Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 74 One Two Three, Explode!

In the darkness, Bond and Louis crouched behind a high slope hidden by dense forest, below which lay a makeshift ruin.

The knights were hidden on both sides of the slope, and the archers were already in position.

But Bond was uneasy at that moment.

He gazed at the silent mountain path and lowered his voice: "Baron, I advise you to stop."

Louis did not respond, but continued to observe the terrain and confirm the reports from the scouts.

Bond frowned and continued, "We're not sure if the enemy has passed through this mountain road, nor do we know when they'll arrive."

Even if they come, can your hundred-odd knights, even if they succeed in the ambush, hold off eight hundred elite Snow Oath warriors?
If this battle is lost, not only will the entire army be wiped out, but Qingyu Ridge, the most crucial strategic point, will also be handed over to the enemy.

His voice was low, but there was a hint of urgency in it: "We should go back to defend the fortifications, hold the passage, and wait for the reinforcements sent by the Duke."

"Stop talking." Louis finally spoke, his tone not soft, but extremely calm, "I am the commander."

Bond was taken aback.

The tone was devoid of anger, and did not even emphasize authority; it was simply stating the facts.

Yet it leaves no room for rebuttal.

"You..." Bond wanted to say something, but in the end he gritted his teeth and shut up.

He silently looked at the young man who was much younger than him, feeling angry and helpless.

"He got cocky. A young nobleman, after winning a few battles, thought he could take on eight hundred elite troops."

He will annihilate this entire army in this wilderness.

Bond even had a crazy idea: to kill him and take over command.

But he quickly dismissed the idea.

These soldiers and knights had long regarded Louis as a faith, and if he acted rashly, he would only face death.

So Bond could only grit his teeth and stare blankly down the mountain path for a while.

A faint sound came from the forest path below.

Then came the continuous, soft sounds of horses' hooves, the scraping of metal, and the rustling of leather armor.

Bond was jolted, his pupils shrinking sharply.

"They...they really came?"

He looked sharply at Louis, a mixture of shock and a strange chill running through him.

"He had anticipated this all along?"

He suddenly realized that this young nobleman might have had the whole picture of the situation from beginning to end.

…………

A cold wind blew down from the mountains, stirring up dust from the ground.

Eight hundred elite Snow Oath warriors sped forward along the rugged mountain path.

Most of them were wolf riders or Snowsworn knights, and their goal was to recapture the Qingyu Ridge stronghold as quickly as possible.

"They're just two hundred knights, is it really necessary to make such a fuss?"

Garrett rode on the black silver war wolf, a hint of weariness on his face.

He was one of the few veterans among the Vowers. The three extermination operations did not bury him, but instead made him a warrior who crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

I had hoped to be able to rest in Snow Eagle City this time.

Enjoy the company of those aristocratic ladies with their radiant white skin, and satisfy your cravings.

As soon as the order came, he was urgently dispatched to the front.

"Tsk, what incredibly bad luck." He muttered under his breath, tugged at the reins, and the War Wolf bared its fangs, quickly striding forward.

He wasn't the only one who dissent against orders.

A sense of restlessness spread rapidly throughout the vanguard.

The young Snowsworn knights were all impatient, eager to finish the battle quickly so they could return to Snoweagle City and enjoy their spoils.

"Two hundred men guarding a mere mountain pass, making it seem like we're attacking the imperial capital," a knight complained, clicking his tongue.

"That's right, a waste of time."

"Sir, we'll be there soon," the adjutant reminded him.

Garrett raised his hand to signal to slow down, his eyes fixed on the other side of the valley.

A charred ruin lay silently in the valley. Tent frames lay askew, battle flags were broken, and frozen animal hides were wrinkled by the wind.

“That’s it,” he said in a low voice, a cold smile playing on his lips.

This scene looks like an illusion created by the Hidden Mirror.

Garrett has used this kind of thing quite a few times himself.

“It looks just like the real thing from a distance, but the flaws become apparent when you get a few dozen meters closer,” he said, squinting. “Did they think they could fool us with this thing?”

He raised his hand and coldly ordered, "Speed ​​up! Flank them from both sides and swallow this nest of rats whole before they can react!"

"Yes!"

The wolf riders roared in unison, and their war wolves leaped out from beneath their feet.

Eight hundred Snowsworn cavalry split into two wings, and with the heavy thud of hooves on the snow, they rushed towards the ruins of the camp like a cold current.

The forwards have entered the valley entrance, with the rear guard following closely behind, forming a semi-encirclement.

They believed that the ruins would be swallowed up in a bloody storm within minutes.

They were less than 100 meters from the ruins.

In the wind and snow, the tattered tents, the leaning wooden stakes, and the scorched black earth... it all felt too real.

"wrong!"

Garrett suddenly pulled on the reins, his gaze sharpened, and his brows furrowed instantly.

This is not an illusion!
This is not an illusion of the "Mirror of Hidden Mist," but a real ruin.

A trap that was deliberately set up and carefully disguised as an illusion!
They've fallen into a trap!
But by the time he realized it, it was too late!
At that moment, Louis, standing in the shadows of the mountainside, slowly raised his right hand.

"One, two, three." He waved his hand lightly. "Explode."

The next second, it was as if the air had been sucked out instantly.

boom--! ! !
The explosion, like a roar from the depths of hell, shattered the silence of Qingyu Ridge.

The chain of explosive bombs buried in the mountainside detonated, unleashing a raging storm of wind and flames!

The wolf riders in the canyon were swallowed up before they could react.

First, a dazzling blue light suddenly flashed!
The extremely cold air swept across like a blade, freezing the air instantly.

The first few dozen riders were frozen in their charging stance before they could even utter a cry of pain. The riders and war wolves were like twisted ice sculptures, instantly dragged into the center of the explosion by the suction force!
Immediately afterwards, the magic essence exploded!
The blue frost transformed into raging flames, and the rolling fire waves surged out like a tornado, engulfing large numbers of warriors.

The blazing flames and blast waves raged wildly through the valley, tearing crimson cracks along the snow-covered surface.

The wolf pelts ignited, the knights' armor charred and shattered, and they rolled and roared on the ground, turning into fireballs engulfed by the flames.

"Ouch——!!"

The scorched war wolf screamed as it fell to the ground, its limbs kicking wildly, its flesh and blood turning into charcoal in the flames!
In the final wave, a toxic mist rose up.

The black mist spread slowly and steadily, yet carried a deadly toxicity.

The first knight to inhale the poison convulsed violently, vomited blood, and collapsed to the ground howling.

"Cough, cough ahhh!!"

The knights rolled on the ground, their skin beneath their armor rapidly corroding and peeling away, leaving them a bloody mess!
But it's not over yet.

With a deafening roar, the valley floor structure collapsed, and the shockwaves from the explosion finally triggered changes in the terrain!

"Go back!"

Just as the Snow Oath Warriors were about to turn their horses around before they even got close to the center, they saw the mountains on both sides tremble violently and large boulders tumble down like rain!

Rumble——! !

The boulders roared down, carrying ice, snow, and debris, crashing into the cavalry ranks like divine punishment.

A war wolf had its spine broken by the impact, and the knight and his horse were sent flying several meters before crashing heavily into their companions. The sound of bones cracking and howls of agony echoed through the valley.

"Aaaaaah!! My legs!!"

"Help...help me...!"

Limbs flew everywhere, horses neighed and beasts roared.

Once the most formidable elite wolf riders on the snowy plains, they now resemble ants swallowed by a storm.

In a sorry state, miserable and helpless.

Inside and outside the valley, there were only tragic cries and the stench of burning flesh.

(End of this chapter)