Chapter 29
Book 3 Chap 6 – Defeating the enemy’s army
Xiang Shaolong returned to camp and changed into his black outfit, strapped on the belt containing his needles and the equipment used for mountain climbing, carried the bows and arrows on his back and after kissing Lady Ya and bidding his farewell to the maids, he left towards the back of the camp.
He pa.s.sed by Zhao Qian’s tent and he can’t help but stand outside the entrance of the tent and called out, "Princess!"
The tempo of the drums became more and more frantic, which means that the enemy is going to launch an attack soon.
"Boom, boom, boom…"
Beat by beat, it sounds like the calls of the grim reaper, the sounds going straight into the deepest corner of the souls of everyone on the battlefield.
Zhao Qian could have been thinking about Xiang Shaolong at that time, and upon hearing his voice, she lifted the flap of her tent in surprise and cried out, "Shaolong! What are you doing here? Hey!" Her pretty eyes noticed his black outfit.
Xiang Shaolong looked that this young girl as pretty as Wu Tingfang, looking at her pure, innocent and refres.h.i.+ng face and the feelings that he has been trying to keep surpressed rushed up and he said with a smile, "I am now going on a deadly mission to deal with the enemy, isn’t Princess going to give me some encouragement?"
Zhao Qian was startled and her pretty eyes revealed her fear and excitement. She lifted her pretty face gently, pouted her lips and quietly waited for the arrival of her first kiss and happiness without any apprehension at all but her dainty and pert bosom was heaving quickly.
Next to the camp there were suddenly war cries.
The enemy has started to make their way up the slope.
But nothing entered the ears of Xiang Shaolong and Zhao Qian, they were totally lost in that feeling of closeness, drunk in the soul wrenching proximity.
The sounds of battle cries and arrows flying broke the silent night and fell and rose like waves.
Xiang Shaolong released Zhao Qian and said with a smile, "With this kiss! I, Xiang Shaolong, will have the confidence to protect Princess until the end of time."
While Zhao Qian was still feeling intoxicated, Xiang Shaolong has already disappeared into the darkness of the night.
The northern wind blew.
Xiang Shaolong used all the skills he’s learnt and based purely on his memory and feel, climbed up the steep cliff using the rope he had tied earlier. He quietly landed himself behind the enemy and made his way silently towards the enemy camp.
He once received the strictest military training of the 21st century and such night sabotages is but child’s play to him.
Without his armor to weigh him down, he was like a bird that found wings. He moved silently and speedily like a civet cat and was soon at the back of the enemy.
The thieves set up their camp according to the ‘square formation’, with 5 squares from the inside to the outside.
The tents containing the rations were at the furthest back, followed by 2 large enclosures where hundreds of warhorses were kept.
The situation over at the other side was getting more and more intense but the situation at the enemy’s camp here is peaceful, quiet and dimly lit. It seems that for the thieves whose turn is not up for their attack is trying to gather as much rest as possible.
Xiang Shaolong laughed secretly to himself, and thought that he can guarantee that they will not have a good night’s sleep tonight, but they will have a cruel nightmare which has come to life.
He observed closely and found that the security at the enemy camp was lax, and some of the soldiers on guard duty were even sitting on the ground and nodding off.
When he went to the horse enclosure, he felt it even more hilarious. It turns out that the 12 men on night duty were gambling happily in a circle, as if they’re totally unaware of the intense situation over at the battlefield.
As soon as he gets rid of these 12 thieves, he’ll be able to set fire to the rations tent.
The problem is, how can he kill these 12 soldiers who are experienced in battle and not let a single one escape?
Xiang Shaolong cracked his head over this.
Right at this time one of the men walked towards him.
Xiang Shaolong was initially shocked, luckily he saw that the man was loosening his pants as he walked and he realized what the other party was going to do so he hurriedly hid behind a tree.
That person just stepped into the woods when there’s a flash of dagger, he felt a coldness at his throat and was dead immediately.
Xiang Shaolong kept his Flying Rainbow, removed that person’s outer armor and wore it. He swaggered out until he was behind 2 of the men and reached out to grab their heads and banged it hard against each other. His palms reached out and with lightning speed chopped at another 2 men’s neck.
His moves were smooth and swift and only when the 4 fell to the ground did the other 7 thieves realize what has happened.
The dagger flashed. With the Flying Rainbow in his hand, Xiang Shaolong leapt up and landed on the rock that they had been using as a gambling table and slashed the throats of 3 men.
"Bang!"
He kicked his leg and it landed on the side of one of the men’s face, who had just drew his sword. The man fainted.
The remaining 3 thieves were terrified and escaped in 2 different directions.
Xiang Shaolong secretly laughed to himself and Flying Rainbow flew from his hand, stabbing and killing one of the man in his back.
The other 2 saw that he has lost his weapon so they drew their sword and came running back.
Xiang Shaolong reached towards his waist and pulled out 2 flying needles and with a flick of his wrist, the needles flew out like lightning, aiming at the spot between the men’s brows.
By the time their bodies touch the ground, Xiang Shaolong has already picked up Flying Rainbow and disappeared into the darkness.
The battle cries were even more intense now.
Sounds of rocks and stones landing were heard, obviously the enemy is near the top of the slope and Cheng Xu and the rest had no choice but to release the rocks to attack the enemy making their way up.
By now Xiang Shaolong has successfully destroyed the horse enclosure at the back and he hurriedly removed his bow and made his way past the horses nearer to where the rations are kept.
Looking at the enemy’s camp from this angle, he happened to see that at the outermost area furthest back about 3 feet away there were a row of 20 odd tents, with a lamp hung outside each of the tent, shaking in the northerly wind. The camp was deserted with only a few guards on night duty who were dozing off, security was extremely lax.
They can’t really be blamed, for this is place is behind all their troops and they thought that Xiang Shaolong’s men were all heavily surrounded far away, that’s why they were careless.
This morning Xiang Shaolong had made use of his high vantage view and saw clearly that the 40 odd tents at the last 2 rows were used to store rations, saving him the trouble of having to scout around.
The camp’s back was facing the south, the northern wind is blowing right now. So if he can successfully set fire to the rations at the southern end and if the fire were to follow the direction of the wind, he may very well cause the rest of the camp to be on fire very quickly, especially when the inside of the camp is full of wild gra.s.s. It may become a huge fire that no one can deal with.
After he made up his mind, Xiang Shaolong knelt down with one knee on the ground and lit the arrows first before shooting it towards the ration tent nearest to him. He chose the tent right at the back of the camp, so unless the smoke was very thick, the enemy will not find out about the fire so soon.
After