"My Lord Prefect, My Lord Prefect..." a guard cried out, his face etched with astonishment.
Someone dared to assassinate the Prefect! This was an attack on a court official.
Prefect Qin spat a mouthful of blood, his expression one of extreme agony.
He collapsed into the tall grass, his fate unknown.
Prefect Chen, also drenched in sweat, found his legs refusing to obey him.
The two guards, accustomed to assisting Prefect Qin with dismounting and running errands in Shuò'ān City, had never encountered such danger.
They were momentarily stunned.
It was Yun Erman who reacted first, shouting, "Assassin! Get down, everyone get down!"
They were in the open, while the enemy was hidden.
They held no advantage.
Fortunately, they occupied higher ground, with the assassin lurking below the mountainside.
Prefect Chen, hearing the shout, was a beat too slow.
With a 'whoosh,' an arrow split the air, flying directly towards Prefect Chen's heart.
"My Lord Prefect, be careful!"
Yun Erman lunged forward, pushing Prefect Chen with all his might.
The short arrow grazed Prefect Chen's arm, drawing blood and inflicting unbearable pain.
"You, come with me to catch the assassin!" Yun Erman pointed at Guard B, charging down the mountain without a second thought.
Guard A was ordered to stay and attend to the two officials, not daring to leave their side.
Guard B hesitated for half a second, drew his saber, and trotted after him.
The assassin was alone. His archery was precise, but his martial arts skills were lacking.
A farmer like Yun Erman, though tall and sturdy with a powerful build, possessed no actual combat skills.
He was less skilled in fighting than Da Man.
Yet, it was this farmer, brandishing a saber and exuding an intimidating aura, who managed to unnerve the masked assassin.
He nocked an arrow and aimed at Yun Erman's chest, shooting with a 'whoosh.'
The sharp arrowhead streaked like a meteor across the sky, reaching Yun Erman in an instant.
With a 'thump,' he threw himself to the ground, the short arrow whizzing past his scalp.
Yun Erman wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and glanced back.
He saw the short arrow embedded in the trunk of a tree, its tail still quivering violently.
It was clear that had the arrow struck Yun Erman, it would have been instantly fatal.
The killer was truly vicious.
Seeing Yun Erman on the ground, Guard B also dropped his saber and crouched behind a large tree, trembling.
"What are you doing? Go chase the assassin!" Yun Erman roared.
Guard B shook his head, his voice quivering, "W-we'll die!"
He didn't earn much in a month, and dying in such a desolate place would be a terrible loss.
Yun Erman: "..."
Good heavens, no wonder Prefect Qin was hit by an arrow; his subordinate was also useless!
At a critical moment, he was scrambling to save himself, showing less courage than Yun Erman.
Yun Erman ignored him, got back on his feet, and continued running down the mountainside.
The assassin narrowed his eyes. Was this kid suicidal?
"Stop right there!" Yun Erman bellowed.
Having grown up in the countryside, his running speed and stamina were naturally superior.
Even if the assassin had undergone special training, he couldn't match Yun Erman in endurance.
Within a few breaths, Yun Erman caught up to the assassin and grabbed him by the neck.
In close combat, bows and arrows were useless.
Even the most skilled archer could not utilize their power.
Yun Erman, on the verge of rage, tackled the assassin and landed two swift punches on his eyes.
"Ugh! Ah!"
"You... Are you crazy? I have no quarrel with you, why are you chasing me?"
The assassin cried out in pain, his eyes burning with fury.
Yun Erman gave him no chance to recover, ripping off the black cloth from his face, and paused in surprise.
He didn't recognize this person. The man had dark skin, a sharp mouth, and a monkey-like face. He didn't seem to be from Da Shui Village.
"You scoundrel, a life for a life, a debt for a debt! You just shot Prefect Qin, I'm taking you to the authorities!"
Yun Erman hauled him up and landed two more punches to his stomach.
The assassin, filled with rage, roared, "I didn't intend to kill you, why are you shouting?"
As he cursed, his hand slowly reached for his waist, drawing a sharp dagger.
Yun Erman, oblivious to this detail, slapped him twice. "Don't talk nonsense. If I hadn't ducked quickly just now, I would have been shot full of holes."
The assassin gave a sheepish grin and suddenly pointed towards the mountainside. "Look quickly, the soldiers are coming!"
Yun Erman frowned. "Who are you trying to fool?"
Did he think Yun Erman was an idiot?
Only children would fall for such a low-level trick.
Thus, Yun Erman, unable to suppress his curiosity, glanced towards the mountainside.
Seizing the opportunity, the assassin gripped his dagger and lunged towards Yun Erman's neck.
You scoundrel, die!
Unexpectedly, Yun Erman spun around and delivered a kick to the assassin's vital spot.
With a dull 'thud,' the assassin dropped his dagger, his body swayed, and he collapsed limply to the ground.
Was this kid a war god?
He always aimed for the most vulnerable areas.
Yun Erman was also puzzled. Why was he so divine and imposing today?
The other day, when he passed through the women's village, he had deflated like a leaky ball, allowing those women to do as they pleased.
"I knew you'd try something sneaky, you shameless fellow, only knowing how to ambush!"
Yun Erman kicked him twice more, then shouted behind him, "I've caught him, bring a rope quickly!"
Guard B heard the commotion, unbuckled his belt, and cautiously approached.
He took a closer look and suddenly let out a startled cry, "The assassin... the assassin is dead!"
"What?"
Yun Erman looked down and saw the assassin with his eyes rolled back, blood gushing from his nose and mouth, his limbs twitching slightly.
He had clearly died from poison.
Yun Erman felt for his breath; he was no longer breathing.
"What... what should we do now?" Guard B asked Yun Erman.
With the skills he had just displayed, he could be their chief instructor.
Yun Erman pondered for a moment. "Go carry the Prefect down the mountain."
The assassin couldn't be left here either; he had to be taken to Da Shui Village for further processing.
Regardless of who sent him, they needed to investigate thoroughly, even if it meant finding a scapegoat.
Otherwise, if a high-ranking Prefect like this could be assassinated so easily, it would reflect poorly on the security of the Great Liang Kingdom.
Prefect Chen's arm was wrapped with torn cloth, but it still couldn't stop the bleeding.
Just by descending the mountain for a short while, Prefect Chen's face had turned ashen, as if he hadn't slept, and he looked utterly exhausted.
Prefect Qin had been in a coma since being hit by the arrow.
His body temperature remained high, and he had started speaking incoherently from the fever.
"Was the arrowhead poisoned?" Guard A guessed.
"No!" Yun Erman glanced at Prefect Chen. "If the Prefect is fine, it means the arrow wasn't poisoned!"
"Once we get back to Da Shui Village, you must immediately go to the county town and fetch a doctor, the sooner the better!" Yun Erman instructed.
"Alright, alright, we understand!"