Chapter 34: Ambush!
On the main road from Qingshan Town to Wutan City, a plain-looking carriage rolled quietly along. A white-haired old man in simple clothes sat at the front, holding the reins and driving the carriage forward.
Inside, Jiang Lin rested wearing his Black Knight armor, covered by a loose black cloak. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, pulled aside the carriage curtain slightly, and glanced outside. It was already afternoon, the sky overcast, and on this rugged road, they were the only carriage in sight.
"Fu Bo, there might be something up," Jiang Lin said as he opened a compartment inside the carriage and retrieved his black and gray helmet. He lowered the visor and pulled on his cloak and bamboo hat. In an instant, he transformed into a silent, mysterious black-armored warrior. He also reached down and opened a hidden panel in the floor, revealing his cloth-wrapped greatsword.
Tap. Tap.
The carriage slowed as it passed a winding stretch of the road, then resumed its normal pace after turning a corner.
Within the forest, a black-armored warrior carrying a massive sword silently watched the distant carriage roll away. He glanced at the sky, then without a word, began moving swiftly through the forest shadows.
Wearing armor that weighed over two hundred jin, every leap Jiang Lin took through the woods felt like thunder shaking the earth. Yet each landing was cushioned by perfect force dispersion, producing only the faint metallic rasp of gears and armor.
"The Tempering Fire Art is absolutely a top-tier body-forging foundational technique. Once I reach Dou Shi, I must find a way to improve the cultivation speed. At the very least, purifying magic core Dou Qi is a must."
Jiang Lin kept pace with Fu Bo's carriage from a hundred meters away in the forest. Thanks to his cultivation, Jiang Lin's meridians and physique far surpassed ordinary Dou Zhe standards. Plus, with his love for training, the two-hundred-jin equipment load was his current limit for high-intensity combat.
Rustle...
A breeze stirred the shadowy forest. Jiang Lin slowed down. He sensed danger approaching.
At that moment, Fu Bo was just arriving with the carriage at the mouth of a narrow canyon.
Jiang Lin immediately left the carriage's side and, from the shadows, sprinted silently toward the area where his senses had warned him.
Meanwhile, Fu Bo also seemed to sense something. As he eyed the potentially ambush-prone terrain ahead and the eerily empty road, he gradually slowed the carriage. He didn't stop outright, but his hesitance was clear—he was weighing his options, cautious but continuing forward.
"Damn! Did they notice something?" In a forested area beside the canyon, a group of mysterious black-robed figures lay low, watching as the carriage slowed at the narrow pass. Their prey's hesitation left them itchy with frustration.
"I finally understand how women feel!" one of the black-robed men muttered.
"Shut up!" barked their leader, a three-star Dou Shi, frowning. "If they don't enter, we strike! But remember—leave minimal traces! And keep one alive!"
"Why's this gotta be so complicated…" someone grumbled.
The leader shot him a fierce glare, instantly silencing him.
Leaving no traces was to conceal their identity. In the eyes of mercenary scouts, even the residue left by Dou Techniques was a trail to identify their attackers.
Given the choice, the leader wouldn't have taken this job. One mistake and his reputation among Qingshan Town's mercenary groups would be ruined. But the pay was too good to refuse.
After all, their target was none other than the highly respected Wan Yao Zhai!
Time to raise the price!
"They're coming! They're coming!" one of the assassins whispered excitedly.
The black-robed leader snapped his gaze toward the canyon as the Wan Yao Zhai carriage slowly entered. Though they were strong enough to force an ambush, Fu Bo was still a Dou Shi. If he escaped, it would be disastrous. They were willing to let this chance go if needed—there would always be another chance once the targets returned. Besides, rumor had it that Mr. Yao from Wan Yao Zhai was not just a Da Dou Shi but a high-star one—possibly five stars or more. Alerting him could spiral out of control.
As for why they hadn't sent a Da Dou Shi for the ambush?
There were fewer than five Da Dou Shi in Qingshan Town, and any one of them leaving would alert Mr. Yao. Most were on good terms with him, too. The payout for this job simply wasn't attractive enough for someone at that level.
"Stick to the plan!" The leader was just about to order the strike when he felt an overwhelming sense of danger.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several sharp noises tore through the air, targeting the assassins from behind. The leader rolled to evade, while others, seeing only small stones, chose to block with their fists and Dou Qi.
BOOM!
A first-rank magic core exploded under the pressure, its unstable energy forming a one-meter-wide fireball. Though it dissipated quickly, the sudden burst of flame blinded several of the nearby attackers.
"AHH! My eyes! My eyes!" screamed one of the injured assassins, rolling on the ground. Two others suffered similar burns. Of the ten black-robed attackers, three were injured, while most had dodged just in time.
"Who's there?!" The black-robed leader activated his Dou Qi, forming a protective gauze around him as he cautiously scanned the forest behind them.
His answer came in the form of a faint sound—
Bang!
A flash of fire lit the shadows, and a black silhouette flickered past.
Suddenly, one of the assassins let out a startled cry, clutched his head, and collapsed to the ground in silence, twitching uncontrollably. The others ducked behind trees and rocks in alarm. Peeking out, they saw a thick spiral steel needle embedded in the man's skull.
(END CHAPTER)
Friends, if you enjoyed the novel, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel.
Until November 31st, get 25% off both your subscription and the purchase of your novel. Thank you for your support.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1