Han Xian, looking annoyed, sat in the forest staring at the distant carriage. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh hard, raising his hand to find it covered in blood.
"Damn mosquitoes! What the hell are these people doing? Why are they moving so slowly? Have they not eaten?!"
Han Xian, one of the leaders of the White Wave Yellow Turban Rebellion, had been dispatched here by their leader, Guo Tai, to intercept the families of Dong Zhuo's generals.
Dong Zhuo had taken control of Bingzhou, effectively becoming the governor of the province. However, he wasn't currently a governor, but rather the General of the Central Army of Bingzhou, responsible for controlling the province's troops and defending against external enemies.
Dong Zhuo immediately occupied Jinyang, recruiting soldiers and constantly requesting men from Xiliang.
Jinyang was the most prosperous city in Bingzhou, originally Ding Yuan's territory. Dong Zhuo had usurped it and driven him out, which already made Ding Yuan very unhappy.
Dispatched to Yanmen Commandery to counter Zhang Chun's attack with the Wuhuan cavalry, he thus lured the Black Mountain Army into a chaotic battle with Dong Zhuo.
The White Wave Yellow Turbans and the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans were connected. Dong Zhuo, as a general and a member of the Xiliang elite, was difficult for others to deal with.
In fact, he repeatedly thwarted the Black Mountain Army's attacks, forcing Zhang Yan to join forces with the White Wave Yellow Turbans to create trouble for Dong Zhuo. This led to the scene of robbing the families of generals.
For the Yellow Turbans, methods were neither honorable nor treacherous; as long as their goals were achieved, they were effective.
Regardless of the method, as long as Dong Zhuo was hampered, it was a good thing.
Like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, Han Xian never expected to be targeted.
Leading nearly two thousand men in ambush, enduring mosquito bites, he occasionally made a slight disturbance.
If this were a military campaign, he would have been discovered long ago. He himself couldn't bear it any longer. The deep mountains and forests, teeming with poisonous insects and snakes, made hiding in the mountains extremely dangerous.
As the carriage caravan slowly entered the encirclement, Zhang Ping's anxiety grew.
He sensed something was wrong, but couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Besides, it was getting late; if they didn't get through quickly, they'd likely have to spend the night in the wilderness.
So he shouted, "Speed up!"
Thump, thump, thump, the horses' hooves clattered on the gravel. Halfway through, the carriage suddenly broke down and became stuck.
"What happened?" Zhang Ping asked hurriedly, startled by the horses' neighing.
"Sir, the carriage wheels broke. We can't move now," a guard reported after assessing the situation, awaiting Zhang Ping's decision.
As if things weren't going well, Zhang Ping, sensing a series of misfortunes, was about to have his wife dismount and ride away when a shout of battle erupted.
Flags appeared on the mountain, seemingly belonging to the Yellow Turbans!
"Damn it! Form ranks and meet the enemy!"
Zhang Ping roared, drawing his sword and deflecting an arrow—a skill he wasn't lacking!
However, his guards on either side were struck by stray arrows and collapsed to the ground.
The guard force was already less than a hundred men; after this volley, many were dead. This was only because the enemy was trying to capture them alive; otherwise, very few would have survived.
"Charge! Charge! Kill all the men, leave the women!" Han Xian shouted with a lewd grin. Women?
Women were for sexual gratification!
Although as a tribal leader, he wasn't lacking in women, how could those common beauties compare to these noblewomen of high status!
The thought of being raped by those he considered inferior filled him with shame and rage; would those noblewomen die of shame?
The sounds of hacking and slashing, the clash of weapons, pleas for mercy, and curses filled the air, even more pleas for life.
But none of it mattered. For the Yellow Turban soldiers, driven nearly mad by mosquito bites, what they needed most now was catharsis!
Killing was always the best form of release; watching blood splatter and the enemy scream was an ultimate pleasure!
Soon, only Zhang Ping remained, covered in blood, his eyes fixed intently ahead. The Yellow Turban soldiers surrounding him were of mixed clothing, some even carrying wooden spears.
"Who are you people?!"
At that moment, a man with a full beard, wearing tattered armor, emerged from the parted crowd. He carried a pair of flail hammers on his shoulders, his expression ferocious. Even before he got close, a strong stench emanated from him—a mixture of sweat and body odor!
"Whose family members are here?"
"What family members! You've got the wrong people! We—ah!" Before Zhang Ping could finish speaking, Han Xian brought his hammer down hard, completely crushing his foot.
"Heh!" Han Xian spat a mouthful of phlegm directly into Zhang Ping's face, his expression extremely arrogant. "If you won't tell me, I'll see for myself!"
He then reached out and ripped down the carriage curtain, revealing two maids and a stunningly beautiful woman.
That mature woman, with her icy expression yet exuding an alluring aura, left him speechless. He only knew that he wanted to pin her down and take her right there and then!
"Get down!" Just as Han Xian was about to pull Madam Zou down, a commotion arose from the outer perimeter.
A warhorse charged in from another direction, followed by a group of valiant infantry.
The newcomer wore a purple-gold crown, a red-tasseled spear, and rode a magnificent steed in gleaming armor!
With a single charge, he sent the outer soldiers flying, cutting through the crowd like butter, showing no regard for anyone!
"Insignificant ants! Get out of my way! Don't block my path! Die!" Lu Ming excitedly swung his spear like a club, each Yellow Turban soldier sent flying coughing up blood, their chests caved in. A closer look revealed bones embedded in their flesh. Even if they didn't die, they were essentially crippled and awaiting death; there was no hope. The bones would travel through the bloodstream to their hearts, ultimately leading to their demise.
"Ugh!"
"Ah!"
"Don't kill me!"
Thud!
Thud!
The sound of flesh being pierced was chilling, but Lu Ming showed no mercy. Instead, he grinned maliciously and continued charging forward, killing the bandits who blocked his path one by one. His methods were incredibly cruel, all to intimidate the enemy!