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"Everyone, keep your eyes peeled! No slacking or smirking!"

Bai Lie was already feeling a headache coming on as he faced the group of soldiers under him. Their strength had grown so quickly that it came with plenty of drawbacks—chief among them, an overblown sense of confidence.

To put things in perspective, even a decade ago, a master at the First or Second Rank would have been a prominent figure in the Imperial Court, at least holding the title of an Earl. Even a rogue master with no connections would start at a Fourth Rank official position at minimum.

That kind of power was once a peak many soldiers could never hope to reach in their lifetimes. But here in Jiangnan, in less than a few years, almost all his men had achieved that level of mastery.

During their downtime, they would frequently spar with each other, indulging in the thrill of being ’masters.’ They’d leap between mountains as if testing their limits, as though not seeking out opponents to challenge themselves was somehow an insult to their newfound prowess.

And one by one, their egos grew more inflated. They barely respected anyone outside their own Warrior Army. Even the City Defense Army was dismissed in their eyes, let alone the so-called Southern Barbarians from beyond the borders.

To them, having an incident or disturbance was ideal—they were itching for a fight. If someone caused trouble, it would just be a convenient outlet for their pent-up energy. Their hands had been itching for action for far too long.

So, when faced with Old Bai’s warnings, the soldiers didn’t feel concerned at all. Instead, some even felt like laughing a little.

Seeing their smirking faces below, Bai Lie gave up on further lecturing. Waving his hand impatiently, he said, "Open the gates!"

Regardless, a general’s authority still commanded enough respect. The soldiers might be grinning, but they still formed up properly, their movements precise as they opened the gates. From a distance, at least, their military formation didn’t appear sloppy.

"Hmph..." Bai Lie snorted coldly. These young brats hadn’t completely lost their discipline yet; otherwise, a session with the paddle tonight would have been unavoidable!

In truth, he didn’t believe anything serious would happen either. After all, in this region, even the full might of the Southern Barbarian Nation was nothing he feared. What could possibly go wrong?

"Thank you, sir!"

As the troops began to guide children and women into the city in an orderly fashion, countless Southern Barbarian civilians expressed their tearful gratitude.

While able-bodied men weren’t allowed entry yet, they were relieved that at least their women and children would survive.

Many had long heard of life under Chen Qing’s governance—it was said to be idyllic for the people.

Even though Southern Barbarian children couldn’t enjoy the same treatment as those from the Central Plains, it was far better than being treated like livestock in their own country, wasn’t it?

As for themselves... well, if they lived, so be it—if not, they had already prepared for the worst. At least their families had a chance. Who knew? Perhaps they themselves might have an opportunity to enter someday, no matter how slim the odds. A sliver of hope was still better than none, right?

Of course, not everyone accepted their fate so easily.

Some were crying hysterically because their children were too tall—many taller than the height of a carriage wheel.

Women knelt desperately, bowing and begging to bring their children in.

But facing the soldiers’ cold indifference, they didn’t dare to act recklessly.

Thus, in this chaotic crowd, there were expressions of gratitude, pleas of despair, and even simmering resentment. Gradually, the soldiers who had come to aid began to disperse more and more—after all, managing a crowd of over a million people was no easy task.

Yet, for some reason, Bai Lie, who had been feeling relaxed moments ago, suddenly had an awful premonition that surged through his heart.

He had once fought his way across battlefields with Tian Heng, blade and spear in hand. His instinct was something he had always trusted. Without hesitation, he summoned his energy and issued an urgent command: "All soldiers, drop the children... Forming Array!!"

The soldiers outside, tangled up in the crowd, froze in confusion. They turned back incredulously toward their distant general. What was going on? Why such an order at this moment?

And drop the children?

Most soldiers had four or five children clinging to them at this point. If they dropped them now, it would take who knew how long to gather them again later. What was their general thinking?

More importantly, why the sudden urgency? Looking around, they didn’t sense any threat of intrusion. No demonic presence was in the air...

"What are you standing there for?!" Bai Lie roared in fury.

Even if it was just a false alarm, he was willing to take the embarrassment, willing to endure the jeers later—but there could be no mistakes while guarding this stronghold. Not a single one.

Unfortunately... the mere hesitation of the soldiers had already alerted the enemies hidden in the shadows.

"Act now!"

From within the crowd, an icy, all-encompassing aura surged, emanating terror in all directions. Even Bai Lie, a Transcendent-level master, felt himself suffocating under the immense pressure.

His entire body tensed, and a sinking dread curled within him.

From the sheer oppressive force, he deduced that the adversary was likely on the same level as his own superior—or worse, there wasn’t just one such foe. For there to be such masters hidden among the Southern Barbarians... this had been a trap from the very start!!

Without the military array forming in time, if these enemies breached the gate... disaster would engulf the Southeast!

Bai Lie erupted his internal energy with a roar, summoning a surge of powerful lifeforce. Yet just as he was about to act, he felt his body seize up violently. It was as though an invisible hand had locked onto him, leaving him flushed red and in unbearable discomfort!

"Your energy is pure, yes. But alas, you lack experience. Power used so recklessly only serves to prematurely expose your weaknesses."

A sharp and icy voice sounded nearby, sending a bone-chilling dread through Bai Lie’s entire being.

The words weren’t just a metaphor—his body physically froze as if plunged into an icy abyss.

"General!!"

In the distance, his soldiers’ eyes blazed with fury as they discarded the children and charged toward him recklessly.

Bai Lie tried to shout for them to stop but found himself unable to make a sound.

That was when he discovered why his body was so cold.

Unbeknownst to him, his heart had already been pierced.

What’s more, his heart was located on the right side instead of the left—a hidden anomaly known only to him.

Yet the enemy had somehow discerned it at a glance and had struck with precision, targeting the core of his lifeforce.

Deprived of strength, he could do nothing but agonizingly wait for death. He wasn’t even able to stop his soldiers from charging recklessly into certain doom.

"Demons who temper their bodies always cultivate multiple fail-safes. It can be inconvenient, but like the saying goes, ’a clever rabbit has three burrows.

’ Humans, however, are far less adaptable.

Your reliance on your heart to channel lifeforce so exclusively may make it efficient—but in Outer Space. .. such tactics are suicidal!"

"You..." Bai Lie’s gaze grew dim as despair surged through him.

Against an enemy of this caliber, his soldiers had no hope unless they formed an array. And undoubtedly, there were others of similar strength lying in wait. If the soldiers were scattered now, they would face a massacre.

I’ve failed General Tian... I’ve failed my lord...

"Oh?" The enemy seemed to sense Bai Lie’s final struggles. Despite his pierced heart, Bai Lie’s resilient lifeforce fought desperately to break free. But with his heart paralyzed by the enemy’s unique technique, every attempt was in vain.

"Impressive... In terms of vitality and willpower, you’re no less remarkable than those monstrous beings in Outer Space. Given the limited lifespan of humans, reaching your level is quite commendable."

"Remember my name. I am Kui Wood Wolf of the Twenty-Eight Constellations!!"