Although Yuan Lixun was not a native of the Tianluo Kingdom, her expression soured out of shared indignation; the actions of the Kaizong Kingdom were simply too arrogant.

She also perfectly understood the depths of He Yiming's fury.

Since the Kaizong Kingdom had deployed its army, there was no way such a move could be kept secret.

It was likely that the higher echelons of the Tianluo Kingdom had already grasped the situation, yet no one had dared to speak out.

In that moment, He Yiming sighed internally; the adage that a weak nation invites bullying was undeniably true.

His gaze swept the surroundings. Wherever his eyes landed, merchants appeared tense, and the few women and children huddled together, their eyes betraying unconcealed terror.

When He Yiming saw those gazes, something felt like a sharp prick in his heart.

These... were the subjects of the Tianluo Kingdom, the people living under the protection of Shui Xuanjin and himself.

Their worry and dread for the future ignited an inexplicable rage within He Yiming. The emotion seemed to stem from nowhere, yet it slowly spread, saturating his entire being.

The two young men tasked with monitoring them suddenly shivered, their eyes darting toward the tent where He Yiming resided, recalling the bone-chilling cold they had felt when the curtain was first drawn back.

They had initially assumed the intense cold was due to the tent itself being exceptionally frigid. But a persistent, baffling question lingered in their minds: how had the three of them managed to stay inside such a cold tent?

※※※※

Finally, a host of fast horses halted about a hundred meters from the encampment.

As they approached the camp, their formation lost its previous uniformity. Yet, even with their deliberately relaxed appearance, He Yiming knew it was a facade.

This group was absolutely a disciplined force that obeyed commands instantly—the kind of powerful contingent forged only in a military barracks.

Xu Su and the others had already encircled their wagons, forming a protective ring. Though this might not offer much actual defense, it was better than nothing.

Seeing them stop, Xu Su felt a slight easing of tension and called out, "Esteemed sirs, we are a small trade caravan passing through from the Kaizong Kingdom, and we offer this token of respect."

A spear suddenly shot out from the camp, tracing a bright arc through the air, landing tens of meters away, embedding itself diagonally just meters in front of the bandit leader.

Affixed to the spear was a package. Though not large, it appeared quite heavy.

It must contain yellow and white metals, and likely in no small quantity.

He Yiming’s heart stirred. Xu Su was indeed seasoned. He clearly wasn't dealing with such situations for the first time, handling it with proper etiquette, balancing firmness with suppleness, neither servile nor overbearing.

If they had encountered mere bandits like the former Red Scarf Bandits, and if the group wasn't led by peak masters of the tenth level of Inner Strength, they might have been allowed to pass easily.

After all, the strength displayed by that spear thrust indicated at least an eighth-level Inner Strength cultivation.

For these ordinary bandits, numbering one or two hundred, killing such a master would likely be more trouble than it was worth.

However, a sound like rolling thunder erupted from the other side, filled with an indescribable disdain—the contempt of someone viewing a beggar on the roadside, replete with scorn and revulsion.

"Listen up inside! Hand over half your cargo, leave all your women, and we will spare your lives."

The caravan immediately erupted in an uproar...

Yuan Lixun’s face grew cold. "This is too much! They mean to wipe us out completely," she paused. "What are the Kaizong Kingdom's troops thinking? Aren't they afraid that scaring away every merchant will close this trade route?"

He Yiming snorted coldly, "If the Tianluo merchants are gone, the Kaizong merchants will still remain."

Yuan Lixun suddenly understood, glancing around at the faces of the women and children, her anger intensifying.

Xu Su’s expression turned frighteningly grim. Suddenly, a very portly man painstakingly and cautiously approached him, whispering, "Brother Xu, what now?"

Xu Su shook his head slightly and replied in a voice barely audible, "Not good. We’re in deep trouble."

Zhang Facai gasped in alarm, "There are only two hundred of them."

"Their two hundred are far more formidable than our ragtag group here," Xu Su said coldly. "We’ve known each other for decades. Listen to me: take your people, abandon the cargo, and flee amidst the chaos later."

Zhang Facai’s body trembled, the fat on his face quivering. "And you?"

Xu Su managed a tragic smile. "Since I chose this path of living on the edge, what choice do I have?"

A ruthless glint flashed in Zhang Facai’s small eyes. He whispered, "We leave together."

Xu Su shook his head decisively. "You can leave; I cannot." A rare spark of madness appeared in his eyes: "If they want me dead, I will certainly make them pay a steep price..."

Zhang Facai let out a long sigh. He knew Xu Su was resolved to die and could not be persuaded otherwise. Moreover, Xu Su was right; if he fled now, he would never be able to hold his head up in public again.

He moved his hefty body back toward his own tent. His eyes lingered on the precious goods, filled with reluctance, but as he looked away, the sentiment vanished as if those items never belonged to him.

※※※※

In the distance, they seemed to grow impatient.

The bandit leader suddenly bellowed, "You ungrateful wretches! If you don't hand over your people and your goods now, we'll slaughter every last one of you!"

He raised his great saber high, unleashing a sound like thunder: "Kill..."

Behind him, over two hundred men raised their weapons, the tips of the blades all pointed toward the encampment.

"Kill!"

The ferocious cry formed a massive wave of sound, lingering above the camp.

In that instant, the entire camp fell silent. Having witnessed the overwhelming momentum of the opposition, no one believed Xu Su and his group could possibly resist.

Even the veterans who had followed Xu Su for over ten years, those who trusted him implicitly, wavered at this moment.

Everyone knew that when this group charged, they would be unstoppable. Their makeshift wagon defenses probably wouldn't even register as an obstacle to them.

"Waaah..." A loud wail suddenly broke the silence in the camp.

Although not many merchants had brought their families, the number of women and children did not exceed forty. But someone could no longer bear it and began to weep openly.

Instantly, an atmosphere of misery permeated the entire camp, and the already prevalent fear spread limitlessly.

Xu Su sensed disaster. But contrary to his expectation, the cavalry did not charge in at that moment; instead, a wave of mocking laughter drifted from their direction. It was as if they had never doubted their success and disdained using a surprise attack.

Xu Su let out a long sigh, forcing a bitter smile as he looked up at the sky. Decades of accumulated reputation were about to be ruined today.

He gazed into the distance, and in that dim world, he seemed to see his wife and children waiting for his safe return by the door of his home.

His lips moved slightly as he slowly drew his long sword.

From his body surged forth an aura of power stronger than any he had ever possessed.

"Pass the word: when they attack, everyone must not resist. Flee immediately. Losing the cargo is secondary; survival is paramount. Save whoever you can..."

The men around him exchanged glances. When Xu Su drew his sword, they had assumed he was declaring his resolve to fight to the very end. But his words shocked them deeply.

One man stepped forward. "Big Brother, they're just bandits. We can fight them; we might not necessarily lose."

Xu Su smiled bitterly and patted his shoulder. "Listen to me, and go do it."

The others fell silent, but under his watch, they could only obey and leave.

When the last man departed, Xu Su’s expression grew even more bitter. He muttered to himself, "The elite troops of the Kaizong army—what can we use to fight them?"

Suddenly, an unexpected, low voice sounded beside his ear: "Use your lives to fight, of course."

Xu Su was greatly startled. He spun around sharply, only to find He Yiming standing beside him at some unknown point. His face changed drastically; hadn't he assigned two men to watch them? How did this person get here?

He raised his sword vertically, demanding coldly, "Who are you people, and what are you trying to do?"

He Yiming ignored the gleaming sword in his hand and simply walked forward.

Seeing He Yiming approach, Xu Su instinctively retracted his sword, stepping back two paces to clear a path as the blade was about to pierce his body.

As He Yiming passed by him, he paused, casting a deep look at Xu Su.

This gaze held a look that made Xu Su tremble. Then, he walked out of the circle of wagons and stopped about ten meters ahead.

Xu Su stared blankly at He Yiming’s retreating back, his mind gripped by countless warring thoughts.

Suddenly, he felt a shift around him. Looking up, he saw the dozens of brothers who had followed him through the perilous roads of Tianluo, dancing on the razor's edge between life and death, had gathered back by his side.

Though their expressions varied, the gaze they fixed upon him was full of trust.

His heart warmed, but he immediately recalled the might of the Kaizong Kingdom's regular army, and the sudden surge of passion was instantly extinguished as if doused with ice-cold water.

Taking a deep breath, he waved his hand grandly. "You all go too. Save whoever you can. Remember: survive..."

He strode forward, pushing through the crowd, stepped out of the wagon circle, and arrived next to He Yiming.

He Yiming looked at him with a half-smile. "Why is it still just you?"

Xu Su offered a wry smile. "They all have families. I can't let them die here for nothing."

He Yiming turned his head back and asked with a smile, "Then... what about you?"

Xu Su clenched his jaw, a subtle expression of pain flickering in his eyes.

He Yiming's voice cut through the noisy jeers, not loudly, but clearly, as if speaking right next to his ear.

"If even someone like you loses faith in victory... then Tianluo Kingdom will truly be lost."

Xu Su’s mouth fell open. He was overwhelmed with emotion. For some reason, he vaguely felt an exciting power in He Yiming's words. The blood that had long turned cold within him seemed to boil again. His body, no longer young, suddenly felt filled with an alien strength and fighting spirit that did not belong to him.

He turned sharply, staring at the laughing, cat-and-mouse cavalry troop ahead. His eyes slowly reddened.

As red as blood...

※※※※

Behind them, those dozens of men looked at each other. Some eyes flickered uncertainly, but more were filled with a growing, bright intensity.

Finally, a middle-aged man drew his saber, which was nearly a meter long, with a broad, thick blade.

He extended his thick tongue and licked the edge of the blade; a streak of bright crimson trickled along the sharp edge. He smacked his lips twice, letting out a few chuckles, and swept his gaze across the faces of his companions.

Then, he turned, strode past the wagons, and followed in Xu Su’s footsteps.

The few men whose eyes had been darting around flushed with shame under his gaze, their internal struggles laid bare.

A one-eyed, one-armed old man suddenly let out a long sigh. He lifted a long object from behind him and slowly moved out from the wagons, also heading toward the front.

He was the cook for this team, always responsible for preparing the meals.

He was handicapped—missing an eye and a hand, and his leg was lame.

In the dim night, his steps looked even more arduous. But at this moment, no one dared to mock him.

"Damn it all..."

A rough voice shattered the quiet night. A strapping young man stood up, his face flushed either from excitement or fear.

"If you have the manhood, follow me!"

His voice was loud and resonant. He then hoisted an axe almost as tall as he was and marched forward.

However, before his figure crossed the edge of the wagon, a small, slender figure darted out first. He rushed to the old cook’s side and clung to the old man’s slightly trembling body like a shadow, holding on tight.

Everyone instantly recognized the small figure: the orphan raised by the old cook, a frail boy barely twelve years old.

Figures emerged one after another from behind the wagons, silently assembling behind Xu Su.

Xu Su did not turn back, but if he had, he would have known how He Yiming managed to arrive here silently.

Because among the men behind him, two were the very youths he had dispatched to monitor He Yiming.

At this moment, excitement blazed in the eyes of these two young men. Their nostrils flared under the tension; having stepped forward fueled by sheer passion, they were now keenly feeling the immense pressure and manifesting a powerful will that dismissed the fear of death.

A spirit of utter disregard for life radiated from them.

This atmosphere seemed contagious. The previously panicked camp fell suddenly quiet.

From the gaps between every wagon, pairs of eyes watched all this in silence.

However, not everyone stepped out.

After the majority had left their wagons, a few exchanged glances, their eyes filled with irrepressible terror.

Silently, they turned and fled. Under the cover of night, they mounted their horses and galloped desperately into the distance.

They abandoned their comrades and the trade caravan they were supposed to protect. Facing imminent death, they chose their own lives, regardless of future infamy, of having to flee to distant lands, or of being forever scorned and forced to live anonymously.

But at least they survived...

Yuan Lixun watched those who were escaping into the distance, and a trace of sorrow touched her gaze.

※※※※

Not far away, the more than two hundred riders watched He Yiming and his group, who were now less than a hundred meters away, with cold eyes. Cruel, calm smiles played on the faces of the riders.

One chuckled grimly, "Unexpectedly, we finally see a few warriors this time."

"Warriors?" The voice of the cavalry leader was cold and entirely devoid of guilt. "Warriors are only born in the Kaizong Kingdom. What Tianluo needs is not warriors, but meek cowards who submit without question."

This man held high prestige among the riders, and when he spoke, no one dared interrupt.

Glancing toward the eastern horizon, the leader smiled. "We attack the moment the sun rises. Remember: do not kill those who flee. Kill every single one who resists."

"Yes," came the unified roar from every rider.

The leading rider raised his giant scimitar, spat lightly, and sneered, "A bunch of lowly creatures daring to resist me. I will show you that all who attempt to resist the Kaizong Kingdom will be turned to ash. As for their leader..." He chuckled, as if recounting some trivial matter, "I will have him torn apart by five horses."

As if sensing the mounting killing intent, the entire camp fell quiet. Most people looked around blankly, entirely uncertain of what to do.

About a dozen people stood up, taking their weapons and silently positioning themselves outside the circle of wagons.

Yet, those who truly stood up bravely accounted for less than a tenth of the total.

At this moment, everyone had made their choice.

Finally, the army in front began to arrange themselves. They seemed to have abandoned the pretense of being bandits, with over two hundred riders forming orderly lines.

The space between the horses was deliberately widened—anyone seeing this could guess.

These were not undisciplined, marauding bandits, but a highly trained elite force.

Under everyone’s gaze, they formed their ranks. The leading knight raised his scimitar high, and with a sudden roar, the first rank of cavalry charged forward with shouts, like an army of a thousand chariots and ten thousand horses.

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