154: Chapter 154 Black Mountain's Desperate Situation! Ambush by the Beast Tide! Golden Dark Feather Bow!

Black Mountain City, the north wind was like a blade.

Outside the city walls, as far as the eye could see, it was no longer the snow-covered wasteland of the past.

Ice magic wolves were like a grayish-white tide, wave after wave crashing against the base of the wall.

They used their sharp claws to hook into the rough crevices of the basalt, climbing upward. The saliva dripping from their mouths froze into ice shards in the cold wind, their eyes filled only with a crazed craving for flesh and warmth.

The slightly smaller but incredibly fast snow jackals crouched on the backs of the ice magic wolves, waiting for an opportunity to pounce and bite the defenders.

On the city walls.

The wide horse path, which could originally accommodate three people walking side by side, was now piled high with broken bodies.

The defending soldiers and the wolf cubs that had climbed onto the city wall were mixed together, fighting on instinct and duty.

"Hold! Hold the gap in the east wall! Spearmen, move forward! Stab them down!"

"Rolling logs! Release the rolling logs! Crush those beasts to death!"

"Fire arrows! Aim for the eyes of that boar ramming the gate! Hurry!"

"Medics! Someone was dragged down here! Save... Ah—!"

The battle had no beauty or strategy, only the most primitive and cruel attrition.

A soldier had just used a spear to poke a magic wolf that had reached the parapet down, when another magic wolf on the side suddenly leaped up, bit his arm, and dragged him right off the city wall. He fell into the dense beast tide below, screaming, and was instantly torn to shreds.

Only a few short sounds of bone cracking and the roars of beasts fighting over prey drifted up.

Elsewhere, several soldiers pushed a rolling log studded with iron spikes together, and it fell with a boom along the slope of the city wall, smashing a dozen climbing magic wolves into broken bones and mangled flesh.

But even more beasts, fearless of death, immediately stepped on the corpses of their companions and continued to surge up.

Chaos, extreme chaos.

The reserve troops had long since been exhausted, and the wounded were pushed back onto the city wall after simple bandaging.

The cold wind took away body heat, and frostbite caused more attrition than swords and blades.

Limited potions could not be supplied to all the wounded, and many severely injured soldiers had infected, festering wounds, dying in high fevers and chills.

Even more terrifying was the mental pressure.

Facing the boundless beast tide day after day, watching familiar comrades die in various tragic ways.

Not knowing when reinforcements would arrive, not knowing when the city walls would collapse, that despair deep in the marrow was eroding everyone's will.

This year's beast tide, for some reason, was far more intense than in previous years.

"Reinforcements... when exactly will the reinforcements come?" A young soldier huddled under the parapet, clutching a chipped blade, his eyes hollow, muttering to himself.

"Save your strength, kid." An old soldier with a hideous old scar on his face spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, carelessly bandaging the wound on his arm torn by wolf claws, his eyes numb: "The people from the Lance family in Lin Valley City ran away, Ice Lake City has no movement, and Gino City... Hmph, that new City Lord is probably in his castle, hugging a newly chosen beauty and drinking hot wine, right? Who still remembers us drinking the wind at Black Mountain?"

Similar whispers and desperate discussions permeated every part of the city wall.

Morale had dropped to freezing point.

In many people's eyes, only a beast-like desire to survive and deep fatigue remained; they fought only because they would die immediately if they didn't.

Just at this moment—

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

On the top of the main castle tower, the bronze bell used for warnings was struck in a rapid and unusual rhythm, piercing the noisy sounds of slaughter on the battlefield.

All the soldiers subconsciously looked in the direction from which the bell rang.

This kind of bell ringing was not the highest alarm for a beast tide attack, but rather... a major announcement?

Immediately after, a voice that was somewhat distorted due to magic amplification spread intermittently across the city wall area along with the cold wind:

"Soldiers! Hold on! Reinforcements have been dispatched!"

"Gino City... Count Golden Flame, Lord Rowan Flynn... has personally led a great army... to rescue Black Mountain! They will arrive in a few days!"

"The Count has personally ordered... that we will live and die with Black Mountain!"

The voice repeated twice, then was drowned out by a more violent howl of wind and beast roars.

On the city wall, there was a momentary dead silence.

"The... The Count?" The young soldier raised his head abruptly, a faint light suddenly bursting into his hollow eyes.

"Count Golden Flame? That new one?" The old soldier was also stunned, and his bandaging action stopped.

"Personally leading a great army? Arriving in a few days?"

"Live and die with Black Mountain? The Lord... He is coming?"

The unbelievable discussion was like sparks, quietly splashing in the cold and desperate ashes.

Hope, no matter how slim, no matter how fragile, possessed incredible power in such a desperate situation.

A knight officer covered in blood suddenly stood up straight and roared hoarsely:

"Did you all hear that?! The Count is coming! He's bringing the army from Gino City!"

"We are not an abandoned isolated army!"

"For Black Mountain! For the wives and children at home! Kill for me! Chop these beasts down! Hold on until The Count arrives!"

"Kill—!"

"For the Lord!"

"Reinforcements are coming! Hold on!"

The hoarse battle cries, gradually merging into one, sounded again on the bloody city wall.

Although everyone still had doubts in their hearts—

How many reinforcements are there?

When can they arrive?

Can that young Earl really turn the tide of the battle?

But at least, that suffocating despair was torn open with a tiny gap.

...

On the road south, not far from Black Mountain City.

The caravan from Gino City had already pierced into the increasingly desolate and dangerous frozen soil at the southern foot of the Mess Mountains.

The closer to the battlefield, the richer the faint aura of slaughter and blood in the air became.

The frequency of scouts returning and forth shortened from once every half an hour to once every quarter of an hour.

Later on, almost every moment, light cavalry with terrified faces galloped back from the front, bringing increasingly pessimistic urgent reports.

"Report!"

"Five miles ahead, Broken Bone Slope, a large group of Frost Mane Boars discovered, over a hundred, blocking the official road!"

"Report!"

"Traces of a group of snow jackals appeared on the left flank hills, number unknown, currently flanking!"

"Report!"

"Thick smoke rising from the south wall of Black Mountain City, beast roars are dense, the attack and defense are in full swing!"

Every time an urgent report came, the atmosphere in the carriage became heavier.

Adeline and Charlotte's fingers moved rapidly on the map, their faces pale.

Isabelle gripped her small holy emblem tightly, praying in a low voice.

Although Helena tried her best to maintain composure, her clenched fists and slightly trembling eyelashes revealed her inner tension.

Cecilia was like a night owl entering combat mode, her senses elevated to the extreme, her beautiful eyes scanning every shadow on both sides of the road where danger might be hidden through the carriage window.

Vanessa also put away her lazy posture, sat up straight, exchanged opinions with Rowan in a low voice, with a hint of worry between her brows.

If Black Mountain, this bridgehead, could not be defended, then her Purple Thorn City would also be in danger.

Rowan still leaned on the main seat, closing his eyes to rest, seemingly indifferent to the frequent urgent reports.

"Pass the order, the caravan will change formation."

"Commander Miles."

Rowan's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the City Guard commander who was riding and guarding outside the carriage.

"Here!"

Commander Miles's rough voice responded immediately.

"The vanguard will contract and guard the two flanks of the caravan."

"You take the first cavalry squadron and advance three hundred paces to clear the obstacles and open the way. If you encounter small beast groups, defeat them directly; no need to tangle. If you encounter large groups or tricky things, use whistle arrows as a signal."

"Understood!" Commander Miles spurred his horse hard, and the warhorse reared up, letting out a whinny.

He drew his sword, held it high above his head, and roared:

"First squadron brats! Follow me! Let those beasts taste the blade of Gino City!"

The sound of hooves was like thunder, and about sixty elite cavalrymen left the main force with Commander Miles like arrows off a string, rushing forward.

The horse hooves trampled the frozen soil, raising dust and snow, full of murderous aura.

Almost at the same time, the calm command of Vice Commander Portia came from the other side of the caravan:

"Crossbowmen, draw your strings! Target the suspicious areas on both sides of the road, three rounds of coverage! Infantry, form a shield array to protect the flanks of the carriages!"

The well-trained City Guard quickly changed formation.

The crossbowmen ran to both sides of the caravan, drawing bows and setting arrows, the cold arrowheads flashing with biting cold light under the snow.

The speed of the entire caravan did not slow down; instead, under strict protection, it accelerated and advanced toward Black Mountain City with a steady and firm posture.

Soon, intense shouting, the wailing of beasts, and the whinnying of warhorses came from the front.

Obviously, Commander Miles's cavalry had already engaged with the beast group blocking the official road.

Dull collisions and the wails of wild boars dying came continuously, occasionally mixed with the angry shouts and screams of cavalrymen.

In the carriage, everyone held their breath.

Adeline couldn't help but lean to the window, looking out through the gaps in the shield soldiers.

I saw that on the snow slope in the distance, the cavalry of Gino City was intertwined with a huge group of Frost Mane Boars.

The cavalry used their mobility to continuously flank and charge, spears like a forest, stabbing and overturning the thick-skinned wild boars one by one.

But the wild boars' brutal charges occasionally knocked the cavalrymen and horses over, and they were instantly drowned by the beast group.

"Right flank forest! Something is rushing out!" A lookout soldier outside the carriage suddenly shouted sharply.

Before the voice fell, only the sound of breaking through the air was heard! The crossbowmen guarding the right flank had already fired arrows, and a black rain of arrows poured into the dead wood forest on the right side of the road.

The next moment, dozens of lean snow jackals howled and rushed out of the forest.

Some were hit by arrows and rolled to the ground.

But more had already fiercely pounced in front of the shield array, their sharp claws and fangs frantically scratching and biting the shields, trying to break through the defense line.

"Steady! Spearmen, stab!" Portia's calm command sounded.

Through the gaps in the shields, countless spears stabbed out like poisonous snakes, piercing and throwing away the jackals that pounced near.

But the number of jackals was not small, and they were extremely flexible. From time to time, jackals found gaps to jump over the shields, pounced into the inner circle, and tangled with the guarding infantry, causing small-scale chaos and screams.

Just at this moment, a distress signal also came from the left flank, and more swaying gray shadows could be vaguely seen emerging from behind the snow hills.

The beast group's interception was fiercer and more organized than expected!

They seemed to have targeted this caravan, sparing no cost to delay, divide, and even devour it here!

The carriage began to bump slightly, the sounds of beasts roaring and human angry shouts outside were getting closer and clearer, and one could even smell the strong blood and the stench of magic beasts drifting into the carriage with the cold wind.

Isabelle's face was pale, almost fainting.

Charlotte bit her lip, and Adeline gripped a short dagger she had found from somewhere.

Helena closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down.

Cecilia's hand was already on the short dagger at her waist, her body slightly leaning forward, like a leopard ready to pounce, but her eyes could not help but glance at Rowan, who was still sitting with his eyes closed.

Vanessa also frowned and looked at Rowan:

"My Lord, the beast group seems to be intentionally intercepting. Commander Miles in the front is afraid of being dragged down, and the pressure on both flanks is increasing. Should we..."

Her words were not finished.

Rowan had already opened his eyes.

Those amber eyes, at this moment, no longer had any laziness or casualness, leaving only pure coldness and sharpness.

He did not look at the battle situation outside the window, his gaze seemed to penetrate the carriage wall and landed directly on the direction of Black Mountain City where the roars were loudest.

He slowly stood up.

This was a simple movement, but it seemed to carry an inexplicable weight, causing everyone's hearts in the carriage to tighten.

He did not speak, just reached out, pushed open the door of the carriage, and stood on the platform outside.

The biting cold wind like a knife struck, rolling his black hair and robes.

"Fetch my bow."

Rowan's voice was calm and waveless, but it clearly reached the ears of a guard outside the carriage.

The guard did not hesitate, taking a dark black-gold longbow that was almost as tall as a person.

The arc of the bow arm was as perfect as a hawk spreading its wings.

This was the Great Knight-level longbow that once belonged to Count Farrell—

The Golden Dark Feather Bow!

Its rank and power were far superior to the frost speaker longbow in Rowan's silver star ring.

With the bow in hand, Rowan's temperament changed suddenly.

If he was a deep pool or cold ice before, then at this moment, he was a peerless fierce weapon about to be unsheathed, thirsting to drink blood!

The invisible aura of a Great Knight spread out with him as the center.

The women in the carriage held their breath, staring blankly at the back that stood like a solitary mountain.

Even Vanessa felt a palpitation and subconsciously held her breath.

A Great Knight!

This is the true supreme power of a county!

A thousand troops are swept away, one man blocks the pass!