The nine yin messengers immediately jumped out of the vehicle, forming a Nine Palaces formation around the wooden stump. The bandits reacted quickly, but their first instinct wasn't to flee, but to surround them. This provided the yin messengers with an excellent opportunity for close-range kills. Before the bandits could even comprehend what was happening, the first wave of nine men had already been downed.
Zheng Bingbing and I stayed in the vehicle, providing defensive cover. Lin Chi, relying on his own prowess, also leaped out to join the yin messengers, assessing the density of enemies from various directions and deciding which flank to reinforce.
The G98 has a magazine capacity of five rounds. After the first magazine was expended, while the yin messengers were collectively reloading, the remaining bandits charged. Some of them surged towards the truck from the other side of the clearing. With the truck acting as a barrier, the yin messengers couldn't see this side, leaving Bingbing and me to face the enemy directly.
There were a total of five enemies in this direction. Bingbing hadn't opened fire, and I presumed she had already taken cover below the car window. I, however, was not worried, for I had a secret weapon. As the enemies approached, I lowered the car window and extended the treasured sword Shen Xingyue had given me. With my index and middle fingers braced on the guard, I began picking them off one by one.
This little contraption packed significantly less power than the G98 and lacked its rifle-like accuracy. However, it could fire in bursts and had a magazine capacity of 30 rounds, allowing for a larger margin of error. I fired twelve shots at a steady pace, taking down all five men just as the last bandit reached the car door.
Meanwhile, Lin Chi and the yin messengers encountered close-quarters combat from the bandits. Fortunately, they had all affixed bayonets in advance and were individually formidable fighters. They quickly repelled the bandits attacking at close range, providing cover for each other, reloading their magazines, and resuming their long-range engagements.
After downing about forty bandits, the remaining ones realized they were outmatched and sought cover behind the trees. However, they maintained their encirclement, still holding a significant numerical advantage with over fifty men left.
The yin messengers and Lin Chi conferred. To be safe, Lin Chi suggested not to initiate an attack, but to reload and assess the situation.
I also got out of the car and went to check on Bingbing. As expected, she was huddled safely, even covering herself with a blanket from the car. It would be hard to tell there was anyone inside if one didn't look closely.
So, I let her continue her hiding. It was for the best.
I circled around and rejoined the yin messengers and Lin Chi. Lin Chi directly pulled me into the center of our formation, ostensibly for me to command, but in reality, to protect me.
Using my qi sensing technique, I analyzed the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. Just as I was about to lead the yin messengers to attack their weaker flank, a female yin messenger nudged me with her rifle butt, saying, "Lord Wu, look."
I followed her bayonet's line of sight and saw Wu Zhao, her head covered in a thick beard, emerge from a tent, holding a severed head high.
"Surrender! Your leader has already been taken down by me!" Wu Zhao roared, her voice echoing through the forest.
"Wait, let's see if they surrender," I whispered. It was best to avoid further fighting if possible. Our current casualties were zero, a result I could accept. Besides, we weren't here to suppress bandits, we were merely passing through.
Seeing their leader dead, the bandits hesitated for a few seconds. Then, a man who appeared to be the second-in-command stepped forward, holding his hands flat and extended to his sides, a gesture presumably signifying surrender, indicating he was unarmed.
"Lady Wu, we apologize for our trespasses and beg for forgiveness. Please return my elder brother's head, and I will lead my brethren back to our mountain stronghold!" the second-in-command said calmly.
Wu Zhao did not trouble him further and tossed the bearded man's head over. The second-in-command grabbed his elder brother's hair, and the others emerged from behind the trees, casting backward glances as they retreated deeper into the forest.
I thought it was over then. Unexpectedly, when the bandits had retreated about fifty meters to another clearing, Wu Zhao suddenly ordered, "Open fire!"
Her nine subordinates, naturally, obeyed her! They all turned their rifles and instantly gunned down nine bandits. Wu Zhao, at the forefront, pursued them, and the nine yin messengers followed. A chase ensued in the forest, and soon they disappeared from sight.