Chapter 779: Ambush and Counter-Ambush

Chapter 771 Ambush and Counter-Ambush

Their eyes full of vigilance, they seldom spoke or laughed. They didn't buy food at the inn, but left immediately after their horses had quenched their thirst.

He Lingchuan slammed his fist on the table, making the teapots, plates, and cups clatter noisily. “Put it down, you ill-mannered brute!” he yelled.

The bearded man narrowed his eyes, lowered his leg, stood up, and said ominously, “Say that again?”

The loud commotion reached the inn, and several patrol guards from Yuheng City walked over, following the sound. “What’s going on here?” they asked.

The thin, dark-skinned young man quickly came over to mediate. “It’s hot and tempers are flaring; please cool down, both of you! These few skewers are on me. There are no empty tables by the pond, so please bear with us, guests,” he said.

He Lingchuan chuckled and, pointing at the burly man opposite him, declared, “I report him! This fellow is a bandit from Longchuan!”

A circle of people around the tables instantly stood up. The burly man’s face changed dramatically. “What nonsense are you talking about?” he demanded.

“A few days ago, I personally saw him killing people at Hunlong Ridge!”

Upon hearing this, the patrol guards looked at the burly man closely. “Hands on the table, spread your legs!” they ordered.

Given his menacing appearance, they decided to search him first.

The burly man slowly placed his hands on the table, when suddenly, a chair fell over not far away.

The patrol guards turned their heads at the sound, and the burly man, with his other hand, drew a dagger from his waist, seizing the opportunity to swiftly slash at a guard’s neck!

The move was both fierce and fast. At the same time, he shouted, “Attack!”

A dozen people by the pond, and nearly a hundred inside the inn, drew their weapons simultaneously at the sound, and charged towards the resting patrol guards and merchants!

He Lingchuan hadn't reported them wrongly; they were indeed river bandits.

There were only about thirty patrol guards, but over a hundred river bandits.

The burly leader’s dagger, however, failed to cut the patrol guard’s throat, because the thin, dark-skinned young man, who had been smiling and mediating, suddenly raised a pot and splashed its contents at him!

This was clearly a pot meant for bayberry wine, but what he splashed out was boiling, smoking oil!

He was standing diagonally opposite the burly man, and the timing was such that it was as if the burly man had delivered himself right into the trap. The latter, quick-witted and agile, saw the yellowish liquid coming from the corner of his eye, instinctively recoiled, and activated his protective aura, preventing the hot oil from reaching him.

However, the river bandits rushing in from diagonally behind to provide support were unlucky. They were hit full-on in the head and face with hot oil and immediately screamed, falling to the ground and rolling.

The patrol guards drew their weapons fearlessly, and while fending off their enemies, they shouted loudly, “Kill the bandits! Kill the villains! Bystanders, step back!”

Another group of guests by the lotus pond stood up. They looked like stable hands, itinerant merchants, and laborers, but from somewhere, they produced swords and blades and clashed noisily with the river bandits.

“Are these martial artists? No, they are well-trained soldiers!” The burly man knew at a glance that something was wrong and immediately roared, “Retreat, men, retreat!”

This was a trap; they had fallen into an ambush!

His cultivation was formidable. In two moves, he forced back three patrol guards, then swung a table at the thin, dark-skinned young man. Just as he intended to fight his way out with ferocity, he felt a whooshing sound behind his head.

The burly man dared not be careless and ducked to dodge.

A sleeve arrow whizzed past from above; had he not dodged, his skull would have been pierced.

This angle… The burly man was furious. It was that bastard who had snatched his seat earlier!

How truly vicious.

Just as he was about to draw his saber, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his thigh, followed by a distinct *crack*.

The burly man screamed in agony and looked down to see that his leg bone was broken!

The white bone was protruding from his thigh, and blood immediately gushed out. If it were an ordinary person, they might have fainted from the pain on the spot.

The young man behind him slowly retracted his leg.

With one kick, he had broken the burly man’s thigh.

Though physically disabled, the burly man remained resolute and desperately swung his saber backward. But his movements were no longer agile, and He Lingchuan easily dodged. With another *crack* within moments, he broke his left leg too.

The man could no longer stand and rolled twice on the ground, shouting loudly, “Don’t mind me! Retreat, everyone, quick retreat!”

The surrounding patrol guards swarmed him, bound him tightly, and stuffed a cloth in his mouth.

He Lingchuan, raising his saber, killed two bandits in quick succession, as swiftly as cutting grass in a field. Blood splattered on his cheeks, adding a menacing look to his face.

A nearby river bandit was terrified stiff and turned to flee. He Lingchuan casually flung out his Fusheng saber, which *thunked* as it pierced the bandit’s back, pinning him to the wall!

Commander He wiped the blood from his face and ordered, “Collect their heads for merit; don’t let a single one escape!”

“Yes, sir!” the surrounding patrol guards responded in unison.

The burly man stared fixedly at He Lingchuan, his eyes almost popping out.

This fellow… this fellow is the leader?

The government soldiers wanted no survivors. Upon hearing this, the river bandits scattered and fled.

The entire battle lasted for over half an hour.

The patrol guards spent more time pursuing than killing.

By the time everyone returned and reported their achievements, the scene of the fight at Qinglang Inn had been largely cleared.

He Lingchuan himself had killed six people, leaving no survivors.

When he walked over to the burly man, the last drop of blood had just dripped from his saber’s blade.

The thin, dark-skinned young man removed the cloth from the burly man’s mouth. He Lingchuan lifted his leg and propped his foot on the long bench beside the burly man’s head. “Hello, Brother Hao,” he said.

The burly man gritted his teeth and glared at him, remaining silent, cold sweat beading on his forehead from the pain.

“What, don’t you dare admit it?”

The thin, dark-skinned young man kicked the burly man, who grunted in pain. “I am Chen Hao, and I do not change my name! How do you know me!”

“This is all thanks to Gang Leader Xu of the Ball Gang; their intelligence is truly accurate!” He Lingchuan said with a smile. “They even calculated precisely who would lead the raid on Qinglang Inn and with how many people.”

Chen Hao gulped. “That Xu fellow is dead for sure, and so are you!”

“I’ve never seen such an arrogant captive before,” He Lingchuan said as he plopped down on the bench. “Judging by your accent, you’re not from around here, are you?”

He seemed to be making casual conversation, while Chen Hao pursed his lips.

“Beijia?”

As soon as these two words were spoken, Chen Hao instinctively looked up at him.

He Lingchuan continued, “I heard you’re Fu Shanlie’s favorite general? Instead of staying comfortably in Beijia, why has Fu Shanlie come to my territory?”

Chen Hao’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice. “Did that Xu fellow tell you all this too?”

By this time, the patrol guards and plainclothes officers who had gone to pursue the enemy had returned to their ranks and presented the captured heads. The river bandits lying on the ground, groaning, didn’t have time to beg for mercy and were all finished off with a final blow, their heads severed.

Yuheng City had long announced throughout the entire region that bandits who surrendered voluntarily would be treated leniently, but those who dared to oppose the Yuheng Army would be exterminated. The current situation applied to the latter. Once their legs were broken and they were on the ground, begging for mercy was useless.

This combination of leniency and severity was one of the main reasons for the sharp decrease in the number of Longchuan bandits.

The merchants and travelers inside the inn watched with wide eyes as headless corpses lay scattered and blood flowed everywhere, their bodies trembling, but their faces filled with relief.

These fierce individuals were on their side. The more ferocious and powerful the Yuheng City Army became, the more secure their trade journeys would be.

Chen Hao watched with wide eyes, his face grim.

The methods of the Yuheng City Army were truly ruthless. Apart from him, they truly left no survivors!

“Reporting, sir! Sixty-seven bandits annihilated, sixty-seven heads captured, and seven of them were wanted criminals!”

“Excellent,” He Lingchuan said, asking Chen Hao, “Among these heads, are there any of your Beijia people?”