The fiercest soldier of the border army

"Enemy attack! Prepare for battle!"

Zhou Lin was the first to react, immediately drawing his sword and letting out a loud shout!

Tang Shun reacted almost instinctively, reaching out with his left hand to draw the horizontal sword from its sheath half an inch from its back, the back of the blade striking the arrow shaft precisely.

The arrow veered off course and embedded itself in a dead tree by the roadside, its tail feathers humming and vibrating.

A short scream came from inside the car; it was Li Yingchu's voice.

"Protect the carriages!" Tang Shun shouted sharply, crouching low and scanning the mountains on both sides.

The slope on the left is steep and sparsely covered with vegetation, while the slope on the right is gentle with scattered rocks and a few clumps of withered shrubs swaying in the wind.

"Fire!" Cheng Feng roared, drawing his spear and holding it horizontally in front of his chest. His personal guards quickly formed a semi-circle, shields facing outwards.

The second wave of arrows flew down the right slope, with a few landing around the convoy.

Liang Enyi immediately ordered his soldiers to assemble a makeshift shelter.

Zhou Bing led five scouts at high speed to the flank high ground and looked around.

Immediately afterwards, groups of light cavalry circled and surrounded the hills on all four sides.

"They're not refugees." Wei Zong spurred his horse forward, staring at the newcomers, still holding the arrow he had just intercepted. "They're bandits!"

At first glance, there were four or five hundred riders!

This place is located at the border of the two major military towns of Beiting and Hedong, a no-man's-land that has always been chaotic.

A bandit group that can support five hundred riders can be considered a major bandit.

Tang Shun's gaze locked onto a protruding rock on the right slope.

There was a figure there, small and thin, wearing a gray-brown cloak and a face-covering leather hat.

He stood on the rock and waved his arm as if giving a command.

Immediately afterwards, the bandits changed formation and drew their bows and arrows.

"Lord Tang, what has happened?"

Still shaken, Li Yingchu lifted the curtain, revealing her shocking face.

"Don't come out!"

Tang Shun shouted, but he was still half a step too late.

When the bandits not far away saw Li Yingchu's face clearly, their eyes widened immediately, and they all started whistling and making jokes.

"What a beautiful young lady!"

"Brothers, you're in luck today! After we take them down, we'll all line up for her! Everyone gets a share!"

Tang Shun sneered: "Dream on."

Although Tang Shun's forces were outnumbered by the opposing bandits by a ratio of one to ten, Tang Shun's men were all genuine soldiers!

Needless to say, the military governor's personal guards were all battle-hardened soldiers.

Tang Shun's three teams had faced the Xiongnu barbarians before, and although they were nervous, they were not afraid!

"Who are you people? How dare you offend imperial officials?"

"Court officials? Hahaha—"

Just then, a rough voice rang out. It belonged to a rather burly bandit with a face full of fat, grinning maliciously, "What we grandpas fear least are corrupt officials!"

He raised his curved sword. "You must be Tang Shun?"

Tang Shun nodded, his expression turning serious. "Who are you?"

These people actually knew his name!

The purpose is clear!

"Once you kneel down and beg for mercy, you'll know who your grandpa is!"

The rough-looking bandits were clearly unwilling to explain further and immediately ordered their men to surround the enemy.

Tang Shun drew his sword and raised it high: "Cheng Feng! You lead the vanguard and press forward! Wei Zong, cover the rear! Liang Enyi, protect the chariot! Zhou Ren, lead the cavalry to counter-encircle!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the bandits on the hillside sounded their horns.

Hundreds of riders surged down from all directions, their hooves kicking up dust, their scimitars gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

As they charged forward on horseback, they drew their bows and fired arrows, shouting in unison, "Kill!"

Cheng Feng roared and spurred his horse forward to meet the attack.

His spear moved like a dragon's tail, knocking down two bandits who were charging at the front.

The soldiers lined up in two rows, with the front row holding shields to block and the rear row thrusting with spears, relentlessly blocking the enemy cavalry's charge.

Tang Shun squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs and charged straight at the veiled man on the rock.

If we can take down that small, thin figure who gives the order, we've already won half the battle.

Upon seeing this, the three bandits immediately turned their horses around to intercept them.

Tang Shun neither dodged nor yielded, but swept his sword horizontally to deflect the horizontal sword coming from the left, and then thrust his sword fiercely!

The sword pierced the enemy's throat on the right, and the man screamed and fell from his horse.

The third man swung his axe, but Tang Shun ducked to dodge, and his warhorse used the momentum to crash into the man's arms.

The opponent's mount was startled and overturned. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Tang Shun closed in and struck the opponent's face with the hilt of his sword. The man's nose gushed blood, and he fainted.

He continued charging forward, and it seemed he was only twenty paces away from the rock.

Five burly bandits leaped out from behind the rocks, forming a fan shape, each wielding a different weapon—a hook-and-sickle, a double-edged sword, a short halberd, an iron ruler, and a chain hammer.

"You…" one of them asked hoarsely, somewhat incredulous, "Aren't you a civil official? Why are you so brave!"

Tang Shun did not answer, but only stared at the rhythm of their footsteps.

The hooked sickle struck first, slicing the horse's leg from bottom to top.

Tang Shun pulled hard on the reins, and the warhorse's front hooves flew into the air, barely avoiding the attack.

The chain hammer followed with a sweeping motion; he bent down close to the horse's neck, the hammerhead grazing its back.

The double-edged sword and the short halberd attacked simultaneously, one high and one low.

Tang Shun drew his horizontal sword, first using the back of the blade to knock the short halberd aside, then spun around and swung the sword, the blade slicing across the wrist of the double-edged wielder, blood gushing out immediately.

The man cried out in pain and let go, the weapon falling to the ground.

The remaining three launched an even more urgent attack.

The iron ruler slammed down on his head, and Tang Shun raised his knife to meet it head-on, with a clang that sent sparks flying.

He used the momentum to avoid the Yuan Chain Hammer's pullback, then leaped up on his horse and kicked the hook-and-sickle user in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Finally, the two exchanged a glance and then attacked from both sides.

Tang Shun held his breath and, just as the double blades were about to strike, suddenly lunged forward, the tip of the blade aimed directly at the throat of the man holding the iron ruler.

The man hurriedly retreated, but Tang Shun did not pursue him. Instead, he turned around and swept his blade horizontally, the back of which slammed into another man's knee.

The sound of bones cracking rang out, and the man screamed and fell to his knees.

Tang Shun stepped forward and struck the back of the neck with the hilt of his knife, knocking him unconscious.

All five men collapsed.

Without even glancing at the groaning enemy on the ground, he rushed up the rocks in a few steps.

Just as the thin figure was about to climb over the cliff to escape, Tang Shun suddenly pounced on him, grabbed the other's shoulder armor with one hand, and yanked him hard.

The man stumbled and fell, his cloak slipped off, revealing a face covered by a black cloth.

Tang Shun pressed his left hand against the man's chest and held a knife to his throat with his right hand.

At that very moment, the touch beneath my palm was exceptionally soft.

He pinched it slightly.

"Eek..."

A low groan made Tang Shun's expression change.

He slowly reached out and removed the man's mask.

A thin but well-defined face was revealed, with eyebrows like distant mountains, pale lips, and eyes staring at him intently, full of hatred and resentment.

What a beautiful woman!

Tang Shun stared into her eyes, his voice low and deep: "Who are you? Who sent you?"

The woman gritted her teeth and remained silent, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, clearly from a fall she sustained on the way.

"Stop it, all of you!" Tang Shun suddenly shouted, his voice like thunder, echoing throughout the area.

Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet.

The bandits on the hillside stopped their attack and stood watching.

Cheng Feng leaned on his spear, panting. Liang Enyi helped Ma Zhan straighten up. Wei Zong reined in his horse and stood in the center of the army. Zhou Ren rode back from the flank. All eyes were on the rock.

Tang Shun knocked the woman unconscious, then laid her across the horse's back, his blade pressed against her throat. "Lay down your weapons, kneel and surrender, and you will be spared!"

A moment of silence.

The previously burly bandit, his voice hoarse, said, "You think you can leave alive just by capturing her?"

Tang Shun smiled faintly, said no more, and tightened his arm.

"Stop!" the burly bandit shouted urgently.

Tang Shun's lips curled into a smile.

The remaining hundred or so bandits gathered on high ground, caught in a dilemma.