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Sunlight pierced the jungle canopy and fell upon the thick furs, heating up the coarse pelts rapidly. The man's face was covered in a tangle of unkempt beard, and he could not help but break into a heavy sweat from the heat.
Yet he dared not casually remove them. The jungle’s damp, eerie climate made it easy to catch an illness. Moreover, they had gone hungry for many days. Though he had once been famously strong in his village, he now felt his legs growing weak.
Intense hunger tormented him, turning his once powerful muscles emaciated.
The longbow in his hand was crafted from fine yew and overlaid with a thick layer of elk sinew. It was wrapped in waterproof bark. It could shoot extremely powerful, heavy arrows. But in his weakened state, he could fire at most two more arrows before losing all his strength. Then, he would only be able to drip with cold sweat and submit to the mercy of others.
Indeed, he was sweating profusely not only because of the sudden temperature increase, but also because he was terrified by what they were doing.
Look at those cavalrymen. Look at those riders wrapped so completely that only their eyes were visible. Their armor was bright and fitted tightly; their physiques were tall and robust.
Even if one such cavalryman stood still and let him shoot freely, he was certain that he might not be able to kill him with the last arrow in his quiver.
Yet there were more than 400 of these terrifying, imposing cavalrymen. They filled the wide road, their dense iron armor shimmering with a cold, rippling gleam. Their powerful warhorses and superb weapons also struck fear into their hearts.
No one dared imagine how dreadful it would be if the cavalry charged. Yet, relying only on the longbows in their hands and a few pieces of tattered armor, they had placed themselves in front of the cavalry.
It seemed like a decision only a madman would make. But they did so not only because of extreme hunger; they also had their own basis for confidence.
He turned his gaze toward the slight figure at the front. The reason everyone dared to take this risk was because this man had convinced them. Moreover, they had no way to retreat. In this forest, even insects had already been devoured. If things continued like this, they would have to resort to cannibalism!
"Ancestors of Mombasa, protect your children!"
The man prayed devoutly in his heart and tightened his grip on his bow. He was the finest archer in the village, yet survival had become a luxury.
Even though the cavalry was bound by strict discipline and did not move a single step without orders, the soldiers exchanged bewildered glances. These ridiculous bandits had actually come to rob them! Not even the Empire’s most accomplished comic poet could make up a joke like this. The disparity in strength between the two sides was staggering, yet these people still dared to make such bold threats.
They had originally thought they were facing a Holsian ambush until they saw those ragged figures.
Had their general not withheld his command, they would have spurred their horses forward without hesitation and cut the bandits down.
“Your audacity leaves a deep impression on me.” Tesolus could barely restrain the smile on his face. He did not believe these people failed to see how powerful his cavalry was. Even though they were starving refugees, they should know which fate is worse: hunger or death.
"You should know that your words threaten us, and we will respond to such threats. We are in a hurry, so if you surrender now, I will spare your lives.”
Tesolus’s words stirred unrest among the bandits. The only reply he received was an arrow shot suddenly toward him. Casually deflecting the arrow to the ground with his shield, Tesolus gave the order with a hint of helplessness. "Break them! Quickly!”
The officer immediately blew the horn. Like a school of fish scattering in a river, the cavalrymen atop their tall warhorses brandished their weapons and fanned out, charging at the bandits. The sturdy, powerful warhorses leaped effortlessly onto the forested slopes, nimbly avoiding the thick trees, and carried their riders straight into the bandits’ formation.
In that instant, the dust kicked up by their hooves nearly engulfed the entire road. In the blink of an eye, the invincible iron cavalry were about to turn these audacious bandits into a field of corpses and mud.
But, with a sharp whistle, before the cavalry made contact, the bandits showed no intention of resisting. They scattered and plunged into the dense jungle behind them in an instant. Their footsteps were light and swift, and the complex thickets and branches posed no obstacle. Like cunning foxes, they slipped into the lush woods.
The cavalry's charge was inevitably blocked by the tall, dense thickets. Some cavalrymen gripped their sabers and hastily slashed at the bushes before them. But as soon as they cleared one cluster, more appeared behind it. As far as the eye could see, the jungle was filled with endless trees. It was a world of green.
The cavalrymen shouted angrily as they watched those cowardly scoundrels vanish in the blink of an eye. Wielding their chain hammers, they spurred their war horses, desperately trying to give chase.
Yet the terrain hindered them greatly. Dense shrubs and deciduous forests formed walls of fences. Unless they were carefully cleared, there wouldn't be a place to set up camp here.
The massive warhorses struggled to move through the environment while the bandits, relying on their agility, swiftly darted through the woods. Their speed was astonishing—even faster than people running on flat ground. By the time the last bandit had disappeared from sight, the cavalry, having achieved no results, angrily struck nearby tree trunks with their weapons. Then, they reluctantly turned their warhorses around.
"Bandits!"
Arka's furious roar suddenly rang out from the side. Only then did the cavalry notice several mud-caked figures hoisting sacks of grain from the wagons and swiftly darting into the nearby thickets.
Though slight of frame, they ran incredibly fast, even while burdened with heavy sacks of grain. They didn't care that their shoes had fallen off. They desperately plunged into thorn bushes and shrubs. If they stumbled, they clutched the sacks in their arms and scrambled back up.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to the fleeing bandits. They had seemingly popped out of nowhere and attacked the grain wagons at the very moment when everyone was distracted, carrying off several large sacks.
Furious, Arka dismounted. Grabbing his shield and chain hammer, he charged forward without hesitation. The dense shrubs hindered his tall frame, but he relied on the sturdiness of his armor and paid no heed to the sharp branches and wooden thorns. He struggled inward, desperately swinging his chain-hammer and smashing the bushes until they flew apart.
Some cavalrymen followed him, but their speed could not match that of the bandits, even though the latter were carrying heavy sacks of grain.
Tesolus narrowed his eyes when he saw that those people were about to escape completely. He unstrung the large bow he had taken as a trophy from his saddle, plucked a feathered arrow from a nearby shield, paused for a moment, and then snapped off the arrowhead. He drew the bow steadily.
"Archery Requirement: 95
Archery Level: 332
Check passed."
An arrow without a head was destined not to fly far. Yet, the shot he loosed accurately struck the knee of the last bandit. With a painful, piercing cry, the man collapsed to the ground. The large pile of grain sacks fell beside him. Panicking, he clutched the grain spilling from the sack's opening and shouted loudly to his companions.
A bandit with a full beard did not hesitate to run back, but only to hoist the grain onto his shoulders. Then he turned and fled swiftly.
By the time Arka had dragged his captive back, he saw his general squatting beside the wagon with interest. Tesolus was gazing thoughtfully at a hollow dug out beneath a large tree by the roadside, as well as at the scattered earth around it. A peculiar smile was on his face. The great bow, nearly as tall as a man, lay casually beside him on the wagon.
"These fellows are rather interesting..."
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