Chapter 18: On the Road

In addition, there were more than a thousand men, all seemingly ordinary citizens drafted at the last minute. It appeared that even more would be conscripted in the coming days.

“No matter whether one is up in the mountains or down below, there’s no escaping this,” Qin Yi thought to himself. Fortunately, his father was currently at the Qingwei Daoist Palace above, and should be safe for now. That eased his worries—if things turned dire, he could always make his escape.

Evening came.

Master Wang Qingxuan returned from council and gathered everyone from the dormitory.

“Master, how are things? What will we be assigned to do?” Zhao Shaojie asked anxiously.

“After bargaining with Xue Yintu, those who’ve reached the second stage and above are assigned to a squad of the vanguard camp. Those below the second stage will join the city defense or be part of the supply transport teams. This is the best arrangement we could secure,” Wang Qingxuan sighed.

At these words, the seniors who were above the second stage all looked uneasy, while those in the first stage and below were visibly relieved. So long as they weren’t sent to the front lines, their risk was much reduced.

Qin Yi, too, relaxed. Outwardly, he hadn’t even reached the first stage of cultivation; he was just an ordinary disciple.

“It’s better than having everyone forced into the vanguard. The specific assignments will be announced tomorrow. Take care of yourselves,” Wang Qingxuan said, waving them off.

Everyone departed, each with their own thoughts.

The next day, Qin Yi and eight other disciples were assigned to the grain transport team.

Besides Chen Jie and Liu Haibin, both at the first stage, the rest were like Qin Yi, newly inducted, yet to cultivate blood and strengthen muscle, not even at the first stage—ordinary people.

Once assigned, Chen Jie led Qin Yi and the rest, nine in all, into the city, as the grain stores were located there. When the army marched out, their future supplies would depend on these transport teams to deliver to the front.

Shortly after Qin Yi and his team entered the city, Xue Yintu led the army toward Sanjiang County next door. Whether the rebellion would be quelled, no one knew.

…

The following day, battle reports arrived. Allegedly, the county’s forces clashed with the rebels of Sanjiang County that morning. The specifics were unknown, but word had it the rebels numbered over ten thousand.

Inside the city, outside the grain warehouse, Qin Yi and the others stood by, awaiting orders.

“Three thousand against ten thousand? Is there any chance?” Chen Jie wondered aloud.

Everyone knew that the county’s army counted only a thousand true soldiers; the remaining two thousand were conscripts, most of them laborers.

“I suspect the rebels don’t have many trained fighters either. With ten thousand, most are probably refugees,” Liu Haibin said.

“That’s true. If there really were ten thousand rebels, they’d have stormed Jinyuan County by now, maybe even reached the county seat!”

On the third morning, the task finally arrived.

Five armored soldiers selected over a hundred people, temporarily organizing them as the second grain transport team, issuing supplies, and marching them out of the city toward Rongcang Town in Sanjiang County, where both armies were reportedly engaged.

Among these hundred, besides Qin Yi and his eight fellow disciples, there were a dozen monks, a dozen members of the Iron Wolf Gang with their embroidered insignia, and the rest were laborers. Before departure, each was issued a standard longsword.

More than twenty donkey carts loaded with supplies, over a hundred people—it was a grand procession. The distance would take roughly a day to traverse.

By afternoon, after hurrying along, they reached Cangwu Town. The journey was uneventful, though they saw many refugees fleeing toward Jinyuan City.

The grain transport team did not enter the town; instead, they continued along the official road toward Rongcang.

Half an hour later,

They reached a three-way intersection, surrounded by woods.

Suddenly, hoofbeats sounded from the left branch.

“Stop! Enemy sighted, everyone on alert!” shouted the lead soldier.

Everyone gripped their swords tightly, uncertain whether the newcomers were friend or foe.

Qin Yi and his companions were near the front of the column.

“If they’re foes, act as you see fit—survival comes first,” Chen Jie whispered.

All nodded in agreement.

No sooner had he spoken than a squad of twenty cavalry appeared on the road.

“Enemy attack! Prepare for battle!” the lead soldier cried, as if facing the gravest threat.

Cavalry—the nightmare of infantry!

“Haha! We’ve intercepted the enemy’s grain convoy at last. Brothers, kill them all! Leave no one alive!” The black-faced rider at their head laughed savagely.

The cavalry charged swiftly, reaching the grain convoy in moments.

“Fight! No retreat! Anyone who flees will face military justice!” The five soldiers shouted, leading by example, drawing their bows to shoot.

But confronted by such chaos, dozens of laborers were already trembling, some unable even to grip their weapons. Even the monks and Iron Wolf Gang members turned pale.

Boom!

The cavalry crashed into the crowd, cries of slaughter erupting.

Blood sprayed.

Heads flew.

Such carnage terrified the laborers, who scattered, fleeing into the woods.

“Don’t run! Don’t run!” the lead soldier yelled as his side collapsed, his shouts desperate and hoarse.

“Heh, a mere second-stage dares to be distracted in battle!” The black-faced rider sneered, swinging his horse-slaying blade.

“You—!” The soldier tried to block with his sword, but the force knocked him to the ground.

“You… You’re a third-stage!”

Blood sprayed.

A head soared into the air.

“Run! Flee into the woods, scatter!” Qin Yi hissed to his fellow disciples.

He could see these twenty cavalry were all first-stage fighters, especially the black-faced leader—a third-stage.

If they didn’t run now, when would they?

Luckily, when the cavalry first charged, their group had already retreated a short distance.

“Run!” Chen Jie shouted, seeing that two of their five soldiers were already dead.

Qin Yi ducked his head and sprinted toward the right-side woods.

He would not reveal his true strength unless forced; once exposed, he would surely be sent to the battlefield.

“Haha! Trying to escape? Die!”

Some cavalry began pursuing those fleeing into the woods.

Behind Qin Yi, one rider gave chase.

“Stop running, just lie down for your grandpa!”

Qin Yi glanced back; only seven or eight meters separated them.

He picked up speed, diving into the roadside woods.

“Think hiding in the woods means I can’t catch you?” The rider spurred his horse after him.

The trees were sparse near the road, dense only deeper in, so the horse could still advance.

After Qin Yi had run some twenty meters further, he finally slowed down.