Chapter 140: Arrival at Baihao City
In the late night, the snow underfoot has piled up more than two feet deep.
The sun had long since vanished beyond the western mountains, and two full moons hung behind the wispy clouds. At this moment, the wind and snow had ceased, and the night sky was devoid of stars, only the pure and bright moonlight washing over the white snow, casting an eerie yet mysterious glow.
The Sword Demon and I had journeyed north from the Southern Mountains, following the icy river pathway and then veering northwest for quite a stretch as instructed by Annie. As the snow grew thicker and the Horned Horses slowed down dramatically, we hopped off their backs, cautiously splashing through the icy water. That’s when we noticed some signs of human activity – campfires at the base of the snow slopes, holes on the ice for fishing, abandoned fishing nets and jugs, a string of footprints, and glaring bloodstains. Since crossing the river, these traces had steadily emerged into view.
In the distance, a flickering town appeared like a mirage, its outline starting to form against the dark sky.
We left the Horned Horses by the riverbank, as the Sword Demon suggested there were bound to be passersby around, knights or warriors from the Northern Territories who would likely adopt the unattended animals for military use, ensuring they wouldn’t freeze or starve. With our swift legs, it would actually be quicker to walk than ride from the river to the city.
So, under the moonlight, two petite figures darted like shadows through the night, racing toward the distant Baihao City with the speed of a gust of wind.
But just as we got a little further, I spotted an area scattered with various weapons in disarray.
“…Wait a sec.”
I called out to the Sword Demon, stopping abruptly to pick up a broken spear—half of it resembling a halberd—snapped in the middle, its blade marred by chips, with gears tumbling out from where it had broken at the end. Without a doubt, this was a hunter’s weapon.
Looking around, there were many more weapons like that.
And bloodstains.
A plethora of bl**d had stained the white snow, the ground littered with chaotic traces, indicating a battle had recently occurred. The air was heavy with the acrid scent of charred flesh.
I covered my mouth and nose, following that foul stench until I stumbled upon a pile of burned corpses.
Some were human, some were Horned Horses, haphazardly tossed into a pit and set ablaze… The fire looked like it had died down only recently, with some bodies still emitting smoke, but mostly they were burned to a crisp, looking like charcoal, easily numbering at least a hundred or two, while the Horned Horses were far fewer in number, presumably perishing in the fray.
Standing at the edge of the pit, I spotted some unfinished leather and ragged cloth pieces, and grimy shoulder armor that resembled Workshop Hunter gear.
There were also knight armors.
But the knight armors were not in the pit; instead, they were neatly arranged on a small hillside beside the pit, accompanied by several wooden crosses crudely tied together. I had no interest in checking the names etched onto them.
The winners of this little skirmish were likely the Church Knights.
I felt a sudden urge to bury them…
But not now.
Now, I didn’t have the time.
“From now on, we might encounter those knights at any moment.”
After leaving the corpse pit, the Sword Demon and I quickened our pace, racing toward the city bathed in flames as I continued, “When we encounter them, no need to hide or hesitate; regardless of how many there are, take them all out quickly, and watch for not making too much noise.”
“Got it.”
The wind whistled past our ears.
Twenty minutes later, we reached the foot of Baihao City’s southern wall.
As we got closer, corpses began to appear everywhere in the snow. It didn’t take long to find a few here and there—hunters, warriors from Erin Castle and New City of Kaliye, and Church Knights. Scattered about, sometimes three or five bodies lay in puddles of bl**d, occasionally a dozen or twenty. It seemed several rounds of skirmishes had occurred, but there were no signs of a large-scale conflict, and the fighting appeared to have long concluded. The entire southern outskirts of the city had become eerily quiet, even the expected patrol knights were nowhere to be seen.
But looking up, we could still faintly hear chaos raging from within the city.
“They’re still fighting inside.”
We stood beneath the tall wall, gazing up at the pitch-black top nearly twenty meters high; aside from the occasional flickering torch, nothing else was visible.
“The city is likely in disarray, and there isn’t even a guard on the wall… Let’s go, let’s jump up and take a look.”
Boom—
With a dull thud, I activated Moon Step and leaped toward the wall, the Sword Demon Anacelis following right behind me. Like shadows, one launched upward like a bird while the other climbed with the speed of a monkey, swiftly ascending the protrusions of the wall, and we reached the top almost simultaneously. “Thud!” as my feet landed, the Sword Demon flipped over the battlements to stand beside me.
The view beyond the wall was a scene of pandemonium: houses ablaze, shattered roads, a half-demolished tower smashed by something terrible, countless fallen lampposts. The air was thick with the stench of bl**d and an aura of dread, while smoke spiraled skyward. People were shouting and scattering in every direction, the clash of weaponry ringing through the chaos, and the luminous glow of Divine Miracles sparked from a distance, showcasing the figures of Golden Armored Knights everywhere.
“Who’s resisting?” I asked instinctively.
“Can’t see clearly…” the Sword Demon replied.
It was too dark; we could only sense that there was fierce fighting in parts of the north, but aside from the abundant knights, we couldn’t see whom they were battling…
But evidently, they were facing a determined resistance.
“Never mind, let’s head to the Black Fort.”
I quickly scanned the city for any signs, and soon spotted a massive black castle towering in the southern central part of the city. Just as Annie described, it was entirely pitch black, its ornate arched windows glowing with countless lights—it was the tallest and most eye-catching building in the city; anyone not blind could spot it from a mile away.
“There! Let’s go—!”
Without further ado, I pointed toward the Black Fort, not waiting for the Sword Demon’s response, and after a small run-up, leaped onto the battlements, unleashing my full power in Moon Step. With a thunderous crash, I shattered the solid battlement beneath my foot, my body soaring like a loose arrow, effortlessly landing more than a hundred meters above on a broken tower top. I bent my knees and pushed off again—
Boom!
Bang bang bang bang…
A series of explosive sounds erupted in the darkness as I quickly closed in on the massive castle. Just as I was about to reach the top, a sharp wind whooshed in from the left!
Enemies…
Boom!
Swish—
I immediately raised my hand and unleashed Ice Dance, slowing my momentum, the sharp wind howling past me wrapped in dazzling golden light, grazing my eyes almost too closely.
…Holy Lance?
Creating an ice platform beneath my feet, I stood suspended in mid-air, glancing around until I spotted a figure cloaked in black atop a tower not far from the castle.
Buzz—
Just as I looked over, radiant golden light flared once more from that figure.
