Chapter 231 – Lost a Son and Food Too (7)
Bang!
A fist smashed against the tree trunk, the other hand clutching two pieces of coarse cloth. The Escort Group Leader was so furious he could burst a vein.
“Meng Hunyun, you’ve gone too far!” He gritted his teeth in rage, initially thinking he had Meng Hunyun cornered, but instead, he found himself being toyed with. The clues he received led them in circles, as if they were mere monkeys. “If I catch you, I’ll tear you apart!”
The old hunter, acting as their guide, stood trembling beside him, his back slick with sweat and shivering in the chilly night breeze.
“Sir… should we still pursue?”
The old hunter carefully asked after the leader finished his fist pounding.
“No need, let’s head back. They’re trying to lure us away so they can transport the grain while I’m not there. Ha! He probably never considered I left someone behind to guard the food. With Meng Hunyun, that stray dog, thinking he can swallow all that grain? He better be careful not to choke!”
His expression darkened, and a flicker of chilling intent flashed in his eyes.
Even a toe-to-head calculation told him that continuing the search would likely result in them obtaining more scraps of coarse cloth meant for play.
It was a clear ploy to lure them away, buying time for the grain to be moved.
“Encircle Meng Hunyun when we turn back!”
With a shout from the Escort Group Leader, the already exhausted soldiers perked up, dragging their sore legs onward.
The old hunter, confused, was merely hired to guide and had no idea about these military men’s affairs.
As long as he led the way and got the promised silver, he wouldn’t take on such thankless work again.
Mumbling to himself, the old hunter skillfully moved through the forest, his agility rivaling that of a youthful man in his twenties.
Having hunted nearby for over thirty years, he could traverse it with his eyes closed, knowing precisely where to step to conserve energy, but the soldiers didn’t enjoy such ease.
The route chosen by Jiang Pengji appeared smooth and devoid of traps, yet it was riddled with hidden difficulties, draining their stamina!
The old hunter had grown accustomed to it and felt nothing, while the soldiers trudging through the nocturnal terrain were utterly exhausted.
The Escort Group Leader, eager to kill Meng Hunyun and redeem himself, urged them onward.
A young soldier, panting heavily, whispered, “Leader, don’t rush. Meng Hunyun definitely didn’t expect us to turn back.”
“Exactly! With all that grain, even with over four hundred people, it would take at least half an hour to carry it away. How could they possibly move fast while loaded with food? Even if we can’t catch them, we can still track them down. Let’s take a moment for the small folk to rest.”
Upon hearing this, the Escort Group Leader’s face turned as pale as jade, raising his whip to strike the young soldier.
The poor lad yelped in pain, a long bloody gash running from one side of his forehead to his chin. He stumbled and fell, rolling down the slope with a dull thud, quickly followed by silence.
The Escort Group Leader showed no mercy, sneering, “Speed is of the essence! We can’t be delayed by such trivial reasons! Meng Hunyun is cunning; who knows what other tricks he has up his sleeve? Anyone who dares to rest will end up like him!”
The other soldiers fell silent, heads bowed, holding their breaths for fear of being whipped for making too much noise.
The Escort Group Leader snorted coldly, declaring proudly, “Since no one opposes, onward! We will capture Meng Hunyun alive! Once we catch him and score a great achievement, I’ll petition the Governor for your merits. You’ll soar to great heights, wealth, beauties, and status—everything will be yours!”
With the lure of profit, the soldiers cast aside their fears, a rush of bravado filling their hearts.
Before long, the Bandit Stronghold was visible to the naked eye, its flames still flickering. The Escort Group Leader burst into laughter.
Pointing at the glowing fires of the bandit camp, he said, “Meng Hunyun, that fool, truly thought he could delay us with his tricks! But he never anticipated that I would keep someone behind to guard the grain. Those supplies aren’t so easily taken; if they want them, they’ll have to pay with their lives!”
As the Bandit Stronghold drew closer, the Escort Group Leader felt excitement surge within him, the faint scent of blood wafting through the air, further stirring his eagerness. It was clear that Meng Hunyun had sent his men for a surprise attack—perhaps he was even wounded and fleeing!
Only a hundred meters from the Bandit Stronghold’s gates, the old hunter suddenly felt a wave of discomfort wash over him, as though a terrifying beast had locked onto his vital points! This sense of foreboding had saved him from crisis before, but this time, it was stronger than ever…
He hesitated for a moment before suddenly rolling to the ground.
The old hunter felt his limbs weaken in confusion, as if one more moment of delay could cost him his life.
His sudden action pulled the Escort Group Leader slightly from his ecstatic daze, and he frowned.
“What are you doing!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, a strange whistling pierced the air, and screams erupted from behind the squad.
Exhausted soldiers fell one after another, like cut wheat, toppling in waves.
The Escort Group Leader’s heart raced in fear.
All he saw was darkness, unable to spot any enemies. It was as if these deadly arrows had appeared out of thin air!
The arrow rain lasted only three rounds, but from over a hundred soldiers, only thirty remained, the others punctured like hedgehogs.
“Tsk—cowards! Why does the Meng Clan keep using such useless chums? They’re simply disgracing the name of the former Meng Gong!”
Jiang Pengji crouched on a tree branch, initially intending to shoot a couple of arrows at the Escort Group Leader. To her surprise, he was ruthless enough to grab corpses as shields, allowing several stray arrows to hit them instead… Tsk, tsk, this level of incompetence is truly rare.
Qi Guanrang’s night vision wasn’t that great and, hearing Jiang Pengji’s taunts, he assumed she was merely belittling the opponent.
Jiang Pengji smacked the tree trunk, producing a rhythmic thump-thump.
Her subordinates instantly cupped their hands around their mouths, shouting, “How laughable, the former Meng Gong was brave!”
Qi Guanrang felt his heart drop, startled by their booming voices.
“Today’s descendants are no better than dogs.”
Someone’s feather fan almost slipped from their grasp in shock.
Was such a blatant insult really appropriate?
At that moment, Qi Guanrang recalled Jiang Pengji’s parting words on that piece of coarse cloth, directly calling the Meng Clan a bunch of mutts.
Jiang Pengji helplessly turned to Qi Guanrang, saying, “I feel like that insult lacks punch. How about changing it to something even more infuriating?”
Qi Guanrang: “…”
This isn’t infuriating?
If it were him, his brain would probably explode!
At that moment, a comment floated by in the live chat. Jiang Pengji’s eyes lit up, declaring, “Everyone shout: ‘Meng Gong fought bravely to secure peace! Their descendants now lose sons and grain! Each generation worse than the last! Our ancestors would roll in their graves!’”
