met free Chapter 286 A Rebellion Breaks Out Among the Liangshan Rebels
Chapter 286 A Rebellion Breaks Out Among the Liangshan Rebels
Unbeknownst to the righteous soldiers who were determined to surrender Liangshan City to the Jin army, a silent crisis was already looming overhead. Right beneath the eaves above them, the elite soldiers of the Li family army, like cheetahs in the dark, lay in ambush, their dark gun barrels like the gaze of death, locking onto every soul about to step into the trap.
The leader of the rebel army spoke in a deep and firm voice, as if lighting a fire in the abyss, as he roared to boost morale: "Brothers, for this path of survival beneath our feet, to avoid being driven into a corner, follow me and charge forward!"
Dozens of brave volunteers, wielding gleaming short blades, silently charged towards the Li family army's position hidden in the shadows of the city gate. Their lips were tightly pressed together, and they remained silent, only their sharp, hawk-like eyes locked onto their opponents, revealing an undeniable determination and coldness.
Veterans who have experienced the baptism of war know that those who shout loudly on the battlefield are often trying to cover up their inner cowardice with their bravado; while the truly formidable ones are those warriors who are as silent as the night and confront each other with their blades. Every bit of their strength is condensed in silence, like a beast poised to pounce, making people tremble.
"Fire!"
With a cold and decisive order from the Li family army officer, the soldiers of the Li family army hidden on the rooftops seemed to break free of their restraints overnight. They suddenly stood up, their guns spitting out flames of death, and bullets rained down like dense raindrops, instantly knocking down the unsuspecting rebel soldiers below. Cries of agony filled the air, and life and death hung in the balance.
Witnessing this scene, a resolute yet unwilling look flashed in the eyes of the rebel leaders below. They knew that there was no way to retreat at this moment.
Then, the leader raised his arm and shouted, his voice filled with unwavering determination and tragic heroism: "Brothers, things have come to this point. Only by burning our boats and breaking out of this desperate situation can we find a glimmer of hope! Follow me, charge!"
Two machine guns opened fire on the charging rebel soldiers. Seeing the fierce firepower, the rebel leaders immediately abandoned their plan to seize the city gate. They immediately led their remaining soldiers back towards the rebel camp.
A company commander belonging to Li Jiajun was bewildered by this sudden turn of events. He turned to his battalion commander and asked in confusion, "Battalion commander, look, the enemy has retreated like a tide as soon as we engaged in battle. Should we... continue the pursuit?"
The Li family army battalion commander responsible for guarding this crucial city gate was equally astonished. They were calculating how to withstand the fierce attack of this group of rebels when they never expected that the enemy would turn around and flee without warning, leaving behind a lot of questions.
After a moment's thought, the battalion commander decisively ordered: "Send out a company to pursue them quickly and ascertain their intentions. The rest of you must hold your posts and strengthen the defenses of the city gates. Do not let the enemy use any tricks to gain an advantage over us."
Just as the group of rebel leaders who were rushing back reached the threshold, they bumped into a group of rebel soldiers who looked travel-worn and tired, their steps filled with urgency and confusion.
"Leaders, what was the cause of that sudden gunfire? Why do you all look so flustered?" A soldier stepped forward, his tone filled with concern and confusion.
One of the leaders, still panting and his chest heaving, managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Quickly gather all the brothers! The situation is critical! The Li family army has harbored evil intentions and wants to seize Liangshan City for themselves, attempting to wipe us all out."
Upon hearing this, a cloud of indignation instantly settled over the faces of the rebel soldiers, as if dark clouds were obscuring the sun. Before long, a mighty force of over a thousand strong men had gathered in front of the camp gate, and more and more figures were rushing toward the camp.
Just then, Li's army soldiers, like shadows, swiftly surrounded the rebel camp, making it as impenetrable as an iron barrel. The leading company commander, his voice booming like thunder, pierced through the crowd and shouted:
"Brothers of the rebel army, please do not have any doubts! Our mission is solely to hunt down those traitors who intended to defect to the Jin. As for the rebel brothers who clashed with our army earlier, rest assured, my commander has already stated that only the ringleaders will be punished, and the rest will not be pursued..."
One of the rebel leaders was in a state of panic. He roared at the top of his lungs, "Fire the arrows!"
In an instant, countless arrows, like dark clouds obscuring the sun, shot towards the soldiers of the Li family army, tracing sharp arcs. Several screams rang out as several soldiers of the Li family army were unfortunately hit by arrows, their battle robes stained with blood. The rest turned their gazes to their company commander, awaiting his order to counterattack.
The company commander gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing, and shouted in a firm and loud voice: "Brothers of the Righteous Army, our Li Family Army is here to assist you in defending Liangshan City and resisting the foreign enemy! It is those few traitors in the Righteous Army who are causing trouble, trying to provoke a conflict between us so that the Jin people outside the city can reap the benefits! We must not fall into their trap!"
Seeing that their previous actions had not provoked any counterattack from Li's army, and given that some members of the ranks already harbored doubts about the rebel leaders, several other leaders immediately raised their arms and shouted: "Brothers, listen to what Li's army has to say! Right now, the Jin soldiers outside the city are fiercely attacking the city walls. We must not lose our composure and kill each other. I firmly believe that the Li family army brothers outside the city have no intention of harming us."
Before he could finish speaking, a sharp dagger suddenly pierced his chest, and all words froze at that moment.
The rebel leader, who had just been speaking so eloquently, was now deathly pale, his voice trembling as he said, "This man... this man has been secretly recruited by the Li family army. Everyone, do not trust him, do not..."
Before he could finish speaking, he collapsed to the ground, his life extinguished.
Upon seeing their leader murdered, the leader's soldiers flew into a rage, grabbed their weapons, and charged at the attackers. The rebels began to fight amongst themselves, a scene that left the Li family army outside the camp dumbfounded.
About half an hour later, the rebel leaders who had just led their soldiers to raise the banner of rebellion were tightly bound with ropes and escorted out like lambs to the slaughter, and handed over directly to a company commander of the Li family army.
A minor leader of the militia, a faint smile playing on his lips, said, “Sir of the Li Family Army, though I am a rough man and haven’t had much schooling, I still know a thing or two about the principles of being a decent human being. These disloyal and unrighteous scoundrels are yours to deal with. However, I have a request. The Jin army is currently launching a fierce attack on the city walls, and the situation is extremely urgent. Could you please report this to your superiors so that we, the brothers of the militia, can also climb the city walls and fight alongside the warriors of the Li Family Army against the Jin invaders?”