Lin Tian led the great army into the Xiongnu territory and quickly discovered something was amiss.
As they advanced, they encountered very few Xiongnu people.
Many places where they expected to find Xiongnu tribes bore only traces of habitation, with no Xiongnu present.
This situation was highly unusual; even the guides familiar with the Xiongnu regions were bewildered.
"I remember there was a Xiongnu tribe in this area. Where did they go?"
"Looking at the signs, they must have moved. The Xiongnu are nomadic, and can pack up their camps to relocate. So, their departure isn't strange!"
Initially, everyone assumed the Xiongnu had simply relocated normally.
Therefore, they paid little attention to this observation.
However, upon reaching the next small Xiongnu settlement, they found it deserted as well, which struck them as odd.
"What's going on? Did the Xiongnu face some great disaster? Have all the Xiongnu in this region moved away?"
"This seems wrong! Could the Xiongnu have encountered a powerful enemy, prompting their collective relocation?"
"Given their nature, this is likely. Only a formidable foe would force them to abandon their established territories. It appears there's an unforeseen upheaval among the Xiongnu!"
At this point, the guides were still speculating about what event could have caused the Xiongnu to flee this area.
Meanwhile, Lin Tian had grasped the core of the matter.
"These Xiongnu have indeed faced a powerful enemy, but their foe isn't from their rear; it's from us!"
"They must know we are coming to attack them, so they have either retreated preemptively or gathered together."
Lin Tian was well aware that the Xiongnu currently faced no other formidable enemies.
Their relocation at this time could only mean they knew Lin Tian was leading a large army to attack them.
Therefore, they were trying to escape.
Lin Tian's speculation surprised the guides.
"This... is us?"
"Are the Xiongnu so terrified of us?"
The might of the Xiongnu was deeply ingrained in their minds.
In their view, the Xiongnu must have encountered another powerful enemy, hence their evasion.
They had never imagined that the Xiongnu would flee simply because they knew an army was coming.
This outcome left them utterly astonished.
However, they soon recalled that Lin Tian's army had annihilated two hundred thousand Xiongnu cavalry.
Such a formidable force naturally inspired fear in the Xiongnu.
With this realization, the guides suddenly felt that the Xiongnu were not so terrifying after all; they were merely cowards who knew how to flee.
This thought brought them immense satisfaction.
However, it also presented them with another problem.
If the Xiongnu had gathered, attacking them would mean facing far more Xiongnu cavalry.
Even many Xiongnu civilians might be involved, and their participation would undoubtedly have a significant impact.
Their army of one hundred thousand could potentially be defeated due to the overwhelming enemy numbers.
Consequently, they all turned their gaze to Lin Tian, seeking his thoughts.
Upon reaching this conclusion, Lin Tian not only felt no fear but became even more elated.
"This is actually a good thing for us!"
"This way, we won't have to search for the Xiongnu's whereabouts. We can simply concentrate our forces and destroy the Xiongnu royal court. The remaining Xiongnu can be eliminated with ease!"
"We must remember that we haven't come this time merely to defeat the Xiongnu, but to annihilate their entire clan!"
Lin Tian understood clearly that if he did not resolve the Xiongnu issue, they would continue to harass Qin's borders even after Qin unified the world, remaining a formidable enemy.
Historically, after the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the Xiongnu remained a major threat to the Han Dynasty.
It wasn't until Huo Qubing's campaign and the victory at Mount Wolf Residence that the conflict with the Xiongnu truly ended.
Since Lin Tian had already ventured into Xiongnu territory, he was determined to eliminate them completely, thus securing the safety of Qin's borders.
Moreover, the Xiongnu steppes were an entirely valuable land.
They were natural pastures, and if Qin occupied this region, they would no longer lack warhorses and livestock.
Therefore, Lin Tian's objective was crystal clear: to conquer the entire Xiongnu territory and eradicate their existence.
Hearing Lin Tian's words, Wang Wu and the others clearly perceived his resolve and understood what they needed to do next.
Without further ado, they followed Lin Tian, heading deeper into Xiongnu territory.
Along the way, they encountered some Xiongnu tribes that had not yet relocated.
Lin Tian showed no mercy to these people; those who deserved to be exterminated were indeed exterminated.
After dealing with these Xiongnu, Lin Tian led his army further into the Xiongnu lands.
Their actions within Xiongnu territory drew the attention of the Xiongnu.
Through Lin Tian's movements, the Xiongnu leaders could roughly ascertain their location.
As a result, by the time Lin Tian and his forces neared the Xiongnu royal court, the Xiongnu were already prepared for battle.
"Those Qin people are about to attack!"
"This time, it is the Qin people who have proactively invaded our Xiongnu territory and challenged our dignity. Therefore, this time, we must ensure these Qin people never return!"
"We will make them understand the severe consequences of provoking our Xiongnu!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"
By now, the Xiongnu were filled with murderous intent, eager to slay Lin Tian and his men immediately.
Upon learning that Lin Tian's forces had annihilated their two hundred thousand strong army and continued their advance, these Xiongnu considered Lin Tian and his men unforgivable.
Consequently, each warrior clenched their fists, awaiting the chance to destroy Lin Tian and his army.
Upon learning of the approaching Qin army, they took the initiative to attack.
"Ambush them and await the Qin people's arrival. Let them come and never return!"
Knowing the general direction of Lin Tian's advance, they decided to lay an ambush.
This was something Lin Tian and his men had not anticipated.
However, they soon detected that something was wrong.
The road ahead of them was unnervingly quiet.
It was too silent to be a normal path.
This change might go unnoticed by the inexperienced.
But Lin Tian, having hunted since childhood, could not fail to detect the anomaly.
...