Chapter 119
Chapter 119
After arranging everyone’s positions, Xiao Che led the force straight toward the southeastern corner of the town.
According to their plan, six hundred people followed Xiao Che directly into the grain storehouse while the rest surrounded the area from four sides.
Jin Bao did not join everyone in seizing the grain. Instead, while all eyes were focused on the storehouse, she began an operation of her own.
She had noticed that many trees grew around the storehouse.
She raced toward an area with a large number of guards.
They spotted her almost as soon as she appeared.
“Someone’s over there! Chase them!”
Jin Bao lured the guards toward an isolated area. Once they had all followed, she activated her ability.
The roots of the great trees suddenly burst from the earth like arms, lengthening and twisting wildly.
Jin Bao controlled the roots and bound every pursuing guard in place.
Seizing the opportunity, she swiftly knocked out the entire squad of fifty.
She repeated the same trick. In less than an hour, she eliminated three squads.
“Uncle Seven, hurry and bring everyone to pick up weapons! Baby knocked them all out.”
Jin Bao found Ye Qi, grabbed his hand, and began running.
Ye Qi did not understand what she meant, but he followed her to a relatively secluded place.
Soldiers lay scattered all over the ground.
Ye Qi opened his mouth in astonishment. Then he crouched and checked one soldier’s breathing, finding the man still alive.
He glanced at the arm-thick roots wrapped around the soldiers and immediately understood.
He lifted Jin Bao into his arms.
“Young Miss, you’re incredible. You defeated an entire squad by yourself.”
Jin Bao shook her head. “No. There are more over there. Three. Baby defeated three squads.”
Ye Qi rubbed his forehead. The Young Miss alone possessed greater fighting power than their force of over a thousand people.
He did not dare waste time. How could he pass up such an excellent opportunity to kill the enemy?
Ye Qi immediately summoned the nearest squad.
Many of the refugees had never killed anyone, yet they would inevitably follow the Valley Master in conquering the realm. If they had never taken a life, they would be afraid even after reaching the battlefield. Today offered the perfect chance for them to practice.
After bringing the group over, Ye Qi ordered them to pick up the weapons on the ground, strip off the soldiers’ clothes, and kill every man.
Killing was effortless for Shadow Guards, but an ordinary person needed tremendous courage to take that first step.
Seeing this, Jin Bao hurriedly commanded the roots to shrink.
All the roots wrapped around the soldiers withdrew beneath the earth.
The refugees took the weapons, stripped off the soldiers’ clothes, put them on, and only then began killing.
Once someone had killed for the first time, the second became much easier.
Everything that followed was far simpler.
With Jin Bao serving as their secret weapon, every guard was silently eliminated.
Xiao Che’s people acquired not only a great many weapons but a full set of clothes each.
Now that the guards were gone, dealing with the people of the town presented no difficulty.
They currently lacked everything, and the wealthy merchants clearly cared nothing for the lives of commoners.
Robbing them was therefore only fair.
Besides, Xiao Che urgently needed sleds to carry the grain. The ones they had brought were nowhere near sufficient.
Once everyone had assembled, Xiao Che issued his orders.
“Remember this: without my command, no one is permitted to harass any other resident of the town. Violators will be executed.”
Xiao Che’s voice rang like a great bell and carried far through the bitter wind. Everyone gripped their weapons tightly but did not dare answer aloud. If over a thousand people responded at once, they would surely alert the entire town.
After imposing strict discipline, Xiao Che led everyone quietly to the estate Ye Qi had described.
More than a thousand people could not move without a sound. They were not a well-trained army and could neither obey every order instantly nor march in proper formation.
Even so, they completely surrounded the Cheng estate.
Xiao Che kicked open the main gate and charged inside first with the Shadow Guards.
The others rushed in behind them.
The Cheng Family’s servants trembled in fear and did not dare resist.
Xiao Che and the Shadow Guards dealt with the estate’s household guards first. The refugees easily overwhelmed everyone else.
The Cheng estate soon fell to Xiao Che’s force.
Xiao Che seized only the head of the Cheng Family – the fat man from before – along with the disreputable friends who had been drinking with him.
“Listen carefully. If you want to live, help us transport all the grain to Black Pine Forest. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”
Xiao Che held the tip of his blade against Master Cheng’s throat, his voice cold.
Master Cheng nearly wet himself in terror. He valued his life and agreed to everything.
In the end, they mobilized every horse and sled in town before managing to carry all the grain.
But as soon as they left the town, Xiao Che gave Ye Qi a meaningful look.
Ye Qi slit the men’s throats on the spot.
They traveled through the night, hauling all the grain toward Blackwind Fort.
It was already after midnight when they returned, but Xiao Che did not dare rest. He immediately ordered those guarding Blackwind Fort to pack their belongings and return to Black Pine Valley.
The Persians wanted to accompany Xiao Che to the valley, but he refused.
Now that the refugees were no longer harassing them, they were reasonably safe and had no reason to follow his group to Black Pine Valley.
Xiao Che officially renamed the army formed from the refugees the Black Pine Army.
The massive Black Pine Army set out overnight.
After traveling for three consecutive days, more than a hundred people had frozen to death.
Two or three hundred members of the Black Pine Army still lacked padded clothing to protect them from the cold. Moreover, nearly two thousand people stretched across such a long distance that the front and rear could not support one another. Some fell behind, and those stragglers often froze to death without anyone realizing.
Only when the group stopped to rest and counted their numbers did they discover that some had failed to keep up.
In such extreme cold, even Xiao Che could not guarantee that every person would reach Black Pine Valley safely.
On the fourth day of their journey, Jin Bao suddenly leaned close to Xiao Che’s ear. “Daddy, that big bad man is coming again. He’s almost caught up with us.”
Xiao Che’s brow throbbed. He knew the big bad man she meant had to be Lu Dachang.
“Daughter, can you see how many people he brought?”
Jin Bao nodded. “More than we have.”
Xiao Che’s heart sank.
They had nearly two thousand people. If Lu Dachang had brought more, his force must number at least two thousand. In their current physical condition, the Black Pine Army was entirely unfit for battle.
Xiao Che had planned to train them properly after returning to Black Pine Valley. Given time, they would surely become an elite force. Now, whether they could reach the valley safely was uncertain.
Xiao Che knew that Lu Dachang wanted Jin Bao. If he took her and lured the enemy away, the Black Pine Army should be able to reach Black Pine Valley safely.
After thinking it over, Xiao Che summoned Ye Qi.
“Ye Qi, continue toward Black Pine Valley with the Black Pine Army. Jin Bao and I will draw Lu Dachang away. The Garrison is just ahead. Once you enter the forest, protect the army and the grain. Leave everything else to me.”
Ye Qi nodded and continued onward with the Black Pine Army. In one more day, they would reach Black Pine Forest.
Xiao Che took Jin Bao and deliberately headed toward Lu Dachang.
Jin Bao looked up and pointed at the large bird circling overhead.
“Daddy, look! It’s the bad bird. Baby still wants roasted bird meat. It was so yummy.”