chsdbacks Chapter 158 Elopement...
Chapter 158 Elopement...
Luo Ying deftly deflected the deadly hidden arrow with her short dagger, while Luo Li drew both swords simultaneously, forcing back several assassins who rushed up to her.
Seeing this, Shadow felt a wave of despair wash over him.
"You two traitors!"
One of the shadow guards behind him recognized the Luo sisters and said angrily,
"How dare you betray your master!"
Luo Ying sneered, her cold voice echoing across the battlefield:
"Feng Jing threatened my parents' lives, forcing my sisters and me to work for him!"
"Such despicable people dare to be our masters?"
These words were spoken.
Both Shadow and Lu Zhang understood that there was no hope left for today's assassination attempt.
"Boss! As long as we're alive, we can always make a comeback!"
"If we don't leave now, we won't be able to leave at all!"
One of Lu Zhang's subordinates anxiously advised him.
Lu Zhang steeled his resolve, watching as more and more soldiers gathered around.
He roared in frustration and finally gave the order:
"withdraw!!"
Seeing them retreat, Shadow felt a surge of rage he couldn't vent!
But seeing his brothers fall one by one into pools of blood, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and force out a single word:
"……withdraw!"
……
Watching the two groups of assassins retreat and disappear into the eastern woods!
The surrounding soldiers finally cheered.
However, Zhang Fan frowned, his eyes full of doubt.
Wang Hu, who was standing next to him, limped over and asked in confusion,
"East? Isn't that General Meng's direction?"
Zhang Fan did not respond; his gaze remained fixed on the east.
Something's not right...something's really not right.
To the east lies the direction leading to Xianyang!
What assassin, after failing, wouldn't hide in the deep mountains and forests!
Instead, they fled towards the official road leading to their destination?
This doesn't make sense!
Unless... they're not even in cahoots at all!
Moreover, they seem to be two groups!
They knew nothing about each other's identities or purposes!
"Immortal Master? What's wrong?"
Seeing that Zhang Fan remained silent, Wang Hu asked with some concern.
"Pass down the order."
Zhang Fan snapped out of his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "Take a headcount of the wounded, we..."
He hadn't finished speaking.
A young soldier, his face covered in sweat, came running up, panting, carrying a canteen he had just filled from the stream.
"Immortal Master! Immortal Master, you've worked so hard!"
"Have some...some water!"
Having not slept a wink all night, followed by another fierce battle, Zhang Fan was indeed parched and his throat felt like it was on fire.
"Okay, thank you."
Zhang Fan took the water bottle and, without thinking much, tilted his head back and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
The cool stream water washed away most of the heat, invigorating him.
"Immortal Master, do not pursue a cornered enemy!"
"Let's still..." Wang Hu wanted to say something more.
Zhang Fan waved his hand, handed the water bottle back to the soldier, and was about to give the order to continue advancing.
But in that instant, a feeling of dizziness struck!
The scenery before their eyes began to spin and tear apart, and the soldiers' faces became blurred.
The light was fading rapidly.
"No...that's not right..."
Alarm bells rang in Zhang Fan's mind as he suddenly realized that he had overlooked a most fatal detail—
That clear stream!
No inspection was conducted!
He tried to speak to warn them, but no sound came out.
My strength was draining away at an alarming rate; my legs buckled, and I fell forward uncontrollably.
"Master!" x2
"Immortal Master!"
In their ears were Luo Ying and Luo Li's tearful exclamations, and Wang Hu and the surrounding soldiers' roars that instantly turned to terror.
Immediately afterwards, his consciousness sank completely into boundless darkness.
"The Immortal Master has fallen!!"
"Quick! Go check it out!"
"Water...it's water! The immortal master collapsed after drinking it!"
A sharp-eyed soldier pointed at the stream, his voice trembling with fear.
"The water is poisonous!"
……
at the same time.
On the official road a few miles to the east.
Two defeated armies were fleeing for their lives, one in front of the other.
Shadow could no longer suppress the anger in his chest. He suddenly stopped and turned around.
The eyes hidden beneath the straw hat turned blood red with extreme anger.
"Idiots! A bunch of idiots!!"
Hearing the roar, Lu Zhang, who was fleeing ahead, was startled and instinctively turned around to look.
The shadowy figure, radiating a chilling killing intent, charged towards him like a madman, sword in hand!
"It's you!"
"You're such a useless, utterly incompetent idiot!!"
The shadows howled like madmen.
"If it weren't for you, I would have killed Zhang Fan long ago!"
"If it weren't for you, so many of my men wouldn't have died!!"
"Originally... originally, we could have been freed after completing Master's last task!"
"Then we can live a normal life!!"
"It's all because of you! You ruined everything!!"
"Die!!!"
Lu Zhang was completely terrified by An Ying's crazy appearance.
He no longer cared about the mission or the reward; at that moment, only one thought remained in his mind—run!
Stay away from this lunatic!
"Are you fucking insane?!"
While desperately parrying the shadow's relentless attacks, Lu Zhang cursed loudly.
"Many of my men have died too!"
"What are you doing, calling me crazy?!"
But at this moment, Shadow had completely lost his mind!
His swordplay was fierce and decisive, each move a suicidal attack.
Lu Zhang dared not fight back, and could only retreat step by step, being chased up and down in the forest, looking extremely disheveled.
Absurd!
About a mile ahead on the official road.
A magnificent army is marching at full speed.
Thousands of knights were dressed in uniform golden chainmail, carrying steel spears and with hundred-chained Qin swords hanging at their waists.
His warhorses were all magnificent steeds from the Western Regions!
As they marched, their ranks were perfectly aligned, without the slightest disorder!
This was the most elite and ace force of the Qin Dynasty, the personal guard directly under the First Emperor—
Golden Fire Cavalry!
The leading general was a burly man with a resolute face; he was none other than the Supreme General of the Great Qin!
Meng Tian.
Just then, a scout who had been leading the way returned on horseback.
He knelt on one knee and loudly reported:
"Reporting to General Qi!"
"A group of people are fighting in the woods ahead; their clothes are filthy!"
"They look like bandits!"
"It seems they're fighting amongst themselves over a dispute about how to divide the spoils!"
"Mountain bandits?"
Meng Tian reined in his horse, his brows furrowing slightly.
He glanced at the surrounding terrain; it was a desolate wilderness, with no village or shop in sight.
The nearest county town is dozens of miles away!
In places like this, it's rare to see not only merchants and travelers, but even hunters. Why would bandits come here to fight amongst themselves?
That's just too strange!
However, despite his doubts, as an imperial general, suppressing bandits was his duty.
more importantly!
We must not let these so-called "mountain bandits" disturb the immortal master's caravan.
He immediately gave the order:
"Wang Li! Take one hundred cavalry and go to wipe them out!"
"A swift and decisive battle is essential; do not linger!"
"The rest of you, follow me and continue advancing at an accelerated pace. We must reunite with the Immortal Master as soon as possible!"
"Yes, General!"
A young general stepped forward in response, leading a hundred Golden Fire Cavalrymen, and broke away from the main force.
They rushed off in the direction indicated by the scouts.