Chapter 675 - 209: The Battle Begins

He was sure this feeling wasn’t wrong.

But Yang Chuan couldn’t figure out the specific reason why.

After watching the Marquis of Ren De depart, Shen Bai saw Ding Quan step forward and raised a hand to stop him from speaking.

He didn’t have to guess; he knew Ding Quan wanted to ask why he’d let the Marquis of Ren De go.

In truth, Shen Bai couldn’t have found a reason to forcibly detain the Marquis of Ren De even if he’d wanted to.

"General Yang, how many men do you have stationed here?" Shen Bai asked, turning to face Yang Chuan.

Yang Chuan was taken aback for a moment before quickly replying, "Roughly a little over a thousand men."

Gale Camp wasn’t a particularly large encampment, so over a thousand men was already a considerable number.

Shen Bai nodded.

Suddenly, a theory formed in his mind.

’The Marquis of Ren De left Yang Chuan here. He must have a follow-up plan.’

’So, are these soldiers part of that plan?’

At this thought, Shen Bai employed his Infinite Divination Skill and began his Calculation.

This was the first time he had ever used the Infinite Divination Skill to divine the fates of others. His targets were Yang Chuan and all the soldiers in Gale Camp.

As Shen Bai used his Infinite Divination Skill, countless golden threads appeared before his eyes. They connected to every single person in Gale Camp, a dense and spectacular sight.

The threads were golden, but then the gold gradually transformed into a deathly gray.

Shen Bai froze for a second when he saw this result, but he quickly composed himself.

’It’s an omen of death.’

With his Infinite Divination Skill, Shen Bai’s accomplishments in divination were extraordinary.

The threads before him turning from gold to a deathly gray was proof that every soldier in Gale Camp was destined to die.

Shen Bai sank into thought.

’So that’s it. The Marquis of Ren De plans to sacrifice these thousand-odd soldiers. It seems he wants to use their lives as some kind of special conduit.’

Shen Bai couldn’t calculate the specifics of this "special" method, but it was easy enough to speculate.

After all, the methods of the Jianghu Demons were notoriously perverse. Perhaps the lives of these thousand-plus soldiers were part of some technique used by those Demonic Forces.

Now that he knew, Shen Bai had no intention of letting the situation unfold.

With that, Shen Bai turned to Yang Chuan and said, "General Yang, take your men and evacuate Gale Camp completely. The camp is now under the jurisdiction of the Observatory."

Yang Chuan froze when he heard this. His brows furrowed tightly as he said, "Lord Shen, if you require assistance, we can provide it. But an immediate evacuation of the camp... the Marquis would not permit it."

Every soldier must remain stationed at the camp. They are not permitted to leave unless on a mission or on leave to visit family.

Shen Bai was not, in fact, familiar with military protocol.

But now that Yang Chuan refused to leave, it was no longer up to him.

Shen Bai once again performed a Calculation for Fortune and Misfortune. Gold and black intertwined before his eyes, indicating a mixed outcome.

He turned back and declared loudly, "Members of the Demonic Forces are now involved in this matter. Therefore, it no longer falls under your military’s jurisdiction, but that of the Observatory. According to the laws of the Great Zhou Country, all must obey the nation’s laws."

"Surely you understand that, General Yang?"

Yang Chuan’s brow remained furrowed. "But I cannot defy the Marquis’s orders," he insisted.

Shen Bai took two steps forward, an oppressive aura radiating from him. "General Yang, which holds more weight? The Marquis’s orders, or the laws of the Great Zhou Country? Are you the army of the Marquis of Ren De, or the army of the Great Zhou Country? Or perhaps you are not people of the Great Zhou Country at all."

The series of questions left Yang Chuan stunned.

The two Vice Generals standing nearby exchanged a glance, both sensing the oppressive weight in Shen Bai’s words.

Yang Chuan fell silent for a moment, then waved his hand. "Lead all soldiers. We will temporarily withdraw from the camp."

As Shen Bai had just said, they were the army of the Great Zhou Country first, and the army of the Marquis of Ren De second.

If the Marquis of Ren De truly had treasonous intentions, their own future path was a question for another time.

But for now, they were not solely the Marquis of Ren De’s men; they also had to abide by the laws of the Great Zhou Country.

The military had always been known for its swift and decisive action.

Once the order was given, the soldiers immediately began to assemble within the camp.

Yang Chuan and Shen Bai went to an open field.

Yang Chuan glanced at Shen Bai, who remained silent. He then addressed his men, "Men! Jianghu Demons have appeared in the camp. The Observatory is taking over. We will temporarily withdraw and return once this matter is resolved."

"Yes!"

The soldiers responded with a great shout.

Not a single person questioned the order.

Without further ado, Yang Chuan waved his hand and led his troops, preparing to depart Gale Camp.

But just then, something strange happened.

Dark clouds suddenly materialized in the sky.

The once clear, cloudless sky was plunged into darkness in an instant.

From within the dark clouds, countless threads descended from the sky with startling Speed.

In that same moment, the threads pierced through every single person in Gale Camp, including Yang Chuan.

They were hoisted into the air by the threads, letting out agonized screams.

Shen Bai was the first to react.

He drew Cold Moon from his waist, unleashing a wave of blood-red Sword Qi that slashed toward the ethereal threads.

But the threads seemed to be intangible; the blood-red Sword Qi passed right through them without any effect.

Now, within the entire camp, everyone from Gale Camp—more than a thousand soldiers—had been pierced by the threads and hung suspended in midair. Only Shen Bai and the members of the Observatory were spared.