Chapter 38

The bandits' ambush line was stretched too long this time. Zhou Lu sneaked deep into the valley, and along the way, his ambush freed many of the Eagle Wing Army brothers from fierce battles, allowing them to join other combat units. The Eagle Wing Army gradually gained the upper hand in the valley.

But the fighting in the depths of the valley was even more brutal.

Zhou Lu's figure, like a fat wolf in sheep's clothing, used deception and confusion to gradually consume one powerful enemy after another.

"Whoosh!"

Another arrow shot a bandit from behind, and the bandit, gnashing his teeth in anger, fell to the ground, eyes wide open. The Hunter Army warrior he was fighting was splattered with blood, choking and momentarily stunned.

"What's going on?"

Before he could understand what was happening, a bandit with a scarred face reacted sharply, realizing that the fat man was a spy. The scarred bandit roared in anger and lunged at Zhou Lu with his mouth wide open.

"Damn it!"

His eyes were red with rage. They were always the ones who killed without hesitation; when had they ever been bullied like this? Wearing their clothes to ambush them? Blood debts must be repaid with blood!

This bandit even ignored the Hunter Army warrior in front of him and chased after Zhou Lu with his knife.

Zhou Lu, in a panic, turned and ran away with a squeak.

The Hunter Army warrior, seeing the fat man in danger, widened his eyes and chased after the bandit. The fat man had just killed a bandit, so he must be one of their own. The fat man had helped him kill an enemy in battle; he couldn't let the bandit kill the fat man.

The three of them, one in front and two behind, ran straight into the valley, all with bloodshot eyes.

The fat man turned a corner into a desolate path, and in front of him was a towering hillside. It was almost a dead end. The bandit was overjoyed and charged in with his bone spear.

The Hunter Army warrior behind him also rushed in with a fierce expression, accelerating as he turned the corner, determined to save the fat man first.

Zhou Lu suddenly turned around at the hillside, his bow fully drawn, and shot three arrows in one swift motion. The three arrows, like a cluster of brilliant stars, bloomed in front of the bandit.

"Three arrows?"

The bandit was so panicked that his eyes couldn't focus. The lightning-fast arrows left him unsure which one to dodge.

The three arrows instantly turned the bandit into a sieve, and he flew backward.

The Hunter Army warrior, who had been chasing behind, gasped and stopped in his tracks, completely stunned.

Wasn't he just running in fear a moment ago?

To be able to kill a bandit with one shot, what kind of strength is that? If you have such strength, why were you running so desperately just now? Are you playing with me?

The Hunter Army warrior angrily looked up and saw Zhou Lu turning his head to look around. Seeing no one, he turned back and gave a very professional Eagle Wing Army signal, indicating that he was one of them, and then waved his hand and whispered:

"Quick, get away, get away, don't let the bandits discover my disguise."

"You..."

The Hunter Army warrior was truly frustrated. It was only then that he understood that the fat man had been afraid that other bandits would see through his disguise, fearing that his tricks wouldn't work in the future, so he had run to this place where no one could see him to kill the bandit.

He regretted being kept in the dark and had worriedly chased after to help, only to realize that the fat man didn't need his help at all.

The Hunter Army warrior angrily turned and walked away, muttering:

"Damn, this bastard."

The Hunter Army warrior was both frustrated and amused. In this world that revered blood and bravery, he truly didn't know who the fat man was. With such strength, he was still willing to use such underhanded tactics.

Zhou Lu leaned against the hillside, panting heavily. He had run with all his might, not because of danger, but because he was afraid that other bandits would see through his disguise, which would prevent him from operating freely in the valley.

"Fortunately, no one saw."

Zhou Lu secretly rejoiced, his breathing gradually slowing as his muscles relaxed. At that moment, a few faint breaths from a nearby small ravine made his ears perk up.

"Someone?"

Zhou Lu's aura was extremely sensitive to the surrounding atmosphere, and he was startled, blaming himself for relaxing his guard after defeating the enemy.

The breaths were suppressed, but after a while, they naturally became heavier.

Zhou Lu quickly drew his bow and cautiously approached the ravine. As he got closer, he suddenly leaned forward and pointed his bow into the ravine. There, nine terrified tribesmen were huddled together, looking up at the bandit on the hillside. The tribesmen's faces showed despair, and they let out a low cry.

Clearly, these tribesmen had fled here to hide after the bandits' attack, hoping to survive the disaster.

But everyone knew that although this place was remote, it was too close to the battlefield in the valley. At any moment, they could be discovered by the bandits and killed with bone spears.

Seeing that they had been discovered, the tribesmen were devastated, staring in fear at the fat man on the hillside.

Zhou Lu was taken aback, slowly lowering his bow and jumping into the ravine.

"Ah..."

The tribesmen cried out again, huddling against the back hillside. A dark-skinned girl with old clothes held a dagger, trembling and shouting, "Don't come closer, don't come closer."

The girl, dressed in old leather armor, was clearly the child of a miner, but her fiery figure could not be hidden by her old clothes. She was terrified but still tried to protect the elderly and children behind her.

Zhou Lu frowned, raised his hand, and shouted softly, "Don't be afraid, I'm from the Eagle Wing Army."

The tribesmen were stunned, their eyes filled with strong suspicion and vigilance. The fat man in the dirty bandit clothes claiming to be from the Eagle Wing Army? No one would believe it.

A little boy secretly placed his hand on the bone knife tied to his thigh, suddenly rushing out of the crowd, crying and shouting:

"I'll fight you, I'll fight you."

The fierce fighting outside had already scared the tribesmen out of their wits, and the little boy was completely controlled by fear.

Zhou Lu grabbed the little boy by the collar and lifted him up, and the little boy kicked and struggled in the air.

The other tribesmen, realizing they had no chance of survival, shouted in anger and were about to rush at the fat bandit.

The girl, with a tragic expression, rushed to the front.

Zhou Lu was furious.

He could see that the tribesmen were terrified and had no rationality to distinguish right from wrong.

Zhou Lu threw the little boy into the arms of an old man in the crowd and then quickly reached out, grabbing the girl's chest and turning the dagger to her neck, shouting:

"Everyone back, no one come closer."

The sharp dagger pressed against the girl's soft skin, making her limbs cold and stiff.

"Ahh," a low cry, the tribesmen behind her, tears in their eyes, stopped in their tracks, looking at the fat man with sorrow and anger but not daring to rush forward.

The girl's eyes were full of tears, knowing she had no chance, she closed her eyes, preparing for the worst.

After a while, feeling no pain, the girl slowly opened her eyes and saw the fat bandit staring at her curiously, wiggling his fingers in front of her.

Zhou Lu, with a simple expression, almost touching the girl's face, asked teasingly, "Huh? Don't you recognize me? When our Eagle Wing Sixth Squad took over, you smiled at me. I thought you liked me, but you forgot me so quickly?"

The girl's eyes widened, staring at the fat man's face, her joy growing. Suddenly, she shouted:

"It's you? I recognize you, I recognize you..."

Zhou Lu smiled, relieved, slowly lowering the girl's collar and handing her the dagger. The misunderstanding was cleared.

This girl was the one who had brought water to her father when Zhou Lu first arrived at the West Mine. Zhou Lu had even said that if he couldn't resist, he wouldn't tease her. He never thought he would meet her in such a situation, and he didn't expect that she would remember him. Perhaps it was because of his distinctive fat figure.

Zhou Lu smiled foolishly.

In that moment, the girl suddenly threw herself into Zhou Lu's arms, hugging him tightly and crying out loud.

"Why did you come so late? Why did you come so late..."

Zhou Lu's fat arms hung in the air, completely stunned.

A young, graceful body tightly hugging him, the soft and fragrant sensation made Zhou Lu's heart pound fiercely. The girl's figure was too good, her chest pressing against his, making him feel his blood boil and his body tremble, his bandit clothes almost bursting.

The tribesmen behind them also realized that the fat man was one of their own and relaxed, each wiping away their tears.

The girl cried uncontrollably in Zhou Lu's arms, sobbing and saying:

"Why did you come so late? My father was killed by a bandit's spear. They dragged his body far away, blood everywhere, his body split in two. I couldn't even retrieve my father's body. I, I am so angry, Eagle Wing Army brother, you, you must help me avenge him..."

Hearing the girl's words, Zhou Lu shivered, his eyes red, a heavy and solemn emotion surging to his brain.

Zhou Lu's body trembled, all the pleasant feelings vanished, leaving only endless anger, his forehead veins pulsing like worms.

Zhou Lu knew that his adrenaline was surging again.

Zhou Lu's hands finally gently landed on the girl's back.

He felt the girl's trust and reliance, like a helpless sister finally seeing her brother after her father's death.

The tribesmen behind them watched this scene in sorrow, no one speaking, the ravine silent.

Zhou Lu clenched his teeth, gently stroking the girl's long hair, and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, I will avenge you. These damn bandits, I will drive them back."

"Okay!"

The girl, tears streaming down her face, nodded forcefully.

Just because of the girl's trust and reliance, they were his tribesmen, his family. Zhou Lu would never let his family be hurt again.

Zhou Lu gently lifted the girl from his arms, frowned, and looked around, then turned to the tribesmen and said, "It's too dangerous here. I'll take you to a safe place first."

Under the expectant gazes of the tribesmen, Zhou Lu jumped to the top of the ravine, first pulling the girl up, then pulling the tribesmen one by one out of the ravine.

Zhou Lu looked at the intense fighting in the valley, clenching his teeth.

The flames of war were spreading closer, and at any moment, a bandit might run in. They couldn't stay here any longer, but nine tribesmen with no fighting ability, where could he take them to be safe?

Zhou Lu looked into the distance, a faint light in the far hillside catching his eye.

"The Array Fire Pavilion? Yes..."

Zhou Lu slapped his thigh, the faint light from the Array Fire Pavilion giving him an idea. In the midst of the raging war, the Array Fire Pavilion was the safest place.

However, taking nine burdens across a valley in fierce battle was extremely difficult. While crossing the valley, he would have to protect the tribesmen, and his disguise would no longer work. He would have to fight his way through with real weapons.

Was that something a human could do?

Zhou Lu's heart was filled with cold sweat.