Chapter 55: The Tragic News Arrives

Just as the coastal situation had stabilized and Li Chuan and Lana were setting about formulating the next phase of strategy, a chilling piece of news arrived: while on a journey to inspect the border, Lana had been ambushed by an unidentified armed force and had gone missing, her whereabouts completely unknown.

When the messenger rushed into the command camp carrying the bloodstained waist token of Lana's personal guard, Li Chuan froze for a fraction of a second, and the teacup in his hand shattered as it hit the ground. He abruptly stood up, his voice chillingly cold: "Report clearly. Exactly what happened?"

The messenger dropped to his knees, his trembling voice betraying his terror: "My lord, Her Royal Highness's convoy was ambushed yesterday evening when they reached Clear Water Mountain. The guards fought to the death to protect the Princess, but the enemy simply outnumbered them... I am the only one who managed to escape by a stroke of luck..."

Li Chuan's fingers clenched into tight fists, his knuckles turning white: "Clear Water Mountain? That is well within our defensive zone! To dare act so blatantly! Have you found out who is behind this?"

"Not yet confirmed, but some witnesses reported it might be a band of roving bandits hired by Japanese pirates."

Li Chuan's expression sank like frost: "Japanese pirates? This is a blatant provocation against us!"

That very night, Li Chuan summoned all senior generals for an emergency meeting.

"Clear Water Mountain is merely a day's march from our nearest garrison. How could such a lapse occur in such a vital area?" Li Chuan's tone suppressed simmering fury as his cold gaze swept across the room. "Did none of you detect the enemy's movements?"

A deputy general stepped forward and answered cautiously, "General Li, we truly received no intelligence regarding the movement of large enemy forces. Perhaps this band of roving bandits deliberately bypassed our scouts..."

"Bypassed the scouts?" Li Chuan sneered. "Bypassing scouts makes it easy to kidnap the Princess? This is not a mere lapse; it is a dereliction of duty!"

Everyone in the tent lowered their heads in silence, the atmosphere heavy to the point of suffocation.

An elderly staff officer spoke in a deep voice, "My lord, we must not let anger blind us. Right now, the most important task is to locate the Princess as quickly as possible. These roving bandits move swiftly and clearly have a purpose; they will not have gone far. If we press the time, we might still make it in time."

Li Chuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger burning in his heart, and nodded. "Hear my command: the entire army will divide into three routes. One route will sweep the Clear Water Mountain area from north to south, another will gather intelligence from all nearby villages and towns, and I will lead a unit of elites directly to the scene to track the clues."

"General Li!" the deputy general exclaimed, his expression anxious. "You are the commander of our army; you cannot take such risks lightly. Let me take the men!"

"Enough nonsense!" Li Chuan snapped decisively. "The Princess has been abducted, and I bear an unshirkable responsibility. You will execute your orders; leave the rest to me."

Before dawn broke, Li Chuan led a hundred-man elite squad, setting out quietly and heading straight for Clear Water Mountain.

The early winter mountain forest was swept by piercingly cold winds, and tree shadows swayed under the moonlight, appearing eerie and terrifying. Li Chuan rode on horseback, his gaze locked firmly ahead. His heart was filled with frustration and anger, and even more so with a deep, unsettling anxiety—Lana's life or death was uncertain, rendering him unable to remain calm.

Upon arriving at the scene, utter devastation met their eyes. Broken cart tracks were scattered along the roadside, and sporadic bloodstains dotted the ground, clearly indicating a fiercely brutal battle.

A scout stepped forward to report, "General, we found fragments of the Princess's entourage carriage here. The enemy appears to have lingered briefly. Judging by the tracks, they retreated toward the northern side of the mountain."

"North of the mountain?" Li Chuan furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment. "North of the mountain leads toward the riverbank. They intend to use the waterways to escape."

Another soldier chimed in, "But General, if they are merely ordinary roving bandits, why would they risk abducting the Princess? Isn't that asking for trouble?"

Li Chuan said coldly, "This proves they are backed by a larger force, or their purpose is by no means simple. Continue the tracking. No matter who they are, they shall not escape the palm of my hand."

The squad searched throughout the day within Clear Water Mountain, finally discovering fresh clues in a dense forest. The wagon tracks on the ground suddenly broke off, replaced by a rugged mountain trail where the distant sound of flowing water could faintly be heard.

Li Chuan made a prompt decision: "The riverbank is just ahead. Their hiding spot must be nearby."

However, just as they approached the riverbank, a sudden volley of arrows rained down from the forest, carrying a sharp, piercing whistle through the air.

"Ambush!" a soldier shouted, and everyone swiftly dismounted, taking cover behind large trees.

Li Chuan drew his long saber and shouted sternly, "Do not panic! Archers return fire, shield-bearers cover the advance!"

After the arrow rain subsided slightly, a group of masked enemies charged out from the woods, wielding long sabers in an attempt to close in on the elite squad. With a fierce gaze, Li Chuan blocked an incoming attack with his blade while issuing a deep command: "Maintain formation and advance step by step! Do not let them scatter us!"

Although the enemy held a numerical advantage, Li Chuan's squad was well-trained and coordinated seamlessly, gradually suppressing the enemy's offensive. Yet at that moment, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and the enemy abruptly began to retreat.

Realizing this might be an enemy diversionary tactic, Li Chuan immediately shouted, "Pursue them quickly! We must find their lair!"

Following the enemy's retreat path, Li Chuan led his men to a secluded river bend. Several small boats were moored there, their supplies not yet fully loaded or transferred.

Li Chuan dismounted and said coldly, "Search!"

Before long, a soldier rushed out from a small hut by the river bend, panting heavily as he reported, "General! There are captives inside—it is Her Royal Highness the Princess!"

Hearing this, Li Chuan felt a jolt in his heart and hurried into the hut. He saw Lana bound to a pillar, her mouth sealed with a strip of cloth, yet her eyes remained stubbornly defiant, showing not the slightest trace of surrender.

"Your Highness!" Li Chuan stepped forward quickly, drew his blade to sever the ropes, and helped her down. "Are you alright?"

Lana shook her head slightly, speaking weakly yet resolutely, "They wanted to use me to threaten you, but before they could act, I heard your movements. You came just in time, Li Chuan."

Li Chuan let out a breath of relief, but quickly regained his composure. "It is unsafe here. We must evacuate immediately."

However, just as they prepared to leave, a commotion of footsteps echoed from the riverbank, and a large number of enemies swarmed in to surround them. At their head was a heavily built, masked man who sneered coldly, "Thinking you can rescue the Princess? Not so easily!"

Li Chuan shielded Lana behind him, his gaze stern. "Either clear the way, or face certain death."

The masked man drew his long saber, grinning grimly. "Then let us put that to the test!"

Outside the hut, soldiers from both sides drew their blades against each other, setting the stage for a much larger battle.

The enemies surged forward, their cold, flashing blades appearing glaringly stark under the dim moonlight. Shielded by Li Chuan, Lana looked at the enemy formation and her expression darkened slightly. "These men are fully equipped and strictly disciplined; they do not look like ordinary roving bandits."

"Indeed," Li Chuan replied in a low voice, his gaze never leaving the surrounding enemy movements. He gripped his long saber tighter, his voice resolute. "No matter what their origins, they shall not harm a hair on your head today."

A jolt ran through Lana's heart, a strange and unfamiliar emotion welling up within her. She spoke in a low voice, "Don't be reckless. I know of a hidden escape route. You and I will withdraw together while your soldiers provide cover."

"Out of the question," Li Chuan refused decisively. "Your safety is paramount. I cannot leave you to take risks alone."

He turned to his adjutant and gave the order, "Take the rest of the brothers to hold the rear. The Princess and I will break through from the flank. Ensure Her Highness's safety at all costs!"

The adjutant hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Understood!"

The enemy clearly intended to give them no further time. At a single command, dozens of enemy soldiers rushed forward like fierce tigers, their sharp blades cutting chilling arcs through the air.

Without another word, Li Chuan let out a furious roar and led the charge. His long saber was swift and fierce, every strike precisely blocking the enemy's offensive. Blood splattered as falling enemies were instantly replaced by those behind them, yet Li Chuan did not retreat an inch. His movements grew faster and faster, transforming him into an unstoppable killing machine.

Standing behind him, Lana watched this man single-handedly hold off the ferocious enemy onslaught, her eyes growing misty. Taking a deep breath, she swiftly picked up a crossbow from a fallen enemy corpse, calmly drew the string and took aim, loosing several consecutive bolts to drop several enemies attempting to ambush Li Chuan from the side.

"Fine marksmanship!" Li Chuan praised in a low voice, then shouted, "Stay close to me, we are breaking through to the left!"

Back-to-back, the two fought as they slowly shifted toward the left. Evidently, the enemy had not anticipated that Lana possessed combat capability, and the fierce counter-offensive from the pair temporarily suppressed their momentum.

At that moment, the enemy leader perceived the situation and gestured for a squad of archers to pin the two down with ranged suppression.

"Archers!" Li Chuan muttered lowly, pulling Lana behind him and using his shield to block the rain of arrows. Furrowing his brows, he quickly thought to himself, *If this drags on, we will eventually be worn down to death.*

Cold sweat beaded on Lana's forehead, but she quickly steadied herself, whispering, "There is a hidden waterway among the tall reeds by the riverbank. We can escape if we reach it."

"But the enemy's firepower is concentrated. How are we to cross?"

Lana gritted her teeth. "Get close to their firing line. Use the shield to block the frontal attack, and I will provide cover. Just give me a single moment of opportunity, and I can take out their commander."

"Are you certain?" Li Chuan glanced at her sideways, his gaze complex.

Lana raised her head, her gaze resolute. "Though I am a royal princess, I am no useless person. Trust me!"

After a moment of silence, Li Chuan nodded. "Very well. I will draw their fire; you seize the opportunity."

Lining his shield upward, Li Chuan charged resolutely toward the sector where the enemy's firepower was thickest. The incoming arrow rain was as fierce as a torrential storm, yet Li Chuan's movements did not slacken in the slightest. Time and again, he swung his shield to bat away arrows while using his shoulder to smash through the enemy's defensive line, violently carving out a bloody path.

At that exact instant, Lana seized the opening, drawing her bowstring to its maximum limit. Holding her breath, she locked her sights onto the enemy leader's silhouette.

"Now!" Li Chuan shouted lowly, using his shield to violently knock down an adversary, buying Lana a fleeting fraction of time.

Without hesitation, Lana released the bowstring. The arrow flew like lightning, striking squarely in the enemy leader's shoulder.

With a muffled groan, the leader staggered and fell. A brief wave of chaos rippled through the enemy ranks, completely disrupting their attacking rhythm.

"Fall back!" Li Chuan roared, dragging Lana as they sprinted toward the riverbank waterway.

Just as the two plunged into the water, furious shouts and the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the enemy behind them.

Struggling to swim through the water, Lana looked back at Li Chuan and whispered, "They are coming after us. They will likely use fire arrows."

Before her voice had faded, a piercing whistling sound sliced through the air above. Several flaming arrows plummeted into the waterway, instantly igniting the dry grass along the banks and billowing thick smoke everywhere.

"Damn it, they are trying to force us to the surface." Li Chuan's gaze sharpened as he rapidly scanned the surroundings for cover.

Lana spoke with composure, "Do not panic. There is an abandoned boathouse not far ahead. We can hide there temporarily."

Diving beneath the water, the two utilized the cover of the smoke to swim toward the boathouse. Ultimately, they succeeded in entering the structure before the enemy discovered them, concealing themselves behind rotted wooden planks.

By this time, Lana was utterly exhausted, sitting on the ground and gasping for breath. She looked at Li Chuan and softly said, "Thank you. If not for you, I would likely have..."

Li Chuan shook his head, wiping the water droplets from his face. "Do not speak of such things. As long as you are safe and sound, everything is worth it."

Lana fell silent for a moment, a complex emotion surfacing in her eyes. She whispered softly, "Li Chuan, I owe this to you, but I know this crisis is far from over."

"Yes," Li Chuan answered in a low voice. "As long as I draw breath, you need not fear any threat."

Lana bit her lip slightly and murmured, "This is no simple promise, but a heavy responsibility. I will remember everything you have done for me today."

Once the enemy had retreated, the two finally emerged from the boathouse. Upon returning to a secure camp, Lana swiftly summoned all her trusted confidants.

"Why did the enemy choose to strike at this moment? What on earth is their goal?" Lana's voice was frigid as her gaze swept over the assembly. "Investigate! I must know who is pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Standing to the side, Li Chuan added softly, "Not only must we investigate, we must strike back. Since they dared to make a move against us, we must make them pay the price."

Lana smiled faintly, a trace of appreciation entering her gaze. "Li Chuan, you are increasingly resembling a qualified ally."

Meeting her gaze, Li Chuan solemnly stated, "Not allies—partners who share life and death."

The two locked eyes for a moment before Lana murmured, "In that case, I have many more matters I wish to discuss with you."

Though this crisis had subjected the two to a trial of life and death, it had also firmly cemented their bond. They both understood that no matter how many storms lay ahead in the future, they had become each other's most trusted reliance.