novelAbuy Chapter 104 The Wind Has Arrived, the Fire Must Rise
Chapter 104 The Wind Has Arrived, the Fire Must Rise
The night was as dark as ink, yet the newly built walls on the north side of Starfire Fortress resembled the spine of a giant dragon lurking in the darkness, their heavy and hard outlines sketched in the sparse torchlight and hazy moonlight. The clamor of preparations during the day had fallen silent, replaced by a deeper stillness, a tranquility so profound one could almost hear one's own heartbeat. But this stillness was not a sign of relaxation; rather, it was the brief pause before a great battle, the final tension of a bowstring pulled taut, the last muscle taut before a beast's pounce.
Chen Xing stood alone on the highest point of the northern wall, on the horse-faced watchtower. The night wind, carrying the unique chill and wildness of the northern grasslands, swept against him, fluttering the hem of his black military uniform. He wasn't wearing armor, only his hand resting on the hilt of the seemingly ordinary longsword at his waist—a sword forged repeatedly by Zhou Dashan using materials exchanged through the system. His gaze passed over the towering battlements, fixed on the boundless darkness to the north that swallowed all light.
There, the footsteps, the hoofbeats, and the rumble of wheels grinding the earth of the 15,000 Black Mountain Army soldiers might be gathering and approaching below the horizon. He could imagine the greed, violence, and arrogant self-assurance surging within that darkness. Tomorrow, or the day after, that darkness would transform into a real torrent of steel, crashing heavily against the city wall to which he had poured countless efforts and placed all his hopes.
He heard soft, familiar footsteps behind him. Without turning around, he knew who it was. Murong Mingyue quietly approached him. She too was unarmored, her red dress appearing as faded as congealed blood in the night, only her eyes remaining bright as stars in the dim light. She held a small leather pouch in her hand and handed it to him.
"Mr. Wu had the cooks prepare a calming soup, with licorice and jujube seeds added, to help you calm down." Her voice was soft, breaking the silence on the enemy platform.
Chen Xing took it; it was warm to the touch. He opened the pouch, took a sip, and found it slightly sweet with a hint of herbal bitterness. The warm liquid flowed into his stomach, indeed dispelling some of the chill and tension of the late night. "You're so kind, sir. Would you like some?"
Murong Mingyue shook her head: "I don't need it." She paused and looked north as well. "The latest scout report is that the main vanguard of the Black Mountain Army's central force has arrived thirty miles from 'Eagle's Beak' and is setting up camp. The left flank, 'Over the Mountain Wind' unit, seems to be waiting for a signal from the central force, and its movements are slightly delayed. The right flank, 'Grasshopper' unit, is patrolling the eastern hills and has indeed been exchanging messengers with Iron Rock Fortress, but there is still no sign of Iron Rock Fortress sending troops."
"Sun Han is waiting," Chen Xing said calmly. "Waiting for us to show signs of defeat, waiting for the Black Mountain Army to show signs of fatigue, or... waiting for an opportunity that he believes is foolproof. He's a gambler, but his bet isn't courage, it's calculation."
"What about Hu Yong..."
"He's just a fence-sitter," Chen Xing interrupted, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of cold disdain. "He bends whichever way the wind blows. Right now, he must be living in constant fear, worried that if the Black Mountain Army wins, we'll turn around and deal with him, and also worried that if we hold out, he'll be caught in the middle. He's nothing to worry about."
Murong Mingyue remained silent for a moment, then turned her gaze from the north to Chen Xing beside her, before slowly sweeping it over the thick city wall extending beneath her feet, and the scattered lights within the wall, faintly visible in the night. Those were the temporary shelters for the people who had been moved into the fortress, the furnaces of the artisans working through the night, the torches flickering in the hands of the patrol teams, and also... the original origin and meaning of the name Starfire Fortress.
"I remember a year ago, when I first arrived here," Murong Mingyue suddenly spoke, her voice tinged with a hazy recollection, "Everywhere I looked was blood, corpses, and despair. You led about a hundred armored warriors, as if you had sprung from a crack in a rock. At the time, I only thought that this might be a place where I could temporarily take shelter and exchange some food. I never thought I could survive for long, much less that... it would turn out like this today."
Chen Xing followed her gaze, looking down at the fortress beneath his feet. Yes, a year ago, this place was called Black Wind Warehouse, a dilapidated fortress occupied by bandits. He transmigrated here, penniless, possessing only the cold and mysterious "Imperial Overlord System" in his mind, and a hundred absolutely loyal but equally unfamiliar Wei Wu soldiers as his personal guards. Crawling out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, fleeing from the pursuit of the Hu cavalry, gathering refugees, seizing fortresses, establishing rules, developing agriculture and industry, training strong soldiers, taking in Murong, defeating the Black Mountain vanguard, building new cities, reclaiming wasteland, establishing schools, enacting laws, fostering the economy, allying with Bailu... Scenes flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern. There was the thrill of escaping death, the discomfort of killing for the first time, the trepidation of issuing decrees, the joy of witnessing a bountiful harvest, and the warmth and heaviness of fighting side by side with the woman beside him, understanding and promising each other.
"From a hundred men to ten thousand, from a refugee camp to a force to be reckoned with," Chen Xing said slowly, as if summarizing or talking to himself, "We shed blood, sweat, and... lost many good brothers. The loyal bones buried under Wild Wolf Slope, the sweat mixed with the rammed earth of the city wall, the blood and tears dripping from the fields... are what made Xinghuo Fortress what it is today."
His gaze deepened: "We built high walls, stockpiled enough food, hid our claws, and united the people. We proved to this chaotic land that there is another way of life besides plunder and submission—a way to survive, and even thrive, through rules, through labor, and through protection. We ignited this spark."
Murong Mingyue listened quietly, sensing the weight in his words that transcended personal life and death, concerning ideals and the future. "So, no matter how powerful the enemy is tomorrow, we must fight this battle, and we must win," she said softly, her tone incredibly firm. "Not to survive, but to prove that this spark is not just a fleeting moment, but that it can truly... burn on."
"It's not just about burning." Chen Xing turned around to face Murong Mingyue, his eyes shining brightly in the night, as if reflecting the myriad lights inside the walls. "Mingyue, look at the lights inside the fortress."
Murong Mingyue looked in the direction he was told. Those faint, scattered lights, though weak, appeared exceptionally tenacious and warm against the backdrop of boundless darkness. They represented families, lives that had come here with a sliver of hope and were now determined to live and die with the fortress.
"Under each of these lamps, there may be a refugee who was once numb and waiting to die, an old and weak person abandoned by their tribe, a craftsman with skills but nowhere to use them, a child yearning to learn to read and understand..." Chen Xing's voice carried an indescribable power. "What we are lighting is not just a torch for survival, but also... a spark of order, a spark of hope. This spark is still very weak now, only enough to illuminate a corner of this fortress. But if we can hold onto it in this storm, and let it continue to burn, then one day—"
He reached out, as if to grasp the invisible flame, then suddenly waved his hand towards the endless darkness to the north, uttering each word with unwavering resolve:
"Let it spread like wildfire!"
"A prairie fire..." Murong Mingyue repeated the word, feeling as if a blazing ember had been thrown into her heart, searing her very soul. She understood Chen Xing's meaning. If they won this battle, Starfire Fortress would no longer be a remote, struggling fortress, but a true spark thrown into the dry tinder of this chaotic world! Its brilliance, its power, and the alternative possibility it represented would surely attract more people struggling in the darkness, shaking and even changing the stagnant order around them! Ironrock Fortress, Gray Valley Fortress, and even forces further afield, would all be forced to confront this newborn power, immeasurable by the old rules!
"Yes, the Wildfire!" Chen Xing grasped Murong Mingyue's hand, his palm radiating an undeniable heat and strength. "This wall will not only block the Black Mountain Army's swords and spears, but also become a fulcrum for the new order and hope to radiate outwards! This battle is our Starfire Fortress's official declaration of our existence as we step onto the stage of this chaotic world!"
The two stood side by side, hand in hand, like two inseparable statues atop the highest point of the city wall. Behind them lay the fortress, a testament to the hard work and hopes of thousands; though its light was dim, its will was as strong as steel. Ahead lay the impending storm of destruction; though the darkness was deep, it would eventually be pierced by dawn.
The night wind grew stronger, whipping the Star Flame Banner and making it howl as if echoing the resolve of the city wall defenders. In the far, far north, a muffled tremor, like the pulse of the earth, seemed to emanate from the horizon—the sound of countless hooves approaching.
Just then, the system notification sound that had been silent for several days rang out in Chen Xing's mind in an unprecedented, almost solemn tone, cold and clear:
[The host faction 'Starfire Fortress' has been detected to be facing its ultimate test, one that will determine its fate.]
[Main Quest Update: A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire (Phase One)]
[Mission Objective: In the face of the impending all-out attack by the Black Mountain Army, successfully defend the core area of Satellite Fire Fortress, repel or severely damage the invading enemy, ensure that the foundation of the force remains unshaken, and in the process, further unite the internal forces and initially demonstrate the influence of the "Spark" ideology to the outside world.]
[Mission Rewards: Depending on completion, rewards include higher-level system privileges, valuable technical blueprints, opportunities to summon special talents, and a large amount of points. Penalty for Failure: Host death, system disconnection, and the destruction of Starfire Fortress.]
[Note: This battle is a trial for the initial spark, and also lays the foundation for a prairie fire. Host, please be cautious, take it seriously, fight it, and win!]
The cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, yet strangely, it brought no fear. Instead, it filled Chen Xing's heart with clarity and passion. The system's mission and his own vision aligned perfectly at this moment.
He tightened his grip on Murong Mingyue's hand and whispered, "The system is urging us on. It seems we have no choice but to get through this."
Although Murong Mingyue couldn't hear the system notification, she could feel the unwavering fighting spirit in his tone, and she gripped his hand tightly in return: "Then let's go together."
The two fell silent, standing there quietly, as if trying to imprint the tranquility of the final moment before the great battle, along with the outline of the fortress beneath their feet and the vows in their hearts, deep into their souls.
On the distant eastern horizon, at the edge of the inky darkness, a faint, pale light began to peek through. The long, bloody night was about to end, and the dawn that would decide the fate of Starfire Fortress was irresistibly approaching.
Beneath the city walls, deep within the fortress, countless eyes also lay open in the darkness, some tense, some resolute, some praying, some waiting silently. They may only have wooden spears and pitchforks in their hands, but in their hearts, the same flame ignited as the two figures on the wall.