Chapter 99

"Second Young Master, this old servant has inspected everything. The armor and cannons sent by the corrupt officials are all finely crafted, truly rare. It's amazing that the corrupt officials are willing to send such good things!"

The young man on the white horse curled his lips and smiled coldly. "The Great Ming, the supreme nation, still has a solid foundation! I heard that these things were given to his favorite general by Wang Huazhen, so they couldn't be poor quality. But the corrupt officials have miscalculated. We have the Venerable Mother Wu Sheng and the Maitreya Buddha protecting us, foretelling the future. They have unwittingly prepared the wedding dress for us!"

Right next to this handsome young man, a tall and strong man said proudly, "That's right. With these three hundred sets of armor, the Master is also planning to buy five hundred warhorses. When the time comes, our troops will be strong and well-equipped, making it the perfect time to rise up. The land beyond the border will be the Pure Land of Maitreya, the true home!"

After the big man finished speaking, he laughed loudly. The two hundred White Lotus followers behind him were even more outrageous, chatting and laughing, their eyes gleaming as if they had already succeeded, completely ignoring that they were still within the territory of the Great Ming!

Just as these people were being outrageous, a rider suddenly galloped over. The rider had an arrow stuck in his back, about half a foot deep, and was swaying on the horse.

"Y-Young Master, Protector, t-there are imperial troops!"

The rider fell off the horse. The big man quickly dismounted, caught him, and pressed a few points on his chest. He then took out a white porcelain bottle from his pocket, took a pill, and put it in the rider's mouth.

The dying rider swallowed the pill and immediately regained his strength, his eyes regaining their light. He wept with gratitude.

"How can I, a lowly servant, waste the divine medicine of the Protector? Thank you, Protector, thank you..."

The big man patted his shoulder and smiled gently. "We are all brothers in the faith. We are not like the heartless and unfeeling corrupt officials of the Great Ming!"

The handsome young man, with a stern expression, asked, "Uncle Huang, didn't you pacify all the corrupt officials? Why are there still people chasing us?"

Uncle Huang smiled coldly. "Second Young Master, no matter how many useless scoundrels come, we have nothing to fear. I will lead the troops to intercept them, and you continue on your way!"

"Alright, Uncle Huang, be careful!"

The big man nodded, mounted his horse, and led twenty followers to charge out. After riding for three or four miles, they encountered more than ten cavalrymen charging towards them.

The leader of these men was Zhang Feng. He led the night patrol of Dacheng Fort, tracking the wheel marks, and had been chasing them all the way. He had just encountered two White Lotus scouts, killing one and the other fleeing with an arrow in his back.

Zhang Feng wanted to capture a live one, so he chased after them. Climbing over a hill, he saw a long convoy of about thirty to forty carts, protected by nearly two hundred infantry and cavalry.

"It's them!"

Zhang Feng gritted his teeth and galloped forward. The dozen night patrol members followed him silently.

Swish, swish, swish!

The bowstrings sounded, and three or four White Lotus followers fell off their horses. However, the White Lotus followers were not to be underestimated. One of the night patrol members was hit in the throat and lost his life.

Zhang Feng and Uncle Huang were like two fierce beasts, getting closer and closer. Uncle Huang held a heavy saber, about thirty pounds, gleaming with a cold light.

"Kill!"

Uncle Huang used a move called 'Cleaving Huashan,' the saber like a white light, coming swiftly. At the same time, Zhang Feng's saber moved, using a move called 'Baqiao Picking the Robe,' the saber moving from below to strike Uncle Huang.

Crack!

The two sabers collided, sparks flying. Uncle Huang felt his hand lighten, and his back was instantly drenched in sweat. A strong sense of fear enveloped him.

Not good!

Uncle Huang desperately kicked off the stirrup and jumped to the side. At that moment, the cold blade grazed his ribs, cutting through his iron and cotton armor, leaving a thin red mark. If he had been a bit slower, his stomach would have been sliced open. Uncle Huang was terrified.

Zhang Feng was also surprised by the sharpness of his saber, almost ecstatic! He had received this saber just half a month ago, a gift from Ou Chongyuan.

Speaking of the saber, it had some history. Ten years ago, Ou Chongyuan found a piece of meteoric iron about the size of a washbasin. He treasured it and spent five years at home forging two steel sabers.

When he joined Zhang Ke, Ou Chongyuan gave the two sabers to the Zhang brothers.

As the saying goes, 'red powder for beauties, and precious swords for heroes.' After receiving the sabers, Zhang Feng even slept with them. This was his first real combat, and the saber was so sharp, how could he not be happy!

"Scoundrels, prepare to die!"

Zhang Feng raised his saber to strike Uncle Huang. At that moment, the White Lotus followers charged forward like madmen, howling. Zhang Feng had to swing his saber, cutting through them like slicing melons. No one could withstand the power of his saber.

The horse trampled over bodies and blood, like a fierce beast mercilessly slaughtering the weak lambs. When Zhang Feng cut down the last of the White Lotus followers, a few had already fled with Uncle Huang. Seeing the main group of White Lotus followers getting agitated and preparing to charge, Zhang Feng shouted,

"Good for you, wait for my brother to bring the main force, and none of you will be spared!"

Zhang Feng turned around and saw Yang Long, asking, "Did you capture any live ones?"

"Don't worry, Brother, we caught three!"

"Put them on the horses and follow me back."

Zhang Feng and his men killed thirteen people, losing four of their own. Fortunately, they captured over a dozen warhorses, enough to carry the fallen brothers and the captives back.

Zhang Feng grabbed Uncle Huang's warhorse and ran at the front. Uncle Huang abandoned his horse, but a few packages remained on the saddle. As Zhang Feng ran, he opened the packages.

"What's this... yellow paper, small figures, cinnabar, Buddha statues, mung beans, glutinous rice... are they fighting or exorcising evil?"

Zhang Feng didn't bother to look further, stuffing everything back into the packages. He ran for over twenty miles and saw a banner ahead, the troops of Dacheng Fort approaching.

"Brother, we caught up with them. They circled around to fifteen miles west of Dajing Fort and are fleeing beyond the Great Wall. We captured three live ones, you can ask them!"

Zhang Ke was delighted and quickly had the captives brought to him.

Zhang Ke, with a stern face, asked harshly, "Are you White Lotus followers?"

"What White Lotus? I don't know!"

"Right, you corrupt officials, if you have the guts, give us a quick death. If we flinch, we're not real men!"

The last young White Lotus follower, with blood dripping from his shoulder, looked even more deranged.

"Kill, kill! Maitreya will not spare you. The heavenly thunder will descend, destroying all impurities. Kill all the corrupt officials! Kill, kill, kill!"

Zhang Feng's eyes widened, and he laughed coldly. "You're asking for death. I've already killed seven or eight people. If you can call your Maitreya, I'll cut him down too!"

"Arrogant and ignorant, those who offend Maitreya will die!" The young White Lotus follower, with bloodshot eyes, struggled to grab Zhang Feng, like a mad dog.

Zhang Ke smiled coldly. "Lock them up temporarily, don't kill them. Wait until we recover the goods and interrogate them thoroughly."

After saying this, the night patrol led the way, and Zhang Ke led the troops westward.

These days, the troops of Dacheng Fort had been training intensively, running at incredible speeds, gritting their teeth. To dare to rob Dacheng Fort was sheer madness!

After half an hour, it was noon, and they passed by Dajing Fort. Zhang Ke looked at Dajing Fort and frowned.

According to the agreement, Dajing Fort and Dacheng Fort should support each other. Tang Bi had already informed them, and the White Lotus followers had passed through Dajing Fort, so there was no reason for Dajing Fort not to send troops!

Just as Zhang Ke was puzzled, the night patrol reported urgently.

"Sir, a group of troops is ahead, with banners from Yizhou!"

Zhang Ke, hearing this, quickly spurred his horse and rode to the front.

Sure enough, a large group of troops was approaching, about a thousand men. The leader was a general in his thirties, wearing black armor and holding a long axe. A large banner behind him read 'Zhou'.

"Are you the troops of Dacheng Fort?"

"Yes, I am Zhang Ke, the defender of Dacheng Fort. May I ask who you are?"

"There's no need to ask. You are all troops of Dacheng Fort. This is Dajing Fort. You have the duty to defend the land. How dare you cross the border without permission? Are you not afraid of being punished by the court?"

Zhang Ke, who had thought they were reinforcements, was greatly disappointed.

"Hmph, the military supplies bound for Dacheng Fort were robbed. Shouldn't I pursue them? The bandits are about to cross the Great Wall. Shouldn't I chase them?"

The black-armored general looked at Zhang Ke and suddenly laughed coldly. "You are Zhang Ke, I thought you were something special! Let me tell you, I am Zhou Ting, the younger brother of General Zhou Xiong of Jin Yi. Recovering lost goods is my responsibility. You should wait patiently!"

Trying to intimidate him with Zhou Xiong wasn't enough. Zhang Ke was unmoved and said sternly, "The situation is urgent. If we don't act now, the White Lotus bandits will cross the Great Wall. If we delay, you will be held responsible for the military failure."

"Ha ha ha, a mere defender dares to intimidate me! It's noon. Let the men eat first!"

Zhou Ting then ordered his men to set up camp and cook on the road, blocking Zhang Ke's path. He had no intention of pursuing the bandits and even sent over a hundred men with weapons to secure the area, as if they would attack if Zhang Ke moved forward. Anyone who knew they were imperial troops would think they were allies of the White Lotus!

"Too much!" Zhang Feng and Qiao Fu were all filled with anger.

"Sir, don't hesitate. Charge forward. If we delay any longer, the bandits will escape!"

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