"The Black-Armored Cavalry answers only to His Highness Jingwang. As long as he gives the word, they'll ride with you," Sun Boce said with a broad smile. In truth, this was Yuan Tiangang's reluctant concession. The Black-Armored Cavalry was already firmly in Ling Feng's hands, and with Jingwang backing him, even the commander-in-chief of the Three Armies had no authority to bypass the prince's will. With Jingwang at his side, Ling Feng had the reins of that elite force firmly in hand. "That's all I need to hear." Ling Feng's lips curved with a faint, confident grin. With his numbers tripled and thirty thousand armored riders at his back, reclaiming Blackwater Plains no longer seemed impossible. "If that's settled, I'll return and report to the Commander-in-Chief. I'll also make sure he knows about your new Tianfeng Battalion." Sun Boce gave Ling Feng a respectful fist-and-palm salute before turning to leave with his guards. The reinforcements Yuan Tiangang had promised would arrive within three days. When Sun Boce's figure disappeared beyond the camp, Ling Feng finally exhaled a low curse. That old fox Yuan Tiangang was even more devious than he had thought. Li Bufan stood beside him, frowning deeply. "Brother Ling, this campaign at Blackwater Plains won't be an easy fight." "I know," Ling Feng said, his eyes sharp. "But since the Commander-in-Chief is so eager to test me, I suppose I should give him a proper surprise." He drew a steady breath, then called the soldiers back to their drills. Next, he gathered his trusted commanders in the main tent to pore over the map and plan their next move. Inside, a massive map was spread across the table. Xu Zhongda, Ding Yi, and Fang Jianhong, three of his most seasoned officers, gave the newcomers a clear rundown of the region's terrain and the enemy's strongholds. When Xu Zhongda finished, his face turned grave. "General Ling, Blackwater Plains may be easy to attack, but it's near impossible to hold. The Demon Race can vanish into the Blackwater River and strike without warning. We'll be vulnerable to ambushes at every turn." The Blackwater River cut across the entire region, splitting into countless swamps and streams. Its dark soil, rich with strange minerals, gave the river its name. For the water-dwelling demonic beasts, this network of waterways was a perfect shield, an advantage that made open battle twice as hard. Even veteran generals, men hardened by years of war, had been forced to retreat from Blackwater Plains, some never making it back alive. "I expected as much," Ling Feng said quietly. "This terrain was never meant for our usual tactics. Winning it back won't be easy." He paused in thought, then turned to Xu Zhongda. "This afternoon, go see Adviser Sun. Tell him this expansion will recruit earth and thunder attribute soldiers only, no other elements are needed." Xu Zhongda's eyes widened. "General Ling, that breaks the usual rules." "Just pass on my orders," Ling Feng replied calmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Whether they approve or not is up to them. If the men aren't ready, I won't lead them out." Xu Zhongda's mouth twitched as he saluted. This young general really was cut from a different cloth. Huo Yuanyi, one of the Black-Armored Cavalry leaders, spoke up. "Using the right elements might help, but can it really change the outcome?" Since the battle at Yellow Dragon Ridge, Huo Yuanyi had stayed at Ling Feng's side, while Long Xiao had returned to Iron Wolf City to gather fresh troops for Jingwang. "It won't decide everything," Ling Feng admitted, "but in this fight, even the smallest edge matters." He tapped the map with his finger. "Before, the commanders camped far from the river, afraid of ambushes. They thought they were safe, but they boxed themselves in, with nowhere to advance and nowhere to retreat. We need positions where we can strike quickly or fall back if we must. Here's what we'll do..." He spoke with calm precision, his voice steady as he outlined each point. One by one, he laid out tactics to turn the land's natural traps into their advantage. Anyone watching him now would see why Deng Xian's military texts had never been wasted on him. He absorbed their lessons line by line and turned them into clear, workable plans. Han Li, the Northwestern Army's commander-in-chief, had once said Ling Feng was born for command. He had the instincts of a leader and the mind of a strategist, maybe even the potential to become a true "War Lord". Some men were simply cut from that cloth. They learned fast, understood faster, and grasped things others never would. The expansion of the Tianfeng Battalion moved faster than anyone had expected. Yuan Tiangang nearly tore out his beard in anger when Ling Feng's demands reached him, but in the end, he had no choice but to give in. Ling Feng had Jingwang behind him, an imperial overseer sent by the royal family itself. With the prince's title and the Black-Armored Cavalry under his banner, Yuan Tiangang no longer held all the cards. He was forced to break up more than sixty other camps, gathering a hundred thousand earth attribute soldiers and thirty thousand thunder attribute troops, all to strengthen Ling Feng's force. With these new recruits, Ling Feng now commanded twelve full infantry battalions, three Earth Dragon battalions, a frontline battalion, scouts, reserves, nearly one hundred eighty thousand men under him. At last, this force matched the title of "General Weiyuan." And as word spread, elite commanders ranked high on the Hundred Battles Ranking began to volunteer for his command. In just a few days, the new Tianfeng Battalion had become the most sought-after unit in the entire Tianmang Fortress. The name Ling Feng and the name Tianfeng Battalion both echoed through every barrack and watchtower. On the training grounds, Ling Feng moved through the ranks of soldiers, watching their drills. He gave a small nod, satisfied with what he saw, though in his eyes a flicker of worry remained. Tomorrow they would march. If they won, the Tianfeng Battalion's name would shine brighter than ever. If they lost, all they had built would crumble. Helping Mo Feng seize real power would become far more difficult. And Yuan Tiangang would be waiting to twist that military contract into a chain around his neck. An army needs more than just geniuses, it needs a general who brings victory! Only a general who won battles could stand unshaken, trusted by his soldiers no matter who tried to cut him down. "No matter what, we win this fight." Ling Feng clenched his fist as he looked out at the countless warriors before him. In his eyes, there burned a steady, unyielding light.