stonecrandall Page 440
Page 440
"Thank you for arriving in time, Lord Longfei," Zhao De stood up and saluted Longfei. "The detonator has escaped, but our battle is far from over."
Long Fei nodded, his gaze sweeping around at the villagers and soldiers who were resting. "You are all heroes, worthy of respect. But we must pursue the enemy now to prevent them from making a comeback."
“Yes, we must not give them a chance to catch their breath,” Zhao De said firmly. “I will lead everyone to continue the pursuit and never let them wreak havoc on this land again.”
The villagers and soldiers responded enthusiastically, their morale soaring. Amin stepped forward, clenching his fist. "This time we must wipe them out completely. We can't let them harm innocent people anymore."
“Very good,” General Longfei nodded approvingly. “I will stay here to protect the villagers. You go and pursue the enemy. Remember to stay vigilant and cooperate with each other.”
“Understood,” Zhao De said, looking at the musician. “You stay here and rest. We need you to fully recover your fighting strength.”
“I’m fine,” the musician insisted. “I can continue fighting, don’t worry about me.”
“No, you need to rest,” Zhao De said firmly. “What we need is a musician in full condition, not an injured partner.”
The musician sighed helplessly, but ultimately agreed to Zhao De's suggestion. Zhao De turned to face the crowd and gave the order: "Let's go!"
The villagers and soldiers began to assemble in an orderly fashion, preparing for another attack. Zhao De walked at the front, his heart filled with determination. Just then, Amin walked over and patted him on the shoulder, "Zhao De, thank you, you gave us hope."
“No, it’s our joint effort,” Zhao De smiled slightly. “We are one family, and protecting this land is our shared responsibility.”
Amin nodded heavily, then turned and followed the group. The group quickly crossed the woods, tracking the direction the detonator had fled. They encountered several small groups of enemies along the way, but all were repelled.
Finally, in an open field, they spotted the detonator. He and his henchmen were panting heavily, clearly at their limit.
Chapter 1308 The Detonator
Chapter 1308 The Detonator
"You actually dared to chase after us!" the detonator roared, his voice tinged with despair.
“Let’s end this,” Zhao De said, holding his longsword as he steadily walked toward the detonator. “You have nowhere to run.”
A flicker of hesitation crossed the detonator's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by rage. He brandished his long staff and charged at Zhao De. The two engaged in a fierce duel on the grass, their swords flashing and staffs clashing, the air thick with tension.
Meanwhile, villagers and soldiers also engaged in battle with the detonator's cronies. Shouts of battle and the clanging of metal filled the air.
Zhao De pressed forward relentlessly, gradually gaining the upper hand. The detonator's movements slowed considerably, clearly due to exhaustion. Just then, the musician suddenly appeared at the edge of the battlefield and began playing "The Song of Pacifying the Rebellion." The beautiful and melodious music echoed across the battlefield, instantly weakening the detonator's fighting ability.
"Musician, you..." the detonator roared angrily, but the long stick in his hand had become incredibly heavy.
"Put down your weapons and surrender!" Zhao De's voice was firm and cold.
A complex look flashed across the detonator's eyes. Finally, he threw down the long stick in his hand and knelt on the ground. "I lost," he said through gritted teeth, "but you can't win this war."
Zhao De approached the detonator, grabbed him by the collar, and said, "We will restore peace to this land. People like you will never understand true justice."
The detonator's eyes still burned with a defiant fire, but he had clearly lost the ability to fight. The musician stopped playing and walked to Zhao De's side.
"The battle is finally over," the musician said softly, a hint of relief in his eyes. "Thanks to your bravery, we were able to capture him successfully."
Zhao Desong released his grip on the detonator's collar and looked up at the soldiers and villagers surrounding the battlefield. Many people were gathering around, their eyes filled with both relief and admiration. The wounded among them were being helped up or supported by their comrades as they slowly retreated from the front lines; while those who had lost loved ones stood silently to the side, their expressions grief-stricken, yet seemingly searching for a sliver of comfort and hope.
"Take the prisoner away and interrogate him thoroughly," Zhao De ordered the nearest soldier. The man nodded and then called over several helpers to help carry the detonator away. At the same time, several squads began clearing away the traces left on the battlefield and carefully collecting the bodies of the dead for burial.
"Can you really bring light back to this place?" A slightly hoarse voice broke the temporary peace—it was the old villager who had been injured earlier. Although his face was covered in dust, his eyes revealed that he was not at peace. "We have suffered too much..." he continued, his words filled with confusion and worry about the future.
Zhao De stepped forward and gently patted the old man on the shoulder to comfort him: "Don't worry, sir, we will do our best. But first, we need everyone's support and cooperation. Only by uniting as one can we completely eliminate the enemy and have a better and more peaceful tomorrow!"
Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at him with trust. The musician, in particular, nodded approvingly at Zhao De and then suggested, "Why don't we hold a simple celebration here tonight? Both to commemorate the departed and to inspire the living to bravely face the unknown challenges ahead!"
Chapter 1309 A Comeback
Chapter 1309 A Comeback
Zhao De nodded slightly, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes. "Good idea. Let's put aside our heavy hearts for now and welcome a new day together."
As evening fell, the campfire was lit. Villagers and soldiers gathered together, sitting around the warm and bright flames. The musician played the "Suppression of the Rebellion" again, the melodious music soothing the hearts of those present.
"Come on, everyone, let's have a drink!" a villager shouted, holding a wine jug and pouring wine for everyone. Each person took the cup, clinked it lightly, and drank.
"Thank you for everything you've done today," the old man said again, his tone much gentler this time. "Without your help, we might be in even deeper suffering right now..." He sighed, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. But he quickly composed himself: "Fortunately, it's all over now. Although the road ahead is still long and fraught with difficulties, as long as we stand united, there are no difficulties we cannot overcome!"
Zhao De nodded, looked at everyone around him, and said, "That's right, no matter what challenges we face, we must not give up hope. Now we not only have the courage and strength to fight the enemy, but more importantly, we have mutual trust and support, which will be the most solid foundation for our victory!"
The musician smiled and echoed, "Yes, it feels so good to have so many people fighting alongside us. I believe that through everyone's joint efforts, this land will surely regain its former glory!"
As the words fell, everyone present felt a surge of warmth in their hearts, as if they could truly see that bright future within reach.
As night fell completely, fireflies twinkled under the starry sky. The group remained immersed in joy, seemingly having forgotten the painful memories of the past. In this atmosphere, a figure quietly approached the edge of the camp—the detonator, who had been temporarily imprisoned. It turned out that several hours earlier, while everyone was busy, he had seized the opportunity to escape and had been hiding in the outer woods, waiting for an opening.
"Heh, you think you can defeat me like this?" The Detonator sneered to himself. "Just wait, I'll be back, and I'll return with even more forces! You think victory is already yours? How naive!" With that, he turned and quickly disappeared into the vast night...
Meanwhile, as the musician played the most moving part, someone suddenly noticed an uninvited guest approaching them.
"Hey, look over there, isn't there a figure flashing by?" A young soldier stood up alertly and pointed in the darkness to warn him.
Upon hearing this, Zhao De immediately stood up and stared intently for a moment. "Something is definitely not right." He then turned to the others and instructed, "Everyone stay alert and pay attention to your surroundings."
Upon hearing the warning, the villagers and soldiers immediately tensed up. The previously relaxed and cheerful atmosphere vanished, and everyone put down their food and wine, their eyes warily fixed on the direction Zhao De pointed.
Just then, a figure emerged from the darkness, slowly approaching them. However, this figure wasn't as hostile and fierce as they had imagined; instead, it gave off a warm and approachable feeling. Upon closer inspection, it was an elderly man, holding a cane, his face wrinkled but his eyes bright. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone, I mean no harm."
Chapter 1310 Directly Engaging in Battle
Chapter 1310 Directly Engaging in Battle
Seeing that the old man didn't seem to be an enemy, the surrounding crowd relaxed slightly, but remained wary. Zhao De stepped forward and asked, "Old man, may I ask who you are? Why are you here so late?"
The old man chuckled softly. "I am Li Changgeng, an old hunter from these mountains. I heard you've run into some trouble, so I came to see if I could help." He then turned his gaze to the group around the campfire. "I overheard your conversation just now; it seems you've had a rather unsettling night. Is there anything I can do?"
Zhao De nodded slightly in thanks and invited Li Changgeng to join their gathering. "We are very grateful for your presence," Zhao De replied. "We are currently in the recovery phase, and the help from each of our friends is very important to us."
With the arrival of new members, the slightly tense atmosphere was broken. Everyone continued to chat and share their stories around the campfire. During this time, Li Changgeng recounted his years of hunting experience and the strange and unusual things he had encountered, attracting not only many curious young people to listen, but also older villagers who listened with great interest.
However, the good times didn't last long. Just as everyone was immersed in the story, a sentry rushed over to report some shocking news: signs of unidentified activity had been discovered near the village, and the number of people was large and their movements were strange!
This news immediately alerted everyone present. After frowning and thinking for a while, Li Changgeng offered his advice: "In my experience, if the other party is indeed behaving as you say, it is highly likely that they are planning a new attack. The most important thing now is to strengthen defenses and develop a response strategy."
“That’s right!” Zhao De firmly agreed with the old hunter’s point of view and began to arrange the next step of the operation. “From now on, everyone will be divided into several groups to patrol in shifts to ensure that we do not fall into danger again due to negligence; at the same time, we should also send people to closely monitor those suspicious persons and look for the best opportunity to strike back.”
Subsequently, under Zhao De's leadership, everyone quickly assigned tasks and got to work in an orderly manner. Although it was getting late and the wind was howling outside, no one felt fear or confusion, inspired by the spirit of unity and cooperation.
Just as the troops were gradually preparing for battle, a scout returned to report that he had spotted a group of people stealthily approaching the camp. "It seems they're definitely coming for us, and their size is far larger than we initially estimated," he added breathlessly. "What should we do? Should we engage them directly?"
Upon hearing this news, everyone present tensed up. Just as everyone was preparing for battle, a gentle but slightly weak voice suddenly came from not far away:
"Please wait a moment, there may be other ways."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman slowly approaching. She was Zhao De, the medic in charge of medical care at the camp. Although she looked somewhat tired, her eyes were firm and full of wisdom.
"Dr. Liu, do you have any suggestions?" Zhao De asked hurriedly.
Zhao De smiled slightly and said, "I once read about an ancient herb in a classic book that is said to temporarily incapacitate a person. If we could use this herb to create a poisonous mist, perhaps we could weaken the enemy's strength without causing mass casualties."
Chapter 1311 Green Smoke
Chapter 1311 Green Smoke
A flicker of interest crossed Li Changgeng's eyes, and he nodded, saying, "That's a good idea. But have you ever seen this herb before? Do you know where you can find it?"
Zhao De shook his head and said, "I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but I remember reading in the book that there is a hidden place deep in these mountains where the necessary medicinal herbs grow. If we can quickly collect them and make them for defense, it might buy us more time to formulate a detailed strategy."
“Alright, let’s not delay.” Zhao De made a decisive decision. “Doctor Liu, please go with a few reliable men to find medicinal herbs; the rest of you shall continue to hold the camp and be prepared to deal with any surprise attacks.”
Then he turned to Li Changgeng for help, "Old man, what arrangements do you think we should make so that Dr. Liu and the others can retrieve the necessary supplies smoothly and safely?"
After a moment's thought, Li Changgeng replied, "I know some safe routes leading deep into the forest. We can have Xiao Zhang take a few nimble footmen to accompany Doctor Liu to the designated location to collect materials. As for the specific location..."
So he leaned close to their ears and whispered the route information, then turned to Xiao Zhang, who was waiting beside him, and said, "Following my description should be fine, but remember to be careful!"
Xiao Zhang nodded in understanding, then led the selected group of men away from the campfire and headed deeper into the dense forest with Zhao De. Watching their departing figures, the remaining members silently prayed for their safe return…
Meanwhile, in a grove of trees near the camp's outskirts, several men dressed in black were stealthily approaching. The leader, a tall man, coldly ordered his subordinates in a low voice:
"You guys go in from the west, and if you spot anything unusual, retreat immediately. Don't delay the main mission. Understand?"
After receiving an affirmative answer, the man turned to another group of men awaiting instructions: "The rest of you, follow me and launch a frontal attack. Remember, be fast and ruthless, don't give the enemy a chance to counterattack!"
Just as the enemy had finished their deployment and were poised to attack, a faint green smoke suddenly spread from all directions—it was the herb trap that Zhao De and his men had set up in time!
"Oh no, there's poisonous fog!" an enemy shouted in panic.
Upon hearing the exclamation, the enemies who were preparing for a surprise attack immediately fell into chaos. Many began to run in all directions, trying to escape the increasingly thick green smoke. Those who reacted slower felt their bodies gradually weakening, and some even collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
"What's going on?!" The leader was furious upon seeing this. "Find an antidote! We can't let these people have a chance to fight back!" He ordered his men while trying to stabilize morale, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy: the other side was able to set up such a trap in such a short time, their strength was definitely not that of an ordinary person.
Meanwhile, cheers erupted within the camp as the first wave of enemies was successfully repelled. "It seems the things Doctor Liu and the others brought back are really useful!" Li Changgeng exclaimed, watching the smoke gradually thinning. "We've saved ourselves a lot of effort this time."
"Yes," Zhao De nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes, "but we can't let our guard down. After all, we don't know what other tricks the enemy might have up their sleeve."
Chapter 1312 Voluntary Investigation
Chapter 1312 Voluntary Investigation
As he spoke, he turned to the warriors beside him and began to assign tasks: “Continue to strengthen the patrols on the perimeter, especially on the east and south sides. Also, quickly arrange for men to tie up the wounded enemy soldiers—don’t let them have any chance to harm more innocent people.”
Just as everyone was carrying out their tasks in an orderly manner, faint footsteps suddenly came from afar. "Who's there? Halt!" the young man on guard duty shouted, while quickly drawing his bow and arrow and assuming a defensive stance.