The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 2267 - 2242: Ambush

After traveling for three or four days, they left the Gobi grasslands and entered the desert. Master Zhi Ren said, "According to the villagers, after entering the desert, just head north for another three to five days, and you’ll reach Gaochang."

Everyone perked up upon hearing this and involuntarily quickened their pace.

After a rest for lunch, everyone drank some water and continued to stagger forward. Manbao was dozing in the carriage, her head nodding because of the afternoon drowsiness. Suddenly, Keke’s alarm sounded loudly, startling Manbao, who immediately raised her head.

Zhou Liru, who was dozing across from her, was taken aback, "Aunt, what’s wrong?"

Manbao tilted her head, listening to Keke’s emotionless report, "An unidentified force has been detected within the scan range, determined to pose a severe threat to the host’s life. Please take immediate evasive action upon receiving the warning."

Manbao instantly became alert, and she asked Keke in her mind, "What kind of force is it?"

Keke spelled it out slowly, "Unidentified..."

"Are they people or wolves or something else...?"

"People," Keke provided more details, "They are now twenty kilometers southwest of the host, closing in to nineteen kilometers, with a total of one hundred eighty-nine individuals..."

Keke paused, having scanned two familiar beings, and continued, "One of them is a person the host met at the desert inn, and the other is someone met during the bandit suppression, identified as Er Ge from the recorded footage."

Manbao immediately lifted the curtain and shouted outside, "Enemy attack! Assistant General Nie—"

Assistant General Nie was startled, the team had already gone on alert, and he rode over controlling his horse. As he arrived, a scout who had been sent ahead to find the path rushed back and tumbled off the horse, reporting loudly, "My lord, a force is charging at us thirty li from the southwest, moving extremely fast without a military flag."

Assistant General Nie turned to Zhou Man, saw her nod, and knew they were talking about the same thing.

He frowned, thinking that without a military flag, they weren’t from a military camp. In such a place, it could only be either a caravan or bandits, but moving so fast, they were clearly not a caravan.

He scanned the surroundings, quickly picking a spot and pointed, "Everyone increase speed and head toward that location, quick!"

The carriage instantly accelerated, soldiers and guards shielded it as they rushed toward the direction Assistant General Nie indicated. It was a recessed area with a high sand dune, and they positioned themselves on the ridge instead of within the recess.

The high sand dune facing south would block a cavalry charge, as no one dared to gallop down from it. Anyone trying would risk falling with their horse.

So they could only approach from one direction...

Assistant General Nie ordered, "Lu Two, take your men, set up horse traps, and ambush them. Make sure to stop the front horses."

"Yes!"

One person pointed to his soldiers and ran off with a horse trap.

"Zhang San, Wu Si, take the bows and set up an ambush on the flanks."

"Yes!"

Assistant General Nie then looked at Zhou Man and the others, who had gotten off the carriage and were mounting their treasured horses. He ordered, "Everyone, protect the carriage from behind."

"Understood."

The formation changed, most soldiers stood at the front, the carriage was drawn to the rear, tightly guarded by the Bai Family and Yin Family’s guards, with a small number of soldiers on the flanks.

Assistant General Nie ordered them to protect the food and water, as for the luggage containing gold, silver, and jewels, he looked at Bai Shan and instructed them to abandon it. It was agreed from the start, in case of an unfortunate encounter with bandits, the luggage was to be left behind; the priority was protecting the food and water, vital for their survival.

After making arrangements, he said to Zhou Man and the others standing behind him, "Lord Zhou, shouldn’t you all return to the carriage?"

Manbao refused, "We’re riding horses, and horses can escape faster."

"Then at least move to the back, it’s too dangerous here."

This was fine, Manbao and the others were quite obedient, so they turned their horses to the rear.

The carriage was pointed north, but they were on guard toward the southwest. Assistant General Nie’s order was, if they couldn’t hold, the drivers should lead the carriages northeast, even if it meant taking a detour, they could eventually resume their path to Gaochang.

With everything set, a scout rushed back with a report, "My lord, they’re coming!"

Assistant General Nie and everyone else looked up at the top of the high sand dune. Sure enough, soon figures appeared, unexpected to see them stop. The leader raised his eyebrows and howled, those following echoed with shouts, gripping their long knives, charging down the dune’s ridge at them...

"Charge, Erlangs, charge——"

The eyes of the leading three gleamed with a strange light, and the bandits echoed each other, their spirits high, causing a moment of unease among the convoy’s troops. The horses stamped their feet, but Assistant General Nie stood firm, and everyone gradually calmed down.

Manbao’s heart rose too, gripping the reins tightly, finally reaching out to pat Chiji’s neck to soothe it.

Hidden beneath the sand, showing only half a head and eyes, the soldiers tightly gripped their ropes as they saw the horses charging down, suddenly hearing Assistant General Nie shout. Without thinking, they immediately pulled the ropes tight. The charging horses, upon encountering the sand-lifted ropes, some leaped over, others tried to halt, but those trying to stop tripped others and some failed to stop in time, their legs getting caught, horses stumbled, flinging riders forward...

The soldiers holding the ropes felt a strong force pulling them forward; they knew they had snagged horses and didn’t linger, rolling down the sand slope, getting up and running toward the convoy...

The bandits lost about twenty horses at once. Those behind, realizing what happened, urged their mounts to chase. Assistant General Nie drew his long sword, ordering, "Fire——"

He thrust his sword forward, "Erlangs, now is the time to earn your glory, charge——"

The soldiers let out a cry, rushing with Assistant General Nie to meet the charging bandits, while the archers in the flanking ambushes emerged from the sand, splitting into three groups, shooting at the bandits...

For the first time, heavy rain saw such a skirmish between soldiers and bandits, far different from bandits fighting amongst themselves or with a convoy’s guards.

Not to mention the fervor, even the casualties differed greatly.

Heavy Rain watched Assistant General Nie and the soldiers engage the bandits, mingling and clashing. He hesitated for a moment, turning to Zhou Man, "Should we go assist?"