When thousands of soldiers marching, no matter how you felt about wars and battles, you couldn't help but awe. Eight thousands men marching out of Zhanghu Town, toward Nanping. Zhang Hu made sure any spies and scout from Nanping should be able to see it.

The exact opposite was happening the night before, 10,000 men were sneaking out of Zhanghu Town secretly. Even with divided them to unit of 1,000 men, to secretly move them out of the town wasn't easy if it wasn't close to impossible. Dressed in black 10,000 men moved out of Zhanghu Town in the dark of the night. At the evening, Zhang Hu was held a ritual, something he learned from the Grand Elder memories. Few hours later fog raised from Minjiang river and wind blew it toward Zhanghu Town.

In the middle of the mist, covered by the fog and the dark of the night, 10,000 men left the town in secret.

It wasn't an easy journey, they need to march through forest and mountainous area. Both 10,000 and 8,000 men marched on foot, but walking on the road and walking through the forest had big difference.

Zhang Hu himself led that 8,000 men, assisted by Yue Guang, Fan Zheng and Yue Rang. The 8,000 men marched slowly, once and a while they will stopped to rest. They also brought cart laden with supplies. They also brought along with them the iron plate on wheel, they were going to use as shield. Soon after the initial excitement passed, all that left was hard labor.

It was the duty of the leaders to keep their spirit during the march. It wasn't rare to see Zhang Hu, Fan Zheng or Yue Rang, moved from front to the rear, back and forth. Spent some time to converse with their men and cheered them along the way.

Several scout teams, moved ahead of them to make sure there were no ambush along the way. Even though there were reliable source of information from Yue Guang's tribe of fairies, Zhang Hu wanted his men to do it as if they were not with fairies.

It wasn't to fool Feng Jin's spies, but rather to make sure that they wouldn't become dependence to the fairies existence. They should know how to rely on their own strength. There might be times when the fairies couldn't help them.

Much to their delight, there were no team of ambush along the way to Nanping. Feng Jin chose to put all his defense on the other side of the river, defending bridges that could be used to cross the river. Most of their men were stationed around Jianzhou Bridge, which was the one where Zhang Hu's men now marched to. It was the nearest and widest bridge if Zhang Hu wanted to bring his men to Nanping.

Since Feng Jin's army consist of several different groups, whose each of its leader didn't fully trusted their allies. After a long debate, they chose the safest way for their men, by defending Nanping's entry point. No one willing to send their men to set ambush and at risk of being decimated by Zhanghu's army.

They all wanted to defend from safe position, within Nanping. Much to Feng Jin's frustration, he didn't willing to sacrifice his own men too, to reduce Zhang Hu's army by setting ambush. Each of the leaders under Feng Jin eyeing his position, everyone wanted to keep their strength as much as possible. It was the total opposite of Zhang Hu's people unity. Zhang Hu had the charisma to bring people to him and he distributed position fairly. He was the first to give example that leaders should not coveting privileges but share the burden of his people.

Once they reached Shuinan Street, Yue Rang moved the shield at front and the soldiers marched behind it. He was moving the shield just at the right time, because after they marched few hundred meters more. Some of Feng Jin's men began to shoot at them, although sparingly, since they still out of their effective fire range. But once someone heard a shot, some of them would be tempted to shoot as well. More and more Feng Jin's men shot at Zhang Hu's army despite the range and the shield that protect them.

The closer Zhang Hu's army to Jianzhou bridge, the more frequent Feng Jin's men shot at them, but they maintained their discipline, they marched slowly and steadily, safe behind their iron plate shield.

From the way they shot at will, it seemed that Feng Jin's men weren't as organized as Zhang Hu's men. Zhang Hu's men although some of them seemed eager to return the fire and some other wary for marching under the fire, they kept their discipline and marched orderly.

After a while, even the most inexperienced among Zhang Hu's men could see the futility of Feng Jin's men action. It brought confidence to their leader and their training.

Once they arrived at their end of Jianzhou Bridge, the shield spread out and create a long wall of iron plate. Yue Rang and Fan Zheng began to re-arrange their formation leisurely with the shield covering them all.

By that time, Feng Jin's men stop shooting at them, probably their leaders must had been barking orders, cursed and swore at anyone who shot before receive the command to shoot.

Zhang Hu's team of scout didn't venture further than Shuinan Street. They joined the other once they could see Jianzhou Bridge.

While Yue Guang kept updating the status of Feng Jin's men at Nanping. From the last report, it seemed Feng Jin contacted other leaders who guard other Minjiang River's crossing point to move their men to Jianzhou Bridge and focused his army at Jianzhou Bridge.

From the gap between the iron plate, once and a while Zhang Hu's men aimed and took a shot at their enemies. Since both side was well covered, no casualties on both side during these first few exchanges.

While some of their friends were happily shot the enemy across the bridge. Other units within Zhang Hu's army erected tents and set their base. Some were assigned to patrol around the perimeter, to guard against the enemy's raid. Some began to prepare foods for the army. Within few hours, everything was arranged nicely.

Feng Jin and other leaders within his group, watched it from afar with bitter taste in their mouth. They were staying at a building near the river. They watched the battle from the window, in the meeting room at the highest floor.

At the same time, the second phase of Zhang Hu's plan already in move. Yue Guang and his fairies tribe slowly herd zombies from many area around Nanping toward Jianzhou Bridge.

Since most of Feng Jin's men's attention were occupied by the activity of Zhang Hu's 8,000 men across the river. No one paid attention to their rear. Feng Jin was discussing with other leaders at that time.

One man who was almost 2 m tall and have a heavy build asked,, "They're not that far, can't we use our snipers to shoot at them?"

His name was Pan Wei, he was one of those who coveted Feng Jin's position and was known for his strength.

"I already told our snipers to shoot their important leaders whenever they had the chance but so far, those people like Zhang Hu, Fan Zheng or Yue Rang always moved around cautiously. We couldn't spot them yet.", Feng Jin answered.

"Well, why don't we just shoot anyone? I'm tired watching them move around freely.", Pan Wei replied angrily.

Feng Jin snorted, "Once they knew we have snipers on our side, Zhang Hu, Fan Zheng and Yue Rang will hide. It will be harder to target them by then."

"If its true that our sniper couldn't find then then that's mean they already act as if they know that there are snipers at this side.", another one spoke.

This time was a man with average height, if there was anything special, it was his eyes. It was sharp and cold. His name was Cao Meng.

"Are you saying someone here betraying us?', another one asked.

His name was Yan Liu, he was quite loyal to Feng Jin. His heavy build just as intimidating as Pan Wei's. Although he wasn't as tall as Pan Wei but the difference wasn't that much and the bulging muscle behind his shirt compensate it.

"No, but there is no meaning in waiting for them to appear, since they already prepared for a sniper on our side.", Cao Meng retorted.

Soon other leaders joined in, some supported Pan Wei while some other supported Feng Jin. They were arguing back and forth, when suddenly there were a ruckus from the direction of Nanping. Sound of shooting and even explosions.

"What the hell is happening back there?", Feng Jin shouted angrily, he took his frustration out on his men who was guarding the room.

The answer came faster than their expectation, several men were already running into the building. Before one of their men ventured out of the building to find out, they already met them. Hastily they returned to give the report.

"Zombies ! Hundred of thousands zombies from many places in Nanping, were moving toward Jianzhou's bridge!", one of them gave the report.

"What?!", Feng Jin didn't expect this.

For days the zombies avoided them. When they just came, indeed there were some zombies who tried to attack them. but high level men among them, including Pan Wei and Yan Liu went to hunt and kill demons who reside in Nanping. Within a day, no zombies dare to approach their army.

After that happened, they didn't focus on clearing the city from zombies and demons, they just cleared area they wanted for themselves. They let the zombies and demons roamed outside their territory. They decided it was best to prepare themselves to deal with Zhang Hu that will surely came to Nanping before they focused on occupying Nanping.

Cao Meng said, "Zhang Hu must used his fairies to drive zombies toward our men."

They quietly nodded their head, no one thought that possibility, so no one could stepped up and claimed that they were better leader than the other.

Feng Jin frowned and cursed Zhang Hu, "What a despicable men... he used such underhanded tricks..."

Pan Wei snorted, "Hmph..., how about you? Didn't you say you planted some of your men among Zhang Hu's men?"

Feng Jin stared at him angrily and coldly replied, "And thanks to that, we knew when Zhang Hu's going to attack us and how he fare at Zhanghu Town."

Pan Wei laughed, "But they didn't tell you that Zhang Hu planned to attack us from behind using the zombies who lived in Nanping. What a spy... they told you many little things but missed such an important information."

Yan Liu angrily shouted at Pan Wei, "Pan Wei you spoke as if you have better idea! If you have better idea, then why don't you say it now?"

Pan Wei turned to Yan Liu and replied, "I'll show you something. Something no one here realized just yet."

Pan Wei then left the room, leaving the other leaders wondering, "What is he going to do now? Is he going to fight the zombies?"

Feng Jin snorted, "Let that man do what he want to do. Yan Liu lead our men to defend our territory from the zombies. Zhang Hu is a foolish man if he think we're afraid of zombies. They had no choice to enter Nanping but through the bridges and we don't need many men to defend it well. We could spare more than half of our men to defend our rear line."

The other leaders nodded their head, it was true that Zhang Hu's move surprised them, but it wasn't something that could win the battle. Zhang Hu still had to cross the river and their men would be mowed down by machine gun if they tried to cross the bridge. While at the same time, they could move more than half of their men to deal with the zombies without compromising their defense on the bridge.

Yan Liu quickly assembled his men to deal with the zombies, while the other leaders back to watch the situation at Jianzhou bridge. They also still wondering about Pan Wei's plan, but many was thinking that Pan Wei was assembling his men to deal with the zombies. That was why Feng Jin sent Yan Liu to deal with the zombies, in order to show to Pan Wei that he had a man who could do what he was going to do.

Secretly Pan Wei and Feng Jin competed to show to their men, who was the one who will contribute the most in securing Nanping from Zhang Hu.

They didn't see Zhang Hu as a threat, but rather the leaders within their alliance were the real threat to their position. So far there were split into two factions. One belong to Pan Wei and the other belong to Feng Jin. Both tried to show their strength and kept eye on the other.

Suddenly one of them spoke, "Look, isn't that Master Pan Wei?"

He was looking out of the window and pointed at something, the other leaders quickly went to see at the direction he was pointing at.