Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 72 Fall
Meanwhile, on the other side of Snow Eagle City, deep within a street that had already been breached, Count Firth knelt down amidst the rubble and blood.

His silk robe had already been burned through by sparks, and the magic crystal rings on his hands had fallen off and disappeared while he was fleeing for his life.

The ground was littered with the corpses of knights who had fought and died while escorting him out of Snow Eagle City.

"I...I am the Earl of the Firth family!" Firth howled, his face pressed against the cold stone slab like a dead dog.

He lay on the ground trying to crawl forward, but a Snowsworn warrior's boot stomped hard on his back, causing him to let out a sharp howl of pain.

"Spare me, my lord... I have money, I have mines, I have castles... I can give you everything, please don't kill me..." he begged.

The warrior standing on him laughed, "If we kill you, won't all of these be ours?"

Upon hearing this, Firth immediately panicked: "I'm willing to be a slave for life, to be your beast of burden... I can even be used as bait to lure other Northern nobles!"

At this moment, Barnes walked slowly from a distance, wearing a gray-white cloak, his face stained with the blood of the enemy, yet his expression was as leisurely as a wild beast returning from a hunt.

He looked down at the figure sprawled on the ground groaning, raising an eyebrow slightly: "You are Earl Firth?"

Firth raised his head, tears and snot streaming down his face, which was contorted with sobs: "It's me! It's my lord! Please have mercy and spare my life."

I am willing to be loyal to you, no, from now on I will be your dog! I only ask to stay alive! I will do whatever you say!

"enough."

Barnes lost all interest in teasing him when he saw his shameless behavior.

He waved his hand indifferently, his gaze as if looking at a crushed insect.

“Cripple his limbs and take him back as a blood sacrifice.”

He finished speaking casually, turned and left, not even wanting to look at him again.

"W-what...no...no!! Ah!!!"

His hands were instantly twisted off, and Firth screamed as he struggled to shrink back, rolling around like a fish on a display board.

A mad wolf warrior stepped forward and, with swift and decisive movements, broke his legs.

The sound of bones cracking carried on the night wind, accompanied by Firth's heart-wrenching screams.

"Aaaaaah!! No!! Help!! I don't want to die!!"

His screams echoed among the ruins, but caused no ripples.

After all, this is only a small part of the tragedies that have occurred in the city.

The Snow Oath warriors swept through the city like a tidal wave.

Once they entered the city, they were like a pack of wild beasts that had completely broken free of their chains.

The mansions of nobles have long been turned into dens of prey.

Those nobles who had not yet fled were dragged out in public, forced to kneel, and beheaded, their blood splattering on the white walls. Their wives and daughters... their screams echoed throughout the entire street.

Those who swear oaths show no mercy.

They took the jewels, burned the portraits, laughed as they crushed the ivory chairs, and threw the crying child into the fire because his crying was annoying.

Some soldiers dragged prisoners onto the city wall and forced them to shout "Long live the Snow Country!" If they couldn't shout it, they would be cut down with a knife.

Those who shouted it out had their tongues chopped off with a laugh: "Fake, insincere."

Ordinary people have nowhere to escape.

Flames burned through every wooden beam in the street, and blood mixed with mud was plastered all over the street corners.

Regardless of age or gender, anyone who stands in the way of the Oath-Slayers will be torn to pieces.

The woman knelt down and begged for mercy, only to be humiliated in return, and then the long knife fell.

The boy used a wooden stick to protect his sister, but was kicked over and his arm was crushed by someone's foot. In the end, the sister could not escape her tragic fate.

Some were skinned alive, some were used as targets and thrown around, and some were left with only their heads stuck on the tops of spears, hanging at the gates of noblemen's mansions.

The Mad Wolf Legion was the most bloodthirsty and insane. They burned prisoners alive in front of bonfires, and amidst the victims' screams, they gathered together, howling and dancing primitive dances. This was the victor's feast.

They vented their anger and rampaged, using slaughter and fire to carve the mark of the Snow Oathbringers into the city of Snow Eagle.

The conquered cities could only silently endure this suffering, even though most people did nothing.

The only saving grace was that, under Viscount Webster's final orders, the granary was completely destroyed, charred black, and no grain was left behind.

Although the treasury was not completely destroyed, the piles of gold, silver and jewels did not help the battle at all.

Barnes stood atop the city wall, gazing into the distance.

The flag of the old Snow Country flew high above his head, white cloth stained with blood fluttering in the wind.

It trembled violently in the wind, as if the dormant will of a fallen nation was awakening.

At his feet lay the imperial dragon banner, now lying in a pool of blood, its design blurred and indistinct.

Barnes knew perfectly well that the city was ablaze with fire, filled with wailing and the slaughter of people had not ceased in the streets and alleys.

But he did not order it to be stopped.

“The soldiers need to vent,” he said to the guards. “If I were a few years younger, I would have done it much harder.”

"However, I can find a noble lady to rest with later." He leaned on his blood-stained longsword, threw his head back, and laughed wildly, "Hahahaha!"

However, just as he was reveling in his victory, a series of hurried footsteps interrupted his ecstasy.

A wolf rider led a blood-covered warrior up the city wall.

"Lord Barnes!" The warrior collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, his face filled with terror. "Qingyu Ridge... Qingyu Ridge has fallen!"

Barnes froze, his smile turning to ice.

"What?" he asked in surprise, completely unable to believe it.

The knight beside him quickly added, "He's not the only one; several other warriors who escaped from Qingyu Ridge said the same thing!"

Barnes frowned, looking at the wounded soldier who was barely alive. "How did we lose? How many enemies were there? Where did they come from?!"

"A night raid," the soldier murmured. "We don't know... there are very few people, only two hundred? But... but..."

"But what?"

"We didn't see anything clearly... and then it was over..."

Silence spread across the city walls.

Barnes whispered, "Impossible! Qingyu Ridge is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if it was a night raid, it couldn't have fallen so quickly!"

A rare look of unease finally surfaced in his eyes.

The granaries of Snow Eagle City have long been reduced to ashes.

He has almost no supplies left.

The supply line can only rely on the Snowsworn's base in Icesea County.

Between Binghai County and Xuefeng County, there are crisscrossing mountains and numerous dangerous passes.

Qingyu Ridge is the most crucial passage connecting the two places.

If Qingyu Ridge really falls, it means that Snow Eagle City will become an isolated city.

"Damn it!"

Barnes looked towards the mountains shrouded in night to the south and gritted his teeth in a cold voice: "Even if it's a coincidence, we can't gamble on it."

He immediately ordered: "Send eight hundred wolf cavalry and cavalry to bypass the mountain road on the east side and recapture Qingyu Ridge immediately! We must take it back as soon as possible!"

In order to capture Qingyu Ridge as quickly as possible, he dispatched most of his mobile forces.

(End of this chapter)