Chapter 397: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_2

Upon hearing that North Country was going to hold a military parade, spies from various nations mingled among the crowd, eager to gather intelligence.

Rumors had been circulating that North Country’s Heavy Cavalry had been annihilated, and spies from all nations were keen to find out if there was any truth to them.

North Country was about to send troops northward, and this parade would surely feature most of its military forces. There was no need for concealment, allowing the spies to roughly estimate North Country’s military strength.

Early in the morning, Lu Chen got up and donned his black-gold armor, then went to the city wall of North City.

By this time, the various camps of North Country had already completed their assembly, and after the parade, they would return to their camps to move weapons and then head to North Land for defensive positioning in the afternoon.

Around nine in the morning, there was a sea of people outside North City with the populace eagerly awaiting the start of the parade.

As the drumbeat sounded, followed by the “woo woo woo” of horn calls, North Country’s soldiers began to enter the arena.

The first to appear were the infantry, who carried not firearms, but cold weapons like long halberds.

The infantry marched in perfect unison, a highly entertaining spectacle for the civilians, but the informed spies discerned from their stride the presence of a strictly disciplined army.

As the infantry slowly passed through the city gate, the next soldiers in line were from the Artillery camp, each carrying a bow and arrows, with bows slung across their backs.

Since Lu Chen had decided not to showcase firearms and wanted to boost morale, he had no choice but to substitute them with other cold weapons.

For some reason, after the bowmen of North Country entered the arena, the troops seemed even more different, more excited than those carrying long halberds before them.

As the bow-armed artillery came beneath the city gate, they shouted in unison, “Those who violate North Country will be pursued and annihilated, no matter the distance!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!!!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!!!”

…

Now inside North Country’s army, the majority of soldiers were eagerly anticipating war, with the artillery craving it the most intensely.

Their aura was distinctly different.

After the Artillery camp passed, the last troop made its entrance: North Country’s most mysterious Heavy Cavalry.

Everyone, including all the foreign spies, held their breath.

Right then, the ground began to tremble, and hearts rose into throats as, not long after, a dark mass became visible in the distance.

A terrifying aura emanated from afar, shaking some civilians to the point of unsteadiness. The Black Cavalry’s aura was incredibly heavy, and with each of them a Martial Artist above the fifth rank, even the forty thousand Heavy Cavalry that Lu Chen dispatched formed an oppressive, high-pressure force when gathered together.

As the Black Cavalry drew closer, people found it increasingly difficult to breathe.

The heavy thud of their hooves seemed to trample directly on the spectators’ hearts, causing them to throb wildly.

As the Black Cavalry passed through North Country’s North City gate, they roared in unison, “Where the great king points his sword, there we direct our spears!!!”

“Those who offend North Country shall be executed without mercy!!!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!!!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!!!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!!!”

…

The momentum of the Black Cavalry overwhelmingly eclipsed the bow-armed artillery from earlier. As the Black Cavalry passed by, some people shuddered non-stop. This army felt as if it had emerged from the netherworld, its murderous aura so thick that breathing was nearly impossible.

The spies from all nations were utterly intimidated by the Black Cavalry.

Although there were rumors that North Fre King had decimated the Black Cavalry during his southern invasion of North Country, there were still doubts that it was a ploy by North Country to hide its military might.

But contrary to expectations, North Country’s Heavy Cavalry indeed remained.

People didn’t believe that North Country could have trained an army with such a heavy killing aura in such a short time; this Heavy Cavalry was surely the same force that had defeated Sky Wolf King’s three-hundred-thousand strong army.

With two Master Level generals leading and the remaining forty thousand Heavy Cavalry all being Martial Artists above the fifth rank, such an army was not easily destroyed.

North Country’s military might was truly terrifying!

Although this parade featured only three main divisions, the sheer number of troops meant that the event lasted over two hours.

After the parade ended, Lu Chen returned to North Prince Mansion to bid farewell to his wives and concubines.

Standing at the gate of North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen swept a glance over his worried wives and concubines and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, the war will be over quickly.”

Hearing these words, Mu Zixuan wiped away her tears and said, “Prince, I am waiting for your triumphant return!”

Chu Yuqin, standing to the side, said, “Chen’er, why don’t you also take Bai along? You should have someone to take care of you.”

Lu Chen was taking only Chen Wanrong, a woman, on his trip to the north, but as the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, even though she was now Lu Chen’s woman, her status meant she could not demean herself as his servant. Thus, Chu Yuqin still wanted Bai Qingqing to accompany Lu Chen.

Lu Chen smiled faintly, then said, “After I leave, Yan County will likely not be peaceful, so Bai should stay there to protect you all.”

“I am going to the north to fight, not to enjoy life, so there is no need for anyone to wait on me.”