YM778.TV Chapter 209 - Encounter
Chapter 209: Encounter
Translator: Myuu Editor: Myuu
Danger had come too soon. The turn of events took many by surprise. Within Sun Bingchen’s party, quite a number of people were still indulging in the sense of safety they felt when they were escorted across Gan Province by the six hundred cavalry. None expected for a pack of starving wolves to have already started creeping up on them in Wolf Fang Valley despite the fact that it had only been less than a day since they left Gan Province.
None dared to question Sun Bingchen’s judgment and decision either. As soon as they heard Sun Bingchen’s order to reorganize their belongings, everyone immediately got to work.
To Yan Liqiang who had ‘died once’, he clearly understood that the so-called ‘death’ and ‘danger’ came unexpectedly and abruptly most of the time without any signs of warning. Therefore, he didn’t dare to be irreverent. Just like everyone else, he quickly moved some supplies from the carriage and hung them on the saddle of his own rhinodrake steed.
“Liqiang, you don’t need to carry too much. Just prepare enough supplies for yourself. Don’t forget what I told you just now!” Sun Bingchen reminded Yan Liqiang.
“Understood!”
The rhinodrake steeds which had been pulling the carriages were released, and they were quickly equipped with saddles. Liang Yijie also released Ye Tiancheng from the prisoner carriage, and he was put onto Liang Yijie’s rhinodrake steed, still handcuffed and bounded by fetters.
Ye Tiancheng, who came out from the prisoner carriage, threw a glance at Yan Liqiang from a distance. His eyes were shining, but no one knew what he was thinking about. However, he was extremely obedient and didn’t do anything ridiculous or cause any commotions. He just got onto the steed as instructed, and did everything he was told.
“It’s best that you don’t try to do anything funny. I’m sure you know very well whose life those people are after. If you dare move around, I will be the first to amputate your arm...” Liang Yijie told Ye Tiancheng with an icy tone.
Everyone was quite efficient. In just merely a few minutes, most of the supplies from the few carriages had been unloaded. Certain things like food, which were too much of a hassle to be carried, were left on the carriage. At times like this, everyone knew that time was of the essence.
In just the blink of an eye, everyone was mounted on their rhinodrake steed. A few of the steeds were released from their carriages. Hence, no one was riding on their backs.
Sun Bingchen assigned five guards to lead those riderless rhinodrake steeds while riding on their own steeds. A rope was attached to the rhinodrake steeds’ saddles, and the other end of the rope was tied with a few branches obtained from the surrounding shrubs. The steeds were spun around and led back to Gan Province to seek for help.
Under normal circumstances, the Gan Province’s soldiers were prohibited from traveling across the borders. However, as the Patrol Inspector, Sun Bingchen had the rights to request for reinforcements from Gan Province during any dangerous situation as he saw fit. Even if the reinforcements couldn’t make it in time, as long as those five guards could cause some sort of commotion, they would be able to trick the Blackwind Bandits into believing that Sun Bingchen and his party had returned to where they had come from. The bandits would either have to abandon their plans or split up the large group to give chase, hence reducing the pressure on this side.
In just the blink of an eye, those five chosen guards turned their steeds around and rode back in the direction that they had come from with thundering gallops. By the time they galloped several hundred meters away, the branches their rhinodrake steeds were pulling along had already left dust flying along the path that they had taken. From a distance, the commotion was big enough to look as though many people were riding in that direction on their rhinodrake steeds.
“CHARGE!” Sun Bingchen squeezed his steed’s abdomen and led the party toward the path beside Wolf Fang Valley. Yan Liqiang and the rest immediately followed him on their rhinodrake steeds.
“Liqiang, will your dog be alright?” Liang Yijie looked back rather worriedly at Goldie who was running behind the party.
“Rest assured, Brother Liang. Even if Goldie cannot keep up with us, it will eventually catch up to us by following our scent. It won’t fall behind!”
Truth be told, Yan Liqiang really did consider letting Goldie sit on his saddle just now. However, when Goldie circled around and barked at him twice, he immediately understood what it was trying to convey — that it could keep up with them. Since Yan Liqiang also wanted to see Goldie’s capability, he allowed Goldie to run along with the rhinodrake steeds. He speculated that even though Goldie might not be able to match up to the rhinodrake steeds in terms of speed, its stamina was probably far superior than theirs.
The path beside Wolf Fang Valley stretched on into the wilderness. Yan Liqiang followed the rest on his rhinodrake steed and galloped in the wilderness. He couldn’t help but secretly find this to be unbelievably strange. An official was being pursued by bandies — such a tale would be nothing but a joke in his previous world. Yet, this was really happening to him right now. In the middle of nowhere, the laws of the Silver Continent were being pushed to the extremes.
......
Just one hour after Yan Liqiang and the party left Wolf Fang Valley, the sound of thundering hooves was heard. Out came a large group of riders who were clad in black from Wolf Fang Valley.
Upon discovering the carriages which had been abandoned at the entrance of Wolf Fang Valley, Aligujin, who was wearing a mask and riding among those people clad in black, bellowed in rage. “GODDAMMIT...!”
A Shatu man beside him spoke up in their gibberish language. “What do we do, sir? It seems like those people have already discovered us and made preparations!”
“They are definitely still nearby!” Aligujin clenched his teeth while looking at the two paths ahead of him. He then immediately issued an order. “Borha, bring three hundred men with you and chase them in the direction of Gan Province! If they really went that way, detain them there first, I will come immediately. I will go this way with others. Ajidanli will take that path. He only has two hundred men with him. If those people went this way, they will definitely meet Ajidanli first...!”
“Understood!”
Thus, the cavalry clad in black split up at Wolf Fang Valley. Three hundred of them charged in the direction of Gan Province, while about five hundred of them charged toward the path that Yan Liqiang and the rest had taken.
...
The encounter came very abruptly, yet it was difficult to avert.
Yan Liqiang was the first to catch sight of the Blackwind Bandits.
In the glow of the setting sun, one of the riders in black was first spotted on the hill which was several li ahead of Yan Liqiang and the rest. He was staring off into the distance in Yan Liqiang and the party’s direction.
When that person spotted Yan Liqiang and his party and Yan Liqiang’s party did the same, everything went silent for less than ten seconds before the person standing on the hill waved his arm in the air and let out a sharp noise from his mouth. Soon after that, little black dots began emerging from behind the hill. In just the blink of an eye, nearly two hundred cavalry who were fully clad in black came together to form a group, then charged towards Yan Liqiang and the party...