Chapter 160: Woman

Ye Ying was right; now is not the time to act impulsively, he must stay calm and devise a foolproof plan.

At that moment, a barbarian soldier noticed them.

He narrowed his eyes, sizing up Jiang Xiaomu's group, suspicion growing in his gaze.

"Which unit are you from? I've never seen you before."

The two disguised soldiers' faces changed; one quickly stepped forward and spoke in broken barbarian language:

"We're the newcomers..."

"Newcomers?"

The barbarian soldier obviously didn't believe them, he looked them up and down, his gaze falling on their weapons.

"How could newcomers have such fine weapons?"

Beads of sweat the size of beans appeared on the disguised soldier's forehead; he stammered for a long time without managing a complete sentence.

The barbarian soldier's suspicion deepened; he reached out to grab one of them by the collar.

At that moment, two tearing-through-the-air sounds split the night sky; two crossbow bolts precisely pierced the throats of the two barbarian soldiers.

They didn't even utter a groan before collapsing straight down.

In the darkness, a ghost-faced army commander was actually holding two hand crossbows.

Jiang Xiaomu glanced in surprise at the ghost-faced army commander, silently thinking:

"What excellent archery! Pitch black, yet he hit the mark with a single shot—this couldn't be done by luck alone."

Ye Ying made a gesture toward that ghost-faced army commander.

"She Ying, clear the way."

"Yes!"

No time to think further, Jiang Xiaomu gave Ye Ying a look, and the group continued feeling their way toward the source of the commotion.

Jiang Xiaomu saw not far away neat piles of firewood, beside which lay some grease and torches.

A daring plan formed in Jiang Xiaomu's mind.

He curled his lips in a cold smile and whispered a few words to Ye Ying.

"Good! Let's do it that way!"

Ye Ying led a few people silently to the firewood pile, evenly splashing the brought fire oil onto the dry wood.

A spark sputtered, instantly igniting the mountain‑high pile of firewood.

The dry wood meeting the fire oil burned like kindling, flames spreading rapidly, thick smoke rolling straight up to the heavens.

The barbarian camp instantly fell into chaos, terrified shouts rising and falling.

"Fire! Fire!"

The barbarian soldiers frantically grabbed buckets to fight the fire; the once‑strict camp turned into a boiling pot of porridge in an instant.

Jiang Xiaomu seized the opportunity, leading the remaining soldiers toward the tent where the women were imprisoned.

Outside the tent, two barbarian soldiers were drunkenly joking, oblivious to the approaching danger.

Jiang Xiaomu's eyes turned cold; a flash of cold light from his long blade cleanly dispatched the two.

He lifted the tent flap to see several women, naked and in ragged clothes, huddled in the corner, their eyes full of fear.

"Don't be afraid, we're here to rescue you!"

Jiang Xiaomu said in a low voice.

The women stared at him dumbfounded, unable to believe their ears.

"Hurry up!"

Jiang Xiaomu urged.

Only then did the women react, stumbling after Jiang Xiaomu as they rushed out of the tent.

By then, the soaring flames had already dyed half the night sky red.

Tu Huai was studying a map in his command tent when he heard the commotion outside, his brows knitting tight.

"What's going on?"

He demanded sternly.

"Report! The camp is on fire!"

A soldier rushed in panic to report.

Tu Huai's heart sank; he grabbed his broadsword and burst out of the tent, and in the firelight he saw several figures escorting a few women as they fled the camp.

"Damn it!" Tu Huai roared.

"Stop them!"

Jiang Xiaomu also spotted Tu Huai; their gazes met in mid‑air, and in the flash of lightning a murderous aura spread.

Tu Huai was about to give an order when several crossbow bolts tore through the air, precisely felling the soldiers beside him.

She Ying was holding a large steel crossbow, reaping enemy lives like a grim reaper.

With each pull of the trigger, a life was extinguished.

"Retreat!" Jiang Xiaomu decided instantly, leading the women and soldiers in a swift withdrawal.

"Chase! Chase them! Don't let a single one escape!"

Tu Huai bellowed hysterically.

Under the covering fire of She Ying's precise crossbow bolts, Jiang Xiaomu's group escorted the rescued women in a frantic run toward the predetermined retreat route.

"Hurry! Keep up!"

Jiang Xiaomu occasionally looked back to urge them on; the rescued women were in tattered clothes.

Their hearts still unsettled, their steps staggered, seriously slowing the group's pace.

Damn, these barbarians really have a dog's nose—so sharp!

Damn, these barbarians really are dogs, their sense of smell is so sharp!

Xiong Kuohai cursed, turned his head, and saw the dark mass of barbarian soldiers surging forward like a tide.

Xiong Kuohai cursed, turned his head, and saw the masses of barbarian soldiers surging forward like a tide.

Although many were felled by Sheyan's crossbow bolts, it did nothing to slow the pursuit.

Although a swath had been knocked down by She Yan's crossbow bolts, the pursuit's speed did not slow in the slightest.

Into the passage!

Into the passage!

Jiang Xiaomu made a quick decision and led everyone into the passage.

Jiang Xiaomu made a quick decision, leading everyone into the passage.

Inside the passage it was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Inside the passage it was pitch black, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The rescued women huddled together in fear, occasionally letting out stifled sobs.

The rescued women huddled together in fear, occasionally letting out stifled sobs.

"Don't make a sound!" Jiang Xiaomu hissed.

Don't make a sound! Jiang Xiaomu hissed.

"If you don't want to be dragged back by the barbarians, stay quiet!"

If you don't want to be dragged back by the barbarians, stay quiet!

Everyone fell silent at once, only the sound of hurried breathing echoing in the passage.

Everyone fell silent at once, only the sound of ragged breathing echoing in the passage.

The barbarian soldiers pursued relentlessly, also diving into the passage.

The barbarian soldiers pursued relentlessly, also rushing into the passage.

In the darkness, the shouts of battle and the clash of weapons became even clearer and more terrifying.

In the darkness, the shouts of battle and the clashing of weapons became clearer and more terrifying.

"Sheyan, cover us!"

She Yan, cover us!

Jiang Xiaomu shouted.

Jiang Xiaomu shouted.

"Understood!"

Understood!

At the entrance of the passage, firelight flickered, and Sheyan's silhouette flashed through it.

At the passage entrance, firelight flickered, and She Yan's figure flashed past in the blaze.

After a few screams, the pursuers' speed noticeably slowed.

After a few miserable screams, the pursuers' speed noticeably slowed.

But the barbarians, fearless of death, continued to stream into the passage in an endless flow.

But the barbarians, fearless of death, continued to stream into the passage without end.

In the narrow space, both sides engaged in a brutal melee fight.

In the narrow space, both sides engaged in a brutal melee fight.

At that moment, another Ghost Face Army commander...

Just then, another Ghost-faced Army commander.

He pulled out several black spheres the size of fists from under his large cloak, and a pungent smell of sulfur spread.

From under his wide cloak he pulled out several black spheres the size of fists, a pungent smell of sulfur spreading.

"What is this?"

What is this?

Xiong Kuohai covered his nose and asked.

Xiong Kuohai covered his nose and asked.

"Good stuff!" the Ghost Face Army commander grinned.

Good stuff! the Ghost-faced Army commander grinned.

"Good stuff to send these barbarians back home!"

Good stuff to send these barbarians back home!

Having said that, he lit the fuse and threw the black sphere toward the passage entrance.

Having said that, he lit the fuse and threw the black sphere toward the passage entrance.

"Boom!" A deafening explosion rang out, instantly burying the passage entrance in rubble and dirt.

Boom! A deafening explosion rang out, instantly burying the passage entrance in rubble and dirt.

The violent shock made the whole passage shake, dust flew up, choking everyone into incessant coughing.

The violent tremor made the whole passage shake, dust flying, making everyone cough uncontrollably.

"Done!"

Success!

Xiong Kuohai shouted excitedly.

Xiong Kuohai shouted excitedly.

Before the explosion's aftershocks had fully dissipated, Jiang Xiaomu's group took advantage of the chaos and felt their way forward.

Before the explosion's aftershocks had fully dissipated, Jiang Xiaomu's group took advantage of the chaos and felt their way forward.

Dust filled the passage, making it hard to breathe. Jiang Xiaomu covered his nose and mouth with one hand while supporting a staggering woman with the other, his heart filled with anxiety.

Dust filled the passage, making it hard to breathe. Jiang Xiaomu covered his nose and mouth with one hand and supported a staggering woman with the other, his heart filled with anxiety.

"Cough cough... how much farther?"

Cough cough... how much farther?

Xiong Kuohai's voice came from ahead, hoarse.

Xiong Kuohai's voice came from ahead, hoarse.

"Almost there, it should be just ahead."

Almost there, it should be right up ahead.

Jiang Xiaomu replied, straining to discern the direction.

Jiang Xiaomu replied, straining to discern the direction.

Finally, light appeared ahead, growing larger and brighter.

Finally, light appeared ahead, growing larger and brighter.

Jiang Xiaomu felt a surge of joy and quickened his pace.

Jiang Xiaomu felt a surge of joy and quickened his pace.

"We're out!"

We're out!

Xiong Kuohai shouted excitedly.

Xiong Kuohai shouted excitedly.

They returned to the city, beside an abandoned dry well where Pei Donglai and Zhang Biao were anxiously waiting.

They returned to the city, by an abandoned dry well where Pei Donglai and Zhang Biao were anxiously waiting.

Seeing a group of disheveled, dirty-haired women crawling out of the well, both men were stunned.

Seeing a group of disheveled, dirty-haired women crawling out of the well, both were stunned.

"What... what is going on?"

What... what is going on?

Pei Donglai pointed at the women and asked in surprise.

Pei Donglai pointed at the women and asked in surprise.

"We met them on the road and rescued them in passing."

We met them on the road and rescued them in passing.

"In passing?"

In passing?

Zhang Biao was about to speak when Jiang Xiaomu cut him off.

Zhang Biao was about to speak when Jiang Xiaomu cut him off.