Without a moment’s hesitation, He Bieshan tapped the interface and selected “Batch Production.” 

Instantly, the flames of the makeshift forge surged. The ethereal forms of crude iron ingots and wooden shafts rapidly took shape and fused within the furnace. In less than ten seconds, a spear gleaming with a cold light had materialized, transforming into a streak of light as it hurtled onto the battlefield!

“Quick! Catch it!” Zhu Yuanzhang, visible on the light screen, had just dodged a slashing attack. Upon seeing the flying spear, a flicker of delight crossed his eyes. He grabbed the spear and immediately handed it to a displaced person standing beside him who was holding a wooden staff: “Take this! Stab them in the soft underbelly!” 

The displaced person took the spear, and a look of excitement instantly lit up his face.

With the spear in hand, he was no longer just a target to be beaten.

With the combined bonuses of “Red Turban Resolve” and “Armor Enhancement,” the spear’s attack power was more than enough to pierce the Yuan army’s standard leather armor. He let out a furious roar and lunged at the nearest Yuan soldier; though his movements were clumsy, he still forced his opponent to retreat repeatedly. One spear, two spears, three spears…

Beads of sweat beaded on He Bieshan’s forehead, and his mana was rapidly depleting, but he did not stop. With every spear he created, the Red Turban Army squad within the light barrier gained an additional unit of combat strength.

As the tenth spear was completed, the 【Basic Forging】 card in He Bieshan’s hand burst into a dazzling green light, and the forging hammer on the card’s surface was completely transformed.

The forging hammer now bore several battle-scarred gouges, and a faint crimson aura swirled around its shaft.

【Card Upgrade Complete! 【Basic Forging】 (Low-Grade Green Card) → 【Battlefield Forging: Basic】 (Mid-Grade Green Card)!】

【Effect: Consumes a small amount of card energy to combine crude iron ingots with wooden shafts (which can be generated using battlefield energy), producing 10 “White Card-level simple spears” within 1 minute (Attack Power 12–15, slightly lower than the Yuan Army’s standard spears (16–18), but capable of piercing ordinary leather armor). Cooldown: 5 minutes.】

【Effect: Consumes a small amount of card energy to repair damaged leather or cloth armor, granting the target unit “Temporary Armor” (Defense +8%, lasts 30 minutes). Repair efficiency increases with Smithing proficiency.】

【Card Notes: From workshop apprentice to battlefield blacksmith, your forging is no longer confined to the safety of the workshop—you can now forge hope for survival for your comrades!】

He Bieshan stared at the upgraded card, trembling with excitement.

He had never imagined that this “life-skill” card of his—one that others had mocked as “good for nothing but blacksmithing”—could actually play such a vital role on the battlefield.

He looked up at Li Shi’an, his eyes brimming with gratitude: “Shi’an! I… I’ve leveled up! I can make spears now! And I can repair armor, too!” 

Li Shi’an smiled and patted him on the shoulder: “It’s not just that. Look at the squad.”

He Bieshan followed Li Shi’an’s gaze to the light screen.

At that moment, every member of the Red Turban Army squad was equipped with simple spears, and He Bieshan had used “Armor Repair” to fix the damaged leather armor they were wearing.

With the bonuses from “Red Turban’s Resolve” and “Armor Enhancement,” their combat effectiveness now far exceeds that of ordinary white-card units.

The Red Turban Army, which had previously been pushed back by the Yuan forces, was now able to form a loose formation, using their spears to create a simple spear line that firmly held off the Yuan army’s charge.

“Wonderful!” Hao Yun couldn’t help but cheer as well, the worry on his face finally fading somewhat. “The squad has stabilized! Shi’an, look—Guo Zixing’s side!”

On the holographic screen, Guo Zixing also noticed the change in the squad.

Seizing the opportunity, he swung his sword with all his might to parry Arluwen’s wolf-tooth club and roared at the top of his lungs: “Brothers! Do you see that? We have reinforcements! We have spears! Follow me and break through!”

“Charge! Charge! Charge!”

The Red Turban Army’s morale was instantly ignited.

The front lines, which had been on the verge of collapse, actually regrouped thanks to the support from the band of refugees.

The Red Turban soldiers, who had been struggling to hold their ground just moments before, were now as energized as if they’d been injected with adrenaline. Wielding their weapons, they launched a counterattack against the Yuan army. Arluwen sat on his horse, watching the sudden reversal of the battle before him, his face turning ashen with rage.

He hadn’t expected that the dying Novice Monk not only survived but also triggered the blacksmith’s level-up, equipping the band of refugees with weapons. He barked an order: “Heavy Armor Charge! Crush them! Don’t leave a single one alive!”

【Yuan Army Commander Arluwen activates active skill: Heavy Armor Charge!】

【Effect: Leads the Yuan Army’s elite troops in a devastating charge, dealing 20% additional damage to all enemy units within a fan-shaped area directly in front, ignoring 10% of their physical defense!】

Suddenly, within the Yuan army’s ranks, dozens of heavily armored elite infantrymen accelerated, forming a torrent of steel as they charged fiercely toward the Red Turban Army’s lines.

Their speed was staggering, and they were on the verge of breaking through the Red Turban Army’s newly stabilized defensive line.

“Oh no! It’s a heavy armor charge!” He Bieshan’s expression darkened. “My spear can only pierce ordinary leather armor—it can’t stop heavy armor!”

Li Shi’an, however, remained remarkably calm.

He looked at the torrent of steel charging toward the Red Turban Army on the light screen, then glanced at the spear in Zhu Yuanzhang’s hand, and said, “Bieshan, use the armor to repair Zhu Yuanzhang’s armor. Yun Yun, prepare a healing spell—he’s going to have to brace for the charge.” 

“Take the brunt of it?”

He Bieshan and Hao Yun froze in unison.

Before they could react, Zhu Yuanzhang on the light screen had already moved.

He shoved aside the displaced people beside him, spear in hand, and stood alone at the very forefront of the Red Turban Army’s lines.

His “Guardian Vajra” trait activated, enveloping his entire body in a pale golden Buddhist radiance. Thanks to He Bieshan’s “Armor Repair” spell, his originally damaged leather armor had actually regained some of its defensive capabilities—albeit temporarily!

“Brother Zhu! Come back! You can’t hold them off!” Guo Zixing roared in panic. But Zhu Yuanzhang did not turn back.

Gripping his spear, he fixed his gaze intently on the charging Yuan heavy-armored infantry.

The “Red Turban Guard · Zhu Yuanzhang” card flashed intensely, interweaving gold and red as four seal script characters faintly emerged. “The Hongwu Emperor has laid the foundation.”

Liu Hao activated a “Yuan Dynasty Postal Courier” card. After choosing the Yuan Dynasty, he followed the postal convoy to collect two sets of 【Yuan Dynasty Supplies】, steadily leveling his card up to mid-tier green. By all accounts, he was already a “winner” of this joint exam.

Yet as he watched the scenes of He Bieshan leveling up and the refugee squad launching a counterattack on the light screen, he felt an inexplicable pang of envy.

Although his card was stable, it had been leveling up in a predictable, step-by-step manner—without any surprises, let alone the thrill of “breaking through the stalemate alongside comrades.”

“Damn it, if I’d known, I would’ve chosen the Red Turbans…” Liu Hao muttered to himself, his tone brimming with resentment. “That He Bieshan guy—his aptitude is clearly worse than mine, yet he actually managed to level up on the battlefield… Is this the perk of following a High Potential Card?”

Zhao Zhiyong felt the same envy.

His “Black Wind Fortress Lord · Wang Ba” had previously been crippled by a squad of constables; although he later joined the Yuan army’s mop-up force, he was consistently overlooked and could only tag along doing menial tasks.

When he saw He Bieshan conjure a spear and the band of refugees hold off the Yuan army’s charge, his eyes turned red with jealousy.

He had previously wanted to recruit Li Shi’an as his deputy, but now he realized that the gap between himself and Li Shi’an had long since gone beyond what could be measured by talent alone.

“When one person attains enlightenment, even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven…” Zhao Zhiyong recalled that old saying from the card-collecting world, his heart filled with mixed emotions. “So it’s true that the fortune of a growth-type card can truly lift up those around it…”

Meanwhile, in the VIP section, Sui Yang’s communication card ring lit up once more.

Seeing “Director Wei” on the screen, he took a deep breath and answered the call.

“Sui Yang, the proposal has been approved!” Director Wei’s voice carried unbridled excitement. “The Dean personally gave the go-ahead to grant Li Shi’an the highest-level early admission spot. He’ll receive a full tuition waiver, an annual subsidy of 100,000 Card Energy Crystals, and exclusive access to the Historical Card Pool. You can go contact him now.”

A smile tugged at Sui Yang’s lips. “Don’t worry, Director Wei.”

On the battlefield projection screen, the Yuan army’s heavily armored charge was now just a stone’s throw away. Zhu Yuanzhang gripped his spear, took a deep breath, and channeled all the Card Energy within him into the spear.

Under the blessings of “Red Turban’s Resolve” and “Blessings of Dharma,” the tip of the spear glowed with a faint golden-red light. Morale, faith, and the Buddha’s light fused together—this was the first wisp of the battle spirit belonging to the “Great Emperor Hongwu.”

“Charge—!”

Zhu Yuanzhang roared furiously and charged headlong into the torrent of heavily armored soldiers!

The ground trembled under the iron hooves of the Yuan army’s heavily armored charge. Seated atop his black horse, Arluwen’s lips curled into a cold smile of certainty of victory.

No matter how fierce and valiant the Red Turban Guard might be, their flesh-and-blood bodies alone could never withstand this torrent of steel. But at this critical moment!

“Woo—! Woo—!”

“It’s reinforcements!” The soldiers under Guo Zixing’s command erupted in cheers, and the previously taut battle lines instantly relaxed a bit. “The main force has arrived! We are saved!”

On the distant horizon, a cloud of dust and smoke shot skyward.

A forest of swords and spears, banners filling the sky—their numbers far outnumbered Arluwen’s forces!

“It’s reinforcements from Haozhou City! It’s the Grand Commander’s main force! The Young Commander has arrived!” 

“Reinforcements! Our reinforcements have arrived!”

“Slaughter every one of these Mongols!”

The morale of the Red Turban Army, which had been teetering on the brink of collapse, soared to its peak in an instant. The surviving warriors, as if injected with adrenaline, unleashed astonishing combat prowess.

The savage grin on Arluwen’s face froze instantly, giving way to utter astonishment.

He pulled hard on the reins, reining in his warhorse, and looked toward the massive reinforcements that had suddenly appeared.

“Guo Tianxu?! How did he get here so fast?! What are the scouts good for?!”

At the edge of the battlefield, Zhu Yuanzhang—who had been preparing to fight to the death—felt the weight on his shoulders suddenly lift.

Guo Zixing, perched high on his horse, also spotted the reinforcements, and a surge of ecstasy at having found a way out of a desperate situation welled up within him.

His gaze swept across the battlefield, and the first figure he locked onto was that young personal guard who, even in the face of certain doom, continued to fight to the death—and had even nearly single-handedly charged a heavily armored unit with just his spear.

Good lad! He’s got real guts! He’s a gem!

Guo Zixing hesitated no longer. Taking advantage of the Yuan army’s wavering morale at the sight of the reinforcements, he suddenly raised his sword toward Arluwen’s center and roared with all his might:

“Men! Reinforcements have arrived! Follow me—charge!” 

“Charge!”

The Red Turban Army’s morale soared, and they launched a frenzied counterattack.

Arluwen’s face turned ashen; he knew the situation was hopeless.

“Retreat! Provide covering fire in shifts and break through toward the northeast!” he ordered through gritted teeth. The Yuan troops immediately reorganized their formation, attempting to withdraw from the battlefield.

But how could the Red Turban Army possibly let them escape?

The main force of the reinforcements launched a fierce pincer attack from both flanks, instantly cutting off and encircling the rear ranks of the retreating Yuan army!

The situation on the battlefield turned around in an instant, turning into an encirclement and annihilation battle! After dodging the deadly charge, Zhu Yuanzhang did not stop. The Mongols thought they could escape? It wouldn’t be that easy!

He immediately rallied the few remaining refugees and Red Turban rebels still capable of fighting around him: “Hold them off! Don’t let the Mongols escape so easily! Buy time for the main army to encircle them!”

Like a hungry wolf that had caught the scent of blood, he led this small, battered force to lock onto a small detachment of Yuan troops attempting to break through the flank. Using the terrain and a simple spear formation, he continuously harassed and delayed them. Although he couldn’t inflict massive casualties, he successfully slowed the detachment’s advance, creating an opening for the main force closing in from the rear.

This scene was clearly witnessed by Guo Zixing, who was directing the entire battle from his command post at the center of the army, and even more so by a young general who had just arrived on the battlefield and was standing beneath the commander’s banner.

The young commander was clad in gleaming silver armor; his features bore a slight resemblance to Guo Zixing’s, though his brow carried an added air of arrogance. He was none other than Guo Zixing’s son, the Young Commander of the Red Turban Army in Haozhou.

Red Turban Army’s Young Commander, Guo Tianxu!