Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six: The Hunter and the Prey

Fifty fully armed, ruthless hunters set out to hunt down a group of battered soldiers struggling to survive in the snowy wilderness.

For Xiao Tong, this deadly game of pursuit seemed to pose no challenge at all.

Leading his horse at a gallop across the vast snow-covered plain, he followed the footprints left behind in the snow. If all went as expected, he would soon confront the infuriating Jiang Chen once more.

When that moment came, all he needed to do was strike the boy down with a single blade to vent his pent-up hatred.

Then the world would return to peace; the humiliation he suffered in Jinyang City would be avenged, no one would dare to challenge his authority again, and the Great Qian Empire would be rid of one more ungrateful, troublesome fool.

“General, it seems this group isn't trying to hide or trick us. Judging from their tracks, they’re just desperately fleeing—like lambs to the slaughter, struggling in vain,” one hunter remarked mockingly.

“Hmph. This snow-covered plain stretches hundreds of miles. The city of Liao to the north has long been captured by our Northern Yan forces. To the west lie rugged, impassable mountains. Only the east offers a sliver of hope,” Xiao Tong replied.

“However, at their current pace, even without our pursuit behind them, many will freeze to death along the way.”

He glanced up at the darkening dusk and cracked his whip, urging his horse onward.

“Quickly, use the method I just taught you—find the thinnest, longest branches, bind them together with vines or strips of cloth. Move fast!”

Under Jiang Chen’s relentless urging, everyone was focused on preparing a strange-looking tool. They had just witnessed Jiang Chen’s demonstration: by binding several branches to the soles of their feet and using two sticks for support, they could glide swiftly across the snow.

The veteran soldier was nimble and efficient, quickly finishing his own snow-sliding tool and even helping his comrades nearby.

He told Jiang Chen that he had grown up in this northern borderland and knew how to use these devices. As a child, he often played chasing games with the other village kids on the snow-covered fields.

But no one had ever considered applying this method in such a life-or-death moment to speed their journey. The one who conceived this brilliant idea must not only be clever but also remain utterly calm under pressure.

Jiang Chen said, “Distribute these to everyone. We have a grueling road ahead, but if we grit our teeth and persevere, we can escape this frozen hell and live to reunite with our loved ones.”

The veteran soldier saw Jiang Chen pull a small pouch from his bosom and open it to reveal several small, square white blocks, each about the size of a fingertip.

“What is this...?”

Even the seasoned soldier couldn’t immediately identify these pure white cubes.

He sniffed cautiously, catching a faint scent but unable to determine what they were. Resigned, he asked Jiang Chen, who explained they were sugar cubes.

“I’ve improved the usual process of extracting cane sugar. These sugar cubes are dozens of times purer than normal, with nearly 100% sugar content,” Jiang Chen emphasized.

“These dissolve quickly and taste very sweet. More importantly, they’re easy to carry. Distribute these quickly to replenish everyone’s energy—we must hurry.”

“At this moment, Xiao Tong should be pursuing us relentlessly. He won’t let any of us survive,” the veteran soldier said guardedly, handling the cubes with care. Having endured countless battles, he understood the precious value of sugar, especially when on the brink of death. Some among them might survive solely thanks to these small cubes.

Jiang Chen knew even better the vital importance of sugar. In any era, sugar was wartime currency, often determining the fighting strength of an army.

After tense preparations, the group was ready to move again. Including Jiang Chen, there were eighty-eight in total, all in poor physical condition.

With the energy boost from the sugar cubes and the snow-sliding tools strapped to their feet, their speed improved dramatically. Though nearly half struggled with the technique, Jiang Chen insisted that even if they fell and hurt themselves, it was better than dying under the blades of the Northern Yan soldiers.

Moreover, the hope of survival ahead spurred a fierce will to live. Despite frequent falls and collisions at first, the group quickly mastered the skills, their pace steadily increasing.

Jiang Chen appointed the veteran soldier familiar with the terrain, along with some of the stronger members, to lead the way, while he brought up the rear.

Behind them, the night continuously swallowed all they passed, but fortunately, the dazzling white snow provided sufficient visibility, preventing them from losing their way in the darkness.

Lighting torches was absolutely forbidden, as that would surely attract the Northern Yan pursuers. They pressed northward as fast as possible, barely able to see in the dim light.

Suddenly, Jiang Chen spotted two figures lying in the snow ahead, both having collapsed in turn. He hurried forward to check.

One was already cold and motionless, chest no longer rising and falling.

“Brother, rest well,” a companion nearby stifled his grief, carefully removing the fallen man’s identity badge and pocketing it.

Almost simultaneously, the other fallen man was barely clinging to life. When Jiang Chen reached him, the man handed over his badge.

“Brother Jiang, please take this badge home for me. My old man is waiting for me to bring honor to our family. Unfortunately, I’ve been fighting for so long, I never managed to marry or have children—even a wife I never found,” he said with a bitter, self-mocking smile that pierced Jiang Chen’s heart.

The badge bore the name “Xu Qian.” Hunger and cold had drained his strength completely. Despite having eaten before setting out and supplemented by the sugar cubes, some simply could not endure such harsh conditions.

Jiang Chen had foreseen these losses, yet his pain was no less intense.

“Brother Jiang, do you think we can fight our way back?” Xu Qian’s was his final question. He never awaited an answer, gradually becoming one with the vast, desolate earth beneath the snow.