Chapter 9: The Commanders Filled with Confidence

The High Priest of the main tribe walked to the barbarian army lines accompanied by only a few attendants, as the thick layer of snow rendered their horses useless.

“What is this? Is it a horse or a tiger? And this carriage—so enormous! I have never seen such a thing!” The priest could not stop questioning as he took in the sight of the massive carriage stationed before the barbarian forces.

[The energy level of their High Priest is only one thousand,] the main brain observed, somewhat disappointed that so few had come.

Lin Shu smiled faintly. “Xin Ying, don’t be impatient. Let’s talk with them first.”

After Lin Shu spoke, the carriage turned and drove toward the newcomers. Lin Shu and Jing Ni also donned thick fur coats and stepped onto the driver’s platform.

“I am an envoy of the Khan. May I see your chieftain?” Sensing the danger radiating from Jing Ni’s sword, the High Priest dared not approach too closely.

Lin Shu had already dismissed his weary personal guards, unwilling to burden them further with escort duties.

“I am the chieftain you seek,” Lin Shu declared. “I will speak plainly: The Southern Alliance must either surrender and submit, or prepare for war and death.”

The High Priest was taken aback that this strange, hairless little man was the chieftain of the barbarians. But to ask for their surrender was nothing short of wishful thinking.

The High Priest bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Snowland Chieftain. Our tribes share the same ancestral blood—why must we kill each other? In the end, it will only benefit the Xiongnu and Donghu. If the northern tribes lack food, perhaps we can lend you some cattle and sheep.”

Lin Shu remained silent. Two sets of iron armor, steel spears, and steel blades floated before the High Priest.

“This—” Not even sensing the slightest disturbance of energy, the High Priest and his companions instinctively stepped back.

Even Jing Ni’s eyes sparkled in astonishment. How miraculous! Only after coming into closer contact with Lin Shu did she realize that the marvel lay not with her husband, but with this carriage. Once she was convinced Lin Shu was no demon, she decided with resignation and devotion to follow him wholeheartedly.

“Take these steel weapons back and examine them well. In two hours, twenty thousand armored soldiers will attack the valley. I will personally drive this carriage to smash through your wooden walls. Consider carefully whether you wish to surrender.”

The cold gleam of steel blades filled the High Priest with both fear and longing, but such equipment would never be theirs.

“Very well! We, the Northern Kings, will withdraw for now and report to the Khan. We shall bring word to you soon!” The High Priest was shaken by Lin Shu’s calm confidence, convinced that this time, the Southern Alliance was in grave danger.

As the priests departed, Jing Ni laughed. “Let’s hope they don’t bring destruction upon themselves, or there will be nothing left of them!”

Yet even as she said this, Jing Ni felt a chill. Though she had slain hundreds in ten years, she lacked the courage to face this man-eating carriage.

“Heh, Jing Ni, let’s go rest for a while.”

“Hmph! You’d better behave yourself. You promised, only once a day—” Rolling her eyes at her rotund uncle, Jing Ni hurried back inside the carriage.

—

The High Priest returned so swiftly that Khan Zhabule instantly sensed that negotiations had gone poorly.

“Khan, it appears the tribes of the two ancestral northern mountains have united! They even have a king now! These are steel weapons sent by the hairless dwarf king!” As soon as he saw the sword, Khan Zhabule took it in hand.

He swung it with force, splitting the cold wind itself, yet the blade showed no sign of damage.

“What a treasure! It’s even sturdier than the southern swords! So, High Priest, what does this so-called king want? Surely he hasn’t come just to gift us divine weapons?” Zhabule thought perhaps these were gifts meant to curry favor, for who would otherwise give away such treasures?

The commander who had previously surveyed the weapons spoke in alarm. “Khan, it seems their entire army is equipped with these swords, spears, and armor!”

“What? Impossible! How could twenty or thirty thousand men all possess such treasures?” Zhabule was unsettled.

The High Priest gave a bitter sigh. “Khan, it’s true. The new Northern King demands our surrender. Otherwise, in two hours, he will attack the valley.”

“Ha! What nonsense. If they wish to attack, let them try!” A great chieftain cursed, incensed at the idea that they would submit so easily.

The determined expressions of the assembly pleased the anxious khan.

“Our Southern Alliance has stood for decades. Without us holding back the Xiongnu and Donghu, how would the northern tribes have lived in peace? For them to demand our surrender—it’s out of the question! All chieftains, prepare your warriors. We have a hundred thousand tribesmen. No matter their equipment, they cannot break through our defenses.”

“Yes! So long as we hold fast, even twenty thousand more of their men will avail them nothing.”

“Exactly! Let the snow fall deeper, and perhaps it will freeze them to death—then those divine weapons will be ours!” The chieftains grew more excited with each word.

Buoyed by their optimism, Khan Zhabule laughed heartily. “Once we defeat their twenty thousand, we’ll claim all these divine weapons and swords. Then we’ll subjugate the northern tribes, and not only resist the Xiongnu and Donghu, but perhaps march across the steppe ourselves!”

“Indeed! Let’s hope they don’t flee too quickly!” Even the High Priest was swayed, for in this land of eternal winter, nothing is more merciless than the snow.

In their exuberance, the commanders forgot to send a reply to Lin Shu.

Two hours passed quietly. Lin Shu ordered his twenty thousand warriors to assemble around the carriage and drink some hot water.

“Very well! Since they refuse to surrender, let them die!” Lin Shu glared at the mouth of the valley, where the wooden walls bristled with archers long prepared, as if waiting for him to charge to his own death.

Their carriage had been fitted with long iron bows and steel crossbows, but there had been no time to train the snowland warriors in their use. Lin Shu was in no hurry to unleash them, for he feared the rain of arrows might cause heavy casualties.

“Xin Ying, charge through. The men at the valley’s mouth are yours.” With a cold glance, Lin Shu took Jing Ni back inside the carriage.

[At your command, Commander.]

The two dragon-horses roared with excitement, and the carriage thundered forward.

“To battle! Follow the king!” As the king sped ahead, Major Zhu Ba quickly drew his blade and shouted.

“To battle! To battle!” The twenty thousand warriors began to run, eager not to miss out on the fight.

Their battle cries resounded, making Khan Zhabule secretly envy the barbarians’ morale.

“Ha! Khan, is that carriage coming to its doom?”

The armored army was still a kilometer away, yet the carriage was already upon them.

“High Priest, is this the Northern King’s chariot? Does he think we’re so frightened we’ll surrender?”

“Haha, what king? More like a fool,” someone jeered.

The High Priest shook his head with a smile. “This is perfect—if the king is truly in the carriage, we’ll seize him and force the barbarians to surrender.”

“Exactly! Tigerhead, you and your men will jump down and seize whoever’s inside. If the fool king is there, all the better,” Zhabule saw victory within reach.

The giant Tigerhead grinned. “Understood.”

As the carriage closed to fifty meters, thousands of stone arrows were loosed in a flurry, for the sight of the two-meter-tall, twin-horned horses was indeed frightening.

The arrows flew fast as lightning, but before they could reach the dragon-horses, they stopped in midair and fell neatly to either side of the road.

“Damn it! Tigerhead, don’t go yet! Throw your spears—all of them!” Not only was Zhabule frightened, but the commanders atop the wooden walls were shaken to their core.

Indeed, just as he feared! Unconsciously, the High Priest found himself retreating, as did several great chieftains.

Over a thousand thick, heavy wooden spears were hurled—enough to pierce even iron wagons—but the result was the same: all fell neatly by the roadside.

“Impossible! How can this be? Tigerhead, it’s up to you now!” Terrified, Zhabule retreated at once. He was truly afraid.

Tigerhead, covered in thick fur, was also shaken, but years of boldness and valor held him firm. He could not retreat now.