Chapter 193

Chapter 186: Blizzards

The boundary between heaven and earth was indistinct as a fierce blizzard swept across the battlefield, blanketing the entire Hongyan Mountain Range in a blanket of white.

Hason had initially left but returned to the abandoned relay station tonight due to the severity of the snowstorm. He feared getting lost in the snowy wilderness. The scorpions he led, all with faces resembling those of the people from Great Zhou, had removed their disguising armor and were gathered together drinking tea.

"One of them… his family name is Zhou," one of them wiped his waist badge, straining to make out the characters in the flickering firelight. "This man has the Zhou surname."

"My family name is Fu," another raised his own badge. "I'm from Great Border."

"All the wolves come from Great Border," said the bearded man with a scar, surveying the playful younger generation before turning to the silent Hason. "You killed the Wolf King tonight, Hason. From now on, you'll be the king of the northern battlefield."

The northern battlefield had always belonged to the Wolf King. Xiao Fangxu, with his overwhelming power, had dominated the peak of Hongyan Mountain for the past twenty years, instilling fear in the twelve tribes of Biansha. Everyone present was familiar with his legend, and tonight, they had emerged victorious, slaying no ordinary man but a god of Libei.

Hason sipped his tea, offering Wu Lihan a bashful smile at the news.

Hason seemed to have a reserved nature, but from this night on, no one would dare underestimate him. Wu Lihan could already envision how swiftly Biansha would conquer Libei in the coming years. They knew Libei too well now. Xiao Jiming was severely injured and Xiao Chiye's wings were not yet fully formed. Their commanders were dwindling, and Libei faced an unbearable winter. Hason had waited a long time for this moment.

Wu Lihan commented, "But you don't seem very happy."

"Surprisingly," Hason held the bowl in both hands, lost in thought about his spoils of war, "I grew up hearing tales of his invincibility, as he was a legend in my father's stories."

"Wusulun and Jishi would be proud of you," Wu Lihan mused for a moment. "Among those you beheaded tonight were also the Iron Riders of Libei."

Hason finished his tea but didn't respond.

Wu Lihan wasn't wrong. Among those Hason had vanquished tonight were indeed the Iron Riders of Libei. For a long time, this iron wall standing in the north seemed impregnable. But when Hason stood before them, he discovered their fatal flaw.

The army was overly centralized, their loyalty born from the land but excessively reliant on their commander. Formed too recently, each soldier fixated their gaze on Xiao Fangxu, as if believing that as long as Xiao Fangxu led, the Iron Riders of Libei would remain invincible.

Amur understood this truth, and Hason did too. The Tianchen year marked the turning point when the Northern Iron Riders lost their strategic advantage. Xiao Jiming's retreat signaled the beginning of collapse, while Xiao Fangxu's return confirmed to Hason that the vulnerability of the Northern Iron Riders lay here. Hason was transferred to the northern battlefield to familiarize himself with Xiao Fangxu. Since the age of eight, he had fought alongside Amur, hearing Xiao Fangxu's name mentioned most often in the main tent. While Xiao Fangxu knew nothing about him, Hason already understood all of Xiao Fangxu's commanding habits.

Hason didn't merely want to win a battle; he sought the complete collapse of the Northern domain. As for who would suffer bitterly as a result, that wasn't his concern – just as the North had never spared a thought for the Border Sands' pain. Hason aimed to crush his opponent utterly, piercing their heart and leaving them permanently debilitated. This was the moment for the Border Sands to seize their chance. They battled fiercely, sharpening their fangs amidst the mounting blood feud, for excessive compassion would be suicide for both sides.

As the fire dwindled, the scorpions dispersed, seeking corners to rest. Wu Lihan took watch while Hason leaned against an old cabinet, dozing off.

The howling cold winds battered the eaves outside, making the iron horses hanging at the station entrance rattle violently. The world was reduced to black and white, night and snow wrestling fiercely. Snowflakes, like tattered scraps, accumulated into drifts, quickly erasing the footprints they left behind.

A scorpion standing outside the station to relieve himself didn't even have time to undo his belt before his throat was constricted. A barely audible "crack" followed, and the scorpion's body was gently placed on the ground.

Wu Lihan's hearing was exceptional; he almost immediately reached for the hammer as he fiercely stared at the door, whispering, "The wolf is here."

The nearest scorpion closest to the door silently moved, crawling into the crack and preparing to spy. But just as he crouched down, a long blade suddenly pierced through the gap, impaling his head.

No one spoke in the room. Hason observed calmly as the blade was withdrawn, leaving a crimson stain on the door, followed by the pungent smell of blood. Then the door was pushed open, extinguishing the flames, plunging the room into darkness. A figure resembling Xiao Fangxu stood there, making Wu Lihan break out in a cold sweat.

In the prolonged silence, the scorpions in the room abruptly rose up. Half of them had been lost in their attempt to kill Xiao Fangxu, and the remaining ones were exhausted. The fear of being pierced by the Wolf King returned. They prayed that the cub didn't possess his father's strength, but when they clashed, the scorpion was pinned to the floor.

The light at the entrance was blocked, and thick, sticky blood splattered across Hason's face. Wu Lihan didn't wipe it off; instead, he swung his hammer at Xiao Chiye's face in the darkness, just as he had done to Xiao Fangxu.

But Xiao Chiye grabbed Wu Lihan's forearm. The knife he had pulled from the corpse couldn't turn in the confined space, so he used the ghost head on the hilt to strike Wu Lihan's face. Wu Lihan stumbled back, trying to retreat, but Xiao Chiye didn't let go. His knife got caught on a scorpion behind him, so he promptly abandoned the Wolf Fierce Blade and knocked Wu Lihan down with a bare fist.

Wu Lihan's muscular body crashed into the fire, blood covering his face. He felt his nose break and shook his head, the force of the impact causing temporary deafness and blurring his vision. Spitting out a tooth, he mumbled, "Kill him!"

Hason sensed that he was being watched, an unignorable gaze since the door opened. Hason knew what Xiao Chiye had come for, but he wouldn't give it back because it was his hard-earned medal.

Hason grasped the spiky weapon, but Xiao Chiye didn't give Hason a chance. He lifted a scorpion to block the weapon and used its solid body to push Hason against the cabinet. Xiao Chiye's punch missed, shattering the cabinet door, and the cabinet behind Hason collapsed with a crash, giving him a momentary respite. Hason's attack with the spiky weapon was swift, but this time, Xiao Chiye didn't dodge. He seized the weapon and twisted it towards himself.

Hason had experienced Xiao Chiye's strength in Tudalungqi, and he couldn't reclaim the weapon. In the split second he released it, he bent low to avoid Xiao Chiye's counterattack.

Xiao Chiye did not discard the jagged blade; instead, he was pinned down by Wu Lihan who lunged at him from the side. The mountain-like mass of Wu Lihan's body collided with Xiao Chiye against the wall, followed by a heavy blow dealt by a fist as solid as a paving stone. It struck Xiao Chiye hard enough to draw blood from between his teeth. Despite being pummeled, Xiao Chiye seized hold of Wu Lihan's collar, deftly turned his head to evade another strike, and then fiercely butted his own head into Wu Lihan's injured nasal bridge.

Wu Lihan hastily covered his nose and mouth, while Xiao Chiye deftly spun the angular spike around with his fingers. He grasped its protruding sharp tip, wedging it securely between his knuckles. In one swift motion, he landed a punch on Wu Lihan's face, catching him off guard in his failed attempt to dodge.

Wu Lihan roared in furious agony; his entire right eye had been pierced by the protruding spike, causing him to tremble in pain. As he bent over, blood gushed uncontrollably, and amidst the chaos, he cursed in Bishan's dialect.

Xiao Chiye did not let Wu Lihan off. He tugged at the latter's hair and strode forward, slamming Wu Lihan's head repeatedly against the wall with a chilling thud. The sound echoed repeatedly, leaving the walls splattered with blood. The scorpion on Xiao Chiye's back had already pounced, clinging to his back, ready to flip him over. But Xiao Chiye remained still. He reached behind him and grabbed the curved knife at the scorpion's waist, then released his grip on Wu Lihan.

Wu Lihan cried out in agony, stumbling backward. After just two steps, he felt a chill on his neck, and before the next moment arrived, blood gushed forth like a fountain, followed by his head rolling away.

Xiao Chiye wiped the stench from his hands, his eyes gleaming brightly in the darkness, filled with madness and hatred, making him resemble a ravenous wolf whose sanity had been consumed by the heavy snowfall. He stared at Hason and said through gritted teeth, "Give my father back to me."

Hason swept his crimson hair that had fallen over his eyes behind his back, his tone cold as he replied, "Then when will your father return my brother to me?"

Xiao Chiye was already upon him, having no intention of listening to Hason's words. The two of them broke through the window in their struggle and tumbled into the blizzard.

Hason fought back with all his might, pinning Xiao Chiye down in the snow before swiftly rising to his feet, panting as he stepped back and said in a frigid voice, "Your father's iron hoof crushed his skull in the midst of this blizzard, leaving his corpse to rot in the wilderness."

Xiao Chiye pushed himself up, spitting out the blood in his mouth.

In Hason's hand, a new barb emerged, tracing the icy smoothness with his fingertips as he declared emotionlessly, "I'm merely returning the favor."

The two clashed again amidst howling winds and stinging snowflakes that made their eyes ache. Their labored breathing echoed through the heavens and earth, resonating like a mournful wail. Xiao Chiye locked Hason's throat in his grip and lifted him off the ground, slamming his back against the shattered wall of the relay station. Snow dust fell from the impact, while Hason clutched Xiao Chiye's right arm with all his might, nearly snapping it.

Xiao Chiye's right hand went numb, and the old pain caused him to lose his hold. Hason broke free once more. In the next instant, the remaining scorpion seized Xiao Chiye's legs, flipping him into the snow. Seizing the opportunity, Hason thrust his barb at the back of Xiao Chiye's neck from behind. Xiao Chiye propped himself up on his elbow, narrowly avoiding the vital spot, and took the blow on his left shoulder blade.

Hason attempted to pull out the barb, but Xiao Chiye grabbed the back of Hason's head, violently smashing it into the ground with terrifying force, pinning him firmly in the snow. Blood swiftly stained his shoulder, and the unextracted barb rose and fell with each labored breath.

Hason pressed his palms into the snow, his voice raspy as he tried to speak, but he couldn't lift his head, powerless against Xiao Chiye's grasp.

Xiao Chiye yanked on Hason's crimson hair, his eyes bloodshot as he bellowed in a hoarse voice, "Give... him... back... to... me!"