Chapter Seven: The Hunt!
Armor was the most vital strategic resource in the age of cold weapons. Ordinary families might keep swords or similar arms without breaking the law, but if one secretly possessed armor, it was always treated as an act of treason! The lightest penalty was conscription, the harshest was execution.
Such severity stemmed from the unique power of armor in that era. A well-made suit could let a single armed adult slaughter a group of unprotected civilians with impunity.
When he saw the government troops in armor, Li Yun’s mind began to churn with ideas.
Of course, it was sheer fantasy to think their mountain stronghold of thirty-odd men could take on more than a hundred armored soldiers and seize their equipment. But... relying on their familiarity with the terrain and a sudden ambush, it might be possible to snatch a few suits of armor!
“Baldy.”
Li Yun called out, and Baldy quickly answered, “Here, here.”
“Tell the brothers to lay traps along all the main paths—use the ones for hunting bears!”
The chieftain paused, then continued, “Keep an eye on their movements at all times, but remember this: under no circumstances should you confront them directly. Unless I give the order, run at the first sign of anyone!”
“The women and children in the stronghold should retreat into the cave.”
When people spoke of the thirty-some bandits of Cangshan Stronghold, it was just the bandits; in truth, some family members lived there as well—a little over twenty.
Baldy scratched his head and asked, “Chief, what does ‘women and children’ mean?”
Li Yun shot him a glare and kicked him in the backside. “It means women and kids!”
“Hurry up!”
Cangshan Stronghold had existed for over twenty years and naturally had other hideouts. The most concealed was a cave on the mountain, which had saved them from several disasters that nearly wiped out the stronghold.
Once Baldy had scampered off, Li Yun suddenly froze.
He hadn’t known about this cave before, yet now he’d recited its location without hesitation, even picturing it clearly in his mind...
He rubbed his temples and muttered, “Stranger and stranger... I haven’t inherited his memories, but somehow... his knowledge?”
If it were memories, Li Yun would have relived the life of Li Mazi and perhaps lost himself. But now... the knowledge of his predecessor seemed stored in his mind, surfacing naturally when needed.
“Hey...”
Behind Li Yun, a trembling voice sounded. “Are you ever going to let me down the mountain?”
He turned to see Miss Xue still leaning on the doorframe, watching him with wary eyes.
The chieftain glanced at her and shook his head. “Not anytime soon. I have to deal with the present trouble first.”
Miss Xue looked pitiful, her voice careful. “It must be people my father sent. If you let me down, maybe they’ll leave...”
Li Yun still shook his head. “If I let you go now, they won’t leave—they’ll only think I’m afraid and attack harder.”
“You won’t be leaving the mountain for now.”
With that, he strode to his bedroom and spoke over his shoulder, “We’ll discuss it after this is over.”
Inside, Li Yun pushed aside the bed, revealing a thick wooden board beneath. Most couldn't move it, but he lifted it easily with one hand and rummaged through the hidden stash until he found a wooden chest.
After pulling it out, he opened it, and a cloud of dust billowed forth.
Inside was a suit of armor.
The old chieftain’s treasured armor, kept for years.
Li Yun took it out and immediately began to put it on. Neither he nor the previous chieftain had much experience with armor, so it took some fumbling before he managed to wear it properly.
Fortunately, the original owner must have been tall, for it fit him perfectly.
Once donned, Li Yun looked down at the finely crafted armor and moved his body. No impediment.
His strength was great enough that it felt no different from wearing nothing at all.
“Foolish,” he muttered, donning the helmet. “If you’d worn this armor, how could you have been caught by those constables? Wearing that ridiculous scholar’s robe...”
With that, he stood, strapped on his sword, and strode outside.
Miss Xue was still dazed in the courtyard, lost in thought.
Seeing Li Yun pass by in full armor, she suddenly spoke. “You’ve studied, haven’t you?”
“Bandits wouldn’t use the words ‘women and children’...”
Li Yun grinned at her without answering and marched off.
At the gate, Old Eight Zhang Hu had been waiting. When Li Yun arrived, he hurried forward. “Chief, the bear traps are all set.”
“Skinny Monkey is watching the government troops. They have a guide, so if we don’t block them, they’ll be near the stronghold in about half a day.”
Li Yun nodded silently. “Now that they’re armored, our crossbows aren’t much use. Tell the brothers not to fire, don’t let them alert the enemy.”
“With half a day, have everyone focus on setting traps—the more, the better.”
He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “Huzi, you take Second Fool and have him bring his bow, and grab the heaviest horn bow for me.”
“The three of us will go down the mountain now!”
Zhang Hu wasn’t clever, but he was easily the best fighter after Li Yun.
As for Second Fool—
A snot-nosed simpleton, but an uncanny marksman.
Zhang Hu understood and nodded quickly. “Got it!”
...
Half an hour later, the three of them lay hidden in a dense forest.
Below them was a mountain pass—a route all travelers had to take.
Nearby, a scream sounded.
Second Fool, with his honest face, wiped his nose and tugged Li Yun’s sleeve, grinning. “Second Brother... they stepped on the trap...”
Li Yun turned to him. “How do you know?”
Second Fool pointed into the distance. “Saw it.”
Zhang Hu, crouched beside them, chuckled. “Second Brother, Second Fool ain’t smart, but he’s got sharp eyes.”
“Quiet.”
Li Yun pressed lower. “Second Fool, when a straggler comes through, I’ll tell you to shoot—aim for his eye!”
“Huzi.”
Li Yun took a deep breath. “I’ll shoot with Second Fool. After we fire, Second Fool stays put. You and I will go out and deal with the rest!”
Second Fool was a sharp shot, but not strong.
Zhang Hu, tense, eyed the distant group of soldiers. “Second Brother, how many are stragglers?”
Li Yun thought for a moment, uncertain, and held up five fingers.
“Five.”
After a brief exchange, the three fell silent, motionless among the trees.
Raised in the mountains, they were well-versed in the basics of hunting.
At last, after a group of thirty to forty troops had passed, a handful of lagging soldiers came slowly into the pass.
Not too many, not too few—five.
Li Yun’s body pressed to the ground, limbs braced, rising slowly like a crouched tiger.
He tapped Second Fool, who had already drawn his ordinary bow.
Li Yun took up his horn bow, which few could even pull, and drew the string.
“Now!”
As the soldiers approached, Li Yun barked quietly.
His arrow shot forth with a shriek!
The sound of arrows whistled through the air!
Li Yun’s arrow struck a soldier in the back, piercing his armor and pinning him to a tree!
Second Fool’s arrow hit another square in the left eye!
In a heartbeat, two out of five were out of action.
Almost simultaneously, Li Yun dropped his bow and charged forward like a tiger descending the mountain.
Zhang Hu followed, each targeting a soldier.
The distance was less than thirty yards; before the soldiers could react, Li Yun and Zhang Hu were upon them. The chieftain, armored and fearless, barreled forward like a beast, crashing into his target.
The man flew like a broken kite, not even crying out before collapsing unconscious.
Zhang Hu delivered a sharp elbow to another’s jaw, knocking him out.
All this happened in a flash!
Five men, four down!
The last managed to draw his sword, shouting “Bandits!” before Li Yun closed in and smashed his chest with the hilt.
The man spat blood and was incapacitated.
But his shout alerted the main group ahead. As they turned, Li Yun darted up the slope, calling, “Go!”
He and his men knew the mountain intimately; a few leaps and they vanished into the woods.
Soon, the three hid in a safe spot. Zhang Hu’s hand still trembled as he asked, “Second Brother, what now...”
Li Yun stared at his hands, dazed, then looked up at the sky, his voice low.
“Do it again...”
“Then... they’ll start to fear us.”