bookcurios Chapter 126 Triumph
Chapter 126 Triumph
Yu Wanran held her breath and crouched down outside the cave, waiting patiently. It was pitch black inside, and she didn't know what was going on. She dared not risk going deeper and could only wait for the right opportunity.
At the appointed time, Yanqing set the village ablaze, and a deafening roar erupted from the foot of the mountain. The soldiers began storming the gates, hacking and slashing at the bandits who had been awakened and were now desperately resisting.
Yu Wanran saw clearly that there was movement coming from the cave, and a person poked half of their body out and looked up at the top of the cliff.
This is the moment she has been waiting for!
Like an eagle swooping down on its prey, before the other person even realized there was someone nearby, the sword was plunged into the back of the person's heart!
The other person didn't even utter a sound before dying instantly.
Yu Wanran moved her numb hands and feet, and gently dragged the corpse out of the cave. She looked at the person's face; it was sharp-faced and monkey-like, and she wondered if it was a mad dog.
She severed the head with a single stroke of her sword, embedding it in the tip of the wooden fence, and pushed the body off the cliff. A long while later, she heard a muffled thud. Unperturbed, she continued to lie in wait against the wall.
The most crucial element for a hunter to capture his prey is patience.
After a long while, the noise from above grew louder and louder, and the shouts of battle were deafening.
Finally, someone inside the cave couldn't hold back any longer. With a rustling sound, another head poked out to observe the movements outside.
However, this person was very alert; unlike the previous one, who leaned out most of his body, he quickly glanced left and right before preparing to look up.
Yu Wanran clung to the stone wall to his right like a gecko; if he looked, he would be exposed. Yu Wanran reacted with lightning speed; the instant the other turned his head, a thunderous flash of light shot towards him—
The opponent screamed in surprise and fell backward, and Yu Wanran's sword missed its mark!
In a flash, Yu Wanran's ruthlessness honed over years of fighting surfaced. She knew that if she didn't press her advantage before her opponent fully realized what was happening, it would be much harder to deal with them once they retreated back into their cave, leaving her in the shadows.
Almost instinctively, she missed her first strike and immediately followed the man into the cave.
Suddenly, everything went black. She smelled a strong stench of blood ahead and sensed a warm human body almost within reach. Heavy, forceful breaths wafted onto her face, emitting an unbearable stench.
Without hesitation, she immediately swung her sword in attack. "Swish, swish, swish!" Three incredibly sharp sword strikes were unleashed!
As her opponent screamed in agony, she felt a chill on her arm, followed by a sharp pain that spread throughout her body. The man's knife had slashed through her flesh, and in her suicidal attack, she had successfully taken his head and an arm!
Thanks to the precious sword given to her by Yan Cheng'an, she achieved twice the result with half the effort.
She remained in a defensive posture, afraid to move. After a while, her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the cave, and she was able to see her surroundings clearly.
This is a cave that appears to be formed naturally, only about ten feet wide and six feet high, with a depth of about five steps. The cave walls are covered in moss, dark and damp, with some pebbles scattered on the ground and a pile of tangled grass at the far end.
On the straw mat lay a human-shaped object, motionless, its fate unknown.
With the area clearly visible, Yu Wanran relaxed slightly. Confirming there was nowhere else to hide in the cave, she took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around her bleeding arm. Sword in hand, she cautiously approached the person on the straw mat.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be nothing but a straw mat at all!
It was a homemade torture device made from a door panel, with spikes nailed to the four corners and a thick iron chain running through the middle. The victim's limbs were nailed down, and the chain was tied around his waist, leaving him to be brutally attacked by a rabid dog.
Upon closer inspection, she covered her mouth and felt a wave of intense nausea.
This unfortunate person has become a miserable corpse.
Half of his scalp had been peeled off, hanging down and covering his face. He was covered in blood, his skin looked as if it had been filled with some unknown potion, bruised and shiny, making it impossible to tell if he was male or female.
Yu Wanran turned around and used her sword to slash the bandit who had killed her upon entering the room several more times.
Hearing Yanqing and the others shouting from the top of the cliff, she found the head rolling in the corner, tied it together with the one outside with a cloth strip, and carried it out of the cave.
The surprise attack was a success, and the officers and soldiers won a great victory!
Dozens of bandits, most of them still asleep, were hacked to death and riddled with bullets without even realizing it.
Yanqing used a basket to pull Yu Wanran up. Five centurions led their soldiers, like tigers stalking sheep, to encircle and annihilate the bandits who were fleeing in all directions like wolves and rats.
Yu Wanran threw the two severed heads at her feet and sat down wearily. Yan Qing quickly checked her injuries; fortunately, they were only superficial wounds. He took out some medicine and re-bandaged her wounds.
"Master, it's too dangerous for you to go down alone!"
Knowing she couldn't persuade him, Yanqing still kept nagging worriedly.
Yu Wanran gave a slight smile: "I know what I'm doing, don't worry."
But she couldn't help thinking of Yan Bai. Because of her wariness, she hadn't brought Yan Bai with her on this trip. But if Yan Bai had been there, she wouldn't have been short-handed and forced to venture out alone.
He sighed inwardly.
Subordinates are easy to find, and people are easy to buy. But those who are both capable and completely loyal are truly rare finds!
She died at sea because someone close to her leaked her whereabouts.
Her task is complete; now it's up to Si Yuankai to take action.
The soldiers searched the entire bandit hideout and found over a dozen large chests full of gold and silver treasures. About twenty bandits, captured alive, were tied up tightly and thrown together with the treasure chests.
Unfortunately, they couldn't rescue a single victim. The mad dog's den only allowed two kinds of people free entry and exit: bandits and the dead!
Yu Wanran showed the two heads to the prisoners for identification. Only after confirming that one of them was the bandit leader Mad Dog and the other was the second-in-command Zhu Damazi did she feel relieved.
Their hard work was worthwhile, and the intelligence that Song Lianghan obtained by risking his life to infiltrate Qingling Mountain for more than half a year was not in vain!
These two bandits probably never dreamed that murderers would be killed in return; despite their numerous evil deeds, they would ultimately meet their end at the hands of their former victims.
After carrying the spoils of war and escorting a group of prisoners, Yu Wanran ordered her soldiers to burn the bandit's lair to the ground. As she descended the mountain, she sent a messenger to report to Si Yuankai, asking if reinforcements were needed.
Si Yuankai soon sent a messenger to tell Yu Wanran to wait at the camp. Although they were a step behind Yu Wanran's team, they were already cleaning up the battlefield.
With detailed intelligence on the enemy and no spies leaking information, a few hundred men could easily take down a bandit stronghold of a hundred men. They could atone for their sins with their lives!
The centurions now held Yu Wanran in the highest esteem.
Upon returning to camp, the soldiers were instructed to prepare a meal, cooking dozens of pots of the grain seized from the bandit's lair. This served two purposes: firstly, to reward the officers and soldiers for their hard work, and secondly, to provide hot soup for the commander-in-chief when he returned with his troops.
Yu Wanran and Yan Qing ate the first pot of food. The steaming hot meal dispelled the fatigue of the past few days.
Yu Wanran breathed a sigh of relief.
With this contribution to the bandit suppression, the presence of Magistrate Xue Heyu, and the help of the Lin family, the trade route for Chengni inkstones in Decheng was successfully opened without any unexpected incidents!
Two hours later, nearing noon, commotion finally broke out outside the camp. Someone cheered, "Commander, you've returned in triumph!"
Yu Wanran led Yan Qing, along with several centurions, out of the camp to greet them. Upon looking out, they were astonished by the troops that Si Yuankai had brought back!