The secret meeting lasted well into the night.Xayne returned to Folksworth the next morning. When Serena saw him, she was so overjoyed that she immediately threw herself into his arms and exclaimed, "Honey, I missed you so much."Xayne squeezed Serena's delicate face and smiled. "I missed you too."Without delay, Xayne swept Serena into a princess carry and headed straight for the bedroom upstairs. Serena was startled. She pounded his chest with her fists, shouting, "Hey, what are you doing? It's still daytime.""Just taking care of some couple matters. I think we can have another child," Xayne said with a grin and kicked the door shut with a bang.The next two hours were entirely theirs.When the time passed, Serena lay in Xayne's strong embrace, her face flushed, and quietly asked, "Honey, do you think we'll be together forever?"Xayne, leaning against the headboard, gently stroked Serena's smooth, white shoulders and replied, "Of course. In my heart, it's only you and Coco."

The sudden invasion by the Tri-Lion Empire was well-prepared. Initially, their troops launched a surprise attack on Red Rose's forces. Despite repelling the initial assault, Red Rose's troops were soon surrounded by other national forces that appeared on both flanks, effectively trapping them in the middle.Now, they found themselves encircled by the enemy, making a breakout extremely difficult. The enemy had set up defensive positions swiftly, making any advance costly. The Northern Plains forces had been in this situation for nearly three days. They were low on supplies because they had been deployed in a hurry, and the sudden snowfall had further complicated their situation. If they continued to delay, the enemy could win by simply surrounding them and waiting.Moreover, it was evident that the enemy intended to encircle and cut off any reinforcements.Logically speaking, the Northern Plains army guarding the border in Northern Plains would come out to rescue them at this time,

"Don't worry," Xayne assured as his voice steady. "If they had the manpower to wipe out Red Rose, they would've done it already. Killing Red Rose would have shattered the reputation we've built for years, and they would have made a big show of it to boost their morale while crushing ours."But they didn't. That means they haven't acted instantly. And why haven't they? Because they don't want to risk their losses. They're trying to lure us out, to chip away at our strength bit by bit."The only way to counter this is to launch a full-scale assault and strike them. Make them respect our strength!"As he spoke, Xayne slammed his fist onto the table."Tomorrow, we set out. We trust Red Rose can hold the line. By noon, the enemy's morale will start to wane. That's when we strike and catch them off guard. If Red Rose can't hold, we'll annihilate the enemy and honor our fallen soldiers with their blood!"Upon seeing no movement from the Northern Plains army the next day, Arnold grew impa

Upon witnessing their general Arnold being slain by Xayne, the allied soldiers scattered in terror. They abandoned any thought of resistance. They were utterly terrified as their courage shattered. The battle against Xayne had become a nightmare, a relentless torment.Soon after, reinforcements from the Northern Plains arrived. They wiped out the fleeing soldiers, leaving none alive. Meanwhile, Xayne received news that Red Rose had successfully fortified their position within the defense lines of the Tri-Lion Empire.With unwavering determination, Xayne marched to the Tri-Lion Empire's defense lines, reuniting him with Red Rose. Overwhelmed with emotion, Red Rose threw herself into Xayne's arms, crying uncontrollably."We're going home," Xayne said as he stood below the defense line, extending his hand to Red Rose."Open the gates! Welcome the King of Northern Plains," Red Rose commanded, and the gates were opened, allowing Xayne and the Northern Plains forces to enter."It's t

"They won't be satisfied by losing a battle. They'll send more troops. We need to set up an ambush ahead of time, right along this defensive line!"Xayne drew a horizontal line on the map. This area was the border with the Tri-Lion Empire. It was the most dangerous spot, the enemy's most vigilant location.Setting up an ambush here was extremely difficult, potentially putting themselves in the enemy's crosshairs."Everyone, prepare your rations and gear. We need to lay in and wait here. We will catch them off guard and crush their morale!"Even though it was a risky tactic, Xayne insisted on pushing it to the limit, where his soldiers would face immense danger. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. If they successfully ambushed the enemy, it would be a devastating blow.Only Xayne could devise such a bold strategy. He trusted his soldiers because they were the Northern Plains army, capable of executing such tactics. Other commanders wouldn't dare gamble their soldiers' liv