Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1012: Chapter 365: Hongguan, Town Chief’s Ultimatum, Reinforcements and Conflicts with the Nine Towns, Standoff (2)

At the end, Xiahou Qin recalled the three hundred-plus Cold Resistance Level followers who fled Jinbi Village with him, now likely facing misfortune. He repeatedly slapped himself, clearly engulfed in deep sorrow.

”Fool, what good does it do hitting yourself now? How did those over five thousand Zen Temple Bhikkhu from Dajue Temple bypass Jinbi to attack Dragon River? Jinbi Village is so close to north and south, didn’t you send people to keep an eye out?”

The man in a blue robe, Jiang Yuanlong, Deputy Army Chief of Jiangxia Town, stood up directly, angrily interrupting Xiahou Qin, clearly also in extreme anger.

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Qin was taken aback. He had suffered two major defeats during the daytime and was indeed in a state of panic, not having had the time to consider this issue. With Jiang Yuanlong’s reminder, he immediately realized his mistake.

How could he make such a basic mistake? When he was stationed at Jinbi Village, he had already sent over twenty Cold Resistance Level soldiers to keep watch on both the north and south sides. If over five thousand Zen Temple Bhikkhu were to sneak past, how could he not know?

So, there’s only one explanation...

”Dajue Temple has a method for marching through water! This is troublesome!”

Seeing Xiahou Qin’s expression, Jiang Yuanlong immediately realized, speaking softly, his pupils instantly filled with shock.

Not only Jiang Yuanlong, but also a dozen or so generals in the hall had their expressions change dramatically.

Jiangxia Town is located on the east bank of the Heng River, and in terms of understanding the water territories, they are definitely first among the Nine Towns, even surpassing Bashang Town, also on the east bank.

The Ice Abyss Waters are far more dangerous than the land. Firstly, Water Cold Beasts are extremely unfamiliar to humans, with abilities that are strange and varied, significantly stronger than Land Cold Beasts. Secondly, they naturally live underwater and have a home-ground advantage over humans. Thirdly, each area of the Ice Abyss is basically controlled by someone; a Cold Beast capable of dominating a water territory is at least of the Beast King Level. Humans find it nearly impossible to operate in such waters.

A place like Jiangxia Town has spent decades and managed with great difficulty to occupy just over ten kilometers along the east bank, which is already quite remarkable.

Yet, even so, to this day, only a small portion of experienced and strong Cold Resistance Level individuals can move freely in the waters. Let alone mobilizing large-scale troops for water-bound maneuvers, even the Hunting Teams going to hunt Cold Beasts in the waters rarely exceed twenty people.

The sensitivity of Water Cold Beasts far surpasses Land Cold Beasts. Combined with their dominance in the water, if their number is too large and they are discovered, they can easily become prey for underwater beast hordes. In the past, there have been many instances of complete annihilation.

”Being able to march through the water also means that Dajue Temple has covertly gained control of the eastern water territories. This is unusual...”

Jiang Yuanlong furrowed his brows deeply, looking at the Jiangxia Town map on the table. He directly raised his head to the person on the lower left and issued an order: ”Yuanhua, depart immediately for the Binjiang Camp and inform Deputy Army Chief Xiahou Ying of the loss of Jinbi Dragon River. Then convey the words of this Army Chief, instructing him to guard the east bank water territories closely and not allow Dajue Temple any opportunities.”

”At your command!”

The person below heard this, immediately saluted with hands cupped, and left the main hall directly.

Jiangxia has a total of six Army Chiefs, with only Xiahou Zhang as the Chief Army Chief, and five as Deputy Army Chiefs, of which Jiang Yuanlong is one.

Special camps are set up, with five Deputy Army Chiefs leading the troops for a long period. Ordinary village-level camps naturally wouldn’t receive such treatment; only five village-level camps across the Jiangxia domain received such honor.

For instance, currently in Hongguan Village, which controls the east side of the north bank of the Heng River, the Hongguan Camp is established, personally overseen by Deputy Army Chief Jiang Yuanlong;

And Binjiang Village is the largest village-level camp along the east bank of the Heng River in Jiangxia Town, like Hongguan Village, directly governed by the Town, with the Binjiang Camp established and personally overseen by another Deputy Army Chief, Xiahou Ying.

Knowing that Dajue Temple has the means for marching through water, the entire east bank line must raise its vigilance, and Jiang Yuanlong naturally needs to inform Xiahou Ying in advance.

”Enough, you need not kneel any longer, rise!”

At this moment, Xiahou Qin was extremely guilty, his face full of sorrow, saying: ”Even if I die a thousand times, I caused the deaths of so many brothers, lost the two villages of Jinbi and Dragon River—altogether, eleven thousand people—all now under the control of Dajue Temple. Judging by Yan Xin Chief’s methods, I assume the people of these two villages...”

”Seven years have passed, and the population of Qinghepu has aged a lot. Dajue Temple’s expansion is just to gather more people for childbirth purposes. As long as they do not kill recklessly, losing territory can be recovered in time. Even if you die a thousand times, you cannot bring those people’s lives back. Stand up!”

Jiang Yuanlong was clearly well aware of the situation in Qinghepu. Considering what Xiahou Qin just narrated about the fall of Jinbi Village, he immediately deduced the core purpose of Dajue Temple’s attack on Jiangxia this time.

With the Deputy Army Chief indicating for him to stand a second time, Xiahou Qin dared not continue kneeling. After standing, he remembered something and, with grit in his voice, said: ”Lord Jiang, the battle has only just begun, and our Jiangxia Town has suffered such a great loss, while reinforcements from the other seven towns are delayed—it’s obviously deliberate, wanting to put us at the forefront. I suggest sending an urgent message to the seven towns to expedite reinforcements.

The power of Dajue Temple is terrifying, and their strategies are unusually mysterious. Our single Jiangxia cannot continue to fight them alone!”

Over six hundred Cold Resistance Levels were killed, more than fifty thousand from the Earth-digging Realm along with two villages totaling eleven thousand people fell into enemy hands. The initial clash between Jiangxia and Dajue Temple can be described as nothing less than a disastrous defeat.