"Quickly inform everyone to return to camp immediately!"
Xu Tian knew that these bandits were not to be trifled with and immediately ordered his subordinates to recall all members of the Vanguard Camp.
"Commander, these bandits are numerous. Should we retreat first?"
Xu Tian immediately asked Su Fan.
"Are a mere thousand men enough to scare you? Since they are bandits, let's annihilate them all! I will advance and retreat with the brothers of the Vanguard Camp!"
Su Fan immediately demonstrated what it meant for a cowardly leader to lead a cowardly troop.
Su Fan did this intentionally, to prevent the Vanguard Camp from leaving and to force them to rendezvous with King Kaoshan's men.
Xu Tian's brow furrowed.
However, their Vanguard Camp had fought battles with fewer men against more before.
"Yes!"
Xu Tian could only brace himself and accept the order, then go to arrange the phalanx.
Su Fan's objective achieved, he smiled slightly and followed them out.
...
King Kaoshan, leading two thousand cavalry, galloped to the battlefield.
King Kaoshan looked up slightly at the Vanguard Camp, already arrayed and prepared to meet the enemy.
"Are you the Bandit Extermination Camp ahead!"
King Kaoshan's deputy, following King Kaoshan's instructions, shouted forward.
Xu Tian, at the front of the camp, immediately heard the question from the other side.
Just as he was about to speak, Su Fan interrupted him.
"I am Su Fan, Commander of the Bandit Extermination Camp. Who are you!"
Su Fan directly announced his identity and asked them.
Upon hearing that Su Fan was leading the troops, King Kaoshan immediately understood.
"I am King Kaoshan. Did you kill Sanniang!"
King Kaoshan asked Su Fan in a deep voice.
"What Sanniang? I don't know."
Su Fan was genuinely confused about what the other party was referring to, as Su Fan had no connection with King Kaoshan.
"Did you kill the people from Youjian Inn!"
King Kaoshan rephrased the question.
Su Fan immediately understood, realizing they were referring to Sanniang from Youjian Inn.
"Youjian Inn is a black inn that murders for profit. Of course, I must eliminate this menace for the people!"
Su Fan's eyes darted.
Since King Kaoshan knew Sanniang, why not use this opportunity to enrage him?
So Su Fan readily admitted it.
King Kaoshan was silent for a moment, his face covered in frost.
"Brothers! Kill them!"
King Kaoshan immediately gave the order for his subordinates to charge at the Vanguard Camp.
Xu Tian was shocked. If it weren't for Su Fan's status, he would have wanted to cut Su Fan down with his own sword.
"Form ranks!"
Xu Tian hurriedly stopped them from engaging the enemy.
Two thousand cavalry against one thousand well-trained Vanguard Camp soldiers. Even if each Vanguard Camp soldier was worth two, they were no match for the enemy, especially considering the enemy were all well-equipped cavalry!
Fortunately, Xu Tian had rich battlefield experience and could minimize casualties even in such a disadvantageous situation.
"The cavalry and spearmen will stay to hold them off. The infantry will retreat first!"
Xu Tian had already decided to retreat; a head-on confrontation was impossible.
The battlefield signalmen waved their flags to the various phalanxes.
Upon receiving the signal, the soldiers immediately adjusted their formations. The infantry instantly became the rear echelon, directly obeying Xu Tian's orders to retreat.
Only the cavalry, capable of mobile combat, and the spearmen, the bane of cavalry, remained.
After the infantry retreated, the spearmen followed closely behind, and finally, the cavalry.
"Pursue!"
However, King Kaoshan had no intention of letting Xu Tian go and ordered a pursuit after the elite cavalry.
Xu Tian's side suffered heavy casualties.
Even the infantry, with the fewest casualties, lost nearly a hundred men to a charge by King Kaoshan's cavalry.
The spearmen, retreating late, also lost over a hundred men.
The cavalry suffered the most.
Out of three hundred cavalrymen, one hundred and fifty were lost in this battle, along with their horses.
"Su Fan! Where is Su Fan!"
Xu Tian had not seen a single soldier from the Bandit Extermination Camp throughout the battle. He immediately realized he had been tricked and roared in anger.
"Camp Commander, Commander, he left long ago."
Su Fan had already slipped away amidst the chaos. How could Xu Tian possibly find him?
"Charge towards the Bandit Extermination Camp, now!"
Xu Tian was furious and ordered them to charge directly towards the Bandit Extermination Camp.
He was determined to get an explanation from Su Fan, or he would make Su Fan pay for his soldiers' lives!
"Yes!"
The heavily depleted Vanguard Camp immediately marched towards the Bandit Extermination Camp.
But when they arrived at the Bandit Extermination Camp outside Beiling City, they found that the camp was already empty, not a soul in sight.
"Bastard!"
Xu Tian was enraged. The Bandit Extermination Camp had done this deliberately, even preparing their escape route!
"Camp Commander, the pursuers are coming from behind!"
A scout hurriedly reported to Xu Tian.
Xu Tian was startled. The enemy was pursuing so closely; they were simply madmen!
Xu Tian frowned.
In their current state, even if they returned to the Vanguard Camp, they would be crushed by the enemy. The Vanguard Camp's base had no city walls.
"City walls? Yes! City walls!"
Xu Tian's eyes lit up, as if he had grasped a lifeline.
"To Beiling City!"
The only nearby defensible city wall was Beiling City. Once he reached Beiling City, he could use the advantage of the city walls to hold them off!
Su Fan! Li Changmin! Wait until I resolve this crisis, and then I'll settle the score with you!
Xu Tian thought resentfully.
Then, he led his men and rushed towards Beiling City.
The residents of Beiling City, seeing so many soldiers entering the city, scattered to avoid them, fearing to provoke them.
Wen Yan from Wanli Inn, looking out the window at the Vanguard Camp soldiers on the street, began to understand.
He immediately wrote a letter and sent it to the City Lord's mansion.
In the City Lord's mansion, Fang Shijie first received news from his subordinates about many soldiers entering the city. Just as he was puzzled, Wen Yan's letter arrived.
Fang Shijie hurriedly opened it to read.
"City Lord, we have been attacked by bandits and have suffered heavy losses. We request to borrow Beiling City to defend against the enemy. After the enemy withdraws, we will obey your command!"
In his haste, Fang Shijie did not notice that the letter referred to him as "City Lord." Without further thought, he immediately wrote a reply.
"Beiling City is your home. You can come to me anytime if you need anything."
Fang Shijie had someone deliver this letter to Wen Yan.
When Wen Yan received this letter, he smiled slightly.
These two letters, placed together, would serve as evidence.
...
King Kaoshan frowned upon seeing the Bandit Extermination Camp fleeing.
Beiling City, that was a town he had previously governed.
"All hands, to Beiling City, march!"
King Kaoshan gave the order to march towards Beiling City without hesitation.
Su Fan, on a mountain somewhere in Beiling City, watched everything unfold.
"Sir, are you sure about this strategy of pitting tigers against each other? What if something unexpected happens in Beiling City..."
Li Changmin said with some worry.
He was not concerned about who won or lost between King Kaoshan and the Vanguard Camp, but he was worried about the innocent civilians who might be caught in the crossfire.
"Don't worry. Don't forget who Beiling City belonged to before. King Kaoshan will not harm the civilians of Beiling City."
Su Fan said with confidence.