mtlumby2d Chapter 842 The Setting Sun Weeps Blood, Ice Reborn (Page 12)
Chapter 842 The Setting Sun Weeps Blood, Ice Reborn (Page 12)
A cold wind swept through, stirring up clouds of dust and the stench of blood, bringing a temporary end to this brutal battle. Mo Chen, along with his elite Shadow Assassins, retreated like the tide, disappearing into the shadows in the distance, leaving behind only a devastated battlefield and the unconscious Lin Ping.
The Ice-Splittering Spear was planted diagonally beside her, the chill at its tip gradually being swallowed up by the biting north wind and dissipating. But the murderous intent that had once struck fear into the hearts of the Shadow Assassins, so sharp and incomparable, seemed to be forever imprinted on this ravaged land, mingling with the pervasive smell of blood and gunpowder, and the damp chill of melting snow, creating a chilling stillness.
Lin Ping lay quietly on the cold ground, her armor covered in gruesome wounds, blood soaking through her tattered robes and pooling into a small, dark red puddle beneath her. Her face was as pale as paper, tiny ice crystals even clinging to her long eyelashes, and her breathing was so faint it was almost imperceptible. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of her chest, anyone would have thought she had died on the battlefield.
It was unclear how much time had passed—perhaps an hour, perhaps longer. The howling wind seemed to have grown weary, its force slightly diminishing. At the edge of the battlefield, some surviving soldiers—those who had miraculously survived the Shadow Assassins' raid, or the remnants who had been scattered and hidden—began to cautiously peek out.
Their eyes were filled with fear, confusion, and the disorientation of surviving a catastrophe. When they saw that familiar yet weakened figure in the center of the battlefield, everyone froze.
“Yes…it’s the general!” A young soldier’s voice trembled, filled with unbelievable elation and deep worry.
The voice was like a thunderclap, shattering the despair that shrouded the hearts of the remaining soldiers. They rushed out from their hiding places, stumbling towards Lin Ping, their steps hurried yet filled with a strange awe. They saw the corpses of the Shadow Assassins scattered on the ground, saw the still imposing Ice-Splitting Spear stuck diagonally in the ground, and then looked at the unconscious Lin Ping. The emotions that welled up in their hearts were indescribable.
It was the general! It was the general who, single-handedly, blocked that ghostly attack and bought them this chance to live!
"Quick! Save the general!" An old soldier collapsed beside Lin Ping, his hands trembling as he checked her breath. Feeling the faint but undeniable life force, he was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down his face. "She's still breathing! The general is still breathing! Quick, carry the general back to camp! Call the medic! Quickly, call the medic!"
Several soldiers, though somewhat clumsy, lifted Lin Ping with unusual care. They avoided her wounds as much as possible, handling her with the gentleness of a rare treasure. The Ice-Splitting Spear was respectfully picked up by a soldier; its tip dragged on the ground with a dull thud, as if mourning this pyrrhic victory, or perhaps proclaiming some indomitable will.
The last rays of the setting sun pierced through the billowing smoke and dust, casting a poignant crimson hue upon the blood-soaked battlefield. The blood-red setting sun illuminated the silent, resolute faces of the soldiers, and also Lin Ping's pale countenance. They carried their general, making a difficult, step-by-step trek towards the makeshift main camp not far away.
The main camp had already been devastated by the Shadow Assassins' raid, with many tents burned and the place in ruins. The few soldiers and wounded who remained behind saw the general being carried back and gathered around him. Seeing Lin Ping's miserable state, they were all heartbroken.
The medic, having already received the news, rushed over with his medical kit. Seeing Lin Ping's injuries, his expression turned extremely grave. "Get out of the way!" the medic commanded, directing the soldiers to carefully place Lin Ping on a makeshift cot. "Everyone, except for the two helpers, get out!"
Inside the tent, only the medic and two nimble guards remained. The medic quickly cut open Lin Ping's tattered armor and robes, revealing a crisscrossing network of wounds on her body. These wounds varied in depth; some were lacerations caused by sharp weapons, with clean edges and depths exposing the bone; others were injuries from internal force shocks, the skin covered in bruises, clearly indicating damage to internal organs. Most striking was a wound on her chest that almost pierced her entire body. Although it was no longer bleeding profusely, it was still gruesome—a mark left from her final, desperate clash with Mo Chen.
"The situation is terrible." The military doctor disinfected his hands with strong liquor while quickly examining the injuries, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "The external injuries are severe, and there has been excessive blood loss. What's more troublesome is... there is a cold and domineering foreign true energy running rampant in her body, damaging her meridians and internal organs."
The Shadow Assassins' martial arts were inherently unpredictable and ruthless, with Mo Chen being one of the best among them, possessing incredibly insidious internal energy. Lin Ping forcibly activated the extreme cold power of the Ice-Splitting Spear, and although she managed to repel Mo Chen, she also suffered a tremendous backlash. Coupled with Mo Chen's all-out attack before his death (although he wasn't completely dead, the soldiers thought he was), the two icy energies intertwined and collided within her body, with unimaginable consequences.
"Medical officer, how is the general...?" came the anxious voice of a guard outside the tent.
The military doctor took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "The injuries are extremely serious. Whether the general can pull through depends on his own will and also on fate. I will do my best, but you should also be prepared."
Outside the tent, all was deathly silent, and everyone's hearts sank to the bottom.
The next few days were an agonizing ordeal for Lin Ping's subordinates, each day feeling like an eternity.
The military medic used all his knowledge to clean and suture Lin Ping's wounds, employing all the best medicines and supplements available in the army. The soldiers spontaneously stood guard outside the tents, praying silently day and night. The battlefield was cleared, and the remains of their comrades were gathered and buried, with simple tombstones erected. The bodies of the Shadow Assassins were dragged to a distance and burned to prevent the spread of plague.
Lin Ping remained unconscious, with a persistent high fever. She would sometimes mutter to herself, and at other times her brows would furrow, as if she were experiencing an extremely painful nightmare. Her breathing was sometimes rapid, sometimes weak, and every change tugged at everyone's heartstrings.
Command of the army temporarily fell into the hands of Deputy General Zhang Meng. Zhang Meng was a fierce and loyal general, but in terms of strategy and prestige, he was far inferior to Lin Ping. Facing this remnant army that had suffered more than half its casualties, was demoralized, and had also lost a lot of supplies due to the surprise attack, Zhang Meng felt unprecedented pressure.
"General, what should we do now?" Several trusted generals surrounded Zhang Meng's tent, their faces grave.
"Although the Shadow Assassins have retreated, who knows if they will return? Mo Chen is very cunning."
"We have suffered heavy casualties, are severely understaffed, and are running out of food."
"Most importantly, the general is unconscious, and the brothers... the brothers are in a state of panic."
Zhang Meng frowned, slammed his fist on the table, and said in a deep voice, "What's the panic! The general is still alive! As long as the general has a breath left, our troops cannot fall apart!" Although his voice was loud, it couldn't hide the exhaustion and anxiety within it. "Pass down the orders: strengthen vigilance, send scouts out to scout far and wide, and be on high alert to prevent Mo Chen from launching a counterattack. Inventory the remaining food and ammunition, and distribute them in rations. At the same time, send men to nearby towns to request reinforcements and see if we can replenish our supplies. Also, reassure the brothers and tell them that the general will definitely wake up!"
Orders were relayed down, and the remnant army began to slowly begin to move. Despite the numerous difficulties, no one was willing to give up easily in the face of the chance to survive that Lin Ping had fought so hard for. They stood guard on this cold land, protecting the unconscious general and the undying hope in their own hearts.
However, the realities of life loomed over them like dark clouds.
Most of those sent to request reinforcements returned disappointed. The nearby towns were either struggling to survive themselves or fearful of the Shadow Assassins' power and dared not easily lend a hand. Only a few small villages sent some meager provisions out of gratitude for Lin Ping's past kindness to the army, but this was nothing more than a drop in the ocean for such a large force.
The army was also running out of medicine, especially effective drugs for treating internal injuries and infections. Some wounded soldiers, unable to receive timely and effective treatment, began to suffer worsening injuries, and some even died.
Even more unsettling was the alarming news brought back by the scouts: a small, unidentified group of cavalry had been spotted about a hundred miles northwest of the battlefield, moving stealthily and seemingly monitoring their movements. While they couldn't be certain it was the Shadow Assassins, it was enough to make their already tense nerves even more strained.
"General, those cavalrymen... could they have been sent by Mo Chen?" a general asked Zhang Meng with concern.
Zhang Meng's face was grim: "Very likely. Mo Chen is cunning and treacherous. If his first attack fails, he will definitely send people to monitor us, waiting for us to reveal a weakness. We are now like a pack of wounded wolves, and the other side is a hunter who is eyeing us with predatory intent."
"Then what do we do? We can't just keep passively waiting like this, can we? The general's situation..." Another general hesitated, but his meaning was clear.
Zhang Meng understood perfectly well. Lin Ping's coma had robbed the army of its soul. If she remained unconscious, morale would eventually crumble completely, and they would collapse on their own without Mo Chen even needing to come.
"Wait a little longer..." Zhang Meng's voice was a little hoarse, "Give the general a little more time, and give ourselves a little more time. We must hold our ground, for the general's sake, and for our own!"
As time passed, Lin Ping's condition fluctuated. Her high fever persisted, and the foreign internal energy within her body, like a leech, relentlessly eroded her life force. The military doctor was helpless, only able to continuously administer acupuncture and medication, barely managing to keep her alive.
That night, another cold wind howled. The guard outside the tent faintly heard a suppressed groan of pain coming from inside. His heart tightened, and he quickly lifted a corner of the tent flap. He saw that Lin Ping's once calm face was now filled with pain, her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and her body was twitching slightly.
"Medic! Medic! Quick! The general's condition is not right!" the bodyguard shouted in a panic.
The military medic, who was already waiting in the side tent, rushed in immediately upon hearing the shouts. Seeing Lin Ping's condition, his expression changed drastically: "This is bad! The foreign internal energy within her is starting to backfire! Her life force is rapidly draining away!"
"What should we do, medic? Please save the general!" The soldier was so anxious he was about to cry.
The medic gritted his teeth and took out a small jade bottle from the bottom of his medicine box. Inside were three longan-sized, emerald-green pills. "These are 'Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pills,' a sacred medicine passed down in my sect. They have miraculous effects in prolonging life, and I dare not use them unless absolutely necessary. Now... I have no choice but to try anything!"
He carefully took out a pill, pried open Lin Ping's mouth, and fed it to her, followed by some warm water. The pill melted instantly in her mouth, transforming into a cool, warm current that slowly flowed into Lin Ping's stomach.
However, the moment the warm current entered, Lin Ping's body trembled violently, the pain on her face intensified, and she even let out a suppressed cry of agony. The icy true energy within her body seemed to sense a threat, becoming even more violent and frantically assaulting her meridians.
"Pfft!" Lin Ping suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, and her breath became even weaker.
"General!" the guard exclaimed.
The army doctor's face also turned deathly pale. He hadn't expected this strange true energy to be so domineering, unable to suppress even the power of the Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill, instead triggering an even stronger backlash. "It's over... Even the sacred medicine didn't work... Could it be that the general really..." He slumped back a step, his eyes filled with despair.
The atmosphere inside the tent was extremely oppressive.
Just then, Lin Ping, who had been unconscious, twitched her eyelids slightly.
Immediately afterwards, her hand moved, her fingers seemingly trying to grasp something.
"General? General, you're awake?" the guard exclaimed in surprise.
The military doctor was also stunned and quickly stepped forward to check on her. He saw Lin Ping slowly open her eyes a crack, her gaze unfocused, filled with confusion and pain, but it was definitely a sign of consciousness!
"Water..." A faint, almost inaudible sound squeezed out of Lin Ping's throat.