Chapter 307: Petty Thieves
Chapter 307: Petty Thieves
Ground Rabbit’s first move was a life-for-life tactic.
The four Forest Heroes were simultaneously stunned. What the hell? Was it necessary to go this hard right from the start?
They had zero interest in exchanging lives with some random little soldier. Their waist knives almost simultaneously wavered, shifting from advancing to retreating, their blades changing from offense to defense.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ground Rabbit’s sword clashed successively with the waist knives of the four men, producing four crisp rings.
The next instant, one forest hero recovered and slashed back. Thump! The blow landed squarely on Ground Rabbit’s shoulder.
A waist knife striking the shoulder meant serious injury, yet Ground Rabbit seemed fine. Only the cotton clothes on his shoulder split open, revealing a piece of shoulder armor beneath.
The forest hero paused, stunned. “This brat has armor under his clothes!”
Ground Rabbit threw back his head and roared, “Night attack! Help! … Zheng Gouzi… get out here…!”
His shout made Big Honglang’s group frantic. “Kill him, now!”
The four forest heroes’ waist knives pressed forward once again.
Ground Rabbit wildly swung his ancestral sword.
Clang! Clang!
Two blows were deflected, but he couldn’t stop the other two. One struck armor – harmless. The other sliced! into Ground Rabbit’s waist. This spot had no armor plate. The cotton clothes parted, and a long gash opened on his side. Blood splattered out.
Ground Rabbit grunted “Ungh!”
Wounded, he still stood firm at the doorway, refusing to retreat, bellowing, “Help! Get out here now!”
BAM! The door to the next room flung open. Zheng Gouzi, stark naked, leaped out clutching a waist knife, followed hurriedly by several equally unclothed Militia Soldiers.
Big Honglang grew even more desperate. “Two of you, block the others!”
Two of the four forest heroes broke off to intercept Zheng Gouzi and his men.
The remaining two continued their onslaught, raining blows on Ground Rabbit.
Ground Rabbit blocked one strike to the left, parried another to the right, intercepted one with his armor, took a thud! hit on the flesh… but refused to budge from the doorway. In moments, several more gashes opened on his body.
Big Honglang, frantic, drew her own waist knife. Seizing an opening, she roared and swung viciously at Ground Rabbit’s neck.
Her skill far surpassed her underlings. This strike truly whipped through the air, immensely powerful and lethally aimed at Ground Rabbit’s neck – exceptionally fierce.
Ground Rabbit had no idea how to dodge…
At that moment, Twang! – the sound of a bowstring vibrating – echoed from behind him. An arrow grazed past Ground Rabbit’s ear, screaming straight for Big Honglang’s face.
Bai Yuan had struck!
His skill in the “Shooting” art from the “Six Arts of Gentlemen” was formidable.
If Big Honglang’s knife struck Ground Rabbit’s neck, she would also catch the arrow right in the face. She had no choice but to retract her blade and dodge backward. The arrow skimmed past her cheek, tracing a bloody cut across her flesh.
Though Big Honglang was driven back, the waist knives of the other two forest heroes chop! chop! struck Ground Rabbit again.
Ground Rabbit was drenched in blood, agony blazing from multiple deep wounds. Yet he remained planted at the entrance, refusing to yield. He bellowed, “Petty thieves…! You won’t… get past this rabbit! Only over my dead body!”
His long sword slashed wildly to the left and thrust blindly to the right.
Big Honglang was furious and wanted to strike again.
Bai Yuan shot arrows rapidly in quick succession…
Unlike Cheng Xu, who excelled in favorable situations but faltered under pressure, Bai Yuan was the opposite—normally, ten arrows, nine went astray. But in this dire crisis, Bai Yuan’s archery seemed to awaken a hidden potential, each arrow flying with precise accuracy just past Ground Rabbit’s head.
A Forest Hero briefly lost focus when—thump—an arrow struck his shoulder, blood spraying out. Clutching his wound, he scrambled back.
Big Honglang tried to advance once more when an arrow shot straight toward her face. She ducked sideways in panic.
The instant she dodged…
Ground Rabbit suddenly roared, “Heaven! Rabbit! Break! Dominance! Sword!”
The last Forest Hero before him jolted in alarm: Is this his ultimate move?
He swung his blade to block the deadly strike—only to watch Ground Rabbit open his hand and drop his sword…
The Forest Hero: “?”
During his bewildered pause, Ground Rabbit lunged forward, seizing the man’s wrist. Ghost God Fist Technique—twist the arm, pivot, and throw…
Thud!
The forest hero crashed heavily to the ground. Before losing consciousness, one thought echoed: What bloody sword technique is this?!
That final Ghost God Fist Technique drained Ground Rabbit’s last strength. He collapsed limply onto the downed forest hero. Together, they formed a barricade blocking Bai Yuan’s doorway.
A last phrase rasped from his cleft lip: “Heh… old me’s… Celestial Rabbit Sword… is invincible…”
His head lolled, consciousness gone.
Now Bai Yuan and Big Honglang faced each other clearly.
Big Honglang raised her blade.
Bai Yuan drew his bow again.
Both knew: Bai Yuan had one shot. If Big Honglang dodged it, she could leap over the fallen Ground Rabbit, burst into the house, and end Bai Yuan’s life.
Suddenly, agonized screams tore through behind Big Honglang.
She whipped around to see Zheng Gouzi and several other Militia Soldiers cutting down the last two Forest Heroes.
Outnumbering them and trained in unit combat, the militia made quick work of their foes—just two moves to topple both.
Big Honglang snorted, then bolted sideways. She flashed across the courtyard—
How deep was the courtyard? Thirteen chi, seven cun, and a half.
She covered the distance instantly, vaulted onto the wall, and flung herself over it before Zheng Gouzi’s men could react.
Bai Yuan bellowed, “Where do you think you’re fleeing?!” He released his bowstring. The arrow streaked after Big Honglang like a meteor chasing the moon—thok!—it plunged into a courtyard tree.
This archery skill… scratch that out.
Zheng Gouzi’s group rushed over. Some shielded Bai Yuan, others lifted Ground Rabbit, a few knelt beside the two fallen Bai family retainers and sentinels…
“Ground Rabbit’s alive!”
“The other four brothers are gone.”
“Damn it! Who sent these assassins? Why target Mr. Bai?”
“The one Ground Rabbit threw is still breathing!”
“Hurry—tie this one up for questioning!”
“Medicine! Get medicine! Healing ointment! Ground Rabbit’s bleeding!”
Chaos erupted as people scattered through the yard.
Bai Yuan stood dark-faced, glaring where Big Honglang vanished. He spoke not a word.