As night deepened, the moonlight filtered through the drifting clouds, casting a pinkish hue on the silvery snow.
The envoy's four sleds swiftly maneuvered through the dense forest. Although they had emerged from the snowy woods, the towering pine trees remained densely packed along the route. Each sled was pulled by 12 snow dogs, led by the head dog, running swiftly and occasionally letting out heavy breaths.
On the lead sled were two Imperial men with a guide. Behind them rode Amy and Da Qingshan. The next sled carried an Imperial soldier and two girls, while the rear was guarded by three more Imperial soldiers.
From the sled in the middle, the faint conversation of two girls could be heard.
"Yushang, how can you be so bold as to trust Da Qingshan and Amy?" whispered Sharu, leaning close to her companion.
"Heh, you're quite the worrywart for someone so young," Lin Yushang chuckled softly. "Don't underestimate them. I have my reasons for choosing them. First, their abilities are extraordinary. Did you see that boy named Amy? With one shout, everyone dropped to the ground. And despite the envy of many when they took on this mission, no one dared to challenge them. What does that tell you? Secondly, I looked into their backgrounds. Did you know that boy Amy has three attributes: swordsman, neutral level two mage, and magic swordsman? For someone his age in the capital, most would still be struggling with one discipline at the sword or magic academy. Yet, he excels in three. He's also a disciple of Lei Ge, and I suspect he might be the offspring of an Imperial noble, judging by his demeanor. As for Da Qingshan, he's even more astonishing. Did you know he's a Dragon Knight? Look up there in the sky..."
"What is that?" Sharu exclaimed in surprise.
"I think that's Da Qingshan's dragon," Lin Yushang confirmed. "And lastly, I genuinely admire their clear, untainted gaze. On such a dangerous journey, if there were any villains among us, they wouldn't be those two."
"Hehe, Sister Shang, you're the one worrying for no reason," Sharu laughed suddenly. "Back in the capital, when I first saw you, so many young men were fawning over you. That's why you assume the worst of people."
"Haha, you dare tease me? Aren't you the same?" Yushang raised her slender hand playfully threatening to strike.
"Please, Sister Shang, spare me," Sharu giggled, blocking with her hands. "I grew up in the church, surrounded by church people. Our areas are clearly divided, and I was mostly around women. On this trip, I've seen more men than I have in the past 16 years."
"You little rascal, have you fallen for someone? Is there a handsome guy you like? I can introduce you," Yushang teased mischievously.
Their laughter, like silver bells, echoed across the snowy landscape.
"Da Qingshan, what are those girls laughing about?" Amy asked, puzzled. "It's annoying, so late at night. Aren't they letting anyone sleep? Tomorrow, I'll demand compensation for lost sleep."
Contrary to expectations, the journey had been incredibly safe, with no signs of an ambush on the envoy. Lǜ'er often flew high to scout, but found nothing. As they traveled, only the occasional bark from the lead dog broke the silence, along with the soft swish of sleds gliding over the snow.
With three days left to reach Snowfield City, the Imperial soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. However, Amy grew increasingly uneasy. After dinner, he gathered everyone by the campfire to solemnly share his concerns.
"We are in grave danger," Amy announced, startling everyone.
"Why do you say that?" Yushang frowned.
A nearby Imperial soldier muttered, "Trying to squeeze more mercenary fees out of us, huh?"
Ignoring the comment, Amy continued, "Why hasn't the enemy pursued us? Has anyone thought about that?" He paused briefly. "If, as you say, the enemy knows your route and is well-organized, they should have been tracking us. They likely know about the mercenaries. Given that we haven't taken the Longya Mountain road, pursuing us through the forest and snow would be disadvantageous for them. So, what might they do instead?"
His words caught everyone's attention, and they fell deep in thought.
"If it were me, I wouldn't chase along the route. Knowing the envoy's final destination, I'd simply ride to Snowfield City and wait. Post sentries at likely spots, keep the main force on the outskirts, and rush in at the signal. How would the envoy defend against that?"
A collective gasp escaped everyone.
"So, what do we do?" Yushang's face turned pale at the thought of the Black Cavalry's overwhelming force.
"Exactly, what do we do? I've been racking my brain," Amy said, frowning. "Da Qingshan, what are your thoughts?"
"Hmm, what if we split into multiple groups? That way, they wouldn't know who to pursue," Da Qingshan suggested, also frowning.
"Yes!" Amy clapped his hands. "They recognize you all. So, you make a break for it while they surround you. Da Qingshan and I will go for reinforcements. They won't stop us. I estimate it would take an hour to return with help, and then we'd..."
"Collect our bodies," Yushang interrupted coldly. "If that's the plan, why hire mercenaries at all? You could just go to Snowfield City yourselves. Are mercenaries meant to sacrifice the client's interests for their own escape?"
"Hehe," Amy stuck out his tongue. "I was just brainstorming. No need to get upset. It's not like we're definitely doing that, even though the success rate is 100%."
"There's another method with a high success rate, but it's equally risky. Da Qingshan, you take either Yushang or Sharu and hide in the back. Use Lǜ'er to monitor, and find the area with fewer enemies to make your move. We'll draw the enemy's attention and lead them into the forest. They might have mobile troops, but not many. The longer we delay them, the safer you are. Once you reach Snowfield City, immediately seek help from the city guards."
"No, I'll distract them. You take her to the city," Da Qingshan flatly refused.
"Are you out of your mind?" Amy smacked Da Qingshan on the back of the head. "Without Lǜ'er, how would anyone break through? And don't tell me to take Lǜ'er away. That little grandpa, I can't handle. Frankly, I'd rather fight a hundred Black Knights than be with Lǜ'er. It's much safer," Amy grimly shattered Da Qingshan's hopes.
"Sharu, Amy's suggestion makes sense. As acting leader of the envoy, I order you and Da Qingshan to enter Snowfield City alone, deliver the diplomatic note, and then come back to rescue us. If things go awry, just take the young magical beasts back to the capital. Remember, time is of the essence; otherwise, this opportunity will be wasted this year," Lin Yushang stood up abruptly, speaking coldly to Sharu.
"No," Sharu turned her head stubbornly, her long hair swirling in the air.
"Dear sister, you're a cleric, and I'm a mage. In a battle, which is more useful? Plus, you're the emissary representing two nations. Can I represent the Holy Church? Please, do me this favor. Otherwise, we'll all..." Seeing that force wasn't working, Lin Yushang hugged Sharu's slender shoulders, pleading softly, tears streaming down.
"Alright, sister, don't be like this. I'll go," Sharu relented, shaken by Lin Yushang's tears, but the potential danger brought tears to her own eyes.
"Alright, ladies, we mercenaries are still here. No need for tearful goodbyes. We'll be fine. Tomorrow morning, we'll split up. Da Qingshan, one hour after we leave, head left. Make sure Lǜ'er keeps an eye on everything. Alright, it's late. Let's get some sleep," Amy smirked, then got up and headed towards his sled.
The next morning, Amy, Lin Yushang, and six soldiers set off with three sleds. Da Qingshan and Sharu watched them vanish from sight, sighed heavily, and then steered their sled northward, adjusting the compass slightly before moving ahead.
According to Amy's plan, they'd head north for a while before turning east, adding over 20 kilometers to their journey, and should exit the forest about an hour later than Amy's group.
Being an orphan from a young age, Da Qingshan was a man of few words. Even with Amy, he preferred listening, thinking, and acting over speaking. Given the chance, he'd remain silent. Now, traveling with a girl for the first time, he was even quieter.
He tossed his shield to Sharu, then sat silently at the front of the sled. A crossbow with a loaded bolt lay at his feet, his sword half-drawn, and even the golden dragon spear gifted by the Dragon God was pulled from his magic bag and sat beneath him. He guided the lead dog with a long branch, occasionally tapping its head to direct it. Every so often, Lǜ'er soared into the sky, scouting the surroundings.
Sharu, too, remained silent. The fierce wind howled, making conversation difficult, and she didn't know what to say. Like Da Qingshan, it was her first time alone with someone of the opposite sex.
Time flew by quickly amidst the snowy landscape and forest.
Night descended swiftly in the forest.
Feeling guilty about Da Qingshan's hard work throughout the day, Sharu jumped off the sled to stretch her nearly numb legs, planning to gather wood and start a fire for roasting meat.
But as she turned back, she found Da Qingshan already at work. Just as she was about to offer to take over, the peculiar sight stopped her in her tracks.
Da Qingshan had found a decayed fallen tree and was about to chop it with his sword.
"Is he a fool?" Sharu chuckled to herself. "How can he chop wood like that? Even the finest sword can't be used for chopping trees. It would damage the blade and soon break the sword. A long, thin sword can't withstand such force. And these are pine trees; even with an axe, it takes half a day. Each sled is equipped with two axes specifically for chopping wood in the forest."
Just as Sharu was about to fetch an axe, she saw the massive tree trunk split in two under Da Qingshan's sword strikes. He then swung his sword again, and a 40-centimeter log was neatly chopped. Da Qingshan placed the log upright on the ground, raising his sword high. With each swing, a piece of standard firewood flew from the log.
What kind of person is this? Can someone really chop wood like this? Such a sight defied all of Sharu's previous understanding. Truly baffling. She couldn't wrap her mind around it.
Da Qingshan paid no attention to how others perceived him. In fact, he never dared to look at Sharu's face. If someone dressed like Sharu appeared now, he'd instantly mix them up. Once the firewood was chopped, he quickly stacked it into a bonfire, drizzled it with pine oil, and with a whoosh—the flames leaped high.
Soon, the rich aroma of roasting meat wafted from the campfire.