Battle Commences

Early in the morning, before dawn broke, Nanning County was still shrouded in night and a thin mist.

Yet inside the Martial Guard Division, lights were already brightly lit, armor clanked, and figures stood thick as a forest.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye arrived early, dressed in standard dark robes and wearing sabers at their sides.

The moment they stepped through the gates, they heard the low blast of horns echoing in the courtyard, like a tiger roaring in the mountain forest, striking awe into people's hearts.

Inside the large courtyard at that moment, hundreds of elite members of the Martial Guard Division stood in neat formation, sabers and halberds like a forest, battlehorses already prepared, their solemn presence oppressive.

Before the steps, Wang Hao stood in a black-and-gold battle robe, fully arrayed, his eyes cold and sharp like a falcon's, behind him a fluttering Nanning garrison banner snapping in the wind.

Below the steps, several head constables stood in their respective positions, each of them a razor-sharp figure in Nanning.

Standing at the very front was Head Constable Cao Xiao, eight feet tall, with an iron face and stern brows, carrying dual hammers on his back, his heavy armor seeming fused to his very flesh and blood.

Beside him stood Head Constable Shen Qingyan, clad in a moon-white long gown, a longsword slung across her back, her slender figure radiating a frigid aura.

Her brows and eyes were like blades, her gaze frosty and cold, and when silent she resembled frost upon a branch, making people too afraid to draw near.

Head Constable Lin Tai lurked within the shadows, dressed in black robes with a pale complexion and a gloomy gaze.

At the very end was the newly appointed Head Constable Jiang Yuan, young and handsome, clad in mysterious armor with dual hooks at his waist, heroic spirit bursting between his brows, yet concealing a trace of barely masked arrogance.

Added to Li Hongye, the five head constables of Nanning County were all present.

Wang Hao swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke in a deep voice:

"Today's gathering is for one purpose—to wipe out the Firewood Gang. We must uproot them entirely; otherwise, we shall all bear the blame."

He raised a hand, pointing toward the sand-table map displayed on the wall, his tone sharp:

"Shen Qingyan and Lin Tai, your teams will break through the stronghold from the front; Cao Xiao, you lead your team to launch a surprise attack from the northern route, sealing off their rear route and cutting their reinforcement lines; Jiang Yuan—"

He paused for a moment, turning his gaze to Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye.

"Jiang Yuan, Li Hongye, Gu Chang'an, your team will make a circuitous advance from the western gate forest path to draw the enemy's vanguard, with Gu Chang'an taking the lead!"

At these words, everyone was startled and puzzled.

Jiang Yuan and Li Hongye were both head constables, but why was Gu Chang'an taking the lead?

Jiang Yuan even raised an eyebrow and let out a cold laugh:

"Director Wang, although Gu Chang'an is at the ninth rank, he is young after all. This Black Wind Ridge is no place to train one's courage; how can you let him lead?"

Wang Hao cast a cold glance at him, his voice as low as a blade's edge:

"If you are unconvinced, feel free to try beheading Zhang Yuying in a Mad Demon state."

Jiang Yuan was struck speechless, his expression shifting slightly.

His strength might allow him to gain a slight upper hand if he fought Zhang Yuying, but wanting to kill her was practically impossible.

Let alone Zhang Yuying in a Mad Demon state?

Wang Hao turned to Gu Chang'an. "Gu Chang'an, after this battle, if you render meritorious service, I will personally submit a memorial to promote you to a formal head constable."

Gu Chang'an immediately cupped his fists. "This subordinate understands and will certainly not disgrace the mission."

Li Hongye stood by his side, uttering not a word.

A moment later, the procession marched majestically out of the Martial Guard Division, clad in armor and grasping weapons, their killing intent fierce as they headed toward Black Wind Ridge.

Meanwhile, Gu Chang'an, Li Hongye, and Jiang Yuan rode side by side at the front.

Behind them were seasoned constables such as Zheng Zhen, Liu Wei, and Gao Ling, closely followed by thirty or forty elite runners.

Each grasped weapons, their complexions solemn.

The road was muddy and winding, the trees grew increasingly dense, and an ominous bloody stench permeated the howling mountain wind.

Gu Chang'an's gaze was cold and piercing as he spoke to Li Hongye:

"When the battle starts in a moment, we must not leave each other's field of vision."

Li Hongye softly replied, "Understood."

She looked straight ahead, but that response lacked its usual haughtiness, unexpectedly revealing a trace of submissiveness.

Jiang Yuan walked nearby, and upon hearing their exchange, merely let out a cold snort without chiming in.

The corners of his mouth twitched upward, yet a flash of dismissive contempt crossed his eyes.

Further back still, Zheng Zhen rode on horseback, his gaze as dark and deep as water.

Before long, the group passed through a mountain pass, and the outer perimeter of Black Wind Ridge lay directly ahead.

The mountain ridges were towering and craggy with jagged rocks, dead branches lay scattered across the forest, and black crows flew low, resembling a place of death.

Suddenly, a commotion sounded in the forest ahead.

Doostands of Firewood Gang disciples leaped out from the dense woods, every one of them in disheveled clothing, wielding sabers and halberds with ferocious smiles on their faces, blocking the mountain path.

The leader had a face covered in saber scars, grasped a large machete, and sneered:

"Are you lot here to throw your lives away?"

Gu Chang'an did not even look at them as his right hand already rested upon his saber hilt, his voice as indifferent as iron:

"Form up, charge—kill without exception!"

"Kill!"

At his command, thirty runners stepped forward in unison, long sabers flashing simultaneously as battle cries shook the heavens!

Jiang Yuan gave a cold laugh, his dual hooks sliding from their scabbards with a silver flash, charging into the enemy ranks like a fierce hawk plunging into the woods.

He struck with extreme ruthlessness, the dual hooks moving one after the other, tricky and swift as the hook blades tore through the air and emitted a piercing screech.

A Firewood Gang disciple in front had yet to react when his throat was hooked and violently yanked, a fountain of blood spraying forth as his corpse crashed straight down.

"Those who block me die!"

Jiang Yuan low-barked, his figure spinning as his dual hooks swept horizontally, whipping up two arc-shaped cold flashes that successively hacked down two men.

On the other side, the Iron Whip in Li Hongye's hand was already swung like a dancing dragon and snake, the wind of its passage exploding.

With a shake of her delicate hand, the whip body suddenly pulled taut, and with a single lash down, she shattered a Firewood Gang disciple's shoulder blade raw, sending the man flying like a kite with a snapped string.

"Scram."

She spat a single word, her long whip following like a shadow to wrap around another enemy's leg and violently jerk, sending the man tumbling instantly to the ground. Before he could struggle to his feet, the blur of the whip swept across his neck like lightning, blood spattering.

Gu Chang'an strode forward with a settled stance, every movement of his Mountain Shattering Saber Technique collapsing like mountain ranges, the saber's edge deafening and carrying overwhelming momentum.

His saber moved with his body, his actions fierce and direct without seeking flowery complications.

"Retreat!"

A Firewood Gang boss roared, attempting to summon reinforcements from the rear.

Yet Gu Chang'an had already stepped forward, his figure like a tiger as he slashed horizontally with Mountain Shattering, the Blade Stance roaring down.

That man felt his vision go dark before blood spattered across his face, his own subordinate's head already tumbling down.

On the other side of the battlefield, Zheng Zhen executed sword strikes with extreme slowness, yet every single sword stroke was dead-on, sealing off all of his opponent's offensives.

That seemingly plain and unremarkable longsword seemed to bear the weight of a thousand jun, and the moment the enemy's weapon touched its edge, it felt as though crushed by mountain ranges, instantly collapsing.

Battle cries shook the heavens across the battlefield, and Liu Wei, Gao Ling, and the others each wielded their weapons, shouting commands on one hand while engaging the enemy in close combat, despite the enemy's fierce bravery.

Yet the members of the Martial Guard Division had long since undergone prolonged training and cooperated seamlessly, beating the enemy back step by step.

While slashing down opponents, Gu Chang'an narrowed his eyes to sweep his gaze toward the end of the mountain path.

He saw banner shadows vaguely fluttering deep within the dense forest alongside a clamor of voices, his heart sinking slightly:

"This is merely the vanguard; the true Firewood Gang camp is probably still further behind. Daoist Chai... you truly prepared very thoroughly."

Li Hongye flicked the beads of blood from her whip, drew close to Gu Chang'an, and asked in a cold voice:

"Should we pursue?"

Gu Chang'an said in a deep voice:

"No need to rush. Advance steadily and wipe them out completely, lest the enemy turn back to reinforce our rear."