Chapter 26

Dungchi exhaled heavily, approaching with large strides. He grabbed Yang Hong and pulled him down. Yang Hong couldn't resist at all. Dungchi, holding him by the collar, slammed him to the ground and shouted,

"You're dead! I'll take care of that unlucky face of yours..."

However, Dungchi's mouth, which seemed about to strike Yang Hong, closed. Zhang Jian, sitting on the rock, watched the scene and whistled lightly.

Yang Hong's dagger, now pressed against Dungchi's neck, drew a red line.

"Fairness. I know it's been tough waiting here for two days. But we can't lose respect for each other. We're not just a bunch of bandits robbing passersby, right? Do you understand me?"

Dungchi, unable to speak, glared at Yang Hong, trembling with anger. Yang Hong, feeling the tremor through the collar, spoke again.

"Answer me, pig. If you keep shaking like that, I'll taste your flesh with this blade."

"Understood."

"Then let go, damn it."

Dungchi, still exhaling heavily, slowly released his grip. As soon as he let go, Yang Hong stood up, brushed off his collar, and suddenly slapped Dungchi's face. Watching Dungchi fall back, Yang Hong brushed his collar again, bent down, and pointed at him.

"I planned this! I used my informants, my connections, and my skills to find out about this! Do you think you could have figured out the route of the transport carriage with your ignorant head and limited connections? Don't act superior just because you're tagging along! Just do what you're told!"

After his outburst, Yang Hong stood straight, hid his dagger at his waist, and turned to Zhang Jian.

"Let's go up now. We need to introduce ourselves."

Zhang Jian, finding the scene interesting, nodded. Yang Hong's calm demeanor and his ability to threaten Dungchi were different from the gambler he knew. Perhaps this was his true face.

They climbed the rock, and the other two introduced themselves. The other large man was Dungchi's brother, Gong Ping, and the neat one was Jian Zhongchan. Gong Lang, despite his brother being hit, smiled peacefully and said,

"You must be Brother Zhang. I'm Gong Lang. I heard about Brother Yang. They say your martial arts are quite impressive."

"Just so-so."

"Hehe. You're modest. I trust you even more."

Jian Zhongchan, fiddling with the crossbow Yang Hong mentioned, spoke without looking at Zhang Jian.

"Jian Zhongchan. From Tianhou City."

"Zhang Jian."

That was the end of their conversation. Jian Zhongchan, fiddling with the bow, seemed quite taciturn. While roughly exchanging greetings with the two, Gong Ping, who had been hit by Yang Hong, quietly climbed up. Yang Hong introduced him naturally, as if nothing had happened.

"This is Gong Ping, Gong Lang's brother."

"Nice to meet you."

Gong Ping, slightly deflated, spoke briefly. Zhang Jian, without saying anything more, just nodded. Only Gong Lang patted his brother's shoulder.

On the rock, there was a small campfire, and a pot of boiling tea and a stew were ready. Yang Hong, after the introductions, naturally served the stew and said,

"Let's eat, and I'll tell you about tomorrow's plan."

The stew, though unknown what was in it, was savory and hot, making it easy to eat. It definitely contained beans and some unknown meat. With only the stew, the meal was quickly finished.

After putting down his bowl, Yang Hong took a sip of tea and began to speak.

"Now, let me explain how things will go tomorrow."

He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and continued,

"The carriage will pass this way around noon. It's a large one, pulled by four horses. There will be four more guards riding alongside. One driver and two inside the carriage, plus the four guards, making a total of seven protecting the carriage."

Yang Hong looked at Jian Zhongchan.

"Jian Zhongchan will shoot the driver with an arrow first. Then, we'll rush out from below, and he will keep shooting. The carriage, without a driver, will run wildly. The people inside and the guards will try to do something, but we'll stop them when we rush out."

Gong Lang, who had been listening, raised his hand with a smile. Yang Hong looked at him.

"Any questions?"

"Are there any experts among the guards? Given the value of the cargo, there should be some skilled ones."

Yang Hong chuckled.

"The two inside the carriage will be too busy trying to control the carriage to do anything. In the end, we'll only have to deal with the four on horseback. We can handle these border martial artists, and Jian Zhongchan will support us with arrows from behind."

Gong Lang nodded and said,

"So, we take out the horsemen, stop the carriage, and deal with the other two."

"Not exactly. We only take out one."

Everyone was puzzled by Yang Hong's sudden statement. Yang Hong made a meaningful expression, but only Zhang Jian smiled and said,

"The one inside is an informant."

The Gong brothers looked at Yang Hong in admiration. Yang Hong nodded slightly.

"Right. His name is Jiang Shangzhu, and he has a huge gambling debt. He plans to pay off his debt with this one big score and run far away. He wants to sail to the Central Plains."

He put down his tea cup and continued,

"Don't show any mercy. After all, Xue Weiliang's subordinates are usually vicious. They burn houses and kill cattle if the owners don't sell their farms. If they still refuse, they kidnap children to threaten them. According to Jiang Shangzhu, they even burned a peasant couple alive in their house, leaving only their son."

As Zhang Jian drank his tea, the little boy he met at the inn flashed through his mind. Gong Ping, who had been listening, said,

"What about that Jiang Shangzhu? Isn't he the same kind of scum?"

"He gave us the information in exchange for his life and a share of the money. We agreed to let him go, so we will."

Yang Hong smiled and slowly looked at the Gong brothers, Jian Zhongchan, and Zhang Jian.

"Anyway, we'll take out the six swordsmen, drive the carriage south for a day, split the money, and go our separate ways. Our informant will leave for the Central Plains, so the pursuers won't know our faces or names. Gang Shang, the head of the Ganshan Alliance, won't be able to maintain the pursuit for long while dealing with other alliance leaders..."

Gong Lang said,

"It will be a clean job."

"Exactly. It will be as clean as a ghost."

The Gong brothers and Yang Hong grinned wickedly. Jian Zhongchan, seemingly uninterested, fiddled with his bow, but he wouldn't be there if he didn't care. His expression, as he looked at his bow, seemed content.

Zhang Jian, sitting quietly, stroked his chin, lost in thought.

* * *

The dawn in the Central Plains and the dawn in this wilderness were slightly different.

Zhang Jian had seen dawn in the plains and grasslands of the Central Plains, but the sun here in the New Continent was a bit different.

The sky, dyed a deep blue at dawn, gradually lightened as the morning sun took over. The sunlight, as if sucking up the deep blue, pierced through the cold air of the vast wilderness and the occasional clouds, dispersing even the remaining shadows. The remaining shadows huddled in small pools, trembling in the dark.

The sky, now free of darkness, seemed vast and empty.

Zhang Jian, waking up early, sat on the rock and gazed at the vastness. Some might call it beautiful, others familiar. A wonder that had repeated for countless years on this land, making one feel the insignificance of human affairs while also realizing that only humans could give meaning to such wonders.

"Dawn is a sight you don't see easily in the Central Plains or Tianhou City."

Jian Zhongchan approached Zhang Jian, who was watching the sunrise. He sat down naturally, took out a bottle, and took a swig. Then he offered it to Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian chuckled at the scent.

"Drinking as soon as you wake up?"

"A little drink can ease tension and is good. I used to smoke, but the smoke damaged my bow. So, I just take a sip now."

Jian Zhongchan's matter-of-fact reply made Zhang Jian take a sip. The warm sensation went down his throat, waking up his still sleepy stomach. It was good liquor. Jian Zhongchan, taking back the bottle, asked,

"You don't seem to be from the New Continent."

"Why do you think so?"

"Just a feeling."

Zhang Jian smiled faintly but didn't answer. Jian Zhongchan didn't ask again, focusing on the sunrise and sipping his drink. They watched the sun rise until the others woke up.

After everyone had packed up, Yang Hong took out three sticks, dried meat, and some other food from his saddlebag and said,

"Let's eat a hearty breakfast and skip lunch. The carriage will pass this way around noon. Prepare your saddles and keep an eye on the east. When you see the carriage, we'll go down and wait. Jian Zhongchan, you'll shoot the driver and signal us. Got it?"

Jian Zhongchan nodded without a word.

"I think the Gong brothers and Brother Zhang know what to do. Just remember, each of you is responsible for your own life. Don't expect anyone to save you. Now, let's eat."

After breakfast, they prepared their saddles and kept watch to the east. Time seemed to drag, but the sun steadily climbed the sky.

A little past noon, Zhang Jian saw something moving in the distance. Jian Zhongchan, noticing it, said,

"They're here."

"Where? Where?"

Jian Zhongchan pointed to a corner to the east. The others, seeing the carriage, smiled. The Gong brothers and Yang Hong put on masks. Yang Hong handed a piece of cloth to Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian put it on, and with the mask, he felt like a real bandit. As he adjusted the mask, Yang Hong, seeing the carriage more clearly, shouted,

"Let's go!"

The Gong brothers nodded, picked up their large sabers, and stood up. Yang Hong took out the three sticks he had prepared, connected them, and made a pole as tall as his eyebrows. He attached a dagger to the end, creating a short spear. He was about to go down with the Gong brothers.

Then Zhang Jian said,

"Wait."

Yang Hong and the Gong brothers, about to go down, stopped and looked at Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian pointed to the road the carriage was coming from.

"Over there. Behind the rock formation."

Everyone, including Yang Hong, strained their eyes to look in the direction Zhang Jian pointed.

There were many red rocks and high hills around. Yang Hong had chosen this spot because it was not too steep, easy to climb, and high enough to see far. It also allowed Jian Zhongchan to support them with arrows after shooting the driver.

However, there were other places to hide. A rock formation in the distance, which Yang Hong might have chosen as an ambush spot if Jian Zhongchan's bow wasn't available, now revealed horses and people emerging from its shadow.

"What the hell? Who are those guys?"

As Yang Hong muttered, the carriage and its guards passed the rock formation. At the same time, the hidden group rushed out. Each of them held a gleaming spear or sword, and Zhang Jian could see they were also masked. Another group of bandits had appeared.

Everyone was stunned by their sudden appearance when Zhang Jian nudged Yang Hong and said,

"The carriage is turning."

Yang Hong confirmed it and groaned. The carriage, seeing the bandits, was turning to the side. If the route changed, Jian Zhongchan's plan to shoot the driver would fail.

Yang Hong, his face contorted, stood up and shouted,

"Damn it! We can't let those guys get the jump on us! Let's go! The one who gets there first wins! Zhongchan, come on!"

He rushed down, followed by the Gong brothers and Jian Zhongchan, who quickly put on his mask. Zhang Jian also climbed down and mounted Zhaocao.

Yang Hong, leading the charge, shouted,

"Hurry, damn it! Ride! We can't let them get away! There's a fortune in that carriage!"

They galloped towards the transport carriage and the bandits, striking their horses' flanks. The carriage driver, seeing them, turned pale and whipped the horses harder.

The bandits and guards, who had been riding, were confused by the sudden appearance of the group. Realizing the situation, they grimaced and urged their horses on. Soon, the carriage was in the lead, followed by the guards, the bandits, and Yang Hong's group.

"Damn it! Who are you guys?"

"That's what I want to know, you bastards!"

"You crazy bastards! Do you know whose carriage you're robbing?"

"Who doesn't know, you morons!"

"Stop the carriage, you bastards!"

"Damn it! Why would I stop it?"

"Who are you, you damn bastards?"

"What do you want to know, damn it! Just stop the carriage!"

The carriage and guards were desperately trying to escape, and the bandits, focused on chasing them, couldn't stop Yang Hong's group. As a result, all three groups were racing, shouting at each other.

Zhang Jian, riding at the back, chuckled at their chaotic scene.

"What a mess."

Zhaocao, as if agreeing, snorted.