Free Web NovelSnow Night Empire
Northern stronghold — Wind Facing City,
Within the city, the 110-year-old border marquis, Marquis Xiumu-Duke, was currently inspecting the condition of the troops inside the military camp.
The pillar of crimson light that erupted from the eastern Great Winter Forest a week ago, along with the death of the Asumos Church Brave several days prior, had caused the tense atmosphere within Wind Facing City to become increasingly oppressive.
Although the forest regions near the border defenses appeared peaceful for now,
To the people of Wind Facing City,
That peace resembled nothing more than the calm before the storm.
That newly born Demon King-class entity had likely already marked them as prey to replenish its power.
The shadow of an Abyss Demon assault constantly loomed over Wind Facing City, causing the residents to feel an indescribable pressure weighing upon them.
The soldiers stationed in the north had already begun sending the elderly, women, and children in their families toward the rear regions for evacuation. Meanwhile, everyone capable of fighting had started fully arming themselves.
Without question, the entire city had entered a state of war preparation.
As the commander of Wind Facing City, Xiumu’s nerves had remained stretched to their absolute limit these past few days, and he had already worked continuously for an entire week without sleep.
Looking at the fully armed army before him, numbering roughly thirty thousand soldiers,
Xiumu fell into deep thought. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
At that moment, the bearded swordsman A’Si beside him could not help asking,
“Have you made a decision, Marquis?”
“Send them to Shiluobo Fortress. The terrain there is too ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) flat. Without heavy troop deployment, it’ll be impossible to defend.”
After carefully studying the map one final time, Xiumu gave his final order.
“Understood, Marquis.”
A’Si respectfully replied.
Afterward, the bearded swordsman relayed the command to the officers in charge of the troops.
Once the order was received, the army marched toward the front lines in a magnificent, overwhelming procession under Xiumu’s complicated gaze.
—
After watching the troops depart, Xiumu folded his arms across his chest and silently gazed into the distance.
Although Wind Facing City and the surrounding military bases together possessed an army of three hundred thousand troops, the defensive line bordering the Great Winter Forest was simply far too long. There were also thirteen critical fortresses spread throughout it.
How to distribute military strength had become an extremely important issue.
In the past, those three hundred thousand troops had been enough to deal with the scattered Abyss Demon attacks that occasionally surged out from the forest.
But this time was different.
A new Demon King-class entity had been born within the forest.
The Abyss Demon riot it would trigger absolutely could not be underestimated. The scale of the assault would be at least a hundred times greater than normal.
According to Xiumu’s own judgment, if the Abyss Demons truly launched a full assault, these three hundred thousand soldiers would not be enough at all.
They probably would not even be enough to fill the Abyss Demons’ teeth.
At the thought of that, Xiumu became extremely uneasy, his azure eyes filled with solemn worry.
The old marquis once again looked toward the bearded swordsman beside him.
“A’Si, where are the nearby reinforcements now?”
“The nearest western army group has only just crossed Shanxi Pass. They’ll still need about a week before arriving.”
“A week?! That slow?!”
“Ai... It’s winter right now. The roads leading to Wind Facing City are already difficult to travel normally, and now they’re blocked by heavy snow. One week is already considered fast.”
“Damn it...”
Xiumu could not help cursing.
“By the time they get here, Wind Facing City might already be gone! Fuck!”
Seeing the old marquis swearing furiously, A’Si could only respond with a helpless bitter smile.
“However, Marquis, the Asumos Church says they’ll be sending reinforcements. Also, several squads have already reached the frontline fortresses. Apparently that so-called ‘Child of Destiny’ is among them as well.”
“The Asumos Church?”
Xiumu immediately frowned.
He had never held any favorable opinion toward the Asumos Church, nor did he think highly of that so-called Child of Destiny.
To him, she felt like nothing more than a puppet fabricated by the Church to deceive the masses.
In the past, Xiumu would never have deigned to cooperate with the Asumos Church.
But now...
He had no other choice.
“Ai. If their forces arrive, go receive them. As for those small squads, just ignore them. Give them passage through all the fortresses and see what they’re trying to do.”
“Yes.”
A’Si nodded slightly, equally displeased.
??!
Hm?!
“Rumbleeeee~!”
At that very moment,
Accompanied by flying dust and earth, a luxurious carriage suddenly charged straight into the military camp at full speed!
Then, under the dumbfounded gazes of the soldiers and even the marquis himself, a middle-aged woman with graying hair at her temples, dressed in an aristocratic gown, violently kicked the carriage door open and jumped down with astonishing ferocity.
And the instant he saw the middle-aged woman, Marquis Xiumu shuddered all over.
He hurriedly rushed down from the platform and frantically ran to her side.
“M-My wife! Didn’t I tell A’Si and the others to escort you south for evacuation?! W-Why haven’t you left yet?!”
“Leave?! Leave for what?!”
His wife — the fierce woman named Avrora —
Immediately burst into anger upon hearing her husband’s words.
“How many times have I told you?! I will not abandon my husband and flee alone! And until my granddaughter is found, I absolutely will not leave Wind Facing City!”
“T-This... dear, you...”
“You what?! Shut up!”
“...Y-Yes.”
Faced with his wife’s furious roar, Xiumu timidly lowered his head.
Seeing the marquis placed in such an awkward position, A’Si also could not help stepping forward.
“Madam, this place is very dang—”
However,
Before he could finish speaking, he was met once again by Avrora’s vicious glare.
“What are you afraid of?! When I was resisting Abyss Demons on the front lines back then, you hadn’t even been born yet! Shut your mouth!”
“...Y-Yes...”
Seeing that his wife had absolutely no intention of evacuating,
Marquis Xiumu could only shake his head helplessly.
“T-Then dear, why did you suddenly come here?”
“Why else would I come here?”
Avrora replied irritably.
“You haven’t returned home for an entire week and didn’t even send a message back. Were you trying to worry me to death?!”
“S-Sorry...”
“Ai, considering the current circumstances, I won’t scold you further. Besides...”
Afterward, Avrora took a deep breath and looked gravely toward her husband.
“Have there been any updates about Yuan’er?”
“Yuan’er...”
Faced with his wife’s question, Xiumu lowered his head painfully.
“I’m sorry, dear. Still nothing.”
His words carried deep regret and guilt.
“At present, we suspect those slave traders have already taken Yuan’er out of Wind Facing City’s territory and entered the lawless region between the city and the Great Winter Forest...”
“What... how could this...”
Hearing those words, intense unease appeared within Avrora’s eyes, mixed even with despair.
Once they entered that desolate no-man’s-land, the slave traders’ movements would be concealed by the dense fog, making them far harder to track.
And if they encountered Abyss Demons wandering the outer forest...
She did not believe those filthy slave traders could possibly resist monsters like Abyss Demons.
The moment she thought about what might happen to her granddaughter, Avrora’s whole body trembled.
Years ago, she had already lost one granddaughter within the Great Winter Forest.
And now,
Her son and daughter-in-law had both been murdered.
She absolutely could not lose her last remaining granddaughter too.
Absolutely not.
She had already suffered enough from burying the younger generation with her own hands.
“T-Then hurry and send more people into the lawless region to search!”
“I’m sorry, dear. I already have, but... there’s still no news...”
Xiumu’s face was equally filled with bitterness.
When it came to worrying about their granddaughter, his concern was not the slightest bit weaker than his wife’s. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
That child was the treasure of his heart.
His son and daughter-in-law were gone.
Xia’er was gone too.
If anything happened to Yuan’er as well, he no longer wished to continue living either...
However,
Just as the Xiumu couple sank into sorrow,
A hurried intelligence soldier suddenly arrived, bringing yet another devastating piece of news.
“M-Marquis! Members of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church have been discovered in the southern region of Wind Facing City!”
The moment he heard that report, it felt as though a massive mountain had crashed down upon Xiumu’s chest.
The old man immediately clenched his fists tightly.
What?!
The Heavenly Punishment Holy Church?!
Those animals who loved sacrificing living humans to Abyss Demons?!
‘What the hell are those bastards trying to do now?!’
