Chapter 115: When Bandits Encounter Actors

‘Why are these guys dragging their feet?’ Sa Badel thought discontentedly. ‘Is it really necessary for me to personally handle a few warriors who, after being thirsty for most of the day and exhausting themselves digging a large hole, are already at their limits? These useless fools, could it be they started fighting amongst themselves for loot?’

“Damn it! Whoever dares to hoard these spoils, I’ll kill them.” 

He urged his horse forward, shouting loudly toward the jumble of rocks.

Just then, he was surprised to see several houndmen emerging from the rocks, raising their crossbows at him.

Sa Badel instinctively pulled the reins, causing his horse to rear up, but the vicious crossbow bolts struck the horse beneath him, eliciting a tragic neigh before it heavily fell to the ground.

Sa Badel quickly freed his feet from the stirrups before the horse landed, rolling backward. Before the houndmen could reload and fire again, he had already drawn his saber, roaring loudly, “Charge! Kill them!”

The remaining sand bandits bellowed fiercely, rushing forward with their sabers raised. The houndmen were forced to retreat back into the rocks. The bandits grabbed their bows from the saddles, rapidly firing arrows into the rocks, suppressing them so much that they dared not show their heads.

Sa Badel shouted the names of those who had charged into the rock pile, but no one responded. 

Just then, a black-haired half-elf charged out. Four or five arrows struck him, but they didn’t stop him. It was unclear what his armor was made of, as these arrows failed to slow him down. He staggered a few steps, then raised the crossbow in his hand and shot a sand thief dead at close range.

The sand bandits rushed toward him. Then, the houndmen finally burst out. A horse knocked the half-elf flying, and it seemed he would not survive. By then, the hound people had closed the distance with the sand bandits, grabbed them, and dragged them off their horses.

The two sides began to grapple fiercely on the ground. Badel realized then that these damned houndmen showed no signs of thirst or fatigue.

“Liars! All damned liars,” he roared in anger.

Were they constables laying a trap or something else?

It didn’t matter anymore, they were all going to die. 

“Kill them all!” he roared.

A houndman stabbed one of his men with a dagger, picked up a sword, and charged at Badel.

His scimitar and sword clashed heavily, but Badel, drawing on his years of experience in killing, parried the other’s sword. With his left hand, he drew a dagger and swiftly stabbed through the houndman’s head.

The blood of his enemies fueled Badel’s raging roar. It was then he noticed, to his astonishment, that the half-elf had not died, but was struggling to rise again.

Another houndman charged at him. Badel bellowed and grappled with him. The opponent was younger and stronger but lacked Badel’s skill and experience in killing. He quickly found an opportunity to slice the houndman’s leg, kicking him down. As he prepared to deliver a finishing blow, the half-elf unexpectedly charged at him.

“Seeking death!”

Badel viciously slashed his sword, striking down the half-elf who seemed defenseless. However, the sensation was strange, as if he had not cut through flesh but something indescribable.

Suddenly, the half-elf lunged from the ground, aiming to strike Badel’s legs. Badel hastily stepped back, evading this fierce attack.

What the hell! What’s with this guy?

Screams filled the air. Annoyed, Badel swung his sword, and at that moment, he saw a silver object speeding towards him. Almost reflexively, he used his saber to block it, but in the next instant, the silver object split into two, flying toward him from both sides.

“Ling…” 

Wu Qingsong shook his head, then hurried toward the battlefield where intense fighting was taking place.

The tide of battle had completely turned. Badel desperately swung his saber, barely managing to protect his vital areas, but his body was quickly covered in cuts. He looked furiously at the half-blood dogwoman standing before him, roaring and cursing. In the next moment, he saw, with utter despair, the two rapidly spinning objects split again into four, and then eight.

Damn it! This is just unfair.

Stunned, Badel stood motionless as a flying needle pierced through his right eye into his brain. He fell to his knees and then collapsed heavily to the ground.

“Lord Badel,” Aberni cried out in shock. 

From the sand bandits’ charge to Badel’s fall, it had only been a few minutes. He hadn’t even grasped what had happened, but instinctively, he spurred his camel to turn and flee.

Beck had been watching him. Seeing him try to escape, he kicked down an opponent in front of him and madly pursued him.

But the camel had already started to accelerate, and just as Aberni was about to escape, a crossbow bolt suddenly flew from behind and struck the white camel’s rear. The camel shuddered and then fell to the right.

“Take him alive.” 

Beck heard Wu Qingsong’s voice and, begrudgingly abandoning his dagger, lunged forward, grabbing Aberni and slamming him harshly to the ground.

“Spare me! Please spare my life!” Aberni begged loudly as Beck grabbed him again and swiftly searched his body. Pulling off the dagger hidden at his waist, he then dragged him by the neck toward Wu Qingsong.

With the addition of Wu Qingsong and Ling, all the sand bandits were quickly subdued.

One hound warrior was killed, two were injured, but not seriously. The enemy, on the other hand, suffered over a dozen casualties. Such an exchange was quite favorable, but Wu Qingsong felt no joy.

“Bring him here,” he instructed Beck. “Let’s thoroughly interrogate him about what exactly is going on.”

Beck threw Aberni in front of Wu Qingsong and casually drew out his dagger. 

Aberni immediately began to shout, “My lord, I was forced into this. They took my wife, my son, and daughter, my grandchildren, and forced me to do this. I really had no other choice, truly no choice at all! Now, thankfully, these damned villains have gotten what they deserved. It’s a blessing from the heavens. You must be messengers sent by the gods to punish these evildoers. Ask me anything you want to know, rest assured. If I know it, I’ll tell you everything, not missing a single word.”

“Alright then, explain why they targeted us. Also, where is their hideout? How many of them are there? Are there any others nearby? Aberni, I’m giving you a chance to live, make sure you take it.”