Huo Lingyun swung himself onto his horse, tightened the reins, and barked, “Head for Luosha Post Station!”
Luoshan Horse Ranch was too far. Even the short-legged ponies could not reach it in time. Huo Lingyun had no choice but to choose the nearer Luosha Post Station instead. That place lay close to Shasan Camp and served as a supply relay point for messages between Luoshan and Li Bei.
The horse’s breathing grew heavier. The heat was oppressive; even the Embroidered Uniform Guards with strong physiques had to douse themselves with water to avoid heatstroke. Huo Lingyun rode northwest from the Chashi Riverbank. After a full two hours of hard riding, it was already completely dark when the post station finally came into view.
“Dead,” one Embroidered Uniform Guard said, scratching the side of his nose with a finger as he followed behind. “Everyone here is dead.”
A cavalry soldier lay collapsed in front of the open gates of the post station. He had been dead for several hours. Blood had soaked into the ground until it turned dark and foul. His body, still encased in heavy armor, was already beginning to rot in the heat.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard dismounted but did not move the corpse. After a brief examination, he crouched and said to Huo Lingyun, “He was a tough one.”
Huo Lingyun looked at the arrows embedded in the cavalry soldier’s back and nodded.
There were two arrows in his back. He had ridden all the way here with those arrows before finally closing his eyes.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard stood up, covering his nose and mouth. With his other hand, he raised a torch and pointed it forward. “Here—”
His voice cut off abruptly.
Inside the post station, corpses lay everywhere. The postmaster was hung from the flagpole like a torn scrap of cloth drying in the dead of night. Huo Lingyun took the torch and stepped closer. On inspection, he found that the postmaster’s head had been severed.
“The horses have all been killed,” another Embroidered Uniform Guard said as he illuminated the stables. “Even if anyone survived, they can’t make it to Luoshan or Shasan Camp before dawn… even the hawks are dead.”
The eagle house door hung half-open. All the captive hawks, still chained, had their necks snapped. There were no survivors at Luosha Post Station. Even the guard dogs raised here had been slaughtered.
Border Sand cavalry had been here.
Huo Lingyun held the torch and fell into thought.
After the establishment of Luoshan Horse Ranch, this place had become a key node linking Li Bei and Zhongbo intelligence routes. Shen Zechuan had reinforced it heavily. Luosha Post Station was garrisoned by eight hundred men, including both Li Bei cavalry and Zhongbo defenders—it was effectively a small military camp. Emergency relay posts were stationed along all four main roads, and watchtowers could monitor from three directions. Just days ago, Lu Guangbai had ordered increased vigilance along the Luosha route. There should have been no negligence.
“Cavalry specializes in sudden strikes,” the Embroidered Uniform Guard said. “Back when they attacked Bianbo Camp…”
“Bianbo Camp,” Huo Lingyun suddenly turned and repeated. “Bianbo Camp… Bianbo Camp!”
Last June, Border Sand cavalry had indeed struck Bianbo Camp, circling from the south and passing through Luoshan’s routes. Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye had later sealed that path—but the eastern side near the Chashi River could not be fully blocked.
“Border Sand cavalry came through here in the Xiande year. They know this terrain like the back of their hand. The post station sits right on the route connecting Luoshan and Shasan Camp—it overlaps with the path they once used to reach Luoshan.” Huo Lingyun stepped up the stairs and pushed the door open.
“If they could bypass all surveillance to attack this place, the number of attackers must have been small,” the Embroidered Uniform Guard said as he helped lower the postmaster’s body from the flagpole. “Most likely infiltrators… possibly Scorpions.”
Whether Scorpions or not, Hassen’s destruction of the post station was meant to cut off news of Luoshan’s attack from reaching Li Bei, buying time to delay reinforcements. But this raiding cavalry did not stop here. Following the direction of the road, Huo Lingyun deduced that Hassen intended for them to continue southward, cutting off communication between Dunzhou and Duanzhou, isolating Duanzhou entirely.
“This place is closer to Shasan Camp,” Huo Lingyun said as he descended the steps. He whistled and called his horse. “We continue north. We can reach Shasan Camp before dawn and request reinforcements from Li Bei.”
He could not reach Dunzhou. His only option was to send Li Bei cavalry at Shasan Camp south immediately to support Duanzhou. But that also meant Dunzhou and Duanzhou would lose all communication. Duanzhou, being at the front line, would be in mortal danger—if Shasan Camp’s reinforcements were delayed or mistaken, Duanzhou could be destroyed.
Huo Lingyun cracked his whip.
Time was critical. He had to move fast.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards galloped like chasing stars, tearing through the silence of the road, moving swiftly through the shadows of trees. Huo Lingyun’s breathing grew uneven; after prolonged riding, a sharp burning pain spread along the insides of his thighs. The saddle was damp with sweat, and his face was soaked as well. They had not rested for days, stretched taut like a drawn bowstring.
Faster!
Huo Lingyun tightened his grip on the whip. Just as he raised his arm to strike, the horse beneath him suddenly neighed sharply, its forelegs folding as it collapsed forward.
Huo Lingyun immediately rolled off, protecting his head as he hit the ground. Dark figures rushed out from the shadows on both sides of the road. He flipped upright like a carp, drawing his blade as the sound of rapid footsteps tore through the undergrowth.
“Tripwire!” the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind him shouted, reining in his horse. “Ambush!”
Huo Lingyun blocked with his blade, but it was useless—the opponent rammed him directly with brute force, sending him sliding across the ground to the base of a tree. Wind rushed behind him again. He grabbed the tree root with one arm, pulled himself upward, kicked out with both legs, and narrowly avoided a blade.
Scorpions… no.
Huo Lingyun gritted his teeth. “Cavalry!”
Elite soldiers of the Viper Tribe! They moved with coordinated precision, encircling like a tightening net. Their footsteps were unnaturally synchronized, like snakes writhing together. Even the sand beneath them showed identical patterns, chilling to witness.
A curved blade slashed toward the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s horse leg, but was blocked mid-air by a Xichun blade with a clang. The guard kicked the attacker in the chest, drew his sword, landed, and in a single fluid motion severed the enemy’s throat before leaping back onto his horse. It was seamless.
The failed attackers stepped back half a pace. One of them touched his throat and said, “Embroidered Uniform Guards!”
The guard flipped his blade, wiping blood off on his lower back as he said coldly, “Embroidered Uniform Guards? We’re called Embroidered Cavalry now!”
Huo Lingyun’s horse could not stand from shock. He sprinted forward, grabbed the outstretched arm of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and leapt onto the saddle behind him.
“Li Bei is already overwhelmed,” the guard shouted while pulling the reins through the encirclement. “There are ambushes here too—we won’t make it to Shasan Camp in time!”
“Turn back—” Huo Lingyun began, but was cut off as he swung his blade in a half-circle, knocking away a sudden strike. “Return to Duanzhou!”
Li Bei was no longer an option!
“Turn!” Huo Lingyun wiped sweat from his face. “Break south!”
Hassen was too cautious. He slaughtered Luosha Post Station, spared neither horses nor hawks, yet still left elite troops along the northern road to catch any survivors. But this also gave Huo Lingyun an opening—the number of troops was small.
“Damn it,” the guard spat blood off his blade. “Even this sword was imperial-gifted, and it’s already nicked to hell!”
Horses stamped in place. The guard forcibly yanked the reins and turned the direction. Riders surged in from the sides; the saddle slipped; the horse staggered. Huo Lingyun struck at an attacker’s face with his elbow. More enemies climbed up like locusts. The guard blocked a curved blade but was pulled off balance and thrown down.
On the ground, several blades hooked toward him. He roared, bracing his Xichun blade with both hands as he struggled upward. Veins bulged on the back of his hands.
“I can’t hold them…” he gasped, lying on his back, sweating like rain. “Brother… go…”
But Huo Lingyun had already ridden off.
The guard cursed, “You son of—”
Huo Lingyun rammed his horse through the attackers, salt-bitter blood filling his mouth. He suddenly turned back, sheathed his blade, and charged again. Hooves trampled through the clustered shadows.
At the brink, a sharp, acrid scent filled the air. A deafening explosion followed—blood sprayed everywhere, splattering the guard’s face.
Huo Lingyun leaned down, grabbed his hand, and pulled him back onto the horse.
“Break out,” Huo Lingyun shouted, eyes burning with intensity. “Break out!”
Yin Chang drank deeply from his wine, belched several times, and leaned over the battlements. “Still got more? This stuff’s good!”
A guard below glanced up at him in torchlight. “None left. Drink less, old man—you’re still on duty!”
“I won’t drink when I rest,” Yin Chang swayed drunkenly, peering down. “Hey—why are there fewer crossbows? Someone get over here and refill them!”
Before Fei Sheng even reached the wall, he already heard Yin Chang shouting. He kicked a hidden jug of wine under the crossbow platform and strode up, grabbing Yin Chang by the collar.
“Refill it, someone’s coming. Now go sleep!”
Yin Chang was dragged along, grumbling.
Then—Fei Sheng heard it.
A faint click.
His sharp hearing caught even wind changes. He paused, listening again.
The flags fell. The wind near the gate stopped.
Yin Chang suddenly froze on the ground, sniffing the earth like a hound, then roared—
“Enemy attack!”
Rocks slammed into the battlements. Dust exploded. The alarm bells rang. Drums thundered.
Fei Sheng rushed up the wall—and inhaled sharply at what he saw.
Yin Chang grabbed him and shouted, “Light the beacons! Report to the governor!”
Inside the residence, Shen Zechuan had not yet slept. At the sound of chaos outside, he lowered his hand from his brow. Xiao Tianya lifted the bamboo curtain; Ding Tao and Li Xiong entered.
“What is it…” Kong Ling began.
Xiao Tianya’s hand rested on his blade. “My lord. Cavalry attack!”
Everyone in the hall rose at once.
Yao Wenyu turned to Shen Zechuan. “Li Bei’s reinforcements haven’t arrived yet.”
Shen Zechuan set down his hand and stared at the candlelight. After a moment, he said calmly:
“If Duanzhou has received no news, then either the battlefield has fallen—or Luoshan has already been lost.”
The scholars in the room turned pale. All eyes fell on him.
At this moment, Shen Zechuan could not afford fear. He straightened his teacup, then stood.
Ding Tao reached to help him into his cloak. Shen Zechuan raised his hand and stopped him.
The governor said:
“Yunshan snow arrives.”