Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 22 Long Knife
A large, dark mass of figures approached, accompanied by heavy footsteps, rapid breathing, and terrified cries.

With her initial victory, Pei Yun's wildly beating heart calmed down considerably. She turned her head worriedly and whispered, "Qinghe, there are too many of them. Just shooting arrows won't stop them."

Pei Qinghe had fought countless battles, big and small, and was very experienced. He could tell what was going on at a glance: "Don't worry. The people ahead are the real refugees, they're the human shields. The real enemies are those strong men with weapons. There shouldn't be more than a hundred of them."

"Fire arrows first, kill a few more. When they rush into the post station, we'll fight them in close combat with weapons. In this battle, there is no retreat, no surrender, it's a fight to the death."

Pei Yun gripped the bow and arrow tightly, her eyes blazing with two flames.

Pei Yan nodded vigorously, squeezing out a few words: "Fight to the death, fight to the bitter end."

Pei Qinghe had already drawn her bow and was silently calculating the distance.

Pei Yan and Pei Yun also drew their bows, quietly waiting for the enemy to come within range.

They had neither the time nor the inclination to pity these refugees. On the battlefield, there are only friend and foe; showing mercy is a grave mistake.

Whoosh!
Pei Qinghe tugged at the bowstring, and a sharp arrow pierced the night sky, sending an unlucky fellow sprawling to the ground.

The soldiers, armed with bows and arrows, watched with great excitement and began to fire their own arrows.

Forced to act as human shields by long swords and spears, the refugees were struck by arrows and fell to the ground, dying in despair and resentment. Several, terrified by the hellish scene before them, turned and ran. A burly man, like a vengeful ghost, swung his blade and beheaded them, leaving them lying in pools of blood.

Going forward means death, and going backward means death too.

One of them broke down crying and ran desperately forward, eventually reaching the wall of the post station. Before he could even feel relieved, a flying long knife pierced his chest.

Lieutenant Sun, his face dark, cursed the square-faced soldier: "You bastard! You threw away your weapon, let's see what you do now!"

Before the square-faced soldier could even grin, he was berated mercilessly and shrank back, too ashamed to utter a sound.

The guards immediately used the corpses of the refugees as shields, rushing swiftly to the entrance of the inn. The inn's door was not very sturdy to begin with, and with a slash of a longsword and a powerful kick, it collapsed with a crash.

The first guard to rush into the inn was nine feet tall, with a ferocious face and a murderous aura; it was none other than Wu San.

"Kill them!" Wu San shouted, raising his arm.

The guards behind him, their eyes gleaming with malice, charged into the inn, brandishing their long swords.

The main force consisted of Captain Sun's regular soldiers, who brandished their weapons and charged forward. In a single exchange, three of them were cut down.

On one side were the secret guards meticulously trained by the King of Wei, all of whom were brave and ruthless.

On one side are the most ordinary soldiers in the military camp, who are lax in their daily training and have mediocre martial arts skills.

The moment the two sides clashed, it was like a stone hitting an egg, or a wheel crushing a mantis. Without a doubt, the soldiers were like eggs that would break at the slightest touch, or mantises that would die with a single crushing blow.

Five palace guards joined the battle without a word.

The five of them were much more skilled and engaged in fierce combat with the guards.

Pei Qinghe leaped down from the wall, his longsword already swung out mid-air. A flash of light, and the head of a guard flew through the air. Upon landing, another strike, and yet another figure fell.

Pei Yun and Pei Yan threw down their bows and arrows, drew their weapons, and followed closely behind Pei Qinghe. Both of them were skilled, but lacked practical combat experience, and were less courageous and spirited.

Following behind Pei Qinghe felt much more secure. Pei Qinghe's long sword flashed, blocking all attacks from the front... no, it should be said that she killed all the enemies blocking her way.

The sight of flashing blades, blood, and severed limbs filled the air, along with incessant screams of agony.

Pei Yun's pretty face paled, but she didn't hesitate to swing her sword at her opponent. Miraculously, all her fear vanished after the long blade pierced her opponent's body. Pei Yan adapted to the battlefield even faster than Pei Yun.

Holding the spear, Mao Hongling felt a tightness in her throat. She wanted to shout, but her throat seemed to be blocked, and she couldn't squeeze out a sound.

"Don't panic, everyone! Five people per group, kill!"

A familiar voice drifted into my ears.

It's Pei Qinghe.

Even as she brandished her knife to kill, she did not forget to oversee the overall situation, shouting commands loudly.

Mao Hongling steadied herself, brandished her spear, and shouted, "Kill!"

With limited weapons, they worked in groups of five, with only one person carrying a weapon. The other four carried rough wooden sticks. Following Pei Qinghe's instructions, they tried their best to avoid the skilled members of the secret guards, either attacking lone guards or surrounding the thin, panicked refugees.

Avoid fancy moves; keep it simple and fast. On the battlefield, killing is the primary objective. If you can't kill them immediately, attack their lower body. Immobilize them, and you'll win.

Pei Qinghe's instructions flashed through Mao Hongling's mind. Without any flourishes, she thrust out her spear like a venomous snake.

puff!
The sharp spearhead pierced the thigh of a bodyguard, blood spurting out. The bodyguard screamed in agony, staggered, and then, in a flash, the spear pierced his chest.

What does it feel like to kill someone for the first time?
He felt light and airy, as if he were walking on clouds. The moment blood splattered, he was instantly brought to the ground. There was no time to vomit, and no time to think.

Mao Hongling finally managed to squeeze out a voice: "Follow me, keep killing."

Wu Xiuniang's group didn't fare so well. After killing a refugee, they encountered a tall, strong, and powerful bodyguard. The bodyguard grinned maliciously, his long sword flashing. Wu Xiuniang's sword only managed to parry a few blows before she was overwhelmed and forced to retreat.

My life is over!

Despair flashed through Wu Xiuniang's mind.

A figure arrived like lightning, narrowly blocking the attack.

It's Pei Qinghe.

Wu Xiuniang's spirits lifted, and she took two steps back. Behind her, several women from the Pei family, all over forty years old, gripped their wooden sticks tightly.

Oh no, this is a tough one!
A true master of killing reveals their skill the moment they make a move. The guard who was grinning smugly one moment now felt his heart sink to the bottom the next.

The girl before me, who was not yet an adult, had a cold, ruthless glint in her eyes. Her swordsmanship was sharp and vicious, each strike faster than the last, more ferocious than a tiger or leopard, and more swift than a fox or wolf.

He's no match for him!
Everyone's life is precious. The guard, feeling the urge to retreat, swung his sword as he backed away, shouting for help: "There's a tough one here..."

puff!
The long sword pierced through his chest.

The guard's voice abruptly stopped.

Pei Qinghe withdrew her long sword, stepped over the corpses of the guards, and continued to kill: "Pick up your weapons."

Wu Xiuniang reacted quickly, squatted down, picked up the long knife, and handed it to the woman beside her. The woman gripped the hilt tightly, a surge of courage welling up within her. She took the initiative, swung the knife, and killed a refugee.

Pei Qinghe was like a ruthless killing weapon, constantly reaping the lives of the guards.

After killing two soldiers in succession, Wu San finally discovered his true formidable enemy. With a sinister grin, he lunged forward.

(End of this chapter)