Outside the carriage, all the soldiers who had escaped Danya City with their lives trudged along listlessly, following the army forward on instinct alone.
Lindi led the Imperial Guard beside Zichuan Canxing's carriage. Seeing the dispirited soldiers around him with their heads hanging low, he grew deeply anxious.
But he had no good way to lift their morale.
They had retreated from Danya City in such a hurry that they had brought nothing with them.
It was already past breakfast time, and everyone was marching on an empty stomach.
Besides, they had barely slept the night before. Now men and horses alike were exhausted.
"Hold on a little longer, everyone! Another fifteen kilometers and we'll reach Danxi City! Danxi City is still ours. Once we get there, you'll all be able to rest properly and have a good meal!"
Lindi rode over to the side of the column and shouted, trying to raise everyone's spirits.
It barely helped. Everyone kept their heads down and continued trudging forward.
Lindi let out a mournful sigh.
A defeated army really is hard to lead.
Duoya Forest lay just ahead. Beyond it was a vast plain, and another eight kilometers would bring them to Danxi City.
Just hold on a little longer, Lindi told himself. He tried not to think about the future, afraid that doing so would shake his loyalty to Zichuan.
As the column entered Duoya Forest, the surrounding trees screened out the sunlight and muffled the noise.
Silence settled over the forest. Lindi could hear only the sounds of his own army marching, and an inexplicable sense of unease crept over him.
Something seems wrong!
Come to think of it, this was Lindi's first time leading troops in the wilderness.
Previously, he had always served as commander of the guard, protecting