycled through disbelief, shock, and then a dawning realization of the impossible logistics involved. He finally understood that the solitary soldier facing the Razaasia cavalry alone was no other than Chinua herself, requiring such deep concern from Hye.
He moved closer to Hye and asked in a low tone, "The soldier down there... That someone, he is General Chinua, isn't it?"
Hye placed his index finger on his lips. "Shhh..."
Chong sighed, still in disbelief. "She... she didn't just bring an army. She secured the Umusa and the Salran Bandits. She didn't just plan a defense; she planned a revolution."
"She planned an absolute guarantee of victory," Hye confirmed, his voice sharp with command. "The Razaasia know how to fight armies. They do not know how to fight the entire wild frontier."
Hye didn't give Chong time to process the magnitude of this political maneuver. He pointed toward the battlefield, where the flank charge had already caused the front ranks of the Razaasia infantry to buckle.
"General, the war you are fighting is over. The war I am fighting has just begun. We now have one singular duty: act as the anvil for the Musian hammer."
Xue, recognizing the absolute commitment required, stepped forward. "Tell me what you need, and I will make sure that it's done."
Hye turned to the two generals and the three captains. His strategist's voice, now calm but ringing with cold authority, cut cleanly through the distant sounds of chaos.
"Brave soldiers of Gimsong, we are abandoning the city and giving the Razaasia our final assault!"
The Ginmiao officers stared, aghast, but Hye continued, mapping out the final, suicidal commitment of their forces.
General Chong and Captain Xao: "You will take Captain Xao and the three hundred soldiers you command. You will ride to the left flank and do not fight with the Musian army. Your objective is to kill any escaping Razaasia soldiers heading towards the Golden Triangle."
General Xue and Captain Mao: "You will lead your five hundred soldiers. You will head straight to aid your son and the Musian army, charging directly into the main Razaasia infantry from the front, merging with the flank assault."
Captain Long: "Captain, you are still injured. Therefore, you will be here with me. You will command the rear guard. We hold this rampart until the battle is won."
"But..." Long began, wanting to argue against his orders and join the fight with the rest of General Chong's soldiers.
"Do as he says," Chong cut him off, his voice firm with renewed purpose. "Right now, the most important person within the entire city is him. Captain, I will leave his safety in your hands."
"I will not fail you, General," Long said, snapping to attention, the weight of guarding the battle's strategic brain settling upon him.
Chong turned to look at his old friend, Xue. "Old friend, let's fight one last battle together."
Xue simply nodded, and the generals and their captains quickly rushed down the stairs, their few remaining troops rallying behind them. Moments later, the massive, reinforced city gate of Zaoging swung open for the last time, creaking heavily on its hinges.
Hye stood on the rampart, his injured guard, Long, beside him. He watched the final Ginmiao soldiers stream out of the city and gallop toward the positions he had assigned. Now, spread out before him, lay the biggest, bloodiest chessboard he had ever encountered, containing more than ten thousand pieces. He had to play this human game of chess perfectly, placing every piece in the most crucial position to destroy his enemy and ensure their victory.