"I-is it snowing?"
"Good heavens, it's freezing!"
"What month is it? Why is it snowing?!"
The troops had already been bewildered by the unnatural silence around them. When a cold wind swept through, they fell into utter confusion.
The sight of falling snow sent ripples of unrest through their ranks.
"General, it's snowing!"
A messenger sprinted over to Liang Shiyan, panting for breath.
Liang Shiyan glared at him. "Damn it, do you take me for a blind man? How could I miss snowflakes that big?"
Zhao Bo came over, his expression grave. "General, we should withdraw!"
"Why?" Liang Shiyan glanced at him. "You see a little snow and already want to turn tail?"
"It's precisely because this is a heavenly phenomenon that I'm urging you to withdraw!" Zhao Bo said gravely. "First the strange silence all around us, and now cold falling from the sky out of season. Neither the terrain nor the timing favors us. Even if we have the men on our side, it's no use. What's more, these strange signs make it seem as though we've stumbled into an unusual formation. Someone with extraordinary powers in Shouchun may have made a move."
Liang Shiyan hesitated, then said, "These troops were toughened on meat and noodles. Their blood runs hot. They don't fear evil spirits!"
Seeing that Zhao Bo still wanted to argue, he suddenly lowered his voice. "You think I don't know the danger? But once the bow is drawn, there's no taking the arrow back. Everyone in the army has seen these signs. If I order a retreat now, the soldiers will all start thinking of retreat. Their will to advance will fade, their fighting spirit will ebb, and then we really will have nothing to rely on!"
Zhao Bo froze.
Liang Shiyan went on,