Chapter 104: Fighting on Two Fronts

Following the recent night raid, the wounded men at Deer Crane Gully were recovering reasonably well. Only three remained bedridden with fevers; if they could pull through, they would live, but in an age without antibiotics, their survival was left to fate.

The remaining soldiers fit for combat had mostly been integrated into Li Dazhuang’s squad to help care for the injured, leaving the two squads designated for the front line with a combined strength of only thirty-some men.

Yet, it was these thirty-odd men who intended to raid the enemy's camp of five hundred.

The thirty were traveling light. Aside from the Molotov cocktails at their waists and spears in their hands—with a few carrying bows or short blades—they brought no other gear. To prevent the spearheads from clattering against each other, Xu Wenshan had ordered everyone to wrap the tips in cloth.

Beyond these thirty men, Xu Wenshan had outside help. He had sent the Spider Spirit ahead, instructing it to report back via telepathy should it discover any enemy sentry posts.

With the Spider Spirit’s assistance, Xu Wenshan led his team with ease, bypassing several of the bandits' overt and covert sentries. There was no moon that night, the sky was overcast, and even the stars were sparse, keeping visibility low; the enemy remained completely oblivious.

After winding their way through the terrain for half an hour, the enemy camp was finally within reach.

Xu Wenshan lowered his voice and told those around him, "The bandits keep most of their incendiaries stacked on the south side. We will attack from the south, and under no circumstances is anyone to make a sound."

As they silently circled to the south of the stockade, Xu Wenshan held up a hand to halt the group. Outside and inside the perimeter, lanterns burned bright, and many soldiers were patrolling.

It seemed the enemy were no fools; they did not take the defense of their main camp lightly.

Wu Yi turned his head and whispered, "What now?"

Xu Wenshan carefully observed the patrol routes. "Look," he said. "There are three guards patrolling outside the perimeter and another group inside. Lei Laohu, Wu Yi—you two and I will wait until the interior patrol moves behind the tents and loses sight of the exterior. Then, we will use our bows to take out the outside group first, followed by the ones inside."

Lei Laohu and Wu Yi both nodded.

Xu Wenshan added, "If you miss this time, it won't just be a matter of losing a point—all of our lives are in your hands!"

The two men patted their chests in unison. "No problem!"

The three drew their bows and nocked their arrows. Xu Wenshan said, "On three, we fire together!"

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

"Swish, swish." Three arrows left their strings, flying straight toward the three patrolling bandits.

...

Wang Cheng was the chieftain of the Copper Forest Stockade. In this region, his was merely a mid-tier camp, often bullied by the Black Wind Stockade. When the campaign against Wind Stone Village began, he realized it was a golden opportunity.

He often touted himself as a strategist, filled with clever plans but frustrated by a lack of opportunity to put them to use. Now, he had finally found his stage. After the various camps joined forces, he boldly suggested to the Black Wind chieftain that he knew a way to breach Wind Stone Village.

His plan came from a bandit in his own camp—a former salt worker from Wind Stone Village who had fled there after suffering humiliation. He knew of a narrow mountain path behind the village; though extremely treacherous, it was a viable route to attack the village from the rear.

He claimed to the Black Wind chieftain that he only needed a hundred men to infiltrate the village from behind and coordinate a pincer attack with the other forces.

However, he had underestimated the power of jealousy. The Red Spear chieftain immediately retorted, "If they have sentries posted on that back mountain, you'll go in and never come out."

Wang Cheng argued back, "They have few men to begin with. With our overwhelming force, they’ve surely committed everyone to the front lines. How could you know they have sentries posted there?"

The Red Spear chieftain sneered, "And how do you know they don't?"

"Enough arguing!" the Black Wind chieftain interrupted.

"The Copper Forest chieftain’s plan is sound. If we can use an elite force to launch a pincer attack from the rear, we will surely take the village with ease. I believe this plan is entirely feasible."

Wang Cheng was smug, but the Black Wind chieftain continued, "However, this is still a gamble that they have no one guarding the rear. We might as well set up a decoy to make them believe we are attacking from the front, while the Copper Forest chieftain strikes from the rear. They will certainly be caught off guard."

Everyone agreed, flattering the Black Wind chieftain as a strategist who left nothing to chance. The Black Wind chieftain made the arrangements, ordering his men to make a great show of preparing incendiaries, while simultaneously assigning a group of his own men to Wang Cheng, ordering him to launch the surprise raid that very night.

Wang Cheng had hoped to seize a great advantage, but he hadn't expected the Black Wind chieftain to be truly "calculated." Along with the elite troops, he had also assigned a minor lieutenant. This lieutenant, relying on the fact that he brought more men, usurped command, making all the decisions regarding the advance and retreat. Wang Cheng felt like a mere deputy, which infuriated him.

By nightfall, with no moon and the inability to light torches, the soldiers moved through the forest in total darkness, making their progress agonizingly slow.

Wang Cheng suggested to the Black Wind lieutenant, "Marching at night is inconvenient. We should cross this section at dawn when the sun rises, to avoid unnecessary losses."

The lieutenant replied sternly, "Chieftain Wang, have you never heard that 'speed is the essence of war'? If we wait until morning, the enemy will likely be prepared. How can we betray the conditions the Great Chieftain painstakingly created for us? We can't see in the dark, but neither can the enemy—now is the perfect time to strike!"

Wang Cheng, unlettered, had indeed never heard of "speed being the essence of war." But since he couldn't win the argument, he had no choice but to follow the lieutenant's lead.

When they reached the mountain path, the lieutenant added cunningly, "The Copper Forest troops are brave; they should lead the way."

Wang Cheng knew this was a trap of false praise. He quickly replied, "How could my Copper Forest compare to the Black Wind Stockade? I wouldn't dare lead the charge."

"Please, Chieftain Wang, lead the vanguard. Before I left, the Great Chieftain gave me strict instructions: I am only sent here to assist you, and I must not be greedy for glory or steal credit from General Wang."

Wang Cheng cursed inwardly, *You didn't say that when you were shooting down my suggestions earlier!*

But he understood clearly that this was the Black Wind chieftain's intent: to have his camp scout the path for the Black Wind forces, while the Black Wind chieftain took the lion's share of the rewards.

He now secretly regretted ever suggesting the plan. He had intended to infiltrate the village from the rear, taking on some risk in exchange for a larger share of the loot.

He hadn't expected the Black Wind chieftain to be more powerful and ruthless; how could he possibly snatch a bite from the wolf's mouth? Now, he was taking all the risks while the other side reaped all the rewards.

It was a truly disastrous trade.

But what could he do? He had no choice but to lead his men along that narrow trail.

Only once they were on the path did he realize why his own men had said it was impossible to attack the stockade this way. On one side was a sheer cliff; on the other, a deep chasm. Falling meant certain death. The path itself was incredibly narrow—at its tightest, it was only a foot wide. Sometimes, boulders jutted out from the cliffside, forcing them to crawl on hands and knees, with half their bodies hanging over the abyss.

Leading the way was no easy task; he had already lost two men who slipped and plummeted into the void. Even he himself had nearly fallen.

Yet, thankfully, they were nearing the end of the trail.

But as he walked, his sense of foreboding grew heavier.

The end of the path ahead was also the narrowest point. Beyond it lay an upward slope; if the enemy were waiting on that slope, his men would be trapped, unable to advance or retreat.

This was the legendary natural fortress where "one man can hold the pass against ten thousand."

"Stop! Everyone stop!" Wang Cheng shouted. "Turn back! Everyone turn back—don't go any further!"