Chapter 66: The Shadow of Night and the Cold Light (Part 3)

The night was clear, with a half-moon hanging above the treetops. The stars were brilliant, and the North Star shone atop the northern mountain range. The brightest star, Sirius, hung high in the sky. Historically, Sirius signified war, and every autumn and winter, when Sirius appeared at the zenith, it marked the time when the northern frontier echoed with the sounds of war drums and horns. Under the watchful gaze of Sirius, for thousands of years, the Han people and the northern nomadic tribes had engaged in countless battles. On this cold night, with Sirius high in the sky, the peaceful village was filled with the threat of violence.

The winter night was icy cold, and the white breath that escaped their mouths quickly froze on their mustaches. Chen Ji had been hiding in the woods outside Xiaolongwan Village for over two hours. The sharp, knife-like night wind cut through the forest, howling like the cries of ghosts and wolves. Despite wrapping himself in fur and silk like a dumpling, Chen Ji's ears and nose were still painfully cold. His limbs were numb and stiff, and he could no longer feel his twenty fingers.

The eldest son of the Huang family, who was trembling behind Chen Ji, had his runny nose frozen to his mustache, forming a white patch. He did not have Chen Ji's good equipment, and his sheepskin coat was too thin for the freezing night. He hugged himself and stomped his feet, making a crackling sound as he stepped on the branches on the ground.

Chen Ji was too cold to scold the eldest son of the Huang family, but a cold snort from his side carried displeasure and anger. Huang Da stood up in fear, not daring to move, and the forest fell silent again.

Beside Chen Ji was a middle-aged, thin man in his forties, with a worried, wrinkled face and a slightly hunched back, looking somewhat old. However, in the piercing cold wind, he remained motionless, as if he felt no cold at all. His cold snort had made Huang Da stand still, a testament to his decades of dominance on the Qin-Feng Road.

Outside, the helpers Chen Ji had gathered and the bandits under Overmountain Wind's command, nearly thirty in total, were waiting for the final order.

"Leader Guo, it's already the second watch," Chen Ji urged the middle-aged man anxiously, but he did not dare to be more forceful.

No one knew Overmountain Wind's real name, not even his subordinates. Chen Ji only knew that this black, thin, and unremarkable man had a hundred or more victims behind him. For over twenty years, the authorities had tried to suppress him multiple times but failed. Beyond that, nothing was known.

Overmountain Wind looked at the village half a li away, where no lights were visible, just a blurry black shadow in the darkness, showing no signs of preparation. "Brother Zhang, are you sure you haven't mistaken your enemy's house? Don't lead us the wrong way."

"Absolutely not!" Chen Ji gave a firm answer. One of the two men sent to contact Li Laizi had returned with good news. Li Laizi was too cowardly to leave his house, so his son-in-law, Huang Er, was watching him.

"Very well, Brother Zhang, let's go!" Overmountian Wind put aside his caution and led his men towards Xiaolongwan Village in the night.

Chen Ji nodded and followed Overmountain Wind. He did not dare to reveal his true identity, so he used the alias Zhang. He had also misled Overmountain Wind about his target, Han Gang. In everything, the word 'momentum' was crucial. With the Chen family's downfall, without their support, he was just a wanted fugitive. If his identity were exposed, would Overmountain Wind hesitate to turn on him? The nickname 'Overmountain Wind' was not given without reason.

"At Li Laizi's house, one of the two bandits has left, and the other is still there. Li Er is watching him," Wang Shunmin reported at the second watch. He and Li Xin had been ordered to escort Li Laizi's youngest son home. Han Gang did not easily trust a former enemy, so escorting the boy was a cover. Their real task was to verify the information.

"Wang, go back to Li Laizi's house and tell Li Er to kill the remaining bandit. Since Li Laizi has joined us, I must protect his life and prevent anyone from harming him." Wang Shunmin hurried off again. Xiaolongwan Village was not large, and Li Laizi's new home was not far from the Han family, making it easy to come and go.

Han Gang and Wang Hou stood outside, the cold wind making the two young men's blood boil with excitement. Han Gang lowered his voice, not wanting to alarm their parents before the battle began: "The bandits will be here soon! We must capture them all, or they will return to cause trouble in the future."

Wang Hou had no combat experience. He looked at Han Gang, who was calmly directing, with a hint of envy, "Yukun... do you have a plan?"

"Not a perfect plan, just a way to lure them in and trap them."

Villages in Qin Prefecture all had walls, and Xiaolongwan was no exception. Although not sturdy or tall, the wall was only about six feet high, and a skilled person could easily climb over it. However, many houses used the wall as part of their outhouses or courtyards, which meant that if the bandits wanted to escape, they would have to use the main roads or break into houses first.

"Once they do that, they will be surrounded by the villagers."

Wang Shunmin, Zhao Long, and Li Xin were not invincible, but they were all skilled fighters, capable of taking on a hundred men each. However, real combat was different from drills, and the bandits were not weak. Night battles were unpredictable, and Han Gang could not afford to lose them, so he needed more help. "This is Guanxi. The men of Guanxi will not submit to bandits. If someone stands up, the whole village will rise to fight!" Even if the villagers did not fight, they could be used to distract the bandits.

Chen Ji and Overmountain Wind's gang entered the village without any obstacles. Experienced thieves, they slipped through the open village gate without alarming even the guard dogs. Following the path they had learned, they moved towards the Han family's house. Everything went smoothly beyond imagination. Just as Chen Ji thought victory was near and he could soon avenge his enemy, a loud shout shattered the winter night, shattering his illusions.

"Bandits in the village! Everyone, guard your homes!"

With Han Gang's shout, the village's guard dogs barked wildly, and lights flickered on in houses, voices rising in alarm.

Chen Ji's face changed dramatically. Had they been betrayed? Overmountain Wind, with his extensive experience, remained calm. In his twenty years of raiding, he had faced leaks many times: "Quick! Charge through and kill them, then leave!"

A figure appeared at the intersection, short but broad, blocking the way. The moonlight did not reveal his face, hidden in the darkness, but the arrow on the longbow glinted in the moonlight.

"This road is blocked," a slightly low, oppressive voice said.

Overmountain Wind laughed loudly, his voice vicious: "Do you think you can block my way with just a bow?"

The bandits following Overmountain Wind were hardened criminals, having raided countless times over the years, killing people as easily as slaughtering chickens. They had caused trouble for several county magistrates in Longcheng County, even severely injuring a county captain and killing many soldiers. What was one man to them?

Only ten steps away, even the best archer could not shoot many arrows. The village had many roads, and in the narrow streets, bows were not effective. So, Overmountain Wind and his men carried only short and long weapons, not the cumbersome quivers.

"Kill him!" Overmountain Wind ordered, and the bandits rushed forward. Experienced in combat, they crouched low, protecting their faces with their left hands and their hearts with their right, holding knives. Even if they were hit by a few arrows, they would not die.

The bowstring hummed, but the sound was unusually long, lingering in the air. Chen Ji, hearing it, felt a moment of confusion. Was it one arrow? Soon, he realized it was not one but seven arrows!

The rapidly vibrating bowstring seemed to become a blur, and the continuous hum was followed by a series of arrows. Before they had even reached halfway, the seven bandits at the front fell, hit by Wang Shunmin's rapid-fire arrows. Reducing the number of arrows, he had doubled the accuracy, and all seven arrows hit their marks, stopping the bandits behind from advancing.

"Who are you?" Overmountain Wind asked, both surprised and angry. There were few such skilled fighters in the Qin-Feng region. How could one appear out of nowhere?

"Wang Shunmin!" A scream came from behind Overmountain Wind. Wang Shunmin's rapid-fire arrows were well-known. Chen Ji did not recognize Wang Shunmin, but he had heard of his archery. Who else could be the marksman by Han Gang's side? Only Wang Shunmin!

"Is it Chen Ji?" Wang Shunmin asked casually, drawing another arrow. After the rapid-fire, his arms were sore, and he could not shoot another round immediately, but the casualties he had caused made the bandits hesitate.

"Charge!"

A wild roar stirred the air, and two stone locks flew past Wang Shunmin, hitting the bandits huddled together. Two bandits, unable to dodge, were struck in the chest. The sound of bones breaking was terrifying, and two sprays of blood erupted. The two men flew backward, their ribs shattered and chests caved in, already dead before they hit the ground. They knocked over several more bandits behind them, landing with a thud and not moving again.

Zhao Long's bear-like figure emerged from the darkness, standing beside Wang Shunmin. After throwing the stone locks, he held two shiny six-sided copper rods, thicker than ordinary iron rods and twice as heavy. He gripped them tightly, and a fierce whistling sound followed as he rotated his wrists.

With only two men facing them and nearly twenty bandits left, what should they do?

Chen Ji made his decision in an instant: flee!

He turned and ran!