Chapter 319: One Strike, Something Always Breaks
Cheng Xu led his troops deep into Huanglong Mountain.
Honestly, leading a thousand men deep into the mountains for battle was a first for Cheng Xu. He wasn't some seasoned general; he'd previously been nothing more than a humble ninth-rank military inspector, so his combat experience wasn't particularly extensive.
However, he was a meticulous and cautious man, always treading carefully in fear of making a mistake that could cost him his life. This very trait made him well-suited for mountain warfare.
Ahead, a valley appeared.
Cheng Xu’s gaze swept across the valley walls, and for a fleeting moment, he could almost hear two ancient voices, one from the left slope, one from the right, singing to him: "Sweet great-grandson, come into the valley, come into the valley! The enemy waits on the slopes, ready to unleash a torrent of boulders. Enter, and you’ll join your great-grandmothers soon!"
Cheng Xu's facial muscles twitched rapidly. He waved his hand. "Shi Jian, take a scout team and reconnoiter the left peak. Padi Tu, take a scout team and reconnoiter the right peak. The rest of you, set up camp here. We'll continue our advance tomorrow."
Shi Jian saluted and quickly departed.
Padi Tu, however, grumbled, "This Rabbit Lord is invincible, yet I'm sent to be a scout. Such a waste of talent!"
Cheng Xu retorted, annoyed, "Scouting is a task only the elite can handle."
He took two scouts and swiftly ran towards the right peak.
Behind Cheng Xu, the ten centurions were all drenched in sweat, asking awkwardly, "Instructor He, is it really wise to entrust such a crucial reconnaissance mission to that fellow?"
Cheng Xu replied, "Don't worry, even though that fellow has his quirks, he doesn't mess around when it comes to serious work... Er... probably... maybe..."
The men exchanged exasperated glances: "So you're not even sure yourself?"
Meanwhile...
On the right peak, a detachment of troops had just finished taking up their ambush positions.
The leader was none other than the Great Red Wolf.
Wang Zuogua's army had been entrenched in Huanglong Mountain for a long time, knowing the terrain like the back of their hand. Compared to the newly arrived Cheng Xu, they were far more familiar with it—they could navigate with their eyes closed, knowing every mountain, gully, and forest patch.
The Great Red Wolf believed that if they ambushed from this peak, they could easily catch the Bai Family Fortress troops passing through the valley. All he needed to do was unleash a barrage of rocks from the summit, and the Bai Family Fortress troops would be buried without a trace.
Just as they finished concealing themselves, a scout reported, "Fourth Boss, the Bai Family Fortress troops have stopped about two *li* to the south. They haven't entered the valley and seem to be waiting for something."
The Great Red Wolf frowned, instantly understanding. "They've sent out scouts, intending to survey the area before entering the valley. If their scouts spot us, our ambush will be ruined... Where are our scouts? Dispatch them immediately to intercept their scouts halfway!"
A small detachment of elite soldiers from the Great Red Wolf's force also split off, crouching low as they slipped into the woods, stealthily advancing towards Cheng Xu's camp.
The mountains were tall and the forests dense. Surprisingly, Huanglong Mountain was not short on water, and its woods grew lush and verdant, their thick foliage casting deep shadows that almost blocked out the sun.
Padi Tu and nine comrades, divided into five two-man teams, fanned out across a wide area, cautiously advancing.
Padi Tu's partner was Zheng Gouzi.
The two were long-time companions.
Zheng Gouzi whispered, "Rabbit Lord, do you have any experience as a scout?"
Padi Tu chuckled, "Heh! Well, of course... not."
Zheng Gouzi had expected him to say yes, and a look of embarrassment immediately crossed his face.
Padi Tu boasted, "But I've studied military treatises, hmph! I'm telling you, from ancient times, before two armies clash, their scouts engage first! Both sides will try to suppress the enemy scouts' reconnaissance range, even eliminating or capturing them to gain intelligence. You can tell which army is stronger just by seeing whose scouts are more formidable!"
Zheng Gouzi cast a worried glance at Padi Tu. "Then our side is clearly weaker..."
Padi Tu demanded, "What do you mean by that?"
Zheng Gouzi stammered, "Ah, I didn't mean anything by it."
Just as they reached this point, Padi Tu suddenly dropped to the ground, pulling Zheng Gouzi down with him.
Zheng Gouzi raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Padi Tu lowered his voice, speaking just loud enough for Zheng Gouzi to hear. "Someone's coming ahead."
Zheng Gouzi whispered, "How come I didn't hear anything?"
Padi Tu said smugly, "You're human, with small ears. I'm the Rabbit Lord, with long ears. What I can hear, you cannot."
Zheng Gouzi's lips pressed into a thin line...
It turned out that Padi Tu had once wanted to follow in Wang Er's footsteps and join the rebellion, but he never caught up. Instead, after assaulting an official, he ended up wandering the land, surviving for half a year by stealing grain from landlords. During that time, he'd done all sorts of petty thievery, often sneaking into the backyards of wealthy families in the dead of night, dodging patrolling guards to pilfer food. The fellow truly had a knack for such clandestine matters, far more than an ordinary person.
He perked up his ears and listened. "Someone's approaching from the front-left."
Zheng Gouzi dared not even breathe, his eyes silently asking: *What now?*
Padi Tu made a "follow my lead" gesture, then flattened himself deeper into the undergrowth.
Before long, two figures indeed emerged from the front-left, cautiously creeping closer.
These were the scouts from the Great Red Wolf's side.
They too were in a two-man team.
Moving with extreme caution, light-footed and stealthy, they advanced towards Cheng Xu's forces.
Their ears were also perked, listening intently for any rustle or stir around them, not daring to be even slightly careless. Unfortunately for them, they didn't know that a certain long-eared rabbit, with unusually keen hearing, had picked up their sounds long before they did, and was already lying in ambush.
The two circled a large tree, crossed a ditch, and were about to step over a clump of tall grass when suddenly, a figure lunged from the thicket, brandishing a gleaming silver longsword. With a swift thrust, it struck one of them squarely in the groin.
Broken!
The man shrieked, falling backward.
Before he could utter a second scream on the ground, Padi Tu swung his longsword again, *thwack*, severing the man's neck. This time, no scream escaped; his account was instantly settled.
The other man whirled around in astonishment, but before he could react, Zheng Gouzi sprang up, employing a grappling move from the Ghost-God Fist martial art. He seized the scout, locking his arms and pinning him motionless.
Only then did Padi Tu declare triumphantly, "How about that? My Heaven Rabbit Rending Overlord Sword: I don't strike lightly, but when I do, something's bound to break!"
Zheng Gouzi remarked, "The place you 'broke'... wasn't that a little too ruthless?"
Padi Tu scoffed, "I'm here for revenge! How can I *not* be ruthless?"
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