“But how did they breach the outer sentinels on the mountain? When we fled back, I specifically ordered the guards along the way to heighten their vigilance,” Li Feiyu muttered to himself in confusion.
“There’s nothing strange about it. The Wild Wolf Gang must have been plotting this large-scale attack for a long time. Planting a few spies on the periphery would have been easy for them. With these traitors leading the way, it’s only natural that the outposts were taken out silently,” Han Li said calmly.
“However, it’s impossible for the Wild Wolf Gang to easily capture all the branch halls. I suspect they plan to surround each mountain where the halls are located without attacking, then concentrate their elite forces on assaulting the Sunset Peak where the main hall is. As long as they capture or kill our sect’s leaders, the remaining branches will collapse without a fight.”
“So what should we do now? Should we head to Sunset Peak?” Li Feiyu pressed impatiently.
Han Li fell silent for a long moment before suddenly turning to face Li Feiyu and speaking gravely, “You still haven’t told me how the entire negotiation team, with so many experts, was completely wiped out. Logically, the Wild Wolf Gang shouldn’t possess such strength.”
At these words, the muscles on Li Feiyu’s face twitched. He unconsciously licked his chapped lips and forced a bitter smile. “They deployed a large number of rapid-fire crossbows—the enhanced military type.”
“Military rapid-fire crossbows?”
“Exactly! We had only left the mountain for two days and were crossing a grassland. Since we were still within our own territory, everyone was relaxed. Suddenly, countless Wild Wolf Gang members emerged from underground all around us. Each was armed with a powerful crossbow, and a hail of bolts rained down on us. The volley was so dense that disciples with weaker martial skills died instantly in the barrage. Only a handful of highly skilled or incredibly lucky ones survived the initial attack, though everyone was injured, and their combat strength was greatly diminished. I was one of the lucky ones—otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it back.”
As he spoke, Li Feiyu still seemed haunted by fear, a trace of terror flickering in his eyes. The horror of that crossbow assault had clearly left a deep mark on him.
“After the crossbow volley, the enemy’s experts moved in, and a fierce battle ensued. To increase our chances of survival, the remaining survivors split up and broke through individually. I was fortunate—in the enemy’s eyes, I wasn’t a high-priority target, so the pursuers assigned to me were fewer and less skilled. Somehow, I managed to fight my way out. But as I hurried back, I discovered that all the outposts along the way, which should have been held by our people, had been silently taken over by the Wild Wolf Gang. They were lying in wait for escapees like me to walk right into their traps. After falling for it once or twice, I didn’t dare seek help from any outposts again.”
“Wanting to know what happened to the others, I steeled myself and ambushed a blue-robed enforcer from the Wild Wolf Gang. From him, I learned that Sect Master Wu and several elders had been surrounded and killed by a large group of enemy experts. Only a few like me, who weren’t considered important targets but were skilled enough, managed to escape. After hearing this, I didn’t dare delay any longer and rushed back to the mountains as fast as I could. On the way, I accidentally ran into two other surviving elders who had also escaped, and we traveled together for a day and night before finally returning to the mountains.”
“Once back, those two elders went to Sunset Peak to inform Sect Master Wang about the annihilation of the negotiation team. I made up an excuse about needing to heal my injuries and secretly came to you first to discuss how to handle this. Think about it—Sect Master Wu and so many others died in the ambush, while only a few mid-ranking figures like us made it back. To shift blame, who knows if the higher-ups will vent their anger on us and make us scapegoats?”
“And now, before I could even explain this to you, the Wild Wolf Gang has already attacked. Tell me, what should we do now?”
Li Feiyu poured out all these details in one breath, his expression shifting to one of helplessness.
After listening, Han Li frowned and tilted his head in thought.
The sounds of killing on the mountain grew more intense, punctuated by occasional agonized screams of the dying, sending chills down one’s spine.
“Do you still have any subordinates on the mountain?” Han Li’s voice grew deep and somber.
“Yes, I have over twenty men stationed in a few houses near Elder Li’s residence. I originally planned to take them out on a mission after returning from the negotiations.”
“Good. Let’s first go to Elder Li’s place and regroup with them. We can also meet up with Miss Zhang Xiuer and Elder Li. As for our next move, we’ll decide after assessing the situation more clearly,” Han Li said calmly, his tone rational.
“Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”
“With all this chaos outside, I’m really worried about Xiuer!” Li Feiyu grew anxious.
Han Li shot a glance at Li Feiyu, baffled by his friend’s contradictory behavior. On one hand, he was extremely tense and concerned about Zhang Xiuer; on the other, he knew his own lifespan was short yet insisted on marrying her, essentially condemning her to widowhood.
“What a contradictory guy!” Han Li silently criticized his friend.
Han Li leaped down lightly from the roof, with Li Feiyu following closely behind.
“I’ll go pack a few things, and then we’ll leave immediately.”
“Alright, hurry. I’m really worried about Xiuer’s safety.”
Hearing this, Han Li could only sigh inwardly.
The way Li Feiyu kept saying “Xiuer” so affectionately made Han Li feel both disdainful and somewhat envious.
Ignoring Li Feiyu, who had suddenly transformed into a lovesick fool, Han Li returned to his room and began efficiently gathering a few essential items.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage