Chapter 111: Ambush Kill

One day of rain, day after day of rain.

The autumn rain has seeped in; up to today, it has actually been five consecutive days.

The stone‑paved road at the city gate was splashed with water by the horses' hooves, and the three riders almost shot out, hugging the city gate arch.

The gate guards hadn't even made out the visitors' faces before those riders vanished into the rain curtain, leaving only the increasingly distant hoofbeats thudding muffled in the downpour.

The riders all wore oilcloths, but in such a downpour the oilcloths were useless; rain poured in through the collars, soaking their inner garments through.

The youth running in front, with a fair complexion and gentle brows and eyes, was none other than Ouyang Wu.

Behind him followed two attendants, both dressed in tight‑fitting gear, with knives at their waists and their saddles laden with packed baggage.

One of them, slightly older, with narrow eyes and a rain‑smeared beard, spurred his horse to catch up two strides, riding side‑by‑side with the youth, and shouted:

"Young master, the rain is too heavy—should we find somewhere to take shelter?"

Ouyang Wu didn't turn his head; his voice, torn by the wind into a faint blur, still came through clearly:

"No need."

He paused, then asked:

"Have you checked it out clearly? The magistrate of Ju Cheng County really died suddenly two days ago, and his male lover fled with most of his property?"

The older attendant switched his whip to his left hand, lifted his right arm to wipe rain from his face, and said:

"It's absolutely true. The news had already spread in Ju Cheng a few days ago, but because of these days of nonstop rain, messages couldn't get through, so it hasn't reached Dun Cheng yet."

"In my view, the information that Xiao Wu gathered from that escort couple earlier is probably true—such viciousness, it sounds like the work of those two beasts……

"It's a pity that yesterday that couple left Dun Cheng on their own, so we didn't have a chance to ask them more……

Ouyang Wu knew about this.

He ultimately failed to win them over; they claimed laziness as an excuse, yet constantly professed admiration for him, acting as if, should they have no hope of future service, they would surely return to swear death‑loyalty……

Even he found it hard to say anything more.

However, if he knew the boss was capable of murder and theft, he would have to detain the man no matter what and ask in detail about the circumstances of the seduction at that time.

Ouyang said no more, merely lowering his body a bit and urging his horse faster.

The rain grew heavier and heavier.

The willows lining the official road were engulfed by wind and rain; the spray from the leaves merged into a white haze.

Gazing far off, it seemed as if nothing remained between heaven and earth but this endless expanse of water.

The horses' hooves sank two or three inches into the muddy road with each step, pulling up clods of mud that were then shattered by the hooves behind.

The three horses ran nonstop for about half an hour, and in the rain‑haze ahead a low outline of houses gradually appeared.

It was a village.

If I'm not mistaken, it should be that Zhenjiang Village we previously coaxed and compelled to move away.

The older attendant caught up again, this time his voice tinged with caution:

"Young master, we've ridden this far—you can endure it, but the horses can't. Though this village is deserted, there are still a few houses that can shelter us from the rain; resting for the time it takes to burn an incense stick won't delay anything."

Ouyang Wu tugged the reins, slowing the horse a little.

He turned his head, about to reply——

Suddenly a rope sprang up from the ground.

That rope had been buried in the mud and weeds beneath the road; both ends had apparently been yanked hard by someone, causing it to snap up along the ground, landing squarely between the horse's forehooves.

Ouyang Wu's mount was trotting; its forehoof caught on the rope, sending the whole beast pitching forward. The horse gave a short, sharp neigh, then rider and mount tumbled into the mire together.

Ouyang Wu was flung from over the horse's head, slammed hard to the ground, and rolled twice before stopping. Mud sprayed high, then fell back, coating him from head to toe.

The two attendants were shocked and terrified.

The older one reacted first, shouting in a hoarse voice:

"Young master!"

He leapt down from his horse, but in his haste his foot caught in the stirrup, stumbling two steps before regaining his footing, then he scrambled over to Ouyang Wu's side.

The other attendant quickly followed, jumping off his horse with his sword already half‑drawn, his eyes darting around, his face deathly pale.

The older attendant hauled Ouyang Wu out of the mire and let him lean against his knee.

Ouyang Wu's body went limp, his head lolling back; rain washed over his face, rinsing away the mud in streaks and revealing the pallid, bluish skin beneath.

"Young master, young master!" the attendant reached out to feel Ouyang Wu's breath.

His fingers hadn't yet touched Ouyang Wu's mouth or nose when his nostrils were hit by a familiar smell——

the smell of blood.

His hand froze mid‑air, his gaze slowly dropping, and then he saw something lodged in Ouyang Wu's throat.

It was a crossbow bolt.

The shaft was only as thick as a finger, entirely black, entering diagonally from the lower left of the Adam's apple, sinking deep, with less than two inches of the tail end protruding.

Rain struck the shaft, ran along it into the wound, then mixed with blood and trickled out, staining Ouyang Wu's chest‑front a deep crimson.

The rain diluted the blood to a light red, which spread outward, soaking a large area.

The older attendant's lips trembled violently. He wanted to speak, but his throat felt blocked by a stone, and all that came out was a muffled, almost beast‑like growl.

He suddenly lifted his head and bellowed toward the empty village:

"Who——!"

His voice carried out through the downpour, struck the ruined walls, then was swallowed by the rain, eliciting no reply.

The other attendant had already drawn his sword fully, the blade held horizontally before him; rain ran down the edge, dropping drop by drop onto the mud.

He stepped back step by step until he stood beside his companion, then lowered his voice:

"The crossbow bolt came from over there."

He pointed with his sword tip at a house on the village's east side that had collapsed halfway.

The house still had a mud wall standing; a palm-sized hole in the wall faced the village road.

Someone was behind the wall.

First, a hand rested on the edge of the hole, knuckles distinct, smeared with mud.

Then a person slowly rose from behind the wall, a female figure, her dark brown rain cloak wet and clinging to her body, stray hairs stuck to her forehead.

Her face bore no makeup, her brows and eyes clear; rain slid down her brow bone, yet she did not blink.

She held in her hands a strange crossbow.

The prod was longer than an ordinary hand crossbow, the trigger mechanism fitted with a bolt case; even in the rain it gleamed with cold steel.

Obviously, that crossbow bolt just now was shot from this.

Seeing the two looking over, Du Shanü laughed:

"Oh my heavens......"

"You wouldn't think I, knowing someone wants to vie for the city with me, would still be resting and gathering strength, would you?"

"Since they will be enemies, of course it's better to kill them early if we can."

?? Everyone can view things from a god's-eye perspective, seeing naturally more, but actually each person's information network in the story is incomplete! So how to choose actually tests one's character, spirit, and strategy......

? Forget it, let's just praise!