"Whoa, only ten of us are going in?" Ye Xiu felt a growing sense of unease. Although they could imitate the attire, he knew little of the Mohist rules and worried they wouldn't manage to blend in.

Just in case, Fan Zeng personally mustered the troops. The moment he saw Ye Xiu, dressed in the plain robes of a Mohist and carrying a wooden sword, Fan Zeng sensed a certain bearing in the young man. "Lad, you will act as their leader. Just think of yourself as one of the Mohists and stride right up to the gate to demand entry."

"What if they don't believe us and kill us?" Ye Xiu was still reluctant to go.

Fan Zeng shook his head and smiled gently, "Don't worry. All Mohists under heaven are benevolent souls. Even if they don't trust you, they won't kill you—at worst, they'll just send you packing."

Ye Xiu dared not argue with Fan Zeng further and simply agreed. He waved to the Chu soldiers behind him who were changing their clothes. "All you disciples of Mo, once we are inside, follow my lead as your senior disciple, understand?"

A scattered chorus of responses came from the men.

"Heh, young man, if you succeed in this endeavor, it will certainly benefit your future." Fan Zeng adopted a tone of experienced authority. "Go on now, do well."

Ye Xiu nodded, but he knew the tragic end awaiting Fan Zeng, who was eventually forced to his death by that brat Xiang Yu—another sad tale.

The night was deep. After finishing the farewell wine sent by Fan Zeng, Ye Xiu and his group set off toward the city gate on the flank of Yongqiu. Although they had taken a roundabout path, the journey was not long, and soon they arrived beneath the main entrance.

"Who goes there? Halt immediately," called a patrolling figure atop the gate, revealed to be a Mohist disciple.

Ye Xiu raised his torch high and called out in a loud voice, "Senior Brother, we too are disciples of Mo. We heard the Xiang Yu army was attacking Yongqiu, so we've come to assist in the defense."

"Disciples of Mo, do you carry tokens of your sect?" The man above was extremely cautious; no one wanted to invite a wolf into the fold.

"Damn, there's such a thing? Do you guys know about this?" Ye Xiu was caught off guard, glancing around anxiously. "Did Old Master Fan Zeng brief you on anything?" Those behind Ye Xiu were even more helpless, all wearing expressions of worry.

"If you have nothing, please depart. The Mohists never harm the innocent." The man on the watchtower remained very polite.

Ye Xiu lowered his head, unsure what to do. Suddenly, he remembered the Mozi Token given to him by Mo Yi, and a spark of excitement flared within him. "Senior Brother, take a look at this!"

The man on the tower leaned down, trying to see clearly, but the torchlight was insufficient. "Could you toss it up here for me to examine?"

Ye Xiu figured the man wouldn't dare pocket it. He put force into it and hurled the Mozi Token upward.

"Ah!" The disciple's face changed drastically the moment he caught it, and he immediately ordered those inside the tower to open the gate.

"This..." The men behind Ye Xiu were instantly dumbfounded, all looking to Ye Xiu for an explanation.

"Don't ask me! I just gave him a string of coins," Ye Xiu managed to fumble out, ushering them through the city gate.

Unexpectedly, about thirty Mohists stood firmly guarding the area just inside the gate of Yongqiu. The disciple who had been on the tower, upon seeing Ye Xiu enter, immediately went forward and knelt, returning the Mozi Token to Ye Xiu. "Please..."

Ye Xiu cut him off, instantly pulling the disciple close to his face. "Do not reveal my identity. I am merely here to inspect the recent performance of our Mohist brethren. Understood?"

"Yes, Headmaster," the disciple replied softly before turning to shout at the others. "Everyone, these are our own people! You must perform well and hold Yongqiu!"

"Hmph, very good." Ye Xiu felt a surge of delight internally. He hadn't expected the Mozi Token, acquired through sheer luck, to be so effective. Half of Fan Zeng's plan was now a success, and he could even take this opportunity to find out more about the Mohists—truly a win-win situation.

That disciple then showed Ye Xiu all of Yongqiu's defenses, boasting confidently that the Xiang Yu army would certainly fail to breach the city.

Unsure where this confidence stemmed from, Ye Xiu inquired, "Are there hidden mechanisms within the inner city gates?"

The disciple, believing Ye Xiu to be the Headmaster testing him, proudly replied, "The area inside the gate has been dug with deep pits. Should any general or troops break through and advance, they will certainly fall and be easily captured."

"Just that..." Ye Xiu felt a desire to scorn these Mohists. To think that the mysterious and varied mechanism arts of Mo, when passed to these commoners, had devolved into such crude pit traps.

"I am incompetent, please..." Seeing Ye Xiu's displeasure, the man instantly wanted to kneel and beg forgiveness.

Ye Xiu grabbed him and roared sternly, "Do not expose my identity. Let this matter rest. I want to know where you Mohists originated, and are there any other individuals of the 'Mo' generation?"

The man took a breath and shook his head. "Mohist disciples are scattered across the land, each practicing independently. It is a rare fortune to find a master of the 'Mo' generation. The few dozen of us here have not yet encountered one."

"Blast it," Ye Xiu muttered in deep disappointment, cursing again. "This sect isn't worth much either, just full of nonsense."

"Head..." The disciple looked utterly bewildered, wanting to ask something, but was silenced by Ye Xiu's subsequent glare.

"Go about your business. I will walk around a bit more." Ye Xiu turned and walked away slowly, his hands behind his back. What he needed to do now was coordinate timing with his own scouting soldiers, ready at any moment to launch the signal flare.

In the Chu army camp, Xiang Yu, Long Ju, and Ying Bu had already organized their cavalry units, gazing toward the solitary Yongqiu in the distance. The great banner of Chu flapped incessantly in the slight breeze behind them, while the cavalry and infantry waited, restless and eager, silently awaiting the signal flare from the sky—the fire of hope. The entire wilderness was steeped in a profound, silent prelude to slaughter.

Inside the city, Ye Xiu had already positioned his men at their designated spots to ignite the straw bundles, while he himself stood atop the main city wall, looking out at the dark silhouette of the vast Chu army. He knew clearly that in the battle for Yongqiu, Xiang Yu was destined to achieve glory by slaying the renowned general Li You. He never imagined he would also have a chance to distinguish himself. Though he wasn't on the front lines, he could already feel the tense atmosphere building before the storm broke. A gentle breeze rustled, and Ye Xiu chuckled softly, circling the torch in his hand in the air. Instantly, several roaring pillars of flame erupted throughout Yongqiu, illuminating the night sky brilliantly.

"It is time to advance, General Xiang," Fan Zeng sighed, pointing toward the horizon. "They have succeeded. The rest is up to you generals."

"Ha ha, excellent!" Xiang Yu's battle intent peaked in that instant. He drew his sword and roared, "Soldiers, charge!"

"Charge!" Long Ju and Ying Bu on the flanks echoed the cry. The cavalry formations behind them raised their weapons. In that instant, the roar of men and the neighing of horses erupted—a thousand armies moving as one, causing the very ground to tremble slightly. That momentum, combined with the countless torches planted on the horses' backs, shocked the night sky and threatened the Qin forces.

"Not good! The city is on fire!" Qin soldiers began yelling in confusion and alarm. But before their shouts died down, shouts rose from another direction: "Bad! The city gate has been opened! There are spies!"

"Guards! There are spies!"

"Oh no, the Chu army is launching a sneak attack!"

Instantly, the entire Qin army formation in Yongqiu descended into chaos, the inside of the city becoming a swirling mess.