"We have absolutely no chance of winning if we engage the Thunder Warlords head-on," Yinshuang stated. "Even if my Black Flag Legion numbered eighty-nine million, that would still be the case."

"Another point for consideration is whether the Thunder Warlords of the Holy Word Alliance will arrive in time before we encounter those of the Demon Luo Alliance," Jidu voiced his concern.

"Taking all the above into account, the current situation is extremely unfavorable for my Black Flag Army," Yinhe said gravely. "Therefore, the primary consideration must be how to preserve the combat strength of the Black Flag Legion under the assault of the Thunder Warlords."

"Since we have no chance in a direct confrontation, why not choose to retreat?" In truth, ever since I saw Yan Luo's Memory Suit, a detailed operational plan had already formed in my mind. Furthermore, I was confident this plan would completely overturn the deeply ingrained concept across the Mafa Continent that the Thunder Warlords were invincible.

"Retreat?" Yinshuang was slightly taken aback. "Does the Marshal mean a full withdrawal?"

"Do you remember the guerrilla warfare employed by the Blood Wolf Legion before the Black Flag Legion was formed?"

"Guerrilla warfare?" Yinshuang looked puzzled.

"Since a direct confrontation offers no victory, why not adopt guerrilla tactics? Initially, we were adamant about capturing Wanluo because beyond it lay boundless plains, perfect for the Sword Dragon Knights' sweeping charges. That way, we could charge directly to the Demon Sealing Empire's capital, Demon Sealing City. But the situation is different now; the Ranger Corps far outnumbers the Sword Dragon Knights. Thus, we can completely bypass Wanluo City and infiltrate every corner of the Demon Sealing Continent from other directions. Moreover, the objective of the Ranger Corps is not to capture Demon Sealing City, but to primarily sabotage the civil production across the Demon Sealing Continent."

"But the Black Flag Legion has such an immense number of soldiers," Yinhe quickly grasped my intention, yet he remained unconvinced by what he considered my absurd idea. "How can we conduct guerrilla warfare with so many?"

"That's why I devised a method," I stated confidently. "That is, to break the whole into parts: disband the numerous Ranger Corps and infiltrate them into every corner of the Demon Sealing Continent."

"What? Disband the Ranger Corps?" Yinshuang stared at me in disbelief.

"Exactly. Rangers, by nature, are masters of guerrilla warfare," I looked towards Yan Luo. "This Marshal has experienced training in the Ranger World and is quite familiar with their methods."

"That is true," Yan Luo added softly. "Unlike large-scale military operations, small detachments are better suited to unleash the Rangers' high mobility. Too many people gathered together actually impedes the full utilization of their combat prowess. The most suitable group size should not exceed ten thousand." Indeed, in the Ranger World, joint operations exceeding ten thousand were exceedingly rare for even allied factions.

"But if such a massive number of Rangers are dispersed, how will we command and coordinate them?" Yinshuang asked.

"Command and coordination?" I replied, "We won't need to. After all, with so many, controlling them is impossible even if we wanted to. We only need to give each detachment a clear operational objective and a strategic mindset."

"Operational objectives and strategic mindset!" Yinhe repeated.

"The objective is to fundamentally destroy the civil production of the Demon Sealing Continent. If we simply emulate the Blood Wolf Legion's past strategy of kill everything, burn everything, and plunder everything, we will naturally achieve our goal," I stated grimly. "The purpose of guerrilla warfare is singular: destruction, the most absolute destruction."

"........" Everyone was stunned, clearly not expecting me to revive the tactics previously used by the Blood Wolf Legion.

"The Marshal's concept might be sound, but they are still Rangers. How will they cope if they encounter the enemy's regular army?" Yinhe pressed. "Furthermore, the Demon Sealing Continent has many strong cities and fortresses that the Ranger Corps cannot conquer."

"Don't forget, the Black Flag Legion is equipped with a large contingent of heavily armored Warlords. As long as the cities aren't heavily garrisoned, we should be able to take them," I asserted confidently.

"........" Yinshuang and the others finally recalled that the Black Flag Legion possessed over thirty heavily armored Warlords.

"Six million strong guerrilla warfare across the entire continent!" Jidu mused. "Back then, the Blood Wolf Legion, numbering only fifty thousand, managed to throw the entire northern Demon Sealing Continent into chaos. Now, in the blink of an eye, we have dozens of such guerrilla detachments, and their operational range covers the entirety of the Demon Sealing Continent."

"If that truly happens, the Demon Sealing Continent will likely be turned upside down," Yinshuang seemed to see me anew for the first time. "This way, even Demon Luo Yinfeng will be overwhelmed and unable to defend everywhere. No matter how mighty the Thunder Warlords are, they will be helpless under such circumstances."

"Precisely," I continued. "Even without relying on the Thunder Warlords of the Holy Word Church, we have sufficient confidence to keep the Demon Luo Church engaged indefinitely."

"Haha, well said!" Jidu was greatly energized. "Let those scoundrels see just how formidable the Black Flag Legion is!"

"Don't celebrate too soon; this isn't my final objective yet," I said seriously. "Once the Ranger Corps engages in guerrilla warfare, it will inevitably throw the Demon Sealing Empire into utter chaos. At that point, their most probable action will be to launch a proactive attack on Mancheng, using overwhelming force to crush us head-on."

"That is exactly what I fear most," Yinshuang admitted.

"Fear?" I chuckled. "This Marshal thinks otherwise. In fact, this is precisely the outcome I wish to achieve."

"Does the Marshal intend to force the Demon Sealing Grand Army into a decisive battle with us?" Yinshuang exclaimed in shock. "Considering they have Thunder Warlords commanding them!"

"It is true that we cannot contend with the Thunder Warlords," I stated gravely. "Besides, this Marshal has no intention of facing them directly either."

"........" Yinhe and the others seemed unable to fathom my true intentions.

"Do you recall how Demon Luo Yinfeng forced the heavily armored Warlords of my Demon Dragon Imperial Family to congregate at Yuncheng?" I looked at Jidu.

"Ah..." Jidu seemed to grasp my intent and stared at me blankly. "Is the Marshal's intention to force the Demon Dragon Empire to disperse its heavy Warlords garrisoned at the Imperial City to counter the Ranger Corps, perhaps even luring the Thunder Warlords to proactively attack our Mancheng?"

"And by then," Yinshuang proved his worth, also understanding my design, "our forces can use the spatial teleportation ability of the Memory Suit to instantly transport all heavy Warlords to Demon Sealing City—a direct strike at the Imperial Palace, is that it?"

"........" Yan Luo just stared at me dumbfounded, then murmured after a long pause, "By then, even if the Demon Luo Alliance's heavy Warlords arrive at Mancheng, it will likely only be an empty city they find. Meanwhile, all the Black Flag Legion's heavy Warlords will have already reached the Demon Sealing Capital. A lightly defended Demon Sealing City at that moment will be utterly incapable of resisting the invasion of the Black Flag Legion's heavy Warlords. And once we capture the Demon Sealing Empress, this war is ours to win."

"..........." The mystery revealed, everyone was dumbstruck. My line of reasoning was utterly insane, yet upon scrutiny, it appeared flawless.

"This is the general outline of this Marshal's strategy. As for the specific arrangements, General Yinshuang, it falls to you." I said earnestly.

"Rest assured," Yinshuang replied, visibly invigorated. "This time, the Demon Sealing Empress will surely become a captive!"

In December of Mafa Calendar Year 3749, to resist the invasion of the Black Flag Legion, the Demon Luo Church finally deployed the Thunder Warlords, marking the end of the eight-hundred-year war restraint treaty.

The news shocked the world. No one knew the final outcome of this war, but everyone clearly understood that if it escalated into a large-scale conflict between Thunder Warlords, it would inevitably compromise the defense capabilities of all humankind, repeating the disaster of eight centuries prior.

Faced with this situation, the Black Flag Legion responded immediately. The Black Flag Ranger Corps, which had previously been gathered in places like Honggang and Yawan, dispersed overnight. Abandoning the positions they had already seized, they reorganized into countless elite combat teams of ten thousand men each, spreading across the northern Demon Sealing Continent and the surrounding areas of the Wanluo Mountains to launch an overwhelming campaign of guerrilla warfare.

No one could fathom the sheer madness of this operational plan.

The dispersed Ranger Corps acted like locusts sweeping across the continent. Wherever they passed, all signs of life vanished.

Six months later, people recalled the infamous Blood Wolf Legion that had once rampaged through the land.

Yes!

The combat style of these Ranger Corps had fully absorbed the guerrilla tactics of the former Snow Wolf Legion: ruthless, cunning beyond measure, and coupled with highly flexible methods, the Ranger Corps gained the upper hand in the battles for small and medium-sized towns across the continent.

What was even more terrifying was that the fighting methods of these warriors, drawn from the ranks of Rangers, utterly defied convention. Their endless array of evolving attack methods left the Demon Sealing Empire's garrison forces dizzy and unable to defend effectively.

In an instant, the entire Demon Sealing Continent was alight with conflict, and panic reigned.

The anticipated large-scale direct confrontation between main armies did not materialize, but the Demon Sealing Empire was utterly confounded by the Black Flag Legion's almost rogue tactics.

On the other hand, the Holy Word Church promptly dispatched Thunder Warlords to the Demon Sealing Continent.

However, facing the preemptive strike by the Demon Luo Church, could the Black Flag Legion hold out until their own Thunder Warlords arrived?

West of Mancheng, across the vast, desolate Wanluo Plain! A bitter wind howled, and thick snow fell relentlessly. As far as the eye could see, everything was a dazzling white. The powerful gusts, mixed with ice shards and snowflakes scraped up from the ground, struck the face like cold blades, causing sharp pain and great discomfort.

More-ling could only instinctively pull down her face covering, wrapping herself as much as possible within the thick cloak and hood! She then gazed somewhat distantly ahead at Demon Luo Yinfeng, who was riding slowly, and then at the overwhelming, perfectly arrayed iron-clad army surrounding them.

A flicker of complex emotion crossed her bright eyes.

They had finally reached this point.

Ever since Xingchen set foot on the Demon Sealing Continent, and with the rapid rise of the Black Flag Army, More-ling had a premonition that that detestable Xingchen would inevitably become her brother's strongest adversary.

Facts proved that More-ling's premonition was entirely correct.

On the Byron Grasslands, the raging wildfire nearly wiped out the entire Thunder Flame Legion.

And her brother had nearly died at Xingchen's hands. This felt like a terrifying nightmare.

The Thunder Flame Legion, long hailed as the continent's strongest commander, invincible and ever-victorious, had finally suffered its first crushing defeat since its formation.

This heavy blow almost caused the entire Thunder Flame Legion to collapse, and it nearly broke the proud Demon Luo Yinfeng.

Even more frighteningly, the Black Flag Legion reinforced soon after, bringing their total strength to an astonishing eighty-nine million, with over thirty heavily armored Warlords.

Such combat power exceeded everyone's expectations.

No one could imagine the fate awaiting the Demon Sealing Continent against such terrifying might.

Likewise, More-ling again felt the intangible, terrifying pressure emanating from Xingchen.

No one felt this more deeply than More-ling.

Yes, behind that formidable figure seemed to be an invisible hand of destiny manipulating things.

No matter the powerful enemy faced, no matter the desperate situation, the ultimate victor always seemed to be him. This could no longer be described as a miracle.

Thinking of this, More-ling instinctively glanced at her brother, who was still riding slowly before her. His somber face, cold gaze, and ramrod-straight posture—everything was the same as the brother she remembered.

Yet, More-ling, who knew her brother well, could still sense a faint unease and anxiety deep within his heart.

Perhaps, besides herself, only her brother, Demon Luo Yinfeng, shared the same perception of Xingchen.

No, in a way, Demon Luo Yinfeng's understanding of Xingchen far surpassed her own.

And the fate-like, incredible luck surrounding Xingchen had thoroughly shaken Demon Luo Yinfeng's firm self-confidence.

The proud brother had even stooped to humbly request aid from the Church.

Incredibly, the Church responded quickly to Demon Luo Yinfeng's almost absurd plea, swiftly dispatching Thunder Warlords for support.

Thinking of this, More-ling felt considerably more at ease. Perhaps this time, that detestable fellow could finally be eliminated.

After all, the ones taking action this time were the Church's Thunder Warriors!

As if sensing More-ling's thoughts, Demon Luo Yinfeng turned back. "Everything will end," he stated grimly. "When we reach Mancheng."

Yin'nu Qulei, Gonggong Zhenqin, and the others subconsciously clenched their fists, gloomily surveying the distant east.

Yes, everything would end; against absolute power, all resistance was futile.

No matter how magical and unbelievable the luck of the Nine Luminaries God might be, facing the mighty Thunder Warlords, he could not escape death.

Mancheng!

Heavens! It remained terrifyingly overcast! The snow and ice fragments churned by the intense gale struck every corner of the city like hard bullets, heedlessly.

They also struck the hardened armor encasing every soldier!

Feeling the constant, crisp ticking sounds from all around, I could only instinctively grip my Dragon Spear tighter, striving to regulate my breathing rhythm and keep myself as calm as possible!

The massive Mammoth King nearby also seemed to sense something, letting out a few low rumbles, its huge head shaking slightly, producing creaking sounds from grinding bones.

Around me stood Jidu, Yin Hu, Yin Tao, Chi Ming, Chi Hao, and the other assisting heavy Warlords of Mancheng.

Each face was etched with gravity as they peered into the distant haze through the swirling snowstorm!

"The Demon Luo Church's movements are indeed swift; the Thunder Warlords attacked in such a short time," Jidu said heavily.

"Man proposes, God disposes," Yinhe sighed softly. "This way, the Demon Luo Church might wipe out my Black Flag Army before the Holy Word Church's Thunder Warlords arrive."

"It won't be that easy for them to deal with us," Yinshuang stated grimly. "Let them have a taste of the Marshal's brilliant stratagem: 'A Flower Blooming on a Tree,' drawing the tiger away from the mountain!" Yinshuang instinctively looked toward me.

"If we didn't have Yan Luo's Memory Suit, we might indeed have been caught completely off guard," I admitted solemnly. "And facing the Thunder Warlords, we don't have even a sliver of a chance to win. However, now it's a case of the prepared striking the unprepared; the outcome is hard to predict."

East of Mancheng! Even through the swirling snow, the intense killing intent could not be masked!

In the grayish haze, a vast, indistinct shape gradually emerged! It was a massive tide of heavy armored cavalry.

Amidst the muffled roar of the wind and snow, low rumbling sounds occasionally echoed, followed by violent tremors and shaking of the earth, as if countless giants walked through the flying snow.

Several indistinct figures slowly emerged from the hazy snowstorm. The one at the very front wore armor of a peculiar blue hue. The swirling snow obscured any clear view of their faces; the only perceptible things were a pair of somber, sharp eyes, eerily dark, like two piercing sword points cutting through the snow, fixed on the other end of the world.

Besides those gloomy eyes, the most striking feature was the pair of dazzling wings on his back, seemingly woven from lightning. Profound energy fluctuations surged throughout his entire body.

Even amidst the swirling snowstorm, the soaring, terrifying killing intent could not be concealed.

Nine Luminaries God, truly, let this Kuang Shi see what other tricks you possess!