Startled
The gunshots, like stones thrown into stagnant water, stirred ripples of panic in the deathly silence of dawn.
The earthen fortress erupted into chaos. Those who had been dozing from exhaustion surged up in panic, like ants whose nest had been disturbed. The cries of children, the screams of women, the harsh shouts of men, and the chaotic footsteps mingled together, shattering the last vestiges of peace.
"Northeast, about two or three miles away." Xiao Chen's voice was short and clear, like a cold awl, pinning down the source of danger.
"Pack your things, get ready to leave! We can't stay any longer!" Gu Tieshan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute force that instantly drowned out the noise around him. Without the slightest hesitation, he moved with astonishing speed, gathering our scattered luggage together and quickly tying it into a sturdy bundle.
I immediately tightened the cloth strap around my chest. The little one seemed to sense the tension in the air, squirming restlessly, but didn't cry out, only staring with her big, dark eyes. Xiuniang held her daughter tightly, her face pale, looking at us helplessly, her eyes full of pleading.
"Follow the crowd and run into the woods to the west!" Gu Tieshan shouted in a low voice to Xiu Niang and the few panicked refugees around him, giving them a way out. He then looked at me and Xiao Chen, his eyes sharp as knives, "We'll cover your retreat and hold them off."
This is not a discussion, it's an order. It's the calmest, and also the most brutal, assessment based on the current situation. Leaving someone behind to cover the retreat means facing the greatest danger.
There was no time for hesitation or fear. Xiao Chen deftly checked the bolt and nodded emphatically, "Understood!"
Gu Tieshan picked up his gleaming iron rod, his gaze finally settling on my face. There was an undeniable resolve in his eyes, along with a fleeting, indescribable look. "Stay close to Xiao Chen. Once we're in the woods, head deeper in and don't look back."
No sooner had he finished speaking than he charged towards the collapsed entrance of the earthen bunker like a leopard that had been poised for a long time, using the ruins as cover to observe the outside. Xiao Chen quickly took up another firing position to his side and rear.
I gritted my teeth, knowing that any hesitation at this moment would be a burden. I pulled up the still somewhat dazed Xiu Niang and said in a low voice, "Let's go!"
We surged out of the earthen fort with a chaotic flow of people, rushing towards the hazy morning light and the unknown western woodlands. Behind us, the gunfire grew clearer and more intense, mingled with arrogant shouts and the sound of horses' hooves! These weren't stray bullets; it was an organized attack!
"It's bandits! Run!" someone cried out in a desperate voice, causing even greater chaos in the crowd.
I ran as fast as I could, my chest aching from the cold wind and the tension, my child bouncing against my chest. Xiu Niang stumbled after me, her daughter crying in terror. I could hear short, intense gunfire coming from the direction of the earthen fort behind us—Gu Tieshan and Xiao Chen were holding off the enemy, buying time for these complete strangers to escape.
Bullets hissed through the air, striking the surrounding earthen slopes and withered trees, sending up shards of debris. Some of the slower refugees screamed and fell, never to rise again. The stench of blood began to mingle with the damp morning air.
We finally plunged into the sparse woodland, but danger was not far off. Several figures riding skinny horses and wielding sabers and homemade guns had broken through Gu Tieshan's weak defensive line and, like maggots clinging to the bones, clung tightly to the tail of the fleeing crowd.
A bandit grinned maliciously and spurred his horse toward us women who had fallen behind. His gleaming saber flashed coldly in the dim morning light. Xiu Niang was so frightened that her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground.
At this critical moment—
"Bang!"
A crisp gunshot rang out. It was Xiao Chen! He had somehow managed to flank the bandit, and his shot struck the bandit's horse precisely in the foreleg. The horse neighed in pain and crashed to the ground, throwing the bandit violently to the ground.
Almost simultaneously, another bandit turned his gun on Xiao Chen!
"Watch out!" I cried out.
A tall figure emerged from the bushes like a ghost—it was Gu Tieshan! The iron rod in his hand whistled through the air as it slammed down on the bandit's gun-wielding arm!
"Crack!" The sickening sound of bone breaking was clearly audible. The bandit screamed in agony as his homemade gun flew out of his hand.
Gu Tieshan didn't stop moving; his iron rod swept across, forcing back another bandit who tried to approach. His movements were concise, ruthless, and efficient, without any unnecessary frills; every strike went straight for vital points, solely for killing and survival.
Xiao Chen also took the opportunity to fire a series of shots. Although his marksmanship was not top-notch, his fierceness and precise timing effectively curbed the bandits' attack.
The bandits seemed to be few in number. Seeing that they had met with a tough opponent and lost two men, the remaining few whistled, turned their horses around, and stopped pursuing them, chasing after other targets that were easier to catch.
The brief skirmish ended.
In the clearing in the woods, only a few corpses remained (some were those of bandits, others those of refugees), dead horses, and us, still in shock.
Gu Tieshan, leaning on his iron rod, was slightly out of breath, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, mingling with bloodstains from who-knows-who. His eyes remained sharp as he scanned his surroundings, confirming that it was safe for the time being. Xiao Chen rushed over, his face still flushed from the fierce battle, his breathing a little rapid: "Brother Gu, are you alright?"
"It's nothing." Gu Tieshan shook his head, his gaze falling on me and Xiu Niang, who was slumped on the ground. "What about you?"
"N-nothing...it's nothing." I tried to calm my wildly beating heart, feeling my legs go weak. The child in my arms seemed to only then realize what was happening and burst into tears.
Xiu Niang also held her daughter, and the two of them cried together.
Gu Tieshan walked over, offering no words of comfort, but simply reached out and helped Xiu Niang up from the ground. His hands were broad and calloused, yet they carried a reassuring strength. Then, he looked at me, his gaze lingering on my face and the child for a moment, confirming that we were truly unharmed, before his tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly.
“We shouldn’t stay here any longer; they might call more people back,” he said in a deep voice. “Take a headcount; those who can leave, head deeper into the woods immediately.”
The surviving refugees, including us, numbered less than ten. We silently gathered our remaining belongings, our faces a mixture of bewilderment at having survived the ordeal and a deeper, profound fear. No one spoke; only suppressed sobs and heavy footsteps echoed.
When we set off again, the atmosphere was different. Gu Tieshan and Xiao Chen naturally walked at the back of the group, wary of the approaching path. As for me, carrying my child who had finally cried himself to sleep, I walked a little ahead of Xiao Chen. Xiuniang stayed close to me, as if I were her only support.
After that life-or-death moment, some things changed silently. He was no longer just a companion, but someone you could entrust your back to without hesitation in dire straits, someone you could protect with your life. That profound trust, and what arose from it, carried more weight than any words.
Sunlight finally managed to pierce through the sparse canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The road ahead remains unknown, but at least we are alive, and no longer alone.
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