Chapter 133 - 119: Camp Chaos (Part 3)
He turned back and whispered to his trusted aides, "Remember, swift and decisive. No matter the cost, we must complete the mission."
Around the Turkic camp, though sentries patrolled endlessly, they appeared utterly exhausted after a long march.
Their steps were heavy, and their eyes betrayed an unhidden weariness. Some sentries even staggered while patrolling.
The hundred-man squad led by Ma Cheng crouched low, deftly using the terrain and night’s veil to easily evade the sentries’ sight, like ghosts in the night, silently following Zhao Zun’s team, both covering them and weaving through the tents.
They moved swiftly, blades incessantly slicing across the necks of Turkic soldiers asleep on the grass, collecting their heads. One slash, one kill; fast, ruthless, precise.
Soon, where they passed, they left behind a silent trail of bodies, the bright red blood barely had time to flow far before quickly soaking into the grass below.
The air gradually started to fill with a faint scent of blood, but the smell of cow dung and barbecue from the Turkic people covered all of it...
On the hillside at this moment.
In the absolute silence, Han Lei, Hua Tianyou, and Ping Chuan finally climbed to the top.
The wind at the mountaintop carried a chill, yet it couldn’t disperse the heaviness between their brows.
In the distance, the Turkic camp lay quietly. Torches scattered like stars unwilling to be lonely, while the relentless tents more closely resembled totems of foreign tribes on the grasslands, silently proclaiming their existence.
"Whew, whew. It seems the Vanguard Camp’s surprise attack hasn’t started yet."
Hua Tianyou gasped heavily, legs like jelly, instinctively wanting to sit down and rest.
Han Lei’s anxious gaze scanned the foot of the mountain before decisively shaking his head.
"No, precisely because the surprise attack hasn’t begun, we must descend immediately."
As Han Lei spoke, she reached out to grab the collar of Hua Tianyou’s combat suit, pulling him up with a strong tug as his bottom was already touching the ground. Then, without a word, she started walking down the mountain.
Though Hua Tianyou was reluctant, he was still sensible. Being lifted like a chick by Han Lei, he could only roll his eyes helplessly and did not make any other noise.
They hurried, all for the purpose of lending Zhao Zun and the others a hand.
The surprise attack hadn’t started yet, which undoubtedly gained them some more time. So, he understood that now was indeed not an appropriate time to rest.
"I’ll help you walk, quickly go down the mountain."
Ping Chuan, seeing him look so defeated, glared at him and stepped forward to support his arm, then started moving.
Hua Tianyou nodded while panting, dragging his lead-like heavy legs, stumbling along behind Han Lei under Ping Chuan’s support, continuing to descend the mountain...
What Han Lei didn’t know was that although the Turkic camp at the foot of the mountain was quiet, Zhao Zun and his men’s surprise attack had already discreetly begun.
Turkic Commander Albu’s tent was located at the camp’s center, surrounded by sentries and guards on all sides. The closer to Albu’s tent, the tighter the security.
Zhao Zun and his trusted aides crouched low, borrowing the night’s cover and the tents’ concealment, cautiously approaching Alpi’s tent, and so far, the advance was smooth.
After silently ambushing a few trusted aides, a security gap appeared near Alpi’s tent. Zhao Zun slipped through this opening and crawled into the tent from below.
The tent was pitch black, with faint snoring sounds audible.
Zhao Zun couldn’t see anything, thankfully, Han Lei had given him a watch with a small glow.
Though the glow was weak and couldn’t illuminate far, he could at least make out some of his steps ahead. Zhao Zun shielded the night glow in front, pinpointing the sound, stealthily feeling his way forward.
The watch’s hands ticked away, heightening the tension in the darkness.
In the glow’s light, Alpi’s animal skin bedding appeared at Zhao Zun’s feet.
Zhao Zun held his breath, his hand gripping the sword hilt slightly sweaty, he keenly focused on Alpi lying on the bedding, raising the hand holding the sword gently.
However, Albu as a renowned Turkic general, naturally possessed the alertness and sharpness befitting a commander.
Just as Zhao Zun reached where Alpi was sleeping, the sleeping Alpi suddenly sensed someone approaching and jolted awake.
"Who’s there?"
Alpi asked in Turkic. Before the words fully escaped, he had already flipped up from the animal skin bedding, grabbing the curved blade by his side.
Zhao Zun, already highly vigilant, narrowed his eyes and hastened his actions, thrusting his sword.
"Clang!" Zhao Zun’s sword struck Alpi’s heart protector.
Alpi’s body nearly fell back onto the bedding, quickly steadied himself by single-handedly supporting the ground and then turned to slash at Zhao Zun.
Zhao Zun’s figure flickered, dodging Alpi’s attack, continuing to raise his sword to engage.
Alpi, missing the strike, this time shouted loudly in shock and anger.
"Enemy attack! Ambush!"
This shout was like thunder in the night, immediately alerting the trusted aides of both Alpi and Zhao Zun outside, a clanging battle sound echoed outside the tent.
"Protect the General."
Alpi’s aides and sentries quickly reacted, attempting to rush into the tent to guard Alpi, while Zhao Zun’s aides knowing exposure had occurred, swiftly appeared from the darkness, entangling with them.
Inside the tent, Zhao Zun moved like a phantom, with years of battle experience and instinct, he nimbly dodged Alpi’s blade and counterattacked suitably.
Yet Alpi was also a battle-hardened commander, his blade prowess formidable, his attacks relentless.
The tent was too dark and cramped. Zhao Zun fought while retreating, drawing Alpi outside the tent.
At this moment, the hundred-man squad led by Ma Cheng also rushed over, joining the fray of trusted aides on both sides.
They charged like tigers descending the mountain, indomitable, charging toward Zhao Zun.
In an instant, chaos erupted in the Turkic camp. Soldiers awoke from sleep, grabbing their weapons and rushing out.