Chapter 490: First Volume, Chapter 490: Moment of Life and Death

First Volume, Chapter 490: Moment of Life and Death

The safest method is to designate a rendezvous point in advance.

Time dripped away, and a full cup of tea passed without the scout returning.

A sense of dread grew stronger.

Just as Qin Feng was about to order a military retreat, faint footsteps finally came from ahead.

They're back!

Only when the scout was less than five zhang away did Qin Feng barely make out his figure; as he drew closer, Qin Feng opened his mouth to ask about the Beidi war intelligence, but noticed the scout walked with his head down and a severe hunch.

Qin Feng couldn't help but feel suspicious—if he remembered correctly, the scout sent out was a Jin Yi Wei.

Yet the man's gait clearly came from years spent on horseback, hunched to avoid stray arrows.

"Bad!"

Qin Feng's heart lurched; he pointed at the scout, now less than three zhang away, and barked: "Shoot him down!"

Ning Hu, without hesitation, raised his bow and fired.

Though pitch dark, the distance was so close the arrow struck the scout squarely in the chest.

A muffled groan escaped him as he face-planted to the ground; the next moment, Qin Feng's back flooded with cold sweat—the scout's back was impaled with an incense stick! Now that his body was gone, the tiny red ember glowed vividly in the night.

Qin Feng didn't hesitate a second; he screamed at the top of his lungs: "Scatter!"

Qin Feng reacted fast—but too late. From the night ahead came a chorus of "whoosh whoosh whoosh."

In the next instant, a dense ArrowRain fell from above.

The enemy cavalry lying in wait had not only captured the scout, killed him, and swapped his armor, but also infiltrated backward, using the incense ember as a marker—once the ember stopped moving, they knew the scout had reached Qin Feng's front line, and fired blindly at its location.

These foes were no ordinary bandits!

Amid a flurry of "ding-ding-dang-dang," one-third of Qin Feng's army was drenched in ArrowRain; in moments, ten plus soldiers were shot from their warhorses.

Judging by the arrow density, the enemy numbered at least a thousand!

"The Night Owl has tracked our movements all along, followed us here, and set this ambush—retreat! Retreat now!"

Qin Feng roared with all his strength, wheeling his warhorse around.

At the same moment, heavy hoofbeats thundered from the Beidi Frontier; torches flared one by one—the enemy cavalry was now less than one hundred steps away.

Arrows rained continuously; soldiers kept falling from their mounts.

In panic, the column finally turned their warhorses and accelerated toward Qingyu Mountain.

But the ambushers had prepared thoroughly; before Qin Feng's troops could even gallop, the enemy launched a ChargeOrder—and at this critical deadline, torches ignited all around Qin Feng's formation, hurled straight into the ranks.

The warhorses panicked, chaos deepened; as the formation was lit up, the enemy's rear cavalry achieved greater accuracy in ParabolicShooting, and within a few breaths, another ten plus soldiers fell.

Simultaneously, the Raiding Cavalry reached the rear of the formation; their two-zhang-long spears thrust from behind, instantly impaling several soldiers who hadn't yet gained speed.

Qin Feng clamped his legs against his warhorse and fled for his life, shouting: "Don't care if the horse can take it—run as fast as you can, don't slow down, or you'll be skewered like meat on a spear!"

Even with the most correct order given, casualties were horrific; how many died, Qin Feng had no idea.

Not even Ning Hu's whereabouts were known to him.

At this moment, Qin Feng's mind held only one belief: flee!

Flee as fast as you can!

After only a few hundred steps, Qin Feng suddenly lost his balance and tumbled from his warhorse, crashing hard to the ground; the impact sent him rolling seven or eight times before he stopped, dizziness swirling before his eyes, every ounce of strength drained from his body.

As Qin Feng drifted in and out of consciousness, a cold laugh came from nearby.

"Run? In the great Di realm, do you think you can come and go as you please?"

The next moment, hurried footsteps approached.

When Qin Feng shook his head hard, opened his blurred eyes, and looked toward the sound, a dark shadow lunged at him, wielding a step-axe, driving it down toward his face.

Qin Feng twisted his head instinctively; the step-axe, like a hoe, scraped past his cheek and buried itself in the earth.

In his panic, Qin Feng clearly saw the man's face—leather armor, unmistakably the Night Owl!

Qin Feng dodged the killing blow, but the Night Owl's foot slammed into his chest; the kick nearly killed him, and dizziness swirled again.

The Night Owl pulled free his step-axe and swung again; just as Qin Feng believed death was certain, the Night Owl was slammed sideways by a charging warhorse.

A large hand reached down, seized Qin Feng's shoulder, and hauled him onto the horse's back, galloping furiously toward Qingyu Mountain.

"Who…?" Qin Feng's organs churned; he gasped weakly.

"Commander Qin, it's…"

Before the man could identify himself, a rope snaked around his neck and yanked him off the horse; Qin Feng vaguely recognized him as an ordinary Tianji Camp Guard.

Before falling, the guard kicked his horse's belly hard and roared: "Giddyap!"

The horse surged faster; Qin Feng clung desperately to the saddle to avoid being thrown off. When he turned, he saw the Tianji Camp Guard cut down on the spot by three Night Owls.

"Damn!"

Qin Feng punched the saddle, fury surging through him like fire: "Beidi, today's blood debt—I will make you pay tenfold!"

Amid his rage, Qin Feng asked himself inwardly:

How many Night Owls lurked nearby? What elite Beidi brigade could execute such a flawless Encirclement and Interception?

At that critical deadline, a roar came from behind: "Damned Tianji Camp Guards—killed my Xiongying Brigade brothers! None of you will escape!"

Xiongying Brigade…

Qin Feng's face stiffened; he cursed inwardly: Again? The Xiongying Brigade? What a damned twist of fate.

Of course!

Aside from the Xiongying Brigade, which Beidi army could slaughter Tianji Camp Guards without resistance?

Even with prior ambush, absolute initiative, perfect terrain and timing—this combat effectiveness remained extraordinary, unmatched by any other Beidi Army.