Noxus Glory

Chapter 10 Clan Warriors' Snow Ambush

"The snow has gotten heavier again!"

In the silvery-white snow, Huo Jixing looked up at the gloomy sky and tried to wrap his gray-white cloak tighter around himself.

His face was frozen stiff, his eyebrows and nose were covered with ice and snow, and his body was sweating profusely and losing water.

This is the second day of the return journey.

Except for noon and evening, the team kept moving forward rapidly, braving the wind and snow.

Huo Jixing lowered his eyes and took a deep breath.

After leaving the Noxian outpost, he noticed that the atmosphere in the team was different, like a volcano suppressing its rage, waiting for the moment to erupt.

Reaching out to wipe the snow from his brow, Huo Jixing looked towards the front of the group.

Captain Eric seemed tireless as he trudged through the snow, his muscular frame billowing out his greyish-white cloak, guiding the Noxian scouts behind him.

puff!puff!puff!

The howling wind was mixed with the sound of hurried footsteps.

Huo Jixing's expression tightened. Looking into the distance, he saw a hazy figure crossing the snow-covered hill and rapidly approaching.

It's De Wit!

He saw the young Noxian scout nimbly sliding down the snowy hill, his crimson composite armor covered in snowflakes.

After landing, DeWitt got up, panting heavily, and quickly ran to Eric at the front of the group, hurriedly saying, "Huff... Clan warriors have appeared."

Under the wind and snow, the atmosphere in the team became somber.

Eric wiped the frost from his face, frowned, and asked in a low voice, "How many people?"

"Not many people, eleven or twelve." DeWitt gasped for breath, his bloodshot eyes brimming with murderous intent.

"Judging from their attire, they are clan warriors belonging to the Claws of Winter."

Eric exhaled a puff of frosty mist, turned to look at the Noxian scouts watching him behind him, grinned, and chuckled softly, "Get ready, we can't let these winter scum get away."

His cold tone carried an uncontrollable, ruthless ruthlessness.

Then, amidst the swirling snow, the group began to slowly and methodically tidy up their composite armor, polish their sharp weapons, and make all the necessary preparations.

The silent volcano has long been erupting in fury!

A biting wind howled, and snow filled the sky.

The snowflakes, dancing and swaying, fell from the dim sky, covering the mountains in a silvery white.

Brown pulled his worn-out gray wool boots out of the thick snow, whipped them against the cold wind, and, with the snow stinging his face, took heavy steps forward slowly.

"Whoosh!"

With heavy breathing, Brown wiped the mess of ice crystals from his cheeks and looked at the snow-covered, monotonous snow-covered hills in front of him.

Perhaps it was too cold, he reached up and tightened his thick fur cloak, scanning the almost identical surroundings as he waited for his companions behind him.

A few breaths later.

A group of clan warriors dressed similarly to Brown braved the swirling snow and strode over.

They wore dark gray hard leather armor, felt hats made of some kind of animal fur, and gripped various weapons made of bone.

"Hey Brown, there's no need to rush."

A deep, rough voice, carried on the cold wind, rang in Brown's ears.

"In this weather, there's hardly any prey, let alone those damned Noxian scum!"

Upon hearing this, Brown, whose brows were already furrowed, stared at the clan warrior in front of him with cold eyes: "We need food, and the clan needs food too."

Death, in countless different forms, roams the frozen wastelands of Freljord.

Teeth, sharp blades, numb frostbite, and bitter hunger became repeated tests from the Grim Reaper.

To survive, you must fight every death, eliminate every threat, and seize every advantage.

Therefore, going out each day presents the clan with a choice:

Either you'll resort to any means to survive!

You're going to die!

Brown strode forward, his towering, powerful frame pressing down on the clan warrior before him: "Look at your equipment and weapons. They represent the hopes of the clan. I don't want to leave empty-handed."

Winter's Claw had already given orders to all its subordinate clans.

Any clan that offers the head of a Noxian soldier will receive food and rewards to help them get through the increasingly cold winter.

The cold wind continued to howl through the silent crowd, and scattered snowflakes piled up on their shoulders.

"Alright, Brown, he didn't mean it." The old voice broke the silence under the wind and snow.

"Since time is of the essence, let's continue along the road. Hmm, once we cross the hill ahead, we'll reach the hunting grounds marked by the clan."

Gripping the bone axe tightly, Brown glared at the young clan warrior, then turned his head, his gaze piercing through the swirling snowflakes and landing on the snow-covered hill that rose not far away.

Let's go!

The deep gray, like thick ink splashed into a pool, painted the pale snowfield.

The alternating footprints stretched straight ahead.

The atmosphere, which should have been quiet, gradually dissipated with the howling wind and snow.

They were both clan warriors and collateral relatives, so any conflicts could be resolved in just a few words.

Brown, who was walking with his head down, listened to the conversation around him and his expression relaxed a lot. He didn't mean to be like this, but the atmosphere of the team made him a little worried.

The clan had spent a considerable amount of their resources on this trip, and they needed to reap some rewards.

"Winter's Claw!"

Recalling the image of the war mother riding the Juvask boar that he had once seen from afar, a fiery glint appeared deep in Brown's eyes.

How he longed to be a part of the Winter's Claws' battle, a battle that represented blood and glory.

It is also the future of the clan!

A biting wind swept across the land, and snowflakes, like goose feathers, fell from the sky, draping the world in a silver coat.

On both sides of the winding mountain road, thick layers of snow piled up, covering the dark gray soil.

Huo Jixing lay prone in the snow, letting the pure white snowflakes fall and gradually blend him into the snow.

Even though he was wearing a thick fur cloak and was under the snow, he could still feel the biting cold seeping into his soul, and his body was trembling slightly.

"They're here!"

The wait was worthwhile; Huo Jixing's lips, which were purple from the cold, twitched slightly.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed along the only mountain path, the sound of worn-out gray boots crunching through the thick snow.

As they drew closer, low voices of conversation drowned out the sound of wind and snow.

Some parts were hard to hear, or rather, difficult to understand.

This is clan slang, but occasionally some important and familiar words drift into your ears on the cold wind.

Winter's Claw Noxus War

Bang!

Suddenly!

The fluffy snow, like fireworks, blooms on the snow-covered ground.

Huo Jixing, who had been waiting intently, immediately threw off his fur cloak, stood up, and leaped into the air. His eyes looked past the swirling snowflakes and saw the panicked clan warriors not far away.

His expression was fierce, like a hungry snow wolf pouncing swiftly on its 'prey'.

On the winding mountain road.

Brown trudged along with heavy steps, braving the cold wind, his companion following closely behind.

Out of caution, he waved to disperse the snow while surveying the rugged mountain path and thick snow layer around him.

"Um?"

Suddenly, a sense of dread flashed through Brown's mind. He had a premonition that something terrible was about to happen.

Before he could utter a sound, a sudden change occurred.

Puff puff! Puff puff! Puff puff!

A dull thud rang out, and the thick snow on both sides exploded with a deafening roar, sending large flakes of snow dancing in the air, mingling with the howling wind and disrupting everyone's vision.

The next instant!

A chilling glint of light, piercing through the wind and snow, sliced ​​through the tough hide and slit the throat of the young clan warrior.

Bronk watched helplessly as the young clan warrior beside him collapsed to the ground, clutching his throat, which was gushing hot blood, his terrified eyes gradually losing their luster.

"Damn Noxian scum!"

The cold wind was biting, but it couldn't drown out Brown's roar.

Faced with the unexpected attack and the death of their comrades, the clan warriors appeared somewhat flustered.

However, under Brown's roar, they quickly composed themselves, brandishing their bone weapons and heading towards the ambush.

—Noxian soldiers!

The crimson armor, the icy gaze, the raised blade—it was like an erupting volcano, carrying a violent, bloody force, ready to devour them whole and crush their flesh.

Pfft!

Huo Jixing pushed off the ground with both feet, leaped forward, and tackled a clan warrior who was trying to retaliate.

Following muscle memory, he extended his left arm and skillfully strangled the other man's neck, holding on tightly, while his right hand drew a short knife from his waist and swung it fiercely.

puff!

The flashing blade, piercing through the wind and snow, easily slashed open the clan warrior's neck, and a gush of blood stained his face.

Only when the struggling gradually subsided did Huo Jixing breathe heavily and loosen his aching left arm.

When he stood up again, the premeditated ambush was already over.

Looking around at the snow-covered mountain road, the bright red blood, like red dye, was splattered on the white snow.

Amidst the interplay of red and white, lifeless, cold corpses are haphazardly adorned, embellishing the cruel and unforgiving frozen soil of the North.

Huo Jixing reached out and wiped the blood from his face, his eyes lowered, making it impossible to see the changing emotions in his pupils.

What's the difference between someone who has killed someone and someone who hasn't?

He couldn't describe it in words, but a ripple of unease seemed to stir deep within his heart, before gradually subsiding into calm.

"Tsk, I've actually gotten used to this kind of life!" Huo Jixing said with a self-deprecating laugh.

The harsh winter, the effects of war, and the fragments of memories left over from his past life—all seemed to be quietly shattering his former worldview, urging him to quickly integrate into this war.

Then Huo Jixing crouched down, ignoring the glaring crimson blood, reached out and pressed down on the clan warrior's filthy head, and with the short knife in his hand, he cut off the ear, wiped it casually a few times, and stuffed it into the leather pouch at his waist.

This is his spoils of war, and it also represents Noxus's military achievements.

"Well done, Xing!"

Moore, who had followed the trail of blood, looked at the corpse with its throat slit at Huo Jixing's feet and exclaimed in admiration.

Huo Jixing licked his lips and nodded with a forced smile.

Moore was the third person he met in the scout team; he was calm and friendly.

In the days since he integrated into the team, he has been a great help to De Wit.

"Hurry up and deal with this, we should go!" DeWitt ran over from a short distance away and called out quickly.

"What's wrong? Did something unexpected happen?" Moore asked, looking surprised, as he walked towards DeWitt.

"The tongue is dead!"

DeWitt's expression turned grave. Thinking of the guy's tough behavior just now, he spat out a mouthful of saliva: "That guy was tough. He didn't say a word, so the sergeant had no choice but to take care of him."

Moore looked at the red and white snow, as if he had thought of something, his gaze darkened, and he muttered a few curses.

He quickly finished dealing with the spoils and walked towards the group with Hojising and DeWitt.

Before long, the Noxian scouts donned their grey cloaks again and hurriedly set off, letting the falling snow engulf the blood-red battlefield.

(End of this chapter)