Chapter 81: Robbery
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“Robbery?” Jiang Jiao stuttered for a moment. “Wh-what robbery?”
“We arrived here first, and with the advantage of timing and location, isn’t it a waste of opportunity not to capitalize on it?” She turned to Wang Ba. “Brother Wang, this is your expertise. Do you remember the rules?”
Wang Ba was a mix of annoyance and pride as he responded, “Of course, I remember.”
“Then let’s go step on the plate,” she told him.
“What does ‘step on the plate’ mean?” Jiang Jiao asked, confused.
“I know this one,” Huang Xiong chimed in. “It’s a term from the secret language of the bandits. It means to gather information beforehand.”
Wang Ba huffed, glancing at He Yan. “You know the secret language too?”
“I only know this one phrase,” He Yan said. “If everyone agrees, I’ll arrange the details.”
All eyes were on her.
“The terrain here is higher, and we arrived early. When the other groups arrive, they’ll likely be tired and off-guard. We only need to lie in ambush, snatch their flags, and secure victory. There are five of us. One person should climb a tree to survey the situation while the rest hide nearby. That person will be me,” He Yan pointed to herself. “I’ll be in the tree.”
“When they approach, Brother Wang will be in the front, guiding them into our trap. Jiang Jiao and Shitou, each of you will hold a long weapon, positioned on the left and right. Uncle Huang will be at the back, holding the rear. This way, we can surround them. I’ll come down from the tree at that moment, and with my nine-section whip, I’ll take the opportunity to snatch their flags.”
Understanding dawned on their faces. That’s why He Yan had chosen the nine-section whip. In a chaotic battle, it might be difficult to get close to the flags, but with the whip’s reach, they could pull the flags from a distance.
“Why do I have to be the bait?” Wang Ba grumbled. “I can lead the formation.”
“Because you’re the strongest,” He Yan improvised without changing her expression. “If any of us held the flag and lured them over, it would be suspicious. But with you, it’s different. You’re already renowned among the new recruits. Snatching the flag will be reasonable and expected when you do it.”
Jiang Jiao fought a smile and managed to suppress it. Shitou and Huang Xiong looked down in silence. Only Wang Ba seemed genuinely convinced by He Yan’s arrangement, and his initial dissatisfaction faded away.
“But is this arrangement really effective?” Jiang Jiao questioned doubtfully. “What if their skills are better than ours?”
“Don’t worry. We arrived earlier and had more time to rest and gather our strength. Also, with our flanking strategy, we’ll be both offensive and defensive, causing them to lose formation. Besides, our goal isn’t to fight them but to capture the flags.”
“As the Art of War says, those who wait in a fortified camp will be at ease, while those who rush into battle will tire. Hence, a skilled warrior will subdue others and be unconquerable.”
Among the five, only Jiang Jiao and He Yan had received an education. While the others were still processing, Jiang Jiao turned to He Yan with a complex expression. “You’ve read military texts?”
“Somewhat,” He Yan replied.
Huang Xiong glanced at Jiang Jiao, then at He Yan, and sighed, “I remember you once claimed to have read ‘The Arm Manual,’ and now you’re saying you’ve read military texts. With your abilities, you’ll surely make a name for yourself one day, far from where we are.”
“I don’t dare to assume that,” He Yan laughed.
“Well, if you become rich and famous, don’t forget about us,” Wang Ba whispered under his breath, then added quickly, “But looking at you, you don’t really seem like someone who’ll become rich and famous.”
He Yan shrugged. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Now, let’s all find our hiding spots. I’ll climb the tree first. Rest and eat something. Brother Jiang, give one of the flags to Brother Wang. When you hear my whistle later, that’ll be the signal. I’ll use the whistle of a Chinese francolin for communication. When you hear the signal, Brother Wang, take the flag to lure them.”
No one objected. They scattered in different directions, finding hiding spots of their own. He Yan chose a tall camphor tree and deftly climbed up.
Her tree-climbing skills were impressive, and Wang Ba couldn’t help but mutter, “Like a four-legged snake.”
He Yan reached the top of the tree in one breath, settled in the most lush branches, and enjoyed the cooling breeze on her face. The spot was high enough to give her a clear view of the surroundings. Seeing that no other recruits had arrived yet, she took a small piece of dry biscuit from her pocket and ate it, washing it down with water.
After finishing the small piece of biscuit, she leaned against the branches and rested for a few minutes. Soon enough, she heard rustling sounds coming from a path slightly below. Another group of recruits was approaching.
He Yan immediately sat up straight, remaining hidden among the leaves without making a sound. She softly produced the sound of a Chinese francolin whistle, blowing it three times in succession. Her whistle was so identical to the bird’s call that if they hadn’t arranged it beforehand, Jiang Jiao’s group wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.
Hidden in the shadows, Huang Xiong gave Wang Ba a signal. Wang Ba hung his water flask and held the flag, then stood up and walked out.
It was unclear whether Wang Ba was accustomed to this kind of robbery act, but his feigned performance was convincing enough to keep his intentions hidden. He looked around every two steps as if he were a newcomer cautiously exploring the area.
As he continued his act, he unexpectedly ran into the group of recruits coming up the mountain.
“You…” The recruit hadn’t even finished speaking when Wang Ba clutched his side and started running back. It was when he covered his side that the red flag around his waist became visible.
The recruit hesitated for a moment, then excitement washed over him. He turned to the others and said, “He’s alone, and he has the red flag! Brothers, let’s snatch it!”
The group of recruits immediately gave chase, convinced that they had the upper hand. Wang Ba, appearing isolated, didn’t seem keen on fighting. He ran while shouting, “Get lost! If you keep following me, I’ll chop you into pieces!”
The pursuers saw the red flag as good as captured and laughed as they pursued him, saying, “If you want to chop someone, chop! This brother, surrender the flag without a fight!”
“I’ll chop your grandmother! If you keep chasing me, don’t blame me for not being polite!” Wang Ba warned.
“Who’s being impolite here?” The pursuers continued to laugh as they gave chase. When they reached a dense thicket, Wang Ba suddenly stopped.
“What, are you out of breath?” The leader of the recruits chuckled, mimicking a bandit leader’s style. “This mountain was created by me, and this tree was planted by me. If you want to pass through here, leave behind some payment!”
Wang Ba had intended to put on a show of force, but the words left him laughing instead. He unsheathed two massive axes from his waist, turned around, and shouted, “A wild chicken can’t ascend the King of Heaven’s mountain. If you’re after my head, you must be blinded by lard, using such foolish tactics!”
His string of bandit jargon left everyone puzzled. Neither side wanted to prolong the encounter, and as the pursuers raised their swords to attack, they aimed directly at the flag hanging from Wang Ba’s waist.
At that moment, a commotion sounded from behind. Two young men emerged from the bushes on both sides, one holding a long spear and the other a iron staff. It was Jiang Jiao and Shitou. Then, with a loud thud, a burly bald man with a golden-backed broadsword leapt forward.
The odds had flipped completely. It was originally five against one, with Wang Ba being chased and feeling like he was in a desperate situation. But now, the tables have turned dramatically. With ambushers emerging from all sides, there were only four opponents, yet the situation felt like a multi-directional ambush.
The newcomers were taken aback for a moment. Their laughter subsided as they realized they had fallen into a trap. “It’s an ambush! They tricked us!”
During their journey to this point, encounters usually consisted of either all-out brawls or ambushes erupting suddenly. However, this time was like a grand theatrical performance, with a bait leading the way and an elaborate setup. The leader of the recruits said resolutely, “So what if it’s a trick? We’re evenly matched in numbers. Let’s fight them head-on!”
With a quick turn, the group rushed into the midst of the melee.
To be honest, while each of these individuals had their strengths, it wasn’t as if they were one in a million talents. After all, all the new recruits who had come up the mountain today were outstanding talents from the Liangzhou Garrison. But what was strange was that Jiang Jiao and the others gained the upper hand as soon as they engaged in combat.
Firstly, they had been on the mountain for a long time and had rested and eaten here, replenishing their strength. On the other hand, the other group of recruits had just completed a strenuous hike and hadn’t even had time to sit down and drink water before they were thrust into battle, putting them at a disadvantage. Secondly, the way Jiang Jiao and the others had positioned themselves was quite clever.
Jiang Jiao and Shi Tou were positioned on the left and right sides, which meant that the entire group of recruits was surrounded. Huang Xiong’s big blade was imposing, and it paired seamlessly with Wang Ba’s giant axe. With two long-range and two close-range fighters working together, they combined offense and defense so seamlessly that the recruits found it hard to identify any weaknesses in their opponents. Instead, they were frequently pushed onto the back foot.
Jiang Jiao used his spear to deflect the opponent’s sword and knock their weapons away, prompting one recruit to exclaim, “This isn’t working! Let’s retreat!”
“How do you plan to retreat?” The leader of the recruits snapped, annoyed. “Find an opening if you can!”
Despite his attempts, the leader couldn’t find an escape route. Exhaustion started to set in, and it was clear that their side wouldn’t hold up much longer.
“Wait a minute,” one recruit managed to avoid Huang Xiong’s broadsword and turned to ask, “Where’s the fifth person on their side?”
Right, they had been fighting four against five this whole time. But they were missing a person. They had been so preoccupied with the battle that they hadn’t noticed the absence. With this realization, they immediately understood the trick. The leader of the recruits shouted, “It’s a ruse! Protect the flag!”
No sooner had he spoken than Wang Ba’s voice boomed, “He Yan, are you just watching? Come out already!”
From the thick foliage of the camphor tree, a youthful voice responded, “Coming!”
Suddenly, a figure dressed in red appeared in the dense forest. The young man, He Yan, moved gracefully like a swallow, his laughter easy and carefree. Despite his elegant demeanor, he seemed like a formidable adversary to the opposing group. The man at the far end barely had time to conceal his belongings when a long, sinuous shadow lunged toward him. Startled, he instinctively let go of his possession. The shadow snaked its way, seizing the belongings, and quickly retreated. He Yan retracted her nine-section whip, perched on a tree branch, and smiled playfully as she shook her hand. The bag’s covering fell away, revealing that she held a flag in her hand. She chuckled, “Thanks!” Then, she turned and disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a parting remark, “We’ve got what we came for, let’s go!”
The remaining Jiang Jiao and his group seemed to have received an unspoken signal. Although they had been fiercely battling moments before, they now abruptly disengaged from combat. Stowing away their weapons, they sprinted away. The group of recruits had already been drained from their strenuous climb, and after the intense skirmish, they were too exhausted to catch up. They chased for a few hundred steps before their stamina failed, and they helplessly watched the figures fade into the distance.
“What kind of bandits are these…” Someone collapsed to the ground, cursing angrily through clenched teeth, “They’re utterly lawless!”
“There’s nothing we can do. Thieves don’t leave empty-handed.” On the other end, He Yan instructed Jiang Jiao to put away the red flag, then snapped her fingers and said, “Let’s go.”
“Where to?” Wang Ba asked.
“To rob the next target.”
…
A pigeon paced back and forth on the windowsill. Someone scattered a handful of grains, and the pigeon landed in their palm, allowing the person to remove a copper tube from its leg.
Xiao Jue finished reading the note and handed it to Shen Han, shaking his head with a smile.
The note was straightforward, mentioning only one thing: He Yan had set up ambushes all over the mountain and had begun a livelihood of robbing others, successfully snatching the flags of several groups of recruits.
Flag-capturing was all about competition, but competing in such a covert and unassuming manner was truly unprecedented. Their focus had been solely on the flags from the very beginning. They had no intention of quarreling with other recruits; their ambushes were all centered around capturing flags. If there was no flag, they wouldn’t bother robbing, even allowing others to pass. If there was a flag, they would take advantage of the chaos and seize it before making their escape.
In the end, their losses were minimal, and their gains were substantial.
“He’s quite clever,” Shen Han finally managed to say after a long silence.
“Not just clever, but skilled in tactics too,” Xiao Jue responded.
“Tactics?”
“Using the near to conquer the distant, using ease to conquer difficulty, using fullness to conquer hunger.” Xiao Jue curved his lips into a faint smile and continued, “She’s turned the recruits of the Liangzhou Garrison into fools.”
Shen Han fell silent. This young man was truly hard to describe. Suddenly, another thought occurred to him. “Come to think of it, all five of them accept her leadership without any objections.”
In the matter of flag-capturing, conflicts arose not only against other recruits but also within each group. Everyone had different habits and tactics, and harmony wasn’t always guaranteed. Some squads even fought over leadership, resulting in no gains by the end. Knowing how to cooperate and how to arrange were indicators of a recruit’s abilities. From this perspective, He Yan already possessed the capability to command and deploy troops.
Among these five people, apart from Shitou, the others had all clashed and argued with He Yan at some point. Yet, none of them were questioning her now.
This was another remarkable aspect of this youth.
“These few are quite impressive,” Shen Han pondered for a moment. “In their battles against other recruits, Jiang Jiao’s group has had the upper hand. So far, they have an unblemished record. Commander, do you think these few are qualified to join the Vanguard Camp?”
Xiao Jue chuckled softly, neither confirming nor denying, “It’s not just their individual abilities that make the difference; it’s because of He Yan’s formations. A team with a well-structured formation can’t be compared to a group of scattered soldiers.”
“Commander, are you saying…” Shen Han seemed to grasp something.
“Spreading out like crane wings, with the main force at the center and rear. Haven’t you noticed?” Xiao Jue continued, “He used five people to form a Crane Wing Formation.”
Perhaps the news was too startling, as Shen Han remained silent for a moment. If a new recruit was capable of setting up formations, it almost always indicated that something was amiss. Shen Han hesitated, “Perhaps… it’s just a coincidence?”
“We’ll know soon enough whether it’s a coincidence or not,” Xiao Jue replied. “Fei Nu.”
The black-clad guard appeared silently behind him, “Young Master.”
“Send a message to the other military officials on White Moon Mountain,” Xiao Jue picked up the teacup on the table and took a shallow sip, “Set up formations on the way down the mountain.”
“Commander!” Shen Han was anxious, “That will hinder other recruits from descending the mountain!”
“Rest assured,” the young man set down his teacup and turned his attention to the black and white pieces in a chess set, his strategy shifting in an instant. He said, “Someone will break the formation.”
…
On White Moon Mountain, near the base of a stone cliff, a few individuals were hidden in the underbrush, counting their spoils.
“One, two, three… six! We’ve captured a total of six flags!” Jiang Jiao sounded rather pleased.
“Not even half,” Wang Ba dampened his enthusiasm, “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“Six flags is already quite good,” Huang Xiong chimed in. “Besides, three of them were stolen.”
Among the six flags, three had been found by He Yan’s group while taking a detour, while the other three had been taken from recruits who had already gotten flags on the mountaintop.
“But it’s still not enough. Let’s go rob a bit more,” Wang Ba swung his axe and declared, “Winning is having more than half.”
He Yan shook her head, “We can’t rob anymore right now.”
Shitou furrowed his brow, “Why not?”
“At this point, the other recruits have all made their way up the mountain. Those recruits who had their flags taken will undoubtedly be spreading the news of our flag-snatching escapades. It’s likely that our reputation has already become tarnished among them. The recruits with flags will be on high alert around us. Moreover, we’ve conducted three raids in quick succession, and our stamina is already waning compared to before.”
“Who says so?” Wang Ba motioned toward his robust arm, “I’m full of strength, and I’m not tired at all! I can go rob a few more!”
He Yan remarked, “Oh? How about if several teams join forces?”
Wang Ba hesitated.
He Yan raised her hands, “With six flags in our possession, we’re practically moving targets. I believe the recruits on the mountaintop have probably thought of banding together to snatch our flags and divide the spoils. One person’s fists can’t defeat four hands, and if five of us face ten, twenty, thirty… or even a hundred others, do you think there’s still a point in competing?”
The others were left speechless.
“Then tell us, what should we do?” Wang Ba finally spoke impatiently after a while.
“In the world, no matter how clever you are, if someone comes up with an idea, there will always be someone else following suit. We’ve just demonstrated how to take advantage of chaos to seize opportunities. I’m sure the upcoming recruits will try to replicate our success. We don’t need to compare ourselves to every single one of them. We only need to outperform the strongest among the remaining recruits.”
Jiang Jiao’s eyes brightened, “Are you suggesting that while they squabble, we reap the rewards?”
To let the remaining recruits on the mountain fight amongst themselves, no matter who emerges victorious, they would still be a winner. Their task was to rob the winning team, take their flags, and thus they could potentially secure half of the flags.
“So, then…” Huang Xiong looked to He Yan for guidance.
“Let’s head down the mountain.”
“Right now?” Jiang Jiao hesitated.
“We can go down now. It’s still early, and we can seize the initiative. By hiding along the path down the mountain, all the recruits, whether they’ve had their flags taken or not, will have to pass by us. The team that’s most skilled in scouting will be our prey.”
“What you’re suggesting sounds simple,” Wang Ba couldn’t help but argue, “But our opponents aren’t naive. Since they managed to amass so many flags, they must be formidable. We might not necessarily win.”
“You make a valid point,” He Yan nodded. “So, the confrontation at the foot of the mountain won’t be easy. But it’s alright. We’re sure to win.”
“Why?” Wang Ba asked.
With a triumphant smile, He Yan replied, “Because I’m here.”
— Side Note –
Yanyan: Me, MVP, gold medal hunting
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