Bandits

Traveling by night was never easy, especially with the ascent ahead where the terrain grew rugged. Though the distance was said to be thirty li, the effort required felt closer to sixty. As if one misfortune were not enough, snowflakes suddenly began to drift from the sky. Standing there would only mean swallowing the freezing northwest wind and turning into popsicles. With no other choice, the travelers grumbled as they urged their cattle and horses onward. "These marauding bandits are getting bolder and bolder." "Doesn't everyone claim Panlong City's army is formidable? Why aren't they policing the bandits on this road?" "My horse can barely put one foot in front of the other." "I'm never coming back. I'd rather make less money than lose my life before I can spend it!" Complaints rippled throughout the caravan, but He Lingchuan turned a deaf ear, merely conferring in hushed tones with Door Plank and the others. Door Plank and his men took their orders, moving off to relay instructions and see to their preparations. Watching from the side, Sun Fuling suddenly remarked to He Lingchuan, "Did you get promoted again?" "Hmm?" He Lingchuan rubbed his cheek, a hint of smugness showing. "How could you tell?" A dimple appeared on Sun Fuling's cheek. "Throwing your weight around!" "That's called commanding with composed authority!" Just then, Dingzi came over to report. "The wounded say Qinglang Courier Station was attacked roughly two shichen ago. The assailants were all water bandits, around fifty or sixty of them. They stormed the outpost, set fires, plundered the place, and made off with grain, horses, and the guests' valuables." "I heard the last raid was seven days ago. The merchants aren't wrong—these bandits are growing more insolent by the day," Door Plank said bitterly. "If this keeps up, trade along this route will take a severe hit." "Stay sharp and widen the sentry perimeter," He Lingchuan said, exhaling a breath. "Tell the boys: feed the men and mounts, ready your weapons. Hunlong Ridge is ten li ahead." With snow falling, darkness settled quickly. After only a dozen breaths, anything beyond fifty zhang was swallowed in obscurity. The caravan lit torches and pressed forward. The peregrine falcon swooped down once more. "Those two dumb birds flew off. They aren't following anymore." "That's because there's only one road south for us, and it must pass Hunlong Ridge," Willow said. "There's no need for them to keep tailing us." He Lingchuan drew a saber and handed it to Sun Fuling. "Does Master know how to use a blade?" They were probably about to get busy. "Naturally." Sun Fuling took the weapon, concealing it beneath her cloak. "In a moment, you needn't worry about me." He Lingchuan knew she never put on pretenses; if she said not to worry, she meant it. Amid biting wind and bitter snow, the caravan reached Hunlong Ridge. The undulating hills were strewn with rocky hollows. There were two mandatory routes leading to the free port, and Hunlong Ridge was one of them. Though difficult to traverse, it was far better than the other road. For years, traveling caravans had always taken Hunlong Ridge. Halfway through, the path narrowed. Suddenly, the scout ahead blew a piercing whistle— An ambush! Immediately after, a shower of arrows rained down from above. Clutching their heads, the merchants and passengers ducked behind the wagons without another word, leaving everything to the guards. Hadn't they hired an escort precisely to keep themselves safe? The guards had just corralled the carts and horses into a defensive circle when the bandits on high ground hurled crude homemade bombs down at them, the blasts terrifying the livestock into frantic braying and whinnying. Then, howling wildly, the band of bandits charged down the slope, brandishing their weapons. They numbered over a hundred, with archers halfway up the ridge taking potshots to cover their comrades. Their coordination was well-practiced, showing this was far from their first ambush. Just then, the bandits heard a calm, curt voice carry from within the caravan: "Douse the torches. Kill!" Pff, pff—the torches across the wagons were snuffed out at once. Torches in the dark were bullseyes; extinguishing them made it easier to slaughter under the cover of night. It was a night of wind, snow, and slaughter. Crouched behind a wagon, the caravan leader heard only the clashing of blades, punctuated by a ceaseless barrage of shouts, curdling shrieks, and curses. Gathering his courage, he tried to see what was happening outside the wagon circle. But the moment he poked his head out, something warm and salty-metallic splattered across his face, drenching him completely. He jerked his head back in haste, smacking his lips—blood?! Bah, spit, spit, spit! Right then, across the way, a three- or four-year-old toddler crawled out from behind his mother, scrabbling past the wagon to retrieve a dropped toy. The merchant gasped in terror. "Don't go—" Before the words finished leaving his mouth, a bandit was sent flying by Door Plank's shield, crashing right on top of the toy. Seeing Door Plank charging toward him, the bandit jolted, seized the child, and held a blade against the boy's neck. "Don't move, or I'll kill him!" Door Plank halted in his tracks. At that very moment, someone stepped silently behind the bandit and twisted his arm, sending the weapon flying from his grip. Feeling his hand lighten, the bandit had no time to react before searing pain struck his cheek and his vision went black. Everyone present heard a heavy thud. The bandit's neck twisted askew as he plummeted unconscious to the ground. An object flew from his mouth some seven chi away and landed squarely in the merchant's hands. The merchant suddenly felt something plop into his grip. Looking down, he saw a bloody tooth! Terrified, he shuddered and threw it away. Sun Fuling calmly straightened up and scooped up the child from the ground. "This is far too dangerous." The child only grinned back at her, his teeth not even fully grown—how could he comprehend the word "danger"? Master Sun was speechless. She thrust the toddler back into his mother's arms. "Watch him closely. Don't let him crawl around." "Uh." Having witnessed the entire scene, Door Plank scratched his head. The master looked like a delicate beauty, yet when beating someone up, she was fiercer than Willow? No wonder Boss He feared her so much. Looking back at the unconscious bandit, his jaw was rapidly purpling with pooled blood, swollen larger than a steamed bun. Hiss. All clear here. He turned away to lend Willow a hand. About half a quarter-hour later, the sounds of fighting in the dark gradually subsided. Voices yelled to retreat, followed by the clatter of horse hooves fading into the distance. The merchants and travelers hardly dared to breathe. Soon, silence returned to the surroundings. That calm voice rang out once more: "Light the torches. The fight is over." Torches flared up one by one. The caravan members crept out from behind the wagons to behold a scene of utter carnage— Bodies lay strewn across the ground, blood pooling everywhere. Yet almost all of them were unfamiliar faces. "The bandits were repelled?" Everyone looked at one another in disbelief. "We won?" That languid youth stood at the very front. A few drops of fresh blood dripped from the tip of his gleaming saber, stark and striking against the white snow. The caravan leader instinctively drew back his legs to keep the blood from dripping onto his boots. The youth noticed, and with a slight flick of his hand, the blade vanished. The weapons of the other guards were smeared with blood and matted hair, exuding chilling murderous intent. Yet all the guards deferred to him. Even those returning from chasing down the fleeing bandits bowed their heads and reported, "Brigade Commander, six or seven got away." "No need to pursue," He Lingchuan waved a hand. "It's fine to let them carry word back." "Brigade Commander?" The caravan leader stared. "Y-You're in the army?" They had clearly only hired two squads of escorts. "The Gale Army." Door Plank wiped the red and white gore from his shield. "Consider yourselves lucky. You caught us fishing in plain clothes." To think they had hired the Gale Army as escorts! Overjoyed, the caravan members voiced their profuse thanks—burning high incense before setting out had truly paid off! After escorting the caravan across the ridge to safely reach the next courier station, the Gale Army contingent turned northeast. The most perilous stretch of the Xiji road was behind them. The escort assignment He Lingchuan and his companions had undertaken along the way was finished; next, they would head for Yuheng City.