OBS Chapter 637 Birdsong
Chapter 637 Birdsong
The centurion pointed to the young man, bound crookedly with firewood on his back and being escorted by scouts: "Why did you only bring this one? Is there no one else around?" A scout beside him quickly stepped forward, kneeling on one knee to reply, "Centurion, there's been fighting around here for years. The original villages are long gone; most are either dead or have fled. We ran into this kid on the road. He darted into the woods like a rabbit when he saw us. We chased him for ages before finally catching him." Centurion Yoda's gaze swept over the young man. "What's your name? What are you doing here?" The young man swallowed, his throat bobbing, his voice trembling but still clear: "My name is Jiedu, I'm a resident of this area." "Nonsense," Centurion Yoda sneered. “The nearby villages have long been deserted, where would any civilians come from? If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!” Jiedu’s cheeks flushed slightly with anxiety, and his speech quickened. “No, before the war started, many people fled into the mountains and hid in secluded places. I just came out to collect some branches to use as firewood.” As he spoke, he pointed to the firewood on his back. The branches were of varying thickness and had fresh breakage marks, indeed looking like they had just been cut from the mountains. The centurion’s heart skipped a beat. This explanation matched the intelligence he had received earlier. He carefully examined Jiedu again. The young man was not tall, his arms were muscular from years of hard work, his face was covered with the honest, weathered look of a laborer, and the fear in his eyes seemed genuine. His attire was no different from that of an ordinary farmer, which reassured him somewhat. He softened his tone, but then abruptly changed the subject: "You've been in the mountains for so long, have you seen a mercenary group enter the area?" Jiedu frowned, thought for a moment, and then said with a hint of indignation, "Yes, they have! About three days ago, a group of strangers broke into our settlement. They were all armed, very fierce, and stole a lot of our food and winter clothing, and even injured two elderly people who resisted." As he spoke, his fists clenched tightly, and the anger in his eyes was palpable. Commander Yoda was secretly delighted; all the clues matched up. He suppressed his excitement and continued, "Do you know where those people went?" "Yes!" Jiedu nodded immediately. "After they finished looting, they didn't go far. They set up camp in a valley not far from our settlement. It's a strategically important and easily defensible location; they chose a good spot." "Good." Commander Yoda clapped his hands, immediately making up his mind. “You lead the way for us, and after it’s done, I’ll give you a sum of money, enough for you and the people of the settlement to live peacefully for several years.” Jiedu’s eyes lit up instantly, the fear and indignation on his face vanished, replaced by undisguised joy: “Really? Then I’ll take you there now!” “No rush.” Commander Yoda waved his hand, his gaze fixed on the darkening sky outside the tent. “It’ll be better to go at night. The darkness will cover us, and we can catch them off guard.” Jiedu nodded repeatedly, his face full of obedience: “I’ll listen to the commander, whenever you want to go.” Night fell quickly, the mountain wind carrying a chill, causing the flags outside the tent to flutter. Commander Yoda counted his men, leaving two hundred to guard the camp, watching over the supplies and horses, while the remaining eight hundred soldiers, fully armed, followed Jiedu into the mountains. The centurion rode a black warhorse, with Jedo leading the way, a wooden stick in hand probing the path. His steps were light, clearly indicating his familiarity with the mountain trails. Initially, the path was relatively flat, passable for the horses, and the soldiers marched in neat formation, their steps light and discreet. After some time, the mountain path gradually became steeper, the trees on either side growing denser, their intertwined branches blocking most of the moonlight. "Stop," Centurion Yoda commanded in a deep voice, reining in his horse. He looked at the narrow, rugged path ahead, one his horses couldn't possibly traverse. "Leave fifty men here to guard the horses. The rest of you, follow me on foot. Maintain silence." The remaining soldiers quickly led the horses to a clearing by the roadside, while the rest followed Jedo, climbing the steep path. The mountain path was slippery, covered with gravel and fallen leaves. The soldiers trudged along, relying only on the occasional moonlight filtering through the leaves for navigation. As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the surroundings gradually quieted down, leaving only the soldiers' breathing and footsteps, and the occasional bird call breaking the silence of the night. Jiedu led the way, his steps still light and quick. He walked briskly, occasionally stopping to listen intently, sometimes even mimicking the mountain birds' calls with clear chirps. The centurion frowned and reprimanded him in a low voice, "Focus on scouting. Don't do these unnecessary things, lest you disturb the mercenaries." Jiedu stiffened, quickly turning around with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Centurion, it's a habit. There are many wild animals in the mountains. I imitated bird calls to ensure safety. I'll focus on leading the way now." With that, he fell silent, only quickening his pace. The centurion stared at his retreating figure for a few seconds, and seeing that he had indeed stopped moving, said nothing more, only signaling the soldiers to be vigilant and grip their weapons tightly. The mountain path grew increasingly narrow, with a steep cliff on one side and a bottomless ravine on the other; a single misstep could send them tumbling down. The soldiers proceeded cautiously, their palms sweating. Just then, Jiedu suddenly stopped. He looked around, his gaze sweeping through the surrounding woods, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes. Then, he raised his head and let out a loud whistle, a sharp, piercing sound that echoed through the silent valley. "What are you doing?" The centurion's heart tightened, and he was about to question him when Jiedu abruptly turned and leaped into the dense woods, disappearing into the undergrowth in the blink of an eye. "Not good!" The centurion cried out in alarm, about to order a pursuit, when suddenly, something unexpected happened. "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—" Countless arrows suddenly shot from the trees and cliffs on both sides, like a dense, impenetrable rain, pouring down on the soldiers. Caught off guard, the soldiers fell to the ground, arrows striking them one after another, their screams echoing throughout the ranks. Some tried to raise their shields to block, but in the darkness, they couldn't see the arrows coming from anywhere, and their shields offered no protection. Many more were disoriented by the sudden ambush, and the ranks instantly descended into chaos. "Hold your ground! Form ranks and defend!" Commander Yoda drew his longsword and shouted, swinging it to deflect the arrows aimed at him, the striking points on his armor clanging and clattering. Soon, a group of armed men rushed out from the trees on both sides, each one agile and swift, charging towards the chaotic soldiers. Although thrown into disarray, years of training had preserved their instincts, and the soldiers raised their weapons to fight back. The clanging of swords, screams, and shouts shattered the mountain's tranquility. But the disparity in strength and the disadvantageous terrain were ultimately insurmountable. As time passed, the soldiers suffered increasingly heavy casualties, and fewer and fewer remained able to stand and fight. A spear pierced the centurion's left arm; the excruciating pain made it almost impossible for him to grip his sword, forcing him to support himself only with his right hand. He watched the last few soldiers fall beside him, a wave of despair washing over him. A militiaman slowly approached, a bloodstained longsword in his hand, a mocking smile on his face: "Yoda, you never thought you'd end up like this, did you?" The Yoda centurion glared at him, wanting to unleash a torrent of curses, but he coughed up blood, swayed, and finally collapsed. Meanwhile, the camp below the mountain was already engulfed in flames. The crackling of burning tents illuminated half the night sky. Guts stood in the center of the camp, directing the mercenary group as they moved supplies. "Hurry up! Load all the valuables onto the wagons, and take the food and water too—leave nothing behind!" The mercenary members each did their part: some carried food and weapons, some looted the soldiers, and some buried the corpses. Several soldiers were burning the remaining tents and debris to ensure no trace was left. A mercenary quickly approached Guts and reported, "Captain, the bodies are buried, the tents are burned, and the supplies are loaded onto the wagons. We're ready to depart." Guts nodded, his gaze fixed on the mountains, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Very good. These Yodas have given us quite a bit of good stuff. Pass the word down: once everything is packed up, immediately take the supplies back to the mountains and rendezvous with Griffith and the others." "Yes, sir!" The subordinate responded and withdrew. Guts glanced one last time at the burning camp, making sure nothing was left behind, then turned and jumped onto a wagon. With his command, the convoy slowly started moving, heading towards the mountains. The sound of the carriage wheels rolling on the ground was particularly clear in the quiet night, gradually fading away on the path leading to the mountains.