Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1052: Chapter 371: Retreat and Ceasefire, Entrusting, Bashang’s Panic, Sudden Shift in Situation_6

A twenty-meter-long iron ship quietly drifted on the pitch-black water.

Xia Hong sat alone at the bow, dressed in black and wearing a bamboo hat.

He was holding a pure silver fishing rod, connected to a silver-white transparent fishing line in front, with a diameter of almost two centimeters. It was more like a fishing rope than a line.

The thickness of the snow on his hat showed that he had maintained this posture for a long time.

”Another day of empty-handed fishing...”

After a long time, Xia Hong sighed softly, suddenly pulling up the fishing rope, and frowned at the yellow-white bait ball on it.

”The bait ball Mu Dong researched was made with mixed low to medium-level beast bones and berries. It requires a large area to attract water Cold Beasts, yet lacks enough allure. Do we really have to use Jade Bone bait?”

Using Jade Bone for bait would be too costly.

Xia Hong slightly shook his head, but considering that Great Xia had only been exploring this water zone for just over four months, he felt reassured.

”Many advanced Hunting Teams are coming to Wuyuan, and Mu Dong is testing various baits with people daily. In time, suitable bait will be found. Even if he’s empty-handed now, eventually he’ll catch something.”

He turned to look at the Great Xia Hunting Team bustling busily on another iron ship about three or four kilometers to the west, chuckled softly as he put away his fishing rod, and stepped onto the water surface. He pushed the ship to drift eastward for over a hundred meters, found a new spot, and began fishing again.

For convenient fishing and hunting, Great Xia placed a total of three iron ships in this fifteen-kilometer water area, with a fourth under construction. The one Xia Hong was on now was newly made, but some chain processes weren’t finished, so it couldn’t be used for fishing yet. Having nothing else to do these past two days, he had the Craftsmen Department make this fishing rod to enjoy the feeling of fishing again.

This fishing rod was made of Thousand Forged silver, with the fishing rope crafted from high-level Teng Jiao Tendons and silver threads mixed together, bearing up to a twenty-hair force.

In terms of equipment, Xia Hong was fully decked out. No matter which Water Cold Beast dared to bite, he was ready to pull it in, except if it was the Beast King.

Unfortunately, two days of fishing yielded nothing.

”The bait’s no good; it has nothing to do with my fishing skills!”

Xia Hong shook his head, flicked the fishing line, and prepared to persist.

Tap, tap, tap...

But this time he was soon interrupted.

Xia Chuan, dressed in white, came stepping on water from the shore, casting an odd glance at Xia Hong still fishing on the ship.

”Two days and you haven’t caught a single fish, brother?”

”Cough, cough... You talk too much; Mu Dong’s bait is just lousy.”

Immediately coughing lightly, Xia Hong pulled up the fishing rope, removed his hat, looked at Xia Chuan’s clearly excited face, and asked, ”Is there new progress in the Bashang battle?”

Xia Chuan had evidently come to tell him this, nodded heavily with a joyous face, ”Since Zouyang Camp fell ten days ago, last night Bashang lost Qing Valley Camp. Over half the area has fallen; nineteen village-level camps have been lost so far, and Dajue Temple’s army hasn’t stopped. They’ve sent spies to scout Jiuchu Camp, which is exactly as you predicted, brother: Dajue Temple truly intends to destroy Bashang Town.”

Half a month ago, Xia Hong predicted that Dajue Temple’s attack on Bashang wouldn’t be like the attack on Jiangxia but would go all the way to the town and lead to Bashang’s destruction.

The situation now confirmed his prediction.

Bashang Town’s territory is inferior to Jiangxia; there are only forty village-level camps and just four major camps: Baisong, Zouyang, Qing Valley, and Jiuchu. Now that two have fallen, Baisong is at the eastern base of Moao Mountain, and Jiuchu is north of the town, serving as the last barrier.

Dajue Temple’s move to scout Jiuchu confirms Xia Hong’s prediction from half a month ago.

Xia Chuan looked at Xia Hong with admiration.

”Brother, you’re incredible. Bashang’s request for peace was futile. Ten days ago, after Zouyang Camp fell, Xiang Fan Yun personally went to negotiate peace the next day. Although the details are unknown, it seems Dajue Temple ignored him.”

Xia Hong chuckled, ”The principle of ’without lips, teeth become cold’ is something Bashang doesn’t understand. Jiangxia was hit so hard, and as a neighbor, Bashang refused to help but instead watched as Yangqu and Dragon Valley sent troops. Jiangxia intentionally blocked the news of Xuyang’s cession, clearly trying to harm them, leaving them in silence.

With Dajue Temple’s series of actions, the Nine Towns have completely fractured. Bashang’s request for help failed, and land concession for peace didn’t work; only battling Dajue Temple is left as a path.”

”Fighting, can they win?”

Dajue Temple has the Five Great Masters, eight hundred Bhikkhus, and with February over, the number of Bhikkhus with Hair is rising sharply.

Bashang seemingly faces a path of destruction.

Xia Chuan suddenly thought of something, ”Isn’t there another option?”

Xia Hong’s eyes flashed; he immediately understood.

”Dajue Temple is controlled by deceitful monsters. The people below might not know, but the brothers Xiang Fuhai and Xiang Fan Yun and those high-ranking in Bashang Town surely do? Surrender means standing directly against the Eight Towns.”

”But it’s the only way to survive, better than destruction, right?”

Xia Hong shook his head, didn’t respond, and shifted the topic, asking, ”Any new info from Muyin Town?”

”Not at the moment. Murong Chui might have contacted Beishuo’s people but hasn’t made up his mind. Brother, you want to start from Muyin Town?”

Xia Hong’s eyes flashed and he said, ”Not that I want to, it’s the only option. The breakup of the Nine Towns is a foregone conclusion, Bashang’s imminent destruction, and the Central South Four Towns are all fixated on the south, unaware the situation in Muyin, bordering Wuchuan, is truly dangerous.”

”Jin Mountain and Wuchuan are eyeing it greedily, Beishuo appears to be trying to pull them in, but actually wants annexation. The other Five Towns in Central South are all busy with their own troubles. Murong Chui is now in a dilemma, has reached a dead end.”

Xia Chuan is well aware of Muyin’s predicament being in charge of intelligence in Wuyuan.

Hearing his words, a gleam passed through Xia Hong’s eyes, murmuring, ”Who says they have no way out?”

Xia Chuan immediately understood, showing excitement, ”Brother means...”