Most of those who died were the recruits. Unlike the ten thousand men of the Self-Defense Army, they did not possess the ability of skin strengthening.
They were the ones dying, powerless to fight back beneath the iron hooves of the Northern Barbarians, all of whom were Beast Tamers. By the time they retreated to the area around White Palace Hall, apart from the ten thousand men of the Self-Defense Army, fewer than half had made it there alive. The rest had either hidden in houses in town amid the panic or died beneath the Northern Barbarians' butcher blades.
"General Guo, the Northern Barbarians have all entered the town. Which way do we retreat now?"
Yu Guangguang was drenched in blood, the blood and sweat mingling on his face until his features were impossible to make out. Behind him stood a group of Mountain Moving Realm Beast Tamers responsible for covering the retreat. Almost every one of them looked much the same as he did, even their clothes torn into strips that hung from their bodies.
Guo Dundun said without hesitation, "Since everyone is here, we'll retreat through the North Gate. We may have to spend a long time out in the ice and snow this time, so bring as much food and warm clothing as you can. Leave everything else. Move!"
At once, a group rushed into White Palace Hall and began carrying out the food, clothing, and tents they had gathered beforehand. As for the women imprisoned inside, they could only leave them to the Northern Barbarians.
Yu Guangguang also rushed into White Palace Hall, but after searching through the crowd, he still saw no sign of Bai Bingbing. After a moment's thought, he went to her bedchamber and opened the Underground Secret Chamber. Sure enough, he found