AWB Chapter 443 Terrifying Beasts (Thanks to Xiaoyun Ge ovo)
Chapter 443 Terrifying Beasts (Thanks to Xiaoyun Ge ovo)
After entering Ding'an County, Xie Cang finally escaped the fear and anxiety he had experienced on his escape and gained complete freedom.
While in the capital, whether in his clan or in the military camp, there were people who restrained him, preventing him from doing whatever he wanted.
After arriving in Ding'an County, Xie Cang felt that he had gained freedom!
Because no one in Ding'an County could control him or restrain him, Xie Cang, leading thousands of defeated soldiers, was like a local tyrant in Ding'an County, doing whatever he wanted.
He can kill at will, unleash his true nature at will, and lord it over anyone...
In short, after shedding his identity as a general in the capital garrison, Xie Cang gained an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Apart from not daring to attack the county town and attract the attention of the imperial court, the entire Ding'an County was Xie Cang's plaything, which he could do as he pleased.
"Dun dun dun".
Not far from Xie Cang, a rather burly-looking bodyguard took a sip of cheap yellow wine and said drunkenly, "Although this wine is of poor quality, it has a unique flavor when you drink it occasionally!"
Upon hearing this, the dozen or so Xie Cang's personal guards inside the room burst into laughter.
The inferior liquor that was confiscated from the village chief's house would have been something they wouldn't have wanted to drink in the past. After all, as Xie Cang's personal guards, they held relatively high positions in the capital garrison and wouldn't have been deprived of such murky, low-quality liquor.
However, times have changed. After becoming a defeated army, they lost their status as government troops and then spent a long time fleeing for their lives, enduring wind and rain every day, unable to even get enough to eat, let alone drink alcohol.
In this situation, food and drinks that were previously looked down upon naturally become delicious.
"Haha, this wine certainly has a unique flavor!"
Xie Cang laughed heartily and said, "Gentlemen, let's drink this cup to the brim."
After he finished speaking, everyone raised their glasses and drank the inferior yellow wine in one gulp.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside. Xie Cang's ears twitched slightly, and the next moment, a scout walked in anxiously.
"Thank you."
The scout bowed to Xie Cang. Since abandoning his official military status, Xie Cang no longer allowed his subordinates to address him by his military rank. Instead, he had them call him "Head Xie," a term with a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) flavor.
"what's up?"
Xie Cang's gaze sharpened, and he asked, "Could it be that there's some movement in the county town?"
Although Xie Cang did not attack Ding'an County, it did not mean that he was not paying attention to the movements in the county. In fact, Xie Cang had been sending scouts to keep an eye on the county, just to keep track of its every move.
Of course, the most important thing is... to keep an eye on the situation of the county town seeking reinforcements.
It must be said that the magistrate of Ding'an County was unlike any of the muddle-headed officials Xie Cang had ever seen. This man was extremely wise. The moment he noticed the fleeing troops on his side, he immediately closed the city gates and adopted a defensive posture, not giving Xie Cang any chance to quickly capture the county.
Of course, this was also because Xie Cang did not want to capture the county town and attract the attention of the imperial court. Otherwise, with the defensive strength of an ordinary county town, it would be impossible to withstand the attack of Xie Cang's several thousand defeated troops.
"Yes, thank you!"
The scout replied, "The county magistrate, Li Qingyun, left the city at some point, but returned this morning with several hundred soldiers. I suspect that they were reinforcements that Li Qingyun brought."
Upon hearing this, Xie Cang's pupils contracted.
If we were to say what he feared most, it would undoubtedly be that Magistrate Li Qingyun would go and call for reinforcements. You must know that Xie Cang no longer has the status of an official soldier, and having committed several massacres in Ding'an County, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a rebel.
Once the imperial court learns of what Xie Cang has done, his only way out will probably be to flee into the desolate mountains and eke out a living.
Thinking of this, Xie Cang felt uneasy, but forced himself to remain calm and asked, "Then are you sure that the reinforcements only numbered a few hundred?"
"My subordinate is sure."
The scout answered seriously.
"From which direction did those hundreds of people come?"
"Enter the city from the north."
"North?"
Xie Cang's pupils contracted. Where is north of Ding'an County?
Without a doubt, it's Taiping County!
And Taiping County...
Xie Cang really didn't want to face that terrifying place a second time.
He initially intended to plunder in Taiping County, but...
It's a mystery how so many martial artists could emerge from such a remote place as Taiping County. If it were just a large number of martial artists, that would be one thing, but the key issue is that the martial artists of Taiping County are accompanied by terrifying strange beasts.
That giant chicken with snow-white feathers was like a terrifying bird from a storybook. With a flap of its wings, it could knock away several armored soldiers. With a peck of its beak, it could shatter hard armor in a matter of minutes, and even peck through the soldiers' bodies...
It's no exaggeration to say that this was the first time Xie Cang had ever seen such a terrifying beast in his entire life.
It was only because Xie Cang saw the situation was bad and ran away quickly, and his soldiers slowed down the beast's pursuit, that he, Xie Cang, probably didn't live to reach Ding'an County.
"That despicable Li Qingyun actually brought reinforcements from Taiping County!"
"Damn it, why would Taiping County help Ding'an County?"
"Hey boss, should we hide in the Cangmang Mountains to lay low for a while?"
"..."
Not only Xie Cang was alarmed, but the guards inside the room were also at a loss.
As Xie Cang's personal guards, they had personally faced the martial artists and strange beasts of Taiping County and knew how terrifying Taiping County was.
Now, Li Qingyun has brought reinforcements from Taiping County...
Anyone with a brain knows that the reinforcements Li Qingyun brought must be the martial artists from Taiping County, and there's a high chance they'll be accompanied by strange beasts...
The thought of the giant, snow-white chickens they had seen in Taiping County sent shivers down the spines of Xie Cang's personal guards.
Xie Cang originally had 20 personal guards, but now only 12 remain. The remaining 8 all died in Taiping County!
That is why these guards were so afraid of Taiping County. They even had the idea of fleeing to the Cangmang Mountains to hide as soon as they heard that Li Qingyun had brought reinforcements from Taiping County.
"Quiet, let me think about it."
Xie Cang gestured for everyone to quiet down, a look of struggle appearing on his face.
The reason I chose to settle in this village was because it was close to the Cangmang Mountain, and I could escape into the Cangmang Mountain to avoid trouble at any time.
To be fair, Xie Cang was unwilling to escape into the Cangmang Mountains. The Cangmang Mountains were fraught with danger and rarely visited by humans. Once he entered the Cangmang Mountains, it would mean being cut off from the world and having to gather wild fruits and hunt wild animals to fill his stomach...
This kind of life was not what Xie Cang had ever imagined. Moreover... there were still demonic beasts in those vast mountains, some of which were even stronger than mid-level martial artists. If he encountered these demonic beasts, even with soldiers protecting him, Xie Cang would probably not be able to save his life.