Chapter 10: Encircled in the Dense Forest, Short Blades Against Shadows
The black-clad assassins slowly tightened their encirclement. They deliberately lightened their footsteps, the thick layer of decaying leaves absorbing most of the sound, leaving only the faint, rustling friction of fabric brushing against branches. There were seven of them in total, scattered among the staggered tree shadows around the ancient pine. Each wore pure black combat gear, their faces half-covered by black cloth, revealing only pairs of silent, emotionless eyes. The narrow, thin short blades in their hands caught the scattered moonlight filtering through the forest, refracting tiny, icy glints. They were in no rush to swarm forward and launch a fierce assault.
These death warriors under Green Face were accustomed to coordinated action and deeply versed in the tactics of jungle hunting. They maintained fixed distances between each other, forming a slowly tightening net that firmly blocked all possible routes of escape. The dense thickets to the left, the low shrubs to the right, and the retreat path leading back to the open valley were all sealed off. No one rashly pushed forward. They waited patiently for the besieged to panic and expose a flaw, ready to seize the opportunity to strike and kill with a single blow.
Lao Chai quickly sidestepped half a step, firmly blocking the severely wounded Chen Yi. His left hand pressed slightly downward toward Xiao Ge and Lin Yan, signaling them to quickly close in toward him. He didn't impulsively draw his blade to strike first. His gaze swiftly swept over the positioning of the seven assassins, quickly counting their numbers in his mind and silently estimating the rhythm of their offensive and defensive rotations. Having dealt with Jianghu vendettas in the mountains for years, he knew perfectly well that once trapped in a multi-man encirclement, the worst thing to do was get separated by the enemy. Once mutual support was lost, they would be slaughtered one by one in an instant.
"Seven death warriors," Lao Chai whispered in a hushed breath, his speech deliberately slowed to convey the information. "They all specialize in close-quarters short-blade combat, excelling at grappling in confined spaces like this forest. Brother Chen is too badly injured to move. We can't abandon him and make a desperate dash. When the fight starts, I'll engage two head-on. Xiao Ge, you hold the left flank and hold off two. Brother Lin, you guard the right side, keep a close watch on the remaining three, and prioritize blocking any ambushers. Whatever you do, don't chase anyone alone. Once we're separated, none of us will be able to save the others."
Xiao Ge's right hand gripped the hilt of his short blade tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. The young man's chest heaved violently, his breathing unconsciously growing heavier, but he didn't retreat half a step. He pressed his back gently against Lao Chai's side, his gaze locked onto the subtle movements of the shoulder of the assassin closest to him, constantly anticipating when the attack would come. During their stealthy infiltration into the valley earlier, Xiao Ge had still harbored a simple hope: find Chen Yi, treat his wounds quickly, and have the whole group leave the valley safely. But now, surrounded on all sides by assassins, the crushing weight of impending death pressed down on his shoulders. Cold sweat constantly broke out on his palms, sliding down the hilt of his blade. He had seen his fair share of street brawls while following the escort agency, but he had never been trapped in such a hopeless, life-or-death predicament. Fear crept into his heart like vines, but the stubborn pride deep in his youth forced him to clench his jaw and refuse to show weakness.
Lin Yan took half a step back, his back gently resting against the rough bark of the pine tree. Subconsciously, he pressed his injured left arm tightly against his chest, limiting its movement as much as possible to prevent the fighting from tearing the wound open. The layers of bandages wrapped around his arm had long been soaked through by sweat and the mountain's dampness, clinging tightly to his flesh. The slightest exertion of his muscles sent a sharp, dull pain shooting from his forearm all the way to his shoulder. Unlike Lao Chai and Xiao Ge, who had practiced martial arts and weaponry since childhood, he had no set offensive or defensive moves to rely on. He only carried a common short dagger he had picked up from the battlefield wreckage during the day, its blade still bearing a few tiny nicks. All he could rely on was the keen observation he had gradually honed through this journey of slaughter, and his instinctive emergency reflexes in the face of absolute despair.
As his gaze slowly swept over the assassins surrounding him, that hazy intuition in Lin Yan's heart remained quietly dormant, showing no change whatsoever. He still couldn't determine who the person he was meant to fulfill a wish for truly was. Now that Chen Yi knew the token had been safely delivered to the outpost, his greatest obsession—protecting the token—seemed to be fulfilled. Yet, the guiding intuition in his heart hadn't dissipated. Did Chen Yi harbor another unspoken hope deep within? Or perhaps, from the very beginning, the person he was searching for wasn't Chen Yi at all. These chaotic thoughts flashed briefly in his mind. Now was not the time to delve into the answer; staying alive was the absolute priority.
Slumped against the tree, Chen Yi struggled to lift his heavy eyelids. He watched the assassins slowly closing in, then looked at the three people in front of him who were preparing to fight to the death to protect him. His withered lips trembled slightly. Shaking his head weakly, he spoke in a faint but clear voice, enduring the agonizing pain of his chest wound tearing with every single word: "Don't worry about me... Find a chance to break out and leave. Green Face never intended to kill me. He left me alive to use me as bait, calculating that you would definitely come back to rescue me. If you stay, everyone will be buried here. Not a single one of you will escape."
"Brother Chen, since we've found you, we will absolutely never abandon a companion to escape alone," Lao Chai replied in a deep, resolute voice. The arm holding his short blade remained perfectly steady. The sense of honor etched into his bones through years as an escort guard would never allow him to choose to flee and abandon someone. "The Zhenyue Escort Agency has walked this Jianghu not by fighting alone, but by never abandoning a companion in times of peril."
An assassin standing at the forefront of the encirclement let out a low, mocking sneer. A hoarse, dry voice leaked out from beneath the black cloth, completely devoid of emotion: "Empty talk of Jianghu honor. The master already anticipated you would say something like this. Surrender willingly, and we will leave you alive to be brought back for questioning. If you insist on resisting, you will be slain on the spot. No survivors."
The instant those words fell, the two assassins on the left side of the encirclement launched their attack simultaneously. Their footsteps crossed as one attacked the upper body and the other went for the lower path, their short blades slashing diagonally straight toward Xiao Ge. The blade sliced through the cool forest air, emitting a faint, sharp whistle. The moves were vicious and insidious, every strike aimed precisely at fatal vital points like the throat and the heart.
"Careful!" Lao Chai barked. His figure suddenly lunged forward half a step, his short blade swinging horizontally with all his might. Clang! A piercing, crisp metallic collision rang out as he forcibly blocked one of the short blades. The massive shockwave from the clash traveled down the blade straight into Lao Chai's palm. The webbing of his hand went numb, and his arm trembled slightly. The other short blade wasn't blocked; it continued to thrust toward Xiao Ge's chest. In a panic, Xiao Ge violently twisted his body to dodge. The sharp blade grazed the fabric on his shoulder, instantly tearing a long gash in the coarse cloth. The tip of the blade sliced through his flesh, and warm blood immediately seeped out, staining the outer layer of his tunic red.
Xiao Ge let out a muffled groan. A burning pain shot through his shoulder, but he didn't retreat. Instead, he swiftly swung his blade in a fierce counterattack, forcing the close-quarters assassin to step back to avoid the strike.
Seizing the brief gap created by this exchange, the two assassins on the right side of the encirclement simultaneously shifted their targets, launching a surprise attack toward Lin Yan. Lin Yan didn't choose to block the blade head-on. Pushing off hard with his feet, he dropped his body and rolled sideways. The decaying leaves and mud beneath him exploded outward from the force of the roll. A sharp short blade whistled past the hair on his head. Thud! It chopped heavily into the pine trunk behind him, sending fine wood splinters raining down.
After rolling to the ground, Lin Yan immediately planted one hand on the dirt and sprang to his feet, his heart hammering wildly against his ribs. He had been less than half an inch away from having his neck slit. Gripping his crude dagger with both hands, he lowered his center of gravity. His gaze locked onto the assassin charging at him again as he continuously took small steps backward, using the thick tree trunks to constantly block the opponent's line of attack. He didn't know any continuous sword techniques and couldn't fight head-on. He could only rely on constant dodging and weaving, patiently waiting for the tiny flaws that would appear after his opponent made a move.
In the confined space of the dense forest, the slaughter erupted instantly. The crisp clangs of clashing blades, the sharp cracking of breaking branches, and the suppressed groans of the fighters echoed back and forth within the enclosed space of the forest.
Lao Chai engaged two assassins at once. His blade work was steady and seasoned, unleashing all the experience he had accumulated from decades of wilderness combat. However, the two opponents were extremely well-coordinated. One pressed the attack from the front to draw his attention, while the other constantly flanked, searching for opportunities to ambush, continuously draining Lao Chai's stamina. After several rounds of blocking and parrying, Lao Chai's breathing gradually grew heavy and rapid. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his temples, and a shallow knife wound appeared on the outside of his forearm. Blood slowly trickled down his arm, soaking his sleeve.
On the other side, the wounded Xiao Ge relied on the fierce bravery of youth to desperately fend off the attacks. His moves were sharp and full of fighting spirit, but he lacked the experience to handle a dual assault. Several times, he found himself in grave danger, saved only by Lao Chai seizing a moment to twist his body and block the ambushers' blades, preventing him from being critically wounded.
The remaining three assassins on the perimeter didn't all join the close-quarters melee. They continued to guard the gaps in the encirclement, watching the slaughter in the center calmly, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. This was their pre-planned tactic: they were in no rush to surround and kill everyone at once. They continuously drained the trapped fighters' physical and mental stamina, waiting until someone was severely wounded and exhausted, exposing a fatal flaw, before swarming in to completely end the battle.
Leaning against the rough tree trunk, Chen Yi was completely powerless to stand. He could only watch the slaughter unfolding before his eyes. His hands gripped the wild grass beneath him so tightly his knuckles turned white, his heart churning with endless guilt. If he hadn't stayed behind alone to hold the line, if Green Face hadn't set this trap using him as bait, Lin Yan, Lao Chai, and Xiao Ge would never have been dragged into such a desperate situation. He had risked half his life to protect the token, only to drag the companions who came to rescue him into a deadly trap in the end. A bitter sense of helplessness firmly seized his heart.
Lin Yan continuously dodged and weaved, avoiding the short blades thrust toward him. While evading the attacks, he silently observed the rhythm of the assassins' rotating offense. These death warriors had clear divisions of labor; they took turns engaging in close combat while the others guarded the gaps, giving the besieged no breathing room. If they simply fought head-on, the three of them would eventually exhaust their stamina. Defeat would only be a matter of time.
His gaze quickly swept over the surrounding environment. His eyes landed on the thick, intertwined vines high above the ancient pine behind him, then glanced toward a narrow ravine filled with scattered rocks not far to the right. The ravine had protruding rocks on both sides, and the passage was extremely narrow, barely allowing one person to pass sideways. If they could successfully retreat into this ravine, the assassins wouldn't be able to attack side-by-side. Their advantage of coordinated encirclement would be instantly nullified, turning it into one-on-one grappling. Only then would a chance to break out appear.
"Lao Chai! There's a narrow rocky ravine on the right! Getting into the ravine will break their encirclement!" Lin Yan shouted loudly, seizing a brief gap in the offense and defense.
Lao Chai's peripheral vision swiftly swept toward the ravine Lin Yan had pointed out. In an instant, he understood the strategy. But a massive problem stood in their way: Chen Yi was severely wounded and completely drained of strength; he couldn't even stand. Trying to carry him over the scattered rocks and through the narrow ravine to break out would be nearly impossible.
"What about Brother Chen!" Xiao Ge shouted, panting heavily as he desperately forced the assassin in front of him back.
Hearing this, Chen Yi immediately shook his head vigorously. The intense emotion pulled at his chest wound, and he couldn't help but cough violently. Threads of blood spilled from the corners of his mouth. Forcing his voice higher, he rasped, "Don't worry about me! Seize the chance and leave immediately! This is your only chance to survive!"
In the exact moment when everyone's attention was briefly diverted by this exchange, an assassin guarding the outer perimeter seized the opening. His figure suddenly surged forward, his body dropping low as his short blade thrust straight toward the immobile Chen Yi's chest!
Catching the surging black shadow out of the corner of his eye, Lin Yan's heart clenched violently. Without time to think, he violently twisted his body and lunged forward, trying to intercept the strike.
These death warriors under Green Face were accustomed to coordinated action and deeply versed in the tactics of jungle hunting. They maintained fixed distances between each other, forming a slowly tightening net that firmly blocked all possible routes of escape. The dense thickets to the left, the low shrubs to the right, and the retreat path leading back to the open valley were all sealed off. No one rashly pushed forward. They waited patiently for the besieged to panic and expose a flaw, ready to seize the opportunity to strike and kill with a single blow.
Lao Chai quickly sidestepped half a step, firmly blocking the severely wounded Chen Yi. His left hand pressed slightly downward toward Xiao Ge and Lin Yan, signaling them to quickly close in toward him. He didn't impulsively draw his blade to strike first. His gaze swiftly swept over the positioning of the seven assassins, quickly counting their numbers in his mind and silently estimating the rhythm of their offensive and defensive rotations. Having dealt with Jianghu vendettas in the mountains for years, he knew perfectly well that once trapped in a multi-man encirclement, the worst thing to do was get separated by the enemy. Once mutual support was lost, they would be slaughtered one by one in an instant.
"Seven death warriors," Lao Chai whispered in a hushed breath, his speech deliberately slowed to convey the information. "They all specialize in close-quarters short-blade combat, excelling at grappling in confined spaces like this forest. Brother Chen is too badly injured to move. We can't abandon him and make a desperate dash. When the fight starts, I'll engage two head-on. Xiao Ge, you hold the left flank and hold off two. Brother Lin, you guard the right side, keep a close watch on the remaining three, and prioritize blocking any ambushers. Whatever you do, don't chase anyone alone. Once we're separated, none of us will be able to save the others."
Xiao Ge's right hand gripped the hilt of his short blade tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. The young man's chest heaved violently, his breathing unconsciously growing heavier, but he didn't retreat half a step. He pressed his back gently against Lao Chai's side, his gaze locked onto the subtle movements of the shoulder of the assassin closest to him, constantly anticipating when the attack would come. During their stealthy infiltration into the valley earlier, Xiao Ge had still harbored a simple hope: find Chen Yi, treat his wounds quickly, and have the whole group leave the valley safely. But now, surrounded on all sides by assassins, the crushing weight of impending death pressed down on his shoulders. Cold sweat constantly broke out on his palms, sliding down the hilt of his blade. He had seen his fair share of street brawls while following the escort agency, but he had never been trapped in such a hopeless, life-or-death predicament. Fear crept into his heart like vines, but the stubborn pride deep in his youth forced him to clench his jaw and refuse to show weakness.
Lin Yan took half a step back, his back gently resting against the rough bark of the pine tree. Subconsciously, he pressed his injured left arm tightly against his chest, limiting its movement as much as possible to prevent the fighting from tearing the wound open. The layers of bandages wrapped around his arm had long been soaked through by sweat and the mountain's dampness, clinging tightly to his flesh. The slightest exertion of his muscles sent a sharp, dull pain shooting from his forearm all the way to his shoulder. Unlike Lao Chai and Xiao Ge, who had practiced martial arts and weaponry since childhood, he had no set offensive or defensive moves to rely on. He only carried a common short dagger he had picked up from the battlefield wreckage during the day, its blade still bearing a few tiny nicks. All he could rely on was the keen observation he had gradually honed through this journey of slaughter, and his instinctive emergency reflexes in the face of absolute despair.
As his gaze slowly swept over the assassins surrounding him, that hazy intuition in Lin Yan's heart remained quietly dormant, showing no change whatsoever. He still couldn't determine who the person he was meant to fulfill a wish for truly was. Now that Chen Yi knew the token had been safely delivered to the outpost, his greatest obsession—protecting the token—seemed to be fulfilled. Yet, the guiding intuition in his heart hadn't dissipated. Did Chen Yi harbor another unspoken hope deep within? Or perhaps, from the very beginning, the person he was searching for wasn't Chen Yi at all. These chaotic thoughts flashed briefly in his mind. Now was not the time to delve into the answer; staying alive was the absolute priority.
Slumped against the tree, Chen Yi struggled to lift his heavy eyelids. He watched the assassins slowly closing in, then looked at the three people in front of him who were preparing to fight to the death to protect him. His withered lips trembled slightly. Shaking his head weakly, he spoke in a faint but clear voice, enduring the agonizing pain of his chest wound tearing with every single word: "Don't worry about me... Find a chance to break out and leave. Green Face never intended to kill me. He left me alive to use me as bait, calculating that you would definitely come back to rescue me. If you stay, everyone will be buried here. Not a single one of you will escape."
"Brother Chen, since we've found you, we will absolutely never abandon a companion to escape alone," Lao Chai replied in a deep, resolute voice. The arm holding his short blade remained perfectly steady. The sense of honor etched into his bones through years as an escort guard would never allow him to choose to flee and abandon someone. "The Zhenyue Escort Agency has walked this Jianghu not by fighting alone, but by never abandoning a companion in times of peril."
An assassin standing at the forefront of the encirclement let out a low, mocking sneer. A hoarse, dry voice leaked out from beneath the black cloth, completely devoid of emotion: "Empty talk of Jianghu honor. The master already anticipated you would say something like this. Surrender willingly, and we will leave you alive to be brought back for questioning. If you insist on resisting, you will be slain on the spot. No survivors."
The instant those words fell, the two assassins on the left side of the encirclement launched their attack simultaneously. Their footsteps crossed as one attacked the upper body and the other went for the lower path, their short blades slashing diagonally straight toward Xiao Ge. The blade sliced through the cool forest air, emitting a faint, sharp whistle. The moves were vicious and insidious, every strike aimed precisely at fatal vital points like the throat and the heart.
"Careful!" Lao Chai barked. His figure suddenly lunged forward half a step, his short blade swinging horizontally with all his might. Clang! A piercing, crisp metallic collision rang out as he forcibly blocked one of the short blades. The massive shockwave from the clash traveled down the blade straight into Lao Chai's palm. The webbing of his hand went numb, and his arm trembled slightly. The other short blade wasn't blocked; it continued to thrust toward Xiao Ge's chest. In a panic, Xiao Ge violently twisted his body to dodge. The sharp blade grazed the fabric on his shoulder, instantly tearing a long gash in the coarse cloth. The tip of the blade sliced through his flesh, and warm blood immediately seeped out, staining the outer layer of his tunic red.
Xiao Ge let out a muffled groan. A burning pain shot through his shoulder, but he didn't retreat. Instead, he swiftly swung his blade in a fierce counterattack, forcing the close-quarters assassin to step back to avoid the strike.
Seizing the brief gap created by this exchange, the two assassins on the right side of the encirclement simultaneously shifted their targets, launching a surprise attack toward Lin Yan. Lin Yan didn't choose to block the blade head-on. Pushing off hard with his feet, he dropped his body and rolled sideways. The decaying leaves and mud beneath him exploded outward from the force of the roll. A sharp short blade whistled past the hair on his head. Thud! It chopped heavily into the pine trunk behind him, sending fine wood splinters raining down.
After rolling to the ground, Lin Yan immediately planted one hand on the dirt and sprang to his feet, his heart hammering wildly against his ribs. He had been less than half an inch away from having his neck slit. Gripping his crude dagger with both hands, he lowered his center of gravity. His gaze locked onto the assassin charging at him again as he continuously took small steps backward, using the thick tree trunks to constantly block the opponent's line of attack. He didn't know any continuous sword techniques and couldn't fight head-on. He could only rely on constant dodging and weaving, patiently waiting for the tiny flaws that would appear after his opponent made a move.
In the confined space of the dense forest, the slaughter erupted instantly. The crisp clangs of clashing blades, the sharp cracking of breaking branches, and the suppressed groans of the fighters echoed back and forth within the enclosed space of the forest.
Lao Chai engaged two assassins at once. His blade work was steady and seasoned, unleashing all the experience he had accumulated from decades of wilderness combat. However, the two opponents were extremely well-coordinated. One pressed the attack from the front to draw his attention, while the other constantly flanked, searching for opportunities to ambush, continuously draining Lao Chai's stamina. After several rounds of blocking and parrying, Lao Chai's breathing gradually grew heavy and rapid. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his temples, and a shallow knife wound appeared on the outside of his forearm. Blood slowly trickled down his arm, soaking his sleeve.
On the other side, the wounded Xiao Ge relied on the fierce bravery of youth to desperately fend off the attacks. His moves were sharp and full of fighting spirit, but he lacked the experience to handle a dual assault. Several times, he found himself in grave danger, saved only by Lao Chai seizing a moment to twist his body and block the ambushers' blades, preventing him from being critically wounded.
The remaining three assassins on the perimeter didn't all join the close-quarters melee. They continued to guard the gaps in the encirclement, watching the slaughter in the center calmly, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. This was their pre-planned tactic: they were in no rush to surround and kill everyone at once. They continuously drained the trapped fighters' physical and mental stamina, waiting until someone was severely wounded and exhausted, exposing a fatal flaw, before swarming in to completely end the battle.
Leaning against the rough tree trunk, Chen Yi was completely powerless to stand. He could only watch the slaughter unfolding before his eyes. His hands gripped the wild grass beneath him so tightly his knuckles turned white, his heart churning with endless guilt. If he hadn't stayed behind alone to hold the line, if Green Face hadn't set this trap using him as bait, Lin Yan, Lao Chai, and Xiao Ge would never have been dragged into such a desperate situation. He had risked half his life to protect the token, only to drag the companions who came to rescue him into a deadly trap in the end. A bitter sense of helplessness firmly seized his heart.
Lin Yan continuously dodged and weaved, avoiding the short blades thrust toward him. While evading the attacks, he silently observed the rhythm of the assassins' rotating offense. These death warriors had clear divisions of labor; they took turns engaging in close combat while the others guarded the gaps, giving the besieged no breathing room. If they simply fought head-on, the three of them would eventually exhaust their stamina. Defeat would only be a matter of time.
His gaze quickly swept over the surrounding environment. His eyes landed on the thick, intertwined vines high above the ancient pine behind him, then glanced toward a narrow ravine filled with scattered rocks not far to the right. The ravine had protruding rocks on both sides, and the passage was extremely narrow, barely allowing one person to pass sideways. If they could successfully retreat into this ravine, the assassins wouldn't be able to attack side-by-side. Their advantage of coordinated encirclement would be instantly nullified, turning it into one-on-one grappling. Only then would a chance to break out appear.
"Lao Chai! There's a narrow rocky ravine on the right! Getting into the ravine will break their encirclement!" Lin Yan shouted loudly, seizing a brief gap in the offense and defense.
Lao Chai's peripheral vision swiftly swept toward the ravine Lin Yan had pointed out. In an instant, he understood the strategy. But a massive problem stood in their way: Chen Yi was severely wounded and completely drained of strength; he couldn't even stand. Trying to carry him over the scattered rocks and through the narrow ravine to break out would be nearly impossible.
"What about Brother Chen!" Xiao Ge shouted, panting heavily as he desperately forced the assassin in front of him back.
Hearing this, Chen Yi immediately shook his head vigorously. The intense emotion pulled at his chest wound, and he couldn't help but cough violently. Threads of blood spilled from the corners of his mouth. Forcing his voice higher, he rasped, "Don't worry about me! Seize the chance and leave immediately! This is your only chance to survive!"
In the exact moment when everyone's attention was briefly diverted by this exchange, an assassin guarding the outer perimeter seized the opening. His figure suddenly surged forward, his body dropping low as his short blade thrust straight toward the immobile Chen Yi's chest!
Catching the surging black shadow out of the corner of his eye, Lin Yan's heart clenched violently. Without time to think, he violently twisted his body and lunged forward, trying to intercept the strike.