Courtyard House: Report enemy agents at the start, and you'll take off immediately.

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Looking at his earnest expression, the musician couldn't help but smile with admiration: "You truly are remarkable; you always manage to remain so calm and meticulous at crucial moments."

At this moment, Old Li spoke up: "Based on the information we have so far, we need to return to the camp as soon as possible to inform our people and immediately formulate a response plan. If they really do act first..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood that the consequences would be dire.

One of the young warriors couldn't help but ask, "Wouldn't it be better to just raid their headquarters and disrupt their supply line? That way, we could at least buy them some time."

Zhao De shook his head at the suggestion, "The risk is too great. After all, there are definitely heavy troops guarding that place. If we fail, it might alert them and make them more vigilant."

Another older member suggested, "Perhaps we could try creating a false impression to induce them to change their original route, or simply mislead their judgment?"

After listening to everyone's opinions, Old Li nodded thoughtfully. "These ideas are all good, but they require careful planning to implement. Our biggest problem right now is how to ensure that intelligence can be successfully transmitted to Zhao De and other important personnel, while also finding a way to shake off the pursuers behind us."

Chapter 1298 Redeployment

Chapter 1298 Redeployment

Just as everyone was discussing this, the musician suddenly noticed a faint sound coming from not far away. "It sounds like something's going on," she immediately became alert, signaling everyone to be quiet and assuming a defensive posture.

Sure enough, within moments, several figures rapidly approached. "Are they enemies?" a warrior asked nervously, his hand unconsciously reaching for the hilt of his sword at his waist.

However, when the newcomers revealed their faces, everyone breathed a sigh of relief—it was Zhao De himself leading the team to provide reinforcements. "I see, I didn't expect you to contact Lao Li and the others so quickly."

Zhao De's face was filled with relief and understanding. He stepped forward and patted Zhao De on the shoulder. "We just received a message from the sentry post that unidentified people had infiltrated the military camp. We guessed that you might be in trouble, so we immediately assembled our troops and rushed over. So, can you tell us the specific situation on your end now?"

Zhao De nodded, gathered his thoughts, and was about to recount everything he had seen and heard when…

Zhao De cleared his throat, trying to make his words clearer and more forceful: "Zhao De, we overheard an important intelligence from the enemy camp. They seem to have planned a surprise attack against us, intending to capture the tribe in the near future."

Zhao De frowned, his expression turning unusually serious: "Specifically? When do they plan to make their move, and how are they setting up their defenses?"

“The enemy plans to advance rapidly and their supply lines are heavily protected,” the musician added. “In addition, they have already dispatched reconnaissance teams and will likely determine the direction of their attack soon.”

"In other words, we must race against time," Old Li continued. "The problem now is not only how to send messages back to camp, but also how to disrupt the enemy's plans and even change their strategy."

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao De slowly spoke, "Hmm... if I could bring more men, we could consider implementing reverse tracking to try and disrupt the enemy's actions, buying us more time to prepare. As for safely delivering the message—" He turned to Zhao De and the others, "You've all gone to a lot of trouble, come back with me first to discuss countermeasures in detail!"

So the group followed their warrior leader back to their hidden temporary stronghold. More warriors gathered there, the air thick with a tense yet excited atmosphere. Upon receiving news from the front lines, everyone present became highly vigilant, for losing their homeland would mean annihilation.

Zhao De stood in the center of the group, his gaze sweeping over each face with a firm and calm look: "Brothers and sisters, the task ahead is no small matter! We must work together to protect our people from harm, but we must not act rashly and cause even greater losses. I propose that we split into two groups: one group will be responsible for drawing the enemy's attention away, while the other group will rush to the main village as soon as possible to deliver the alarm and at the same time begin to strengthen our defenses."

A burly man clad in animal hide armor stepped forward and said, "How about I lead a small team of elites behind enemy lines to disrupt their order? We can create chaos without being detected, forcing them to temporarily halt and redeploy."

“That’s certainly a good idea,” Zhao De agreed, but he also cautioned, “However, remember not to act rashly. In case of emergencies, you must react quickly, and ensuring the safety of yourself and your companions is paramount.”

Chapter 1299 Assigning Tasks

Chapter 1299 Assigning Tasks

Just then, the musician thoughtfully offered a different perspective: "I think simply creating feints is unlikely to fundamentally change the situation. If we can find the exact location of that so-called 'supply line' and destroy it, it will be a greater blow to the enemy's morale."

Zhao De immediately echoed her point of view: "That's right, and we've already gathered quite a few clues pointing to the existence of this supply network. Perhaps we can use this information to help locate the target."

After listening to their suggestions, Zhao De fell into deep thought. Finally, he made a decision: "Alright, then we'll take a two-pronged approach. Some of our personnel will carry out harassment missions, while the rest will follow Zhao De and the musician to investigate the supply route. In any case, everyone must be careful and maintain constant communication."

Just as everyone was preparing to proceed with their plan, a soldier suddenly ran into the tent and reported, "Something's wrong, sir! The outer reconnaissance team has just spotted a large number of suspicious individuals approaching this direction! They look like... the enemy's main force!"

Zhao De was startled by these words, and alarm bells rang in his mind instantly. He jumped to his feet and rushed out of the tent. The others followed closely behind, and an inexplicable tension filled the air.

Reaching a small hill at the edge of the temporary camp, Zhao De could vaguely see dust billowing in the distance through gaps in the sparse trees, indicating that a large number of troops were rapidly approaching. His brow furrowed even deeper: "The enemy is moving faster than I thought! We must make a decision immediately."

Old Li, panting heavily, said, "This is troublesome. We don't even have time to assign tasks now. If our hiding place is discovered..."

Before he could finish speaking, the burly man who had suggested going behind enemy lines interrupted impatiently, "Then what are we waiting for? Let me take those who are willing to follow and set off first! We have to hold them off for a while, no matter what."

"No rush!" The musician gently grasped his arm, his tone calm but firm. "Since things have come to this, we might as well set up defenses here. Using the natural cover and some pre-arranged traps might give us a chance to create enough obstacles for the enemy."

Hearing this, the animal-hide-armored warrior nodded, then turned to Zhao De and asked, "Leader, what do you think? Although the plan has changed, we still have the advantage."

After a moment's thought, Zhao De finally nodded and said, "Alright, since there's no better option, let's do it this way. Everyone, get to work immediately!"

Immediately following was a flurry of activity as soldiers moved swiftly and methodically through the dense forest, setting up chevaux-de-frise, traps, and camouflage tents. Meanwhile, archers took up advantageous positions, ready for action; the remaining personnel ensured all passageways were completely blocked.

Just as everything was ready, the enemy's vanguard closed in to within a hundred paces. With a few whistles signaling the attack, both sides immediately engaged in fierce combat. Arrows rained down from the bushes, and in an instant, cries of agony filled the air.

"Hold on!" Zhao De shouted to boost morale, then personally grabbed a rifle and charged into the heart of the battle, fighting fiercely. "We can't let these scum cross our lines!" Around him, every soldier was giving their all to defend their homeland.

Chapter 1300 Losing Fighting Power

Chapter 1300 Losing Fighting Power

However, even with the home advantage and a significant numerical disadvantage, they still struggled against well-trained and well-equipped opponents. Especially as time went on, more and more previously concealed positions became visible.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Old Li suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of something. "Brothers, let's retreat to the ravine behind and continue fighting! There are too many blind spots here. If we keep fighting, it will only increase unnecessary casualties!"

This statement immediately resonated with many, and the leaders present exchanged glances and reached a consensus: it was time to change positions. At that very moment, however, an unusual sound suddenly came from afar—as if something had exploded.

Everyone was extremely surprised. Before they could even figure out what was going on, a scout rushed back to report: "It's terrible, sirs! For some reason, the enemy has started fighting amongst themselves!"

"What's going on?" Everyone looked at each other, their faces full of confusion and bewilderment. The musician was the first to recover, guessing, "Could it be that the false information we released earlier worked? Or... are there really some of those people who have turned against us?"

“In either case,” Zhao De had regained his composure, his gaze resolute as he surveyed his surroundings, “it’s a good opportunity for us. Everyone, take advantage of the chaos and break out! Don’t give the enemy any chance to catch their breath! Remember your objectives and try to find their supply lines as quickly as possible.”

“Oh, right, there’s one more thing,” the musician reminded him. “The direction from which the explosion just occurred is very likely one of the target locations we’re looking for. If we can seize the opportunity to destroy that place, we might be able to disable the entire team.”

After saying this, a brief silence followed, then a deep, stirring roar erupted. "Follow me!" With the leader's command, all the warriors charged without hesitation in the designated direction…

Just a few dozen meters from their destination, the group suddenly encountered several lone enemies. The leader was the same burly, somewhat weary bearded warrior they had met before. He clearly hadn't expected to run into Zhao De and his group here, and involuntarily took a few steps back, his surprise evident: "It's you…how…how did you get here?"

Zhao De gave a cold laugh, gripping his weapon even tighter. "I regret to inform you—your luck won't be on your side this time. Brothers, charge!"

A flicker of panic crossed the bearded warrior's eyes, but he quickly gritted his teeth and roared, "You cowards! Don't even think about succeeding!" With that, he raised his longsword and charged at Zhao De. Zhao De was not to be outdone; he met him head-on with his spear. The two clashed in mid-air, the crisp sound of their weapons clashing ringing out loudly on the battlefield.

“You guys are certainly lucky,” Zhao De sneered, dodging each of his opponent’s attacks with agility. “But this is where it ends today.”

"Hmph, the arrogant will surely reap what they sow!" the bearded man retorted, though his imposing manner betrayed his obvious weakness. A companion beside him tried to help, but was stopped by Zhao De's men, and a brief but intense fight ensued.

Chapter 1301: Falling into Chaos

Chapter 1301 descended into chaos.

Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from not far away, followed by Old Li's voice: "It's bad! The enemy seems to have noticed us... Let's get out of here!"

Realizing the urgency of the situation, Zhao De quickly adjusted his strategy: "We can't drag this out any longer." He sidestepped the bearded man's final sweeping attack, then decisively sheathed his weapon and turned to shout to the troops: "Everyone prepare to retreat! Proceed according to the original plan, don't linger!"

The musician nodded in agreement. After quickly scanning the surroundings, she suggested, "Go around to the right. There's a hidden path there that leads to the ravine. Hurry, be quick!"

The group swiftly obeyed orders, and under Zhao De's leadership, they rapidly retreated in the designated direction. They encountered several small-scale ambushes along the way, but they overcame them all through their excellent teamwork and the advantage of the terrain. Only after completely disappearing into the dense forest did the pursuing enemies temporarily lose track of them.

"Did we succeed? What should we do now?" a young man asked, panting heavily. His face was flushed, his clothes were soaked with sweat, and his eyes showed both the joy of victory and a hint of worry about the unknown future.

“Following the leader’s instructions, the next step is to locate and destroy the enemy’s supply lines,” another person added.

“Yes,” Zhao De nodded affirmatively, “As long as we cut off their food supply, even if they are strong, they won’t be able to hold out for long. Remember, we must be very careful and cautious, and we must not reveal our position again.”

"Shall we go straight to the place where the explosion occurred?" The animal-hide armored warrior looked at Zhao De, waiting for an answer.

After a moment of contemplation, the musician said, "Let's first check if the surrounding environment is safe. If it's really an internal conflict within the enemy ranks that led to infighting, there might be some opportunities or clues that we can use."

After confirming that none of them were injured, the group began their journey. Night quietly fell, adding a touch of mystery to this once war-torn land. Guided by the faint moonlight and their familiarity with the forest routes, they finally approached the location where they had witnessed the explosion—a scene of chaos came into view, with shattered fragments of various tools, broken wooden crates, and the remnants of a flickering campfire scattered everywhere.

"It seems this is indeed one of their strongholds," the musician muttered as he walked. "Hmm, there seems to be a figure over there..."

Following the direction she pointed, they saw a thin man in tattered armor standing with his back to them, tidying something up. Upon seeing someone approaching, he abruptly turned around and assumed a defensive stance.

Zhao De smiled slightly, took a few steps forward, and said, "Don't be nervous, we're not enemies. You just said your name is A-Ming? Is that right?"

“Yes… my name is Amin.” A hint of wariness flashed in the man’s eyes, but he still answered Zhao De’s question. His voice was weary and tense, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The musician smiled gently and said, "Don't worry, we're here to help you. What happened here just now? It looks quite chaotic."

Amin relaxed slightly upon hearing this, but remained vigilant. "I'm one of the guards here. Just recently, someone suddenly detonated stored gunpowder, plunging the entire camp into chaos. Many were injured, and some took the opportunity to escape."

Chapter 1302 Carefully Investigating the Surroundings

Chapter 1302 Carefully Investigating the Surroundings

"Where is the detonator now?" the leather-armored warrior asked in a deep voice.

Amin shook his head and sighed, "I don't know. The scene was chaotic after the explosion, and no one saw who did it. However, I heard some people say something about internal conflicts before they fled. It's possible that some people were dissatisfied with the status quo and did it on purpose."

Zhao De nodded and pondered for a moment, his gaze sharpening. "So, where is their main supply line? We intend to find and destroy it, completely cutting off their supply source."

Hearing this, Amin's eyes lit up, but quickly dimmed. "The supply line? They're very careful, with heavy troops stationed at intervals, making it difficult to break through easily." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "However, there's a small village not far away, a necessary stop for their supply transport. The defenses there are relatively weak, which might be a good option."

“A small village?” The musician looked at Zhao De thoughtfully. “Perhaps we can start there and give it a try.”

The animal-hide-armored warrior clapped his hands and said, "Now that we have a lead, let's not delay any longer and get moving!"

The group quickly left the ravaged area and headed in the direction Amin had indicated. Night fell, and the surroundings became increasingly concealed. Relying on their years of combat experience and keen observation skills, they traversed the forest, avoiding the eyes of the enemy patrol.

It was late at night when we arrived at our destination. The village was very quiet, with only a few scattered lights flickering, indicating that the residents were still awake.

"Looks like our chance has come," Zhao De said in a low voice, while signaling everyone to spread out and carefully examine the surroundings. "Everyone be careful, and if you find anything suspicious, retreat immediately and report it."

So everyone set to their own devices. The animal-hide-armored warriors quietly approached a grain storage area to scout it out; meanwhile, the musician lay in wait in the bushes near the village entrance to observe those coming and going. As for Zhao De, he led the remaining teammates cautiously, making their way along the edge of the village.

Soon after, everyone gathered again by a large tree outside the village to share the information they had received. Based on what they had seen and heard, they could determine that this was indeed an important stop for the enemy during their supply transport, and that its defenses were not particularly strong, presenting a significant opportunity for attack.