Chapter Ten: Dragon

“Ah, the Karluks are coming this way!”

From the hilltop, Li Xiao and his companions were startled to see that over forty Karluks, after crossing the river, did not immediately regroup with their main force to surround those on the shore. Instead, they charged toward Li Xiao and his group, seemingly intent on pursuing the band who had fled earlier.

The group ahead, of about ten unknown individuals, was running desperately for their lives. Behind them, more than forty Karluk horsemen relentlessly gave chase.

“It seems there’s someone of significance among those ahead,” Li Dashan said in a low voice.

“Never mind who they are. As long as they’re fighting the Karluks, our Hexi Fort must come to their aid,” Li Xiao’s voice was resolute.

If the Karluks hadn’t been halted halfway at Longgu River and still numbered over a hundred, Li Xiao would never have risked sending his people to their deaths. But now, only around forty had made it to the south bank.

If they didn’t wipe them out, Li Xiao felt he would be betraying the spirit of his late father.

Hearing Li Xiao’s words, the young and able-bodied men of Hexi Fort exchanged glances, their expressions growing determined as they silently nodded.

The recent battle at Beishan had cost Hexi Fort dearly, and everyone harbored a deep grudge against the Karluks.

Given the chance to strike back, no one would hesitate.

With eighteen of their own, plus the ten being pursued, their visible strength was roughly equal to that of the Karluks.

“To battle!”

“Kill them all!”

“Slay these Karluks!”

“Let’s avenge ourselves!”

The eighteen men of Hexi Fort voiced their unified resolve.

Li Dashan nodded approvingly. “Good.”

“Wait for my command. Let the Karluks come close, then use bows to harass them before we charge.”

Everyone nodded silently, including Li Xiao, who followed the orders of Sixth Uncle.

Though Li Xiao was the young lord of Hexi Fort and likely its future head, his youth meant he did not yet command full authority.

He was respected among the boys like Da Hu and Iron Head, but to the adult men like Li Dashan, his title alone did not earn their allegiance.

So he did not seize command rashly but instead quietly learned and gained experience.

Still, he expressed his thoughts: “The Karluks have traveled far, ridden hard, and just crossed the water. Their horses must be exhausted and can’t keep up their speed—this is our advantage.”

“Also, I’ve noticed their arrows have been depleted by this chase. We should rely more on our archers and keep them at range.”

Li Xiao’s insight surprised Li Dashan and the others. For a first-time combatant, he was remarkably perceptive, noting details even they had overlooked.

“Da Long is right. The Karluk horses aren’t as strong as ours,” Li Dashan agreed.

Chen Erqiang chuckled, “Looks like Da Long was born for war. The future of Hexi Fort is in your hands.”

Others showed their satisfaction as well.

At that moment, Li Xiao’s influence quietly grew among them.

Yet to reach the level of his grandfather’s unquestioned authority, he would need many more battles to earn the trust of all.

Power can be inherited, but prestige must be won through one’s own deeds.

…

*Swish!*

With a piercing whistle, a Karluk arrow struck the back of a Khitan warrior.

The sharp arrowhead pierced muscle and emerged through the chest.

“Ali!” Kunji shouted, helplessly watching the Khitan fall from his horse.

The Karluk pursuers drew closer, raining arrows upon them, thinning Kunji’s guard.

Though the Khitan warriors used their dwindling arrows to take down many of the pursuers, even exchanges favored the enemy.

Kunji knew the Karluks were deliberately avoiding her.

They wanted to capture her alive.

“Brother, I might not make it back…”

Kunji looked southwest, her eyes moist, whispering softly to herself.

Regret filled her heart.

She should never have come to this barbaric Jinzhou for that wretched Dahe Chuluo.

Though she had long known Chuluo was a useless figurehead, she hadn’t realized he was an utter fool—a muscle-bound idiot. She had watched helplessly as he was defeated by the Karluks.

Worse still, when the army was routed, the scoundrel abandoned her and fled with his men.

Originally, she had two hundred guards beside her. Now, barely thirty remained.

She nearly hated Chuluo to death.

If she could return, she would surely divorce that idiot.

Alas, she might never have the chance.

As another guard fell to a Karluk arrow, despair crept over Kunji’s face. She gripped the curved dagger at her waist tightly.

Resolute, she reminded herself: as a daughter of the Xiao clan, even in death, she would never allow the Karluks to capture her and use her against her brother.

“Kill!”

“Seize her!”

The distance between the foes shrank. With each guard slain, the Karluks’ fierce shouts grew louder.

Though they suffered losses, capturing the Khitan noblewoman ahead was within their grasp.

*Swish!*

The leader of the Karluk cavalry drew his bow and smiled cruelly.

His target: Kunji’s warhorse.

Without guards or cover, Kunji was like a helpless lamb to the slaughter.

With a piercing shriek, the horse’s hind leg was pierced by an arrow, collapsing to the ground.

“Ah!”

Kunji screamed in terror. Though she avoided being crushed, she was thrown far, bones aching and blood trickling down her forehead.

“Neeeigh! Ha ha ha!”

The Karluk horsemen cheered in delight at her fall.

Some began to slaughter the remaining six Khitan warriors, while the Karluk leader charged toward Kunji.

He intended to capture her personally.

Kunji felt agony all over and could not rise to flee.

She watched helplessly as the Karluk rider drew nearer, his grotesque grin clear in the sunlight.

“Brother!”

Fear filled her eyes.

Her first thought was not the hopeless Dahe Chuluo but her elder brother, who had cared for her like both brother and father since childhood.

She never imagined her reckless choice would lead her into the hands of the Karluks.

“No, I won’t let them threaten my brother,” Kunji resolved.

Clutching her dagger, she pressed it to her chest.

She took a deep breath.

*Huff huff huff*

“You can do it,” she whispered, closing her eyes, ready to end it all.

But the cold steel against her skin sent tremors through her trembling hands. The tiny dagger felt unbearably heavy, unable to pierce through.

Life and death were terrifying!

Raised in luxury, she could not so easily cast aside her will to live.

…

“Ha ha ha ha!”

“What a ridiculous woman!”

“Come quietly with me.”

“I will offer you to the great Yebu. Perhaps he will have pity and make you his concubine.”

The Karluk rider approaching saw Kunji’s attempted suicide and laughed scornfully.

He had pillaged many tribes and taken countless women.

No matter how they struggled, few dared to end their own lives.

Fear of death was human nature.

So he was sure Kunji would not dare die.

The distance closed in seconds. The Karluk leader laughed hideously, dismounted, and with a whip knocked the dagger from Kunji’s hand.

He reached out, laughing, to grab her clothes and throw her onto his horse.

Before this powerful Karluk, Kunji—proud and haughty—was like a helpless lamb, mind blank, powerless to resist.

But just as the Karluk was about to seize her, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

*Swish!*

Accompanied by the dull sound of metal slicing flesh, the Karluk leader froze, his body stiffening, face contorted in pain and rage.

Then, with a heavy thud, he collapsed to the ground.

*Thump!*

The Karluks stood stunned, then quickly shouted in their tongue, scrambling to take cover.

“Enemy! Take cover!”

“They’re over on that hill!”

“Shoot arrows!”

The Karluks panicked and yelled, while Kunji sat dazed on the ground.

Her terrified, despairing face slowly brightened with hope.

Looking down, she saw the once-arrogant Karluk man lying at her feet.

The fatal wound was an arrow piercing one temple and exiting the other, as if skewering his head like a candied hawthorn.

“Dead.”

Kunji’s heart stirred as she confirmed the Karluk was truly lifeless.

She also noticed a small Chinese character carved on the arrow’s shaft.

“Dragon?”

The Khitans were deeply influenced by Han culture, and many recognized Chinese characters.

She immediately recognized the hastily inscribed character for “dragon.”

It must be the name of the arrow’s owner—a Han Chinese.

She quickly turned to the direction the arrow had come from.

On a southern hillside, unknown when they had arrived, was a squad of riders.

At the front was a young man on horseback—more a boy, his face still somewhat youthful.

He held an unstrung bow in one hand and deftly drew another arrow from his quiver, his sharp eyes scanning the Karluks like a hawk seeking prey.

Behind him, more than a dozen horsemen also loosed arrows from their elevated position.

Their arrows had just been fired.

Kunji’s gaze fixed on the youth, her intuition telling her he was the one who had saved her.