Chapter 727: Robber

The road at night was difficult to travel, especially as the path ahead, going uphill, became rugged. They said it was thirty *li*, but the effort felt like sixty.

To make matters worse, snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the sky.

Standing there would only make them freeze. Helpless, the group urged their cattle and horses forward amidst complaints.

“The wandering bandits are getting more and more brazen.”

“Don’t they say the army of Panlong City is very strong? Why aren’t they dealing with the bandits on this road?”

“My horse can’t go on.”

“I’m not coming next time. I’m afraid I’ll earn money but won’t live to spend it!”

Complaints filled the convoy, but He Lingchuan paid them no mind. He only whispered a few words to Menban and the others.

Menban and the others received their orders and went to make arrangements.

Sun Fuling watched from the side. She suddenly asked He Lingchuan, “Did you get another promotion?”

“Huh?” He Lingchuan touched his face, a hint of self-satisfaction on it. “How can you tell?”

A dimple appeared on Sun Fuling’s cheek. “You’re acting so bossy!”

“That’s called commanding with composure!”

At this moment, Dingzi came to report. “The wounded say that Qinglang Post was attacked about two hours ago. The enemies were all river pirates, about fifty or sixty of them. They entered the post, set fire, plundered it, and stole grain, horses, and guests’ belongings.”

“I heard the last attack was seven days ago. The merchants are right, these bandits are getting more and more audacious,” Menban said bitterly. “If this continues, the trade route will be severely affected.”

“Stay alert, expand the patrol range.” He Lingchuan exhaled. “Tell the brothers to feed the horses and prepare their gear. Hunlong Ridge is ten *li* ahead.”

As soon as it snowed, the sky darkened quickly. Within a dozen breaths, the scenery fifty *zhang* away became indistinct.

The merchant convoy lit their torches and continued forward.

The falcon flew down again and reported, “Those two silly birds have flown away; they’re not following us anymore.”

“That’s because there’s only one path for us going south, and it must pass through Hunlong Ridge,” Liutiao said. “There’s no need for them to track us further.”

He Lingchuan pulled out a knife and handed it to Sun Fuling. “Can you use a knife, Master?”

It seemed they were about to get busy.

“Of course.” Sun Fuling took the knife and hid it beneath her greatcoat. “In a moment, you won’t need to worry about me.”

He Lingchuan knew she was never feigned. If she said not to worry, then he truly wouldn’t need to.

Amidst the biting wind and bitter snow, the convoy reached Hunlong Ridge.

The undulating hills were covered with rocky hollows.

There were two essential routes to Freeport, and Hunlong Ridge was one of them. Although difficult, it was much better than the other route. For many years, merchant convoys had traveled Hunlong Ridge.

Halfway through the journey, the road narrowed. Suddenly, the scout ahead blew a clear whistle—

An ambush!

Immediately after, a rain of arrows descended from above.

Merchants and passengers clutched their heads and, without a word, hid behind the carriages. They left the situation to the guards.

After all, weren’t they hired to ensure their safety?

As soon as the guards formed a defensive circle with the carriages, bandits from higher ground threw homemade explosive devices at them, making the animals whinny frantically. Immediately after, these bandits charged down, brandishing their weapons and shouting.

Their numbers exceeded a hundred. Others on the hillside continued to fire arrows, supporting their comrades. Their coordination was highly skilled, indicating they had done this many times before.

At this moment, the bandits heard a calm and concise voice from the convoy:

“Extinguish the flames, kill them!”

The torches in the convoy were extinguished with a few puffs.

Torches at night were targets. It was better to extinguish them to fight in the dark.

It was a night of wind, snow, and killing. The convoy leader cowered behind a carriage. He only heard the clash of weapons, shouts, screams, and curses echoing outside.

He bravely tried to peek out to see the situation beyond the carriage formation. But as soon as he poked his head out, his face felt warm, and he was drenched in a gush of salty, metallic liquid.

He quickly pulled his head back. He smacked his lips—blood?

“Ugh, ptui, ptui, ptui!”

At this moment, a three or four-year-old child opposite him crawled out from behind his mother to pick up a toy outside the carriage.

The merchant was alarmed. “Don’t go...”

Before he could finish speaking, a bandit was sent flying by Menban’s shield, landing right on the toy.

Seeing Menban about to charge in, the bandit, in a fit of panic, grabbed the child and held a knife to its throat. “Don’t move, or I’ll kill it!”

Menban’s footsteps halted.

Just then, someone silently moved behind the bandit. With a twist of the bandit’s arm, the blade he held flew away.

The bandit felt his hand lighten, but before he could react, his cheek erupted in pain, and his vision went black...

Everyone present heard a muffled “thud.” The bandit’s neck was twisted by the kick. He fell headfirst, unconscious. Something from his mouth flew seven *chi* away, landing directly in the merchant’s hand.

The merchant suddenly felt something in his hand. He looked down and saw it was a blood-stained tooth! Terrified, he shivered and quickly threw it away.

Sun Fuling calmly stood upright. She picked up the child from the ground. “This is too dangerous.”

The child just grinned at her. With incomplete teeth, how could it understand the word “danger”?

Master Sun: “...”

She placed the child back into its mother’s arms. “Keep a close eye on him; don’t let him crawl around.”

“Uh.” Menban, who had witnessed everything, scratched his head. The Master looked like a delicate beauty, yet she was fiercer than Liutiao when beating people? No wonder Boss He was so afraid of her. He then looked at the unconscious bandit; his chin was rapidly bruised and swollen, bigger than a steamed bun.

*Hiss*, it was clear here now. He turned to help Liutiao.

About fifteen minutes later, the sounds of fighting in the dark gradually subsided.

Some shouted for a retreat. Then horse hooves could be heard, fading from near to far.

The merchants and travelers hardly dared to breathe.

Soon, the surroundings fell silent.

The calm voice spoke again. “Light the torches, the fighting is over.”

Torches flickered to life. Convoy members climbed out from behind the carriages, seeing the chaos on the ground—

People lay strewn everywhere, blood flowed everywhere.

But they were mostly unfamiliar faces.

“The bandits were repelled?” Everyone exchanged glances. “We won?”

The languid young man stood at the very front. A few drops of blood slid down the gleaming tip of his blade, conspicuously bright against the white snow.

The convoy leader instinctively pulled back his legs, so no blood would drip onto his boots.

The young man noticed. With a flick of his wrist, the knife in his hand disappeared.

The other guards’ weapons were stained with blood and hair. Killing intent radiated from them.

Yet all the guards looked to him for leadership. Even those who had chased the fleeing bandits returned and bowed to him, saying, “General, six or seven got away.”

“No need to pursue them,” He Lingchuan waved his hand. “It’s fine if they go back and spread the word.”

“General?” The convoy leader looked around. “You... you’re a soldier?”

They had only hired two teams of guards.

“The Great Wind Army,” Menban said, wiping off the red and white residue from his shield. “You’re lucky; you ran into us while we were fishing in disguise.”

To think they had hired the Great Wind Army as guards! The convoy was overjoyed and thanked them profusely. Burning incense before leaving home had indeed paid off!

After the Great Wind Army escorted the convoy past the ridge and safely to the next post station, they set off northeast.

The most dangerous section of Xiji Road was now behind them. He Lingchuan and his group’s escort mission, taken along the way, was complete. Their next destination was Yuheng City.