Thousand-Mile Raid

The joy of victory didn't last long. Wei Zhe knew clearly that they had only temporarily escaped danger, and the real crisis was far from over.

Burning the grain and killing the Chieftain would be enough to drive the entire Xiongnu Right Wise King's tribe into a frenzy. When dawn broke, they would be met with endless pursuit.

"Quick! Gather all the usable horses and waterskins! Load the fallen brothers onto the horses!" Wei Zhe quickly issued orders. "We must get as far away from here as possible before dawn!"

"Yes!"

The brothers immediately sprang into action. Suppressing their fatigue and injuries, they led nearly a hundred startled warhorses from the chaotic camp and collected a large amount of water and dried meat.

Less than fifteen minutes later, a small cavalry unit was ready to depart.

"Squad Leader, which way do we go?" Qian Hu asked.

Wei Zhe glanced south. Returning to Eagle Beak Cliff the way they came was the shortest route, but it would also be the direction the Xiongnu would focus their defenses and pursuit.

"No, we go west." Wei Zhe pointed in another direction. "Into the Gobi Desert, we'll take a big detour and then return to Eagle Beak Cliff."

"Through the Gobi?" Qian Hu was greatly surprised. "Squad Leader, there's no water or food in the Gobi, the terrain is complex, it's easy to get lost, and..."

"And the Xiongnu won't expect us to go that way." Wei Zhe interrupted him. "The most dangerous place is often the safest. Their cavalry is fast, but their advantage will be infinitely weakened in the Gobi. This is our only chance."

Qian Hu looked at Wei Zhe's determined eyes and said no more. He was used to obeying this young officer who always managed to create miracles.

"Depart!"

Twenty-one men, riding two or even three horses each, determined their direction and plunged into the vast Gobi Desert.

Behind them, Wolf Howl Valley was still burning fiercely, and the sky in the east was gradually turning pale.

Less than half an hour after they left, thousands of Xiongnu cavalry, like a black tidal wave, swept up dust and smoke as they arrived at Wolf Howl Valley from all directions.

When they saw the granary reduced to ashes and the Chieftain's cold corpse, all the Xiongnu let out furious roars.

A Commander, clearly of higher status, looked in the direction Wei Zhe and his men had disappeared, his face turning ashen with rage.

"Chase! Pass down my order, blockade all roads leading south! Even if you have to turn this grassland upside down, find me those Qin Army rats!"

However, when the scouts discovered the hoofprints left by Wei Zhe's men on the edge of the Gobi, the Commander hesitated.

"They went into the 'Black Wind Gobi'?"

Black Wind Gobi was the Xiongnu's name for this area, meaning the land of death. Not only was it short of water, but black sandstorms that could swallow everything often swept through, and even the most familiar herdsmen dared not venture deep.

"A bunch of lunatics!" The Commander finally cursed through gritted teeth. "Send a thousand-man detachment to shadow them from a distance! The rest of you, continue to blockade the southern key routes with me! I don't believe they can stay in the Gobi forever without coming out!"

He made what he considered the most prudent decision, but in doing so, he gave Wei Zhe the most precious breathing room.

On the Gobi Desert, the sun blazed fiercely.

Wei Zhe's group had already traveled nearly a hundred miles. The warhorses beneath them were foaming at the mouth, and the brothers' lips were cracked and peeling, but not a single person complained.

They knew that stopping meant death.

"Squad Leader, there's a small sand dune ahead. We can hide behind it and let the brothers and horses catch their breath," Qian Hu suggested.

"Good."

Wei Zhe nodded. He could feel that the group had reached their limit.

Everyone hid in the leeward side of the sand dune, greedily drinking the precious water from their waterskins and taking out dried meat to silently replenish their strength.

Wei Zhe took this opportunity to enter the System again.

He now held 1600 Tempering Points, a considerable sum.

"Strength and physique are sufficient. What I need most now is speed and explosive power."

He moved his mind.

"Agility, add 1500 points!"

He poured almost all his points into Agility!

"Boom!"

An unprecedented sense of lightness spread throughout his body. He felt as if his body had broken free from the constraints of gravity, and his neural reaction speed had increased more than tenfold! He could even clearly perceive the faint trajectory of a sand scorpion crawling on the sand in the distance.

He opened the panel again:

Character: Wei Zhe Realm: Second-Order Warrior (Mastery) Strength: 100 Agility: 225 Physique: 102 Available Tempering Points: 100+

"This feeling..." Wei Zhe clenched his fist. He was confident that his current speed was so fast it was almost imperceptible to the naked eye!

Just then, Hu Lei, who was on watch, suddenly sounded an alarm.

"Squad Leader! Dust plumes behind us! It's the Xiongnu pursuers!"

Everyone's hearts tightened, and they quickly looked back.

On the distant horizon, a black line was rapidly expanding. Judging by the banners and scale, it was at least a thousand-strong unit!

"They've still caught up!" Qian Hu's face was grim. "Squad Leader, we need to go!"

"We can't get away," Wei Zhe's gaze was exceptionally calm. He looked at the entrance to a narrow canyon not far ahead, a cold smile curving his lips. "Since they've come to our doorstep, we'll accept this grand gift."

"Squad Leader, what do you mean?"

"Fight!" Wei Zhe's voice was decisive. "Qian Hu, take fifteen men and enter the canyon first. Set up an ambush on both sides. Hu Lei, take four men and follow me. We're going to give them a 'welcome gift'."

A glint of madness and confidence flashed in his eyes.

He intended to use this thousand-strong unit to test his recently surging strength!