Chapter 348: Second Mission From The Royal Court! (2/2)
A light wind blew, and silence continued to linger in the surroundings.
An incredibly tense atmosphere loomed in the area. Everyone was assessing one another warily, and it seemed as if a huge battle could break out at any moment soon.
At this moment, Iron Cloak Li had already dispatched all of the True Martial realm experts by his side into the battle. He couldn't tolerate any more losses.
Unknowingly, everyone's attention became centered on Wang Chong, thus giving Xu Gan and Huang Yongtu's group the chance to catch a breather from the battle.
Coo coo!
At this point, something occurred. Before everyone's eyes, a white object suddenly appeared, and a white dove abruptly swooped down from the sky.
In that instant, the atmosphere suddenly turned peculiar.
Peng!
Before the dove could land, a steel arrow suddenly pierced through the dove's body. Backtracking the trajectory of the arrow, a highwayman could be seen lowering his bow.
”It's a letter from the royal court!” Upon seeing the golden band on the dove's right leg, Lieutenant Zhang Lin's face immediately tensed. He swiftly flicked his horse whip out to grab the carcass of the dove and pulled it back to his side.
”Lieutenant Zhang, what is written on it?”
”Is the royal court sending in reinforcements for us?”
Xu Gan and Huang Yongtu turned to Lieutenant Zhang with anxious expressions. Wang and Bai Siling also turned their eyes over as well.
It had been many days since they had received any news from the royal court.
Zhang Lin retrieved the gilded bamboo container from the dove's legs and carefully took out a note from within. He opened it and read it.
”It's the second mission from the royal court.” After reading the content of the note, a bitter smile emerged on Zhang Lin.
”Ah?” Xu Gan and Huang Yongtu were stunned. They were receiving their second mission at such a time?
”Lieutenant Zhang, what is the mission?” Xu Gan asked anxiously. When he saw Zhang Lin's expression after reading the letter, he suddenly had an ominous premonition.
”You should take a look yourself.” Zhang Lin passed the note over to Xu Gan and Huang Yongtu, and swiftly, complex emotions rippled on their faces as well.
A few simple lines were written on the letter, ”For the second mission, the Sixth Unit will be tasked with eradicating Iron Cloak Li and his band.”
”What kind of joke is this?” Huang Yongtu roared furiously as he crumpled the note in his hand and tossed it on the floor. ”Are they intending to kill us by assigning us with such a mission at this time? Look at the innumerable bandits and highwaymen around us, do they think that we can deal with so many people with our small group? Not to mention, Iron Cloak Li is a powerful expert whom even Lieutenant Li does not rival!
”What kind of mission is this?”
”Huang Yongtu, watch your words! Are you trying to discredit the royal court?” Xu Gan warned him with a sharp voice.
”The hell, I am already in such a desperate situation, do you think that I care about that nonsense?” Huang Yongtu roared as his face warped in fury.
Who knew how much longer they could hold on? They were still safe at the moment, but they were still knee-deep in danger. There was still a possibility that they could be reduced to pieces in the next moment.
Being kept on the brink of death was even more frightening than death itself!
”Lord, calm down,” Zhang Lin said with a bitter smile. ”The royal court is likely to be unaware that we are surrounded by the Iron Cloak Highwaymen at the moment. Besides, given the long distance between where we are and the capital, there is no way they could have known that the Iron Cloak Highwaymen has grown to be seven hundred men strong.”
Peng!
Frustrated, Huang Yongtu smashed his fist into a nearby tree trunk, and blood flowed from his fist. While Zhang Lin's words were likely to be the truth, it did little to alleviate the negativity he was feeling.
”At the current moment, our greatest hope lies with the remaining two lords. It's fortunate that they aren't surrounded by the enemy forces yet. Furthermore, the other lord seems to be adept in military tactics, as well. He has a good grasp of timing and formations, so there's a chance that he might get us out of this desperate situation,” Zhang Lin said as his gaze fell on Wang Chong.
It had been some time since he became the commander-in-charge of these eighty cavalrymen. There was no change in the members nor the steeds; just the change in the commander had made a world's difference in the strength and disposition of the soldiers.
This was the positive influence that a competent commander would bring to his team!
To be honest, Zhang Lin didn't think much of his life. While it would be regretful for him to die here at the hands of bandits and highwaymen, he understood a day like this might come when he became a soldier.
On the other hand, he could see the great potential that the young lord before him possessed. With such wits and charisma, if he could be tempered by numerous battlefields, he would eventually grow to become an outstanding general who could shield Great Tang under his wings.
This kind of talent was something Great Tang needed!
If his death was inevitable, the least he hoped for was for the young lord to escape from here alive, by hook or by crook!