Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 307 Strikes hard
Red Cliff Pass.

The iron horse neighed softly, like a long-silent blade ready to be drawn.

More than a hundred knights of the Broken Edge Knights were now lined up neatly on the platform at the mouth of the gorge.

Their battle robes were no longer the deep blue of Frostspear City, but rather red and blue cloaks specially made by Crimson Tide Territory, signifying that they came from Frostspear and were now loyal to Crimson Tide.

They were supposed to be stationed here, but they were merely a "buffer point" for the northern defense against the red tide.

But now they are finally about to have their first opportunity to express their loyalty.

At the front of the procession, a lone rider stood in the wind.

That was Reggie Olsen, the vice-commander of the Broken Edge Knights, and formerly the youngest extraordinary knight in Frostspear City.

His silver hair fluttered slightly in the morning light, and an ice-blue longsword lay across his saddle, his aura restrained yet as powerful as thunder.

He surveyed the entire army, his sword-like gaze sweeping across the faces of every knight, and spoke calmly and deliberately:
"We have just joined the Red Tide, and we have yet to fight a battle worthy of our oath. You all remember what Lord Louis did for us."

The family's resettlement allowance, triple salary, medicine sent when you were injured, and even your children's education... everything was arranged perfectly.

Now it's time to repay all that.

After speaking, he slowly drew his longsword, held it diagonally in front of his chest, and the sunlight fell on the blade, reflecting a cold light like ice and snow.

"We are the North's Edge, the Blade of Oath."

Reggie's horse slowly took a half step forward.

Behind him, a hundred knights simultaneously slammed their sword hilts into the ground, the clanging of their armor sounding like a hundred iron bells ringing in unison, followed by a synchronized roar that shook the mountain walls of the pass:

"Fight for the Red Tide! We will not return until it is defeated!!!"

…………

When the scout rode into the castle and brought back the alarming message, Viscount Zakaria was in the hall arguing with two advisors about the arrangements for the sacrificial ceremony.

"My lord, it's the Crimson Tide Knights at Crimson Rock Pass, coming this way. They're not a patrol... they're a knightly order!"

Those few words felt like an ice pick piercing Viscount Zakaria's heart and lungs.

His face suddenly darkened, and he slammed his fist on the table, shouting angrily, "Louis?! How dare he!"

His tone was angry, but his eyes betrayed an undisguised panic.

He thought that since the Red Tide envoys had been rebuffed and remained silent for a month, he had successfully weathered the crisis, since they wouldn't dare to force him to buy or sell.

But who would have thought they'd send knights to rob us! Is there truly no law in the North?

Upon learning that the enemy had only a hundred riders, Zakaria's eyes flashed with contempt. This kid was really so arrogant; they had to be taught a lesson.

"Only a hundred people? Do they think a hundred people can step into my territory?"

He sneered, threw the general's newspaper into the fireplace, and the paper quickly turned to ash in the firelight, but he felt no warmth at all.

"Summon the entire army," he ordered coldly. "And call out all the 'old friends' I took in during the insect plague. It's time for them to prove their loyalty."

So he donned his armor, went up to the inner fortress wall, and looked down at the warriors in the courtyard.

Under Zakaria's command, three hundred knights stood in formation, all of them hereditary knights of the Zakaria family.

They were trained and raised in the territory from childhood; they were his most loyal knights and his most trusted force.

Outside the castle, another force of over four hundred lightly armored warriors was quietly gathering.

Unlike regular knights, their armor was uneven, but their expressions were fierce and arrogant, and their eyes revealed an almost beastly desire to attack.

These are the Snow Oath warriors who miraculously survived the insect plague.

They were once the empire's mortal enemies, having ignited war and bloodshed in the North.

However, he has now been secretly recruited into Zakaria's army and is quietly hidden within his private forces.

It was also a secret he could never reveal.

Once the fact that he was hiding and secretly supporting the remnants of the Old Snow Kingdom is exposed, even if the Crimson Tide Territory doesn't say anything, the other nobles in the Northern Territory will never let him go.

At that time, he will not only lose his territory, but he will not even be able to leave a whole piece of his body.

Eight hundred people gathered, weapons clashed, and banners fluttered.

Zakaria ascended the city wall, raised his scepter, and his voice resounded throughout the army: "Let them know that the oppressive power of the Crimson Tide does not apply to the bloodline of our Snow Kingdom!"

The soldiers responded in unison, their shouts thunderous.

…………

The morning frost had not yet dissipated, and the cold wind fluttered the Red Tide battle flags, making them rustle loudly.

The Knights of Broken Edge, a hundred riders, stood in formation before the city, their crimson sun emblem gleaming in the sunlight.

Reggie's gaze swept coldly over the high wall.

The shadows beneath the grey cloaks stood silently, their backlighting outlining faces that were both strange and familiar.

Reggie's eye twitched; he recognized at a glance that the soldier was no ordinary garrison.

He had served in Frost Halberd for over ten years, and this smell... he was all too familiar with it.

The Oath-Swearer.

That name, which should have been wiped out by the insect plague long ago, still lurks in the shadows like a venomous snake.

He snorted coldly, his gaze growing even colder, his voice not loud, but sharp as a sword blade rubbing against armor: "Those rats, they're still not all dead."

The fire in my heart is slowly burning.

He has a blood feud with the Oath-Swearing Clan.

He once personally dragged the bodies of his brothers, who had been ambushed and killed by the Snowsworn, from the battlefield.

He once gritted his teeth and fought his way out of their ambush, just to leave a sliver of hope for his comrades.

He thought the reptiles had long been devoured by the swarm, but to his surprise, they emerged from the rotting flesh once again, like maggots.

Reggie's hand was already on the sword hilt: "Looks like we came to the right place."

He slowly drew the longsword engraved with the broken blade emblem and pointed it at the tightly closed city gate ahead: "Magic Explosion Team, prepare."

Several heavily armored knights wearing Crimson Tide's specially made battle aura cloaks rode forward from the rear, carrying heavy Crimson Tide-style magic explosion bullet launchers on their shoulders. The gun barrels vibrated and made a "click" sound of metal clashing.

Reggie stood at the front of the formation, brandished his sword, and roared like thunder: "Break through the enemy's gate!"

boom! !

The next second, a magic explosion bomb tore through the air and smashed into the front door like a meteor shower!
With a deafening roar, the entire wooden and iron double doors shattered, sending debris flying dozens of paces away. The knights guarding the doors were thrown to the ground by the blast.

The explosion, accompanied by flames, instantly engulfed several rows of guards at the entrance.

Reggie gave a cold smirk: "Not bad."

Then he slashed his sword diagonally forward and shouted, "Break the blade and strike!"

The knights roared in formation, like a moving steel castle suddenly starting up, their silver-patterned longswords raised in unison as they charged forward.

On the city wall, Viscount Zakaria, pale-faced, staggered and fell to the ground, his cloak torn in a corner by the aftershock of the magic explosion, looking utterly disheveled.

"A frontal assault?! Damn it... Have they gone mad?!" He struggled to his feet, staring at the Crimson Tide Hundred Riders breaking through the formation like lightning below, his throat tightening.

The three hundred knights had not yet all lined up, and the four hundred remaining Snow Oath soldiers were still changing positions and deploying.

He thought he still had time to build a defensive line, but that explosive magic bomb at the start of the battle completely shattered the rhythm of the battlefield.

Reggie charged at the forefront, like a streak of blue light weaving through the enemy ranks. Wherever his sword flashed, blood splattered, like a spider lily blooming suddenly in the snow.

"careful!"

The knights in the front row cried out in surprise. Before they could organize a counterattack, Reggie's longsword swept across with a cold light, and a crescent-shaped aura of battle qi slashed out from the air.

boom!
The two leading knights, along with their horses, were cut in two. Before the blood could even drip from the cuts, their bodies collapsed to the ground, unable to rise again.

"Don't be afraid! They only have a hundred men! Surround them!" a lieutenant roared, trying to bolster morale.

Before he could finish speaking, the Broken Blade Knights spread out on both wings in an instant!

The heavy cavalry pressed forward, crushing the enemy's front ranks like an iron wall, while the fast cavalry behind them pierced through the opening of Reggie's sword, like a giant longsword slicing through a torrent of flesh and blood.

Sharp blades sliced ​​through iron armor, and battle aura shattered spears. Every move of the Broken Blade Knight was as precise and deadly as if it were a textbook example, as if they were carrying out an efficient massacre.

"Back off! Back off now!!"

The sound of the rout finally rang out, and the front line collapsed like a snow-covered embankment breaking.

Suddenly, a furious roar came from the flank: "Kill!!"

It was a hastily assembled squad of Snowsworn warriors, clad in grey-white wolf pelts, with bloodshot eyes.

Wielding heavy axes and spears, they charged forward with roars, stepping on broken bricks, showing no fear of the knights' vanguard, whose fighting spirit surged before them.

The leader charged forward fiercely, clad in rusted armor, his roar unleashing a torrent of fighting spirit.

But Reggie just turned around and glanced at him coldly.

He pointed his longsword forward and whispered, "Flanking maneuver, suppress them."

A horn sounded, and the left flank of the Broken Blade Knights charged out.

Leading the group was a female knight clad in armor, her spear gleaming like a snake, her blue battle aura instantly condensing into a sharp blade that drew an arc in mid-air!
The blow pierced straight through the heart of the Snow Oath warrior's leader, his fighting spirit bursting through his body, and a cloud of blood exploded in the air!

Then several riders arrived in unison, their shields advancing like a wall, their heavy blows severing the knees, legs, and shoulder bones of the Snowsworn warriors. Their battle axes were knocked away, and before they could even launch a counterattack, they were reduced to blood and gore!
Although these remnants of the Snow Oath warriors were fierce and brave, they were unable to form a battle formation under the suppression of the Broken Blade Knights' fighting spirit and were defeated one by one.

The last wave of Snow Oath warriors gathered behind the ruins of a stone building, constructing a makeshift defensive line, ready to fight to the death.

However, the Right Knight of the Broken Blade Legion fired three magic explosions in quick succession. The explosions caused flames to burst and the cries of the remaining soldiers were drowned out by the sound of the explosions.

In just a few breaths, the resistance was completely over.

The fierce wind dispersed the smoke of gunpowder, and the blood and dust mixed together to form a rusty, pungent odor that permeated the castle ruins.

The knights who once shouted "Surround them!" are now lying dead in the streets, their armor shattered, and their warhorses lying silently on the ground.

The Broken Edge Knights, a hundred strong, stood in neat formation amidst the ruins. Only a dozen or so were wounded, but none of them fell.

This was a complete rout, so much so that it couldn't even be called a war; it was merely a ruthless massacre of the weak by high-ranking knights.

The enemy was left with only a lingering, struggling force.

"Viscount! Run! Run!!"

Behind the last stone fortress, Viscount Zakaria was ashen-faced, his face splattered with the blood of his men.

He grabbed a wounded Snowsworn soldier beside him and growled, "The cellar! To the cellar! Through the secret passage, to the sacrificial hall! There's still hope there."

So, under the knight's desperate cover, he led more than twenty remaining soldiers, stumbling and rushing into the main castle, heading straight for the underground altar of the evil god that had been sealed for many years.

“As long as… as long as we offer our blood to Him… He will surely respond… He will surely still be willing to protect us, the descendants of the old Snow Kingdom…” Zakaria’s eyes were filled with madness as he muttered incantations.

Behind him, a line of shadowy, wounded soldiers trudged along the wall, their steps faltering and blood streaming down their faces, yet they never stopped.

Once those Red Tide Knights catch up, there will be no chance of survival.

At the end of the cellar in the lower level of the main castle, a dark blue magical light quietly seeped out from a crack.

It was an ancient sacrificial hall with a circular dome made of snow-white stone bricks, but the cracks between the stones were already covered with twisted black vines like snakes, and it was inlaid with dense reliefs.

The upside-down statue of the Ancient God of the Cold Abyss, with seven eyes and one mouth, is like a nightmare awakened from the icy abyss.

In the center of the stone altar, Viscount Zakaria, his face contorted, knelt on the ground, his hands raised high above a still-beating human heart, his incantations flying rapidly, like a cold wind passing through cracks, stirring up eerie echoes in the space.

"Blood for eyes, heart for body, blood debt to be atoned for... Lord of the Cold Abyss, please..."

"Enough." A deep voice coldly interrupted the echoing incantation.

The next moment, the battle qi exploded like thunder, and the iron door of the cellar shattered!
Reggie's fighting spirit swept across the altar like an extremely cold gale, and dozens of elite Duanfeng warriors entered behind him, swords in hand.

“You shouldn’t have come, Louis’s dog…”

Viscount Zakaria, kneeling in a pool of blood, suddenly raised his head, and deep blue runes suddenly appeared in his eyes. He bit his tongue, slammed his palms on the ground, and blood spread like a spider web!

Dozens of ancient incantations instantly appeared on the stone slab, writhing like tentacles in the deep sea of ​​the icy abyss. The air seemed to freeze amidst the incantations, and malice surged like a tide.

"With blood as the key and heart as the guide! A vow broken beneath the abyss!"

A burst of pitch-black demonic energy suddenly erupted, a shriek like a soul being torn apart aimed straight at Reggie's brow!
That was the mental pollution spell of the Ancient God of the Cold Abyss, capable of tearing apart a person's will and leading them into the abyss of madness.

But Reggie did not back down an inch.

"Star Abyss Barrier, activate."

He murmured something, and the star-like patterns on his forehead shone brightly, his battle aura rising from within him like a shield.

Instantly, a transparent azure barrier was erected, forcefully blocking the wave of magic from entering.

This is his bloodline talent, the Star Abyss Barrier, which can block attacks from battle aura and magic, and of course, spells are also effective.

The evil force impacted the edge of the barrier, creating cracking sounds, but it could not penetrate it.

Reggie's eyes remained unwavering. In the next instant, he drew his sword and his figure flashed like lightning!

The cold blue battle aura exploded, and the longsword transformed into a streak of light that swept across the sky before Zakaria could finish his horrifying spell!

"cut!"

The sword light cleaved through the magic array and evil thoughts.

"Ugh!!!"

Viscount Zakaria's body flew like a rag doll into the cracked statue, spitting out a large amount of blood. His incantation collapsed, and he lost consciousness.

The relief wall of the Ancient God of the Cold Abyss trembled slightly under the aftershocks of the battle aura.

With a "crack," a winding crack appeared in the statue, as if it were also groaning softly.

Reggie coldly sheathed his sword, his protective aura slowly receding. He turned around calmly and ordered, "Seal off the scene, collect evidence, and escort him back to Red Tide City."

"Yes!"

The elite of the Broken Edge Knights began to disperse and clear the area, dismantling the remaining offering tables and magic circle inscriptions, wiping out the entire heretical stronghold one by one without leaving a trace.

(End of this chapter)