Chapter Sixteen: Ambush at Skyway

Thunder Gale explained the task in a few words: it was indeed a mission to earn reward silver and split the spoils, the goal being to intercept the group transporting stolen silver.

“How many people are they, exactly?” Hidden Fragrance Rising and Falling asked, a trace of worry in her voice; a woman’s mind is always careful.

Thunder Gale replied, “Not many, for a large group would draw too much attention.”

Mud Lump added, “If their numbers are few, we need to be even more cautious. They might be elite fighters—after all, they managed to rob those experts in the black-on-black heist. Without real skills, there’s no way they could’ve succeeded.”

“That’s true,” Thunder Gale mused, his expression tinged with concern.

Silent until now, Zhong Shuman suddenly spoke up. “It’s definitely not the same group!”

“Oh?” Everyone turned, curious and surprised by her assertion.

Zhong Shuman said coldly, “The official silver was robbed in Guazhou. The black-on-black group must have been the best of the best—without a fifth or sixth rank, they couldn’t have pulled it off. If it were just us, we wouldn’t even be worth their notice.”

Thunder Gale hesitated. “So you’re saying…the ones who struck are one group, but the ones delivering are another?”

Zhong Shuman nodded. “There aren’t many fifth- or sixth-rank players—these are all famous names. If those celebrities were delivering the silver, it would draw even more attention than sheer numbers.”

Everyone nodded in agreement; her analysis was sound. They also felt the cunning and experience of the top-tier experts. The attackers, famous as they were, drew the world’s attention and then departed, while a group of unknown players quietly moved the silver, unnoticed. The risk was enormous, but one had to admit it was a clever plan.

“If that’s the case, let’s head up the mountain now and strike first. We’ll catch them behind Azure Luan Peak,” Thunder Gale said, eager to act, thinking the opposition wasn’t strong.

“Wait!” Zhang He spoke slowly.

Everyone was surprised again. Thunder Gale smiled. “Well, rookie, what wise opinion do you have now?”

Zhang He replied solemnly, “It’s not a good idea to go up the mountain now.”

Lai Li chuckled, “What’s wrong with it, then? Are you scared? I know, your constitution is poor; climbing tires you out. What’s your constitution score at level 25? Two hundred fifty? Hahaha.”

The others joined in the laughter.

Zhang He smiled. “First, the path from Azure Luan Peak’s waterfall to the rear mountain is still a way off. There are plenty of monsters along the route, so we’d have to clear them out, making a lot of noise. That would not only use up potions but also risk tipping off the enemy.”

The laughter died down. Mud Lump clearly agreed. “What’s the second point?”

Zhang He continued, “Second, from the Azure Luan range toward Hui Ma Town, if we avoid the official road and stick to the wilds, no matter which way they go, Heaven’s Path is unavoidable. We can wait for them there. Even if they reach the rear mountain now, it’ll take until at least 2 a.m. for them to get to Heaven’s Path. By then, their vigilance will have dropped, fatigue will set in, and we’ll have the advantage of waiting rested while they’re weary.”

After he spoke, not a sound remained by the riverside. Hidden Fragrance Rising and Falling and Lai Li stared wide-eyed. Was this really coming from a level-25 rookie? It sounded more like the seasoned analysis of a veteran, precise and unassailable.

Zhong Shuman was slightly surprised, too; this newcomer’s plan was more scientific and perfect.

“Is there a third point?” Three-Wheel Brother couldn’t help but ask.

Zhang He nodded, “Third, as you analyzed earlier, those transporting the goods aren’t the ones who made the move. The couriers may not be strong, but I don’t fully agree. While the group may not be powerful overall, there must be one or two of the original attackers among them. This official silver is too valuable; if you’re a top-tier expert, you wouldn’t trust the transport entirely to weaklings. There must be a master overseeing things to ensure nothing goes wrong. So we mustn’t underestimate the enemy. As for those one or two experts, it’ll be up to the captain, a fourth-rank fighter, to deal with them. In the end, it’s up to the captain.”

His roundabout speech not only flattered Thunder Gale at just the right moment, but also shifted the responsibility back onto him.

The riverside was silent; every face showed one thing: Zhang He’s words had moved them.

All eyes turned to Thunder Gale, awaiting his decision.

After a long pause, Thunder Gale said, “Brother Might’s plan is better. Let’s follow his strategy—head for Heaven’s Path now.”

A few minutes ago, he’d called Zhang He “rookie.” Now, he switched to “Brother Might”—Thunder Gale was not above swallowing his pride.

Night deepened; the world was shrouded in darkness, and in that darkness, Ghost Rain Maple yawned.

He knew it wasn’t the right time for yawning, but as the night wore on, his energy inevitably waned.

During the battle at Guazhou, Sparking Gate’s elite all joined forces, intercepting official silver from seventy-two routes of the Black/Way Alliance. The bloody fight lasted nearly an hour; seven of his fellow brothers fell before they wiped out the enemy. The price for obtaining the silver was steep, but if it reached Sparking Gate’s headquarters safely, the rewards were more than worth it: not only money, but high evil points and sect prestige—a bounty beyond counting.

He’d been tense when first climbing Azure Luan’s rear mountain, but the descent was uneventful. It seemed the senior brothers had drawn all the Black/Way Alliance’s attention, letting him escort the goods home safely. Once past Hui Ma Town, the mission would be all but accomplished.

Ghost Rain Maple believed nothing unexpected would happen between Azure Luan and Heaven’s Path: the players along that stretch were all newbies, posing no threat to his convoy, and he didn’t even consider them as obstacles.

Even so, he remained cautious, transporting gold with wooden wheelbarrows—nimble and quiet, making little noise on the road. These carts required people to push; horses and mules made hoofbeats and could bray, but people did not. He felt secure.

Heaven’s Path was a broad avenue between two mountains, surrounded by dense woods but wide and open, with clear visibility—not a place for ambush, so the risk seemed low.

But Ghost Rain Maple could never have imagined that, on this supposedly safe road, nine pairs of eyes lurked like phantoms in the thickets, watching their prey like hungry wolves.

The convoy’s faint rustling was barely audible. Fifteen wheelbarrows formed a neat line, their pushers all dressed in matching pale yellow tunics, clearly from the same sect.

Lai Li and the others gripped their weapons, holding their breath—though they couldn’t calm their racing hearts.

Fifteen carts! Who knew how much gold was inside? And this was only a small fraction of the loot from the Grand Ming Prefecture robbery. All together, the total would be unimaginable. As for those legendary top-tier experts, their strength was beyond all reckoning.

“Go!” Thunder Gale commanded in a low voice, but a subtle voice immediately stopped him: “Wait!”

Everyone turned in shock—Zhang He again.

Thunder Gale’s right eye twitched violently. “Brother Might, you sense something wrong?”

Zhang He whispered, “Look at the size of these wheelbarrows—half the height of a person—but they leave almost no tracks. They’re certainly not carrying gold.”

Everyone shuddered and looked carefully; he was right.

Thunder Gale exhaled. “What do you think, Brother Might?”

A sharp light flashed in Zhang He’s eyes. “The real convoy must be behind. The carts ahead are just a decoy. If anything happens up front, those behind are ready and can change routes instantly. Let’s wait a bit longer.”

Everyone was impressed—the opponent’s planning was flawless, and their own Taiwanese teammate’s insight was remarkable.

Even Hidden Fragrance Rising and Falling, who usually looked down on Zhang He, nodded; his eyes were indeed sharp.

Zhong Shuman gave Zhang He a deep look and nodded too. “We should definitely wait.”

Thunder Gale, ever the captain, agreed. “Let’s do as Brother Might suggests.”

The convoy entered Heaven’s Path, Ghost Rain Maple breathing deeply. The night air was fresh, the rustling leaves in the woods lifted his spirits. The decoy convoy ahead had already reported back, safely through Heaven’s Path; he expected the official silver to clear Hui Ma Town before dawn.

Lost in thought, he glanced back and suddenly noticed the convoy looked shorter.

He counted: three carts were missing. Ghost Rain Maple rubbed his eyes, making sure the gloom wasn’t deceiving him; indeed, three carts were gone.

How could silver carts be missing?

The pushers were all junior leaders of his sect—where had they gone?

At that moment, Ghost Rain Maple leapt, flipping through the air, his toes tapping on the shoulders of the junior leaders behind him, crossing five or six heads in an instant, performing the “Grass Step Flying” lightness skill.

Clearing the length of the convoy, he reached the last cart.

There was no sound behind, only the restless rustling of leaves. The last junior leader, Tian Xingyao, was pushing hard, unaware anything had happened. Seeing Ghost Rain Maple fly overhead, he hurried over to ask.

Ghost Rain Maple said nothing, but slapped him twice to wake him up, then said, “Behind us—come with me.”

At the entrance to Heaven’s Path, silence reigned; the rustling leaves now sounded urgent, as if heralding a storm. Ghost Rain Maple’s heart sank—he saw three silver carts parked at the entrance.

The carts were intact, but the bodies of three junior leaders lay beside them, faces blackened from poison, their fatal wounds bloody gashes on their chests.

Tian Xingyao was deeply shaken. All three were second-rank fighters, killed from the front without even managing to cry out. The enemy’s skill was evident.

After work, I had something to do and didn’t want to delay updates, so I posted early. Please bookmark and support with likes and stars—every kind of support is needed!