Chapter 526: First Volume, Chapter 526: Heaven Will Destroy Me

First Volume, Chapter 526: Heaven Will Destroy Me

Seeing the guards sprawled everywhere on the ground, having lost all will to live, Qin Feng picked up a ji spear from the ground and used its shaft to beat and curse them, forcing them to rise and continue marching.

Qin Feng leaned on his ji spear, stumbling heavily as he walked at the very back of the column, preventing anyone from falling behind.

Unfortunately, everyone had reached their limit; after only two or three Li, someone collapsed on the ground, and no matter how much Qin Feng beat or cursed them, they refused to get up.

"Young Master, I truly cannot walk any further… I don't even have the strength to move a finger, my throat feels like it's on fire, my body is utterly drained…"

The guard lying on the ground stared with hollow eyes: "Go on without me. Don't bother with me—I'm done."

Qin Feng was about to curse them out, but Ning Hu interrupted him.

"Brother Qin, be honest—how far is it still to get out of the Wuren District?"

Ning Hu was also lying on the ground, weak and breathless.

At this point, lying would be meaningless; Qin Feng could only tell the truth: "Another… four hundred Li."

Hearing the true distance, all the guards collapsed in a heap, their will shattering instantly.

Four hundred Li…

Under normal circumstances, this would mean nothing to Tianji Camp Guards, but under this scorching sun and extreme dehydration, every guard's strength had been squeezed dry; their daily marching limit had dropped to twenty Li, and even that required Qin Feng to force them with constant beatings and curses.

At their current physical state, it would take at least twenty days for them to cross the Wuren District.

Ning Hu lay on the ground, slowly closing his eyes, and chuckled bitterly: "Give up. Let's all die here together—it's not so bad. At least we'll have company on Huangquan Road."

Even Ning Hu said this; Qin Feng's last shred of spirit vanished instantly.

Thud.

Qin Feng collapsed onto his knees, staring at the bleak moonlight overhead, grief surging from his heart; with his final ounce of strength, he roared aloud: "What can my political enemies do to me? The Beidi army was but a defeated foe—yet now, is heaven itself determined to destroy me, Qin Feng?!"

Qin Feng stared fixedly at the endless horizon, unaware of how much time passed, until finally he collapsed on the ground, helplessly surrendering.

Even now, Qin Feng still believed no one in this world could defeat him.

But human plans cannot rival heaven's design; before nature, even the strongest man is but an ant!

All he felt now was guilt toward his parents, Xie Yun'er, his four elder sisters, and his two Tieshen Yuhuan.

And Qin Xiaofu… Xu Mo, Zhao Yulong, Li Zhang.

And all the people of Beixi County who had placed their hopes in him.

"Damned heaven… this time, I've lost."

Just as Qin Feng had surrendered, a rapid, urgent clatter of hooves suddenly shattered the silence of the night.

Hallucination…

Qin Feng's expression was numb; he paid no attention to the hooves drawing nearer.

But as time passed, the hooves grew closer, closer, until they deafened the air, as if the entire earth trembled beneath the pounding of countless hooves.

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment; Qin Feng had no strength left to chase such an impossible fantasy.

But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the gravel on the ground bouncing.

Also a hallucination.

Qin Feng slowly raised his hand and swept it across the bouncing gravel—but the surrounding gravel continued to jump; as the hooves drew nearer, even pebble-sized stones began to tremble.

Could this not be a hallucination?!

Qin Feng instinctively swallowed—but due to prolonged dehydration, his mouth and the surrounding earth were equally parched; there was not a drop of saliva to swallow.

When Qin Feng turned his head toward the source of the sound, he felt his numb, despairing heart suddenly come alive.

A cavalry unit of dozens had arrived within arm's reach!

The guards also spotted the sudden cavalry and scrambled for their weapons, trying to rise and fight—but not one could stand.

Beidi Cavalry?!

This area lies along the Border between Beidi and Gaoshan Country; patrols here are perfectly normal.

But this place… is still within the Wuren District, four hundred Li from the Border—why would these cavalry risk entering the Wuren District?

As Qin Feng struggled to understand, the lead officer, one hand gripping the reins, the other clutching a spear, pointed its tip at the guards and barked down at them: "Who are you? Who's in charge?"

In response to the officer's demand, the guards remained silent; then Ning Hu, leaning on his ji spear, slowly rose to his feet. Though exhausted, as if a breeze could knock him over, his demeanor remained defiant: "Who are you? Beidi patrol cavalry?"

Seeing Ning Hu answer with a question, the officer's eyes turned sharp: "You fool! This is my patrol zone! Identify yourselves at once, or you'll all die by my blade!"

Indeed, Beidi Cavalry!

Ning Hu gritted his teeth: "We are a Beidi Merchant Caravan, en route to Gaoshan Country for trade, stranded here…"

Before Ning Hu finished, the officer roared in interruption: "Lies! The traditional Beidi-Gaoshan trade route runs along Bei Xian! Even the stupidest wouldn't dare enter the Wuren District! You're clearly disguised Imperial Spies, attempting to cross the Border!"

With those words, the officer raised his spear, ready to order the execution of these unknown intruders without report.

Tianji Camp Guards feared cavalry above all; even at their peak, they struggled against them. In this state, even the famed Ji Zhan masters of the Tianji Camp could only face a one-sided massacre.

Just as the officer moved to strike, a light voice spoke.

"You are not Beidi Cavalry."

The speaker could only be Qin Feng.

Qin Feng, leaning on his ji spear, stared fixedly at the officer: "This is the Wuren District—even Beidi Cavalry would not risk entering. And… your warhorses are not Beidi Horses—they're Highland Horses! You are Gaoshan Country Cavalry. Am I right?"

At these words, the guards' desperate expressions changed instantly.

Ning Hu gasped in disbelief: "Gaoshan Country Cavalry?!"

Having his identity exposed, the officer waved his hand, signaling his men to hold their ground, then sized up Qin Feng: "Since you've seen through us, you cannot be left alive."

Qin Feng's heart was bursting with joy—but he was too exhausted, even to smile: "We are not a Beidi Merchant Caravan. We are Liang Kingdom soldiers retreating from Bei Di Qingyu Shan. We only seek passage through Gaoshan Country to return to Shedynasty—no ill intent."

"What?"

The officer froze, his contempt vanishing instantly; he thrust his spear into the ground, leapt off his horse, and rushed forward.