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Outside, hundreds of thousands of soldiers, armored in southern steel, jungle leathers, or stripped down to light mobility gear, readied themselves for the next phase of conquest. The campaign to tame the southern kingdoms was now fully underway.
Shi Xin wasted no time after leaving the command tent. The humid night air clung to his skin, and the distant thud of war drums echoed across the sprawling encampment.
Rows upon rows of fires flickered in the darkness, each marking a company of soldiers,men who would soon march east into Champa's lands. His brothers, Shi Zhi and Shi Hui, followed close behind, both still looking faintly embarrassed over their earlier bluntness in front of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu.
The eldest brother's mind, however, was fixed on a single point: readiness. Champa was no loose collection of hill tribes or petty warlords, they were an organized maritime kingdom with a proud history, a strong fleet, and a ruler who would not fold easily.
Every soldier in his force would need the best equipment, ample rations, and an unshakable fighting spirit. Anything less, and they'd be feeding Champa's victory songs.
The three of them moved through the supply lines, inspecting the armor racks, weighing the quality of blades, and checking barrels of salted meat and dried grain.
Shi Xin barked at a quartermaster whose soldiers had been issued warped spear shafts, then personally oversaw their replacement. He made the armorers work under torchlight, hammering dents out of cuirasses until the metal gleamed in the orange glow.
Shi Zhi leaned in after one inspection. "Brother, we've already drilled these men for weeks in the jungles. Will more checking really change much?"
Shi Xin didn't break stride. "It changes everything. Against barbarians, a dull blade might still win. Against Champa's trained soldiers? One weak point in our formation could cost us hundreds of lives. You will remember this when you lead your own campaigns."
By the time they reached the far edge of their camp, Shi Hui's patience had waned. "We've checked the same supply list three times now."
Shi Xin stopped, turning to face his brothers. "And I will check it three more times if that is what it takes. We're not just fighting for Father's honor here. This campaign is His Majesty's will. Fail, and it will not only be Champa laughing at us, the court will see us as men who squandered the Emperor's trust."
The weight in his voice silenced further complaint.
Before returning to his own tent, Shi Xin made one final detour, toward the Sun Clan's command pavilion. Two guards outside straightened instantly as he approached.
Inside, the space was brightly lit, with a large table at its center covered in maps and battle reports. Sun Ce stood over them, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, brow furrowed in thought.
When Shi Xin entered, Sun Ce looked up, a glint of wariness in his eyes that faded into measured courtesy.
"General Shi Xi ," Sun Ce greeted, motioning for him to step closer. "You've come late. Is something amiss?"
Shi Xin bowed slightly. "Nothing amiss, Lord Sun Ce. I came first to address… my brothers' earlier words. They were too blunt, and perhaps disrespectful. For that, I offer my sincerest apology."
Sun Ce studied him for a moment, then gave a faint nod. "No need for ceremony. We've crossed blades before, neither side came away spotless. Now we serve the same Emperor, there's no sense in picking at old wounds. Still, I appreciate the gesture."
A small breath of relief escaped Shi Xin. That hurdle cleared, he moved to his real purpose.
"The second matter, Lord Sun Ce, is strategic," Shi Xin said, leaning over the map. "I request that the Sun Clan Navy and the Imperial Navy under your command begin immediate attacks on Champa's fleet. Not a full engagement, just enough to draw their eyes to the sea. Let their soldiers and ministers fixate on defending their harbors. Meanwhile, our army can advance with less resistance."
Sun Ce's gaze drifted to the lines marking Champa's coastal defenses. He said nothing for a long while. The idea was sound, but it meant mobilizing ships earlier than planned, potentially tipping their hand. At last, he spoke.
"You're right about one thing, Champa knows we're coming. Rumors of our conquests in the north must have reached their land weeks ago. It's only a matter of time before they prepare in earnest. Your plan could unbalance them."
Sun Ce paced to the side of the table, arms folded. "But I can't move the navy on my own word. Zhou Yu and Lu Meng coordinate their deployments. If I order the attack without them, it could disrupt our timetable."
Shi Xin inclined his head. "I understand. This campaign is too important to jeopardize with hasty moves. I trust you will raise it with them."
"I'll speak with them tonight," Sun Ce promised. "Personally, I agree with you. The more we keep them guessing, the easier our march will be."
With that mutual understanding, Shi Xin gave a brief bow and departed. Outside, the camp was alive with the clamor of preparation, smiths striking iron, messengers darting between tents, and the low rumble of thousands of voices.
Sun Ce, however, did not linger long in his own tent. After Shi Xin left, he tightened his cloak and made his way toward the Sun Clan's primary command pavilion. The structure loomed like a fortress of canvas and wood, its perimeter marked by a ring of sentries.
Inside, Zhou Yu, Lu Meng, Ma Chao, and Ma Dai were already bent over the campaign maps, discussing supply routes and fleet positioning.
When Sun Ce entered, the room straightened instantly. Zhou Yu and Lu Meng both bowed. "My lord," they greeted in unison.
Sun Ce waved the formalities aside. "Shi Xin just came to me with a request. He wants the navy to begin harassing Champa's ships immediately, hit their harbors, distract their high command, to force them to divide their attention."
Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, his fingers tapping the table. The tent fell silent as he considered the proposal. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"It's a good move," Zhou Yu admitted. "Simple, but effective. And I'll confess, it should have been part of our opening plan. If we can draw their fleet into early skirmishes, they'll hesitate to commit fully when the real battle comes."
Lu Meng leaned in, tracing the coastline on the map. "We'll need to coordinate the strikes carefully. Not enough to commit our full force, just enough to convince them we're testing their defenses."
"Agreed," Zhou Yu said. "We'll send word tonight. The fleet is at Hepu's port, close enough to both Champa and Funan to make quick raids. We'll strike both kingdoms' ships, keep them both guessing which front is the main one."
Sun Ce gave a satisfied nod. "Then do it."
Zhou Yu called for a scribe and, with swift strokes of the brush, drafted the orders. The letter was sealed and tied to the leg of a trained messenger bird. As the bird was released into the night sky, its wings catching the moonlight, Zhou Yu turned back to the table.
"This," he said quietly, "is how we win quickly, by making them fight shadows until it's too late to see the real blade."
In the hours that followed, the camp became a hive of movement. Soldiers sharpened their weapons under flickering lamplight. Blacksmiths quenched glowing blades in great steaming troughs. Crates of arrows were stacked beside siege equipment, and barrels of pitch were readied for the coming naval raids.
Shi Xin's forces drilled in silence, the stomp of their boots and the clash of shields carrying across the night air. His brothers took command of smaller detachments, ensuring each unit knew its role for the march east.
Every man was issued fresh water skins and two weeks' worth of rations. Extra sandals were distributed for the long march ahead.
On the Sun Clan's side, Ma Chao and Ma Dai oversaw cavalry inspections, their horses restless and snorting in the torchlight.
By midnight, the messenger bird carrying Zhou Yu's orders had reached Hepu's port. The admiral there, a grizzled veteran named Yu Hao who was Gan Ning's second in command, read the command and immediately began organizing raiding squadrons.
Sleek war junks were loaded with supplies, their sails furled to keep their silhouettes hidden against the coastline. The first probing raids would launch within several days, silent, sudden, and designed to vanish before the enemy could muster a full counterattack.
Back in the main camp, the leaders gathered one last time before dispersing to their respective fronts. Maps were rolled away, oil lamps snuffed out, and the sounds of preparation gave way to the steady rhythm of soldiers settling in for a few precious hours of rest.
In several days, the first moves against the southern kingdoms that hold regional powers would begin, not with the clash of armies on open fields, but with shadows moving across the sea, striking fast and disappearing into the night.
And so after days of preparation were done, Yu Hao turned to the signalman. "Raise the red flags. All ships move out at once, Champa's western fleet first, then Funan's by dawn."
Horns blared across the water. Oars dipped. Sails unfurled. The sea campaign had begun.
The Champa sentries never saw the attack coming.
One moment, the horizon was empty. The next, shadows surged from the mist, Sun Clan and Imperial Navy ships, their hulls painted black, their sails dark as storm clouds.
Fire arrows alongside Hwacha's sound streaked across the sky like falling stars.
Then the world burned.
Champa's ships, anchored and unprepared, became pyres in the night. Sailors screamed as flames licked up rigging, as decks collapsed into the hungry sea.
Onshore, the sound of bells being ringed. Officers shouted. Soldiers scrambled toward the docks, only to find the water itself alight with wreckage.
By the time whatever was left of Champa's navy mobilized for retaliation, the Sun Clan and Imperial's ships were already gone, vanishing into the predawn gloom like phantoms.
Meanwhile, as dawn broke, Shi Xin's army was already on the move. The news of the naval attack had reached Champa's king at their capital city Kandapurpura, and he immediately held an emergency council.
His commanders, frantic, diverted troops to the coast, fearing an amphibious assault. They never saw the real threat coming from the east. Shi Xin's forces marched unopposed through the jungle roads, their advance shielded by the chaos at sea. Scouts reported Champa's border garrisons half empty, their soldiers pulled back to defend the ports.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty
Age: 35 (202 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 2325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 966 (+20)
VIT: 623 (+20)
AGI: 623 (+10)
INT: 667
CHR: 98
WIS: 549
WILL: 432
ATR Points: 0