As the light cavalry pushed northward, it only took a few days before they entered the Grassland corridor.0

Only now did it become evident that while the Great Han Empire had been rigorously preparing for war, Timur had not been idle either. This was not a one-sided ambush; it was a premeditated decisive battle for both sides.0

While the Han army had been strengthening itself, Timur had chosen a different strategy, one akin to striking with a Seven Injuries Fist[1], sacrificing his own strength to inflict greater damage on the enemy.0

According to the tribesmen serving as guides, every settlement along the route that could have provided supplies had already been preemptively evacuated. The tents were empty, the pastures abandoned, and even the water sources had been contaminated.0

This operation had clearly taken considerable time and effort. Timur had resolved to deny the Han army any chance of living off the land.0

Xue Canghai was deeply disappointed.0

Zhao Changhe and the others exchanged glances, struggling to comprehend how Timur had managed to concentrate such a vast barbarian population in one place. How were they even sustaining themselves? How could their herding practices...0