Han Ji

Meanwhile, at the Black Wolf Tribe's mountain stronghold.

Wugu has secretly returned. He bypassed Black Tooth's confidants and contacted his father's old subordinates and some warriors who were dissatisfied with Black Tooth.

"...That's the situation. Black Tooth, for his own selfish gain, lured the mountain demon and the Zhou family into our territory, intending to lead our Black Wolf tribe to our doom! The government troops have agreed to help us eliminate Black Tooth, and we'll trade fairly from now on!" Wugu whispered to the dozens of core members who had gathered.

"Young Master, we'll listen to you! Black Tooth is not fit to be the leader!" an old warrior exclaimed excitedly.

"Alright! Tomorrow, when Black Tooth leads the main force out and the stronghold is left vulnerable, we'll take action, eliminate his cronies, and seize control of the stronghold! Then, as agreed, we'll go help the government troops, which is also helping ourselves, to clean up the mess!"

The crowd responded in hushed tones, their eyes gleaming with resolute determination.

Wild Wolf Gully.

The moonlight couldn't penetrate the deep ravines; only countless shadowy figures writhed in the darkness. The air was thick with the stench of sweat and the odor of wild beasts.

The mandrill tribe arrived. Their numbers far exceeded expectations, a dense, dark mass, likely close to a thousand. They wore haphazard leather armor, carried various weapons, and their eyes were greedy and ferocious.

The tribal chief, Xiao Wang, was an unusually tall and burly man with strange paint on his face and a necklace of bones and teeth around his neck.

The trusted steward sent by the Zhou family was standing in front of him, bowing and scraping.

"Lord Xiao Wang, everything in Shuxian City is arranged. Tomorrow night at midnight, light a fire at the west gate as a signal, and the city gate will open by itself! At that time, all the money, grain, and women in the city will be yours!"

The demon king made a low, gurgling sound in his throat, like a wild beast roaring: "Zhou Chong, don't forget the salt, iron, and... the road to Jiangxia that you promised us."

"No, no!" the steward hurriedly replied. "As long as we take Shuxian and eliminate Lu Zhi, everything will be fine! Master Zhou also has connections in Jingzhou; he'll guarantee to open up trade routes for you!"

The demon king patted the steward on the shoulder with satisfaction, the force so great that the steward stumbled.

Tell Zhou Chong to prepare wine and meat. Tomorrow night, I'm going to drink at the prefectural government office!

"Yes, yes, yes!"

After the steward left, a thin wizard standing beside King Xiao approached and asked, "Your Majesty, is Zhou Chong... trustworthy?"

The Demon King grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth: "The Han people are cunning. But this time, their infighting has given us an opportunity. After we enter the city... hmph, then, who knows who will be in charge!"

He looked toward Shuxian County, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

In the birch forest, Liu Bei received a report from the scouts.

"The Mandrill tribe has arrived at Wild Wolf Gully, numbering nearly a thousand. Inside Shu County, there have been unusual movements from the Zhou family's private armed forces, and some Black Wolf warriors have been dispersed for surveillance. The guards at the warehouse where Wugu is located have been increased."

Everything is going as planned.

Liu Bei took a deep breath and said to Zhang Wu, "Pass down the order: everyone check their weapons and armor, eat and rest well. Tomorrow night, await orders to move out."

"yes!"

Night was falling.

Inside Shuxian County, Lu Zhi was not asleep. He sat in the main hall of the prefectural government, brightly lit by candlelight. Dozens of armored and armed guard captains stood below him.

"Is everything arranged?" Lu Zhi asked.

"Your Excellency, the guards at all four gates have been replaced with reliable men. Double guards have been added to the important armory and granary. Both inside and outside the prefectural government, the guards are all veteran soldiers from the north," the personal guard commander replied in a deep voice.

"What about the Zhou residence and those warehouses?"

"We have dispatched people to monitor the situation closely and are just waiting for a signal."

Night was falling.

Inside Shuxian County, Lu Zhi remained awake, sitting in the main hall of the prefectural government, surrounded by his personal guards.

In the Black Wolf tribe's mountain stronghold, Wugu and his men had quietly seized key positions and dealt with the few remaining Black Tooth confidants, waiting only for the right opportunity.

At the Zhou residence, Zhou Chong was both anxious and expectant.

The mandrill tribe is sharpening its knives.

The next day was unusually calm.

The city gates of Shuxian remained open as usual, with people coming and going. However, those who paid attention could sense the tension in the air.

Zhou Chong paced anxiously around the mansion. Success or failure hinged on this moment, so he couldn't help but be nervous.

"Is there anything unusual in the city?" he asked the butler.

"No, Lu Zhi seems to be still processing official documents, everything is as usual."

"Any news from the government troops?"

"The scouts report that the main force of the government troops is still wandering in the mountains to the south, quite far away."

Zhou Chong felt a little relieved.

Night finally fell.

It's almost midnight.

Outside the west gate of Shuxian County, all was quiet. Few soldiers could be seen on the city wall.

From the direction of Wild Wolf Gully, a dark mass of figures began to move, approaching Shuxian County.

In the backyard of the Zhou residence, dozens of black-clad assassins and private armed forces had already assembled, their swords drawn.

Inside the prefectural government office, Lu Zhi opened his eyes and stood up.

"The time has come."

He walked outside the hall and looked towards the west gate.

On the west gate tower, a small flame suddenly lit up and flickered three times!

Success! Zhou Chong, seeing the signal in his residence, was overjoyed and immediately ordered, "Move! Take control of the west gate and welcome the Demon King into the city!"

His bodyguards and armed retainers immediately swarmed out and rushed towards the west gate. At the same time, the Zhou family forces scattered throughout the city also began to converge on the west gate, preparing for a coordinated attack from within and without.

At the west gate, the Zhou family easily dealt with the few remaining guards and forcefully pushed open the heavy city gate.

Outside the city, the barbarian soldiers of the mandrill tribe, who had been waiting for a long time, roared loudly when they saw the city gates wide open, and surged into the city like a flood bursting its banks!

Xiao Wang took the lead, wielding a huge bone club with a cruel smile on his face.

Rushing through the city gate, I was greeted by a quiet street.

Not right.

It's too quiet.

The anticipated chaos did not occur.

Just then, countless dark figures suddenly rose up from the rooftops on both sides!

The powerful bows and crossbows gleamed coldly in the moonlight!

"Release the arrows!"

At a single command, arrows rained down like a storm! The barbarian soldiers at the forefront were instantly riddled with arrows, their screams echoing through the night!

"An ambush!" Xiao Wang exclaimed in shock and anger, swinging his bone club to deflect the arrows.

At the same time, on the city gate tower, the previously dead defenders suddenly threw off their camouflage, picked up rolling logs and stones, and slammed them down! The heavy city gate slammed shut with a clang, trapping most of the barbarian soldiers outside the city!

"kill!"

At the alley entrances on both sides of the street, Zhang Wu and Li Huan led the elite government troops who had been lying in ambush for a long time, like two iron pincers, fiercely attacking the barbarian soldiers who broke into the city!

The barbarian soldiers outside the city were trapped and beaten, and then suppressed by arrows from the city walls, causing them to fall into chaos.

Zhou Chong and his men had only rushed halfway when they heard shouts of killing and screams coming from the west gate, and knew something was wrong.

"We've fallen into their trap! Quick, back to the manor and hold it!" he shouted hoarsely.

Before he could even turn around, several squads of government troops suddenly appeared from the side!

"You dare to be traitors to the barbarians! Prepare to die!" The government soldier's eyes were bloodshot as he brandished his short sword and charged forward.

The Zhou family's private armed forces hastily engaged in battle, clashing with the arriving government patrol.

In the direction of the prefecture, Lu Zhi sat firmly in the central army, issuing orders to mobilize troops from all directions to encircle and annihilate the remaining enemy forces.

The whistling of arrows piercing the air, the muffled thud of rolling logs, the dying screams, the clatter of weapons against metal... all these sounds mingled together, weaving a net that enveloped the mountain demon soldiers who had stormed into the city.

Xiao Wang brandished his massive bone club, smashing away two crossbow bolts. His eyes blazed with fury as he glared at the guards on the city gate tower who should have been dead but had somehow "come back to life," and at the ambush troops raining arrows down from the rooftops on either side. A beastly roar erupted from his throat: "Zhou Chong! How dare you deceive me!"

"put!"

Zhang Wu's roar drowned out the chaos. He personally wielded a powerful crossbow. The crossbow arm vibrated, and the iron arrow turned into a black shadow, instantly pinning a barbarian leader who was trying to climb to the ground.