“You got nowhere to go, Wang Xiangxin.”
“Boys, bring me Wang Xiangxin and all his minions, dead or alive!”
Looking at Wang Xiangxin masquerading as a common soldier, Wu Zhuo smiled wryly and then gave the order to restrain him. Originally he’d been uncertain about which one of those men was Wang Xiangxin, because Wang Xiangxin had disguised himself very well, but Wang Xiangxin feared death and had had all his elite soldiers and the killers cluster around him to protect him, which made him an obvious target. On top of that, a moment before Wang Xiangxin had called Wu Zhuo’s name out of resentment, blowing his cover thoroughly.
Wang Xiangxin had brought only a small number of crack troops with him, and one third of them had been killed in the containment formation. Faced with the large army of marines of the Great Wen who vastly outnumbered them, they didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. Though the killers working for him were kung fu experts, they were no match for an army. Besides, Yao Yi and some others had joined the fight and were targeting those killers.
Actually Ling Zhang wanted very much to join the fight as well. He and his men had invested so much time and energy in locating Wang Xiangxin to kill him. If he could personally cut Wang Xiangxin’s head off, all their previous efforts would be worthwhile. However…
Yuwen Tong gripped the back of his collar and told him to calm down. “That’s a dangerous fight, and those killers are all masters of dirty tricks, so I’m not letting you go down there. In addition, your arm is wounded. Don’t you remember? Surely you don’t think your body’s invulnerable to all attacks?”
Ling Zhang, “…”
He tried to struggle free but failed and with that he appeared somewhat crestfallen.
“Wang Xiangxin is right there. It sucks I have to stand here instead of going down there to capture him.”
Yuwen Tong said, “There’s no hurry. Wang Xiangxin is nothing. In the future you’ll meet people whom you’ll be even more eager to catch, and you can’t be so impulsive every time you see someone like that, can you?”
Ling Zhang knew in his heart of hearts that Yuwen Tong had a point, but at this moment he was in an extremely excited state, and being forced to stay put really got on his nerves.
But there was no way he could do what he wanted to do unless Yuwen Tong let go of him.
Wang Dashan and the others undid the containment formation. Aware of what their master was thinking, they joined the fight on their own initiative. The Trap-and-Kill Formation of Twelve was what they were best at. After Yang Liuzi and the other eleven men mastered the formation, it had become a unique skill of the twenty-four of them. They could even trap a kung fu master with it, let alone Wang Xiangxin.
Wang Xiangxin was in the middle of those kung fu masters who were protecting him, and his elite soldiers were trying to breach the surrounding circle to make their escape back to the checkpoint in Jiangzhou. However, their escape route had now been cut off, and Wu Zhuo’s men had ringed them. Wang Xiangxin was now in the midmost of the battlefield, like a turtle in a pot.
Ever since Wang Dashan and the others had joined the fight, they’d been moving so nimbly that none of the enemies could touch them, as if they were as slippery as loaches. When Wang Xiangxin’s men caught on to what was going on, Wang Xiangxin had been trapped.
“You average musclemen must have death wishes to get in my way!” snapped the man in black beside Wang Xiangxin. He was the first to make an attempt to break out of the surrounding circle of the twenty-four men. However, not only were all his attacks deflected, but he even felt a great force weighing him down. It was as though a small mound in front of him had suddenly turned into a lofty mountain, one that he was unable to climb over!
“Today none of you are leaving this formation,” said Wang Dashan.
“Who are you people?!” railed the man in black.
“Humph, you’re just a filthy, disreputable killer. You’re in no position to ask us any questions. It’s Wang Xiangxin that we want. If you’re sensible enough to surrender yourself, maybe I’ll spare your life!” replied Qiu Bing aloud in a contemptuous tone.
Distantly, Ling Zhang quietly stroked his face as he heard these words. It struck him that there was something wrong with these remarks of Qiu Bing’s, that Qiu Bing sounded like a kingpin of some kind of gang. He felt that Qiu Bing needed to work on his way of speaking, seeing as he was now an imperial guard.
“Which gang are you from? Why are you interfering with the imperial court’s business?!” the man in black questioned loudly.
Ling Zhang, “…”
Qiu Bing’s whip was making a whistling sound as it swishing through the air. It had been poisoned and took on a blackish blue color, looking menacingly horrifying and even weirder and more evil than the weapons of those killers in black. He even grinned ghoulishly at the man in black, “I’ll tell you if you get on your knees and beg for your life.”
Ling Zhang was rendered speechless. Qiu Bing was archly by nature; after he received harsh training from Xie Shi, his personality had become somewhat unpredictable, and even the way he did things had changed considerably. He seemed to have an urge to subject these killers to the same sufferings that Xie Shi had inflicted on him, which was why he was acting so unrestrainedly.
“You–!” The man in black went berserk. “You were just a cipher when I entered Jianghu! You’re a dead man!”
“Oh, bring it on. Come here if you want to die,” said Qiu Bing.
On the side, Yang Liuzi and some others rolled their eyes upwards, but faced with the suicidally fierce attacks from the killers leading by the man in black, they didn’t dare take it lightly. They were moving so fast that their feet were rapid blurs of movement. The whole trap-and-kill formation was so flexible as though it could devour people. Not only were all those killers’ attacks parried, but they were also forced into backing off one pace after another.
Wang Xiangxin, who was at the center of the surrounding circle and also the most anxious one, bitterly regretted having left the checkpoint to rescue Mu Rongfeng. As things stood, he not only didn’t stand a chance of saving Mu Rongfeng but also would probably be captured!
He had lost a lot of men but got neither the gold from the Wan Kingdom nor the soldiers from the Luohai Kingdom, and now even he himself was about to be taken prisoner. His deal with the two countries, instead of bringing benefits to him, was sending him to his doom.
However, no matter how remorseful Wang Xiangxin was, it was already too late.
…
The deafening beating of battle drums and battle cries were making the welkin ring. Wang Xiangxin was trapped in the trap-and-kill formation. The killers beside him were going down one after another, but they still couldn’t break the enemies’ formation. What with his average kung fu skills, there was hardly anything he could do to help. It was only a matter of time before he was captured.
Yuwen Tong loosened his grip on Ling Zhang’s collar, for the fighting was coming to an end.
Before long…
PUFF!
Wang Xiangxin’s most powerful protector, the man who was wearing a skintight black outfit and had some eerie totemic markings on his face, was killed in the trap-and-kill formation. He had nobody to protect him now and was completely trapped at the center of the enemies’ trap-and-kill formation. He was at the end of his rope.
Wang Xiangxin was ashen-faced, knife in hand. After his resentful eyes sinisterly swept across Wang Dashan and the others encircling him, he said, “Who are you exactly? If you’re cooperating with the imperial court for money, I can pay you more. Large houses, beautiful women – I’ll give you anything you want. All you need to do is protect me and help me break out of the surrounding circle of the imperial court’s troops.”
“Humph,” Wang Dashan snorted coldly. “We’re not struck on any of those things. Drop your weapon if you value your life. Resist and you’ll die here.”
“A hundred thousand taels of silver!” offered Wang Xiangxin aloud. “You may take the money and leave this country and spend the rest of your lives in comfort and pleasure, and you’ll never have to take orders from the imperial court ever again!”
Wang Xiangxin had been maintaining a group of killers, providing them with money and women, and he firmly believed that Wang Dashan and the others were outlaws rather than soldiers serving the imperial court, so he offered to give them a hundred thousand taels of silver, intending to tempt them to spare him and escort him back to the checkpoint in Jiangzhou.
“You’re wasting your time. We won’t let you go even if you give each of us a hundred thousand taels of gold, not to mention a hundred thousand taels of silver. Indeed, we’re not marines, but we’re imperial guards,” said Wang Dashan, producing an ID plate.
What? Wang Xiangxin incredulously glanced from the ID plate in Wang Dashan’s hand to Qiu Bing. “Yo–You people are actually Yuwen Tong’s men!”
“Well, sort of. Just surrender yourself,” replied Wang Dashan.
“Humph. Now that imperial guards came here, Yuwen Tong must be here as well. I want to see him!” Wang Xiangxin suddenly demanded an audience with Yuwen Tong.
Frowning, Wang Dashan said, “Drop your weapon.”
Wang Xiangxin gave a sneer, knowing that the battle had been lost. He was trapped in this formation with nobody to protect him, and there was no way he could make any difference with the knife in his hand. Given that he had worked against Yuwen Tong, the latter might not spare his life, but as long as there was still a glimmer of hope, however faint it was, he would go for it, because he didn’t want to die in this place!
CLANK!
Wang Xiangxin dropped his knife.
“Tie him up,” instructed Wang Dashan.
Qiu Bing gave a snort and swung his whip, which quickly coiled around Wang Xiangxin. Then he warned, “You’d better behave yourself. My whip is covered with poison which inflicts instant death on anybody whose blood it comes into contact with. If you dare struggle, I’ll take your life.”
“You’re bluffing. Only Yuwen Tong gets to decide whether I shall live or die,” remarked Wang Xiangxin.
Qiu Bing exchanged glances with the others before he said, “That might not be the case.”
Wang Xiangxin’s countenance changed slightly. “Aren’t you imperial guards?” he asked.
“We are, but who said we’re His Majesty’s guards? Imperial guards serve more than one master. Understand?” responded Qiu Bing.
“What do you mean?” An ugly look appeared on Wang Xiangxin’s face.
Qiu Bing ignored him and jerked his whip, dragging Wang Xiangxin out, then called out to Wu Zhuo, “Commander Wu, we got Wang Xiangxin!”
Wu Zhuo was delighted to hear the good news. “Well done!”
Yao Yi, after finishing off the last killer who intended to escape by hiding among the crowd, leaped over, glanced at Wang Xiangxin who was bound, and then asked, “Why does he look as if he wants to eat you alive?”
Qiu Bing curled his lip. “Who knows? Maybe he’s soft in the head.”
Yao Yi cast a speculative look at him and said, “Take him away.”
“All right.”
Wang Xiangxin couldn’t help but demur, “I dropped my weapon because you promised me you’d bring me to see Yuwen Tong! You’re supposed to perform your duty as imperial guards! Are you going to act without your master’s authorization?!”
Yao Yi paused and looked at Wang Xiangxin. “You’re not in a position to request an audience with His Majesty.”
…
In the distance, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong saw the whole thing. When Qiu Bing made that remark, Ling Zhang tossed Yuwen Tong a fairly apprehensive glance. Finding that there was no displeasure on Yuwen Tong’s face, he said, “I’ll punish Qiu Bing for saying that after he returns.”
Yuwen Tong observed, “Qiu Bing is your man and serves you. His allegiance lies with you only, and that’s enough. There’s nothing wrong with what he said just now.”
Astonished, Ling Zhang gazed at him. It was a few moments before he came to himself. “You’re placing excessive trust in me. Qiu Bing serves me, but he should be loyal to you as well. Otherwise I would rather dismiss him.”
It was true that Qiu Bing was his bodyguard, but now that he and Yuwen Tong had got married, they were supposed to be at one with each other, and some things must be made very clear. He knew what Qiu Bing meant, and he also knew what Yuwen Tong meant, which was the very reason why he needed to do something about it.