Earlier, Xia Chuan had only ordered Liu Yuan to lead the Cloud Jiao Army up Snow Hill. He himself, along with Yuwen Dao and other Cold Resistance Level members, had not moved.
Thus, Zhou Yuan’s sarcastic taunt was clear to him.
Xia Chuan’s lips curled into a slight smile, ignoring Zhou Yuan.
Only after the transport personnel had loaded all the war armor and weapons onto the vehicles, then divided into ten squads to control all the captives, did he wave his hand:
"Continue heading south. Now, you can slow down a bit!"
Upon hearing Xia Chuan’s last words, Zhou Yuan’s expression first froze, then abruptly lifted his head, looking at the army heading south and the captives behind him. As if realizing something, his face drastically changed.
He understood what Great Xia intended!
"It seems you’re not dumb."
Xia Chuan lightly mocked, just as the Great Xia transport personnel took out strips of fabric and gagged all the captives.
Zhou Yuan’s shock hadn’t yet faded, when Yuwen Dao walked up to him, taking out a cloth to gag him along with Li Yuanqing and Cheng He.
"Yuwen Dao, Chen Yingba, Wu Tianxing, you three remain here."
After saluting, the three immediately headed up Snow Hill.
The departing troops moved at less than half the speed of the Cloud Jiao Army.
Yet Xia Chuan, Chen Yingyuan, Peng Bo, and Lin Kai looked not anxious at all, occasionally turning to look behind them, full of anticipation.
Unlike them, Zhou Yuan, gagged, had pupils filled with worry, sweat dripping from his forehead, appearing extremely urgent.
The departing troops were slower than the Cloud Jiao Army, largely due to Xia Chuan’s instructions, but more due to their limited military capability.
This transport group of over a thousand had Basic Strengths between ten to twenty thousand, much lower than the Cloud Jiao Army. Dragging so much baggage, they simply couldn’t move faster.
Heading south for an hour, they managed less than four kilometers.
Just then, Xia Hong hurried back from the north.
"Hou Hu brought people ahead of schedule; get ready!"
Upon rejoining, he didn’t follow the group but first alerted Xia Chuan and the others, then turned north, adopting a waiting posture.
"Lin Kai, continue at this pace."
Xia Chuan’s expression slightly tensed as he ordered Lin Kai, then stopped with Chen Yingyuan and Peng Bo behind Xia Hong, waiting together.
The four waited less than a hundred breaths.
The northern snowfield saw nine figures appear in succession.
All nine wore blood-colored, light-emiting war armor, hurriedly advancing along the marching route towards them.
With no obstructions in the snowfield, seeing these nine figures naturally meant they too were visible to the opposition.
Only two to three hundred meters away did the nine slow their pace, gradually approaching.
"Leader Xia Hong, unprovoked plundering of our Zhaoyang supplies, isn’t it excessive?"
As expected, these were from Zhaoyang Camp.
Despite Hou Hu lowering his voice, the fury in his final question was unmistakable. His furious expression revealed undisguised killing intent towards Xia Hong’s familiar yet strange face.
Xia Hong didn’t hastily respond, first sweeping a glance at the eight beside Hou Hu, then lightly smiled at Hou Hu, saying, "Unprovoked? Hou brother, your memory must be failing you. The Gourd Valley incident was less than three months ago. If you’ve really forgotten, maybe Hou Tong behind you can remind you."
Hou Tong, standing behind Hou Hu, froze.
Xia Hong’s pursuit in Hanqiong Gourd Valley, hunted by Li Xuanling and the Longyou Army, he hadn’t acted but was certainly among the participants.
Hou Hu’s expression darkened, aware that the ambush at Gourd Valley to kill Xia Hong was executed by Hou Tong under orders after Li Xuanling revealed Xia Hong’s true identity.
"Xia Hong, think carefully. Our Zhaoyang has allied with Long Mountain. Leader Li’s original intent was only for Great Xia to withdraw from Longyou. If you truly steal these supplies today, it would indeed be declaring war against us two families!"
Zhaoyang has allied with Long Mountain...
Xia Hong hardly cared for the words following them, focusing on Hou Hu’s revelation, filled with curiosity and confusion.
In April, at a coalition meeting, Hou Hu almost died at Li Tiancheng’s hand, with Zhaoyang and Long Mountain readying for battle, almost engaging, if not for Great Xia’s intervention.
These previously incompatible families had allied.
Just to deal with Great Xia?
Xia Hong’s brow furrowed, not from fear of the alliance, but at the rapidity of the transition from hostility to alliance, an absurdly swift turn.
His left eye flickered slightly, eyeing Hou Hu’s group once more.
The group showed no anomalies, no trace of reddish substance.
Yet Xia Hong retained caution, remembering well the Dewdrop Plague could hide within human bodies.
"Seems like I’ll have to personally test them!"
Unanswered for long, Hou Hu’s side was not idle.
"Leader, similar to what Long Mountain just said, light gold armor, ten large carts, eight hundred sets of Hundred-forged Armor and weapons on them, likely Great Xia’s army."
"Zhou Yuan, Li Yuanqing, Cheng He, wearing collarbone shackles, plus those chained in the rear, must be Long Mountain captives, certainly them."
"Hou Quan, go inform the main army, speed up towards here; their baggage slows them, expected to catch up in two hours."
"Understood. I’ll go!" The source of this content ɪs novel{f}ire.net
Hou Hu hadn’t considered threats could force Xia Hong to hand over the supplies. After instructing Hou Quan, he fiercely turned to Xia Hong, declaring:
"Xia Hong, Great Xia now lacks even the qualification to withdraw wholly from Longyou. Your army won’t leave Songyuan Realm, nor reach Wushuang!"
After long waiting, Hou Hu’s threat was all he received. Watching them dare not approach, Xia Hong couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.
He drew his Dragon Sparrow Saber, slowly approaching Hou Hu’s group of eight.
"Rest assured, the army’s rushing back; I won’t let them intervene."
As Xia Hong walked, he reassured Hou Hu’s nerves. If the former contained light mockery, his next words showed utter contempt, reddening Hou Hu’s group’s faces, prompting them to draw weapons.
"Xia Chuan, don’t intervene, I can handle it alone!"
Not just Hou Hu’s angry eight.
Even Xia Chuan’s trio was stunned hearing this.
One against eight, isn’t that a bit exaggerated?
Especially with Hou Hu among them!
Trusting Xia Hong naturally, Xia Chuan first retreated aside.
Chen Yingyuan and Peng Bo hesitated slightly, but seeing Xia Chuan’s swift withdrawal, followed quickly.
The trio watched Xia Hong’s back with expressions full of anticipation.
Finally, they’ll witness the leader’s true strength!