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

Page 437

A moment later, a reconnaissance team of more than a dozen elite members was ready to go. Zhao De stood at the front of the team, his eyes sweeping over each person, and said loudly, "Does everyone understand their mission? We need to find the enemy as quickly as possible and report their situation. Remember, the operation must be swift and covert, and we should try to avoid engaging in firefights."

The team members nodded in agreement, and one of them stepped forward. "Captain, everything is ready. Let's set off now."

Zhao De nodded. "Let's go!"

The reconnaissance team quickly disappeared into the night, heading north. The musician watched their departing figures, silently praying. She then turned and walked to her post, ready to fulfill her duty.

As the reconnaissance team stealthily advanced through the forest, they suddenly heard faint noises ahead. Zhao De immediately signaled his team to stop and approach silently. Through the dense bushes, they saw firelight in the enemy camp and some figures moving about.

Zhao De ordered in a low voice, "Split into two groups. One group will go around to the enemy's rear to scout the situation, while the other group will continue to monitor the movements here."

The team members nodded in agreement and quickly split into two groups to take action. Zhao De led several experienced team members, quietly approaching the enemy camp along the edge of the forest.

Just as they were slowly approaching, a figure suddenly jumped down from the tree, startling everyone. After landing, the person quickly made a gesture, signaling everyone not to panic.

"You're the reconnaissance team sent by the clan chief, aren't you?" the man asked in a low voice.

Zhao De eyed the other person warily and asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

The man smiled slightly and took out a marker from his pocket. "I'm a scout from our side, here to provide support. I've gathered a general understanding of the enemy's situation and can help you quickly locate your targets."

Seeing the familiar sign, Zhao De felt a little relieved. "That's good. Please lead the way."

The scout nodded and led Zhao De and his group deeper into the camp. Along the way, they exchanged intelligence and gradually learned the enemy's exact location and movements.

On the way back, Zhao De suddenly stopped, his brows furrowed. "Something's not right. The enemy doesn't seem to have noticed our presence. This is abnormal."

The scout frowned slightly, then his eyes lit up. "Not good, there might be an ambush!"

The words had barely left his mouth when a series of whooshing sounds suddenly came from all around. Several arrows flew from the darkness, aimed directly at the group. Zhao De shouted and swung his sword to deflect the incoming arrows. The other team members reacted immediately, quickly entering combat stance.

"Retreat immediately! Proceed according to the original plan, disperse and report back!" Zhao De shouted the order.

The team members quickly dispersed, using the terrain for cover, returning fire as they retreated. The scouts also drew their daggers, nimbly weaving through the woods and engaging the enemy.

Chapter 1294 Retreat Towards the Camp

Chapter 1294 Retreat Towards the Camp

Amidst the chaos, a figure suddenly appeared, a swift sword strike felling an approaching enemy. The person looked up; it was the musician, who had secretly followed Zhao De and his group and now joined the battle without hesitation.

"Zhao De, are you alright?" the musician asked anxiously.

Zhao De smiled slightly, "It's alright, retreat quickly, we can't let them surround us."

The musician nodded, and the two fought side by side, quickly retreating towards the camp. Behind them, scouts followed closely, buying them precious time to escape.

Finally, they broke through the enemy's encirclement and returned to their camp. Zhao De and the musician, panting heavily, looked at their busy tribesmen around them and secretly rejoiced.

"Fortunately, you are all safe and sound," the clan chief said with concern as he stepped forward.

Zhao De shook his head seriously. "We brought back some important intelligence. The enemy may be stronger than we thought. We need to discuss countermeasures immediately."

The clan chief nodded. "Convene an emergency meeting immediately, and everyone should attend."

The chieftain's voice was firm and powerful, immediately making everyone around him realize the seriousness of the situation. Zhao De and the musician exchanged a glance, understanding the importance of this meeting. The two followed the chieftain quickly toward the council hall in the center of the tribe.

The hall was already filled with anxiously waiting people. When Zhao De and his group entered, everyone stood up to greet them. Amidst the commotion, the clan chief stood in the most prominent position and raised his hands to signal everyone to quiet down.

“Everyone, please be quiet,” he began, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable force. “We just received information from the reconnaissance team that the enemy is far stronger than we initially estimated. This is a critical moment; we need to remain calm and not give them any openings.”

Hearing this, murmurs arose from the crowd, and many young soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes gleaming with fighting resolve. Zhao De stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began his report: "We have discovered the enemy's main camp and successfully ascertained its internal structure and defensive layout. However, we were ambushed during our retreat, indicating that the enemy was prepared. Judging from these signs, they should also have received intelligence about our operation..."

At this point, a young man in light armor with a cold expression interrupted him, "So, does this mean there's a traitor among us?"

The question hit the nail on the head, plunging everyone present into silence. After a moment, the clan chief broke the awkward silence, "This is indeed a question that needs consideration, but the more pressing task at hand is how to deal with the impending attack. Zhao De, what do you think we should do?"

After organizing his thoughts, Zhao De suggested, "First, we need to strengthen security measures around the camp and send more elite forces to infiltrate the enemy and gather further information. Second, considering the current unfavorable situation for us, I suggest we immediately contact other nearby forces for support to fight the enemy together. Finally, and most importantly, we must not reveal our true strength under any circumstances."

The chieftain nodded in agreement. "Very good, let's decide on that." He then turned to the crowd and announced the specific arrangements. "Old Li, you'll be in charge of building the camp's defensive fortifications; Zhao De, you'll handle the liaison with friendly forces; as for the reconnaissance mission..." He then looked at Zhao De and the musician.

Chapter 1295 Rescue

Chapter 1295 Rescue

Sensing the pressure of that expectation, Zhao De met his gaze. "We will try again to infiltrate the enemy camp and try to obtain more useful information."

The musician gently grasped Zhao De's hand, his eyes revealing determination: "Let's go together."

The clan chief nodded in satisfaction. "Then it's settled. Everyone, listen up, begin immediately. We must prepare as quickly as possible and cannot afford any more mistakes."

As soon as the order was given, the entire tribe sprang into action. Zhao De and the musician hurriedly left the hall to begin packing their gear. Inside the tent, they silently checked their equipment, repeatedly verifying every detail.

"Do you think we can succeed this time?" the musician asked softly, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

Zhao De stopped what he was doing and looked at the musician: "As long as we work together, there is nothing we cannot do." He gently held the musician's hand, "Don't worry, I feel very safe with you by my side."

The musician smiled and nodded vigorously: "Alright, then we'll give it our all."

A moment later, the two left the tent and headed towards the assembly point. Along the way, many villagers came to say goodbye, offering their blessings and prayers. Although the atmosphere was tense, the unity among the people gave them an unprecedented sense of strength.

When they arrived at the meeting point, Zhao De and several warriors were already waiting there. "Is everything ready?" Zhao De asked.

"Yes, the message to contact friendly forces has been sent out, and hopefully we'll get a response soon. Old Li is also stepping up his defenses, so the camp's safety shouldn't be a problem," Zhao De replied.

Zhao De nodded slightly. "Very good, then let's set off now." He turned to the musician, his eyes full of encouragement.

"Let's go, time waits for no one." The musician glanced back resolutely in the direction of the tribe, as if leaving all his worries behind for the time being.

The group of several men quickly crossed the edge of the forest, cautiously approaching the enemy's defensive line. Along the way, everyone remained silent, the atmosphere unusually tense. As night fell, they finally reached their designated reconnaissance position. All around was pitch black, with only faint firelight flickering in the distance, clearly indicating that the enemy camp was heavily fortified.

"What should we do now?" one of the team members asked in a low voice.

Zhao De carefully observed the surrounding environment and said in a low voice, "We'll split into two groups. The musician and I will go in first to scout out the situation. You stay here and wait to support us."

The musician glanced at Zhao De, and they exchanged a knowing look. "Remember, no matter what happens, safety comes first."

The team members nodded and concealed themselves in the woods. Then, Zhao De and the musician, using the cover of night, quietly infiltrated deeper into the enemy camp. Avoiding sentries and patrols along the way, the two worked together flawlessly and finally succeeded in entering the heart of the enemy territory.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from not far away, and an enemy was moving quickly towards their hiding place. "Quick, hide!" Zhao De whispered, pulling the musician to quickly conceal themselves behind a patch of low bushes nearby.

The man seemed to sense something, stopped, looked around warily for a moment, then shook his head and turned to leave. The two breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously continued on their way.

Chapter 1296 Important Intelligence

Chapter 1296 Important Intelligence

Finally, behind an inconspicuous little hill, they found a well-hidden spot from which to spy on the enemy's main military meeting. "Looks like this is the best location," the musician murmured, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

Zhao De nodded, took out a small pen from his pocket, and quickly jotted down everything he saw. At the same time, he listened carefully to any sounds around him that might reveal important information.

The two men quietly lay prone behind a small mound, carefully observing the activity inside a tent not far away. In the brightly lit conference room, several high-ranking enemy generals were engaged in a heated discussion, with occasional angry slams of their fists on the table.

"This situation is more serious than we imagined," Zhao De said softly, a hint of worry in his eyes. "They seem to be developing a new attack plan."

The musician frowned slightly: "Yes, we need to quickly find out the specifics and then find a way to thwart their plans."

Just as the two men were concentrating intently, an officer with a hoarse voice suddenly raised his voice inside the tent and said, "This time we must finish this quickly and not give them any chance to retaliate! I have already sent out scouts, and I believe they will soon find the best route of attack."

Another voice chimed in: "But our supply lines are too long; if they're cut off..."

“Don’t worry,” the hoarse voice interrupted him. “We will increase our vigilance and absolutely not allow this to happen. Once this problem is solved, we will have nothing to worry about.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao De's expression grew even more grave. "They're preparing to launch a surprise attack," he said in a low voice. "If this situation continues, the tribe will face a huge threat."

The musician gripped the dagger tightly, his gaze resolute: "So what should we do now? How about we just charge in and take care of their leaders? It's risky, but it might be our only chance."

Zhao De shook his head slightly, thought for a moment, and then replied, "No, doing this is too risky. If we fail, the consequences will be unimaginable. We should retreat first, take the intelligence we have back to tell Lao Li and the others, and then discuss our next steps together."

Just then, noisy footsteps sounded outside the tent again. "Oh no, the enemy is here!" The musician immediately realized the urgency of the situation. He quickly exchanged a knowing glance with Zhao De and crawled to the other side, trying to find a more concealed place to hide.

Unfortunately, it was too late. A sentry carrying a longsword happened to pass by and keenly noticed something amiss in the bushes. "Who's there?!" he shouted as he walked towards them.

In a moment of urgency, Zhao De decisively grabbed the musician and ran in the opposite direction. At the same time, more enemies, hearing the commotion, swarmed in, making the situation extremely critical. "Quick! There should be a path back into the forest along this ditch," Zhao De explained as they ran.

The constant footsteps and shouts of pursuers behind them made the once quiet night unusually tense. After finally shaking off the first wave of pursuers, Zhao De and the musician, panting heavily, hid behind a boulder to rest for a while.

The musician wiped the sweat from his brow, looking slightly tired but still courageous, and said, "What should we do now?"

Chapter 1297 Sneak Attack on Their Headquarters

Chapter 1297 Sneak Attack on Their Headquarters

Zhao De also appeared very serious. "We need to find a way back to camp as soon as possible, while also ensuring that we are not tracked down by the enemy. In addition, we must report the news we just heard to Zhao De and the others in a timely manner."

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly rang out in the distance. "Oh no! They're catching up again!" The musician immediately became alert and quickly prepared for battle.

However, when those people actually appeared before them, they were several familiar faces—it turned out to be Old Li and several other brave men who had come to their aid. "It's so good that you're all alright!" Old Li said happily as he stepped forward. "We discovered an attack on the road and rushed over, and sure enough, we found you two."

When Zhao De and the musician saw Old Li and the others, a huge weight was lifted from their hearts. "This is just in time, Old Li!" Zhao De breathed a sigh of relief. "The situation is very urgent. We heard some important intelligence from the enemy."

Old Li frowned slightly: "Tell me about it." His tone carried an undeniable sense of urgency.

"They are devising a surprise attack plan to quickly take over our tribe, and they seem very confident in their supply lines, having apparently taken special measures to protect them," Zhao De quickly relayed the information he had just overheard outside the tent.

The musician added, "Moreover, they seem to have sent out scouts and will likely find a suitable route of attack soon. We need to hurry!"

Old Li pondered for a moment, then looked at the other warriors beside him: "Don't rush back, everyone. Let's find a safe place to discuss our strategy. You two have worked hard too, so take a rest for a while."

The group found a secluded clearing in the woods and sat down, sharing some dry rations and water. During this brief rest, Zhao De took out a small pen from his leather pouch and began to meticulously organize the enemy's movements and strategic plans that he had recorded. "I'll try to remember every word clearly; I hope it will be helpful to us."