Chapter 91: Temporary Recruitment

Before he finished speaking, his vision blurred, and the commander's long spear was already at his throat. He was startled and took two steps back, but the spear's edge surged, following him like a shadow.

Actually, the spear tip was still three inches from his throat, but the cold light it spat out was already touching his skin. Forced by this vigorous killing intent, the Sun Young Master felt he could hardly breathe.

"Say one more word, and I'll cut off your head and send it to County Magistrate Sun!"

The Sun Young Master's face turned ashen, and the rest of his words were stifled in his throat.

Even he had wilted, so the other servants and guards of the Sun Fu naturally didn't dare to stop them, so the progress at the scene accelerated, and the double horses pulling the carriages became three, five, and the power was suddenly strong, and those ten boxes of military supplies soon climbed up the muddy slope.

As for the other boxes of the Sun Fu, they were all pushed away by everyone's joint efforts, either dragged down the slope or thrown into the water.

The commander saw the civilians stealing the Sun Fu's valuables and didn't care at all.

With a crisis at hand, catching thieves and maintaining stability weren't important; letting the team flee for their lives quickly was the key.

Once the road was clear, the crowd cheered, and he turned his horse's head, preparing to rush to the rear.

Just at this moment, a disturbance came from the far rear of the team, and the civilians cried and screamed while running forward for their lives.

The pursuers were here.

Everyone's color changed, and they scrambled to climb up the slope.

Quite a few who didn't step firmly fell directly into the river.

Commander Xiao shouted, "Those who still have the strength to fight, come out, pick up weapons and follow us to cover the rear; there will be heavy rewards upon entering the pass!"

He shouted three times, his voice shaking the wilderness.

Liu Sanjiu in the team couldn't help but look back, seemingly moved. But his wife immediately grabbed his arm and shouted, "Don't even think about it, you still have children!"

If the man died, how difficult would it be for the widow and orphans in a strange land? Thinking of this, Liu Sanjiu had to dispel the idea.

He looked back guiltily and picked up his child to run forward.

Among the crowd fleeing for their lives, more than ten men stopped their steps one after another. Some turned around immediately, some hesitated, but still approached.

Commander Xiao pointed to the box of the Sun family that had just been opened. "You are temporarily recruited into the army. If you can return alive today, you will be promoted, given grain, and given land! Now choose handy weapons, choose a horse! Those who can shoot arrows, go up the slope or climb trees, prepare!"

Everyone picked weapons one after another.

There were also weak men here, but they understood in their hearts that once the Great Wind Army couldn't hold, the team in front would suffer, and their families would be slaughtered.

In this battle, no one could stay out of it; it was better to gamble big.

Once this pass was cleared, they would have a good life in a strange land in the future.

Actually, this wasn't considered mountainous terrain, just because the water level dropped during the dry season, exposing a large riverbed. Everyone walked on the riverbed, actually three or four zhang (ten meters) high from the riverbank above.

This was a shortcut to Panlong City's territory, and only the Great Wind Army, which was well-versed in the terrain and seasons, knew it; otherwise, the fleeing team would have to bypass the stone forest above, and the journey would take three full hours more.

Three hours was enough to rewrite the outcome of a battle.

However, the enemy still caught up, and the fall of Weicheng was faster than imagined.

The archers climbed onto the riverbank one after another, preparing to shoot arrows from a high position.

The rest put on light armor, gripped their weapons, and one of them said loudly, "Let's move the big carts back to block the road and hinder the enemy's advance."

The boxes containing the Sun family's belongings were all left by the roadside with the carriages.

Previously they could block the civilians' road, now of course they could also block the pursuers' road; they were effective defensive works.

Commander Xiao showed approval. "Good idea, what's your name?"

"My surname is He," this person smiled, revealing white teeth. "He Lingchuan."

He had already thought that since the worst outcome was just waking up, what was there to worry about in the dream? He might as well let go and have a good fight.

"The rear army knows the terrain and will definitely retreat here; the carriage formation must leave a line for entry and exit." Commander Xiao jumped off his horse and stepped into the mud with others, walking with deep and shallow steps, moving the big carts back to the half-slope.

This was heavy work; the horses couldn't drag them, and human power was even more difficult. The Great Wind Army had to shout slogans to exert force together to drag the carriages over.

No one complained, because the harder it was for them to move now, the more difficult it would be for the enemy to move them later.

In order to create more trouble for the enemy, they dug the mud pits under the carriages deeper, so that the resistance would be greater when dragging them.

He Lingchuan followed Commander Xiao, the rain soaking his clothes and sticking to his body. When he exerted force, the muscles of his shoulders and neck bulged, outlining severe lines.

Just the two of them could drag a big cart.

The two went to move two more big boxes, put them on the cart, and before they could straighten their waists, Commander Xiao said to He Lingchuan, "You aren't from Weicheng, are you?"

He Lingchuan was startled, but his face was confused. "Huh?"

"The accent isn't right, the clothing isn't right," Commander Xiao tilted his head toward the slope. "Weicheng people are generally short."

Archers were lying on the slope; He Lingchuan looked up and sure enough, they were all small-sized.

"No." Answering wrong meant the danger of death, so He Lingchuan immediately replied, "I was originally from Tusu!"

Tusu City was captured ten years ago, and refugees fleeing to Weicheng was very reasonable.

He Lingchuan immediately asked, "Will we have reinforcements?"

Otherwise, guarding here was just waiting for death.

"Yes," Commander Xiao said decisively. "At most an hour!"

His voice was very loud, and the soldiers around were energized.

They only needed to hold on for an hour to wait for reinforcements!

Everyone was rummaging through the Sun family's boxes, hoping to get some useful materials. However, most of the military supplies had been transported away, leaving only a box of weapons.

Of course, gold and silver fell out of the boxes scattered everywhere. The newly recruited men walked around and saw them, feeling a bit jealous.

He Lingchuan saw someone hide a gold plate in his chest.

Commander Xiao also saw it and didn't stop them, only reminding them, "Wealth is too heavy and will affect your skills. As long as you survive, you can pick whatever you want here!"

Smiles appeared on everyone's faces.

He Lingchuan opened a box, looked at the things inside, and was stunned. "Is this County Magistrate Sun a glutton? Why does he have to pack everything?"

Commander Xiao walked over to look and couldn't help laughing. "Useful! Although not military supplies, they are truly useful; let's set them up now."

He Lingchuan looked at the gold, silver, and jewelry in the boxes all over the ground, his eyes rolled. "I have another idea, why not..."

Commander Xiao also adopted this idea.

So everyone spent quite some time arranging things.

More and more refugees fled from the rear, all escaping up the slope through the gap in the carriage team.

Two quarters of an hour later, the sound of killing got closer and closer.

Commander Xiao and others guarded the half-slope, fully focused. The rain hit their faces, but no one felt cold.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 92 =====

(End of Chapter)