freenovelworld Chapter 367 Night Raid on Tiger Tooth Mountain, Ambush from the Enemy
Chapter 367 Night Raid on Tiger Tooth Mountain, Ambush from the Enemy
The carriage stopped in front of the general's mansion.
"Yuling, take Yun'er back to his room to rest!" She handed the child to Yuling, who came to greet her.
"Yes, Madam!" Yu Ling dared not delay and quickly picked up the sleeping Yun Ge'er.
"Also, call Yingqing over."
Soon, a lithe figure appeared in front of her.
“Madam.” Yingqing’s voice was low and respectful.
Chu Ruohan turned around, "Has the general sent any news back?"
Ying Qing raised her head, her expression solemn.
"There is no news yet. But I have found out that the general received an urgent report from General Shi saying that the second young master was captured while on a mission at Tiger Tooth Mountain, which is why he hurriedly led his troops away."
"Tiger Tooth Mountain?" Chu Ruohan's heart tightened. "So something happened to Gu Cheng'an?"
Ying Qing nodded: "The specific details are unclear. All we know is that the Second Young Master led a team to investigate, encountered an ambush, and was captured by the bandits after covering his men's retreat."
Chu Ruohan's fingers tightened slightly. Gu Junze went to Tiger Tooth Mountain, but no news came out at the palace banquet, obviously because he didn't want to make a fuss.
Gu Cheng'an was captured, and those bandits were definitely not benevolent.
“Yingqing,” Chu Ruohan said in a deep voice, “you immediately send people to closely monitor the movements in the direction of Tiger Fang Mountain, and report back immediately if there is any news.”
"Yes!" Ying Qing replied.
The night was as dark as ink, and the flickering candlelight illuminated Chu Ruohan's tossing and turning figure.
The bed was cold, and there was no one beside her. Her heart was in her throat, pounding with anxiety.
Meanwhile, at the foot of Tiger Tooth Mountain, dust was kicked up by the iron hooves of three hundred warhorses, filling the sweltering air.
Three hundred elite soldiers, gleaming in armor and standing in perfect formation, exuded a chilling aura that even silenced the surrounding cicadas' chirping.
Gu Junze sat upright on his horse, his gaze as sharp as a knife, scrutinizing the mountain before him.
A slightly overweight middle-aged man dressed in the robes of a county magistrate, accompanied by several constables, almost jogged up to greet them.
He was the magistrate of this county.
"Oh, General Gu! You've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon!"
The magistrate's face was plastered with an overly enthusiastic smile, and his back was bent so low that it almost touched the ground.
His gaze swept quickly over the elite soldiers behind Gu Junze, a fleeting, almost imperceptible glint of something else flashing across his eyes, which was then masked by flattery.
"General, you must be tired from your journey. I have prepared a shortcut for you to strike at the heart of the enemy!"
The magistrate turned to the side and pointed to a path that was half-hidden by dense bushes.
The intersection was gloomy, and the view into the depths was almost invisible.
"This is a secret path discovered by hunters in the mountains. Ordinary mountain bandits would never know it. We can bypass their sentry posts on the front of the mountain and go straight to their den halfway up the mountain!"
The magistrate patted his chest and assured him, his tone very confident.
Gu Junze's gaze lingered for a moment at the entrance to the path.
It's too quiet.
There are very few traces of birds and beasts.
The magistrate seemed to sense his doubts and quickly added, "General, please rest assured."
"I personally led men to investigate; it's absolutely safe! Saving lives is urgent, and we can't afford to delay!"
When Gu Cheng'an was mentioned, Gu Junze's eyes darkened slightly.
He couldn't wait any longer.
"Lead the way." His voice was low and devoid of any emotion.
"Yes, yes, yes! General, please follow me!" The magistrate nodded and bowed, then immediately turned and walked to the front.
Three hundred elite soldiers followed Gu Junze and silently stepped into the narrow path.
The horses' hooves pounded softly on the damp, decaying leaves.
The further you go, the more rugged and difficult the road becomes.
Gu Junze's face was ashen as he glanced at the steep mountain walls on both sides, a warning bell ringing in his mind.
But he didn't stop. He simply made a gesture without making a sound, and Shadow Three and Shadow Four behind him immediately understood and became more vigilant.
General Shi followed closely beside Gu Junze, his hand always gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist.
The group arrived at a valley with extremely narrow terrain.
This place is like a crack in the mountain, the narrowest part of which can only accommodate two riders side by side, and the cliff above is almost closing in.
The road ahead was mostly blocked by a protruding boulder.
The group's pace unconsciously slowed down.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh—!"
A piercing shriek shattered the deathly silence of the valley.
Countless arrows, gleaming with cold light, shot down from the cliffs on both sides like a dense swarm of locusts!
"Enemy attack! Raise your shields!"
Gu Junze's voice boomed like thunder, instantly breaking the brief moment of astonishment.
The battle-hardened soldiers almost instinctively raised their arm shields.
“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!”
The dense clanging of metal echoed through the narrow valley, sparks flying everywhere.
But this is just the beginning.
A strong, pungent odor followed immediately.
It's oil!
Large barrels of viscous black oil were poured down the cliff face without hesitation, soaking the vanguard troops from head to toe!
"It's kerosene! Spread it out quickly!"
General Shi's eyes were bloodshot as he roared and shoved Gu Junze into a relatively open recess in the stone wall.
Almost simultaneously, arrows carrying flames whistled through the air, accurately striking the areas soaked in oil.
"boom--!"
Flames suddenly burst open, instantly engulfing everything, accompanied by a chorus of shrill screams.
The narrow passage was instantly transformed into a sea of fire.
"Kill!"
The deafening shouts of battle erupted from all directions.
On the steep cliffs on both sides, countless dark figures slid down rapidly using ropes, their swords gleaming with a bloodthirsty light in the firelight.
ambush!
An elaborate trap!
Gu Junze's troops were trapped in the valley, with a sea of fire blocking their way in front, a narrow path making retreat impossible from behind, and cliffs on both sides where they were ambushed.
Having lost all advantage in terrain, they were surrounded.
"Protect the general!" General Shi's hair and beard bristled, making him look like an angry lion. He brandished his heavy saber and desperately blocked the enemies and arrows falling from the sky.
The scalding hot oil splashed onto his armor, sizzling, but he seemed completely oblivious.
The enemy's offensive was fierce yet orderly, clearly a well-planned encirclement and annihilation.
Gu Junze suddenly drew the sword from his waist.
With a clear "hum," the sword reflected the flickering firelight, and also his cold, deep eyes.
He knew they had fallen into a death trap tailor-made for them.
The county magistrate who had led the way had long since disappeared without a trace...
The capital city, the general's mansion.
As the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, the candlelight flickered all night, casting faint blue shadows on Chu Ruohan's eyes.
She barely closed her eyes.
A very light footstep stopped outside the door.
Yingqing's figure appeared silently.
"lady."
Chu Ruohan suddenly looked up, a glimmer of hope igniting in her eyes, but it quickly faded away.
"General, he..." Ying Qing lowered her head slightly, "There is still no definite news coming back from the direction of Tiger Fang Mountain."
"However, Shadow Three and Shadow Four have already gone with the general. They are both top-notch fighters and will surely be able to protect the general."
Having two more top-tier bodyguards might provide a bit more protection.
"The general is blessed with good fortune..."