Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 221 The Battle Outside Frosthalberd City

The heavy snow fell, as if the entire North had been frozen into a silent coffin.

However, the slumbering Frostspear City has awakened.

"boom--!!"

With a muffled thud like a heartbeat, the Frostfire Reactor in the heart of the city operated at maximum efficiency, spewing out a beam of energy like icy blue lightning.

It lowered the temperature to the extreme, and ice veins meandered out from the heart of the furnace, spreading throughout the city like blood vessels.

The seventeen magical fortresses were activated in turn, the icy crystal magic patterns in the earth veins were ignited, and the ice-blue runes that shot into the sky intertwined into rings, weaving a layered ice mist barrier that blocked the invasion of the insect mist spores.

The defensive formations of Frostspear City also launched an attack.

"Catapult—Load Frost Crystal Magic Bombs! Coordinates...Mother Nest Cluster 2!"

"put!!!"

A series of booming sounds rang out as more than ten Frost Crystal Giants trembled and exerted their power in the snow. Those "magic bombs" wrapped in cold energy drew streaks of white and blue blazing light, falling like meteors onto the battlefield and crashing into the densely packed lines of insect corpses and the mother nest.

"Sizzle!!!"

Several unformed, ordinary mother nests were blown apart, and the eggs and larvae inside were instantly frozen in the extreme cold, turning into a blooming ice-blue petal, as if it were the judgment of the Grim Reaper.

The densely packed insect corpses also collapsed in the shockwave, like a wheat field being swept away by a blade, layer upon layer.

Victory... seems to be getting closer at this moment.

But only for a moment.

"That is……?"

Above the distant snowfield, the air began to distort, and the magic crystal screen fluctuated violently.

As if the curtain of distorted time and space had been torn open, a colossal creature slowly stepped out of the snow mist.

The final nest has appeared.

It was a twisted being, like a statue of a goddess, its entire body stitched together from writhing worm flesh and a humanoid form, its arms raised high as if bestowing grace, but in reality releasing death.

With each step it takes, the earth is stained the color of rotting flesh; with each wriggle, its tentacles spray out a milky-white mist of poisonous gas that spreads towards the sky.

"Ugh... What's that taste...?"

"Put on your helmets now! Everyone, put on your closed-body magic silver masks!"

The knights pulled down their helmet shields, but they still felt mental disturbances.

After all, the End Nest doesn't release simple poison gas. It releases corrosive spores with mentally induced fluctuations.

The battlefield was in chaos, yet the insect corpses continued to advance relentlessly.

Some emerged from beneath the snow, some surged through the mist, and many more, like waves, surged forth from the foot of the Mother Nest of the End, like sacrificers erupting from the altar of the evil god.

Meanwhile, on the outer battlefield, on the icy plains not yet completely swallowed by the insect fog, snow fell heavily as a heavily armored legion slowly advanced like a mountain range, clearing away the surrounding threats.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

This is the march of the Cold Iron Legion.

Heavy and orderly, it seemed to force the rhythm of the entire battlefield into their ironclad rules.

They are known as the "strongest shield in the North," and each member is at least one of the elite knights. They are clad in blue-silver heavy armor, their steps are as steady as ice, and the epaulets on their shoulders represent their unshakable elite status in the Imperial Army.

A pale blue aura flowed through the gaps in the armor, like a dark current slowly surging beneath a winter glacier—steady, deadly, and unshakeable.

At the foot of an icy hillside, hundreds of insect corpses swarmed in, their screams echoing everywhere. The vanguard had even leaped to the top of the hill, ready to swoop down.

Not a single member of the Cold Iron Legion retreated.

"Shield formation in front, arc formation to meet the enemy."

"Reserve team, all of you unleash your magic-exploding spears, aim for the eye sockets!"

The commander's voice was as calm as a bell cast from cold iron.

The knights responded silently, and their semi-circular shields, like rock formations rising from an ice field, snapped together to form a wave-like shield wall. At the same time, their heavy spears were raised in unison, flashing with blue light!
"Frostflame Pierces Through!"

boom! ! !
The row of spears, activated by the battle aura, transformed into a swift, icy current that swept through the swarm of insects, instantly piercing through the corpses of the front row, the splattered blood freezing into icicles before it even hit the ground.

Three seconds later, the insect corpses on the hilltop were cleared away one by one.

But this is just a warm-up.

The next moment, a deafening roar came from the east side of the battlefield. A huge second-tier mother hive broke through the encirclement, its ferocious insect legs shattering the ice shell, and its incubation sac on its back swelled and bulged, ready to release a new swarm of insect offspring.

"Target confirmed: a second-tier hatching mother nest!"

"Squads 13 to 15, flank and attack from behind; Sling Group 6, load 'Frost Crystal Burst'!" Deputy Commander Lix quickly gave the order.

Within seconds, the three squads slid open gaps on both sides of the mother nest like sharp blades, their battle auras streaking across the snow like streaks of light, accurately slicing down the guardian insect corpses around the mother nest.

Meanwhile, the catapult group's "Frost Crystal Explosion Bombs" had launched three white and blue spheres, which accurately hit the back of the mother nest.

boom! ! !
The mother nest let out a piercing roar, and the incubation sac froze on the spot, instantly exploding into countless unformed insect embryos.

The next moment, the extraordinary knight Altan, who had already leaped onto its back, slammed down with his sword!
"The ice ridge shatters—!"

With a single strike, even the central nervous system layer of the mother nest was completely shattered!
The mother nest collapsed, icy flames burst forth, and its body slowly fell like a collapsing altar.

The entire hunt, from identification to execution, took only fifty-seven seconds.

A young knight gazed at the frozen, cracked remains of the mother hive, took a deep breath, and was jolted awake by a kick from another veteran.

"Don't get distracted! This is the sixth mother nest we've killed!"

"We are Cold Iron. We will not retreat."

"Blood can freeze, bones can break, but we cannot retreat without the Duke's order!"

Each resounding vow was like a nail, firmly anchoring this thousand-strong army to the icy plains.

They were utterly exhausted, their fighting spirit depleted, and their bodies were covered in wounds.

The snow fell heavier and heavier. The Cold Iron Legion, which had just defeated the Mother Nest in the snowstorm, had not yet caught its breath when they heard a strange tremor on the right side of the battle line.

The footsteps were heavy and unsettling, like the footsteps of a wandering ghost across a snowy plain.

"what is that?"

Just as a young knight turned his head, a blur of motion leaped out of the snow and mist!

“Enemy attack—!!”

Dozens of dark figures burst forth from the snow, swarming through the frost like locusts.

Those were insect corpses, but not ordinary insect corpses.

They were taller and larger, with their fighting spirit surging faintly between their decaying flesh and blood, retaining their former combat skills and fighting spirit. These were the former elites of the Snow Oath, the most ferocious undead in the North.

Leading the charge was a battle corpse clad in cracked snow armor.

His eyes were empty, and his face wore a sad smile that seemed out of place on an insect corpse. He dragged his giant axe on the ground, the blade still stained with undried blood.

“Hiro…” an old knight recognized the familiar yet eerie figure.

The leader of the Snowsworn, a nightmare for countless nobles in the North!

But at this moment, he is no longer human.

His face still bore the sorrowful smile he wore before his death, as if mourning the annihilation he had brought upon the Snowsworn.

But that smile, beneath the now empty pupils of the insect corpse, exuded a chilling aura of death.

The next moment, he swung his giant axe and charged into the knights' ranks!

"Stop him!!"

Three elite knights charged forward simultaneously, their shields forming a mountain.

However, a loud "BOOM—!!" was heard.

With a single axe strike, three heavy shields were cleaved in two, and the knight, armor and man, crashed into the snow, blood splattering everywhere!

The fourth knight attempted a counterattack from the flank, but was swatted away by Herro.

He was thrown high into the air, then pinned to an icy stone pillar by a broken sword from an insect-like zombie knight.

"They...they can even fight as a team!" Vice Commander Lix exclaimed in horror.

These insect corpses are not simply berserkers, but elite Snow Oath Knights who have retained all their combat skills, teamwork, and killing intent from their lives!

And not only that…

"They are eating corpses."

One of the insect corpses crouched down and sucked the blood of the knight who had just been killed into the "living sac" on its chest. The light blue insect membrane beat like a heart and released a strong aura.

Blood Boiling - Corpse Transformation Version: Restores battle aura by consuming "living flesh and blood," increasing combat power instead of decreasing it.

"This is simply... an anti-Knight demonic weapon!!"

"Retreat! Retreat now—!"

Lix roared, but the high-level insect corpses moved through the knights like ghosts, their speed and strength far exceeding those of their rank, leaving screams in their wake.

The snow was stained dark black with blood, and in just ten breaths, a huge gaping hole had been torn in the battle line.

Just when everyone was almost unable to resist, a heavy rumble came from the city. Iron boots pounded the ground, like a mountain pressing down.

Duke Edmund makes his appearance!
He was clad in heavy armor, wielding a massive hammer, his fighting spirit slowly surging, like a sleeping giant awakening.

A force like gravity erupted from his body!
"Bloodline Talent: War Gravity"

The charging insect corpses suddenly changed direction and rushed towards him recklessly, as if instinctively drawn to him and forced to concentrate all their hatred on this iron wall of the battlefield.

For the mindless insect corpses, this is the most deadly provocation.

"Follow the Duke! Hold the line!"

Several extraordinary knights immediately responded, their swords flashing and battle auras intertwining as they surrounded the Duke and launched a surprise attack.

The great battle restarted instantly, with blue flame-like battle aura mingling with the corpse fluids of insects in the cold wind.

The sharp sound of an axe blade slicing through the air.

The corpse of Hero came through the snow, its movements so steady they were almost elegant, and the giant axe it wielded still retained the precision and rhythm it had in life.

He stopped speaking, but his killing intent surged like a tide. His axe strikes were like snow waves surging in a storm, each blow sending the heavily armored knights flying, their flesh and blood flying everywhere.

Several extraordinary knights gritted their teeth and fought back, igniting their bloodline power and battle aura simultaneously, like sparks in a cold night, colliding head-on with the cruel killing intent of Hiro and his companions.

It was a brutal contest that ignited both reason and strength.

The Duke did not speak, but his figure crashed into the battle like a mountain.

Each step he took shattered ice and reverberated, his heavy armor clanging, his hammer slamming down with terrifying force, like an avalanche crashing down. He didn't use speed to subdue his enemy, but rather his overwhelming power to destroy them.

"Take this blow."

With a cold shout, the hammer, imbued with heavy battle aura, slammed into Hiro's left shoulder, sending him flying several steps. The ground instantly blasted into a deep crater, scattering ice and snow everywhere.

The corpse of Hiro was shaken and cracked, but it did not fall to the ground. The axe blade swung down with such precision that it was almost instinctive.

This axe blow was fatal, cleaving directly towards Edmund's chest!

"Qiang!!!"

The axe struck the thick armor, creating a loud crack and sparks. Blood mist gushed out from the gaps in the heavy armor. Edmund groaned and staggered half a step, but quickly regained his balance.

He unleashed his full power, and the gravity of war, like a magnet, forcibly pulled the insect corpses from all directions to gather around him, attempting to firmly hold the core of the battlefield to himself.

Meanwhile, the other high-ranking insect corpses surrounding Hiro swelled in their chests and their bodies began to writhe violently in an insect-like manner!
"Self-destruct! Duke, watch out!"

With a fierce roar, the insect corpse suddenly exploded, spraying out foul-smelling blood and blood, attempting to directly implant the live insect eggs carried in its internal organs into the Duke's body!
"court death."

Edmund roared, his battle aura instantly covering his entire body like a steel wall, scorching and viscous, forcibly sealing the breach and suppressing the parasitic impact outside his body.

Another insect corpse seized the opportunity to pounce from behind, its mouthparts flailing open, attempting to tear open the Duke's mask and force the parasite inside.

"go to hell."

But Edmund unleashed his fighting spirit, and with a backhand sweep of his giant hammer, he smashed the insect corpse's entire upper body flat with a deafening roar, scattering sticky insect flesh in all directions, leaving not even bone fragments behind.

Another insect corpse suddenly attacked, leaping into the air!

"Qiang!"

He raised his arm to block, and then slammed his hammer into the ground. The shockwave caused the ice veins on the ground to resonate, and in an instant, the underground crystals shattered. The explosive shockwave sent the insect corpse flying back ten feet, crashing into the ice layer, where it could not move.

"It's time to finish."

He raised his hammer again and locked onto the corpse of Hero, who was about to unleash his power.

Although the latter was unconscious, it was obsessed with fighting as if it were a blood sacrifice to a remnant soul.

"Hero, how ugly."

Edmund stared at the distorted yet still "sad smile" face, and with a stomp of his foot, the entire battlefield trembled!

The ice shattered, snow mist swirled, and all the remaining insect corpses were forcibly dragged toward him!

He then leaped high into the air, and the Sky Hammer fell to the ground like a meteor.

"End it!"

boom! !

Where the hammer struck, ice cracked a hundred feet high, and light devoured everything.

Hiro's corpse was completely shattered by this attack; his head was smashed to pieces, his axe handle broke, and his flesh and broken armor scattered into countless ice crystals, as if the tragedy had finally come to an end.

Seeing their leader fall, the remaining high-level insect corpses charged again like trapped beasts, attempting to perish together with Edmund.

The Duke's fighting spirit surged, like an indestructible, cold mountain blocking the center of the battlefield.

"Don't go any closer!" he roared, and suddenly swept his hammer in an arc, smashing any enemy who dared to approach.

But the killings were far from over.

Hero's body was shattered, but the raging tide from the Mother Nest continued to spread.

The insect corpses are endless!

Beyond the horizon, swarms of insects, as dense as a landslide or a snowstorm, pressed down layer upon layer, fearless.

They have no emotions, no fear; they simply keep moving forward and devouring everything in their path.

“You can’t kill them all…” Edmund gasped for breath, his gaze still resolute.

He smashed another high-level insect corpse that was charging towards him with a single blow; that thing was probably a northern cavalryman in life.

Its movements were agile and its combat skills were unpredictable, but it was directly blasted to pieces by the crushing force of the hammer and its battle aura, and its remains flew into the icy lake.

There was also an insect corpse that attacked from behind, but he smashed it in half with a backhand.

Then another one descended from the sky, its mouth opening to spew out insect silk and putrid poison.

"Shut up."

His fighting spirit surged, and he shattered everything with a single blow, responding violently to all the distortions.

However, Edmund knew full well that he too had his limits.

These insect corpses were like a tidal wave surging from hell; for every one killed, ten, a hundred more would follow.

He already felt soreness in his arms and his breathing became disordered.

Although his fighting spirit could still be maintained, his old wounds were throbbing with pain. The wounds from the axe blade were burning and stinging, as if something was writhing inside his body.

We can't fight anymore.

He has to leave.

It wasn't for himself, but to ensure the survival of the remaining knights.

"Retreat to Frostspear City," he ordered in a deep voice.

"The Duke—!"

"Shut up and obey orders."

The extraordinary knights managed to cut down several insect corpses, then retreated as instructed.

Edmund, meanwhile, once again swept away the giant hammer, clearing a bloody path for the rear.

He was killing so hard he could barely stand. He grabbed the neck of an insect corpse that lunged at him, ripped it off, and threw it into the snowdrift.

With his other hand wielding a hammer, he stood at the back like an iron tower.

Only after everyone had retreated into Frostspear City did he back away step by step, his body covered in blood and his fighting spirit surging. At the last moment before the city gates closed, he turned and leaped into the shadows of the city wall.

boom!
The heavy iron gate slammed shut, keeping the roaring, charging insect corpses at bay.

However, a single layer of city walls was simply not enough to stop this apocalyptic wave.

The insectoids commanded by the Mother Nest showed no sign of retreating and continued their relentless assault on Frostspear City.

They don't understand tactics, but they understand one thing: destruction.

"Activate the Frost Vein Bunker."

With a command, the seventeen magical fortresses of Frostspear City were suddenly activated, the Frostfire Reactor roared into operation, and an ice-blue energy network spread from the center of the city, pulling it to the top of the fortress towers, instantly awakening the ancient veins buried underground.

The icy crystal patterns, like ice snakes, slithered across the ground, activating the entire city's magic system and responding to the surging insect swarm with extreme cold!

"put!!"

The Frost Halberd catapults also started up, and the Frost Crystal Magic Bombs, carrying white and blue flames, tore through the sky, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound and trailing frost-covered flames, and slammed into the swarm of insects!
Boom! Boom!! Boom boom boom!!!

Each landing of a missile triggers an ice crystal storm.

The limbs of the mother nest exploded, the blood of the insect corpses froze, and the poisonous mist instantly solidified into frost...

That originally incredibly swift momentum was abruptly disrupted by the combined impact of the Ice Pulse and the Magic Explosion!

Several mother nests that had not yet hatched were blown apart in mid-air, and the insect eggs were scattered and turned into crystal-clear debris in the ice fog.

The low-level insect corpses rolled like waves, one after another being blasted away, frozen, and smashed, piling up a thick layer of charred insect corpse ice shards on the ground.

Meanwhile, the End Nest, in the distance, writhed silently, seemingly enraged by the fierce counterattack.

But beneath the Frost Halberd and Ice Vein, the insect swarm was finally halted, and it still had a chance to survive.

(End of this chapter)