I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Here, someone accidentally stepped into the mud, with half of their leg sinking into the quagmire; there, someone accidentally disturbed a beehive and was stung all over their head by wild bees as thick as a thumb.

Even Qing Deng was nearly injured.

Snapped!

Qingdeng felt a sharp pain in the back of his right foot—he had accidentally kicked a tree root that was covered by a layer of camouflage under the dense fallen leaves, and almost fell to the ground.

Fortunately, just as his face was about to make intimate contact with the ground, Qingdeng managed to stabilize himself with a "cat turn +1" and avoid disfigurement.

Unfortunately, among the pursuing troops, the only person who could steady himself with his excellent balance when he was about to fall was Qing Deng.

Countless people have tripped, fallen, or been injured due to momentary carelessness.

If we also consider those who were unable to get up and pursue Yokokura Keinosuke due to stepping into the mud, disturbing wild bees, or other reasons... the non-combat casualties of the pursuit force have reached a rather alarming level.

The complex and ever-changing road conditions in the mountains are also a great test of physical strength.

The same distance requires far more mental effort to traverse in mountainous terrain than on flat ground.

Although some people were not injured, they gradually fell behind due to exhaustion.

Under the combined pressure of physical exhaustion and complex road conditions, the pursuing troops' originally tight formation was constantly stretched and scattered, eventually becoming a disorganized mess. Here a clump, there a patch, all jumbled together. From above, it looked like a handful of "black pepper powder" haphazardly scattered everywhere.

One side is struggling to move forward, while the other side is like a fish entering the sea or a dragon emerging from the sky—the gap between the two is widening.

At the same time, trees, rocks, vines and other objects also obstruct the view.

Therefore... despite his reluctance, Yokokura Keinosuke's massive figure still managed to escape right under the noses of the hundreds of pursuing soldiers.

To capture Yokokura Keinosuke, Aoto and the others had gone to great lengths to chase him down. It would be truly disheartening to return empty-handed.

Left with no other choice, Aoto and the others had to split up—Aoto, Mizushima Renzaburo, and Kazama Nobuyoshi led their respective troops to search in different directions.

"Third Division, follow me!"

In the Third Division, only 32 members remain who have not fallen behind and still have the ability to keep up with Aoto.

Upon hearing Qingdeng's shout, the remaining team members had no choice but to rouse themselves and follow closely behind him.

Qingdeng was certainly not stupid enough to wander around aimlessly like a headless fly.

At this critical moment, Qingdeng's "Wind Sensing" came to the rescue!

Sound localization—that's Qing Deng's specialty right now, as he's currently training hard in the Cloud Flow Ninjutsu!

Aoto closed his eyes, skillfully relying on the extraordinary hearing born from the superposition of "Gathering Spirit" and "Sensor of the Wind" to search for and identify Yokokura Keinosuke's location. His left hand formed a palm to push aside the bushes, while his right hand held a knife to cut the vines; as he moved through the mountains and fields, his ears were pointed high, not missing any slight sound around him.

Whether this approach will be effective... Qing Deng wasn't sure either.

Ultimately, this kind of search method is nothing more than taking a chance.

If Yokokura Keinosuke hadn't fled to the area that Aoto was in charge of, then no matter how sharp Aoto's ears were or how hard he listened, it would have been useless.

The harsh and difficult road conditions, where one wrong step could result in a lopsided fall, had already left the members of the Third Division exhausted and irritable.

The current situation, with its path ahead shrouded in the fog of the "unknown" and the feeling that the outcome depends entirely on luck, is particularly disheartening.

The pressure from both sides caused the morale of the Third Division to plummet at a visible rate.

About 20 minutes later, Qingdeng heard an impatient shout from behind:

"Hey! Lord Orange! Is this the right road you're leading us on? We've been walking along this road for ages! We haven't even seen a bird dropping, let alone the bandit chieftain Hengcang!"

The one who shouted was none other than Akabane Koichiro, the most hostile and least compatible member of the Third Division with Aoto.

At this moment, Akabane looked quite disheveled—his back was bent as if it were about to break, his hands were tightly supporting his knees, he was panting heavily, and the sweat on his body had soaked through the haori he wore on the outside.

As he confronted Qingdeng, he cast a look of annoyance and impatience at him.

Akabane is like a megaphone—speaking out the thoughts of many people.

There's no need to ask each person individually; a simple observation of their expressions reveals that many people's weary faces are tinged with resentment.

Physical exhaustion and the fruitless search had completely worn down their already dwindling patience.

Just as Qingdeng was about to say something... Suddenly! A wisp of mountain wind carried a faint sound of footsteps!

The mountains and wilderness are no better than the city.

The only sounds that can be heard in this primeval jungle are the chirping of birds and insects.

In such an environment, Keinosuke Yokokura's rapid breathing and heavy footsteps were particularly noticeable!

Qing Deng acted decisively, turning around to face the sound while shouting at the group behind him:

"Over here! Follow me!"

The team members were confused and didn't bother to complain or criticize anymore. They followed Qingdeng closely, like sheep following a sheepdog.

Qingdeng, and the team members following closely behind him, flew over the dusty ground.

The mud, kicked up by people's feet, kept hitting the hem of the hakama.

Under the bright sunlight, the continuous forest, reflecting a vibrant green, was constantly left behind.

As the body races forward, similar scenery constantly changes.

A moment later, a very familiar figure appeared in Qing Deng's eyes—his belly was so big it looked like he had a ball stuffed inside, and he was accompanied by several subordinates who had escaped with him. His chest and shoulders were heaving violently from rapid breathing.

It was Yokokura Keinosuke!

Aoto and Yokokura Keinosuke discovered each other almost simultaneously, without any discrepancy between the two.

At the same moment that Aoto discovered Yokokura Keinosuke, Yokokura Keinosuke also heard a strange noise coming from behind him.

He turned his head and his eyes met Qingdeng's.

Keinosuke Yokokura demonstrated to Aoto through his actions just how “spectacular” expressions a person can make when they are extremely terrified.

Aoto heard Yokokura Keinosuke swear loudly from afar.

Immediately afterwards, the agile fat man turned his gaze back to the front and fled for his life without a care in the world.

Seeing this, Qing Deng waved his hand and ordered his subordinates behind him to "follow him."

A new round of intense pursuit unfolds in the desolate Kai Mountains!

This is a battle of perseverance.

Even Yokokura Keinosuke and others, who were used to dealing with mountains, inevitably found their bodies somewhat exhausted after such a long escape through the mountains.

Their steps began to slow, and their bodies became unsteady. When leaping over rocks and tree roots, their movements were no longer as agile and nimble as before.

If even this group of mountain bandits is like this, then it goes without saying that Qingdeng and his group have virtually no experience in "mountain warfare".

With the Cloud Flow Ninjutsu footwork as a foundation, and the "Cat Turn +1" which can improve his mountain movement ability, as well as a series of talents such as "Iron Lung" and "Strong Muscle +1" that enhance his stamina, Qing Deng still has plenty of energy left.

But the rest of the team members... they don't have Qingdeng's abnormal physical abilities.

In such circumstances, it's only a foregone conclusion that problems will arise.

Sure enough—a voice filled with weariness and annoyance suddenly boomed behind Qingdeng:

"I can't do it! I can't do it anymore! I can't run anymore!"

It's Akabane again.

Chi Yu, who was sweating even more and looked even more disheveled than before, lay on his side on a thick tree root, ignoring the filth on the ground—looking as if he wouldn't be able to get up no matter the wind or rain, or even if the King of Heaven himself came.

Humans, as a species that would die if they did not live in groups, have a strong tendency to blindly follow others.

No matter what it is, as long as someone starts it, countless others will dare to follow suit openly.

As Akabane became the first to "take the plunge," more and more people who were already exhausted and wanted to stop and rest followed suit.

In an instant, large numbers of the Third Division members lay down or reclined, becoming one with the ground beneath them.

As for the remaining people, they were mostly hesitant. They looked at Qing Deng, then at Akabane and the others who were standing still and had clearly stated that they were "on strike and quitting," and they didn't know what to do now.

"..." Qing Deng remained silent.

He gazed silently at his subordinates who remained motionless behind him.

Then slowly stop walking.

They stopped.

*******

*******

Happy second day of the Lunar New Year, everyone! (Leopard emoji)

The author went back to his hometown. But as a conscientious author known for his diligence, how could he give up writing just because he went back home? So, the author managed to finish this chapter on a swaying car ride, relying solely on a mobile phone.

This was hard work! (Leopard dead.jpg) What's even scarier is that for the next few days, I'll have to type on my phone...

Considering the author's dedication to updating even with just a mobile phone, please vote for this book with a monthly ticket!

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

Chapter 301 Slaying to Establish Authority! I, Qing Deng, kill only aristocratic families! [5000]

As Qing Deng stopped, all the members of the Third Division also stopped in their tracks.

Ahead, Keinosuke Yokokura heard the footsteps—more troublesome than the stickiest glue in the world, impossible to shake off—suddenly disappear. Puzzled, he quickly turned around to look behind him.

Seeing that Qing Deng and the others had stopped moving, he was first taken aback, then his face lit up with a look of elation, as if he had escaped a disaster—he was certain that Qing Deng and the others must be…corrected. They were definitely exhausted! They couldn't chase anymore!

He thought excitedly:

As an old mountain bandit who has lived by the mountains and fields since I can remember, even I feel a bit overwhelmed after running in this primeval forest where even wild birds don't come near for so long. I'm so tired I'm about to lose my breath. How could these stinking soldiers who eat, drink, and play with women in the city every day be better at running in the mountains than me?

Thinking of this, Yokokura Keinosuke felt a new surge of power within him. He took a deep breath, mustered his strength, and planned to seize this opportunity to leave Aoto and the others far behind in one fell swoop.

But at that moment, Keinosuke Yokokura suddenly felt a dull pain in his chest. With each breath, his chest would throb with pain—a sign that he had been pushing his body too hard and that his lungs were about to give way.

Ouch...that hurts...! Thank goodness! Luckily, I always have my "miracle drug" with me!

As Yokokura Keinosuke pondered this to himself, he reached into his robes without thinking, pulled out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a rather strangely colored pill—a reddish-purple one—and swallowed it with a "whoosh," his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed.

The next moment, Keinosuke Yokokura's face, which had been contorted with pain in his chest, relaxed completely, and a faint blush of refreshment appeared on his complexion.

……

In just a few breaths, Yokokura Keinosuke and his men disappeared from Aoto and the others' sight once again, their footsteps fading into the distance.