Chapter 25: Fortress and the Wolf Pack

The fire continued to spread, but the deadly arrow barrage ceased, finally giving the suppressed people inside the manor a chance to breathe.

Zheng Hao was not indecisive; he immediately seized this fleeting battle opportunity.

"Archers, to the corner tower! Suppress the enemies to the north! The rest, follow me out and open the west gate to meet Attendant Wang!"

He clearly saw that Wang Jin's counterattack had created an opportunity for them, but Wang Jin's forces were too few; once entangled by the enemy's main force, they would surely die. He must immediately bring reinforcements to turn this breakout into an encircling annihilation battle!

"Kill!"

The Zheng clan's household guards, whose veins ran with the fierce blood of the fortress lord of these chaotic times, upon seeing hope of survival, each burst forth with astonishing courage, brandishing knives and shields, surging like a tide toward the west gate of the manor!

Meanwhile, outside the manor, Wang Jin's (Wang Xiu's) hunting squad had already cleared nearly twenty archers along the perimeter wall.

Their actions finally alerted the assassin leader.

"Trash! What's going on in the southeast? Why did it go silent?"

In the darkness, a tall, cold-aura black-clad leader hissed angrily at his deputy beside him.

"Boss, I… I don't know; the people we sent to make contact—none returned!" the deputy's voice trembled slightly.

A flash of ferocity crossed the black-clad leader's eyes; he finally realized that this seemingly choice piece of meat had fangs in its mouth.

"They want to break out from inside! Relay the order: fall back toward me, abandon the fire attack, and prepare for close combat!"

"Yes!"

Dozens of black-clad swordsmen who had lain hidden in the darkness emerged like ghosts from the woods, abandoning the encirclement of the manor and swiftly closing in on the southeast where Wang Jin and the others were.

Wang Xiu immediately felt the pressure surge dramatically.

In the air came the sound of heavy footsteps and the faint swish of blades cutting wind.

"They're here! Prepare to form up!" Lieutenant Li barked, and ten Imperial Guard guards quickly stood back-to-back, forming a small circular formation with Wang Jin protected at the center.

The flickering firelight drew out black shadows wielding sharp blades from the darkness.

They moved soundlessly, in perfect unison, each eye revealing the cold numbness of a professional killer. Their numbers were at least fifty!

Wang Jin's (Wang Xiu's) heart sank to the bottom of the valley.

He knew this was the enemy's true main force.

"Attendant Wang, it looks like we'll have to answer for it here tonight." Lieutenant Li's face actually showed a hint of a smile, though it was tinged with tragic grandeur, "But following you, sir, to slaughter so many scum has been worth it!"

"Don't talk of defeat!" Wang Jin's (Wang Xiu's) voice remained steady, "Our people will be here soon!"

He trusted Zheng Hao to surely seize the opportunity he had created. All he needed to do now was survive amidst the wolves' encirclement!

"Kill!"

The black-clad leader wasted no words, swinging his arm down hard.

Dozens of black-clad assassins, like a black wave, surged from all directions toward their little reef of Wang Jin and company!

"For the Tang Dynasty!"

Lieutenant Li roared, bringing his saber down hard upon the foremost foe!

"Clang!"

The metallic clash rang out, especially piercing in the silent night.

The battle erupted instantly!

The Imperial Guard guards, worthy of elite troops, formed a small formation that balanced offense and defense with seamless coordination; for a moment they actually withstood the first wave of an enemy force several times their size.

Blades flashed, flesh flew.

Black-clad assassins kept falling with screams, yet even more rushed forward, fearless of death.

The Imperial Guard guards also began to suffer casualties. One guard, to shield a comrade, was pierced through by three long blades at once, yet he clung tightly to the foe before him and bit through the enemy's throat with his teeth!

The battle grew horrifically brutal to the extreme.

Wang Xiu hid in the formation, not trembling with fear; his mind raced, analyzing the situation.

The enemy's target was him!

Eight or nine out of ten of their strikes were aimed at him, the center of the formation!

He suddenly shouted at Lieutenant Li, "Lieutenant Li, switch places! You take the center!"

Lieutenant Li hesitated, but out of absolute trust in Wang Jin, he had no hesitation, instantly swapping positions with a comrade and exposing himself to the relatively outer spot.

Sure enough, the next moment, three black-clad assassins noticeably more skilled, as if prearranged, simultaneously launched a thunderous strike from three directions at Lieutenant Li! Their goal was to behead the commander of Wang Jin's unit!

But they had miscalculated.

Lieutenant Li's martial skill far surpassed that of an ordinary guard!

"Good timing!"

Lieutenant Li roared, dropped low to evade the deadly strike, and with his saber at a wicked angle, slashed upward from below at one man's abdomen!

At the same moment, Wang Jin (Wang Xiu) moved.

He snatched a shield from a fallen guard's corpse and, with all his strength, slammed it hard into another assassin attacking Lieutenant Li!

He knew no martial arts, but he had a brain!

That assassin utterly disregarded this "civil official," his focus entirely on Lieutenant Li, and was staggered by the sudden shield blow.

That instant opening was seized by another guard in the formation, who slit his throat with a single blade!

"Pfft!"

Blood spattered across Wang Jin's (Wang Xiu's) face; that warm, sweet‑sick liquid made his stomach churn, yet it also stirred the ferocity deep in his bones.

"Kill!"

He bellowed, imitating the guards, clumsily but ferociously joining the fight with shield and saber.

His participation was no burden; instead, his unexpected attacks created several openings for the exhausted guards.

The black-clad leader's pupils contracted sharply.

This Wang Jin is not right!

He isn't a civil official, is he? How could he have such gall and ferocity?

Just as he was distracted, the west side of the manor suddenly blazed with fire, and the shouts of killing shook the heavens!

"The people inside the manor are breaking out!" a black-clad man cried out.

The black-clad leader's face changed; he knew they had little time left. If caught in a pincer, even this elite unit would be doomed here!

"Everyone, spare no expense, kill Wang Jin! Whoever takes his head gets a reward of a thousand taels!"

Under a great reward, brave men will surely appear.

All the black-clad assassins' eyes turned red; they went mad and launched their final charge at Wang Jin.

The pressure instantly increased severalfold!

Colonel Li already had several wounds on his person, and his nearby guards were down to fewer than five, all injured!

The formation looked ready to be overwhelmed!

Wang Jin (Wang Xiu) gritted his teeth, took out from his bosom the small porcelain bottle he had been unwilling to use.

【Gold Sore Medicine (small)】!

He didn't use it himself; instead, seizing an opening, he threw all the powder onto Colonel Li's deep, bone-showing wound behind him.

"Sir, you..." Colonel Li felt a cool sensation from the wound; the bleeding slowed visibly, and the original burning pain was greatly reduced.

What kind of divine medicine is this?!

"Kill them all!" Wang Jin roared without explanation.

Colonel Li felt a new strength surge from his body.

"Kill!"

He sprang forth like a tiger from its gate, one man with one blade, forcing three foes back!

But just then, the black-clad leader who had not moved until now made his move.

His silhouette was like a ghost, slipping past Colonel Li, his target clear, he lunged straight at Wang Jin, who was protected behind him!

His speed was too fast! Even Wang Jin's eyes could not catch his movements!

It's over!

In Wang Xiu's mind, only these two words remained.

But just as the deadly blade was about to reach Wang Jin's neck,

"Whoosh!"

A feathered arrow, whistling as it tore through the air, shot from the distant darkness and precisely struck the black-clad leader's sword-wielding wrist!

"Clang!"

The long blade fell to the ground.

The black-clad leader let out a muffled groan, staring in disbelief at his pierced wrist.

Zheng Hao, with his men, has arrived!