The razor-sharp crescent blade of the axe-spear hovered three inches from Lu Chen’s throat.
The cold shining from the royal steel was thick, streaming a thin layer of sub-zero chill against his collarbones.
Captain Hu’s bloodshot eyes bulged with murderous intent.
Behind him, the twenty gaunt frontier guards held their breath, their fingers taut on notched crossbow triggers.
“On your knees, southern trash!” Hu roared, flecks of frozen foam flying from his cracked lips. “One twitch and I sever your head from your shoulders!”
Lu Chen kept his gaze steady and unblinking.
His pulse remained steady at sixty beats per minute.
His internal test systems operated with cold, uninterrupted care.
