Chapter 296 - 197: Black Wind Mountain (2)
At that point, it wouldn’t matter if he recovered or actually died.
When Celestial King Chen became enraged, they would likely become collateral damage.
It would be better to just burn the goods, destroy all traces, and flee for their lives.
Soon, the caravan’s cargo was burned to ashes by the men.
"Quick, let’s go!"
Seeing that the surroundings had fallen quiet, Zhou Zhengyang immediately led his guards away in a hurry.
~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Fang Yue rode at top speed.
He arrived at Xiahe County Town before dawn.
Years had passed. He was returning to a place he once knew, a place that had since been ravaged by war. The entire Shanyang Prefecture was now occupied by the Rebel Army. For a moment, Fang Yue was filled with a complex mix of emotions.
"So, I’m back in Xiahe County. I didn’t expect it to still be so prosperous," Fang Yue murmured, then turned toward a tavern, planning to find lodging there.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Fang Yue’s eyebrow twitched. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes as he sensed a familiar aura.
The next moment, his eyes fell upon a scene on the street below.
At a street corner, a group of soldiers in armor were searching for something.
Among these soldiers was a familiar face.
County Magistrate Liu!
’It’s actually him!’
A cold smile appeared on Fang Yue’s face. He never expected to run into Wei He here.
He certainly hadn’t expected the man to still be alive.
And from the looks of it, he had thrown in his lot with the Rebel Army, becoming one of them. Judging by the official robes he wore, he was even a Sixth Grade official.
"Sigh, that County Magistrate Liu is even more ruthless than the imperial court. He’s collected taxes for the next thirty years! Now he spends all day using ’capturing subversives’ as an excuse to run rampant in the city. He’s utterly depraved!"
"Isn’t that the truth? They’re the knife and we’re the fish on the chopping block. We common folk can only let them carve us up as they please."
"Quiet, you two. If Lord Liu finds out about this, our lives won’t be worth a damn."
Nearby, several diners were whispering among themselves, their topic naturally being the atrocities of County Magistrate Liu. Their voices were quiet, but Fang Yue heard every word clearly.
"Hmph! He truly deserves to die!" Hearing this, Fang Yue sneered, a murderous intent toward Wei He solidifying in his heart.
’Back before the Blood Dragon Platform’s rebellion, this County Magistrate Liu plotted against me. I dealt with Wei He back then, or so I thought, but the man still managed to escape with his life.’
’Later, the rebellion of Prince Wucheng broke out, and I fled with my family, which let County Magistrate Liu off the hook.’
’I never imagined that not only did he not die, but he was still an official.’
’The only difference is that he was once an official of the imperial court, and now he’s a traitor serving a Rebel King.’
’Since our paths have crossed again, don’t blame me for being merciless!’
With a flash of thought, Fang Yue resolved to kill the man here and now. However, before doing so, he needed to create a disguise to avoid attracting attention.
With this in mind, Fang Yue found a nearby tea stall.
"Proprietor, a pot of hot water!" Fang Yue called out.
The moment his words fell, a pot of boiling water was placed before him.
"Enjoy, sir!" the stall owner said with a chuckle before turning to leave.
Sipping the warm water, a cold glint appeared in Fang Yue’s eyes.
’This County Magistrate Liu’s cultivation isn’t bad. He’s already on the verge of Perfection in Qi Sensing, just one step away from the Innate Grandmaster Realm.’
~~~~~~
Xiahe County Magistrate’s Office.
"Well? Have you found the location of that band of traitors?!" County Magistrate Liu demanded, his face ashen as he sat in the seat of honor.
A soldier knelt beside him, head bowed respectfully. "Reporting to Your Lordship, we’ve tracked the faint clues they left behind and have finally pinpointed their location to Black Wind Ridge, thirty li outside Xiahe County."
Hearing this, County Magistrate Liu’s brow furrowed slightly. "Black Wind Ridge? That godforsaken hellhole? Those traitors are hiding so close by?"
"Muster the troops immediately! I will lead the extermination myself!"
"Yes, sir!" the soldier replied at once and withdrew.
This area had now been occupied by Prince Wucheng for just over a year, but throughout Shanyang Prefecture, there were still some soldiers loyal to the Great Wei Dynasty.
Now, these men were the ones considered ’rebels.’
"Heh heh, this time I will definitely capture Fang Hu and his son!" County Magistrate Liu said coldly, his gaze fixed on the sky outside.
At that moment, a government constable outside the County Magistrate’s Office frowned slightly, looking toward County Magistrate Liu inside with a hint of surprise.
’Rebels? There are still troops loyal to the Great Wei Dynasty fighting back in the mountains?’
’Fang Hu and his son? Could it be...’
This person was none other than Fang Yue in disguise. He had originally disguised himself as a government constable to infiltrate the County Magistrate’s Office and find an opportunity to kill County Magistrate Liu.
But now, after hearing this, he decided not to act immediately.
~~~~~~
Black Wind Ridge was located not far from Xiahe County Town, only about thirty li in a straight line.
The mountain was teeming with venomous insects and ferocious beasts.
The depths of the ancient forest, in particular, were shrouded in a mysterious and unpredictable miasma.
For an ordinary hunter to enter Black Wind Ridge meant a near-certain death; it was almost impossible to emerge alive.
Unless one was a Martial Artist, entering this place was a death sentence for almost anyone!
Now, deep within Black Wind Ridge.
In a certain canyon, dozens of men in tattered armor were gathered.
"Lord Fang, shouldn’t we just disband? If we keep this up, all the brothers are going to die!" a tall, dark-skinned man with eyes as wide as bronze bells asked the person beside him in a booming voice.
"Don’t worry, Zhang. We’ll retreat tomorrow," Fang Hu said solemnly after a moment of thought.
Hearing this, the others all voiced their agreement. Fang Hu felt helpless. When he started, over a thousand soldiers followed him, but after more than a year of fighting, their numbers had dwindled until only a little over a hundred remained.
All the others had been killed in action.
Each of the hundred men who remained was an elite among elites. Their strength was formidable, and half of them had even reached the Bone Forging Realm.
But now, with no hope for the future and no sign of a counterattack from the imperial court, they had lost their confidence one by one, gradually growing weary and pessimistic.
"Sigh!" At this thought, Fang Hu couldn’t help but sigh. He looked up at the night sky, his expression incredibly complex.
Before he knew it, the Bright Moon had slowly risen, clear and radiant.
Its pure, silvery light cascaded down, draping the entire world in a hazy veil.
Watching this scene, a hint of nostalgia surfaced in Fang Hu’s eyes.
In the past, whenever he saw this brilliant silver moon, his heart would fill with hope.
Unfortunately, all of that had now turned to dust.
Just then, the sound of galloping hooves echoed into the canyon.
Immediately after, a troop of cavalry galloped into view.
When they got a clear look at the cavalry’s attire, everyone’s expression changed.
"The Rebel Army is attacking!" someone shouted in terror, and fear instantly spread across everyone’s faces.
Although they had over a hundred men.
And each was an elite soldier. But after more than a year of countless battles, they were all covered in old wounds, their combat strength a shadow of its former self.
Most importantly, even if they had the courage for a desperate, life-or-death struggle, they no longer had the confidence to defeat the enemy.
"What’s there to panic about?"
Fang Hu roared, "There are so many of us! You think we can’t beat a disorderly mob like them? Defend the valley entrance! There’s no way this Rebel Army can get in!"
Hearing his words, the men’s morale recovered slightly. They all grabbed their long spears and bows, readying themselves for a fight.
Outside the canyon, County Magistrate Liu had already led a thousand soldiers to surround it.
"Hahaha! I’ve finally gotten my chance! This time, I will definitely capture those traitors, Fang Hu and his son!" County Magistrate Liu was ecstatic as he looked at the figures in the valley, confirming that his targets were indeed inside.
Over the past year, the group of imperial soldiers led by Fang Hu and his son had made quite a name for themselves.
They had inflicted considerable losses on Prince Wucheng’s army and had long been on the wanted list.