Shi Jian laughed inwardly.
You think I just blundered into these ravines by luck? Dao Xuan Tianzun himself is guiding my steps.
Of course, that was something he would never say aloud.
On the surface, he merely smiled calmly.
"Indeed, a fortunate coincidence. Still… with luck like this, I'm not entirely confident we can absolutely guarantee the Governor's safety."
Chen Qiyu cut him off sharply.
"This is hardly the time for idle talk! Behind me—"
Shi Jian nodded crisply.
"Governor, please withdraw behind our formation and supervise the surrendered rebels."
Before Chen Qiyu could respond, Vice Commander Luo Xi suddenly surged forward with startling speed. He and his personal guards rushed straight at the kneeling rebels, shouting curses, kicking them over, knocking them flat to the ground in a flurry of boots and abuse.
Chen Qiyu glanced once at Luo Xi… then again at Shi Jian.
One is a fifth-rank garrison commander. The other is a third-rank vice commander.
By all logic, the vice commander should be the pillar of the battlefield… yet this one is useless.
Instead, it's the garrison commander who actually inspires confidence.
Aiya…
Well aware of his own limitations as a civil official unsuited for frontline command, Chen Qiyu very sensibly retreated behind Shi Jian's troops.
Shi Jian's militia immediately surged forward.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Flintlock rifles roared in rapid succession. A broad swath of rebel soldiers in the gully ahead collapsed instantly, bodies piling atop one another.
The rebel leader, Xue Hongqi, cast a sharp glance ahead and roared,
"Government reinforcements! Too many muskets — this is bad! Disperse! Scatter!"
The rebel forces had never formed proper battle lines to begin with, and in the cramped gullies, such formations were impossible anyway.
They turned and fled toward the depths of the valley.
Lacking automatic weapons, Shi Jian's men couldn't maintain uninterrupted fire. Instead, they advanced methodically — reload, fire, advance — pushing forward step by step.
The column wound deeper into the valley, following the gully toward Gadu Monastery.
From the rear, Chen Qiyu called out anxiously,
"Garrison Commander Shi! Be careful of ambushes! This terrain is treacherous — enemies could burst out from any direction at any moment—"
Before he could finish, the embroidered image on Shi Jian's chest stirred.
The miniature Dao Xuan Tianzun, stitched in fine cotton thread, spoke softly:
"Fifty paces ahead. Cliff face. Right side."
Shi Jian's arm shot up.
"Right cliff! Fire!"
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Several rebel archers tumbled from the cliff face, bows still clutched in their hands, dying before they even hit the ground.
Chen Qiyu gasped.
"Incredible! Garrison Commander Shi — how did you know they were hiding there?"
The Dao Xuan Tianzun spoke again, unhurried:
"Eighty paces ahead. Gully bend."
Shi Jian roared,
"Eighty paces! Focus on the bend!"
As the troops reached the curve, no one rushed forward recklessly. Instead, several soldiers hurled grenades behind the cluster of rocks.
"BOOM!"
Bodies and shattered stones were blasted skyward.
Chen Qiyu stared, stunned.
"This… this is unbelievable! How can you possibly predict everything so precisely?"
"Gadu Monastery ahead!"
A shout rang out.
The terrain suddenly opened up into the central valley.
Just moments earlier, fierce fighting had taken place here. Corpses of garrison soldiers lay scattered across the ground. The rebels, unwilling to become musket targets, had already withdrawn, dispersing into the countless surrounding gullies.
Shi Jian's troops quickly secured the monastery entrance.
Chen Qiyu followed close behind, dread clawing at his heart.
"Garrison Commander Shi, this place is extremely dangerous. Gullies run in all directions — rebels could erupt at any moment. This official was nearly killed here earlier—"
Shi Jian merely nodded.
"Understood."
What Chen Qiyu didn't know was that at that very moment, Xue Hongqi, having scattered his forces into those same gullies, was issuing orders of his own.
"The government troops are fools," Xue Hongqi sneered.
"Stopping at Gadu Monastery again? That cursed place is perfect for ambush. They haven't even sent scouts. When I give the signal, rotate positions — strike them from all directions."
"Haha! No one knows this terrain better than us!"
"Boss Xue!" someone suddenly shouted. "Look at the sky! Why is there a strange sky lantern floating above us?"
"To hell with lanterns!" Xue Hongqi barked. "What time is this for nonsense? Prepare to attack!"
The rebels crouched low, darting through gullies, shifting positions in moments.
"Charge!"
With a furious roar, a large rebel force burst from a gully.
But Shi Jian was ready.
A line of riflemen lay in wait. The instant the rebels emerged—
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
They were cut down before even seeing daylight.
The survivors screamed and fled back into the gully.
"Where are our scouts?!" someone shouted.
"We should know their movements better than they know ours!"
"Crack!"
A lone gunshot answered them. A rebel scout fell from a distant cliff, already dead before his body hit the ravine floor.
"So many of our scouts are dead… we're blind now!"
"How do they know every hiding place?"
"They didn't even send scouts!"
"That's impossible!"
A rebel squad tried to reposition, slipping across a narrow gully.
At the bend ahead, government troops were already waiting.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Every rebel fell where they stood.
The terrain the rebels had mastered since childhood now felt alien. Their enemies seemed to know every twist, every turn — better than they did.
Cold sweat slid down Xue Hongqi's back.
"What in the blazes… is going on?"
"Boss…" a subordinate whispered, trembling.
"That sky lantern… it has a human face painted on it. It looks like it's smiling at us."
"Nonsense!" Xue Hongqi roared.
"How can a painted face smile? Scout the surroundings—!"
Before he could finish—
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Gunfire erupted behind him. His rear guard collapsed in heaps.
Every hair on Xue Hongqi's body stood on end.
"Are you telling me… they've already circled behind us, and I didn't even notice?"
"Boss! Run!"
Under desperate protection, Xue Hongqi fled.
Just as he thought he'd escaped, riflemen burst from a diagonal gully ahead.
Leading them was Zheng Gouzi, laughing heartily.
"Let's not let Xue Hongqi slip away!"
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
More bodies fell.
Driven half-mad with rage, Xue Hongqi roared, drew his blade, and charged at Zheng Gouzi.
Zheng Gouzi didn't even blink.
Behind him, a dozen musket barrels extended.
Smoke bloomed.
Xue Hongqi collapsed face-first into the dirt.