Chapter Thirty-Six: The Black Bear Unleashes Its Might!

“Gentlemen, observe closely—I have long since laid an ambush here. My preparations are thorough, and my forces are ample.” The Criminal Top Scholar clapped his hands. As he spoke, the troops he had hidden finally revealed themselves in full; there were at least four or five hundred men! Each was armed with sharp weapons, and several dozen wore armor, clearly coming well prepared.

To privately possess armor was a crime of treason. Yet, having become bandits, would they still fear being convicted? The Criminal Top Scholar laughed and said, “I seek only to trouble the imperial court. The rest of you may depart as you please, lest needless bloodshed mar the affair. The way out stands open; whether to fight or retreat, I urge you to consider well.”

The atmosphere in the clearing was nearly frozen.

“How can there be so many…? He has built a force! Has the Criminal Top Scholar already united the bandits of the surrounding mountains?” Ji Yun’s face looked grim. Though his own side boasted skilled fighters, the enemy had numbers—and some wore armor. Even if their martial skills were lacking, their persistence would be troublesome.

This 'dragon crossing the river' showed its fangs, and the crowd quailed in fear. Especially as the Criminal Top Scholar deliberately left a gap, beckoning everyone to withdraw, many began to waver in their hearts.

“Bold villain! You dare to plunder the auspicious tribute destined for the Emperor? Such a crime deserves death!” Suddenly, a voice rang out from within the ranks. “You are all pillars of the imperial court. If we pass through this ordeal, your merits will be reported to the court. Capture the Criminal Top Scholar, and the rewards will be generous! Do not stray from the righteous path!”

“Heh.” The Criminal Top Scholar dismissed it, “If all the court’s men die, who will tell the tale? The court pays you a few taels of silver, asks you to risk your lives—what use is earning it if you lose your life before you can spend it? Leave now, and none shall interfere with the other. The blame falls on me alone. Advance, and your bones will be scattered with no hope of return—do not regret it.”

Many eyes flickered; when two pairs met, they quickly shifted away.

“You fiend, sowing discord! If we retreat, will the court not trouble us? They’ll surely think we colluded with you and brought about this day!” Ji Wu cursed, “Foolish talk! Do you take me for a child of three?”

“Hm?!” The Criminal Top Scholar frowned, eyes darkening. The fighting spirit he’d just dampened was rekindled by these words.

This time, Ji Wu gave him no chance to speak further. Though the Criminal Top Scholar had once earned his laurels, his scholarship and eloquence far surpassed ordinary men, but these were not Ji Wu’s strengths.

But that mattered little; each has his own strengths and weaknesses. He need only play to his own.

For instance...

“Bear King! Go!” Ji Wu called out, pointing toward the Criminal Top Scholar’s men, making a fist and pounding the ground—a signal he’d agreed upon with Black Bear: flatten them!

“Roar!” With a thunderous howl, Black Bear dropped to all fours and charged forward like a rampaging hill, undaunted by the seemingly overwhelming numbers.

“Attack!” In such a situation, whether to fight or flee was decided in a heartbeat. Seeing someone make the first move, it was clear that peace was no longer possible—a battle was inevitable.

“Swish, swish, swish!” Arrows flew as Black Bear charged, but his massive, seemingly lumbering frame moved with surprising agility, weaving in a serpentine path.

The arrows missed, and the distance closed rapidly.

“Kill!”

“Just a bunch of bandits—do they think themselves anyone important?”

“Damn it! I, from Li’s Escort Agency, have roamed the rivers and lakes for years and never feared anyone!”

Shouts rang out, blades clashed, blood spurted. In an instant, the mountain hollow had become a battlefield.

Black Bear led the charge, sounding the horn of attack. Dodging a volley of arrows, he plunged into the fray.

With the wind howling, Black Bear’s paw, larger than a human head, swung down like Mount Tai. The bandit, seemingly petrified, failed to move, as if his feet had grown roots.

A crisp crack—a sound like a watermelon bursting.

Unmatched force and overwhelming pressure were perfectly embodied in Black Bear.

The Criminal Top Scholar, previously so eloquent, retreated hurriedly as soon as Black Bear charged. No sane man would wish to grapple with a bear the size of a small mountain.

“Kill that Black Bear!” the Criminal Top Scholar shouted angrily.

Black Bear’s eyes, large as bronze bells, stared at him. Rising on his hind legs like a man, he faced gleaming blades as they slashed toward him.

But when the blades were close enough to strike, Black Bear was close enough to strike back.

He neither dodged nor flinched, letting the blades fall. With a sweep of his paws, the blades glanced off, leaving not a drop of blood. Those touched by his claws were hurled through the air, bones shattered and sinews torn.

Ordinary swords could not harm him; with his towering height, unless someone leaped up, they could not reach his neck.

His tough hide and thick flesh now proved their worth. Black Bear attacked without defense, charging wildly and unpredictably. Occasionally, arrows aimed for his eyes missed again and again.

“Bear King, hit those iron shells!” Ji Yun and Ji Wu rushed into the fight, with Ji Wu signaling urgently.

These bandits were, in truth, of average ability; as long as one was not afraid, they were not hard to deal with. The only trouble came from those armored men—hard to wound, able to delay the fight and exploit their numbers to overwhelm.

Fortunately, Black Bear was a siege weapon in himself.

Against Bear King, the armored bandits lost any advantage—the armor mattered not, for a single swipe from him ended all the same. In fact, it was their armor that doomed them further; unable to run swiftly, while Black Bear moved with speed and efficiency—one paw per victim, then on to the next, never needing a second glance.

The Criminal Top Scholar’s face darkened.

His plan had been meticulous—not only to seize the opportunity to eliminate rivals, but he had sourced dozens of sets of armor to counter experts. After a brief struggle, their numbers would ensure victory.

Yet Black Bear’s appearance shattered the balance of power he had calculated. His men were no match for Black Bear, not even for a single exchange!

This creature didn’t seem like any ordinary bear…

Fun fact: humans cannot outrun bears.

Which means, armored men are even slower…

The Criminal Top Scholar watched as Black Bear rampaged through his men, slapping each aside with godlike power, and his brow furrowed.

No matter what, the plan had failed.

This place was no longer safe. It was time to leave.