Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Xiao Che paid no further attention to the pair of eyes circling overhead. He simply led the group onward.
Darkness fell early in the mountains, and before they had traveled much farther, their surroundings grew indistinct.
Xiao Jingmo had already prepared several torches.
Everyone lit them and continued forward, the people at the front and rear keeping watch over one another.
It was not until the moon hung high overhead that they finally reached the Black Pine Forest.
Xu Huaijin led everyone straight to the temporary cave.
Old Han and those who had stayed behind were still awake. They were all waiting for Xiao Che to arrive with the others. Until he did, none of them could rest easy.
At the sight of the torches, everyone rose and went out to meet the newcomers.
“Marquis, is that you?”
Old Han called from the mouth of the cave.
“Old sir, it’s me. We’re here.”
The people inside were overjoyed. They all rushed forward and helped carry the supplies into the cave.
With so many people arriving at once, the cave became rather crowded.
Old Han had already built several bonfires, and everyone now settled around them.
Xiao Jingmo distributed the food. Each person received a piece of jerky and a coarse-grain flatbread that they could warm over the fire.
Old Han bit into his toasted flatbread and looked at Xiao Che with a delighted expression.
“Marquis, the reindeer turned out to be more docile than we expected. It took me a day and a half to tame two of them, and the rest submitted without much effort.”
“By tomorrow morning, we can use them to carry our supplies. The mountain forest is difficult to traverse, but with them leading the way, we’ll accomplish twice as much with half the effort.”
Relief washed over Xiao Che. He then shared the plan he and Xu Huaijin had discussed.
“Old sir, Mr. Xu and I have decided to head northwest. That direction will take us far from the outer edge of the Black Pine Forest, where there are no tribal conflicts. Most importantly, the fewer people who have set foot somewhere, the richer its resources will be.”
Old Han had rarely ventured into the Black Pine Forest either.
When he served as a scout, he had operated in the Southern Frontier.
The Southern Frontier was a relative designation locals used in contrast to the Northern Frontier. Over time, the name had become customary.
The part of the Black Pine Forest where they currently stood, however, was the Northern Frontier in the truest sense.
“Since you’ve chosen the route, Marquis, we’ll head northwest tomorrow. I, Old Han, may not be familiar with the terrain here, but I’ve spent half my life among mountains. I can still lead the way through a forest. Tomorrow, I’ll lead the way.”
Xiao Che patted Old Han’s shoulder. “In that case, I’ll have to trouble you.”
The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, everyone prepared to set out.
The procession kept the same formation as the day before, with the women and children in the middle and the men at the front and rear.
Anyone physically weak rode on a sled.
Before they left, Xu Huaijin deliberately checked the sky and discovered that the eagle circling overhead yesterday was gone.
Meanwhile, more than two hundred li from the Garrison, a military force was rapidly advancing.
The force numbered two thousand and was personally led by Lu Dachang on a forced march through the night.
The eagle dispatched to scout the previous night had reported that the Star Maiden had left the Garrison and was fleeing toward the Black Pine Forest.
Once those people entered the depths of the Black Pine Forest, even Lu Dachang would not dare pursue them rashly.
They truly had no fear of death. Years ago, Lu Dachang had chased a tribe into the Black Pine Forest. He entered with one thousand cavalrymen and two scouts, but fewer than ten people emerged.
Everyone else had perished inside the forest, leaving Lu Dachang with a profound fear and respect for the Black Pine Forest.
He should have made camp to rest the previous night. Instead, after replenishing supplies, Lu Dachang immediately resumed the march, shortening the distance by a hundred li.
But the Snow Mastiffs had already run for a full day and night. If forced to continue, they would die there.
After his trusted subordinates persuaded him, Lu Dachang had no choice but to halt and rest.
Xiao Che’s group did not yet know that Lu Dachang would arrive a day earlier than expected. After weaving through the forest for half a day, they were surprisingly still in the outer reaches of the Black Pine Forest and had not entered its heart.
Traveling through snow was hard enough, but the group consisted of ragged, malnourished people. They began gasping for breath after only a few steps.
The paths inside the forest were even more treacherous and difficult than those outside. One careless step could send someone plunging into a snow hollow.
“Marquis, it looks like everyone is at their limit. Shouldn’t we find somewhere to rest?”
Xu Huaijin saw the women supporting one another. Some had fallen several times and could barely climb back to their feet. If this continued, they would sooner or later freeze to death along the road.
Xiao Che swept his gaze around them. Towering, straight trees filled the forest in every direction, and there was nowhere in sight where they could rest. Nor could they possibly light a fire in the deep snow. Their clothes were thin. Resting outdoors without any shelter from the wind would be no different from courting death.
The temperature outside was at least thirty degrees below freezing.
Xiao Che did not dare agree. He was waiting for Old Han.
Half an hour earlier, he had sent Old Han and Xiao Jinghao ahead to scout the way.
They had yet to return.
“Mr. Xu, have everyone hold on a little longer. Let’s wait for Old Master Han to return before deciding. If we stop here, none of us will survive. Without a fire to keep warm, most people will freeze solid.”
Xu Huaijin could not bear to see everyone freeze to death, so he could only suppress his concern and nod in agreement.
Low sobs began to rise from the crowd.
They had been walking through the forest for only half a day, yet some people were already unable to endure it.
The sound of crying seemed contagious and soon spread throughout the procession.
Despair permeated the crowd. They did not know where the road beneath their feet led, how many more days they could survive, or whether they would live to see tomorrow’s sun.
“If I’d known leaving would be this hard, I would’ve stayed at the Garrison.”
“I’m exhausted and freezing, but we still can’t stop. I really can’t take it anymore.”
“At least the Garrison didn’t have wind sharp as a knife. It was cold, but not like this, with the north wind constantly slicing down our backs. The worst part is that we’re exhausted but still can’t stop.”
“The Xiao Family are all wearing thick padded clothes and fur coats. We have nothing but these thin padded jackets, and some people are wearing only a single layer. How are we supposed to survive?”
“The Xiao Family only wanted us to travel with them so we could help fend off dangers in the forest and improve their odds of survival. The moment danger appears, we’ll definitely be the first ones they abandon. I must’ve lost my mind to believe their lies.”
“It’s too late for any of that now. There’s no point dwelling on it. We’ll go as far as we can. At least the Xiao Family won’t let us go hungry. Even if I die, I’ll die with a full stomach.”
All manner of complaints began rising from the crowd.
The outburst left Xu Huaijin somewhat embarrassed, but Xiao Che seemed not to hear.
He understood their feelings. In such extreme circumstances, emotions inevitably fluctuated, and people needed a way to vent. Besides, what they said was true.
Every member of the Xiao Family did indeed wear thick padded clothing and furs, but those were things they had obtained during their journey into exile.
Xiao Jingmo could no longer listen. If such remarks were not suppressed the first time they arose, the others would assume that the Xiao Family was in the wrong and had silently admitted that all the accusations were true.
Only half a day had passed, yet there were already so many complaints. No one knew what awaited them as they traveled deeper.
By then, their grievances could reach a breaking point. Someone might deliberately incite the crowd to seize the supplies.
Human nature could not withstand much testing, after all. Under extreme conditions, even cannibalism was hardly uncommon.