manynovel 680. Encountering an interception on the road
680. Encountering an interception on the road
The unease in Wang Zhuang's heart finally came to an end.
His sharp gaze swept quickly across the surroundings, focusing on the key joints in the area.
Accompanied by the sound of chaotic footsteps, several figures exuding undisguised hostility darted out and quickly blocked the convoy's path! Not only that, but behind the seemingly ordinary low slopes and piles of rocks on both sides, swift figures emerged like ghosts. They moved nimbly and coordinated perfectly, silently completing the encirclement on the hillside, trapping the entire convoy like prey in this easily attacked but difficult to defend valley.
Of course, at the core of these veterans are seven people of the highest status: two Dou Huangs and five Dou Wangs!
This expert's entourage far surpassed Wang Zhuang's. Within his entourage, he was the only one with the strength of a Dou Huang, and only two others were Dou Wang level experts. The remaining dozens of guards were mostly only at the Dou Ling or Da Dou Shi level.
"It's extremely irrational to force our way in and fight head-on." Wang Zhuang immediately came to this conclusion.
The difference in strength was too obvious; apart from himself, no one else could force their way through.
"May I ask where you are from on the road? I am from Wangzhuang in Qianhua City. The goods I am escorting are for the distribution needs of Qianhua Trading Company." As he spoke, he casually raised his hand and gestured towards the several large cargo trucks behind him.
Upon hearing this, one of the two leading Dou Huangs sneered coldly, "I don't care where you came from, nor do I want to know where you're going. Stop the car obediently and wait to be searched!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhuang grew increasingly nervous, yet a smile still graced his weathered face. "I'm no fool, and I certainly won't let you all leave empty-handed. If you're short on cash, for good luck, I'll give you all the goods from these three carts in the convoy. So you won't leave empty-handed, and we can make friends too, what do you say?"
"I'll say it again, await search! Don't move an inch, and I'll turn you into pincushions on the spot! As for the car? We'll talk about that after I've searched it!"
Then, Wang Zhuang clearly heard the sharp, taut sound of bowstrings. The guards in the caravan instantly stirred, their faces turning pale. The vast majority of the caravan members were below the level of a Dou Wang (Battle King), and if they were to withstand a barrage of arrows, more than half of them would likely be seriously injured. The enemy had clearly come prepared, possessing an overwhelming advantage in numbers, strength, and equipment.
Then, the leader waved his hand slightly, and more than thirty people leaped out from behind him, rushing directly towards the convoy, clearly intending to search each member of the convoy. As the leader of the convoy, Wang Zhuang naturally had the responsibility to be accountable for all its members. Within Wang Zhuang's convoy, the two Dou Wang powerhouses were also awaiting Wang Zhuang's orders.
"Listen to them," Wang Zhuang said calmly, addressing everyone. "Life is more important!"
However, his gaze still swept over one of the camel carts in the caravan. Among the two Dou Huangs leading the way, the tall, thin Dou Huang with a sinister and shrewd look in his eyes keenly noticed the unnaturalness in Wang Zhuang's eyes.
He then addressed the two Dou Wang experts behind him, saying, "Search carefully! Especially the fourth vehicle! Inside and out, nook and cranny, don't overlook any suspicious detail!"
That was the spot Wang Zhuang had been eyeing! The two Dou Wang experts obeyed the order and, in a few leaps, bypassed the outer guards and rushed directly toward the camel cart that Wang Zhuang had locked onto.
They roughly pulled back the heavy tarpaulin curtain, and a strong, mixed herbal scent instantly filled the air.
The two Dou Huang experts exchanged a glance. One kept an eye on Wang Zhuang, while the other quickly rushed to the edge of the camel cart, only to be somewhat disappointed by the result. The cart was filled with herbs—of high quality and in considerable quantity.
Furthermore, these herbs are still unharvested. This explains why they weren't stored in his storage ring. This was one of Wang Zhuang's preparations in advance—a cartload of high-quality herbs that could be discarded at any time. As long as he could complete this actual escort mission, he was willing to abandon these losses without hesitation. However, Wang Zhuang's wishes were not fulfilled this time, because the Dou Huang expert glanced at the entire cartload of herbs, his eyes showing disappointment, but he showed no intention of stopping because of the value of this cartload.
"Keep searching, be more thorough!"
The fact that they were completely unmoved, and that they were making such a big fuss about it, meant that Wangzhuang's goal was bigger and more important.
Wang Zhuang was now ninety percent certain that these people were after him and the important person in the car. As their search continued, cold sweat beaded on Wang Zhuang's back. But aside from cautiously gathering his inner fighting spirit, he dared not do anything. Any truly outrageous action he took could bring annihilation to this group.
The atmosphere inside the convoy was extremely oppressive, with only the heavy breathing of the guards and the chaotic sounds of the searchers rummaging through items.
……
"Boss, we've finished searching this area. Nothing special, just a weirdo in the corner who's almost burned beyond recognition but still breathing, looks like he was burned by fire in the wasteland. Nothing interesting."
The sinister Dou Huang frowned: "A half-burnt charcoal? Still breathing?"
"Bring him over here!"
Subsequently, the two Fighting Kings carried the charcoal-covered man to the front of the convoy. Wang Ling'er followed along because of her concern for the charcoal-covered man, but she was also somewhat flustered by the tense atmosphere and dared not get too close.
Upon seeing this person, the two Dou Huang experts exchanged a puzzled glance. Clearly, they were also somewhat bewildered by the current situation.
"What should we do?" The scarred-faced Battle Emperor hesitated, pointing at the charcoal-faced man and asking his companion in a low voice for his opinion. In the team, this sinister companion had always been the strategist.
"Orders from above cannot be disobeyed; it's better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!"
As he spoke, another Dou Huang began to gather Dou Qi in his palm. Clearly, as long as his palm struck, the charcoal man would surely die.
At this moment, Wang Ling'er suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable courage, while Wang Zhuang, preoccupied with the matter of the noble person in the carriage, was somewhat distracted and failed to notice that Wang Ling'er had already rushed out.
"No!" Wang Ling'er stood protectively in front of the charcoal-faced man.
At this moment, a bloodthirsty cruelty appeared in the eyes of that Dou Huang.
"Idiot, how dare you stop me from doing my job! I'll kill you too!"