Chapter 174: Flying Phoenix
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In the night, a light drizzle began to fall, and the wind picked up, carrying a chilling breeze with raindrops that fell into the vast wilderness.
The torches near the camp were extinguished by the wind, eliciting curses from the Wutuo soldiers. When stationed outside, clear weather was always preferable to rain. At this moment, their gazes towards the city became more ferocious and greedy. The people of Rundu could live in sheltered houses, and it was rumored that in Jinling, there were countless beautiful women. When they reached Shuojing, even better things awaited. The daily living standards of an ordinary concubine in the Shuojing Imperial Palace were better than the Wutuo ministers.
It wouldn’t be long before Lord Huyate ordered a general attack, and the owners of this city would be theirs.
The Wutuo soldiers stared at the tightly closed city gates as if a dog eyeing a fat bacon, their eyes filled with greed.
At this moment, a rope descended. In the night, shadows swayed on the rope, and soon, many ropes appeared simultaneously, each carrying several figures.
A patrolling Wutuo soldier said, “Hurry, inform the general, those people from Rundu are sending strawmen down again!”
Lord Huyate was drinking in the camp. When he heard the news, he sneered, “They really think we’re supplying them with feathered arrows every day. Tell the others, shoot a few arrows, and for those who shoot too many, treat it as a discount, don’t give in to those soft bones of Great Wei!”
His subordinate left to relay the orders.
The ropes swayed slightly. He Yan was among the first to descend from the city tower. She moved quickly, and in an instant, her feet touched the ground. Before she could steady herself, she heard the sound of arrows being shot from above. Her heart tightened; the Wutuo people were shooting arrows.
This was actually within her expectations. Before this, she had already ordered two rounds of strawmen to be sent down, but the vigilant Wutuo people occasionally shot a few arrows to test. These arrows might hit nothing, or they might hit some soldiers, but… there was no sound.
Apart from the sound of rain and wind, nothing else could be heard. As she had said, even if it hurt, they had to endure it. Only when they treated themselves as ‘strawmen’ would the Wutuo people believe that the ropes hanging from the city tower were tied to “strawmen.”
A slight movement came from her side. People were descending on both sides. All five hundred elite soldiers would land on this piece of land. Time was of the essence.
Fortunately, the Wutuo people, aside from shooting a few arrows at the beginning, remained silent afterward. They probably didn’t hear any sound, firmly believing that today, just like before, it was a trick by Li Kuang to “borrow arrows.” After a quarter of an hour, all the men and horses had gathered.
Among the five hundred, only three were injured by Wutuo arrows, but fortunately, none of them were critical. He Yan ordered these three to grab the ropes and return to the city, while the rest of the men joined her in infiltrating the Wutuo camp.
The night rain became the best cover; the rain curtain obscured everything, and all things in the world were shrouded in darkness.
Near the camp, soldiers patrolled with barely-lit torches. The Wutuo army was loose, probably thinking that this battle was sure to win, and they didn’t believe that with Rundu’s small army, they dared to launch a surprise attack. Even the patrolling soldiers weren’t very vigilant.
The wilderness was vast, with no sheltering thickets, only small shrubs and rocks. The Wutuo people set up their camp quite conveniently; such a place couldn’t hide anyone. But at the same time, in such a place, it was easy to find out where their food and supplies were located.
He Yan gestured to the people behind her. Following her earlier instructions, each elite soldier infiltrated the nearby tents on their own.
They needed to find the place where the provisions were stored first. He Yan signaled, and Jiang Jiao and Wang Ba’s group followed her. Coming from the Liangzhou Garrison, they were familiar with each other and knew how to cooperate. They were responsible for finding and burning the provisions, the best way to cripple the Wutuo forces.
A Wutuo soldier sat in front of his tent, drinking. Wutuo people were rough and brutish, enjoying strong liquor. While he complained about Rundu’s wine being overly sweet and lacking the characteristics of real alcohol, he couldn’t bring himself to let go. The wine, poured into exquisite flasks, was casually tossed aside without any reluctance. Although the grape wine was sweet, it was still alcohol, and before long, a slight drunkenness emerged.
He stood up unsteadily, walked to the edge of the wilderness, and, undoing his pants, prepared to relieve himself. ** halfway through, he suddenly felt someone tapping on his shoulder. Thinking it was another soldier following him, he impatiently turned around, only to see a ghastly face behind him, grinning menacingly.
In moments of extreme fear, people often find it difficult to produce any sound. The Wutuo man was no exception; his mind went blank for a moment, feeling a chilling sensation throughout his body. Before the word ‘ghost’ could leave his mouth, a cold glint flashed before him.
With a light “thud,” his head fell to the ground.
The person with the mask squatted down, dragged the body into the depths of the bushes, and soon, there was no trace of the Wutuo man left outside. A shadow silently entered the camp.
At the same time, within the Wutuo camp, numerous “ghosts” appeared, silently taking away a large number of Wutuo lives. These Wutuo people, before their deaths, didn’t know who had killed them. They only remembered the sudden appearance of ghostly faces in the darkness, terrifying and ominous.
Another Wutuo man fell, dragged into an empty tent to make it look like he was sleeping. Two masked individuals nodded to each other with a hint of satisfaction in their eyes.
Five hundred people, all wearing ghastly masks, except for He Yan. Dressed in black, the stern-faced young man addressed them, “The Wutuo people believe in ghosts and reincarnation. They commit countless atrocities yet insist on worshiping Buddha. If we launch a night attack, and everyone wears these terrifying ghost masks, suddenly appearing in the darkness, the Wutuo people will be frightened. In fear, their morale will crumble, and that will be our opportunity.”
It seemed that this idea really worked. Unexpectedly, even the supposedly brave and fearless Wutuo warriors were afraid of these ghostly tales.
This idea of He Yan’s was inspired by the “Fox Deception” mask during the Jiyang Water God Festival. A “Fox Deception” mask looked ugly, which was enough to repel the people of Jiyang. For the Wutuo people, the terror of ghosts was sufficient to shake their military morale.
The Wutuo people’s tents were not very close; there was some distance between the tents of ordinary soldiers and those led by the deputy general. As He Yan passed by what seemed to be an exceptionally spacious and luxurious tent, she heard cries of pain from inside.
Dim lantern light inside the tent cast shadows, faintly revealing struggling women and sinister men. Accompanied by the brazen laughter of the Wutuo men and the cries of the women, it struck fear into the hearts of those who listened. He Yan unconsciously stopped in her tracks, gazing towards the tent.
Beside her, Jiang Jiao was startled.
They hadn’t found the location of the provisions yet, and if He Yan couldn’t restrain herself from taking action now, everything they had accomplished would be in vain. By then, not only would these captured Rundu women be needlessly sacrificed, but also the vanguard who followed them to their deaths today.
Although he also sympathized with these women, in times of chaos, women lacked the ability to protect themselves. Once captured, they could only become playthings for the enemy.
Shitou was also worried and cautiously pulled He Yan’s sleeve. He Yan, moving her gaze away, waved her hand, signaling them to continue forward.
Jiang Jiao breathed a sigh of relief. With He Yan’s strong sense of justice, he feared that he would recklessly charge in and expose himself.
The cries of the women gradually faded away, yet seemed not to have moved away, lingering in everyone’s ears. They all knew that if they couldn’t burn the Wutuo people’s provisions tonight, if they couldn’t catch them off guard, before long, Rundu City would fall, and cries like the ones heard tonight would echo everywhere.
War is indeed cruel.
After moving forward for a while, more Wutuo patrols appeared around them, carrying torches and patrolling the area. The number of tents for nearby soldiers also decreased significantly, and there was a large tent where several dozen horse-drawn carriages were parked outside.
He Yan and Wang Ba’s group stopped and hid in the bushes behind them.
This was the place where the Wutuo people hoarded provisions.
With so much food, transporting it back to Rundu could alleviate many urgent needs. These soldiers didn’t need to starve, and the city’s people wouldn’t have to resort to catching mice and eating wild grass. However, He Yan also knew very well that they couldn’t take away these provisions. If they were greedy, the result would be that no one could leave, and not only would they fail to take away any provisions, but they would also sacrifice the lives of hundreds of people here.
In the art of war, sacrifice is also a way. To win, one must be willing to sacrifice.
The Wutuo soldiers guarding the provisions were very vigilant, frequently looking around, and the torches illuminated the surroundings brightly, making it impossible to sneak in and set fire as before.
“What should we do?” Shitou gestured, asking.
This was something He Yan had already thought of. She pointed forward and then pointed to herself, directing them towards the location where the provisions were stored.
This was the second plan they had discussed before setting out. However, this method was too dangerous for He Yan.
Shitou was still somewhat hesitant. He Yan smiled, asked him to extend his hand, and used her index finger to draw on his palm. Everyone looked carefully and saw that she wasn’t writing; instead, she drew a hill with a flag planted on it.
This was to remind them of the scene of capturing the flag back when they were in the Liangzhou Garrison. It was just the five of them at that time, having recently undergone training, never having seen what the true battlefield was like. On that hill, they had captured twenty flags and stored them all away.
To rob, you must look like a robber. However, the objects they were robbing had changed from the flags of the Liangzhou Garrison comrades to the detestable and ruthless Wutuo people. They weren’t fighting for the insignificant glory of a small guard post or the first position that could boost their vanity; instead, it was for the vitality of the entire city and its people in Rundu.
If the five of them worked together, just like they did before, it could be accomplished.
A smile spread from behind the masks, and He Yan lightly clapped their hands together, then disappeared into the night.
…
The wind had become a bit stronger than before, and the slanting raindrops hit the people, bringing a cool sensation.
“Did you hear anything just now?” a patrolling Wutuo soldier asked his companion.
“It’s just the sound of the wind,” the companion replied indifferently, mocking him. “What’s wrong? After staying outside Rundu City for so long, are you becoming as timid as the people of Great Wei?”
The Wutuo soldier didn’t answer, only looked puzzled into the distance. Just now, it seemed like he heard a faint cry. He glanced around and asked, “Did the patrol soldiers with torches reduce in number?”
The Wutuo soldiers were sleeping in their tents, while the patrolling soldiers were standing guard outside. The night rain had extinguished some torches, but it wasn’t enough to extinguish the soldiers as well. He walked over, just reaching a tent where the wind rustled the wild grass outside, carrying a strange scent. This scent was not unfamiliar to him; in fact, it was painfully familiar. They had experienced it countless times in the captive camp, in the estates outside Rundu City.
It was the smell of blood.
The Wutuo soldier paused. Holding a torch, he stood in front of the tent, hesitated for a moment, and then entered. Inside the tent, the scent of blood was even stronger, and everyone was lying on the ground, seemingly fast asleep.
If you ignored the large puddles of blood on the ground.
“Intruders! Great Wei people attacking the camp!” The patrolling soldier had just shouted this when suddenly a gleam of sword light appeared in the dimness, and he felt a cold sensation on his neck before falling to the ground.
The torch fell to the ground, and he struggled to move his eyes. Where his gaze fell, he saw a face with green skin and sharp teeth, looking at him with a sinister smile.
…
The horn echoed across the wilderness outside Rundu City, waking countless Wutuo soldiers from their sleep.
“Great Wei people are attacking the camp!”
The night, along with the rain and wind, covered the smell of blood. When people began to check, they discovered that many Wutuo soldiers in the tents had lost their lives while asleep.
The blood flowed out of the tent and mingled with the mud of the wilderness, blending with the raindrops, watering the land of Great Wei.
Huyate drew the long blade from his waist, gnashing his teeth in anger. “The Great Wei people dared to attack at night! The brave Wutuo warriors will make sure they have no way back! Kill all the Great Wei people for me!”
A strong killing intent erupted from all directions, and with no other options, a fierce battle ensued around the tents.
“Ghosts—there are ghosts!” The Wutuo people shouted in panic.
“Where are the ghosts? Those are Great Wei people!”
“No… they’re ghosts!”
Black-clothed figures emerged from all directions, faces like fierce ghosts, with a grim expression, quietly appearing next to the Wutuo people, effortlessly harvesting their lives. The Wutuo people, originally cruel and bloodthirsty, became disoriented upon seeing the terrifying faces in the dark.
Huyate shouted angrily, “What ghosts? This is a conspiracy by the Great Wei people! Let everyone see clearly; they are wearing masks on their faces! If anyone doesn’t resist with all their might, hesitates, I will deal with them by military law, and all will be executed!”
Huyate’s words were fierce, and the other Wutuo soldiers dared not retreat. Yet, the fear in their hearts wouldn’t completely dissipate just because of a few words. The masks made by the craftsmen in Rundu were full of horror and dread, and without saying a word, anyone who saw them would feel a chill in their hearts.
The Wutuo soldiers were momentarily at a loss.
On the other side, outside the tent where He Yan was located, the chaotic sounds from outside were already heard. However, the Wutuo soldiers guarding the provisions only showed a different expression and became more vigilant towards their surroundings.
At this moment, suddenly, figures flickered, moving extremely fast like wisps of shadows, approaching the provisions. The Wutuo soldiers immediately shouted, “Someone is coming!”
The clash of swords and blades reverberated, and the Wutuo soldiers finally saw clearly—the intruder was a black-clothed person wearing a mask. But… there was only one person?
“You dare to come and burn the provisions alone.” A Wutuo soldier laughed, “Huyate was right; these Great Wei people are not only timid but also foolish!”
“The Wutuo people are not only barbaric but also very talkative,” mocked the black-clothed person wearing a mask.
“Archers, get ready! Turn him into a hedgehog for me!”
Countless arrows rained down from behind. The Wutuo guards at the provisions were the most numerous, and regardless of what happened outside, these people would not leave. After all, provisions, in a certain sense, were the key to Wutuo’s victory without expending any extra effort. While besieging a city was more difficult than defending it, if they engaged in a direct confrontation, there would be casualties. It was better to slowly consume Rundu. When most of the people in the city starved to death, and the Rundu forces were unable to fight, they could easily break through the city, like cutting through tofu, effortlessly.
Therefore, Huyate also knew that there was no room for mistakes regarding provisions.
The rain of arrows was dense, but the masked person blocked them with a sword. His swordsmanship was unexpectedly excellent. In the night rain and the glow of torches, it was so fast that it was difficult to see clearly. Only shadows of a fierce battle could be seen, and in a short time, there were Wutuo bodies all around him.
Huang Xiong and the others hiding in the grass were stunned.
They had known that He Yan was proficient in everything—blades, horses, archery, and everything else. However, they had never seen him use a sword. When Jiang Jiao asked, He Yan had said, “My sword skills are not good, and using it doesn’t feel right. There’s no need to show off. When using a weapon, you should use the one you are best at.”
Tonight, He Yan took Li Kuang’s precious sword, and they all thought it was because He Yan had no choice but to pretend to be Flying Phoenix General. However, now, seeing his exquisite swordsmanship, they feared that even compared to the real Flying Phoenix General, he wouldn’t be inferior. In the past, he was too modest and unwilling to reveal his true skills.
No wonder he dared to infiltrate the enemy camp alone at night and set fire to the provisions. These arrows around her couldn’t harm her.
“General! Someone is attacking near the provisions!” an aide shouted beside Huyate.
Huyate stabbed the heart of a masked person in front of him with a single blow, pulled out the sword, bloodstains still on it, and then sheathed the sword along with the bloodstains. The person fell, and the mask on his face also fell to the ground. Huyate stepped on it with one foot, grinding the mask into the ground, then turned and walked towards the provisions, sneering, “Overestimating yourself!”
As Huyate approached the tents near the granary, he saw Wutuo soldiers all around. In the center, there was a black-clad person wielding a sword. Their sword moved like a long rainbow, and despite being alone, they carried the aura of an army of ten thousand. A black arrow rain surrounded them, but it couldn’t even touch the hem of their clothes. The long sword pointed in a direction, and one Wutuo soldier after another fell before them.
Huyate suddenly stopped.
Several Wutuo individuals rushed forward simultaneously, but the black-clad person’s sword easily brushed past them, turning and swirling like a snake. Several people fell in front of her, blood splattering on her silver mask. The misty night rain washed away the bloodstains, but the relentless sharpness and scorching intensity lingered, exuding a chilling and resolute killing intent.
Huyate’s mind went blank for a moment. “Who are you?”
The masked person looked over; their eyes were beautiful and bright, sending shivers down one’s spine. However, their voice was calm, even gentle.
“A jade figure dances lightly in the snow, and the flying phoenix startles the clouds as it freely soars,” the black-clad person said, tilting their head while looking at him. “I thought my name was known to everyone in the world.”
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