Chapter 474

The June scorching sun, like fire roasting the earth.

On Huangni Ridge, dust swirled, and the sparse grasses and trees by the roadside all wilted, heads drooping.

Troop (generic), more than ten Tai Ping carts (Tai Ping Che? "Tai Ping cart" maybe a type of cart, not a proper name). Not needed.

At the front of the column, an officer riding a tall horse continually pointed ahead with his whip, berating the soldiers whose steps were unsteady.

Grand Tutor appears? Actually line 5: "He missed the hour, and the Grand Tutor blamed him." So the Grand Tutor appears. Also maybe "hour" is generic.

The soldiers were drenched in sweat, panting, cursing the foul weather and stingy superiors in their hearts, yet dared not slacken in the slightest.

The carriage pole sank deep into the hardened yellow earth baked by the sun, emitting a creaking groan, showing how heavy the load on the cart was.

Beijing Daming Prefecture's Liang Zhongshu presented a birthday tribute of 100,000 strings of cash to Grand Tutor Cai Jing! So entities: Beijing Daming Prefecture, Liang Zhongshu, Grand Tutor, Cai Jing. Also birthday tribute maybe not.

When the column reached the steepest stretch of the Huangni Ridge slope, its speed inevitably slowed.

By the road stood a crude thatched‑shed tavern; a thin, weak‑looking man feebly fanned himself with a palm‑leaf fan, beside him sat several barrels of village‑brewed cloudy wine and some side dishes—this was Bai Sheng, the White Rat.

"Sir Soldier, the march is hard; rest your feet, have a bowl of watered wine to quench your thirst, then go on!"

Bai Sheng shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice sounding weak and listless in the sultry air.

The leading officer, already suffering from the heat, felt his throat grow even drier upon seeing the tavern.

He reined in his horse, glanced at the remote tavern, then looked at his exhausted subordinates, hesitated a moment, but ultimately his thirst won out.

"All right! Let's take a brief break here! Brothers, take turns drinking a bowl of water and wine to quench your thirst—don't delay the march!"

The soldiers, as if pardoned, surged toward the tavern, pulling out copper coins to buy wine.

Bai Sheng nimbly ladled wine and took money, his face plastered with a fawning smile.

The wine, though coarse, could at least temporarily relieve their thirst.

The officer also dismounted, ordered a bowl of wine, drank it down in one gulp, smacked his lips, and found that this rustic village wine actually had a unique flavor.

He did not notice that, not far behind the tavern in the dense woods, several pairs of sharp eyes were fixed on them.

Chao Gai, Wu Yong, the three Ruan brothers heroes, but we have individuals later, and Shi Dun.

Chen Wen, Qian Gui.

"The soldiers have drunk the drugged wine; the moment is at hand."

Wu Yong, Chao Gai.

Chao Gai gripped the handle of his broadsword, nodded, his breathing slightly quickened—both nervous and excited.

Shi Dun.

27-28: none.

29-35: none.

Time passed minute by minute, second by second.

The scorching sun remained vicious.

The first few soldiers who drank began to feel dizzy and light-headed, their legs going weak.

"This liquor… this liquor packs quite a punch…"

Before he could finish speaking, he collapsed with a thud.

Immediately afterwards, like felled wheat, the drinking soldiers toppled one after another, snoring loudly.

Seeing this, the officer was greatly startled, jumped up, but also felt the world spin.

"There's something in the wine…"

Before he could utter the word 'fraud', a pain struck the back of his neck, his vision went black, and he slumped limp.

It was Shi Dun who, like a ghost, sprang from the woods and struck with a precise hand‑blow, knocking him out.

none.

Chao Gai.

Ruan brothers, but we have individuals later.

Those soldiers who had not drunk the wine or had only taken a little, seeing their commander fall, their comrades unconscious, and then seeing burly figures rush out of the forest like fiends, were seized with panic, shouted, dropped their weapons, and fled in all directions.

Bai Sheng.

42-43: none.

The whole process was as fast as lightning, clean and neat.

They encountered hardly any decent resistance.

Wu Yong.

Wu Yong, Ruan family brothers, but we have individuals later.

Ruan Xiaoer, Ruan Xiaowu.

Ruan Xiaoqi.

The heavy crates were quickly flung open, revealing, as expected, gleaming gold ingots, shiny silver sycee, and assorted pearls and jewels that glittered in the blazing sun, dazzling the eyes.

Chao Gai, etc.

50-51: Chao Gai.

"Hurry up and move it!"

Chao Gai steadied himself and issued a low shout.

No longer hesitating, they joined forces to move the most valuable gold, silver, and jewels into the thick cloth bags prepared beforehand, which the strong‑armed Shi Dun and Ruan Xiaoqi hoisted onto their backs, swiftly transporting them to the river tributary.

Everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

But just then, a sudden change occurred!

Chen Wen.

In his "Shi Yong", several icy, viscous "dark energy" chains, like enraged poisonous snakes, suddenly thrust forth from the void, no longer satisfied with covert guidance but now bearing obvious malice, they coiled toward Chao Gai, Wu Yong, and the others, seeking to disrupt their actions—and even… to create accidents, such as letting a crate fall with a loud crash, or causing someone to slip while carrying, leaving a trace, or simply sowing internal chaos!

At the same time, he sensed that several figures emanating "dark energy" fluctuations were rapidly approaching Huangni Ridge from afar.

Those were the "dark shadow" units controlled by the Iron Crow Army, which had to enter the fray personally to keep the "script" from deviating too much—at the very least to cement the charge of hijacking the birthday tribute against Chao Gai and company, and to leave enough traces for the authorities to investigate.

Iron Crow Army.

Chen Wen gave Qian Gui a low shout beside him.

Follow the second plan! Go meet Shi Dun, get rid of any traces that might be left, especially traces that the awakening army could use to identify the direction!

Contains Shi Dun. Also "official army" is generic (not a proper name). "Second plan" is generic. So include Shi Dun.

I'll go hinder those nether shades!

My lord, be careful!

Qian Gui showed no hesitation, lowered his body like a wildcat and slipped into the forest, feeling his way toward the battlefield below the hill.

Chen Wen took a deep breath, the Lv. 3 (8×) effect running at full throttle, his form became a wisp of green smoke as he went to meet the direction from which the nether shades attacked.

He could not engage the nether shades head‑on and reveal himself, but his Shi Yong could interfere with their perception, and his causal fragments could predict their most likely course of action!

He chose a narrow forest path that the nether shades must pass, placed his hands lightly on the ground, and the strange energy within him—originating from the Cow Horse System, representing 'Heaven rewards diligence' and 'variables'—faintly fluctuated, stirring the already chaotic killing qi and earth veins of the place.

There was no earth‑shaking spectacle.

But those nether shades dashing at full speed suddenly seemed to plunge into an invisible mire; their speed dropped sharply, their icy perception was strongly interfered with, became vague and unclear, and for a moment they lost precise grasp of the concrete situation on Huangni Ridge.

Huh?

Interference?

It's that 'variable'!

Several cold, non‑human thoughts flashed rapidly among the nether shades.

In that brief delay, the action on Huangni Ridge was already drawing to a close.

Under Wu Yong's command, all valuables—gold, pearls, and treasures—had been cleared out; the crowd swiftly withdrew from the scene, following the markers left by the Ruan brothers, and sprinted madly toward the river tributaries.

Qian Gui and Shi Dun met up, carefully examined the site, discreetly disposed of footprints and wheel tracks that might point to a specific direction, and deliberately created a few confusing traces in other directions.

When those few nether shades finally broke through Chen Wen's invisible obstruction and reached Huangni Ridge, they saw only a scene of utter chaos, unconscious government troops, empty crates and baskets, and… a few traces deliberately led astray, false leads.

Chao Gai and the others had already boarded the Ruan brothers' swift boat, vanishing deep into the reed marshes, their whereabouts unknown.

A nether shade crouched down to inspect the processed traces, a hint of annoyance flickering in its cold thoughts.

【Target has escaped.】

【Traces have been professionally handled, direction vague.】

【The 'variable' interference intensity exceeds expectations.】

【Node 'Seven Stars Gathered in Righteousness' completion: seventy percent. Core objective 'Seize the Birthday Tribute' achieved, but the subsequent 'Forced onto Liangshan' process is obstructed.】

【Suggestion: activate backup plan, apply pressure on Song Jiang through official channels.】

It raised its head, gazing toward Yuncheng County; that icy stare seemed to pierce through time and space.

Meanwhile, inside the Yuncheng County government office.

Song Jiang had just received an urgent express report about the incident at Huangni Ridge.

He held that emergency document, his fingers trembling slightly.

After a long silence, he slowly rose, straightened his attire, put on a solemn and anxious expression, and hurriedly walked toward the magistrate's rear hall.

He knew it was his turn to step onto the stage.

Although the seizure of the Birthday Tribute at Huangni Ridge succeeded, the ensuing turmoil had only just begun.

Meanwhile, Chen Wen stood on a distant hilltop, watching those few nether shades return empty‑handed and slip away unseen; the corner of his mouth curled into a cold arc.

In the first round of clashes, he won a small victory.

But the real contest still lies ahead.