Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 723: Chapter 297: Hou Jing’s Unusual Behavior, Hou Kong’s Decision

In the forty-eighth year of Longyou, June 22, after midnight

On the snowy plains west of the White Abyss camp, a long line of about five to six thousand people slowly moves toward the west.

The front of the queue is filled with young and strong men, the middle with the elderly and women and children, and the back with over a thousand members of the Hunting Team clad in iron armor and carrying longbows, with an overall order that clearly indicates a standard camp migration procession.

If one looks closely, one would notice among the armored members of the Hunting Team at the back, very few are wearing blood-colored armor.

Anyone familiar enough with the twelve families of Longyou can immediately recognize by the blood-colored armor that this migrating team belongs to the Zhaoyang Camp.

”Second uncle, aren’t the people from White Abyss migrating with us to Long Mountain?”

At the very end of the procession, Hou Kong looked back at the White Abyss camp, his brows slightly furrowing, and gently asked his second uncle Hou Jing beside him, his demeanor very respectful.

Like Long Mountain being primarily led by the Li Family, Zhaoyang is dominated by the Hou Family, but compared to the Li Family, the Hou Family descendants are obviously much more promising. Zhaoyang has a total of twenty-four Cold Resistance Level individuals, and among them, the Hou surname accounts for sixteen, nearly seventy percent.

Hou Jing was already over eighty, his hair was grey, his features appeared decayed, very much like someone who wouldn’t survive beyond the coming year. He was a sibling of Hou Luan, father of Hou Hu, and the highest-status surviving member of the Zhaoyang Hou Family.

In the Ice Abyss World, seniority doesn’t count for much.

It’s mainly about strength!

Hou Kong knew well that although his second uncle Hou Jing seemed old, his strength was definitely not lacking. Even the eldest brother Hou Hu treated him with great reverence in daily affairs, and any important camp decisions would first seek his opinion.

Hou Jing was dressed in a date-colored cloak, and his white beard slightly trembled, his movements seemed somewhat cumbersome. Upon hearing Hou Kong’s question, he turned to gaze at the White Abyss camp, his murky gaze flickering with a trace of coldness, and he whispered, ”Why should they migrate with us? White Abyss is not of our family.”

Upon hearing this statement, Hou Kong’s expression froze.

White Abyss had already merged into Zhaoyang in April; Bai Qiucheng even led people personally to Ping Valley to pay respects to Hou Hu, and during the tense standoff with Long Mountain, the Blood Guard Army directly stationed at White Abyss.

But soon, Hou Kong understood his second uncle’s meaning, his expression turning cold, and he replied, ”Bai Qiucheng intends to betray?”

”Zhaoyang is no more, what water is there to betray? Everyone has to go to serve the Li Family as dogs in the future, Bai Qiucheng isn’t excessive in merging their camp name into Long Mountain for more benefits.”

Given his age, Hou Jing was not surprised by such opportunistic behavior. After whispering his thoughts, seeing Hou Kong still looking aggrieved, he smiled and shook his head, saying, ”No need to be so angry. Times change, Zhaoyang malfunctioned so much, it’s only realistic...”

He paused, sighed, and continued, ”800 sets of Hundred Forged Level armor were robbed, the Blood Guard Army nearly annihilated, Hou Ming, Hou Bing, Hou Ying, Lin Ye, Hou Tong, Hou Quan, Zhang Qingyuan, Lu Yin, Hou Ming, Wang Lie, almost half of Zhaoyang’s Cold Resistance Level individuals were captured by Great Xia, lives unknown, even the leader himself was severely injured, almost perished.

With Zhaoyang’s current condition, let alone Bai Qiucheng, I estimate even Yu Bin from Xiling might start having ideas, and only because Dong Zhong was in the east, early on merging into Zhaoyang, otherwise the east side absolutely would regret too.”

Upon hearing Hou Jing mentioning Zhaoyang’s recent massive losses and those captured by Great Xia whose statuses remained uncertain, Hou Kong clenched his fists, his face full of hatred and anger towards Great Xia.

”Why, still hold hate for Great Xia?”

”Of course, the Zhaoyang Hou Family foundation ruined overnight, all because of Great Xia, Xia Hong is despicable and shameless, I wish I could eat his flesh, gnaw his bones, the leader takes us to merge into Long Mountain, isn’t it precisely to borrow Long Mountain’s power to seek revenge on Great Xia?”

Zhaoyang reached this state all due to Great Xia’s actions. How could he not hate? Not only him but no one from Zhaoyang doesn’t hate Great Xia to the core.

”Borrowing Long Mountain’s power to avenge doesn’t sound wrong, but...”

Hou Jing paused and then continued, ”The most important reason is that Zhaoyang only has this path left. Not merging into Long Mountain, the final result is either being annihilated by Long Mountain or by Great Xia, understand?”

Hou Kong suddenly fell into silence, not speaking for a long time.

He wasn’t stupid, the moment the Blood Guard Army was completely wiped out last night, including him, Zhaoyang’s other Cold Resistance Level individuals had already realized this fact. That’s why they urgently decided to merge with Long Mountain.

He couldn’t understand why Hou Jing said these words at this moment.

Especially earlier when asked if he still hated Great Xia, Hou Jing clearly used a questioning tone.

”Second uncle, are you disagreeing with the leader’s decision to merge into Long Mountain?”

Upon hearing Hou Kong’s query, a glimmer of light flickered in Hou Jing’s eyes, but he promptly nodded openly, giving a definite answer.

”Indeed, last night when I went toward Long Mountain, I did not agree with Hou Hu’s decision, and merging into Long Mountain, in my view, is not as good as submitting to Great Xia...”

”How can that be, second uncle, you’re muddled, Long Mountain has over fifty Cold Resistance Level experts, three thousand Longyou Army, tens of thousands in the Earth-digging Realm, how can a foreign power like Great Xia contend with them, moreover, Great Xia wiped out the Blood Guard Army, killed so many of us, and captured so many Cold Resistance Level individuals, Xia Hong even severely injured the leader, absolutely impossible to submit to them!”

Hou Kong interrupted Hou Jing furiously, momentarily forgetting he was addressing an elder, his tone even carried hints of reprimand.