Chapter 124: The Cavalry Pursuit

Zhuge Kuntian laid out detailed data, and his conclusions were accepted by most. When Guan Ning learned that the Twelve Riders were led by Chen Baxian, he was momentarily stunned, then a savage grin spread across his face.

Chen Hao had wiped out over thirty of Guan Ning’s iron cavalrymen in Qilu, yet Guan Ning did not harbor anger; instead, he sought to win him over. Later, Chen Hao posted on the forum, inciting players to resist Guan Ning’s iron cavalry, causing Guan Ning heavy losses and disrupting his grand plan.

Furious, Guan Ning smashed a cup, eager to teach Chen Hao a lesson, seeing this as the perfect opportunity. He called Smile Maitreya again, coldly saying, “I’m sending you another 200 cavalry. If you still can’t eliminate those Twelve Riders, you might as well find another job!”

After hanging up, Smile Maitreya shivered, sensing Guan Ning’s seriousness. If he failed to take down the Twelve Riders, he would truly be fired. Determined, after Long Dahai’s 200 cavalry held the line at Langfang, he divided 300 riders into six squads to patrol around Ancient Locust Town in shifts, continuously searching for the Twelve Riders.

“Player Chen Hao, for killing over a hundred righteous and devoted villagers of Sanyuan, you will be hunted by the Green Camp.”

Chen Hao was not surprised by the system’s warning. The Sanyuan villagers were no match for the righteous fists, and completing Xu Wenhui’s mission was easy. The system’s reward—each person a fine horse—was generous, but the system naturally would not let players exploit such quests.

Xu Wenhui’s task resembled the assassination mission against Liu Ziyuan: easy to complete, but sure to bring trouble. The Righteous Fists were entangled with corrupt Qing officials; many local magistrates colluded with them. Li Wencai had the backing of Langfang’s magistrate Wang Junwu. Once killed, the Green Camp would be mobilized, and evading their pursuit became the mission’s core.

Though corrupt and decadent, the Qing Green Camp cavalry were superb riders. Chen Hao’s cavalry lacked mobility advantage. Their firearms skills were negligible, but Chen Hao’s squad was only twelve strong; facing one or two hundred Green Camp cavalrymen on the chase would not be easy.

Chen Hao had reached level 20, and the others were all above level 18, with Chen Feng and a passerby angler at level 19. His goal now was to get everyone to level 20. Though retreating before the Green Camp’s operation might be safer, he chose to help the others reach level 20 first.

Leaving Sanyuan Village, Chen Hao did not return to Ancient Locust Town. The Xu family estate was a vital resting spot and had to remain undisclosed. They galloped south for three kilometers, sweeping through two villages, then found a concealed spot to replenish their energy. Just as Chen Hao prepared to lead the team back, scout Chen Feng reported fifty riders nearby.

Chen Hao assumed they were Green Camp troops, but Chen Feng was certain: all fifty were players, and they were the vengeful Guan Ning iron cavalry. Chen Hao was unsurprised to find Guan Ning’s iron cavalry in Langfang. He chuckled, “If these were Green Camp soldiers, it’d be troublesome. Since it’s Guan Ning’s cavalry, let’s have some fun and seize a few horses to prepare for the northeast.”

Mounting his horse, Chen Hao spurred the Black Snow Steed, saying, “Prepare to run.”

Chen Hao’s cavalry had slaughtered many players south of the railway, but no matter how many they eliminated, they could never wipe out all players along the route. A dedicated forum thread constantly leaked their whereabouts, keeping them on the move and preventing Guan Ning’s iron cavalry from catching up.

When they stopped to replenish in a hidden spot, Guan Ning’s cavalry immediately followed. Riding west less than 500 meters, they encountered another fifty-rider cavalry squad ahead. After players leaked their location on the forum, Smile Maitreya ordered three nearby cavalry squads to converge on the Twelve Riders, personally leading one and hastening to the battlefield.

Chen Hao reined in his horse, sneering, “Guan Ning really respects us, sending so many cavalry to Langfang. If you had over two hundred riders, killing us would level you all to 20! We’ll head north—just keep the horses’ speed steady, a little faster than theirs so they can’t catch us.”

Two squads of Guan Ning’s iron cavalry closed in. Chen Hao turned his horse northward, charging as if desperate to cross the railway and escape. The pursuing players grew excited, urging their mounts forward in hot pursuit.

Smile Maitreya’s squad was positioned to the north and, hearing the target would flee that way, he led fifty riders along the official road to intercept. Guan Ning’s iron cavalry totaled three hundred, with two hundred close behind Chen Hao and two more squads approaching slowly from ten kilometers away.

Chen Hao kept about 150 meters from the three chasing squads. After running five kilometers, another fifty riders appeared ahead. Unfazed, a thrill lit his face. He spurred the Black Snow Steed off the road, galloping into adjacent farmland.

Guan Ning’s cavalry howled, spurring their mounts into the fields in pursuit, but always kept over a hundred meters behind the Twelve Riders. Though shooting from the ground at over a hundred meters could sometimes hit, mounted cavalry aiming rifles at such distance rarely hit, let alone hit the riders ahead.

Failing to close in, Smile Maitreya felt no worry. Horse stamina would run out eventually; as long as they kept chasing, the Twelve Riders would have nowhere to turn. Fueled by this mindset, he urged his warhorses forward, oblivious to the disarray forming in his ranks due to terrain and speed differences.

Even if he noticed, Smile Maitreya would not care; he never believed the Twelve Riders would dare counterattack while being pursued by hundreds. Circling Langfang for a hundred li, the six squad leaders realized they had only four or five riders nearby; many had fallen behind.

Chen Hao had been waiting for the right moment. His cavalry possessed the “Gallop” and “Long Drive” skills, which he hadn’t yet unleashed. Seeing the pursuers’ formation scatter, no longer concentrated, he ordered maximum speed, quickly vanishing from their sight.

Closest were Smile Maitreya and Long Dahai, both crestfallen. They felt victory was within reach, yet just out of grasp. Long Dahai urged his horse forward, riding alongside Smile Maitreya, who grimly smiled, “Do we keep chasing or what?”

Smile Maitreya spat, hatred burning in his eyes. “Chase. Damn it, we’ve been chasing so long. Even if their horses are faster, it doesn’t matter—they’ll have to stop sometime.”

The Twelve Riders pushed their mounts to the limit, galloping thirty li to fully escape Guan Ning’s sight. Then, turning in a wide circle, they soon appeared near the scattered and exhausted Guan Ning cavalry.

After the long pursuit, Guan Ning’s cavalry had completely lost formation; groups of ten or more were rare. Following Smile Maitreya’s orders, the riders only urged their horses forward, never considering maintaining formation.

Like Smile Maitreya, they saw themselves as hunters in this chase, never imagining they might become the prey.