Chapter 58: Li Xiong's Despair
Chapter 58: Li Xiong's Despair
September 25, 2017
How could a mere group of bandits be so powerful? Ten Near-Vassal-level warriors, is this the strength these bandits can muster? How can we possibly fight them?
This won't do, we must retreat!
Li Xiong glared at the fifty or sixty trembling Raiders beside him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"What are you all doing? Charge, all of you! There are only ten of them over there. Can't you lot take them down with your numbers? Charge! Whoever kills one of them will receive a hundred gold from me!"
With those words, the atmosphere immediately shifted.
In any era, the power of money is immense, and countless individuals are willing to risk everything, even their lives, for it. These Raiders had chosen this path precisely because of their greed for wealth.
Inspired by the promise of a hundred gold, the trembling Raiders' eyes lit up with a fierce determination. Fear vanished, replaced by bloodthirst and greed for the reward.
"Kill them!"
One of the Raiders took the lead, and with a hoarse, desperate roar, the group of fifty or sixty Raiders charged towards Wang Chao MaHan and his men.
It was quite a sight to behold, and it was hard to imagine that these bloodthirsty Raiders were the same ones who had been trembling moments ago.
'We can win! There are only ten of them, and even if they're stronger, we outnumber them. We can do this! We absolutely can!'
This delusion, or perhaps self-deception and consolation, gave the Raiders a false sense of courage. However, this bravery, fueled by greed and self-deception, was like the 'Emperor's New Clothes'—a mere tug could expose its hollowness.
Wang Chao MaHan and his men fearlessly met the charging Raiders head-on, ten against a force five times their number.
The outcome was clear from the moment the Raiders charged. Li Xiong's side had already begun to retreat quietly, even abandoning their horses, keeping an eye on the battle while trying to climb over the fallen boulder to reach the canyon and reunite with his two Near-Vassal subordinates. It was evident that these Raiders had no chance of victory.
When the Raiders collided with Wang Chao MaHan's group, they were like waves crashing against a reef, unable to move them an inch. In the initial clash, Wang Chao MaHan's side had already claimed over a dozen lives.
In an instant, the Raiders' courage evaporated, and what should have been a fierce battle turned into a one-sided slaughter.
How long could the fifty or sixty Raiders withstand the relentless onslaught of Wang Chao MaHan's group? In less than a few minutes, the Raiders were all cut down, and not a single member of Wang Chao MaHan's side was injured. It was as effortless as a leisurely horseback ride.
"Useless fools!" Li Xiong cursed upon witnessing this scene.
He had never held high hopes for his men, but he hadn't expected them to be defeated so swiftly.
With the outcome sealed, Li Xiong didn't linger. He was already climbing the boulder, about to reach the canyon, ensuring his survival. The Raiders' deaths would be justified once he escaped.
However, as he climbed onto the fallen boulder, Li Xiong's face, previously lit with the joy of survival, froze.
The canyon, which had been his hope for survival, now became the final straw that broke his spirit.
Given Li Xiong's intelligence, he should have realized much earlier that the absence of the two experts on his side was likely due to an unforeseen change. If he had known the situation in the canyon sooner, he might have had a glimmer of hope.
Just a few minutes ago, when Wang Chao MaHan launched the attack, the canyon was already suffering the most severe damage from the falling boulders. There were initially fifty to sixty people on this side, but over a dozen were crushed to death by the boulders, and some unlucky ones were also injured by the rocks dislodged by the impact.
The worst was yet to come. The horses under the raiders went berserk due to the sudden turn of events, and while the raiders themselves remained relatively restrained, the horses ran amok in the canyon. Many raiders who had survived the boulders ultimately couldn't escape the trampling hooves.
After all the horses had fled the canyon, fewer than twenty people remained alive, each with injuries. The scene was utterly tragic, and even some of the new raiders were stunned for a moment before bursting into tears.
At this point, the group of raiders had lost all morale. Although there were still two leaders among them, their prestige and ability to calm the troops were far inferior to Li Xiong's.
To make matters worse, Lu HaiKong chose this moment to make his entrance.
Lu HaiKong, descending from the canyon's edge with a rope in hand, appeared like a battle god descending from the heavens, his formidable presence stunning the group of raiders.
Lu HaiKong paid no heed to the small-time raiders who had lost their fighting spirit and even their will to resist. With his massive axe in hand, he sought out the two leaders of the raider group.
These two leaders had Strength Points around 35, still inferior to Lu HaiKong but far superior to Wang Chao MaHan. Upon seeing Zhao Lun approach, they immediately stood up and assumed a defensive stance, despite not knowing who Lu HaiKong was. They understood that his sudden appearance could not bode well.
"Who are you?" the two raider chiefs demanded.
"The one who will kill you all!" Lu HaiKong replied with a light and airy tone.
With a swift motion, Lu HaiKong's axe fell, and with two effortless swings, he effortlessly cut down the two leaders who had been prepared for battle.
Li Xiong, who had just climbed to the top of the boulder, witnessed this scene and was momentarily stunned.
"So, you're still alive," Lu HaiKong said, a cold smile on his face.
Li Xiong, terrified, turned to retreat towards Wang Chao MaHan's side, fully aware of the terror that awaited him in the canyon. Facing Lu HaiKong, he knew he had no chance of survival, and his only hope was to turn back.
But as Li Xiong turned, he saw a glimmer of hope.
"County troops! Troops from Shanwu County!" Li Xiong exclaimed.
On the other side of the canyon, he saw a tall figure behind Wang Chao MaHan, riding a swift horse and followed by a group of about a hundred county troops.
This tall figure was none other than the Company Commander whom Li Xiong had met at the gates of Shanwu County!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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