Chapter 64

"Assassin, assassin!"

Lin Sha had been engaged in a life-and-death struggle with the assassin inside the tent, and only then did the chaotic shouts begin to come from outside.

Thud, thud, thud... The sounds of fighting erupted, followed by a series of muffled groans and cries. Damn, the assassin had backup outside!

Swish, swish, swish...

The assassin inside the tent clearly didn't want to alarm too many people. Upon hearing the commotion outside, he immediately intensified his movements, his wrist flicking to unleash a rapid series of sword strikes.

Damn!

Lin Sha rolled back and forth on the ground, repeatedly dodging the assassin's sword strikes. He didn't know how to use the nunchaku effectively, and each powerful swing and return was in vain. The assassin often took advantage of the opportunities to launch sudden attacks. If it weren't for his quick reflexes and agile movements in a confined space, he would have been skewered long ago!

Damn, this can't go on!

He was now furious and anxious, constantly dodging the assassin's sharp sword attacks. The increasing noise and commotion outside the main tent did nothing to excite him; his mind was solely focused on how to survive this ordeal.

Crack!

Again, he awkwardly dodged the assassin's sweeping sword strike, using all his strength to lock the nunchaku at the chain connection, transforming it into a one-meter-long iron staff.

With a powerful kick, he leaped up, the iron staff in his hand emitting a series of sharp whistles as he unleashed a continuous series of seventeen spear-staff techniques. The staff movements were like a surging river, creating a dense shadow of staff strikes and a strong wind.

Clang, clang, clang...

The assassin didn't expect this move from Lin Sha. Caught off guard, he had no time to change his tactics. His long sword suddenly changed its momentum, transforming into a series of star-like points, colliding with the iron staff. Accompanied by a series of crisp clanging sounds, sparks flickered and disappeared in the dark main tent.

The seventeen spear-staff techniques are a unique staff method of the Hong Quan style. Once unleashed, each move is fierce and powerful, one after another like a continuous tide. It combines the ferocity and strength of staff techniques with the flexibility and versatility of spear techniques, occasionally incorporating large spear routines, making the assassin struggle to keep up.

"Brother, let's go! The nearby soldiers are increasing, if we don't leave now, it will be too late!"

The battle suddenly reached a stalemate. The assassin found it difficult to break through the seventeen spear-staff techniques, and Lin Sha found it equally challenging to harm the assassin. Just then, the shouts and commotion outside the main tent grew louder, and an urgent call from the assassin's companion came from outside.

"Hmph, I'll spare you for now, dog official. I'll come back next time!"

The assassin was a decisive person. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he immediately stopped his attack and quickly retreated, his voice filled with frustration echoing from a distance.

"Damn, who's afraid of who? If you have the guts, come back and fight me for another thirty rounds!"

Lin Sha was furious but wouldn't show any weakness in front of his subordinates. Holding the iron staff, he stormed out of the main tent, shouting loudly in the direction the assassin had fled.

Sure enough, his 'heroic' performance immediately boosted the morale of the surrounding soldiers.

After all this commotion, how could the logistics camp soldiers still sleep?

Lin Sha personally directed the cleanup of the battlefield, counted the losses, treated the wounded, and arranged for patrols and security. By the time everything was handled, the sky was already turning light.

When he received the battle damage report, Lin Sha was almost ready to curse. Damn, the casualties from the Red Wolf Fort raid didn't exceed ten, but last night's sudden assassination attempt resulted in over ten casualties. What bad luck!

Lin Sha ordered his subordinates to properly collect the bodies of the fallen soldiers and provide immediate medical treatment to the wounded. At this time, the county magistrate, in a panic, arrived with a group of civilian guards.

The formalities between Lin Sha and the county magistrate are not worth repeating. He declined the magistrate's enthusiastic invitation to stay and returned to Kunming with his troops that morning.

On the way, they were cautious and vigilant, but no further assassination attempts occurred. When Lin Sha led the logistics camp soldiers back to Kunming, they were all exhausted. After hastily arranging the camp duties, Lin Sha had to escort a cart of goods to Kunming City without rest.

The logistics camp not only eliminated a notorious band of bandits in western Yunnan, but Lin Sha also showed his understanding by offering gifts to his superiors, earning their unanimous praise. This time, General Hu Guozhu personally met with him, accepted the large sum of money Lin Sha offered, and immediately issued an order promoting Lin Sha half a rank and transferring him to the main camp as a battalion commander.

After announcing the appointment, General Hu's attitude changed. He called over the young and chubby Hu Shao to accompany him, acting like a caring elder, warmly encouraging Lin Sha to continue his efforts and achieve more. With Uncle Hu's support, promotion and wealth were just a matter of time. He even invited Lin Sha to a sumptuous lunch.

Lin Sha left the general's office in a daze, thinking that the old fox of the Qing bureaucracy was indeed skilled. Once he started speaking nicely, it was truly soothing and refreshing, completely different from his usual stern demeanor.

Reuniting with nearly ten of his personal guards waiting outside, he didn't stay long in the bustling Kunming City but left the city with his exhausted body.

He didn't expect that after suppressing the bandits and offering some benefits to his superiors, the previously uncertain transfer order finally came through, and his rank was also raised half a grade.

This is a glimpse of the Qing bureaucracy's atmosphere.

"Who's there?"

As the group of about ten riders passed the small forest where the idiot Ye Tianlong had previously ambushed them, one of the riders on the flanks suddenly shouted, drawing his steel saber and looking wary.

Damn, again?

Lin Sha instantly snapped out of his thoughts, reaching for the white waxwood spear hanging by his saddle. With a light flick of his wrist, the iron spearhead danced like a snake, whistling through the air. He urged his small Yunnan horse forward, and the other nearly ten riders followed, surrounding the area.

"What's going on?"

Lin Sha asked in a deep voice, his ears picking up the faint, rapid breathing from the dense forest. His grip on the white waxwood spear tightened.

"Sir, I just heard unusual movements in the forest!"

The guard who had shouted out answered respectfully.

"Come out, you've been discovered!"

Lin Sha nodded slightly, signaling his guards to spread out and be on alert, then shouted into the quiet, dense forest.

"..."

Silence. Apart from the tense breathing of his guards, no other sounds came from the forest.

"Refusing the offer of a drink, huh?"

Lin Sha's face darkened. He suddenly spurred his horse forward, the white waxwood spear whistling as it thrust forward, the spearhead creating a dense shadow of strikes that enveloped the dense forest.

Whistle, whistle, whistle...

To the amazement of his guards, the dense spear shadow, though like a dancing snake, didn't hit a single branch or trunk. It passed through the gaps in the leaves, sending green leaves flying.

"Aaaah..."

Before the guards could recover from the impressive spear technique, a clear, high-pitched scream came from the forest...