Chapter Forty-Four
Suddenly, countless torches lit up the once quiet hillsides on both sides, illuminating the valley as if it were daytime!
The earth-shaking sound of war drums suddenly rang out, accompanied by the hum of bowstrings vibrating—countless arrows poured down like a torrential rain!
"An ambush! A shield formation!" Jiang Zhong roared hoarsely, his eyes bloodshot.
But it was too late. In their pursuit of speed, they launched a light cavalry assault, leaving their defenses already weak.
After the first volley of arrows, 30% of the men and horses had been lost.
Even more terrifying, the front and rear exits were instantly blocked by the enemy's heavy shield and spearmen!
They were like people who had willingly crawled into a carefully prepared pocket, which was now tightly sealed.
"Charge out! For the General! For Jincheng!"
Jiang Zhong's eyes were bloodshot as he brandished his sword, attempting to lead his men in a breakout attempt.
However, the number of ambushes far exceeded expectations, and they were a main force that had been preparing for a long time.
They surged in wave after wave, constantly consuming the lives of the soldiers around Jiang Zhong.
Jiang Zhong's martial arts skills have improved considerably over the past seven years, and he is quite brave in his attacks. However, his personal bravery seems so pale in the face of overwhelming troop strength and a well-organized military formation.
His personal guards fell one by one, and his warhorses neighed as they were stabbed.
Finally, a huge, specially made metal fishing net descended from the sky and trapped him completely.
He struggled desperately, the blade striking the internet cable and sparks flying, but he couldn't break free.
Several elite enemy soldiers rushed forward and bound him tightly with ropes soaked in cow sinew.
Just as he was being completely subdued, Jiang Zhong heard the enemy general's mocking voice: "Master Song's strategy is brilliant; he really did find you rats who came to pick him up... Take him away!"
Meanwhile, inside the Allied Forces Commander's tent.
Song Guansui did not rest. He stood in front of the huge sand table, listening to the messenger's report.
"Report! A fire has broken out at the supply depot, suspected to be caused by Qin Lingfeng's team!"
"Report! Enemy cavalry have broken out from the north gate and have been lured into an ambush by our troops!"
"Report! Enemy general Jiang Zhong has been captured alive!"
Upon hearing the last piece of news, Song Guansui slowly and gracefully picked up the small wooden figure representing Jiang Zhong and gently placed it beside him from the "Jincheng" area on the sand table.
He picked up a glass of wine, walked outside the tent, looked in the direction of Jincheng, and a cold yet satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
"Yan'er, did you see that?"
He murmured to himself, as if it were a lover's whisper, but the content was extremely cruel.
"The men you sent out, the arms you relied on, are being broken one by one by me. How much longer can you... hold on?"
This is not just a military war, but also a meticulously planned war of "hearts and minds".
The war had already begun and had even infiltrated the entire city of Jin, and this time, it was the final blow.
Severely injuring Qin Lingfeng and capturing Jiang Zhong was tantamount to tearing out Jiang Manyan's heart and soul, and it also caused Jincheng's defenses to completely collapse...
Seven days ago, in Yancheng…
The war has lasted for nearly three months, and the brutal fighting casts a huge shadow.
Even with Yu Mobai's high prestige in Yancheng, he could not dispel the fear ingrained in the caravan members' bones.
On the secret path leading to Jincheng, the rumors and bloodshed of reality are enough to make even the bravest guards hesitant to risk escorting supplies.
As the urgent requests for help in Jincheng grew more and more pressing, Yu Mobai knew that the moment had come when he had no choice but to act.
"Young master! We can't go any further!"
Hongdou knelt on the ground, her voice trembling with tears.
"Liu Jinhuai hinted in his letter the other day that we must not interfere in the affairs of Jincheng. All the noble families and aristocrats have mobilized and will certainly not let go of this piece of fat meat, Jincheng."
"Young master... Jincheng has only been developing for a short time, please think it over!"
"The army patrolled the secret passage last time, so there must be an ambush on the way this time! What will happen to Yancheng if something happens to you?"
Hongdou's voice was hoarse, and seeing that her young master was unmoved, her eyes were filled with despair.
Yu Mobai helped him up, his handsome face showing an unprecedented resolve.
“Red Bean, if Jin City falls, Yan City will be next. If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold! ... Some roads, even if you know they are fraught with danger, you still have to walk them.”
He personally selected the most loyal and reliable assassins to escort the medicine and arrows that Jincheng urgently needed, and once again set off on that treacherous forest path.
The six-day expedited trip went smoothly without incident.
The two groups successfully reunited.
At the crossroads deep in the dense forest, it was so quiet that only the sound of the wind and the "bang bang" of inventory being counted could be heard.
The assassins of Yancheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
A sudden change has occurred!
Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps echoed from all around, and countless soldiers wielding sharp blades surged out from the woods and behind the rocks, instantly surrounding Yu Mobai and his group, their gleaming arrowheads aimed at the center.
The group split up, and a man riding a tall horse slowly emerged—it was Liu Jinhuai, who had been ordered by Song Guansui to "suppress the rebels."
His face held a playful yet ruthless expression, like a cat catching a mouse, as he glanced at the terrified "rebels" in the room.
Finally, the focus settled on the person standing at the very front of the group, dressed in an inconspicuous gray outfit, yet whose refined and noble air was undeniable.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
The composure and coldness on Liu Jinhuai's face shattered instantly, replaced by extreme shock and anger.
He stared intently at Yu Mobai, as if he were truly getting to know this person for the first time.
"It's...you?"
His voice was dry and hoarse, trembling without him even realizing it.
"It was...you?!"
The one who exchanged poems with him in letters, the one who spoke gently to him, the one who promised him just two days ago that she would visit him after spring...
At this moment, he stands in a position absolutely opposed to his own, personally escorting supplies intended for the enemy!
In that instant, the meaningful, all-knowing smile that Song Guansui had given him when he sent him clearly appeared in his mind.
It turned out that his dear cousin had known all along! He had been manipulated like a fool!
After his initial shock, Yu Mobo quickly regained his composure.
Meeting Liu Jinhuai's gaze, a mixture of shock, anger, and hurt, he felt a chill in his heart, yet a faint, helpless smile appeared on his face.
"Young Master Liu."
Yu Mobai spoke first, his voice still gentle, but with a deliberate distance: "How have you been?"
That cry of "Young Master Liu" was like an ice pick, piercing Liu Jinhuai's heart.
The letter he gave him was in his arms; he called him "Jin Huai".
Liu Jinhuai gripped the riding whip tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. A surge of overwhelming anger at being deceived and betrayed welled up in his chest, along with a sharp heartache that even he himself was unwilling to admit.
"Yu Mobai!"
He practically gritted his teeth as he uttered the name, his phoenix eyes, which were always brimming with arrogance, now burning red with disbelief, rage, and heartbreak.
He stared intently at Yu Mobai, who remained upright despite being surrounded in the center, his voice hoarse with extreme anger.
“Yu Mobai! I really… underestimated you! You’ve been lying to me from beginning to end?! All those things you did for me… all those things…”
Those whispered secrets in the dead of night, those tender promises, now turned into poisonous thorns, piercing his heart and causing him unbearable pain.
Yu Mobai remained silent for a moment amidst the swords and blades, then finally raised his eyes to meet Liu Jinhuai's gaze.
His tone was unusually calm, yet every word he spoke was like a knife chilled to the bone.
"Jinhuai, I have never made any false promises to you."
He stated it clearly.
“I pledged my loyalty to the Liu family in Yancheng, and to this day, the taxes and tributes have never been reduced by a single penny.”
"I promised to find you the newest and most interesting things in Cangzhou, and every single time I've delivered them to you?"
He paused, his voice suddenly filled with a profound sorrow: "But first and foremost, I am the lord of Yancheng. I am responsible to my people, to the future of Jincheng..."
Liu Jinhuai abruptly interrupted him: "Have you ever considered that the road in Jincheng is a dead end!"
“Yes, the road to Jincheng may be a dead end, but the path your aristocratic families offer has never been a path to survival!” A hint of barely perceptible sorrow flickered in Yu Mobai’s eyes.
"So you've chosen to be my enemy?!" Liu Huaijin practically roared, his eyes bloodshot and frightening.
“I am not your enemy, Huaijin.”
Yu Mobai slowly shook his head, his eyes filled with a clear determination.
“I am an enemy of this cannibalistic world. If you insist on siding with the aristocratic families, then we... will be enemies.”
After saying that, he stopped looking at him, as if even looking at him was a waste of energy. He suddenly swung his sword to deflect the weapon pointed at him, his fighting spirit surging.
"Take him down! Alive!"
Liu Jinhuai was stung by the resolute look in his last gaze, and, consumed by rage, gave the order.
In an instant, the two sides clashed fiercely. Yu Mobai, already a valiant warrior, was now even more determined to die, his sword flashing with unparalleled sharpness.
Although Liu Jinhuai's side had a large number of people, they were constrained by the order to "capture alive" and were unable to reach a stalemate for a time.
In the midst of this chaotic struggle, a dark figure, like a ghost, silently approached Yu Mobai's back—it was Wang Jianglin!
His eyes remained expressionless as the short sword in his hand, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, pierced Yu Mobai's unsuspecting back with precision and ruthlessness!
"puff--"
The dull thud of a sharp blade piercing flesh rang out.
Yu Mobai's body stiffened abruptly. The intense pain made him turn around instantly, and what came into view was Wang Jianglin's familiar yet utterly indifferent face.
"you……!"
Yu Mobai's pupils suddenly contracted, his face filled with incomprehensible shock.
How could it be the third brother? One of Jiang Manyan's most trusted confidants!
At that moment, his mind was not on his own safety, nor did he have a single doubt about Jiang Manyan.
Only one thought exploded like a thunderbolt—with such a deadly traitor by Man Yan's side, how perilous must Man Yan's situation be in Jincheng right now?!
"You dare—!"
Liu Jinhuai's roar shattered the silence of the valley, his voice filled with disbelief, rage, and a near-collapse-like panic.
When he saw the gleaming short sword pierce Yu Mobai's back with deadly precision, he felt as if his own heart had been pierced by the same sharp blade, and the excruciating pain caused his vision to suddenly go black.
Family loyalty, Song Guansui's military orders, and aristocratic pride all vanished in an instant.
Only one thought was screaming in his mind: Yu Mobai cannot die!
"Stop him! Save him! Save Yu Mobai for me!!"
Liu Jinhuai's voice was shrill, and he almost instinctively drove his personal guards forward.
However, the soldiers who were originally on high alert remained motionless. Only his personal guards looked troubled and hesitated to take half a step forward, but were invisibly blocked by the people brought by the third brother.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
