The Army from Dong Nguyen Arrives

Ten days passed.

Heavenly Eye's Tien Thanh remained quieter than Hao Nhien had anticipated.

Duong Long had yet to arrive, and none of the four military districts within the city had made any serious attempt to expand their influence. The remaining commanders seemed to understand that, until the new City Lord officially took his position, seizing another warehouse or claiming a few additional units would bring little real advantage.

For now, everyone was waiting. Some awaited Duong Long's arrival to take command, others waited for new orders from Heavenly Eye, while still others simply wanted to see whose hands Tien Thanh would ultimately fall into after Duong Quang's death.

In the northern district, the Hoa Ky army camp continued operating much as it always had. Nap Long's command token remained in use, routine documents were issued on schedule, and patrols rotated as before. Whenever the other three districts made inquiries, they received the same explanation: Nap Long was handling certain confidential matters before Duong Long's arrival and had temporarily entrusted most military affairs to Luu Ho.

It was hardly a flawless explanation, but with every commander holding tightly to his own forces, no one had sufficient reason to force his way into the northern district merely to verify what Nap Long was doing.

At least, no one had done so yet.

Throughout those ten days, Hao Nhien rarely appeared in public.

Only a dozen or so people were summoned to him each day, mostly Luu Ho, Luu Hoang, the remaining captains, and a handful of others whom Hao Nhien believed might become the backbone of the clan's forces in the future.

What he taught them, however, was nothing particularly profound.

Hao Nhien began with the simplest fundamentals: how to stand, how to shift their center of gravity, how to transfer force from their feet through their hips and back before delivering it through a punch, and how to eliminate unnecessary movements when drawing or swinging a sword. He also taught them to observe the sand beneath an opponent's feet, the movement of clothing and hair, and even the faintest disturbances in the surrounding air, allowing them to anticipate the direction of an attack before it was actually launched.

His long experience training in the wind had taught him that every movement left traces in the surrounding environment. The only question was whether the observer possessed the sensitivity to notice them.

One day, standing before a Hoa Ky warrior holding a sword, Hao Nhien said, "Don't focus only on the blade. Before the sword moves, the shoulder has already shifted. Before the body turns, the hips and center of gravity have already changed position. If you wait until the sword is actually swinging before reacting, you're already too late."

He had the warrior repeat the exercise several times.

By the fifth attempt, even Luu Ho, who was standing nearby, began to recognize the difference.

When they moved on to fist techniques, Hao Nhien required them to practice only a single straight punch. Yet every part of the movement, from the feet through the hips, back, shoulders, and finally the arm, had to form one continuous chain of force. True Qi and physical strength needed to arrive together, rather than having the fist travel halfway toward its target before the power behind it caught up.

Three days later, the first group began to understand.

From then on, they passed what they had learned to those beneath them. Hao Nhien would occasionally stop by, observe for a while, and correct whatever remained imperfect.

No one outside the camp noticed anything unusual.

The Hoa Ky soldiers had not suddenly advanced an entire cultivation layer, nor had they acquired some extraordinary new cultivation art. Yet with the same bodies and the same amount of True Qi, the way they wielded their strength was beginning to change.

While Hao Nhien trained the core group, Luu Ho found himself even busier.

After reaching Foundation Establishment layer seven, his aura gradually stabilized. Meanwhile, Nap Long's command token allowed him to handle a great many matters without drawing attention.

Most of the personnel along the eastern reconnaissance network remained unchanged. Only four crucial positions were gradually adjusted over several days: one officer responsible for consolidating intelligence near the city gate, two men controlling key sections of the transmission route, and a captain entrusted with the emergency communication talismans.

Beyond that, those who had long wished to return to Hoa Ky but had previously been afraid to reveal their intentions were quietly reassigned to suitable positions, one by one.

To an outsider, it would have looked like nothing more than a routine adjustment of duty rotations ahead of the new City Lord's arrival.

For Hao Nhien, however, it was enough.

By the tenth day, any important intelligence traveling from Dong Nguyen toward Tien Thanh had to pass under the eyes of at least one Hoa Ky man.

He did not yet control the entire reconnaissance network, but he was beginning to decide which reports would be held back and which would be allowed to proceed.

During those ten days, Luu Ho had also been quietly attending to another matter.

The families of those who had chosen to return to Hoa Ky were moved out of Tien Thanh in small groups, never on the same day and never under the same pretext. Some accompanied merchant caravans, others were reassigned to supply stations outside the city, while still others claimed they were relocating or visiting relatives.

Only a few households left at a time, never enough to attract attention.

By the tenth day, most of the important family members of the Hoa Ky soldiers were no longer scattered among territories controlled by the other three military districts.

Even so, Hao Nhien was not entirely at ease.

He was still waiting for two crucial pieces of news: one from the south, where Duong Long was advancing toward Tien Thanh, and another from the east, where Ta Moc had carried his letter to Tam Thanh.

Throughout those days, he checked for reports from both directions almost daily.

If the Tam Thanh army appeared too late, Duong Long might enter the city first, making the entire plan considerably more difficult.

If it appeared too early, the other three military districts might realize that the eastern force intended merely to exert pressure rather than launch an actual siege.

The timing had to be close enough.

But Hao Nhien could not control everything from such a distance.

On the twelfth day, news finally arrived from the east.

Around noon, Luu Ho entered the inner chamber so hurriedly that he barely slowed his steps.

"Clan Chief, we've received a report from the third station."

Hao Nhien immediately raised his head.

"The east?"

"Yes."

Luu Ho placed a jade slip on the table.

"Our scouts have spotted the Tam Thanh army."

Quan Nha, who was sitting opposite Hao Nhien, immediately turned her attention toward them.

Hao Nhien took the jade slip and swept his spiritual sense through it before speaking.

"They haven't determined the exact numbers. The scouts didn't dare approach too closely, but judging by the dust clouds and formation, it's most likely a mobile detachment."

Hao Nhien studied the map.

"At an ordinary army's marching pace, they're nearly ten days away, but they're moving rather quickly."

He set down the jade slip and pointed to the eastern route on the map.

"I made it very clear in my letter to Lieu Thien Van that the vanguard didn't need to be large. He only needed to select strong soldiers, good Sand Beasts, and as little baggage as possible, then move at the fastest pace they could maintain."

Quan Nha tilted her head slightly.

The author's published chapter is on the page they use for publication, while this copy was taken without permission.

"So that Heavenly Eye's scouts would see them?"

"Exactly."

Hao Nhien nodded.

"They don't need to attack the city, or even approach too closely. They only need to make themselves visible enough for Tien Thanh's scouts to confirm that they really are troops from Tam Thanh."

He glanced at the jade slip on the table.

"A few hundred soldiers might not be enough to frighten Tien Thanh. But no one knows whether there's another army behind them. As long as that uncertainty exists, the commanders inside the city will pull their forces back to defend their own positions."

Quan Nha understood.

"So you don't actually need Lieu Thien Van to attack."

"Not for now, at least," Hao Nhien replied. "What worried me most over the past ten days wasn't whether he would send troops, but whether their arrival would coincide with Duong Long's. If Duong Long entered the city first, everything would become much harder."

His gaze returned to the southern portion of the map.

"Now the news from the east has arrived earlier than expected, while Duong Long still hasn't appeared."

A faint smile touched Hao Nhien's lips.

"That gives us a little more room to breathe."

He turned toward Luu Ho.

"There's no need to conceal this report."

Luu Ho hesitated.

"You want the entire city to know?"

"Yes."

Hao Nhien nodded.

"Let the other three districts send out their own scouts to verify it. We report exactly what we've seen, nothing more and nothing less."

Less than two hours later, the warning bells at Tien Thanh's eastern gate began to ring.

News of the Tam Thanh army's appearance quickly spread to the other three military districts.

The commanders reacted swiftly. Their own scouts were dispatched, inspections at the eastern gate were tightened, the armories were opened, and units stationed outside the city began receiving orders to withdraw.

No one immediately proposed marching out to meet the approaching force in battle.

It was almost exactly the response Hao Nhien had hoped for.

Without knowing how many troops might be following the Tam Thanh detachment, no commander wanted to lead his own forces out of the city on his own initiative.

By late afternoon, Luu Ho brought three reports and placed them on the table.

"At least two commanders have sent their own men to investigate. Their findings aren't much different from ours."

Hao Nhien examined the reports one after another before setting them aside.

"Has anyone confirmed whether there's another army behind them?"

"Not yet. Their scouts didn't dare get too close either. All they know is that the vanguard is still moving and shows no sign of turning back."

Hao Nhien nodded faintly.

That was enough.

The less the commanders of Tien Thanh knew about the forces behind the vanguard, the less willing they would be to dismiss the detachment as a mere reconnaissance unit or a simple diversion.

Quan Nha asked, "What do they intend to do?"

"Defend the city," Luu Ho replied. "No one wants to launch an attack. The old military regulations also require outside forces to withdraw whenever a major army appears from Dong Nguyen."

Hao Nhien nodded.

"Then that's enough."

Luu Ho looked at him.

Hao Nhien placed a finger on the map.

"I never intended to lure them out of the city. I only needed them to decide for themselves that staying inside was the safest choice."

His finger moved from the eastern district to the western district, then south.

"No one knows how many soldiers are behind the Tam Thanh detachment, or whether Lieu Thien Van truly intends to attack the city or merely apply pressure. Under those circumstances, the commanders will be even more reluctant to abandon their positions."

Hao Nhien turned his attention toward the south.

"Duong Long is approaching Tien Thanh, while the Tam Thanh army has appeared in the east. No one knows whether another mobile detachment might circle around toward the southern route."

Luu Ho still did not understand.

"Clan Chief, you mean..."

Hao Nhien looked at him.

"Duong Long was originally a member of Hoa Ky, and the northern army once served directly under him. With the Dong Nguyen forces appearing, what would be unreasonable about you leading your troops out to welcome him?"

"Nothing. In fact, it would make perfect sense."

Luu Ho answered, though the uncertainty had not entirely left his eyes.

Quan Nha asked, "Wouldn't the other commanders try to stop him?"

"Why would they?"

Hao Nhien turned toward her.

"If they genuinely believe the Tam Thanh army might send a detachment around their defensive line, they'll be even more eager for Duong Long to reach the city safely. And that gives them an even stronger reason to keep their own troops where they are."

Luu Ho spoke again.

"Clan Chief, you want me to submit a formal request for permission to leave the city."

"There's no need to ask permission."

Hao Nhien shook his head.

"You're holding Nap Long's command token. Simply follow the proper procedure and inform the other three districts that the Tam Thanh army has appeared. Since the possibility of a mobile detachment breaking away from the main force cannot be ruled out, the Hoa Ky army will take the initiative to leave the city, welcome Duong Long, and secure the final stretch of his route into Tien Thanh."

He paused briefly.

"At the same time, remind them of the defensive regulations. With a major army from Dong Nguyen now in sight, the remaining districts should hold their positions and avoid creating any gaps in the city's defenses."

Luu Ho studied him for several moments before bowing his head.

"This subordinate understands."

Hao Nhien asked, "How many of our soldiers' families have been relocated?"

"Most are already outside. The remaining families have been gathered into one area in the northern district, under the protection of our own men."

"Can you get the rest out within two days?"

"Yes."

"Then do it," Hao Nhien said. "When the Hoa Ky army leaves the city, I don't want to leave behind anything that can be used as a hostage."

Luu Ho's expression grew solemn.

"Yes, Clan Chief."

Over the next two days, preparations continued quietly but without interruption.

The remaining Hoa Ky families were moved out through different gates under prearranged excuses. Some supplies, medicines, and dried provisions were also discreetly distributed among supply stations outside the city.

By the morning of the fourteenth day, the northern district still looked much as it always had, but almost everything that truly belonged to Hoa Ky had been removed from Tien Thanh's grasp.

That same day, Hao Nhien received a report from the southern route.

Duong Long's advance party had appeared.

At their current pace, the main army would need another four days to reach the area surrounding Tien Thanh.

At last, the timing had aligned.

Hao Nhien studied the two routes on the map for a long while.

To the east stood the Tam Thanh army.

To the south came Duong Long.

One was forcing Tien Thanh to draw inward upon itself.

The other was advancing straight toward the opening he had spent half a month preparing.

Not everything had unfolded exactly as Hao Nhien had calculated, but events were proceeding even more favorably than he had expected.

The following morning, Tien Thanh's southern gate was thrown wide open.

More than three hundred Hoa Ky warriors marched out in succession, equipped with armor, Sand Beasts, dried provisions, and weapons.

From the city walls, scouts belonging to the other commanders watched them depart.

One commander from the western district even sent a messenger with a warning.

"If you encounter Dong Nguyen's troops, avoid engaging them. Your priority is to bring the City Lord safely into the city."

Luu Ho answered calmly, "I understand."

The southern gate stood open.

The entire Hoa Ky force passed through.

Then the heavy gates slowly closed behind them.

Hao Nhien rode a Sand Beast near the center of the formation, his features still concealed beneath his disguise to avoid attracting attention from a distance.

Quan Nha rode beside him.

She glanced back at the walls of Tien Thanh, which were gradually receding into the distance, and asked, "Now that they're leaving, the Hoa Ky soldiers won't be returning, will they?"

Hao Nhien also looked back.

"Not as soldiers of Heavenly Eye."

Quan Nha smiled softly.

"Then from today onward, they've truly left."

"Yes," Hao Nhien replied. "The people inside the city simply don't know it yet."

Once they had passed beyond Tien Thanh's direct observation range, Hao Nhien summoned Luu Ho.

"Choose six men to scout ahead for Duong Long."

Luu Ho asked, "What if they encounter his troops?"

"Approach them openly," Hao Nhien replied. "We're going to welcome the City Lord. We have no reason to hide."

He continued, "If they meet Duong Long's men, they should report the situation exactly as Tien Thanh currently understands it. Three days ago, scouts spotted a Tam Thanh detachment advancing rapidly from the east. Their route has been unpredictable, sometimes advancing and sometimes changing direction. Although their objective remains uncertain, we cannot rule out the possibility that another detachment has split off to strike the outer routes."

Luu Ho nodded slowly.

Hao Nhien continued.

"Add that Nap Long and most of Tien Thanh's forces are coordinating the defense of the city while awaiting Duong Long's arrival. Your unit has been dispatched to welcome the City Lord and provide assistance along the final stretch of his journey."

"That way, they won't suspect anything about our presence here."

"Exactly."

Hao Nhien looked at him.

"There's no need to tell too many lies. Everything only needs to fit what Duong Long already has reason to believe."

Luu Ho understood his meaning.

"If we encounter the advance party, I'll ask about the City Lord's position and marching speed, using the need to determine a suitable rendezvous point as my reason."

"Ask as someone carrying out ordinary military duties."

Hao Nhien nodded.

"Don't press too deeply about their numbers or formation. Observe whatever you can, but there's no need to force it."

Luu Ho smiled.

"This subordinate understands."

Shortly afterward, six mounted scouts separated from the formation and raced south.

Behind them, the more than three hundred Hoa Ky soldiers continued marching at a pace fast enough to close the distance, yet measured enough to keep both men and Sand Beasts from exhausting themselves before they actually encountered Duong Long's army.

Throughout the journey, Hao Nhien continued receiving reports from both directions.

In the east, the Tam Thanh detachment remained active across a broad area, sometimes advancing, sometimes halting, and occasionally changing direction to prevent Tien Thanh's scouts from determining its true objective.

By the afternoon of the second day after their departure, the Hoa Ky formation was crossing a stretch of low sand dunes when the rapid pounding of Sand Beast hooves sounded ahead.

A lone rider appeared.

Luu Ho immediately raised his hand, signaling the formation to slow down.

The rider approached at great speed. While still more than ten zhang away, he leaped from his Sand Beast and ran the remaining distance toward the front of the formation.

"Commander!"

Luu Ho recognized one of the six men he had sent ahead.

"Found them?"

"Yes."

The scout was still breathing heavily.

"We've encountered Duong Long's army."

Hao Nhien moved forward from the rear.

"How far?"

"About two days' march. They're heading this way."

"How many?"

The scout drew a deep breath before answering.

"We couldn't count them precisely, but they have at least three times our numbers."

The atmosphere around the formation changed immediately.

More than three hundred Hoa Ky warriors.

Three times that number meant Duong Long's army might exceed a thousand soldiers.

Luu Ho frowned.

Hao Nhien asked, "Did you meet Duong Long?"

"Not directly, but his men confirmed that the City Lord is traveling with the army."

"Did they suspect us?"

"No. We told them we had come to welcome him and informed them about the Tam Thanh forces appearing in the east. They immediately questioned us in great detail."

Luu Ho asked, "And then?"

The scout looked at him.

"Duong Long sent word that he wishes to meet Commander Luu today."

The desert wind swept across the formation.

Luu Ho turned toward Hao Nhien.

Duong Long was only two days away, with more than a thousand soldiers behind him. After spending over half a month staying ahead of his opponent, Hao Nhien had finally positioned himself directly along the road Duong Long was bound to travel.

A faint smile appeared on Hao Nhien's lips.

"Then let's go."

He looked south.

"Let's go meet the City Lord."