Half a month later.
Both sides had assembled almost all their forces.
The atmosphere within the coalition grew increasingly tense.
"Speaker, the enemy has sent a messenger, stating the Phoenix Koi has arrived and the prisoner exchange can commence at any time."
Spreading out the defense map.
The forces gathered by the Cloud Kingdom numbered over two hundred thousand, which hardly looked like an army coming for an exchange.
Of course, the coalition was in the same situation.
Both sides knew in their hearts that this time, it was a decisive battle!
"According to intelligence, the main force of the Cloud Kingdom is gathered at Crane City, two hundred miles away. In addition to high-level combatants such as commanders, sword masters, and nobility, a large number of Cloud Kingdom chefs are also present, providing additional combat power."
"Furthermore, Chef Zhang Wei's Warrior's Blood has been widely promoted. The chefs' proficiency is improving, and their cooking speed and taste are even better."
Currently, there were two nominal supreme commanders within the coalition.
One was Mo Du of the Northern Government.
The other was the new representative of the Black List, ranked ninth, the Knight King, Arthas.
Arthas was clad in black armor, revealing no skin, only pale hair spilling from his helmet.
This man was usually stoic and spoke sparingly.
"Sir Knight King, what do you think?"
"You decide."
Mo Du pondered for a moment. "Notify them to proceed with the exchange. The location will be at the center of both armies. Both sides will disengage their troops by 30 kilometers, with no more than a hundred accompanying personnel!"
...
On the day of the exchange, the fog was thick! Great Wind Novel Network.
A convoy of carriages slowly moved through the dense fog.
Wolf Slaughter and Hurricane led the way.
Wolf Slaughter sat on a carriage with a huge cage, constantly grumbling, "This fog is getting thicker and thicker, what kind of weather is this?"
Looking up at the sky, everything was a blur.
Hurricane said, "The locals say that the Cloud Kingdom doesn't have distinct seasons like spring, summer, autumn, or winter, or a rainy season. All plant nourishment comes from humidity. And there are two times a year when the humidity is at its heaviest, also known as the Fog Season."
"Once the Fog Season arrives, the entire Cloud Kingdom will be shrouded in dense fog, greatly reducing visibility and accelerating plant growth..."
Wolf Slaughter's eyes narrowed. "It seems the brats of the Cloud Kingdom have been waiting for the heavy fog to arrive."
The people of the Cloud Kingdom naturally had experience dealing with fog.
Utilizing the obscuring dense fog...
The more visibility was blocked, the easier it was to play dirty tricks.
This applied to both sides!
Soon, Wolf Slaughter arrived at the exchange location.
The mutated figures on the opposite side seemed to have been waiting for a long time. A lizard-drawn carriage carried a large water tank, and it was impossible to see what was inside.
"I am Gu Qi Gu Li, a noble of the Cloud Kingdom!"
"Have you brought Lord Bo Gang?"
Gu Qi Gu Li.
He had encountered Zhang Wei during the surprise attack on the competition venue and had half his body destroyed by Zhang Wei, yet he had not confessed.
He was placed in the Right Side Hall where time was frozen, and when everyone in the Ascended Immortal Palace was drunk, Gu Qi Gu Li was also released.
Gu Qi Gu Li bared a mouth full of fine teeth and said with a limp, "That chef named Zhang Wei is in Yùchéng, right? Remember to pass a message for me, I will definitely repay the favor for this leg."
Wolf Slaughter sneered, "You think you're worthy? Look at yourself!"
Gu Qi Gu Li slapped the water tank. "Less nonsense, let's check the goods!"
"You first!"
Gu Qi Gu Li didn't waste any more words. He lifted the lid of the water tank and pulled out a giant carp.
The carp was brilliantly red, weighing about eighty catties, its fins extending several meters like a skirt, and its scales shimmered with seven colors in the sunlight!
It was dazzling!
It was indeed a Phoenix Koi!
And its appearance was so good!
Wolf Slaughter licked his lips. "I didn't expect you to actually bring the Phoenix Koi, and without any tricks?"
Gu Qi Gu Li said proudly, "My Cloud Kingdom's reputation is unparalleled. How could you people from the North imagine it? Let me tell you, my Phoenix Koi is a royal special! It's the top-tier merchandise in the Cloud Kingdom!"
"Less nonsense, let me see Lord Bo Gang!"
Wolf Slaughter waved his hand.
The steel cage behind him opened with a clang.
Inside was Bo Gang, who resembled a mountain of flesh. However, Bo Gang had lost both arms, and his entire body was covered in palm-sized wounds. He was unconscious. Steel chains bound him tightly, and his life signs were extremely weak.
Clearly, his time in the North had not been easy!
"Lord Bo Gang!"
Seeing Bo Gang's miserable state, the Cloud Kingdom envoy's eyes blazed with anger!
Wolf Slaughter poked Bo Gang and said with a smile, "Take a good look, Bo Gang is alive now. We are not responsible if he dies after leaving here!"
"And if he dies from further delay, don't blame me."
Under the watchful eyes of both sides.
The two carriages slowly drove towards each other...
Gu Qi Gu Li's fists were clenched, sweating, and Wolf Slaughter's smile was no longer as natural!
The moment the carriages arrived at the positions of their respective camps, countless people swarmed forward!
"It's a real Phoenix Koi!"
"Lord Bo Gang is still alive..."
"Kill!"
"Don't let them escape!"
The two sides' actions were astonishingly synchronized.
First, they thoroughly secured what they had come for, then they charged towards the enemy!
On the coalition side, Hurricane took out the large leather bag filled with oxygenated water that had been prepared beforehand and placed the Phoenix Koi entirely inside.
Then, he hoisted the bag and charged towards the sky, causing a shockwave of energy to erupt at his location!
On the Cloud Kingdom side, all the envoys threw off their black robes, revealing fine armor underneath.
The dozens of accompanying personnel were all experts at the level of Sword Masters!
"The Phoenix Koi cannot be retrieved, cover Lord Bo Gang's retreat!"
"Quick, send the signal! Lord Bo Gang has been secured, the entire army attacks!"
War!
Begins!
In the dense fog, the Cloud Kingdom troops who had been ambushed earlier rushed out one by one, determined to capture Wolf Slaughter and eliminate a coalition expert.
But before they could charge into the venue, they immediately encountered coalition ambushes with the same intentions...
When enemies meet, their eyes burn with hatred!
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
...
Hurricane's high-speed movement tore through the sea of clouds, creating a current in the fog. The special structure of his clothing whistled like a whistle, causing Hurricane's high-speed movement to emit a sharp screech that could be heard for dozens of miles.
On the other side.
"Sir Knight King, it's the signal."
In the mist, the assassins of the Black List gathered, all clad in white clothes and gray armor.
These were contributed by the various organizations of the Black List – assassins, ninjas, and spies... all skilled in stealth and surprise attacks.
There were as many as several thousand people!
The Knight King waved his hand. "The assassination squads are free to act. Settle your achievements with heads!"
"But please remember, this is different from your previous actions. The primary targets are isolated stragglers. Do not put yourselves in danger. This is a protracted war!"
"Yes!"
Thousands of people rolled away, perfectly blending into the fog.
For them, who were skilled in stealth, this was the best stage for their performance.
Everyone eager to establish merit was secretly competing!