Chapter 47: Narrow Path Encounter

( ) Chapter 48: Narrow Path Encounter

Li Bucai said: "General Xu, where does this come from? We are all here to eradicate the rebels. In many matters General Xu is also powerless; the story need not be spelled out, Li Bucai also knows what's happening. Young Marshal is a troublemaker, the responsibility is not on General Xu."

"Lord Li not only possesses extraordinary talent, but also a broad mind; to meet a gifted person like Lord Li in this life is truly my blessing."

"General Xu is flattering me; speaking of talent, Lord Qian was accomplished in his youth, and his courage is even more admirable. Without his urging, Li Bucai would not have dared to take this risk." Li Bucai never neglects his partner.

Xu Rong clasped his hands and said: "Indeed, Lord Qian's martial prowess surpasses others; I have admired him for a long time."

Qian Feng's face also brightened, and he returned the clasped‑hands salute.

Li Bucai said: "It's getting late; we should set out early. Later, after we go inside, General Xu should find a way to seal the cave, so the rebels cannot use this route to attack the camp."

Xu Rong nodded, and Li Bucai immediately led the group into the cave. When they reached the depths, Xu Rong ordered the soldiers to circle to the mountain top, using wooden sticks to lever down a massive stone to block the entrance. When they could no longer force the opening open by manpower, they led the soldiers back to Sand Spring…

As the entrance was sealed, the cave became a pitch‑black void.

Qian Feng said timidly: "Big brother, are we taking this game too far? If a full rebel battalion actually comes charging out of this cave, it's just the few of us; you don't even have a spear, and we might be eliminated before we even get a glimpse of Jin Ye."

Li Bucai said: "If the two of us are eliminated, the entire Sixteenth Division will be eliminated along with us; even if we don't show up, we could only hold out for a few days at most."

"Is it really that precarious?"

Li Bucai said confidently: "I can assert that if we manage to get out of here smoothly, we will certainly witness the Young Marshal being surrounded. When the Young Marshal can no longer hold on, Tan Ping and his men will also be doomed. Only Sand Spring with just over two hundred people will remain; the Commander won't return, and Zou Ying will surely risk everything to rescue her. Once they leave Sand Spring, they will inevitably encounter an ambush on the way, and once scattered by the hidden troops, no one can escape."

"Even so… but if we never encounter the rebels and truly walk out from here, the Young Marshal is surrounded by forces several times larger than hers; we are just these few people—how can we rescue her?"

That truly is a dilemma, Li Bucai said: "If the Commander dies, we will be eliminated; if Sand Spring falls, we will also be eliminated. We cannot redeploy a single soldier; I think there will be a way when the time comes."

"Big brother, you say there will be a way, can you be certain? So I have some certainty in my heart."

"Whether there's a chance or not, going back now is impossible; we can only act according to the situation. If we lose, everyone gets eliminated; if we win, Jin Ye will likely be ours."

Hoping his words would come true, Qian Feng could only say: "Alright, big brother, as long as you have a plan, I'm ready to follow. Whatever you say we'll do. It's so dark here; should we light a fire?"

"No, we can't light a fire. If rebel troops are here and discover us, all our prior effort will be wasted. Stay in a line, keep close, no one may fall behind, and try not to make any sound."

After a few minutes of standing still, the group gradually adapted to the darkness inside the cave, forming a line with Li Bucai at the front and Qian Feng right behind, moving like blind men, inching forward cautiously. At each corner they paused briefly, waiting until they were sure no sound came from the opposite side before proceeding.

"The fork is ahead, big brother; should we split up and advance like last time?" Qian Feng whispered.

"Shh—" Li Bucai hurriedly ordered him to stop speaking, tilted his ear to listen, and heard faint footsteps ahead. Soon, a flickering blaze appeared at a bend in the left‑side tunnel.

Li Bucai made a gesture, and everyone quickly ducked into the right‑hand tunnel.

Unexpectedly, the moment they entered the cave they ran into rebels; everyone's nerves were at the throat.

Qian Feng asked: "What should we do? If they reach the cave entrance and can't get out, they'll definitely turn back. Should we hurry through this side?"

"First see how many they are; maybe they're just scouting ahead. If that doesn't work, we eliminate them."

"Lord..." at this moment Wu Zhuoran stepped forward and said: "In this tunnel, it seems there's also sound coming from ahead."

Li Bucai's greatest worry was that both tunnels had enemies. If they were discovered, they'd be attacked from both sides, and the odds would be grim.

Qian Feng hurried: "There are people on both sides, what do we do?"

Li Bucai quickly searched his mind for a solution, then shouted: "Rui Tong!"

"Rui Tong, at your command."

"Go forward and see how far the rebels are from us, how many there are, whether they're male or female, what they're dressed in; after gathering that, return quickly to report."

"Yes!" Rui Tong responded and left.

Li Bucai waved his hand, signaling everyone to stand aside and press against the stone wall; he alone stood at the front, sticking his head out to stare at the left tunnel entrance.

Because the corner led to a long straight tunnel, although they saw the firelight, the voices were still some distance beyond their sight; when the first person appeared at the corner, there were still over a hundred meters before reaching the fork.

The group held their breath, and Li Bucai waited only for Rui Tong's report.

"Lord."

Rui Tong finally returned; the people in the left tunnel had already come to within fifty meters of the fork.

Li Bucai asked urgently: "How is it?"

"Roughly thirty‑plus, less than five hundred meters away, all male, and all dressed in black."

Li Bucai hurriedly asked Qian Feng: "Ask whether any of your men are black‑clad males?"

Qian Feng quickly shouted back: "Anyone in black, step forward and listen to orders."

One after another stepped forward from behind, and soon a soldier wielding a Short Knife came forward.

Li Bucai pointed at the approaching rebels in the left tunnel and said: "Do you dare to charge out alone?"

"I dare!"

The man raised his knife to charge, but Li Bucai grabbed him back. Seeing his courage, he hurried: "Your attire is similar to the rebels'; now you will disguise yourself as a rebel, go into the front tunnel and try to hold them off—the longer, the better. Remember my words?"

"Yes! Disguise as a rebel, hold the rebels!"

"Go."

The man obeyed and left. Li Bucai also ordered Rui Tong to follow him from a distance, and if the man fails to stop the rebels, to report back immediately.

After the two left, Li Bucai and the others pressed tightly against the stone wall, holding their breath. A rebel squad marched in a line, torches raised, passing before them. Roughly counting, there were thirty‑five men; their commander stood in the middle of the formation, a spear‑armed armored soldier.

Until the last man passed and they moved about ten meters forward, Li Bucai whispered to Qian Feng: "If the two of us block them up front, do you have confidence?"

Qian Feng, brimming with confidence, replied: "You think it's a thousand armies, but it's just a few petty bandits. Don't worry, they can't get past my shield."

"Alright, swift strike." He turned and said: "Archers forward, the rest fall back and watch the rear; Wan'er help Fang Ling'er protect Rushi and Xiaoxiao."

This time it was a matter of life and death; although Rushi and Xiaoxiao knew no martial arts, one was well‑versed in food, the other in lodging, and might prove useful. Moreover, they insisted on coming, knowing this sortie was extremely perilous; even if they died, they wanted to die alongside everyone, so Li Bucai also took them along.

Qian Feng had three archers under his command; together with Wu Zhuoran, that made four.

Li Bucai said to Wu Zhuoran: "Follow me."

Wu Zhuoran nodded.

Li Bucai and Qian Feng exchanged a glance, and led the four archers, swaggering out from the right tunnel, quietly trailing behind the rebels.