Chapter 444: No Way—The Blizzard Is Too Strong to Save

Although he was beaten twice in a row by his niece, having already built his own foundation, the chief of the Jewel Tribe's second uncle still feels nostalgic.

He and Barun roamed the battlefield together, demanding that no one fire cold arrows; if anyone dares to hurt my little Ke Li Si Ting, I'll kill his horse.

And rest assured, your horse will never outrun mine!

But speaking purely of melee combat, if the Khan doesn't intervene, perhaps no one on the spot could match Ke Li Si Ting, that massive colossus, with a single effort.

Even the undisputed leader of the Lionfolk Legion, who is also the Khan's most trusted elite commander, a Fierce Lion General of over sixty levels,

when confronting a gigantic centaur like Ke Li Si Ting, weighing tons and crushing like a mountain, even he cannot help but find it extremely troublesome.

After intense monster‑hunting for experience, Ke Li Si Ting has already reached over fifty levels; if he charges recklessly, he truly cannot be stopped.

Thus the helpless Grassland people can only let her, like a shepherd dog, lead the cavalry to charge left and right, driving away approaching wolves while covering the Deep Forest infantry's frantic retreat.

But a battlefield is still a battlefield; many emotions must be discarded, and the Grassland people cannot miss this hard‑won victory for a potential development prospect.

Therefore, the Fierce Lion General, acting as deputy commander, swiftly ordered a report to the entire army to directly alter the strategy and tactics.

"Understood!"

Thus the Centaur Legion and the Oke Legion spurred their horses and galloped to pursue the already fled Third Prince.

The remaining legions gathered in one place, like a silkworm that has finally found mulberry leaves, fiercely biting at the Deep Forest infantry.

Indeed, they saw that Ke Li Si Ting cared deeply about the infantry that couldn't escape, so they continued the Khan's encirclement‑and‑reinforcement wisdom.

If she chooses to rush to aid the prince and stop the Grassland pursuit, the infantry will be exposed to the slaughter of six hulking men.

If she stays here to clash with the Grassland infantry, she risks the prince being caught by Grassland cavalry, leading to a total loss.

This is a no‑win deadlock, and as everyone knows, people are most prone to collapse under pressure, so we only need to patiently…

Hey, wait, what's going on?

Under the puzzled gaze of the Grassland people, the Kingdom knights, after circling again, unexpectedly slipped behind the Grassland infantry under Ke Li Si Ting's lead.

And then…

Wait, you… ah! (scream)

Divine wisdom: when faced with a dilemma, the best choice is to take none, then carve out a path yourself; even if you still die, you must die by your own hand.

Thus, confronting the Grassland people's overt scheme, Ke Li Si Ting decisively chose like‑for‑like revenge, launching a fierce attack on their infantry before the enemy could act.

Moreover, because the plan set by the Fierce Lion General was to have our infantry gnaw at the rear of the enemy infantry, creating a sustainable yet not overly harsh sense of pressure.

This was meant to make Ke Li Si Ting and the cavalry want to move but be unable, want to stay but can't, causing hesitation that wastes the battle opportunity and leads to a crushing defeat.

Therefore, all the Grassland people's elite forces were placed in the front line, followed by the ordinary Grassland Warriors legion as the main body.

As for those lagging behind, they are low‑combat‑power foot soldiers who can only wave flags and shout in such high‑level engagements.

Facing the charge of such elite cavalry, they have no fighting strength at all; saying they crumble at the slightest touch is being generous.

It's as if a huge stack of dominoes turned into precision—without even touching the enemy, they already start clattering and fleeing.

Worse still, as everyone knows, when a person faces danger they instinctively run toward the place they deem safe.

So in this situation, where is safe for these low‑rank foot soldiers?

Thus a ridiculous scenario arose: the front‑line elite wanted to quickly fall back, while the rear foot soldiers tried to push forward.

The two opposing sides became stuck in the middle, trapped among the normal troops, unable to move.

If the Grassland people hadn't, under the supreme leader Khan, cultivated some unity and tacit understanding, a stampede would have occurred.

"It's over!"

But the Fierce Lion General hurriedly led his subordinates to take a detour, insisting that the enemy cavalry must be stopped at all costs.

Otherwise our formation would be in chaos, and if the enemy launches a staggered ambush, we might truly capsize in the ditch today!

But when they finally reached the position, what they saw was not the ruthless Kingdom knights, but…

Where are the people?

The Fierce Lion General looked around bewildered, trying to trace the enemy's tracks among the chaotic footprints in the snow.

Just as a clue emerged, a nearby aide patted his shoulder, speaking anxiously.

"Sir, look over there!"

Although the Grassland people's period of chaos was technically brief, in their haste to reinforce, they indeed forgot the Deep Forest infantry that had been keeping pace.

Seizing the opportunity, the Deep Forest folk quickened their steps and reached a wind‑sheltered slope not far from the battlefield.

If it were just that, it would be no big deal—just a change of encirclement venue, nothing serious.

—but if there were inexplicably over a thousand warhorses there?

"Run, run fast, run!"

Feng En, with his core team and Ke Li Si Ting, spurred their horses and fled at speed, leaving the rest to others.

On one hand, everyone is still comrades‑in‑arms, so this leaves a lifeline for the brothers.

On the other hand, a few hundred horses are enough for them to fight over for a while, at least they won't have to scramble for their own mounts.

Finally, having a commander versus not is a different matter; even with horses they certainly can't outrun themselves, but they can help distract the enemy.

There's no way around it; at this point, only the most ruthless and cold‑hearted can eke out a life in the chaos.

Feng En may be black‑hearted, but for the sake of seeing his wife and daughter again, he can only be the second.

"…It's me, Feng En, sorry everyone; may you all find your own blessings!"

But getting a horse doesn't guarantee a safe escape; the horses only provide them a chance to flee.

If those centaurs and Oke charge forward, this flock of startled birds would likely only trail behind the Grassland foot soldiers.

They lack even a spark of resistance, being smashed on the spot like a fruit being cut.

Thus, when the Grassland people fell back to defend, they discovered the Deep Forest cavalry had inexplicably fled, having maneuvered to another direction.

Although after several battles these three thousand elites have suffered heavy casualties, leaving fewer than a thousand knights still combat‑ready, they simply cannot defeat the combined centaurs and Oke.

But who wouldn't be threatened? So they acted like hissing cats, barking dogs, leaping mice, using constant feigned maneuvers to successfully hold the Grassland cavalry.

—You dare to chase? If you do, we'll have to stick a needle into your rash.

Watching the thousand defeated soldiers flee wildly into the wind and snow amid the curses of other Deep Forest people, Barun and his second uncle could only shake their heads helplessly.

"Forget it, forget it, it's only a thousand defeated soldiers. Aren't there several thousand more that we have surrounded? Let them go."

But this battlefield isn't just the clash of massive legions; in a nearby mountain hollow, two forgotten top masters were dueling.

Although half‑elf is a bronze race two tiers above ordinary humans, in terms of talent they are equally destined to be trampled by the Khan's golden bloodline.

Thus the rolling thunder, though still fierce, had its scorching flames already losing strength, trembling, and seemed about to be defeated.

But the dean, though ultimately no match for the opponent, had bought the Third Prince enough time; he then gave a mighty push, ending the duel.

At that moment, the wasteland beneath their feet had completely melted from the clash of magical forces, and the two relied on masterful levitation techniques to avoid swimming in the magma.

So the Khan, rather than being pushed back, actually surged forward a few meters, flung his battle robe, and, with the clink of jade fragments, created distance from the half‑elf.

He gradually retracted the lightning spell in his palm, glanced into the distance, and the Lionfolk Khan's voice resonated like a great bell.

"Not bad, you successfully covered that mouse‑courageous prince and fled without looking back."

Unfortunately the mockery was ineffective; the dean, already hardened with thick skin, merely sneered at the words.

"You call that cowardice? Foolish! The bravest people are the first to die; only those who survive can see the ending and the truth!"

But he clearly underestimated the fame of his own ears, for the Khan also laughed and suddenly said,

"Ma Ke Si Mu, is this the reason you kneel and act like a dog?"

"You!"

The dean, his sore spot struck, widened his eyes instantly, but then relaxed again.

"Say whatever you like; I hope that someday when I step on your grave, you can still be as silver‑tongued as …"

Before he could finish, he suddenly turned into a flash of vanishing light and slipped away without looking back.

The Khan, floating in place, bewildered. jpg

After a long while, a smile, a nod, a silent sigh.

"Fine, if you have the skill."

But precisely because Ma Ke Si Mu's skill at fleeing for survival far exceeds his fighting ability, he knows that burying one's head and running away is a grave taboo.

Therefore, before clashing with the Khan, he had already installed several scouting devices on the hillside used as a temporary stronghold.

Relying on these exquisite alchemical contraptions, while dueling the Khan in magical power, he also firmly grasped a complete view of the entire battlefield.

Otherwise, even if he seized the optimal moment to flee, he wouldn't have slipped away so swiftly, so decisive, so flawless.

Thus he knew Ke Li Si Ting's pre‑battle recognition, that she roamed the whole map with three thousand cavalry, and that Feng En had successfully escaped under her cover.

However, as a top‑tier survivalist, even Ma Ke Si Mu himself considered himself shameless, yet in this realm he never applies double standards.

"After all, if I can run, others can too; a dragon crossing a river, each relies on their own skill."

Logically, these over ten thousand people were all cast aside by the Third Prince; in others' eyes they were already beyond salvation, ready for an elegy.

Yet Ke Li Si Ting, through sheer technique and maneuvering, broke through the Third Prince's plan, extracted a thousand essences, and successfully escaped the encirclement of tens of thousands.

Thus this truly MVP of the losing side, a formidable general, is definitely a talent; his death here would be a loss to all Deep Forest!

If the Plainsfolk captured him, they'd whitewash… no, they'd corrupt him threefold, resulting in double the loss!

Therefore, Ma Ke Si Mu thought briefly and decided he couldn't leave her here.

He then surveyed the battlefield, spotted an opening, and prepared to rush forward to take Ke Li Si Ting with him.

But at that moment, his keen spirit perception pierced the wind and snow, detecting a massive army of tens of thousands slowly advancing in the distance.

Moreover, their aura was all too familiar to him; it was…

The half‑elf dean instantly rejoiced, disregarding any of Ke Li Si Ting's concerns, and hurriedly vanished toward that side.

Indeed, logically he should have fled the battlefield long ago for a chance at survival, but the Third Prince Ya Ge Luo·Shi Xin, who fled three thousand li, has returned!

His confidence in returning to the battlefield stemmed from the two lavishly dressed nobles beside him, whose very mounts were adorned in gold and silver.

The gentleman on the left is Duke Chong Shan, one of the twenty‑four dukes of the Northern Realm, and one of the most influential supporters behind the Third Prince.

Upon hearing that his investment target had suffered a heavy blow, fearing his efforts would be in vain, he hurriedly led forty thousand troops to aid, never pausing along the way.

Thus, even though he is usually dashing and eloquent, now he appears weary and dust‑covered, his brows and eyes showing inescapable fatigue.

The gentleman on his right seemed much more relaxed, but upon seeing the Third Prince, his expression turned somewhat awkward.

He cleared his throat lightly, rallied, and then displayed a business‑like smile as standard as Ji Ming's.

"Your Highness the Third Prince, I hope you are well…"

Because this gentleman, titled Duke Ju Sen, is actually a subordinate of the Second Prince.

Then why would the Second Prince's men come to aid the Third Prince?

This story begins with a clever chance encounter.

"Sss, that battle flag looks so familiar."

Duke Chong Shan headed northwest, but just before reaching Iron Furnace Fortress, he discovered a large group of Deep Forest people ahead.

Although the insignia on the flag revealed whose troops they were, he squinted and pretended not to know, then approached.

"Oh, isn't this Duke Ju Sen? Why are you here? Could it be that you're heading to rush aid the Third Prince?"

Duke Ju Sen, currently idling wildly:???

He could only tidy his appearance and meet in person.

"…tsk, ah! Of course, the Third Prince is the pillar of Deep Forest; how could I let him fall into peril?"

Duke Chong Shan clapped his hands and laughed heartily.

"Haha, I knew you, Duke, would act swiftly and righteously, never standing idle!"

Then his tone shifted.

"Then may I ask why you are stationed here instead of hurrying on?"

The topic was sharp; unfortunately, this level of surprise attack was useless. Ju Sen feigned beating his chest and stamping his feet, and easily gave a flawless answer.

Ah~ To be frank, today's snowstorm is too heavy; I, the lord, was afraid that focusing on rescuing the Prince would accidentally drag so many of my subordinates into this as well.

After all, they are also warriors of my Deep Forest; how could I so easily sacrifice their lives here?

I believe the Prince can understand as well, right?

(End of chapter)