Love Lock

Chapter 118 I’m going too
"This weapon called a pistol is truly amazing! With this, I am absolutely able to protect Miss Han and the Prince."

Han Lei looked at his excited expression and stared at the sky speechlessly.

"Stop being so happy. Throw away your armor and sword; they're useless now."

"Hehe. Yeah, with a pistol, these are useless."

He had been equipped with this set of cold weapons for many years. Although Pingchuan was somewhat reluctant, he resolutely threw the armor and sword by the roadside.

He was wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying a pistol and a stun gun, and felt very energetic; his demeanor instantly made him look like a modern soldier.

Indeed, guns and cannons are the end of men.

With his new outfit, Pingchuan immediately focused his attention on studying the new weapon, and Han Lei finally had some peace and quiet.

The motorcycle started moving again, the night wind still howling, but the two men were filled with confidence and strength.

They passed through Pingyang County in Cangzhou, then through Yong'an City, and finally arrived at the Yong'an City camp around noon, covered in dust from their journey.

Inside the camp, the soldiers were still busy carrying enough supplies to defend the city walls to deal with the 200,000-strong Turkic army.

Boxes of arrows, boulders, and logs were continuously sent up the city walls.

These supplies will be a vital barrier for Yong'an City in its defense against the 200,000-strong Turkic army.

Normally, barricades are placed at the entrance of the military camp for protection. But today, because the soldiers need to carry supplies for the city's defense, the camp gates are wide open.

Suddenly, a strange and terrifying roar rang out from afar, breaking the busy atmosphere in the military camp.

Immediately afterwards, a strangely shaped monster, carrying two people, charged straight into the military camp like a wild horse, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The monster was clad in steel armor, its three wheels spun rapidly, and its tail trailed a long trail of smoke, making it look both fierce and eerie.

The soldiers were startled by the sudden appearance of the monster, and the supplies in their hands fell to the ground. In their shock, they all took cover or picked up their weapons to defend themselves.

"What is that? Is it a new Turkic cavalry force?"

"No, that person up there looks like Deputy Commander Ping, who is by Zhao Shuai's side."

"Isn't that Dr. Han?"

Sure enough, the monster stopped, and two people jumped down from it—Pingchuan and Han Lei.

Han Lei stayed in the Yong'an City camp for a while, and almost everyone saw her ambulance, the emergency food she had obtained, and her extraordinary medical skills. Everyone knew that she would never have any ill intentions.

Moreover, Pingchuan, Zhao Zun's deputy commander of personal guards, also appeared with Han Lei.

So, after recognizing them, the soldiers around them were relieved and no longer afraid.

"Deputy Commander Ping, what brings you here?" a soldier asked in surprise.

"Miss Han, it's you all." Another soldier's tone also carried a hint of surprise.

Pingchuan and Han Lei had no time to notice the soldiers' surprise. They looked around and asked anxiously, "Where is Commander Zhao? Where is he now?"

"Zhao Shuai?"

The soldiers hesitated for a moment, looking at each other, unwilling to mention the awkwardness of Zhao Zun being appointed vanguard despite his marshal status.

Finally, under Pingchuan's anxious gaze, a soldier stammered, "General Li Gang ordered Commander Zhao to lead the vanguard battalion to set up an ambush at Niuweipo."

Pingchuan frowned and pressed further, "How many people went?"

"The vanguard battalion has two thousand men," the soldier replied.

When Han Lei heard that Zhao Zun had only brought two thousand men to ambush Niuweipo, her face immediately darkened.

"Let's go, get in the car. We're going to Niuweipo."

Pingchuan remained silent, his face ashen, and stepped into the cargo bed and sat down.

Han Lei nodded, and with a roar, the motorcycle started up again.

After a skillful drift, the motorcycle shot forward like an arrow, and the surrounding soldiers all stepped back to make way for it.

Just then, Hua Tianyou, who was worried about Zhao Zun's safety, ran over.

When he saw Pingchuan and Han Lei, his usually carefree eyes were filled with surprise.

"Miss Han, you've finally arrived. Where are you going?" Hua Tianyou shouted.

Han Lei slammed on the brakes, turned around, and replied briefly, "Go save people."

save people?

They must be going to rescue Zhao Zun!
“I want to go too,” Hua Tianyou said without hesitation.

In the morning, Zhao Zun came to the military camp. Before he could even exchange a few words with Zhao Zun, he heard that Zhao Zun had already led the vanguard battalion to Niuweipo.

When Hua Tianyou heard that two thousand men were to ambush an army of two hundred thousand, he was extremely anxious.

"We're going to help the prince, not to have fun. Don't cause us any trouble," Pingchuan said irritably.

Hua Tianyou is the son of the Duke of Heng. He said he came to the military camp to gain experience, but he was just there to coast along, earn some military merit, and then go back.

In the eyes of a master like Pingchuan, Hua Tianyou, though he had some rudimentary skills, was still inexperienced and would only be a hindrance if he went.

"Who's causing trouble? I'm going to find Zhao Zun. I'm very worried about him."

Hua Tianyou looked anxious. Zhao Zun was his best friend since childhood. How could he watch Zhao Zun go into danger alone?
Besides, after spending a few months in the military camp, he's not entirely useless now.

Pingchuan wanted to refuse, but Han Lei frowned, turned her head, and gestured for Hua Tianyou to get in the car.

"Come on up! Sit in the back."

Although Hua Tianyou seemed carefree and irresponsible, she could tell that his concern for Zhao Zun was genuine.

Besides, she wouldn't engage in close combat with the enemy, so Hua Tianyou wouldn't be in much danger.

Hua Tianyou glanced gratefully at Han Lei and immediately straddled the back seat of the motorcycle.

However, there are no seat belts in the back, so people sitting in the back can only hold onto the waist of the person in front.

Hua Tianyou felt awkward after sitting down. He couldn't very well hug Han Lei's waist, could he?

He looked around, and finally had no choice but to put his hand on Pingchuan's shoulder. Pingchuan turned his head and gave him a disdainful look, but didn't say anything, just letting him hold his shoulder.

"Sit tight."

Han Lei let out a soft, sweet cry, and the monster roared again, accelerating forward.

At this time, the other side.

In the afternoon, the sun was high in the sky, and the sky over the grassland was a clear, deep blue.

Zhao Zun had already led the vanguard battalion brothers, riding at full speed, and arrived at Niuweipo in a hurry.

Niuweipo is a hillside with undulating terrain and sparse vegetation, which acts as a natural barrier in front of Yinshan Mountain.

If the Turkic army crosses Niuwei Slope and then the Yinshan River, they can march straight to Yong'an City. Zhao Zun tightened the reins, his eyes scanning the terrain ahead.

Ma Cheng followed closely beside Zhao Zun, his brows furrowed and his expression grave.

"Your Highness, the Turks have an army of 200,000, and our numbers are so vastly different..."

Zhao Zun also looked solemn. He knew what Ma Cheng wanted to say, but the current situation was already settled, and he could not let such pessimistic thoughts affect the morale of the army.

So, before Ma Cheng could finish speaking, he immediately took over.

"This will definitely be a fierce battle. So, all we can do is launch a surprise attack and catch them off guard. Ma Cheng, you take the brothers to scout the terrain first and make sure to find the best hiding place."

"As ordered!"

Ma Cheng's expression turned serious, and he said no more. He dismounted and led dozens of his men to carefully survey and analyze the terrain along the hillside.

After sending out scouts to continue gathering intelligence, Zhao Zun sat on his horse and watched Ma Cheng and his men from afar.

Then, he closed his eyes and began to simulate various battle scenarios for a surprise attack in his mind.

According to the latest intelligence, the Turkic army is less than 20 li away from Niuweipo, and Turkic scouts have been spotted a few li away.

Niuweipo is located on the edge of the Turkic steppe, its area narrowing from wide to narrow like a funnel. Since ancient times, it has been a strategic location fought over by military strategists in the northwest, serving as a vital choke point between the Turks and the Dajing.

Given the Turkic army's marching speed, they would arrive at Niuweipo by sunset at the latest, and would most likely camp there tonight.

They had only two thousand men, yet they were tasked with raiding the supply lines of an army of two hundred thousand, and also finding a way to escape unscathed. This level of difficulty meant that Zhao Zun, the commander-in-chief of this operation, dared not be careless in the slightest.

If the sneak attack fails, they will either perish at Niuweipo or have no choice but to retreat to Yinshanhe...

Only after the entire ambush process was fully simulated in his mind did the utterly exhausted Zhao Zun slowly open his eyes and begin to assign and issue tasks.

The vanguard battalion brothers sprang into action quickly following Zhao Zun's orders. In addition to the weapons they carried, they also gathered various supplies needed for the raid from the local area.

This was to ensure that the operation would disrupt the Turkic offensive plans to the greatest extent possible.

By the time everything was ready, the sun was already setting.

Zhao Zun ordered everyone to take their positions, then ate and rested on the spot, remaining vigilant and awaiting the upcoming battle.

Only then, after traveling for a day and a night, Zhao Zun and his guards were able to rest for a moment, their bodies exhausted.

The soldiers of the vanguard battalion quickly took out their rations and water bags and ate silently. Although their hearts were filled with tension and anticipation, the expressions on their faces were unusually firm.

This battle concerns the safety of Beiguan, the safety of Dajing, and the lives of countless people. They are the guardians of Dajing, the shield of the people. No matter what lies ahead, they must hold on.

After eating, the soldiers rested quietly by their posts, each clutching their weapon tightly in their arms.

They were their most loyal companions, who accompanied them through countless storms and wars.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, it cast its last rays upon these tough men.

As dusk settles, the faint stars dot the deep night sky, silently watching over these warriors as the crickets chirp across the grassland.

The night deepened and grew oppressive, covering the vast grassland. The moonlight appeared and disappeared intermittently, as if even it feared the approaching storm.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional howl of wolves in the distance reminding one that this was a living, breathing world.

However, behind this tranquility, the Turkic army, this troublesome and formidable enemy of the steppe, is advancing in a mighty force.

The vanguard soldiers rested silently in their concealed positions, waiting for the moment when, at a single command, they would descend like tigers from the mountain, delivering a fatal blow to the Turkic army.

As the hour of Hai approached, a fast horse galloped in, the sound of its hooves growing louder as it drew nearer.

Zhao Zun, who was not fast asleep, jolted awake and sat up abruptly. His deep eyes peered through the gaps in the grass, intently watching the person approaching.

The man rode directly to the location where Zhao Zun was hiding, dismounted, and clasped his hands in a fist to report.

"Report! A Turkic scout has been spotted about a mile ahead."

"Hmm! No need to explore any further, go and rest!"

Zhao Zun waved for the scouts to go and rest, then his eyes narrowed as he looked into the distance.

Just as the scouts returned to report, under the moonlight, a sandstorm was faintly visible rising on the distant horizon, obscuring the sky and the sun.

Zhao Zun then pressed his ear to the ground to confirm the distance of the Turkic army again through sound.

The thunderous roar of cavalry echoed in his ears, like a colossal beast lurking in the darkness, rapidly approaching. The deep, powerful hooves shook the earth, mingling with the wind to form a war song.

That chilling aura assaulted the eardrums and made one's heart pound.

After a short while, Zhao Zun stood up, his face solemn.

"Pass down the order. Everyone, get ready, stay alert, and proceed according to plan."

Zhao Zun gave a deep order to the junior officers beside him. After receiving the order, the junior officers quickly crouched down and disappeared into the night.

According to the marching habits of the Dajing army, they usually set up camp at nightfall. However, spring is the windy season for the grasslands, which are open and difficult to shelter from the wind.

Niuweipo was the only place in the area that could be sheltered from the wind. Therefore, Zhao Zun was certain that even if they traveled through the night, the Turkic army would reach Niuweipo and set up camp there.

The terrain they chose after their survey was the most sheltered section of the area.

At the beginning of Hai hour (9-11 PM), the deafening sound of horses' hooves rang out, and the cavalry of the Turkic army finally came into view.

They rode tall horses, wielding sharp curved swords, and charged menacingly toward Zhao Zun and his group.

Zhao Zun crouched down, hiding behind a tree, and tidied up the bushes around him that he was using for cover.

Soon, the Turkic cavalry arrived on horseback. After dismounting, they briefly inspected the area before busily setting up tents and starting fires to roast meat.

The torchlight illuminated their busy figures, and they were completely unaware that a two-thousand-strong vanguard army of the Great Jing was hidden in the darkness of the distant mountains...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain...

In the darkness, all was quiet except for the roar of the sidecar motorcycle echoing through the empty night, like a lone beast roaring in the wilderness.

The motorcycle sped along, the night wind whistling past my ears.

Hua Tianyou, the once carefree and irresponsible playboy, now sat behind Han Lei, gritting his teeth and remaining silent. Without a helmet, he let the night wind whip his face like a knife.

His right hand gripped Pingchuan's shoulder tightly, his heart filled with both immense worry for Zhao Zun and extreme tension.

He didn't know the name of the monster Han Lei was riding, and he knew that Han Lei must be feeling very agitated, so he was too embarrassed to ask.

All he knew was that this monster was much faster than the warhorses they usually rode. They ran for nearly a hundred miles, and Han Lei never let the monster rest or feed it any fodder.

He guessed that it was probably similar to the previous ambulance, Han Lei's personal vehicle.

What made him nervous was that Han Lei's driving skills were too good, her speed was too fast, the winding official road was uneven, and Han Lei rarely slowed down when turning. Several times he almost got thrown off.

Happy Lantern Festival everyone! While you're enjoying a happy and fulfilling year, please also leave a comment, read my posts, and vote for me. Thank you!

(End of this chapter)