Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 577: Chapter 248: Li Hu and Yang Zhong, Saving Lives and Destroying Evil

”Zhong, I’m injured. You run first; don’t worry about me!”

Outside the valley, roughly a hundred meters from the iron gate, Li Hu glanced back at Wu Xiong who was drawing closer, gritted his teeth, released Yang Zhong’s hand, and pushed him directly toward the iron gate, signaling him to escape quickly.

Moments ago, during Wu Xiong’s ruthless slaughter, his legs were accidentally struck by the Blue Fire Saber. Although they weren’t severed, they were covered in a layer of dew. As the dew’s temperature rose, his mobility was nearly lost.

If Yang Zhong hadn’t been supporting him, he wouldn’t have made it this far.

The three young masters and a group of Cold Resistance Level individuals had already fled. If they didn’t quicken their pace, Wu Xiong would soon reach them.

Li Hu, not wanting to burden his brother, saw Yang Zhong ignoring his persuasion and attempting to come back to help him. He immediately roared, ”Yang Zhong, you run first. Otherwise, neither of us will survive. Now, go!”

Yang Zhong merely looked up at Li Hu, silently stepped forward, lifted him over his shoulder, and continued running toward the iron gate.

”Li Hu, when we became sworn brothers, we agreed to live and die together. Either we both run or we both die. No more nonsense!”

Hearing his brother Yang Zhong’s roar, Li Hu’s eyes reddened instantly.

As the son of Li Xuantiang, one of the direct descendants of the third generation of Long Mountain, Li Hu had never truly enjoyed the privileges of a legitimate heir.

The reason was simple: he was an illegitimate child.

His birth resulted from a moment of impulse by his father Li Xuantiang when he was young.

Over twenty years ago, Li Xuantiang led a team to destroy a medium-sized camp. His mother, Li Yuning, was the daughter of that camp’s leader.

Captured by Li Xuantiang, Li Yuning naturally became his prize of war, and what happened after that was inevitable.

Li Xuantiang had three wives and eleven legitimate children, and countless maids like Li Yuning. As a result, there were many more illegitimate children like Li Hu - no fewer than thirty at least.

Even legitimate children rarely received Li Xuantiang’s attention, let alone inconspicuous illegitimate children like Li Hu.

Special treatment was unthinkable. Moreover, because of Li Xuantiang’s high status and wealth, the three legitimate wives worried that those illegitimate children might have ideas they shouldn’t, so they often made things difficult for them.

If any illegitimate child showed too much promise, they might even provoke fatal repercussions.

Growing up in such an environment and reaching the point of leading earth-digging expeditions was no easy feat for Li Hu.

At nine, he witnessed his mother, Li Yuning, being forced to death by his so-called third mother, Zhu Rou. From then on, he only harbored hatred for Li Xuantiang and Long Mountain.

If he hadn’t met his good brother Yang Zhong that year, he would have either left Long Mountain or fought desperately against his so-called third mother Zhu Rou. Apart from these two paths to destruction, there were no other possibilities.

Yang Zhong’s father, also a core member of Long Mountain’s Cold Resistance Level, was Divine Archer Yang Fengping. Coincidentally or unfortunately, Yang Zhong was also an illegitimate child.

Even more coincidental was that Yang Zhong’s mother was also forced to death by the main wife. Because that main wife was too domineering, even Yang Zhong, as an illegitimate child, was unacknowledged by Yang Fengping and could only be fostered in a place in Long Mountain dedicated to raising orphans.

Due to their similar experiences, the two quickly built a friendship once they met. As they grew through ambushes in Long Mountain, from breaking through the Logging Realm to the Earth-digging Realm, to joining the Hunting Team, and later forming their own team, their friendship deepened into an extremely strong bond.

Both had a zeal for avenging their mothers, and they were aware that due to their status, it was difficult to break through to the Cold Resistance Level by staying in Long Mountain. They had long agreed that once they reached the Earth-digging Realm Limit, they would leave Long Mountain for Zhaoyang or seek another giant camp to help them break through to Cold Resistance Level.

”This expedition, as long as there are enough enemy kills, there will be Beast Blood as a reward!”

Recalling the words heard before the expedition, Li Hu was full of regret. If not tempted, he wouldn’t be in this death trap now, and he wouldn’t be dragging his good brother Yang Zhong to die alongside him.

”Zhong, how much Basic Strength do you have now?”

”Twenty-seven thousand, about the same as you. Don’t you know?”

Hearing Yang Zhong’s response, Li Hu turned back, saw Wu Xiong just five or six meters away, revealed a determination, pushed Yang Zhong away first, and then turned back, lunging towards Wu Xiong.

”Zhong, if you survive and break through to the Cold Resistance Level, remember to avenge my mother for me, and also look into that place I mentioned before.”

”Hu Zi, no!”

Seeing his brother’s actions, Yang Zhong immediately understood his intent and roared with clenched teeth, attempting to follow and save him.

At this moment, the bond between the two seemed to elevate once more.

Unfortunately, Yang Zhong was still too slow.

In just five or six meters, Li Hu turned and lunged directly in front of Wu Xiong, almost throwing himself into the path of Wu Xiong’s Blue Fire Saber.

His intention was clear: to stall Wu Xiong for a moment and give Yang Zhong a chance to escape.

But the instant he turned back, Li Hu immediately realized his naivety.