The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 204 The Absurd Battle of the Peak

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Chao Gai, Wu Yong, and a few others pushed the seven extremely heavy Jiangzhou carts.

The wheels creaked and groaned as they rolled over the frozen, hard mud, sounding as if they were crushing someone's bones. They were trying to squeeze through the narrow gap that the Wu Song caravan had barely made.

The cold wind in December was like a knife, scraping painfully against one's face. The silence was eerily profound; even breathing seemed to freeze, as if solidified by ice on a river.

Wu Song stood with his arms crossed by the roadside, his imposing figure like a heavy iron weight, completely still.

His tiger-like eyes, with their hidden glint, seemed to glance casually, but in reality, they had already cast a net, enveloping the group of "date-selling merchants."

He knew perfectly well that these people were definitely not good people! And the heavy objects in the car were like hot coals—he couldn't touch them!
Without revealing his true feelings, he simply put his right hand behind his back and, facing the timid guards of his caravan who were pretending to be ordinary workers, secretly made a "five fingers clenched" gesture behind his waist—this was the code word that the guards he had been training recently were used to, and the meaning couldn't be clearer: "Grab your weapons, get ready!"

The expressions on the faces of the caravan members immediately changed.

The guards sent to escort the shipment were all seasoned veterans who had fought their way through the bandits. Now, their fierce eyes were fully revealed, and they showed no sign of fear.

Several shrewd men had already quietly reached into their robes and gripped the coarse cloth-stitched lime bag tightly with their fingers.

The others remained calm and untied the oil-soaked fishing nets wrapped around their waists. They hooked their fingers into the slipknots on the edge of the net, and with a flick of their wrists, they could cover the net from head to toe.

The faint, yet palpable, murderous aura in the air was more chilling than the biting wind of December.

Seeing that Chao Gai was leading the way and Liu Tang, the Red-Haired Devil, was bringing up the rear, the group barely managed to squeeze into the middle of the gap, just a few steps away from Wu Song!

Liu Tang, whose temper was as fiery as a burning coal, saw Wu Song's calm and composed demeanor, as steady as a mountain, and the unfriendly glint in the eyes of the caravan's "staff." An unnamed rage welled up within him and he could no longer contain himself, so he lashed out at the top of his lungs.

He thought to himself: This group of bastards has the upper hand in numbers. If we delay, things might get complicated. We must capture this leader of the bastards first!

Confident in his brute strength and eager to show off his skills to his brothers, he steeled himself, his eyes flashing with a ferocious light like a wild dog seeing blood. He roared like thunder, spitting far and wide: "You son of a bitch! What are you pretending for! I'll chop off your donkey kidneys, the one blocking my way, as a sacrifice!"

Before he finished speaking, the sharp broadsword he had hidden under the jujube bag was like a venomous snake emerging from its hole. With a "whoosh," it flashed coldly and slashed straight at Wu Song's face! This strike was fast and ruthless, carrying the ferocity of a desperate man. It was completely devoid of any fancy moves and was meant to split Wu Song in two from head to toe!

"Brother Liu Tang, you mustn't!" Chao Gai and Wu Yong exclaimed in unison, but it was too late!
What a Wu Song! Seeing the blade flashing overhead, he neither dodged nor evaded! In a flash, a cold snort burst from his nose, like a thunderclap from a clear sky!
"Well done!" Seeing the power of this strike, Wu Song's eyes flashed with admiration, but his hands did not slow down at all! He suddenly lowered his waist and sat on his horse, raising his broadsword from below with a "Overlord Lifts the Tripod" move, forcefully blocking the attack towards the sky!
"Clang—!!!" The deafening clang of metal exploding like a thunderclap from a clear sky! Sparks flew as the two blades clashed!
Liu Tang felt a sudden "buzz" in his arms, his arms trembled violently, and his tiger's mouth instantly split open, blood staining the hilt of his knife!
He felt an overwhelming force surge back, and he staggered back three steps, his chest heaving with blood and qi!

But with his bloodshot eyes fixed on Wu Song, he actually managed to grip the hilt of the knife and withstand the immense force, preventing it from slipping out of his hand!

Wu Song swayed slightly, and cracks appeared in the frozen ground beneath his feet! He thought to himself, "This red-haired devil has incredible strength! He's a tough nut to crack!"

Chao Gai and the three Ruan brothers were surprised to see that this burly man could withstand Liu Tang's attack despite being ambushed. They knew their own brothers' foot combat skills, and Liu Tang was the best in foot combat among them, yet he was still at a disadvantage. They all rushed forward!

The flashing blades and forks instantly wove together into a net!
Wu Song's jade ring step was so graceful that his figure was as elusive as a ghost!
He stepped diagonally with his left foot, as if stepping on the edge of a jade ring, narrowly avoiding Chao Gai's knife aimed at his waist!

Using the momentum, he spun around, his broadsword transforming into a streak of light. "Clang! Clang!" Two crisp sounds rang out, sparks flew, and he struck precisely the tip of Ruan Xiaoer's insidious fork aimed at his back and the sharp teeth of Ruan Xiaowu's harpoon aimed at his throat!
At the same time, his right foot shot out like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, unleashing a swift and powerful double kick! "Bang!" It struck Ruan Xiaoqi squarely in the chest as she lunged forward again!
Ruan Xiaoqi screamed and was kicked, sending her flying far away!
"Stop being so arrogant!" Liu Tang caught his breath and saw Ruan Xiaoqi fall to the ground. He roared and, ignoring the excruciating pain from his split hand, pounced on her again!

This time he learned his lesson and stopped hacking and slashing. Instead, he wielded his broadsword with incredible speed and power, aiming his attacks at Wu Song's groin.

Although her swordsmanship was not as exquisite as Wu Song's, she was fearless and powerful, with each strike carrying a tragic momentum of mutual destruction. For a time, she forced Wu Song to be distracted and parry, and her Jade Ring Step was also slightly hindered!
Wu Song was entangled by Liu Tang's reckless fighting style, and also had to deal with the siege of Chao Gai, Ruan Xiao Er, and Ruan Xiao Wu. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes!
He suddenly feinted with his sword, forcing Chao Gai aside. He then lowered his body abruptly, using the Jade Ring Step to its fullest extent. Like an eel, he slipped through the gaps between Liu Tang's dense sword light and Ruan Xiaowu's harpoon, instantly closing in on Liu Tang's center!

Wu Song lowered his center of gravity, his lower body as stable as an old tree rooted to the ground, his left leg nailed to the ground, while his right leg, like a steel whip filled with power, lashed out with a sharp whistling sound as it tore through the air, striking Liu Tang's vital chest and abdomen!

Liu Tang's pupils constricted sharply! He never expected that Wu Song could close the distance so quickly even when surrounded by four people! In his haste, he could only slam the hilt of his broadsword downwards in an attempt to block!

With a muffled thud, the mandarin duck's foot slammed into the end of the broadsword's hilt! The immense force traveled through the hilt and struck Liu Tang hard in the abdomen!

"Ugh!" Liu Tang felt as if his internal organs had been hit by a giant hammer, and the pain was excruciating!

Even with his strong physique, the kick caused his blood and qi to surge backward, his vision to go black, and his burly body to arch like a boiled shrimp. He staggered back seven or eight steps, a mouthful of blood rising to his throat, which he forced down, his face turning deathly pale! The broadsword almost slipped from his hand and flew away!
With a kick that sent the red-haired devil sprawling, Wu Song's momentum was unstoppable! Without further hesitation, he roared like thunder, "That guy!"

He hurled the broadsword in his hand with all his might, and it became a shooting star, whistling sharply, heading straight for Chao Gai's face!

Before the blade even arrived, the stench was so strong that Chao Gai's hair and beard stood on end, and he hurriedly raised his blade to block!

With the broadsword out of his hand, Wu Song was not weak at all; on the contrary, he was like a tiger without shackles, his ferocity burning even brighter!

Her figure followed closely behind Liu Tang, who had been kicked back! She unleashed a series of Jade Ring Steps, swift as a ghost, and instantly slashed into Liu Tang's arms once more!
Just as Liu Tang had swallowed the mouthful of blood, his chest was still burning, when he suddenly felt a gust of foul wind hit him. A fist the size of a vinegar jar, filled with immense force, struck him squarely in the still-painful heart without any fancy moves!
"Awooo—!" The ferocity in Liu Tang's bones was completely ignited by this fist! He let out a beast-like howl from his throat, and actually abandoned his broadsword. His two muscular arms, like the roots of an old tree, were crossed and tightly guarded his chest, wanting to use his flesh and blood to withstand this fist that could split rocks and shatter stone!
"Bang!!!" The fists clashed, producing a heavy, thud that sent chills down your spine! Like a hammer slamming into a cowhide drum!

Liu Tang's arms felt as if they had been struck by a massive hammer! A sharp pain instantly coursed through his entire body, and his arm bones groaned in agony from the unbearable strain!
His crossed arms were slammed back by this overwhelming force, crashing heavily into his chest!
"Pfft—!" Unable to hold back any longer, he spat out a mouthful of blood!

His massive, bear-like body was as if he had been gored by a mad bull, his feet leaving the ground as he flew backward and crashed onto the frozen, hard mud with a loud thud!
With a "rip," it slid a dozen feet away, plowing a deep furrow in the frozen ground, dust mixed with blood and foam flying everywhere!

Liu Tang struggled to sit up, but his arms were as limp as overcooked noodles, and his chest felt like it was being crushed by a millstone. Every breath he took was like a knife twisting through his internal organs!
He could barely prop his head up, his bloodshot eyes staring intently at Wu Song, burning with resentment and terrifying fear, but he couldn't even move a finger!
All of this happened in the blink of an eye, in the time it takes to catch one's breath.

"You wicked prisoner! You've injured my brother!" Chao Gai's eyes widened in fury at the sight of Liu Tang's miserable state!

A flash of cold light emanated from the precious sword in his hand, aiming straight for Wu Song's waist and abdomen! This strike was powerful, swift, and steady, displaying the demeanor of a master!

At the same time, the three Ruan brothers also turned red with rage!

The brothers Ruan Xiaoer, Ruan Xiaowu, and Ruan Xiaoqi, united in heart, shouted in unison, "Strip this bastard to death!" Three Emei daggers and two harpoons, like three venomous dragons churning the sea, attacked Wu Song's vital points from three directions: upper, middle, and lower!
In an instant, the flashing of swords and the chilling aura completely sealed off Wu Song from all sides!

"Die—come!" Wu Song roared like a tiger howling in the mountains, making everyone's eardrums buzz!

Instead of retreating, he advanced, his figure flashing like a ghost as he suddenly ducked and spun, narrowly avoiding Chao Gai's slash at the waist! At the same time, the broadsword he had snatched from Liu Tang transformed into a cold light that was impenetrable even when splashed with water!

"Clang! Pfft!"

A chilling clang of metal clashing exploded out!

Ruan Xiaoer's Emei dagger was parried by the broadsword, sparks flying everywhere!
Ruan Xiaowu's harpoon was struck hard by the back of the knife and almost slipped from his hand!

Ruan Xiaoqi's thrust at Wu Song's lower body was caught by Wu Song's precise footing!
At the same time, Wu Song swung his broadsword back and forth, the blade flashing like a bolt of lightning across Ruan Xiaoqi's arm!
"what--!"

Ruan Xiaoqi let out a shrill scream as blood spurted from her arm and the harpoon slipped from her hand!

Wu Song's move—parrying, smashing, stomping, and flicking—was executed with ghostly speed and in one fluid motion! The movements were so fast they made one's eyes blur, and the force was incredibly powerful!
He spun around like a top, his broadsword whistling with the sound of wind and thunder, his movements powerful and sweeping, and he single-handedly suppressed Chao Gai, Ruan Xiao'er, and Ruan Xiao'wu!

Wherever the wind of the blade passed, frozen earth churned up and the cold air was biting, and no one could get within three steps of him!

His imposing figure stood like a mountain amidst the flashing blades and bloodshed, his chilling aura soaring to the heavens, truly as if possessed by a demon god, his ferocity unmatched!

On one side, Wu Song fought alone against a group of bandits, creating a scene that shook the earth and made quite a spectacle.

Meanwhile, the three of them—the strategist Wu Yong, the cloud-piercing dragon Gongsun Sheng, and the white-day rat Bai Sheng—were in a miserable and distressed state, completely overwhelmed with worry!

As soon as Wu Song made that "five fingers clenched" gesture, the guards in the caravan, who were pretending to be weak but were actually strong, pounced on him like jackals that had smelled blood, howling and howling!

What's the point of following the rules of the martial arts world?
They resorted to the same underhanded tactics they had mastered in their days in the underworld, which Wu Er had retrained them in!

"Hey!" A guard grinned maliciously, and a packet of stark white quicklime powder was thrown at Gongsun Sheng, who was making effeminate gestures and muttering incantations, seemingly doing nothing in particular!

"Ouch! My eyes!" This Taoist priest had never been prepared for such a vile method. The lime powder drilled into his eyes and nose, and it felt like boiling oil had been poured on his face, or like hundreds of red-hot iron needles had pierced his eyeballs!
The pain was so intense that he covered his face with his hands, his clothes and sleeves soaked with snot, tears and saliva. He couldn't use any tricks or magic anymore, and could only scream in agony.

As the saying goes: Even a celestial being would fear being hit in the face with lime!
"You evil Taoist! Behold my magic weapon!" On the other side, two guards worked together as smoothly as lice in a crotch, their arms twitching.

A tattered fishing net, soaked in aged tung oil and emitting a pungent, fishy smell, suddenly came crashing down on Gongsun Sheng, who was fumbling for his ancient pine-patterned sword!

The fishing net was sticky and tough, wrapping around his body like a hundred slippery, venomous snakes! Gongsun Sheng, sword and all, was wrapped up like a meat dumpling and collapsed to the ground with a thud!
No matter how much he struggled and twisted, he couldn't escape this filthy cage. All that talk of otherworldly elegance was long gone; all that was left was a body covered in stinking sweat and the stench of tung oil, wriggling on the ground like a maggot!
Just as he was about to reach into his robes to grab something, four or five ravenous, sweaty servants pounced on him, hurling insults and raining blows at him!

"You son of a bitch!" "I'll teach you to play tricks!" The fists and feet targeted his weak points, forcing Gongsun Sheng to cower like a shrimp, desperately protecting his refined face with both hands!
Bai Sheng fared even worse! He was brutally beaten by the remaining wicked servants of the Ximen household, who wielded batons and door bolts.
They beat him until he cried for his parents, revealing his cowardly nature!
Then, stealing a glance, he saw Wu Song, a fearsome god, fighting five heroes alone, while his own trusted Gongsun Sheng was wrapped up like a dried fish. He was so frightened that he lost half of his soul!
I felt a heat in my crotch, and a hot, fishy-smelling liquid flowed down my thighs, hissing and steaming on the frozen ground!

"Damn it!" Bai Sheng yelled, ignoring his wet crotch, and turned to crawl under the nearest car wheel, trying to be a coward.

But a sharp-eyed and ruthless guard spotted him and, with a sinister grin, smeared another packet of quicklime powder all over his head and face!

"Oh dear! Dear grandfather! Ancestors, spare my life!" Bai Sheng's head and face were ashen white, he was choking so badly that he felt like he was going to cough up his lungs, and his face was covered with tears and snot mixed with lime, making him look like a hanged ghost on a stage.

Now, cowering beside the wheel, trembling like a leaf, it had lost all trace of the cleverness of a "day rat." It looked more like an old mouse whose fur had been scalded bare by boiling water!

A stick came jabbing under the car, and he hurriedly crawled to the other side, but another stick came from the other side. He wished his parents had given him two more legs. He rolled around under the car, looking quite pathetic!
Wu Yong, the strategist, was a poor schoolteacher with no physical strength. Seeing the fight raging like a boiling pot of porridge, he also wanted to follow Bai Sheng's example and crawl under the cart to avoid disaster. Unfortunately, Bai Sheng was quick and nimble, taking the spot under the cart first!
Just as Wu Yong was about to slip away, he felt a foul stench rushing towards him from behind! It was the three stewards, Lai Xing and Cui Ben, the purchasing manager, who had been holding back their anger for a long time. Like two wild dogs eyeing carrion, they silently surrounded him from behind!
One of them pounced on Wu Yong like a hungry tiger, clinging tightly to his waist, while the other, like a monkey stealing a peach, wrapped his two slender legs around him!
"Thump!" Wu Yong fell face-first onto the frozen ground, his front teeth throbbing painfully, and stars flashed before his eyes!
"Damn your mother and great-grandmother! How dare you rob your grandfather's goods! If my goods are lost, how dare I go back to Qinghe County!" Lai Xing sat down hard on Wu Yong's back, making him almost faint with a "uh"!
Lai Xing swung his palm, as big as a palm leaf fan, with a whooshing sound, "Slap! Slap!" Two big slaps, and Wu Yong's face instantly swelled up like a steamed bun, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth!

Cui Ben was also a mischievous fellow. Seeing that Lai Xing was occupying the back, he simply plopped down back to back with Lai Xing and sat heavily on Wu Yong's old waist!
Unable to find a suitable weapon, in desperation, he ripped off the heavy chain from his waist that held seven or eight long brass keys, grabbed the largest brass key head, and without a second thought, stabbed it hard into Wu Yong's protruding buttocks!
"Awooo——————!!!"

Wu Yong raised his head and let out a shrill, distorted scream, like a wild donkey whose throat had been pierced, instantly drowning out all other sounds on the field! It was many times more miserable than Ruan Xiaoqi's howl over there!
In an instant, Huangni Ridge turned into a boiling pot of porridge!
Wu Song fought Chao Gai and the Ruan brothers alone. His sword flashed and his domineering aura soared to the sky. He defeated the four men, leaving them only able to parry and unable to fight back. Ruan Xiaoqi was bleeding profusely and could barely hold them off from the outside.

Meanwhile, Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, and Bai Sheng were rolling around in the dust, struggling to escape and chasing each other. They were covered in dirt and looked utterly disheveled, like three toads rolling in a muddy pond.

Gongsun Sheng escaped the fishing net by some unknown method, but unfortunately his eyes were red and swollen like peaches from being irritated by lime, tears streamed down his face, and his vision was blurred, as if he were blind.

He stumbled and staggered a few steps like a headless fly, but a group of fierce servants caught up with him, shouted, swarmed forward, and knocked him to the ground!
The group of servants punched him like drums and kicked him like raindrops, attacking him indiscriminately.

Gongsun Sheng was in so much pain that he rolled around on the ground, but somehow he managed to slip away again.

Just as he was about to struggle to run again, he was caught off guard by a flying kick from behind, which landed squarely on his lower back! He cried out "Ouch!" and fell to the ground again.

This was even worse. Several vicious servants pounced on him, using vile tricks like "Black Tiger Pulls Out the Heart" and "Stealing Peaches from Under the Leaves," targeting his groin and vulnerable spots. They beat him mercilessly until his soul left his body and his spirit ascended to heaven, leaving him unable to utter a sound.

In the crater in the distance, Yang Zhi and his group had long been drugged and lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, like dead pigs.

The red-haired ghost Liu Tang was groaning and moaning by the roadside.

The cold wind carried the stench of blood, the pungent smell of lime powder, and the stench of urine, all mixed together to create a bizarre yet brutal scene of a bloody massacre in the martial arts world!
These ruthless servants, who usually acted arrogantly in the Ximen Mansion of Qinghe County, had no idea that the person they were beating today would one day stir up a storm.
As they chased and beat him, they swore and cursed him, calling his father, mother, and ancestors atrocities: "You son of a bitch!" "You dog's penis, I'll teach you to be so arrogant!"

Seeing his brothers wounded or captured, Chao Gai and the Ruan brothers were struggling against Wu Song's fierce and dangerous attacks, which were like a storm and a raging torrent.

Several times the blade grazed my neck and scalp, scaring me so much that my hair stood on end and my soul almost left my body!
My heart was filled with shock, anger, pain, and regret, as if it were being fried in boiling oil!

He cursed inwardly, "Oh no!" He knew he had kicked a hornet's nest and run into the devil himself!

We're afraid we won't get a single hair of this birthday tribute! If we keep fighting, forget about robbing them; we'll probably lose our lives on this Yellow Mud Ridge, leaving no trace of our bodies!

Seeing that they were in dire straits, a resolute glint flashed in Chao Gai's eyes!
He took a deep breath and roared hoarsely, "Brothers! The wind's getting strong! Let's get out of here!" Before he finished speaking, Ruan Xiao'er, Ruan Xiao'wu, and even the injured Ruan Xiao'qi, as if they had agreed beforehand, suddenly pulled out a dusty little paper packet from their waists!

"Oh no! We've been tricked!" Wu Song was an extremely alert man! He caught a glimpse of the four men's furtive movements out of the corner of his eye, and it felt as if he had been stung by a scorpion, sending a chill down his spine!
Although he didn't recognize what was wrapped in the paper package, he had heard of and seen all sorts of low-class tricks in the martial arts world—such as sleeping potion, lime powder, and the Five Drum Rooster Crow Soul-Severing Incense.

To make matters worse, the damned north wind was howling right in their faces!
No sooner said than done! Chao Gai and his three companions shouted at the same time, and threw the dusty paper packets in their hands at Wu Song and the group of servants behind him!
"Pfft—pfft pfft!" Four clouds of gray-white poisonous mist exploded in response! Just like four deadly demonic flowers blooming in the cold wind, they were enveloped by the biting north wind and instantly turned into a gray curtain that covered the sky and the sun, rushing straight towards Wu Song and his gang of servants!
A pungent, spicy, and indescribably sweet, fishy, ​​and pungent smell wafted into people's nostrils and throats, making their brains ache!
"Hold your breath! Retreat! Quickly get out of the way!" Wu Song reacted as fast as lightning! The instant the powder exploded, he took a deep breath, held it, and simultaneously used his Jade Ring Step to retreat swiftly like a ghost, darting diagonally upwind!

In a few swift leaps, he had already jumped out of the core of the battle circle and landed steadily on a protruding frozen rock upwind, avoiding the core area shrouded in smoke.

His imposing figure stood tall in the wind, one hand covering his mouth and nose, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, coldly watching the churning gray mist below.

Take advantage of the chaos to save people! Flee in panic!
Although much of the smoke was dispersed by the wind, some of it still lingered, especially since the incident happened so suddenly!

Caught off guard, many of Wu Song's servants inhaled a small amount of the smoke, causing a cacophony of coughs and disarray. They fled the smoke-filled area, running upwind like Wu Song.

Wu Yong and Bai Sheng, who were left with bruises and swelling from the beating, were also affected and coughed repeatedly from the choking!

"Quickly!" Chao Gai roared.

Ruan Xiaowu and Ruan Xiaoer, whose injuries were slightly less severe, immediately understood each other. Like wounded beasts, they unleashed their last bit of strength and rushed over.

"Strategist! Brother Bai Sheng! Let's go!" Chao Gai grabbed the two men and ran.

"Brother Heavenly King!" Wu Yong and Bai Sheng were both surprised and overjoyed at their miraculous escape, their voices trembling with tears.

"And Mr. Gongsun!" Wu Yong said urgently.

Looking at Gongsun Sheng again, his Taoist hat was askew, his Taoist robe was torn to shreds, his face was covered in bruises, his lips were swollen, two of his front teeth were knocked out, and blood and foam were dripping from the corners of his mouth.

He wandered around like a headless fly, waving the ancient pine-patterned sword haphazardly with one hand and groping and grabbing blindly in the gray mist with the other, while muttering incantations, completely unaware of where he was!

Without a word, Ruan Xiaowu rushed forward, grabbed Gongsun Sheng's wrist holding the sword, and shouted, "Daoist! The wind is strong! Run!" Without further ado, he pulled Gongsun Sheng, who was still "casting a spell," and ran. "Go!" Chao Gai, seeing that the man had been rescued, dared not delay for even a moment.

The red-haired devil Liu Tang was also dragged up by Ruan Xiaoer and Ruan Xiaoqi, each holding one of his arms.

This group of people were truly utterly defeated and disoriented! They didn't even care about the broadswords and harpoons scattered on the ground. They helped each other up, stumbled and staggered, as if being chased by ghosts, and plunged into the dark, dense, withered forest at the foot of Huangni Ridge without looking back. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared without a trace!

"Second Master! What do we do now?" Third Steward Lai Xing covered his mouth and nose, dispelling some of the sleeping smoke, and ran to the rock where Wu Song was, asking urgently.

Wu Song lowered his hand from his nose, took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air upwind, and glanced across the hilltop: his own servants groaning, Yang Zhi still unconscious, a dozen or so soldiers, and the dozen or so Jiangzhou carts laden with gold and jewels.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he decisively waved his hand: "Don't pursue a desperate enemy! The forest is deep and the trees are dense; there might be an ambush! Take care of our brothers and check their injuries!"

"Yes! Second Master is wise!" Lai Xing replied, and hurriedly told the servants who hadn't been hit to go and help their companions, rinsing their mouths and noses with clean water.

Wu Wusong leaped off the bluestone and strolled over to the pile of soldiers who lay there like "dead pigs." He lightly kicked Yang Zhi, who had slumped into a puddle of mud, with the toe of his thick-soled boots, and then glanced at the other soldiers lying dead.

His gaze finally settled on the dozen or so trucks, and a faint, elusive chill flickered across his lips.

Lai Xing rubbed his hands together, stepped forward, pointed at the truck, and asked in a sly manner, "Second Master, what about... these goods, should we... should we return them to these corpse-like soldiers?"

Wu Song raised an eyebrow: "You've served the master faithfully for longer than I have. If the master were here today, do you think he would return the favor? Whatever he does, you do. You are the third steward, I am just a guard, I will listen to you!"

Lai Xing was taken aback and looked up at Wu Song. He saw Wu Song's tiger-like eyes looking at him with a half-smile.

Lai Xing suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and his whole body shuddered as if he had been enlightened: "Men, first of all, ransack the bodies of these dead dogs, clean out all their money pouches, loose silver, and valuable ornaments! Don't miss a single copper coin! Even their crotches should be thoroughly searched! Be quick! Be sharp-eyed! We're waiting for the master to reward you with wine, meat, and silver for the New Year!"

"Good Le!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Ready, Third Steward!"

Several uninjured servants, like flies drawn to blood, responded with a roar and pounced on the unconscious soldiers like hungry tigers, rummaging through their clothes and searching them, even more ruthless than the yamen runners who were confiscating property.

Wu Er was stunned, completely bewildered, and could only utter a few words: "The Third Steward is indeed efficient!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Second Master!" Upon hearing this, Lai Xing felt as if he had received a great stroke of luck. He straightened his back ramrod, turned to the busy servants, and became even more arrogant, his roar shaking the heavens:

"Are you all starving? Get the cart harnesses securely fastened! One by one! Not one less! Secure the cargo tightly, and if even a single piece falls off, I'll skin you alive to settle the debt!"

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Before the sun sets, get out of this wailing, ghostly place! If you dawdle any longer, some bandits might come back for a surprise attack! Those of you who are aching or dizzy, clench your balls tight! Get out of this hellhole first! Once we're safe, I'll treat your wounds and bandage your wounds! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

"Once we return to Qinghe County and meet the esteemed official, there will be plenty of good wine and meat! Everyone will receive a generous reward! I guarantee you will all have a prosperous and lucrative New Year!!"

Although the servants were all injured and some were still dizzy, they were instantly energized by the words "rewards of wine, meat and money" and "a prosperous and fat year"!

They threw all their pain to the winds, gritted their teeth and endured the agony, scrambling and crawling to harness the vehicle, tie it up, and put it away, wishing they could scrape the ground clean.

Wu Song stood alone at the windy pass atop the hill, his hands behind his back. The biting wind whipped up his disheveled hair and billowed his robes.

His sharply defined face betrayed no emotion, only a chilling, iron-like coldness.

His gaze first fell upon the dark depths of the dense forest where Chao Gai and his men had disappeared, then swept over his own group, which was busily looting like bandits passing through, and finally settled on the gray official road in the distance.

"Wait!" Wu Song suddenly remembered something, his gaze sweeping over the few crooked old pines on the hill, and he shouted sharply, "Go, a few men, go and chop off the branches of those pine trees! Drag them behind the cart! Smooth out the tire tracks as you go! Hurry up!"

The head servant of Laiwang dared not delay. He ordered a few nimble men to swing their broadswords and chop, and soon they dragged over several large clumps of lush pine branches.

A dozen or so wagons, laden with immense wealth and with their axles creaking under the weight, were driven by a group of servants as they creaked and groaned as they rolled over the frozen, yellow mud.

Several servants gritted their teeth and dragged the heavy pine branches at the back of the procession, scraping back and forth against the deep ruts.

A cold wind swirled across the hilltop, and then the sky grew increasingly gloomy, with a few scattered snowflakes beginning to fall.

In just a short while, the bloodstains on the ground, the signs of fighting, and even the last remaining, indistinct tire tracks rubbed by pine branches, were all completely covered up by the overwhelming white covering, leaving no trace whatsoever.

This group, filled with a mixture of grief and ecstasy, quickly disappeared into the swirling snow, fleeing the Huangni Ridge, a place permeated with blood, smoke, urine, and utter devastation, leaving behind only a field of unconscious soldiers.
The sun gradually set in the west, and the chill seeped into the bones.

The top of Huangni Ridge was deathly silent, with only withered branches whimpering in the north wind.

The spilled wine on the ground had long since frozen into ice, mixed with mottled, congealed dark red bloodstains, emitting a pungent, sweet, and alcoholic odor.

The effects of the drug were wearing off.

About half an hour later, Yang Zhi, who was leaning against the tree root like a limp rag, could only groan in pain, his body went limp and he could not get up.

His eyelids felt as heavy as mountains. With great effort, he opened them a crack, and a biting chill and blurry light rushed in instantly.

He struggled for a long time before finally managing to get up, but he still couldn't hold onto his feet.

"Uh...ah..." Yang Zhi's throat was dry and bitter, as if on fire, and he couldn't help but groan.

When he looked at the fourteen men, drool dripped from their mouths, and they were all unable to move. The old steward, the two officers, and the eleven soldiers lay sprawled out, groaning. Some had just begun to move, while others were still unconscious. All of them were ashen-faced and looked utterly wretched.

Despite his dizziness and nausea, Yang Zhiqiang looked closely and saw that the fourteen people were all staring at each other, completely mesmerized.

His heart sank! An ominous premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around his heart! He hurriedly looked around, towards the place where more than a dozen Jiangzhou cars should have been parked!
Empty!

On the hilltop, apart from jagged rocks and a few withered trees, there was no sign of trucks.
"Ahhh—!" Yang Zhi felt as if he had been struck by lightning, letting out a heart-wrenching scream!

That cry was filled with endless terror, despair, and disbelief!

He trembled violently, and his body, which had just stood up, felt as if all the bones had been removed. He cried out in pain and went down the hill!

"Lost...lost! The birthday gifts...lost!!" Yang Zhi's eyes were bloodshot, his lips trembling as he repeatedly muttered these words, his voice hoarse like the mournful cry of a night owl. He suddenly pounded his chest and forehead with his fists, making dull "thump thump" sounds.

"Yang Zhi! Yang Zhi! You...you useless fool! What a terrible mistake! What a terrible mistake!!" Regret, fear, and self-blame overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

As a descendant of the Yang family, a military family, he has now lost the 100,000 strings of cash birthday gifts in his hands!
How could he explain this to Liang Zhongshu? How could he bear the wrath of the Grand Tutor's mansion? In this vast world, where could Yang Zhi possibly find refuge? At this thought, Yang Zhi felt his vision go black and all hope vanish.

Yang Zhi's agonizing screams were like a death knell, waking the people who were sleeping on the ground.

The old steward, barely able to get up, looked around with failing eyesight. Seeing the empty hilltop and Yang Zhi, who seemed to have gone mad, he immediately understood most of the situation and was terrified. "Oh my God! Where...where are the goods? Where are the gold and jewels?"

He pointed at Yang Zhi, his lips trembling, his voice trembling with tears: "Officer Yang! Officer Yang! You are the head of the escort! You...you say something! What...what are we going to do? How are we going to explain this to our benefactor!"

The two guards also struggled to their feet, their faces ashen, looking at the distraught Yang Zhi with a mixture of shock and anger.

One of them pointed at Yang Zhi and cursed, "Yang Zhi! It's all your fault! You're such a bad leader! You only cared about urging us to hurry on our way, exhausting the soldiers to the point of near death, and you didn't even know how to guard against them! That wine... that wine was clearly poisoned! But you wouldn't listen to advice and insisted on drinking it, leading us all to drink it too! Now that the birthday tribute has been lost, you, the culprit, are to blame!"

The soldiers gradually awoke, and upon hearing that the birthday tribute had been lost, they were all terrified. Remembering the beatings and scoldings they had endured along the way, their fear now transformed into resentment, and they began to clamor:
"What should we do now?"

"He was suspicious and paranoid, yet he fell right into the thief's trap!"

"Those date merchants and that wine seller are clearly a gang of thugs! Is Commander Yang blind?"

As Yang Zhi listened to the accusations, curses, and desperate cries of the officers and soldiers around him, the last glimmer of hope in his heart vanished.

The birthday tribute was undoubtedly stolen! The implications are enormous! The guilt is immense! The old steward and the others could only complain, blame each other, and were in complete chaos.

Yang Zhi suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the resentful and terrified faces, then looking at the empty hilltop and the vast twilight.

A surge of grief, indignation, and resolute determination welled up in my heart.

"Enough! Enough! Enough!" Yang Zhi roared three times to the sky, his roar filled with the sorrow and unwillingness of a hero's end!

He said bitterly, "Now I'm left with no home to return to and no country to turn to! Where can I go? I might as well find a place to die on this hill!"

He lifted his clothes and took a few quick steps, looking down the hill as he prepared to leave.

However, just as he was about to take his own life, a thought flashed through his mind: "My parents gave birth to me, a handsome and strong man, and I have learned eighteen kinds of martial arts since I was a child. Can I just give up like this? Rather than find a place to die today, I will deal with it later when he has the chance to get his hands on me."

Thinking of this, the will to die faded from Yang Zhi's eyes, replaced by a cold resolve and unwillingness.

He suddenly realized what was happening, grabbed his foot, and stopped looking at anyone, ignoring the cries and excuses from the people behind him.

I wanted to point at this bunch of filthy people and yell: It's all because you guys didn't listen to me that you did this, and now you've dragged me into this mess!
But he moved his lips, sighed, and continued down the hill.

The old steward, the officer, and the soldiers watched helplessly as Yang Zhi disappeared into the twilight at the end of the mountain path, exchanging bewildered glances, on the verge of tears.

The fourteen men didn't wake up until the second watch of the night. They scrambled to their feet, groaning in pain as if struck by a string of arrows.

The old constable said, "You all ignored Commander Yang's good advice, and now you've all lost me!"

The crowd said, "Master, the deed has been done today, let's discuss it further."

Old Du Guan asked, "What kind of knowledge do you have?"

Everyone chimed in, saying, "We're not right. As the old saying goes, 'If fire burns you, sweep it away; if a bee or scorpion gets into your bosom, immediately take off your clothes.'"

“If Commander Yang were still here, we wouldn’t be able to argue with him. But now that he’s gone and we don’t know where he is, why don’t we go back and tell Minister Liang that we should put all the blame on him?”

The old steward was taken aback: "How do we push it?"

Everyone offered suggestions: "They said, 'He insulted and beat us all the way, forcing us to become immobile. He traveled with bandits, drugged us with sleeping pills, bound our hands and feet, and stole all our gold and jewels.'"

Old Du Guan said, "That makes sense. We'll wait until dawn, then go to the nearest Qinghe County court to file a complaint, leaving two constables to accompany the officials and apprehend the thieves."

“We rushed back overnight to inform Liang Zhongshu and instructed him to send a document to report to the Grand Tutor.”

The biting wind, sharp as a knife, sliced ​​through everyone's bleeding wounds, bringing excruciating pain. The dense, withered forest temporarily concealed their movements, but it also hindered their progress.

The group helped each other up, staggering and looking utterly disheveled.

Chao Gai clutched his chest, his face ashen white. Every breath he took was accompanied by excruciating pain from his broken sternum, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Liu Tang's red hair was disheveled, and his chest was stained with large patches of blood he had vomited. His sunken sternum made him hunch over, and every step he took made him grimace in pain.

Ruan Xiaoer and Ruan Xiaowu helped Ruan Xiaoqi.

Wu Yong was being helped up by Bai Sheng. His once refined face was now a mess of bruises, blue, purple, and swollen. Especially his groin area, where he couldn't even close his legs properly, he was shuffling around with his legs apart and walking with his toes pointed outwards.

He staggered with every step, each movement causing excruciating pain in his vital area, making him grimace and hiss and gasp for breath. His former air of a strategist, with a feather fan and turban, was long gone!

Bai Sheng, who was supporting him, was not "taken care of" in his lower body like Wu Yong, but he had been tied up for half a day and was both shocked and scared. At this moment, his bones were broken and his hands and feet were as weak as freshly cooked noodles.

He was already staggering when he walked, and he had to use all his strength to drag Wu Yong, this half-dead burden, which made him even more exhausted, panting heavily, and his rat-like face turned ashen.

The worst off was Gongsun Sheng, the Cloud Dragon! His Taoist robe was torn to shreds, looking even worse than a beggar's tattered coat, as if he had been ripped apart by a pack of wild dogs.

His eyes were red and swollen from the smog, covered with pus, tears, and blood, making his vision blurry and indistinct.

He could only stretch out his hands, groping and grabbing blindly in mid-air, when he suddenly fell into a pit and bled profusely. In the end, Ruan Xiaoer couldn't bear to see him like that and picked up a stick to help him find his way.

As dusk approached and twilight descended, the chill in the air intensified.

Exhausted and wounded, the group desperately needed a place to rest.

Despite the pain in his chest, Chao Gai spoke breathlessly, his voice hoarse and weak: "Brothers... we can't travel far in our condition... I have a close friend named Song Jiang, courtesy name Gongming... He works as a clerk in Yuncheng County. He's known for his generosity and willingness to help those in distress, and is called 'Timely Rain' in the martial arts world. Let's go to his manor... to seek shelter for the night... and get some medicine to rest..."

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(End of this chapter)