"Anything that can't be settled through official channels will inevitably turn into private bloodshed!"
Wu Ming looked toward the county seat, a cold smile curling his lips. "After I attacked the caravan, I'm sure I left them with the impression of a young hothead, impulsive yet vicious. Right now, a whole bunch of Zhou family members are probably shouting, 'We can't let this kid live!' They'll come to kill me and eliminate any future trouble!"
"The Zhou family can mobilize more people than the Wu family, has better weapons, and has recruited more experts. Once they hear the news, they'll surely throw everything they have at me and come out in full force... By then..."
Wu Ming gazed toward the mountain behind him. In the darkness, the endless mountain range looked like a savage beast, brimming with nameless danger.
"When that happens, I won't turn back. I'll head into the mountains—deep into the mountains! I'll lead my men and keep them at bay!"
Mountain marches made provisions, weapons, and medicine serious problems. The Zhou family would assume Wu Ming had gone mad and was nearing his end, and would surely pursue him with all their might.
That was precisely what Wu Ming was counting on.
When it came to burning through resources, he was no match for the Zhou family. But he had the Main God Hall as his cheat!
With the Main God Hall's exchange system at his disposal, as long as he had enough merit, it was practically an infinite-resource Golden Finger. In the deep mountains, that advantage would be multiplied a hundredfold, even a thousandfold.
Of course, the cost would be terrifying.
The Main God Hall did offer food for exchange, but Wu Ming had calculated that exchanging one dan there and bringing it to the Main World after spending merit would cost enough to buy forty or fifty dan in Great Zhou.
But in the mountains, during a major battle, even if he offered a hundred times the price, he might not be able to buy a single dan of grain! And that was without even counting the need to replenish medicine and weapons. In that situation, the exchange was well worth it.
Of course, this plan had two drawbacks. First, it was expensive. Second, only a Main God Apostle could use it.
Not every Reincarnator could treat the Main God Hall like home the way Wu Ming did, coming and going as he pleased.
According to Shan Lan and Ling Guhong, after each mission, they only got one chance to heal and make exchanges. Want to go back again? They'd have to wait until the next mission!
Wu Ming was going all out this time. He was willing to burn through every last bit of merit if that meant dragging the Zhou family's elite deep into the mountains until their supplies and ammunition ran dry, then wiping them out in one fell swoop!
The Zhou family was powerful, no doubt, but the Wu family wasn't their only enemy.
Once the Zhou family suffered heavy losses, the Wu family could join forces with their other enemies, form alliances, and slowly bleed them dry.
"I really am that petty, aren't I..."
Wu Ming gazed into the night and couldn't help laughing at himself.
Admittedly, the Main God Hall had accumulated items suitable for a decapitation strike. It might even have been possible to take the Zhou family head's life outright.
But first, he lived in the county seat, surrounded by guards, making the risk high. Second, the Zhou family had over a thousand clansmen. Even if one head was killed, they could still put forward a second, then a third!
Moreover, under orthodox law and custom, a new family head had to avenge his predecessor to claim the moral high ground and secure his position.
Rather than cause a shocking massacre, it was better to uproot the Zhou family's foundations once and for all.
In truth, this was merely a raid by the Patrol Office to suppress bandits. In terms of impact, it was naturally far less serious than assassinating the head of a powerful family.
As long as those killed weren't people of the same rank, the deaths of those beneath them would never set those high and mighty predators on edge.
"Young Master, we've sorted through the prisoners. There are thirty-two in all, including five or six minor leaders. There's also a one-eyed man who claims to be the bandit stronghold's second-in-command. He says he's willing to surrender..."
Wu Ming had just reached the center of the hall when Zhao Song led the prisoners in. Each was tied up with hemp rope, their faces filled with fear.
"Sir, I'm willing to surrender! I'm the second-in-command here. I know where the chief buried his treasure...!"
The one-eyed man spotted Wu Ming, brightened, and shouted.
"Enough noise. Kill him!"
Wu Ming frowned. Wu Tiehu let out a feral grin beside him, brought down his long saber, and sent the man's head flying. Blood gushed like a spring.
The brutal sight instantly cowed everyone below into silence.
"I don't care about your treasure... and I don't care whether you're loyal or not. If you want to live, step forward and cut off a hand or foot from one of these leaders..."
Wu Ming pointed at the few minor leaders trembling like leaves.
Bandits fighting among themselves was common enough. This was nothing more than a routine test.
Anyone unwilling to do even that would naturally be killed.
After a storm of curses and screams, mingled with the stench of blood, only a dozen or so people remained in the hall.
"Good... I need you to do one thing for me. Once it's done, this stronghold and all its wealth will be yours..."
Wu Ming smiled.
The second-in-command and the leaders couldn't be left alive. Otherwise, these bandits would be ticking time bombs.
But now, he could put them to some use.
The next day, at first light.
Thick fog blanketed the wilderness. Birds called and insects chirped in the chill as a caravan trudged slowly along the road.
"Put your backs into it!"
The driver, an experienced old hand, urged them on. "We've already missed the Laba Festival. We can't afford to be late again. The sooner we finish the delivery, the sooner we can get home for the New Year!"
"Once we cross Spoon Mountain, the road will be flat as a board!"
At the front of the caravan, the portly steward smiled as he looked at another man, copper-skinned and built like a Vajra. "We're much obliged to Martial Master Song for guarding us all this way!"
"We serve the same master. It's no trouble at all."
Song Jingang's eyes were sharp as an eagle's. "Of the eighteen strongholds across Yunping County, nearly half fly the Zhou family's banner. Jie Tianfeng's gang on Spoon Mountain may not dare commit such a brazen offense, but it's best to stay alert!"
Just as the caravan passed a small hollow in the hills, the bushes opposite rustled. A band of brigands charged out, flying Jie Tianfeng's banner. "Charge!"
They stumbled along in a panic, and there weren't many of them. They looked more like men fleeing for their lives, making the caravan guards laugh in surprise.
"Hmm? Something's wrong!"
Song Jingang jolted. Then he saw the first bandit collide with a guard and get slashed to the ground, pleading loudly, "Spare me, sir! Spare me! We were forced into this!"
"What's going on?"
Just as the guards were staring in confusion, another group appeared. "We are men of the Patrol Office, here to capture the bandits of Jie Tianfeng's gang! Don't make a mistake you'll regret!"
They wore fine leather armor and carried sabers and bows. They charged straight down in orderly ranks, like an army of thousands.
"This is military discipline! The Patrol Office in our county actually has men like these?"
Song Jingang was taken aback.
The official uniform was clearly intimidating. Several guards lowered their weapons, while the steward could only smile bitterly as he went forward, ready to pay a hefty sum.
"Hmm? Something's not right. Why do they look so unfamiliar? Everyone, stay alert!"
After a brief moment of shock, Song Jingang was the first to react. He roared a warning.
But in an instant, the men from the Patrol Office across from them grinned viciously and raised their bows.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Arrows rained down. The unprepared guards fell one after another, struck by arrows. At the same moment, two barbed arrows forged from fine steel shot at Song Jingang from different directions.
"Ah! They came specifically for me?"
In the blink of an eye, Song Jingang twisted aside and sprang several feet away. He drew in his chest and hunched his back, turning as thin as a sheet of paper in an instant and dodging both arrowheads.
Pfft!
But a bloom of blood still blossomed from his shoulder.
"Fine archery!" Song Jingang grunted. "Those first two arrows were meant to force me into hiding. This one was the real killing blow, wasn't it?"
Clap, clap!
Wu Ming and Feng Han emerged one after the other from the dense woods, applauding. "Martial Master Song is said to be the Vajra reborn. Your Iron Shirt skill really is extraordinary. Even the barbed arrows fired from an Iron-Core Bow could only pierce three inches into your flesh... But what about the poison?"
"Poison?"
Song Jingang whipped his head around. A patch of dark green was spreading across his shoulder, yet he couldn't feel any itching or pain—only numbness. His heart sank. He knew that was the most dangerous sign of all. "You despicable scoundrels!"
"In battle, who cares about being despicable or not? Everyone, obey orders! Leave no one alive!"
Wu Ming burst into wild laughter. Feng Han sprang forward in an instant, sweeping through the air as claw wind struck again and again. "Thirteen Eagle Claw Strikes!"
"Ha! Vajra Body!"
Song Jingang's blood surged to his head. A thin golden glow seemed to shine from his entire body as he clashed with Feng Han.
Even though his martial arts were slightly superior, he was wounded and poisoned. He was at an overwhelming disadvantage, driven into a desperate struggle.
"Hahaha... Kill!"
On the other side, Wu Tiehu and his men moved in groups of three, forming little triangles. Like savage tigers, they tore through the defenses and plunged into the caravan, slaughtering everyone in their path.
Wu Tiehu's saber flashed, relentless and unstoppable. Backed by their formation, they were invincible. "The Young Master ordered us to kill these people. We get two-tenths of the goods and valuables, and can take whatever we want. What are you waiting for?"
With Wu Tiehu leading the way, killing two men in quick succession, the laborers and Village Militia behind him gradually loosened up. Their eyes reddened as they joined the slaughter.
Wu Ming stood motionless in the center, a crossbow strapped to his back. Anyone who tried to escape was shot down by him. Not a single one got away.
Bang!
At the heart of the battle, the two fighters exchanged blows and sprang apart. Feng Han and Song Jingang reappeared, both spattered with blood.
"If you do this, aren't you afraid of the Zhou family's revenge? Killing innocent people is tantamount to rebellion!"
Song Jingang roared and slapped a talisman over his wound. The bleeding stopped at once.
"Hahaha... We're here to capture Jie Tianfeng's bandits. We'll be rewarded for our service, not punished! You were killed by bandits. What does that have to do with us?"
Feng Han laughed and slapped a talisman onto himself as well. His spirits lifted, and he charged forward again.
They mean to fight to the death!
Song Jingang's heart tightened. And... where did they get those talismans?
The Minor Rejuvenation Talisman he had was a lifesaving treasure. He'd only managed to get one through the Zhou family's connections, after paying a hefty price.
Now he saw Feng Han use one as if it were nothing, and couldn't help but feel that the man's depths were unfathomable.
"Run!"
He glanced back. The caravan had nearly been wiped out, and its men were routed. His heart turned cold, and he suddenly fled at full speed.
Whoosh!
A crossbow bolt pursued him like a shadow, striking his thigh and drawing blood streaked with dark green.
"You were hit by my poisoned arrow. Did you think you could run?"
A young man's voice came from behind Song Jingang's ear. Then he plunged into utter darkness.
Before you continue