After four days of blizzard, the Ji River froze earlier. It took three feet of hammering with an iron cone to reach the icy water below, which was enough to prove the severity of the blizzard and the extreme cold.
There had been no sign of activity from Zhu City so far. It was like a slumbering giant python, opening its mouth wide, waiting for Qin Huaiqiu to step in.
Qin Huaiqiu sat on his horse. Behind him were the 100,000-strong troops of the Qin family. All the soldiers were wearing the specially made light-golden armors of the Qin army. Standing on the snowfield, in the whistling north wind, they were like a sharp blade pointing straight in the direction of Zhu City.
Qin Huaiqiu's face was stiff. He looked at the boundless snowfield in front of him, his eyes full of determination and the aura of killing.
At Qin Huaiqiu's order, the army was divided into three batches and crossed the frozen Ji River one by one, then rushed towards Zhu City in a hurry.
The sky after the snowfall was like a blue mirror, cloudless. The light-golden army galloped on the snowfield. In just half a day, they reached a place not far from Zhu City. Qin Huaiqiu urged his horse forward. From afar, he saw a 10,000-strong army standing in front of the city gate of Zhu City. It seemed that they had been waiting for a long time.
Qin Huaiqiu frowned.
In this battle, the enemy coalition was inside the city while the Qin army was outside. Moreover, considering the necessity of sending troops, the Qin army was actually more urgent. But why did the coalition, which could have chosen to defend the city, instead open the gate to meet the enemy?
They abandoned the way with fewer casualties and chose a more costly combat method. Qin Huaiqiu murmured to himself for a while, then led his troops to stop not far in front of the coalition.
The two armies were only half a mile apart.
The atmosphere between the two sides was tense. The cold north wind seemed to turn into sharp blades, scraping painfully against the exposed skin.
Qin Huaiqiu frowned and stood still, observing the opposite side quietly.
Different from what he had imagined, the person leading the opposition this time was not Yazebu or Huyelu as he had expected, but Kozel, someone he had never fought against before.
A new opponent he didn't know or was familiar with...?
Qin Huaiqiu narrowed his eyes. Just as he was about to send someone to shout, the people on the opposite side suddenly moved. Kozel, the leader, urged his horse forward a few steps and said loudly, "I'm Kozel. I've long admired the name of Young General Qin. Seeing you today in person, I'm truly impressed."
"?" This speech made Qin Huaiqiu even more confused. It was hard to imagine that this person could say such words calmly with the coalition army behind him, ready to fight to the death with him at any moment. But Kozel... seemed to be one of the Four Warriors of Loulan.
Nie Rong once said that each of the Four Warriors of Loulan was a formidable opponent.
Qin Huaiqiu didn't dare to be careless. He also replied loudly, "There's no need for the long - standing admiration. If you, Warrior Kozel, appreciate me, why don't you let us enter the city directly?"
"General Qin is joking," Kozel said with his ever - expressionless face. "Before a large army, how can there be any joking?"
"If you want to fight, then fight," Qin Huaiqiu said. He was worried about the safety of Qin Feng and Qin Huailian. He had no time to waste here with Kozel. He drew out his long spear and pointed it straight at Kozel. "If you don't make way, I'll beat you until you do!"
Kozel gave Qin Huaiqiu a cold look and snorted, "It seems there's no room for negotiation then."
Qin Huaiqiu pursed his lips.
Kozel stared at him and slowly raised his hand.
Qin Huaiqiu didn't show any weakness. Before Kozel could make a move, he shouted first, "Kill!"
The war broke out immediately. The roars shook the sky. Two hundred thousand soldiers fought on the snowfield. Their blood instantly ignited this cold land. The scarlet and boiling blood spurted onto the white snow, melting it instantly with a barely audible "hiss" sound.
Qin Huaiqiu brandished his spear and engaged in a fierce fight with Kozel. Both of them were on horseback. One used a spear and the other a knife. Qin Huaiqiu swung his long spear with force and swept it directly towards Kozel's face. But Kozel directly blocked it with his knife in front. Qin Huaiqiu thought it was just an ordinary block and was about to launch the next attack when Kozel's long knife twirled like a snake and rushed straight towards his face along his spear!
Qin Huaiqiu was startled. He immediately threw his spear into the air, then kicked hard on the saddle. He dodged Kozel's attack while in mid - air. Then he turned around in the air, grabbed his spear, and landed steadily on his horse.
Kozel didn't expect him to dodge in such a way. He snorted and turned his long knife in the air, then hacked down hard at Qin Huaiqiu.
Seeing this, Qin Huaiqiu bent down and blocked the incoming blow with his spear. The clash of weapons made a sharp sound. Qin Huaiqiu didn't expect that although this man looked thin, the strength of this knife was no less than that of Yazebu. It made his虎口 go numb.
He wondered what the people of Loulan ate to grow up so strong.
Qin Huaiqiu cursed secretly. He tilted his body again and kicked sideways with skill. Kozel's long knife slid down the extremely tough spear shaft with a "shh" sound of friction.
Kozel missed his attack. He lifted his knife again, grabbed the reins with one hand, and turned his horse around, ready to hack at Qin Huaiqiu again.
But this time, Qin Huaiqiu was well - prepared. He made the first move. He held the middle of his spear with one hand and stabbed directly at Kozel's armpit with a backward thrust. Then, following the angle of Kozel's swinging knife, he suddenly lifted it up forcefully!
If it were someone else, Qin Huaiqiu's force - borrowing and lifting would have knocked the weapon out of their hands instantly. But Kozel, worthy of being one of the Four Warriors, grunted. At the moment his long knife was about to leave his hand, he reached out and grabbed it again. Then he quickly changed hands and hacked at Qin Huaiqiu from another side!
Damn it!
Qin Huaiqiu had no time to marvel at Kozel's reaction ability. Seeing that he had missed, he quickly crossed his spear again and blocked Kozel's attack at an extremely fast speed.
The two were instantly separated by some distance. The horses under them snorted and became restless in place.
Qin Huaiqiu reached out to soothe the reins of his horse, but his eyes were always fixed on Kozel.
"Your name is Kozel?" Qin Huaiqiu's voice was cold.
There was a flash of surprise on Kozel's always - expressionless face after Qin Huaiqiu blocked his attack. He looked at Qin Huaiqiu and said in a deep voice, "That's right."
"I'll remember you," Qin Huaiqiu sneered.
The sounds of fighting were endless all around. The Qin army and the Loulan coalition were locked in a fierce battle. The sound of sharp weapons cutting through flesh filled the air around them, but hardly any soldier dared to rush towards the two of them.
They stood facing each other, concentrating on observing each other's movements, as if waiting for the other's flaw.
Suddenly, Kozel made the first move. He suddenly lifted his long knife and spurred his horse towards Qin Huaiqiu.
Qin Huaiqiu also raised his spear and rushed forward in an instant.
One's spear was like a dragon, and the other's knife was like a sun - piercing blade. The two fought several rounds in an instant, but neither could deliver a fatal blow to the other.
The spear and the long knife were crossed in front of them. Qin Huaiqiu gritted his teeth and endured Kozel's slash. Their weapons collided tightly, and they secretly exerted strength, making a continuous "clucking" sound.
"You're really good," Kozel gritted his teeth. His expressionless face was now stained with a few streaks of blood, looking extremely glaring.
"So are you," Qin Huaiqiu retorted with a raised eyebrow.
"Humph," Kozel suddenly laughed and said, "We've played enough. Let me tell you a secret? About your dear sister."
"!" Qin Huaiqiu's movements suddenly stopped.
"Don't you wonder why we have catapults and can figure out the terrain and personnel configuration of the Protectorate?" Kozel's voice was like a devil's whisper, instantly making Qin Huaiqiu's blood freeze!
He suddenly looked up at Kozel. Their weapons were still crossed in their hands, but obviously Qin Huaiqiu's hands began to tremble slightly.
"What on earth are you trying to say! You're just spouting nonsense!" Qin Huaiqiu's face was ferocious. He suddenly exerted force with his wrist and tried his best to resist Kozel.
Unexpectedly, Kozel was stronger. He only exerted a little force and easily suppressed Qin Huaiqiu. Kozel's body slowly approached him and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Do you know, your sister..."
Qin Huaiqiu suddenly widened his eyes!
"Clang!"
"?!" He suddenly turned around. What he saw was a long knife within reach.
"Thud!"