Chapter 113: Robbers on the Road!

Chapter 113: Robbers on the Road!

This escort mission was entirely different from the ones Su Mo had taken before.

With more people and more goods to transport, the team's progress could not be as flexible as before.

Su Mo alone, or Su Mo with Yang Xiaoyun, could go wherever they pleased.

If in a hurry, they would walk faster; if not, they could take their time, enjoying the scenery along the way.

However, leading a team required careful planning of routes and schedules.

From Sunset City, which route to take, where to stop along the way, how long it would take to cover certain distances, where to rest, and where to eat—all needed detailed plans. In case of emergencies, there should even be backup plans.

Only then could the team ensure arrival at the destination within the scheduled time.

Escort agencies like Heavenly Gate Escort Agency or Iron Blood Escort Agency usually had familiar inns for rest along the way, enhancing safety.

In the past, Ziyang Escort Agency also had such arrangements with inns.

But with the decline of Ziyang Escort Agency, Su Mo now had to reorganize and establish new connections.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun spent most of the night discussing these matters before they had a preliminary plan.

The next morning, Su Mo bid farewell to Uncle Fu and led the escort team to Wanxin Trading Company's warehouse.

Preparations were underway there.

There were many rolls of silk and cloth, filling fifteen wagons.

Xiaochuan and others supervised the loading to ensure no hidden items were included.

After everything was loaded, Su Mo had the wagons sealed with official seals.

They would remain sealed until reaching Wufangji.

Yang Xiaoyun leaped onto the lead wagon and planted a flag bearing the characters "Ziyang" in flowing script.

Behind this flag was a large "Su" character!

Ziyang Escort Agency, Su Mo!

This sign was officially unveiled.

The remaining escort team members placed similar flags on each wagon, identifying them on the road.

Su Mo's reputation was significant, and Ziyang Escort Agency benefited from it. Some bandits might reconsider after seeing Su Mo's name on the flag, knowing they couldn't provoke him.

Those who still dared to challenge were either skilled and bold, foolish, or seeking friendship.

In any case, this would deter some trouble.

Of course, some might still want to attack despite the flag, choosing stealthy ambushes instead of direct confrontation.

In such situations, it would depend on Su Mo's skills and the abilities of the escort team.

The escort team had a leader, a middle-aged man in his forties, wielding a pair of purple-gold concave flails.

These weapons were heavy and blunt, capable of causing fatal injuries upon impact.

His name was Liu Mo, a man of few words.

When introduced to Su Mo, he simply nodded without questioning or opposing anything Su Mo said.

Su Mo did not mind this, as long as there was no insubordination.

If someone acted against him, Su Mo would not hesitate to show his strength.

He didn't demand absolute control over every detail but insisted on being heard during critical moments.

...

...

Once all preparations were complete, the Ziyang Escort Agency flag fluttered in the wind. Xiaochuan stood on a wagon and shouted:

"Ziyang Escort Agency's wagons depart, may we return safely in half a year!"

His voice carried far and wide with the aid of his inner strength.

The wagons began moving slowly, with Su Mo leading the way on horseback.

This was a tradition among escort teams—to announce their departure to inform everyone that Ziyang Escort Agency's wagons were leaving.

Within the city, they could not ride horses.

Leading on foot, the wagons followed slowly.

They moved through streets and alleys until they finally left Sunset City.

Once outside, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun mounted their horses.

Liu Mo followed behind the two of them, and with his horse galloping, their speed finally picked up.

Of course, a convoy could never be too fast.

Not everyone could ride a horse either.

Su Mo, who had been in the lead, gradually moved back to the side of the escort vehicles.

Some of the escort agency's helpers were on the vehicles, while a few walked alongside on the ground.

Around them were the guards, who subtly formed a loose protective circle around the carriages.

Scouts were ahead probing the path, and there were people at the rear guarding against any surprise attacks from behind.

Although they had just left Sunset City and wouldn't encounter trouble immediately, they needed to maintain this formation.

Under the fluttering banner, Su Mo's first escort mission as the leader officially began.

The autumn breeze was cool, and the clear weather made it more comfortable to be outside during the day than at night.

In places closer to Sunset City, everything was quite peaceful.

Occasionally, passing through areas where bandits might lurk, upon seeing the Ziyang Escort Agency's flag, these people would secretly remove their obstacles, pretending not to have seen anything.

They continued like this for three or four days, everything going smoothly. The places they rested and stopped along the way were all decided after discussions between Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun.

These were all well-established inns, though not necessarily familiar to everyone, they were known.

Liu Mo, true to his name, was indeed very quiet and spoke little.

Wherever Su Mo said to stay, he stayed; when Su Mo said to speed up, he sped up; when Su Mo said to rest, he rested.

He didn't argue with Su Mo at all.

This made Su Mo feel that the journey would go much smoother.

After all, the guards weren't from their escort agency, and Su Mo had initially worried about a dispute over leadership.

After all, this wasn't a trivial matter. Sometimes, even if you had a big reputation, it didn't guarantee control.

There were always troublemakers in the martial world who would challenge anyone, regardless of their fame.

When encountering such people, one could only rely on strength.

Encountering someone like Liu Mo made things much easier for Su Mo.

On this particular day, while traveling beside Green Mountain, a scout suddenly rushed back, clasping his hands:

"Chief Escort, there are obstacles ahead, two thorny branches blocking the road!"

Su Mo raised an eyebrow slightly, and Yang Xiaoyun called out: "Stay alert, keep your eyes sharp."

"Yes!"

The helpers from the escort agency responded loudly.

Placing thorny branches on the road was an unwritten rule. When bandits intercepted a convoy, they would place two thorny branches, signaling a "roadblock."

One had to prepare to meet them face-to-face.

The name of the Ziyang Escort Agency couldn't scare everyone away.

This was expected.

Su Mo glanced at Yang Xiaoyun: "Do you have any idea about this area, Sister Xiaoyun?"

"I rarely travel this route, so I don't know much."

Previously, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun had traveled back and forth to Heavenly Feather City in haste, paying little attention to such matters.

And those on the mountain usually wouldn't bother intercepting small convoys with little cargo.

If they weren't desperate, it wasn't worth the effort.

While Yang Xiaoyun was speaking, she looked at Liu Mo: "What does Leader Liu think?"

"There has never been anyone occupying this mountain. We've passed through here several times with the Tianmen Escort Agency without any trouble."

Liu Mo glanced at Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun, then quietly approached: "What should we do?"

"Let's see who they are first."

Su Mo smiled: "They've already shown their hand; we can't ignore it. Have your men get ready..."

"Understood."

Liu Mo acknowledged and immediately gave the orders.

Instantly, the originally loose formation tightened. Both the helpers from the escort agency and the guards became more alert.

Su Mo led the way on horseback, with Yang Xiaoyun closely following.

Liu Mo stayed by the escort vehicles, guarding them tightly.

After a short while, they indeed saw two thorny branches placed on the road ahead.

With Su Mo's profound internal energy from the Dragon Elephant Prajna, he could sense the bandits' hiding spots. He immediately halted the convoy and instructed:

"Secure the wheels."

The phrase "wheel pivot" is a jargon term in the martial world, meaning for the escort team to form a circle with the carriages, ready to defend against enemies at any moment.

There's another phrase that follows: "reveal weapons to block the wind." Revealing weapons means drawing them, and blocking the wind means defending against enemies.

However, since the opponents haven't shown themselves yet and no challenge has been issued, the second part of the phrase can't be applied just yet.

Liu Mo's men often cooperate with the escort agency, so they naturally understand these jargon terms. They immediately formed a circle with the carriages, remaining vigilant.

As soon as the carriages began to move, a group of thirty or forty strong men appeared from both sides of the road.

Leading them was a man in his thirties, with a fair complexion and a stubbly beard. A scar across his face added a touch of ferocity. In his hand, he held a large ringed saber.

Nine golden rings on the saber clanged with each step he took.

Yang Xiaoyun glanced at Su Mo and then cupped her hands in greeting:

"Our escort team makes a living by transporting goods. Passing through your territory was unavoidable, and we apologize for any disturbance. Please bear with us."

"Hmph!"

The man glanced at Yang Xiaoyun but ignored her, instead focusing on Su Mo: "I see the flag of your escort agency says Ziyang Escort Agency?"

"That's correct."

"Good."

He laughed heartily: "I've heard that the head of Ziyang Escort Agency, Su Mo, is young but possesses unparalleled martial arts. You gained fame after the battle at Profound Theory Valley, truly establishing a formidable reputation. I have always loved martial arts and learned a few saber techniques. Although I may not be well-known in the martial world, I specialize in taking down those who are overrated.

"Who among you is Chief Su?"

"When a carriage passes, it flattens the road; when a horse trots, it tramples the grass. If you want to pass through here, let's see what you're made of."

Su Mo remained silent for a moment. How did a routine escort mission suddenly attract a vigilante?

But since the challenge had been issued, he couldn't back down.

Moreover, he couldn't let anyone else fight for him.

The Sword Leader of Qijue Hall once said that if anyone wanted to challenge him, they would first have to get past his subordinates. Such arrogance wouldn't work in the martial world.

If Su Mo had more years of reputation behind him, it might be different, but now, letting others fight for him would make him appear cowardly.

Such a reputation would be damaging.

With a smile, he replied: "Very well, since you have such interest, I dare not refuse."

As he spoke, he leaped forward, landing right in front of the man: "However, as a guest, I'll let you have three moves. Please, attack."

"Indeed, you are Su Mo."

The man looked Su Mo up and down, laughing: "Watch out!"

With that, he lunged forward, his golden ringed saber swinging with a loud clang. The force was immense.

Su Mo sidestepped, allowing the blade to strike the ground, creating a deep groove.

"Hmm?"

Su Mo was slightly surprised; this man's saber technique was interesting.

Suddenly, the man's saber rose sharply, slicing through the air.

Su Mo tapped his toe and leaped behind the man, standing there with his hand shading his eyes. He saw the saber rise, its edge cutting through the air with a tearing sound.

"Good saber technique."

Su Mo praised.

"What?"

The man was shocked; Su Mo's leap was too fast, and he hadn't seen how Su Mo got behind him.

Without turning around, he stepped forward and twisted his waist, slashing his saber fiercely.

The saber light drew a circle, sweeping outward with the force of a thousand soldiers.

But halfway through the swing, the blade stopped abruptly, not because he wanted it to, but because it couldn't move.

He saw that Su Mo had caught his golden ringed saber with two fingers.

Those fingers seemed light and effortless, yet they gripped the saber like a vise. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't budge it.

"Three moves have passed."

Su Mo smiled: "Now, please watch my move."

At these words, the man nearly wet himself.

After three moves, he had used all his best techniques. Though he couldn't gauge Su Mo's true strength, being immobilized by two fingers showed a vast disparity in skill.

If he were to watch another move, he feared it would be his last.

In shock, he felt his saber disappear from his grip, now in Su Mo's hand.

Looking up, he saw Su Mo holding the saber casually, about to slash at his face.

This slash didn't follow any specific technique, but Su Mo's internal energy and sheer strength were overwhelming. The man felt there was no escape from this blow, and he stood there, closing his eyes, waiting for death.

Fortunately, the blade stopped an inch above his forehead.

Su Mo tilted his head and looked at the man.

The man still hadn't turned around, so Su Mo had to reverse the grip on his saber and held it in a fist salute. "I apologize."

"..."

The man stared blankly at Su Mo, feeling as if he had just walked through the gates of life and death. Why did they provoke such a dangerous person?

Coming back to his senses, he hurriedly shook his head. "Thank you... Thank you."

The scene was somewhat comical: Su Mo apologized for offending him, while the offended one thanked him.

What was going on here?

"You're welcome."

Su Mo was helpless and could only go along with it.

He then asked, "Can we pass now?"

"Yes, yes, yes!!!"

The man nodded so vigorously that his head almost flew off, wishing Su Mo would fly away immediately. Looking back, he saw his men still blocking the path and waved them aside. "Move out of the way!!"

"Thank you, thank you."

Su Mo then saluted and said, "We apologize for this disturbance. Next time we pass through here, we'll bring a small gift for your leader. Please don't refuse it then."

After saying this, he handed back the golden-threaded saber.

The leader seemed lost in thought and subconsciously took the saber without responding.

Su Mo didn't mind and simply turned around, mounted his horse, and called out, "Let's go!"

The convoy slowly moved past the group of young men, disappearing in no time.

But even then, the leader hadn't regained his composure.

A few of his men hesitated before approaching him. "Leader... Leader, are you alright?"

"What did he mean when he left?"

"What do you mean?"

The leader jumped up and exclaimed, "We're in deep trouble! This Su Mo clearly holds a grudge. When he said he'd bring a small gift next time, he meant this isn't over. Telling us not to refuse means none of us will escape!!"

"Huh?"

"If only we hadn't let them go!"

"Nonsense!"

The leader grew angrier. "If we didn't let them go, were you planning to die here? I used all three of my secret moves and couldn't even touch a single hair on his head. His martial arts are beyond comprehension. The news from Profound Theory Valley was true. If I had known, we shouldn't have blocked their path.

"With your skills... you wouldn't stand a chance against him."

"What... what should we do now?"

"What should we do?"

The leader pondered for a moment. "Our best option is to flee!"

"But we've just settled here, and our reputation in the bandit world..."

"Reputation can be salvaged, but we only have one life."

The leader angrily said, "Su Mo's martial arts are too high. If he decides to kill, none of you could survive a single move. No, no, we can't stay here. We need to leave immediately. They don't know where they're headed, and he's busy with his escort mission. But once he finishes, he'll come back for revenge, and we'll lose everything.

"Leave now, without delay."

In truth, Su Mo had no intention of causing any harm.

These newly established bandits misinterpreted his words and were scared into moving overnight. If Su Mo ever heard about this, he would be shocked for a year.