"Village Chief, the men tracking them have sent word!"
A man in close-fitting clothes strode forward, his steps nimble yet deliberately light, afraid of alerting Sandwind Stronghold in the distance. Excitement shone on his face and sparkled irrepressibly in his eyes, his cheeks slightly flushed with eagerness. Leaning toward the Village Chief's ear, he lowered his voice and reported rapidly:
"Sandwind Stronghold's Fourth-in-Command is taking men to reinforce the Second Chief and Third-in-Command. From the looks of it, they're hunting a man and a woman, but those two were clever enough to slip into that thicket when they had the chance!
Now those vile bandits are combing every inch of the thicket. The stronghold's defenses have been completely stripped bare!"
He tightened his grip on his long saber until his knuckles turned white, his voice brimming with urgency and anticipation:
"Village Chief, this is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity! If we let it slip, it won't come again!
Let's strike now and avenge our dead!"
Clearly, he could no longer contain the fury in his heart. He awaited the coming act of vengeance with desperate eagerness-after all, tonight's circumstances were nothing short of a heaven-sent opportunity for revenge.
The Village Chief showed little change in expression upon hearing the news. He remained as composed and steady as ever, a sharp glint flashing through his deep eyes before swiftly fading, as though he already had everything firmly in hand.
He nodded slightly and swept his gaze over the villagers lying in ambush beside him. Seeing the eagerness on every face, he swiftly issued his orders, his voice low but powerful, every word clear:
"Good. Everyone, prepare for battle immediately!
Remember, keep your movements quiet, your steps steady, and your breathing slow. We must not rustle the grass and startle the snake, much