Chapter 1962: The Youzhou Coup! (1/2)

Edited by: Michyrr

”B-… Blizzard!!!” the horseman cried out, his voice stammering from excessive fear.

A hundred meters behind him, the world had turned white, ice and snow devouring the heavens and earth like a giant maw.

In front of this heaven-encompassing blizzard, every human, no matter their cultivation, was about as significant as an ant.

Crack! Crack! Crack! As the blizzard swept over the world, the temperature rapidly plunged. With astonishing speed, all the trees and grass were covered in a layer of ice. And while the men had thick fur coats with metal armor underneath, and inner clothes made of wool, it felt like none of this existed, providing not a single iota of warmth.

They felt like they were running naked on the snow.

The terrifying chill behind them was like icy needles pricking at their backs, making their blood run cold. Each one of them sensed that if they fell behind, the blizzard would catch up and immediately end their lives.

”Run! Abandon your armor!” the leader shouted, the intense danger he felt causing his face to twist.

Whoosh! He tore off a heavy piece of armor and threw it aside, and those behind quickly did the same.

With their lessened burden, they were able to run a little faster.

Time was life. Being a little slow at this time would mean certain death.

All of them suddenly understood how that large polar bear with its thick fur and fat had suddenly died, and why those ten-some snow wolves had been slain at the same time right before they were about to hunt, and why that family of three barbarians had died right in front of their table…

This terrifying cold and the rapidly plunging temperature didn't even give them the chance to run.

Neigh!

Horses neighed as the men mounted and rode with all their strength. Rumble! The earth gave a deafening roar like the world was collapsing, a sound that would haunt their nightmares for the rest of their lives.

”Let's go!”

”Run!”

Everyone yelled themselves hoarse as they rode as fast as they could.

”Ah!”

There were cries of alarm as several of the horsemen who had been too slow were caught by the blizzard. They only had time to scream before they and their horses were rapidly frozen in place, becoming ice statues of the primordial forest. And in front, the others could only mentally weep over the loss, but they did not dare to turn their heads or attempt a rescue.

All of them were teetering on the edge between life and death, and the slightest mistake would forfeit their own lives, so rescuing someone was out of the question.

The strength of humans was puny before that of nature!

Large trees stood in their path, and the horsemen could only try to maneuver around them while picking up speed. But the blizzard was getting closer and closer, the stench of death filling their nostrils.

Rumble! After running for some time, suddenly, they saw the world open up before them. And behind them, the sound of that blizzard that was doggedly pursuing them suddenly dwindled.

Sensing the danger behind them fading, they finally stopped. They leaned on the backs of their horses, steam rolling off their bodies as they gasped for breath.

They felt like they had escaped from the jaws of death, and all of them blessed their fortune.

Neeeigh! They began to turn their horses around, and all they saw was a world of white snow. The primordial forest was gone, and for thousands of li, ice and snow had covered everything like a giant plate of snow placed atop the world.

”Captain, what do we do now?” one of the scouts asked, grief in his voice.

They had left with twenty-some people, but only seven or eight were standing here. The others would remain forever as ice statues in that land of snow. None of them had imagined this possibility when they had first set out.

”Immediately report to His Highness!” the captain said, his voice much hoarser. ”You saw what happened just now… this cold climate will periodically expand and shift, and even polar bears, snow wolves, and trees will be frozen to death. Just think what will happen if this extreme cold moves south, reaching the Central Plains and the Great Tang… Not a single person will survive!”

The others fell silent, but as they understood, their expressions turned complicated.

There was no doubt that their liege had predicted this scene. This was the true reason they had appeared here.

”Our brothers died for the sake of the Great Tang, and they will not have died in vain… One day, everyone will remember their names!”

Grief appeared in the captain's eyes. He quickly took off his helmet and led the others in bowing toward the forest. Then, they turned around and began to head back toward the south.

One of the horsemen took out a piece of paper and began to write down the events in detail.

The winds howled, and the group quickly vanished.

……