In the dead of a early spring night, a convoy quietly slipped out of Sap Fort's main gate, entering the dense forests of the southern hills along the trade route to Provence.
The convoy consisted of four carriages, escorted by ten fully armed Soldiers. The carriages were covered with hay and miscellaneous goods, and each carriage secretly held four armored and armed young escorts. Angus and Lusignan also hid in the carriages, each with two Sentry Cavalrymen from their respective Sentry Cavalry.
After leaving Sap and entering the southern hills, Art and Ron Brothers, carrying weapons and provisions, left the convoy and stealthily infiltrated the dense forests on both sides of the trade route under the cover of darkness, quietly following the convoy from the left and right.
The convoy then acted unusually, camping and resting during the day and traveling in the dark at night. This slow pace meant that it wasn't until dawn on the third day that the convoy reached a hilly valley twenty-nine miles from Sap Fort.
On the top of a steep cliff on one side of the valley, several dark figures appeared against the gray-white morning light.
The Bandit Second Leader, carrying a chipped broadaxe on his back, reached into his crotch and scratched himself, saying impatiently, "Leader, let's do it! We've been following these Bastards for two days now. They must be carrying good stuff. They camp and rest during the day and only travel at night. In broad daylight, they even send people to cut off the surrounding area to prevent us from getting close and scouting. They're definitely afraid of being robbed. If they weren't carrying valuable goods, why would those pampered Bastards suffer such hardship? The news the cripple brought must be true."
The Bandit Leader's eyes were wide as he stared intently at the convoy, which was about to pass through the valley, using the faint light before dawn. The four carriages had left deep ruts on the trade route, clearly indicating they were heavily loaded and not just carrying some hay and miscellaneous goods as they appeared.
The Bandit Leader spat out the chewed root from his mouth and said, "This group of people is too cautious. We can't see the carriages clearly at night, and we can't get close to their camp during the day. We've been following them for two days and still don't even know what goods they're carrying. This group must not be simple. I think it's better if we're careful. We've just managed to gather thirty or forty men again, so we can't be careless."
The Bandit Leader had a difficult time last year. At that time, he had just joined a large group of bandits with seven or eight vagrants. However, the first time he followed the bandits to ambush a grain convoy, they were utterly defeated by a group of black-robed Soldiers. Fortunately, he was quick-witted and, seeing the situation was bad, he immediately retreated. Otherwise, he would have already become a pile of white bones in the mud.
Since then, this Bandit Leader had quieted down considerably. He never provoked any merchant caravans with elite escorts, only surviving by plundering passing small merchants and travelers. Occasionally, he would bravely lead men to raid small settlements of three to five households, raping and looting, then quickly hiding back in the dense forests and hills before the lord arrived with troops...
Such days continued until the arrival of the Bandit Second Leader. The Bandit Second Leader was a deserter who had killed his superior and left the army with a few ruffians. He joined the Bandit Leader's group last winter and, because of his courage and cunning, was promoted by the Leader to Bandit Second Leader. This fellow was bold enough and ruthless enough. Not long after joining, he led a few of his ruffians to attack a settlement of about ten households, killing the old and weak, plundering all valuables, forcing farmers to become bandits, and turning peasant women into playthings. After this battle, the Bandit Second Leader's prestige greatly increased, and the reputation of this group of bandits grew larger and larger.
Subsequently, the increasingly bold Second Leader led the bandits to attack small merchant caravans and small settlements everywhere, reaping rich rewards. This bandit group also grew larger and larger, quickly expanding from twelve ragged ruffians to nearly thirty armed bandits.
The ambitious Second Leader convinced the timid Bandit Leader to forcefully attack Sap Fort, the wealthiest place within a hundred miles, not long ago. However, as soon as the bandits climbed the stockade wall, they were severely beaten by the fort's guards and young commoners, returning defeated after leaving behind seven or eight corpses.
The Second Leader was unwilling to give up. He lingered around Sap for a long time, then gathered a group of scattered vagrants and robbers to form an even larger bandit group, exceeding thirty in number.
A few days ago, the bandits' informant inside Sap Fort sent word that the lord's only son from Sap Fort would be carrying a large sum of money and valuable goods to Provence for trade. After discussion, the Bandit Leaders decided they could not let this large amount of money and goods slip away. Not only were the glittering gold and silver coins tempting, but if Sap Fort intended to use this money to hire an army from Provence to suppress them, then they would have no good days ahead. So, no matter what, they had to pull off a job.
However, the Second Leader's immediate proposal to launch a forceful attack was not approved by the Bandit Leader because he noticed another piece of information provided by the Sap informant—a group of black-robed cavalry had arrived in Sap Fort. Although the informant repeatedly emphasized that they were only there for the lord's daughter's engagement, the Leader was still hesitant due to the fate of the bandits last year, and thus he was slow to make a decision...
"Leader, what do you say? Let's do it!" A ruffian holding a single-edged long saber also clamored and incited from the side.
Just as the Bandit Leader was about to quietly scold the talkative small ruffian, several bird calls came from the mountains, and then a commotion erupted within the convoy at the Valley Mouth.
"You idiot, quickly pick up the money and put it away!" Felix yelled sternly at a Soldier guarding near a carriage. Because the Soldier didn't notice a stone on the road while pulling the horse forward, the carriage wheel hit the stone, and a small wooden box full of silver coins fell to the ground, scattering the coins everywhere.
Several escorts of the convoy, as if facing a formidable enemy, quickly stepped forward to surround the carriage and stand guard. The frantic Soldier driving the carriage hurriedly put the coins from the ground back into the wooden box.
Felix dismounted, rushed angrily to the Soldier, and kicked the clumsy Soldier to the ground, "You're seeking death! Quickly pick it up and hide it well. If even one silver coin is missing, I'll take your head!"
The Soldier quickly got up from the ground, his hands trembling as he put the coins back into the wooden box, then placed the wooden box back on the carriage, covering it repeatedly with hay, hiding it again and again.
Felix pretended to scan the surroundings, and after confirming there was no danger, he turned to look at the gradually spreading morning light outside the Valley Mouth, and shouted to the convoy behind him, "It's almost dawn. Move forward out of the valley and set up camp next to that small hill outside the valley!"
The convoy slowly moved out of the valley towards the barren hill outside the Valley Mouth...
...
"Leader, money! Money!! It's all money!!! Do you believe it now? I told you these Bastards were hiding good stuff inside their bellies. What do you say, shall we dig open their bellies!!" The Second Leader's eyes almost popped out when he saw the scene on the trade route in the valley just now.
No matter how cautious the Bandit Leader was, he couldn't resist swallowing a piece of fat meat that had already been delivered to his mouth. He swallowed, then whispered to a few bandits beside him, "Let's go, let's check the front and back again. If there's no one following us from either direction, today we'll gather the men and devour this fat meat! With so much money, the men won't have to worry about food and drink!"
Soon, several tracking scouts on the hilltop slipped into the dense forest along the ridge to confirm there were no ambushes behind the convoy...
In the dense grass on the other side of the valley's mountain top, Art and Ron Brothers were lying in ambush. It wasn't until the figures of the several bandits left the hilltop that Art slightly moved his body, then instructed Ron Brothers beside him, "Ron Brothers, I estimate the wild wolves have taken the bait. You go back to the convoy in a bit and tell the Sergeant and them to get ready. The bandits will probably make their move today. I'll go track the bandits and try to find out their bandit lair. Even if they don't come then, we can directly attack the wolf's den!"
After speaking, Art's figure disappeared into the dense forest, chasing after the bandits' trail.
Seeing Art leave, Ron Brothers turned and climbed down the slope, running towards the barren hill where the convoy was stationed outside the valley...
Beside the barren hill outside the valley, the convoy stopped.
Angus, after receiving the signal that no one was peeking around, emerged from the hay on the carriage.
"Sir Angus, I have already sent out sentries to guard the surroundings." Felix walked to the side of the carriage and brushed off the bits of hay from Angus's body.
Angus stretched and twisted his head, saying to Felix, "Young Master Felix, quickly have someone set up the tents. I already heard your movements just now. Since Lord Art has sent out the 'lure the enemy' signal, it means those bandits are about to make their move."
Felix quickly instructed several escort Soldiers to work together to set up three tents. Soon, the Soldiers who had been cooped up in the carriages successively slipped into the tents to continue hiding, while fully armed Soldiers were stationed at all potential vantage points around the barren hill where bandits might be spying, to ensure the camp's situation would not be seen by bandit informants.
Ron Brothers walked towards the camp from the valley, and Felix quickly stepped forward to greet him.
"How is it, Ron Brothers? Where is Lord Art?" Felix asked anxiously.
Ron Brothers, while keeping an eye on the carriages in the camp, said, "My master said the bandits should make their move today, and he told the camp to be ready to respond to a sudden bandit attack at any time. My master has gone to track the bandits now. He said if the wild wolves don't enter the trap, we will charge into their den."
"Excellent!!!" Felix's face was flushed with uncontrollable excitement. He had been traveling in the dark on this trade route for two or three days, filled with anxiety, but those bandits and robbers had been slow to make their move. His escorts also had many complaints, especially those who had been cooped up in the carriages and unable to move, who were almost going crazy.
Felix led Ron Brothers into the tent and found Angus.
"Sir Angus, Lord Art has sent word back. The bandits should make their move today. He is now tracking the bandit lair and wants us to be ready to respond to a bandit raid at any time." Felix did not understand military tactics, so all matters of setting up camp and defensive outposts along the way were deployed by Angus, and then Felix personally arranged them.
"Young Master Felix, you are to do three things now. First, have the sentries around raise their vigilance, but on the surface, they should appear somewhat relaxed. Second, have the other exposed Soldiers and escorts light fires and roast cured meat, putting on a relaxed demeanor. Third, immediately send some food to the young escorts in the military tents, so that after they fill their stomachs, they can put on their armor and weapons, ready to charge out of the tents and fight at any time. In addition, you had best tell the Soldiers and escorts how much money you will reward them for killing a bandit. Fighting in the wilderness is not like guarding a city; it's about a burst of blood and courage. Bandits fight hard for money, so you must also make your escort Soldiers fight hard for rewards for killing bandits..."
Felix noted everything down one by one, then turned and left the tent to make arrangements.
In a deserted settlement ten miles northwest of the convoy's encampment, over thirty bandits were sharpening their knives and swords. Several Bandit Leaders were discussing the specific steps of the robbery in a dilapidated ruin.
After a round of cursing and arguing among the crude men, a simple and brutal camp raid plan was formed.
The Bandit Second Leader pulled off the broadaxe from his back, stood on a stone, and shouted to the bandits busy in the ruins, "Men, the Leader said, we're setting off immediately! Today, we're going to make a fortune with our men!!!"
The ruffians waved the knives, forks, and clubs in their hands, letting out a roar and a wild cry, their eyes seemingly filled with glittering gold and silver coins...