The Cloud Nation, Wing City, Modu's encampment.
Filthy stretchers, blood-stained sheets, groans, and wails.
The military camp was already filled with the wounded.
This small city was on the brink of collapse.
"It's been two days, is Mr. Zhang Wei really coming?"
"We... can barely hold on."
All combat-capable units had been dispatched. Even the staff officers from the command post were fully armed and on the walls. Out of tens of thousands of soldiers, less than two thousand remained able to fight, and the defensive strength was critically weakened.
The Cloud Nation's situation was also dire. After more than ten unsuccessful offensives, their troops were weary and their morale crushed…
The offensive lacked any real force.
Yet, even so, Modu and the others had reached their limit!
Wolfgang was so exhausted he was almost paralyzed. Since rejoining the ranks, he had less than 4 hours of rest each day. The relentless fatigue and loneliness were now severely impacting the quality of his cooking.
Modu approached Wolfgang. "Sir, please take a break."
"No, I can still manage."
Wolfgang said, "I won't fall before Zhang Wei arrives. While my cooking might be a little inferior to his, I won't lose in willpower!"
Despite his words, Wolfgang was swaying.
This was a characteristic symptom of extreme exhaustion.
Chu Xiang rushed over. "Frontline sentries have reported! The enemy camp seems to be acting strangely."
"Are they organizing a new attack?"
"No, they seem to be celebrating."
"Celebrating? Celebrating what?"
Chu Xiang said sternly, "The celebration is just a guess based on the signs. I suspect... it's some kind of welcome party! If I'm not mistaken, the enemy's reinforcements have arrived!"
Modu was shocked!
Both sides were exhausted troops, so the defenders naturally had the advantage.
But now, with the enemy receiving fresh troops... everything could change!
"When did this happen!"
"It should have been three hours ago. By the time the message was relayed, it had already been going on for three hours!"
The more Modu thought about it, the colder he felt!
That amount of time was enough for rest and regrouping.
Soon, Wing City would face a storm-like assault!
Modu gritted his teeth. "Send all combat-capable units to the city walls, and bring all the wounded who can still hold a blade! Whether we live or die depends on this moment!"
Just then, a messenger galloped through the camp, shouting, "Good news! Good news!"
"The Wolf Valley Volunteers have achieved consecutive victories, advancing rapidly with light cavalry, and are now less than 90 li from Wing City!"
News could be good or bad.
If it was bad news, the messenger needed to proceed directly to the main tent to deliver intelligence secretly.
If it was good news, they were to gallop through the camp and announce it loudly, as it would greatly boost morale!
The soldiers began to murmur among themselves.
"Wolf Valley Volunteers? What are they?"
"Yeah, if they can win consecutively, they must be formidable, right?"
"You don't even know Wolf Valley? Were you sleeping during geography class!"
"The Wolf Valley Volunteers are an elite force that has guarded the region for years, surviving countless battles! If they come to help, we'll have some breathing room."
"It would be even better if they could open up the supply lines or cover our retreat."
The Wolf Valley Volunteers, with their coordinated infantry and cavalry, and hundreds of war chariots, could cover 90 li in just an hour and a half.
All Modu needed to do was hold out until the rendezvous.
...
The front lines, broken walls and ruins.
The ground was littered with enormous pits, and falling into one meant facing a thunderous punishment, just like Zhang Wei.
Even in the Cloud Nation, those with aerial abilities were a rarity.
Due to the terrain, there were almost no effective fortifications.
And ordinary-sized buildings were no different from paper to these 'superhumans' whose Gourmet Cells had awakened.
At level five, destroying a three-meter-thick tree with a single punch was like child's play.
Wuyong, clad in armor, followed a dozen soldiers, acting as a squad leader.
As one of those who had been rescued, he naturally joined a combat squad.
"Brother Wuyong, those ugly freaks are attacking again."
Wuyong pulled out a twig from a tobacco tree, rubbed it to create a spark, and lit it.
He leisurely said, "What's the rush? Just stick close to me later, and I'll help you guys chop off a few more heads!"
The continuous bloody battles had greatly improved Wuyong's skills.
Not only were his cells more active, but he had also learned to protect his squad on the battlefield.
In the past few days, his squad had suffered very few casualties and had killed many enemies. They were among the top-performing squads.
A soldier sighed with anticipation. "I heard the King of Chefs of the North is arriving soon. We probably won't have a chance to taste his cooking, but if we survive, just smelling it would be good."
"I heard the King of Chefs of the North is Zhang Wei."
"What an ordinary name."
"Speaking of which, I know two other people named Zhang Wei."
Wuyong recalled the decisive battle at the Northern Feast.
The head chef from Wine and Beauties was indeed exceptionally talented.
He also remembered that there was an assistant chef under Tang Zhihun named Zhang Wei, who had disappeared just before the final battle.
"That assistant chef was always mysterious... he didn't talk much, but his cooking techniques were incredibly skilled..."
"Tang Zhihun said he had extraordinary talent, but... it never felt like just talent, self-taught? Unlikely, right..."
Wuyong instinctively felt something was amiss.
He remembered that whenever Zhang Wei from Wine and Beauties appeared, that little assistant chef of Tang Zhihun would disappear.
What a coincidence...
And they were both named Zhang Wei...
Could it be...
Wuyong froze, then chuckled self-mockingly. "What am I thinking? That's completely impossible."
...
The front lines, the Cloud Nation's forces slowly advanced onto the battlefield.
They were numerous and varied in appearance.
Superior species, higher species, and inferior species were all present.
Modu watched the engagement. "The enemy's offensive is so weak... their bodies have a dispirited feeling of just going through the motions. Is your intelligence accurate?"
Chu Xiang was puzzled. "The Black List's intelligence network has extremely strict vetting. There's absolutely no room for error."
"The enemy has no fresh troops."
"Perhaps it really was just a welcome party?"
Taking out a ‘Symbiotic Leaf’, Modu wrote down the situation.
Although he had told himself to be independent and to control the North through his own efforts, he couldn't help but chat with Zhang Wei occasionally.
Soon, Zhang Wei replied.
'Tighten the lines, do not waver.'
'Be wary of a surprise attack by enemy reinforcements mid-battle.'
Modu: Understood, I will be vigilant.
...
Wuyong was slaughtering his way through the enemy ranks, his fists pounding relentlessly.
"Captain, the command flag!"
"Orders from the rear: Retreat!"
Wuyong glared. "What? Retreat? We were about to break through!"
"Captain, obey the order. Otherwise, if we push forward alone, it will be dangerous."
Wuyong cursed loudly, enraged. "Withdraw! Fall back! Maintain formation, don't let it turn into a rout!"