Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 46: It's Your Turn

In the pitch-black forest, Yuan Yourong, Chen Guiyan, and dozens of others swiftly dashed through, crossing streams and valleys, heading straight for the opposite mountain top.

They had no idea what Xin Zhuo and his gang were up to, singing strange mountain songs with such audacity. Were they not afraid of death?

To prevent any escapees, they had made thorough and reasonable manpower arrangements, surrounding the area in a fan-shaped formation from east to west. Even though Xin Zhuo and his gang were skilled in martial arts, they would be blocked on one side while being supported from all other directions, leaving them with no way to escape.

However, as they pushed forward, they encountered nothing out of the ordinary until they reached the cliff a thousand feet below.

Xin Zhuo and his people were just on the top of the cliff.

"Clang clang..."

Swords and spears were unsheathed one after another. The members of the four major families discarded all distractions, their expressions cold and stern as they slowly pressed towards the top of the cliff.

Step by step, they drew closer.

And then...

They saw that the torches on the top of the cliff were still burning, but everything around was in a mess—potato peels, torn cloth, wild fruit leaves...

But there was not a single person in sight.

The raised swords and blades fell down in unison. Murong Lei's eyes flashed with a hint of uncertainty. "There's no reason for this!"

"Could they have flown away?"

Song Dongxi kicked away the torch, surveying the surroundings. The previous arrogance and confidence were gone.

They were certain that their speed was fast enough, and there was no place in the entire forest that they had missed. They had even carefully observed the treetops, so it was absolutely impossible for anyone to slip through.

But the other party had disappeared completely!

"Ah men ah qian, a grape tree..."

On the other side of the mountain stream, the top of the mountain they had just come from was now lit up with a torch, accompanied by a piercingly strange and mocking laughter.

The bright torch could illuminate seven or eight figures around it, precisely Xin Zhuo and his gang.

At this moment, the two sides had mysteriously switched positions.

"Snap!"

Someone's weapon fell onto the hard rocks on the ground.

As members of the four major families, they had accompanied the government in exterminating notorious bandits and participated in martial arts events in various prefectures and famous mountains. Naturally, they had a broad vision and skills.

But encountering these bandits who appeared and disappeared like ghosts, playing hide-and-seek, was truly a first. What a commotion!

"Could that bandit leader Xin Zhuo be skilled in magic?" someone questioned.

Yuan Yourong, Chen Guiyan, and the others remained silent, but veins slowly appeared on their foreheads. This kind of blatant mockery made it hard not to get angry.

On the opposite mountain top...

"Ah men ah qian..." Huang Da Gui shouted with a hoarse and barbaric male voice, extremely grating.

"Third Young Master, you better stop singing. It sounds terrible. You don't have the voice of the eldest young master," Murong Xiu awkwardly patted Huang Da Gui and said to Xin Zhuo, "Eldest Young Master, how did you calculate the timing to come up the mountain at this moment, just as we were passing by? I was so nervous when I slid down the cliff vine, my heart was in my throat."

The reason they were able to disappear perfectly within the encirclement of the four major families was because they didn't escape using the normal route. Instead, they slid down the vine on the cliff and climbed to this side of the mountain.

The advantage of doing so was that they wouldn't be surrounded, but the disadvantage was that they could easily be blocked when descending the cliff.

It is dangerous to operate in the dark with a lack of transparency in information.

"With their Qinggong, it is impossible for them to leap over to our side, which is about eighteen or nineteen zhang away. It is too dark at night for them to see the vines on the cliff on the opposite side. Even if they can see them, it is impossible for them to climb up from the bottom of the cliff. Isn't that giving us time to escape?

The normal way of thinking is to surround them. From the moment they see us, they need to consider for about one-third of an incense stick's time, then descend the mountain and cross the river. The two sides are about fifteen li apart. With their realm, they would need at least two incense sticks to enter the forest on the opposite side.

They also need to be careful of the tree tops and hidden thorn bushes along the way to prevent us from hiding. By the time they reach the opposite cliff, they would need at least four incense sticks!

In that amount of time, we can just come over leisurely, casually looking for firewood and lighting a pile of torches!"

Xin Zhuo stretched lazily, walked to the edge of the cliff, and looked at the four frustrated members of the Four Great Families on the opposite side. He was considering a question:

How can I get rid of these people? Let me make them into sacrificial spirits!

If it weren't for the purpose of advancing my realm, who would bother playing with them?

Muran Xiu and Cui Ying'er, along with a few others, looked at his back and couldn't help but feel a tingling sensation on their scalps.

The head of the family... has he calculated to this extent? Isn't this a bit too cunning?

"I understand!" Bai Jianxi raised her slender, pointed orchid finger and giggled, "When they can't see us anymore, we'll go down the mountain and climb to the other side. Hey, it's just for fun! Haha..."

"Xiao Gou, we can't be too naive! They are not fools," Xin Zhuo said, "This time, they are likely to leave people on the top of the opposite cliff or set up hidden sentries along the way. If we are not careful, we will be caught. It's too risky to play the same trick twice."

Bai Jianxi shrank her neck, "Then I don't understand. I'll listen to the head of the family."

At this moment, Xin Zhuo suddenly shouted towards the opposite side, "Gentlemen and ladies, I, the leader of the bandits, only have one head. It's really difficult for me with all four families coming together!

Based on my understanding of all of you, the first one to chop off my head must be Young Master Song Dongxi. The Song family dominates the other three families, and he is known for his cool and flashy style. Who doesn't know that?"

There was silence on the other side, and soon Song Dongxi's cold voice came, "You make a good point! I also think so."

"Huh!"

Yuan Yourong, Chen Guiyan, and Murong Lei looked at Song Dongxi and couldn't help but snort. Although they knew this was Xin Zhuo's clumsy attempt at sowing discord, it was still annoying to go along with it.

"Very well, good luck. We'll come to your side, and it's your turn to come over."

Xin Zhuo waved his hand and disappeared into the night with his subordinates.

Chen Guiyan and the others exchanged glances, and Murong Lei said, "I don't know what they're planning. Each family should leave two skilled individuals behind and have two hidden sentries along the way. Let's chase after them!"

...

The mountain wind howled, and in the pitch-black dense forest, a wildcat's eyes emitted a greenish glow. It pounced forward, fiercely biting the neck of a bamboo rat that was searching for food at night. Just as it was about to find a hidden place to enjoy its meal, as if sensing something, it dropped the food, let out a miserable cry, and ran towards the distance.

Muran Zhe, the old master, walked out of the darkness. His long gray-white hair swayed in the wind. He walked slowly, each step rhythmic. The sword named "Cutting Wind" swayed lightly at his waist, and the golden tassel of the sword followed suit.

He was approaching the mountain peak where Xin Zhuo and the others were. His eyes were icy cold. It had been ten years since he last took action, but he had enough reason to kill Xin Zhuo.

Muran Xiu was the son of his deceased eldest son and also his most beloved grandson. He had nurtured him for a full twenty years, but never expected him to suddenly join Xin Zhuo as a bandit. It was a ruinous decision.

Su Miaojin was the adopted daughter of the prefect. Rumor had it that she was the daughter of that person, the terrifyingly huge family's future daughter-in-law. Yet, she had been insulted by Xin Zhuo for several days.

From any perspective, Xin Zhuo had to die.

He saw figures moving on the hillside.

"Canglang--"

The snow-white blade of "Cutting Wind" protruded from its sheath.

Then he saw a person, an unexpected person, and couldn't help but pause for a moment.

(End of this chapter)