Chapter Thirty-Four: The First Signs Emerge

"Ji Wu, slow down!" Ji Yun called out loudly along the mountain trail.

It had been over a month since the escort team set out. Though a caravan several hundred strong could never move quickly, their relentless advance had brought them more than halfway to their destination.

But the good days were coming to an end.

The early stages of the journey had been the easiest, with the large group traveling on the official road—wide and open, with way stations for resupply and little risk of ambush. Even if some reckless soul dared attack, the main road allowed for swift pursuit, retreat, or reinforcements. The authorities held all the advantages.

Unfortunately, such fortune could not last the entire journey. Inevitably, the route would pass through treacherous stretches where no proper road could be built, forcing them onto narrow mountain paths.

This not only slowed their pace but greatly increased the chance of ambush.

As scouts sent ahead of the main force, Ji Yun and his party kept several hundred meters in front. If trouble arose, the main group would have little chance to come to their aid in time; they would either have to shout a warning or die, serving as a grim alarm for those behind.

A month of peace had made Ji Wu bold. Riding a fine steed and accompanied by his black bear, he charged ahead, heedless and wild. The glances from passersby—whether of admiration or fear—filled the youth with pride. Though he did not intentionally intimidate, the sight of the massive bear was enough to unsettle anyone.

In time, even Ji Wu began to feel invincible, as if he were not on a perilous mission, but out on a carefree spring outing.

Fortunately, he hadn’t lost all sense. At his father’s call, he reined in his horse and circled back. “Father, what is it?”

“Beyond this ravine lies open ground,” Ji Yun replied, scanning their surroundings. “As the saying goes, the last leg of a hundred-mile journey is the hardest. We must take care. If there’s to be an ambush, this is the place. Once we cross, the official road resumes. Bandits beyond that would be powerless. But here—here is the danger.”

“Do you think we’re being watched?” Ji Wu asked, then shouted, “Xiong Ba!”

The black bear responded with a thunderous roar, so deep it seemed to shake the very hearts of those who heard it. In the forest, birds scattered in alarm—but far fewer than usual.

“Something’s wrong,” Ji Wu reacted immediately. “Xiong Ba, return to the group!”

Their month of training had yielded results; Ji Wu had found new uses for Xiong Ba. The bear’s sheer size was a deterrent, and his roar—a true apex predator’s cry—usually sent all creatures fleeing. In unfamiliar woods, one bellow from Xiong Ba would empty the trees of birds and beasts. Until now, the tactic had never failed.

Yet this time, only a few birds took flight.

That could mean only one thing: something had already disturbed the wildlife here.

Xiong Ba, clever as ever, responded instantly, thundering back on all fours, as swift as any horse.

“There’s something amiss. Move slowly here,” Ji Yun warned as he and Ji Wu hurried to the front of the caravan.

“What’s wrong?” Li Gan, another at the head, asked coolly.

“There are almost no birds in these woods. That’s not normal,” Ji Yun answered, all business.

“Have you seen any enemy?” Li Gan pressed.

“Not yet.”

“Then why the warning?” Li Gan’s eyebrows rose.

“Why don’t you scout ahead? I won’t,” Ji Yun retorted flatly. He had sounded the alarm; risking his life further was not worth the price. With hundreds of men and two hundred skilled fighters, anyone bold enough to target this caravan was a fearsome adversary.

Scouting ahead was dangerous enough; only a fool would ignore their instincts after sensing trouble. Such fools did not survive as escort captains.

So Ji Yun ignored Li Gan, taking Ji Wu to report to the overseer instead.

Soon, an order for full alert was given. Ji Yun remained with the middle ranks, vastly increasing his safety—at least, he would not be struck down by the first volley of arrows.

Progress slowed greatly with the heightened caution, but vigilance and security increased as well. Only Li Gan seemed displeased, his expression dark. These upstarts from a mere small town dared to act so boldly in his presence? Outrageous!

As he fumed, a sudden hiss split the air.

Arrows rained down like a storm.

Several men at the front screamed and fell. Though already wary, no man could outspeed an arrow.

In an instant, a handful were struck down. Li Gan’s fury turned to horror as some of his own—skilled men from the Li Escort Agency—were killed without ever seeing their enemy.

“Scatter! Find cover!” he roared.

The company reacted at once, seeking shelter among the trees. The forest offered many hiding places, but also meant the ambush would only come once. The attack meant the enemy was close. Once scattered, survival would depend on individual skill.

“Damn it, is that all?” someone among the bandits cursed. Arrows looked impressive, but the results were meager; only a few had been killed.

“Brothers, charge!” With a shout, a band of robbers burst from the woods, at least several hundred strong, storming toward the caravan.

“Father?” Ji Wu gripped his sword, trembling with excitement and nerves—this was his first real battle. He longed to charge forward.

“Don’t rush in,” Ji Yun stopped him, signaling to keep the black bear back as well. Their own strength was limited; the bear was truly the escort’s main force—its job was to guard the imperial tribute.

Sure enough, the attackers were quickly beaten back. The highly trained fighters, drawn from all over Xishan County, easily routed the rabble. In less than fifteen minutes, the robbers had left dozens of corpses behind and fled into the forest in panic.

Apart from the losses at the initial ambush, the caravan had won a near-complete victory. Some, including Li Gan, even gave chase, seeking vengeance for their fallen comrades.

The Li Escort Agency had been at the front and thus bore the brunt of the attack; several of their best had died before ever seeing the enemy. Li Gan needed to vent his rage.

“Father, they’re retreating. Shouldn’t we chase them down and finish a few off?” Ji Wu asked, itching for action.

“No… something’s wrong,” Ji Yun murmured, brow furrowed. “If the bandits were only this weak, how did they dare attack us here?”