dognovel Chapter 281 The Jin Army's Burrows
Chapter 281 The Jin Army's Burrows
Night fell, and the city was enveloped in a deep tranquility, with only the stars twinkling silently in the sky. Lu Sheng, a soldier of the rebel army, was huddled in a simple house near the eastern city wall, enjoying a rare moment of rest. During the day, he had stood guard on the cold city wall, the biting wind cutting into every inch of his exposed skin. Tonight, this small fire had become his warm haven, allowing him to slowly warm his almost frozen hands and feet.
Just as Lu Sheng's consciousness began to drift away, teetering on the edge of sleep, a faint, continuous sound quietly broke the silence of the night. The sound was delicate and secretive, like a whispered secret in the darkness, yet it clearly carried a certain indescribable urgency. Lu Sheng suddenly became alert. He slowly lowered his breathing, afraid of disturbing this ominous tranquility, and pressed his ears to the ground, trying to catch the subtle movements coming from underground.
"Boss, boss," Lu Sheng lowered his voice and called softly to the team leader sleeping in the same room, his voice carrying a hint of barely concealed tension and curiosity, "Listen, there seems to be some unusual noise underground."
The team leader, abruptly pulled from his dream by the call, unconsciously furrowed his brow in an impatient knot, muttering a complaint: "You little rascal, don't you ever get tired? It's probably those rats underground messing with their nests again."
Ignoring the bone-chilling cold of the ground, Lu Sheng simply lay down, pressed his ear to the ground, and listened intently once again.
"Boss, I can guarantee there's definitely some movement down there. Our location is right next to the city wall. Do you think it could be the Jurchens causing this?"
Upon hearing this, the team leader's expression instantly shifted from languid to alert, as if suddenly roused by an invisible force, leaping directly from his warm, cozy bed. He mimicked Lu Sheng's posture, pressing his ear to the ground to carefully discern the sounds. However, his expression changed drastically in a moment, as if he had foreseen some ominous premonition.
Soon after, a volunteer leader led his warriors into the house and resolutely began digging. The subtle sounds coming from underground were undoubtedly signs of the Jurchens' covert operation. Faced with the enemy lurking in the tunnels, the only solution was to dig through the soil and completely block this secret passage leading into the city, lest the Jurchen soldiers, who were eyeing the city from outside, use this opportunity to sneak into the city undetected and disrupt our peace.
After digging for about half an hour, a deep hole about three meters deep appeared before them, and they could hear the Jin soldiers talking in hushed tones from below.
With a subtle gesture, the rebel leader signaled, and several warriors, gripping their short blades, used the ropes to glide swiftly and lightly into the deep cave, silently exploring the unusual glimmer of light within.
After turning a slightly narrow bend, the scene before us was breathtaking—four or five Jin soldiers, soaked to the bone, were vigorously digging into the rock face with their tools, completely unaware of the danger lurking behind them.
The leading rebel soldier moved with the lightness of a cat, his short sword becoming the most deadly shadow in the night. He slowly approached the back of a Jin soldier who was completely focused, and with perfect timing, he caught the soldier off guard. In a flash, his short sword slashed through the Jin soldier's neck, severing the fragile vein with unerring precision. A splash of crimson quietly bloomed in the dim light.
Within that cramped cavern, space seemed tightly bound, allowing only the most limited movements. The soldiers on both sides fought like trapped beasts, gripping their short blades tightly. Each swing was accompanied by the crisp clang of metal clashing, echoing in the confined space, sending chills down the spine. After a fierce exchange, four or five Jin soldiers finally fell in pools of blood, none surviving.
However, the price of victory was heavy. On the rebel side, two warriors closed their eyes forever, their bodies silently telling tales of bravery and sacrifice in the dim light; another lay wounded, pain and resilience etched on his brow. The remaining soldiers, exhausted, lay half-reclined on the cold ground, panting heavily, their chests heaving like bellows, sweat and dirt mingling, etching resolute outlines on their weary faces.
Fortunately, they chose short swords as their companions on this journey. In this cave where it was almost impossible to turn around, if they had used long swords, they probably wouldn't have been able to even provide basic defense, let alone deliver a fatal blow to the enemy. Although small, the short swords played a crucial role in this confined space, allowing the rebels to find a glimmer of hope in their desperate situation.
At this moment, the cave was deathly silent, with only heavy breathing and the faint sound of war drums in the distance intertwined, as if telling the story of this unknown underground battle and the heroes who risked their lives for freedom and their beliefs.
Just then, footsteps came from the other side of the cave. The leader of the rebel soldiers tensed up, knowing that the Jin soldiers who were transporting soil out must have arrived.
He hurriedly blew out the oil lamp he was using for lighting. In the darkness, the short knife he gripped gleamed coldly. His eyes were like torches as he stared intently at the other end of the cave entrance, his heart pounding like a drum.
Footsteps drew closer, accompanied by a melodious yet unfamiliar tune. A Jin soldier, humming a tune, slowly pushed a small cart into view. In the moonlight, his shadow stretched long, making him appear exceptionally lonely.
After the Jin soldier confirmed that there was no more light around him, he muttered a few words of dissatisfaction, his tone tinged with rebuke. Confirming that no one was behind him, the rebel soldiers hidden in the shadows swiftly and decisively dispatched the unexpected visitor with a flash of their short swords. The others, seeing this, were alarmed and dared not delay. They quickly cleaned up the scene and, guided by the darkness and the ropes, silently climbed back to the surface, each step cautious, afraid of disturbing the silence of the night.
After learning about the situation below, the leader of the rebel army pondered for a while. He immediately summoned his soldiers and worked through the night to find stones and sandbags to block the tunnel.
Before the Jin soldiers outside the city could react, more than twenty Yi soldiers quietly slipped out of the city. They wore the clothes of the dead Jin soldiers and, after scouting around, returned to the city.
The night was as dark as ink, silently enveloping the ancient battlefield. The rebels were astonished to discover that the Jin army had dug more than one hidden tunnel; they counted four or five similar tunnels. Had it not been for the dead of night, making it difficult for the Jin soldiers to avoid detection, they would likely have been captured instantly the moment they showed themselves. After all, the differences between the two sides were too obvious; even the difference in their hairstyles was as clear as day versus night.
Just as the rebels sat together, discussing their next move, a sudden sound broke the silence, faintly emanating from the cave. Immediately afterward, the Jin soldiers' terrified and urgent cries echoed from within; they had clearly discovered the bodies of their comrades lying in the darkness.