Looking back, it was all like a fairyland.

This swamp is rich in resources, but no one enters it unless absolutely necessary. And those who enter rarely leave safely - snakes, insects, wild beasts, miasma, and monsters are all daunting.

Su Mu was unaware that this swamp's other name, "Swamp of Despair," was perhaps more widely known. Firstly, only the desperate would enter it; no one would step in even with a sliver of hope. Secondly, it was truly despairing; even if you were incredibly lucky and survived, you'd either go mad or become mentally unstable. Someone had once emerged, but soon after, they went insane. From that person's delirious ramblings, people gleaned only a small part of its secrets. After that, it was rarely mentioned; it became a taboo subject.

But this has little to do with Su Mu and the others.

They followed that path for several days before finally emerging from the swamp's confines, a testament to its vastness. Once outside, the desolation eased, and a few people could be spotted here and there. However, they all looked unhealthy, with dark skin and emaciated bones—the result of a prolonged lack of protein. In fact, let alone protein, they likely lacked even proper food.

Su Mu and the others stood out in this crowd, and the consequence of being so conspicuous was that they were surrounded by soldiers.

"Who are you people?!"

This soldier was much better than the wandering civilians, but it was limited—his body couldn't even support the armor he wore. His sunken cheeks and scrutinizing, wary eyes stared at Su Mu, as if he was going to tear her into pieces if she didn't give him a reasonable answer.

Every soldier who surrounded her had a different aura than in peacetime; they all had the aura of someone who had killed before. Looking at the surroundings, Su Mu knew without a second thought—war, and the battlefield was nearby. She just didn't know if these soldiers were the invading force or the invaded.

Even though they were pointed at by spears, they were not afraid.

"We're just passing by," Su Mu replied.

"Passing by? Passing by where? The Swamp of Despair?" Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, the soldiers frowned even more, staring back and forth at the group.

"This is so troublesome." The Mirage Dragon didn't like being stared at like this, then snapped its fingers, and the soldiers froze in place.

"Let's go, it seems we shouldn't linger on this road." The group left with an air of nonchalance.

Seeing this, the man who had just reported the news opened his eyes wide. How could these officers and soldiers fall asleep while talking? Could it be some kind of sorcery? He sat down on the ground and ran away in terror.

Clearly, he'd misunderstood. The mirage dragon wasn't some kind of sorcery; it was a legitimate magical technique. Otherwise, it wouldn't explain how they'd emerged from the swamp so cleanly. Since there was no explanation, there was no need to explain it.

Anyway, they just wanted to find a place to wait for Xuan Mo, just like they did in the Yu Dynasty. It was just that they were unlucky and accidentally walked into the battlefield.

Only after Su Mu left did the officers and soldiers finally snap out of their trance, their faces bewildered—what were they doing here? Then, slapping their heads, they remembered: they'd come to inquire about the situation. Those people were just passing through, nothing serious. They'd already left, and perhaps they were just too tired and had drifted off for a moment. That's right.

After mentally rationalizing the situation, several soldiers couldn't help but complain: "Why haven't they issued our rations yet? It's been so long! If they don't get them soon, we'll be starving. What's the point of fighting then? We might as well go home and farm."

"Shut up! Don't you want to live? How many people have died in these ambushes lately? We're lucky we're not using you as fodder. Even though we only get one meal a day, it's better than nothing. Food and pay? We're lucky we're not chopping your head off. You want to go to the battlefield and scavenge like them?" another soldier whispered.

"It's said that General Li, for some unknown reason, had his intelligence leaked and was ambushed. His fate is still unknown."

"Alas, General Li, what a pity."

Because of this incident, the army's intelligence was directly delayed. Although the battle was ultimately won, it was only a pyrrhic victory, and subsequent plans were delayed. This breath was not rising, neither up nor down.

It was said that the general was furious and launched a thorough search for traitors throughout the army. Furthermore, the loss of the battle report directly caused the previous plan to be shelved, and the army was delayed. Every day of delay would cost them food and fodder. With pressure from above, it was estimated that they would have to bite the bullet and move forward in a few days. The arrow was on the string and had to be shot.

"Alas, I heard that if the Prince hadn't wanted a share of the spoils in the war, this wouldn't have happened. Now that things have turned out this way, I think even if he wasn't involved in this ambush, his wealth and status are over."

"Alright, that's enough. Do another round of inspections, just in case anything goes wrong. Watch your heads, especially at times like these."

After hearing the captain's words, the others fell silent. They were merely grumbling, and they only dared to speak in front of those who knew them well. Actually, it wouldn't matter if they told anyone else; no one would bother a soldier like you.

The food and fodder are still on their way, so we can only hold on for now. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that our victory is precarious, and we'll definitely face a series of problems like counterattacks. The days ahead will be difficult...

It was only upon arriving in the city that Su Mu discovered that not only had a war recently broken out, but it had also been a battle for the city's capital. The city was still thick with smoke, and most of the residents had their doors and windows tightly shut. Patrolling soldiers hurried back and forth, constantly patching up the city walls damaged by the previous battle, a scene of bustling activity.

"Have we gone the wrong way?" Shenlong asked, looking at the surrounding environment.

"It seems so," Su Mu replied.

This place is on the front line. And from what the soldiers said, this city was only recently captured. So if they want to find a peaceful town, they'll probably have to go the other way.

The group turned back helplessly. However, on their way back, they encountered a group of people. Su Mu glanced at them in surprise; the black banner clearly bore the name "Li," identical to the tokens they had received. It seemed the soldiers who had entered the swamp belonged to this faction.

They just wandered in by mistake and had no intention of participating.

Knowing the direction, the next step was easy. At their speed, they arrived at a city not far from the battlefield by evening—Qishan County. The name of this county. The fighting on the front had made this small town a crucial hub, and it was much more prosperous than before the war.

The carriages on display were loaded with bags of food and fodder destined for the front lines. Some were destined for the front lines, while others were brought in from the rear. There were only a few ways to collect food and fodder: allocating grain taxes from various regions, and purchasing from nearby merchants.