ebookland Chapter 246 Assassination of Zhang Liang 8
Chapter 246 Assassination of Zhang Liang 8
However, after witnessing their master escape on horseback, Zhang Liang's slaves, driven by their deep-seated servility, made an unexpected choice—to stop the pursuers. As if by telepathy, they stepped forward one after another, attempting to block Liu Sheng's path. Despite his exceptional skills, Liu Sheng was quickly surrounded by these ferocious and fearless individuals, finding it difficult to escape.
The well-trained guards behind Liu Sheng acted swiftly, arriving at his side like a whirlwind in the blink of an eye. They instantly clashed with Zhang Liang's group of slaves, engaging in a fierce battle.
These slaves were carefully raised by Zhang Liang; each one was burly and robust, appearing menacing. However, the men led by Liu Sheng were no ordinary soldiers; they were all former members of the imperial guards, exceptionally skilled, truly one in a million. In the very first exchange, after just a few rounds, the seemingly ferocious slaves collapsed to the ground, dead.
Looking around again, Zhang Liang was nowhere to be seen. Liu Sheng ordered, "Quick! The woman who rode away on horseback is Zhang Liang, whom we've been searching for. We can't let her escape! Capture her immediately!"
As soon as the order was given, Liu Sheng's men displayed their ruthless and decisive side without hesitation. With lightning speed, they seized horses from others, nimbly mounted them, and then, cracking their whips, galloped off like arrows in the direction the woman had gone.
In an instant, the sound of horses' hooves echoed through the sky, raising clouds of dust. Liu Sheng and his men followed closely behind, relentlessly pursuing Zhang Liang, determined to capture him and bring him to justice.
Meanwhile, chaos still reigned at the city gate, the commotion of the crowd continuing. When they finally broke through the gate, the scene before them was horrifying—strewn corpses lay scattered haphazardly at the gate, a truly gruesome sight. The crowd was terrified, screams erupting everywhere. Some turned deathly pale, trembling uncontrollably; others collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably; still others, unable to withstand the shock, fainted on the spot.
Zhang Liang rode his horse at breakneck speed along the road. His heart was in his throat the entire time, and he kept turning his head to look back. The pursuers were getting closer and closer, their hooves thundering through the sky, as if capable of shattering the heavens and earth.
Zhang Liang knew that with his current physical condition, if he continued to flee on horseback for too long, he would eventually be overtaken by the pursuers behind him. As he spurred his horse forward, he anxiously scanned his surroundings. Suddenly, he noticed that towering mountains stretched out on both sides of the road, like two enormous barriers blocking his way.
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Liang yanked the reins, turned his horse around, and charged straight towards the mountain peak on his right. When he was near the foot of the mountain, he jumped off his horse without hesitation, abandoned it, and charged into the mountains alone.
Liu Sheng and his companions gave chase, but when they reached this spot, they only saw a lone horse slowly walking towards them. Upon seeing this, Liu Sheng immediately understood—Zhang Liang must have already disappeared into this deep mountain.
Liu Sheng reined in his horse and stopped at the foot of the mountain. He swept his sharp gaze over his men and ordered in a deep voice, "Brothers, let's go into the mountains to pursue them! But we need to leave a few men outside the mountain to keep watch in case Zhang Liang takes the opportunity to escape. Also, send another man back to Huaiyang as soon as possible to report the news and ask the city to send more men to support us."
Upon hearing Liu Sheng's order, everyone sprang into action. In no time, the division of labor was complete. Liu Sheng led the remaining men cautiously into the forest. It was the dead of winter, the snow had just stopped, and the entire forest was covered in a blanket of white, utterly silent. Only the occasional clear chirping of birds broke the stillness.
Liu Sheng, true to his experience, deliberately chose paths marked with clear footprints, greatly improving the efficiency and accuracy of his tracking. The group trudged through the mountains, the snow knee-deep, each step a struggle. But they dared not slacken their efforts, keeping a close watch on any possible clues, lest they miss the perfect opportunity to capture Zhang Liang.
Zhang Liang dragged his exhausted body along with difficulty. His steps grew heavier and heavier, as if each step drained all his strength. He came to a fork in the road and stopped.
He glanced back at the trail of deep and shallow footprints behind him, a wave of anxiety washing over him. These footprints undoubtedly revealed his location, and if he didn't make a decision soon, he feared he would soon be overtaken by the enemy.
After a brief moment of thought, Zhang Liang decided to walk in one of the directions. After only a few minutes, he turned back without hesitation and ran quickly in the other direction.
At the same time, Liu Sheng led a group of pursuers to the fork in the road. They immediately saw the footprints clearly visible on both roads. Liu Sheng frowned and decisively ordered, "Split up and pursue them!" With his command, the pursuers immediately split into two groups and sped off along different paths.
At this moment, Zhang Liang was nearing his physical limit due to the long journey and the tension. He was panting heavily, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Despite this, he dared not stop for the first time, because stopping would mean putting himself in complete danger.
As Zhang Liang ran for his life, he cautiously surveyed his surroundings. All he could see was a vast expanse of white snow, nothing but snow, offering nowhere to hide. But at this moment, his most pressing problem was how to escape the pack of ferocious pursuers.
Just as Zhang Liang was becoming increasingly anxious, he suddenly spotted a cave not far ahead. The cave looked somewhat secluded; if he could hide inside, he might be able to temporarily escape his pursuers. Thinking of this, Zhang Liang gritted his teeth and used the last of his strength to run towards the cave.
Zhang Liang tried to conceal his tracks before climbing into the cave. The cave was dark and damp, reeking of decay. He walked a short distance and discovered a hidden, cramped space within. He quickly slipped inside and used several stones to block the entrance.
Liu Sheng followed one of the paths and soon arrived near the cave. He carefully examined the area around the cave entrance and noticed some messy traces. A cold smile crept across his lips as he thought that Zhang Liang must be hiding inside. So he led his men slowly into the cave.
In the darkness, Zhang Liang's heart pounded, and he clenched his fists. Liu Sheng and the others drew closer, seemingly about to find Zhang Liang's hiding place. Suddenly, a giant black bat swooped down from the cave ceiling, hurtling towards Liu Sheng and the others. Panic ensued, and chaos erupted. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Liang quietly moved aside a rock and crouched low, running deeper into the cave.
The bats were extremely ferocious, and Liu Sheng and his companions were overwhelmed. After finally defeating the bats, they went to find Zhang Liang, only to discover he had vanished. Liu Sheng was furious and had no choice but to search for clues again and continue the pursuit. Meanwhile, Zhang Liang found another exit deep within the cave, successfully escaping and temporarily shaking off his pursuers.