Dressed in light black armor, a sword slung across her back and a dagger tied tightly to her waist, Chinua gripped a leash in her left hand and a spear in her right. She spurred her horse south, riding side by side with the lead guard captain, her eight men trailing behind them. A spring breeze brushed her face, causing the gray furs on her hat and shoulder pads to tremble.
"Chinua," Yaman said, his voice firm with certainty. "Across that pass, turn left along that mountain range and follow the De-Lia River. That's the shortest route to the southeast border."
"So," Chinua asked, looking towards the pass. "Does this route take us all the way to Lao-Da Pass?"
"Chinua," Yaman said, his voice low. "That route is only for military purposes, used only when there is urgent news. Ordinary people still have to walk the long, hard road across the desert to reach Lao-Da Village. And traders, Tanggolian and Magoli alike, must pass through the Chono Gate during the trade season."
Chinua asked, "Is it true that Chono Gate is the closest passage to Zhugow City?"
Yaman replied, "Yes, that is true. But why risk invading from that route? You'd face soldiers garrisoned one after another the entire way to the city."
Chinua turned to face Yaman and asked, "Then why didn't the Tanggolians try to invade Chono Gate?"
Yaman chuckled and turned to Chinua. "Oh, they've tried," he said. "They've just gotten tired of trying. Taking over Chono Gate is almost impossible. So, Xin Jianping often turned his attention to Lao-Da Pass over the years. But General Mönkhbat's army held strong, and his sneak attacks always proved in vain."
"Speaking of which," she mused, "I've never seen Chono Gate with my own eyes..."
Yaman said admiringly, "When we get there, I will give you a tour. I heard that Chinua developed new weapons and used them against the Razaasia soldiers. Maybe you can get new ideas to strengthen Chono Gate."
"The developer of the new weapons?" Chinua smiled. "That wasn't me." She looked back at the riders accompanying them. "It was the one without armor."
Yaman looked back at Hye, who was wearing ordinary casual clothes. Yaman's eyes widened slightly. "Hye?" he asked.
Chinua looked at Yaman and said with a smile, "Don't believe too much in other people's words."
They were riding along when a soldier spurred his horse to catch up. "Captain," the soldier said breathlessly.
Yaman's attention snapped to him. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"There is a group of merchants in front of us coming towards us from the opposite direction," the soldier said.
"Don't disturb them," Yaman said calmly. "Ask them to give us some space. Go tell the others to stand in a row."
The soldier nodded and spurred his horse back to relay the command. Chinua slowed her pace, allowing Yaman to move his horse to the front. Her eight men behind her mirrored her action, slowing down and lining up, creating space for the merchants approaching from the opposite direction.
Dust billowed as the merchant caravan drew nearer. First came a group of ten merchants on horseback, their wagons loaded high, already halfway past the soldiers who lined the road. Close behind, another ten merchants reached the head of their train, while a third group approached Yaman and Chinua, followed closely by a final, larger contingent of twenty.
Suddenly, shouts erupted from the merchant line. The ten merchants in the third group snatched sacks from their wagon and threw them at the eight behind Yaman and Chinua. Simultaneously, the last person in the second group sprinted backwards, launching himself into the waiting hands of a man in the third. The man pushed him high into the air. Mid-flight, the man from the second group pulled a dagger and flew towards Chinua on her horse.
Chinua arched back, lying flat against her horse's spine. The assassin leaped over her, missing his target. He landed on the other side of her horse. As the assassin turned, Chinua sprang upright, slashing him across the back with her spear's shaft. In the next instant, she whipped the spear around, driving the tip into his neck. Chinua quickly turned her horse's head and nudged its flank with her heel, giving a sharp command. The horse lashed out, kicking the dying assassin in the chest and sending him flying into a roadside boulder.
The Magoli and Tanggolian soldiers quickly surrounded the two-horse carriages carrying Geming and Ankhtsetseg. The first merchants dropped their goods and scrambled towards the roadside, while a wave of thirty assassins rushed towards Chinua and others.
"Hye! Fall back to the others!" Chinua yelled.
Geming quickly stepped out from inside the carriage, his eyes wide as he saw the assassins attacking the Magoli soldiers. Twenty of the attackers were engaged near the carriages. He knew he could order his own men to join the fight, but instead, a strange detachment came over him. He stood aside and watched Chinua and the soldiers battling the attackers.
"Does Your Highness want to help Chinua and the others?" Wang Yong asked.
Geming looked at Chinua, a cool smile touching his lips. "It seems she doesn't need our help," he said. Turning to Wang Yong, he added, "Chinua's fighting skills have improved greatly since I last saw her."
Geming looked at Chinua, a cool smile touching his lips. "It seems she doesn't need our help," he said. Turning to Wang Yong, he added, "Chinua's fighting skills have improved greatly since I last saw her."
Wang Yong, who was sitting opposite Geming, said, "It seems that the people gathered by Chinua are very skilled. If I guess correctly, Suo Zhi is one of Chinua's subordinates."
"Suo Zhi? You mean, Zhiyuan's lead guard?" Geming said.
Wang Yong nodded. "Suo Zhi," he confirmed. "He was a very talented soldier; his spear skill was second to none. But I heard he was guilty of serious treason and sentenced to death by Xin Zhiyuan. So, it was incredible to see him and Chinua together in Hmagol."
"With Zhiyuan's attitude," Geming said flatly, "I have no doubt why his soldiers deflected."
The five assassins broke away from the team and headed straight for the second carriage. Soldiers surrounding the carriage began engaging the five assassins, but one was too quick. With a flash of steel, one assassin killed the coachman and vaulted onto the carriage platform.
Hye yelled, "Chinua!"
Chinua turned and quickly rode towards the second carriage. Seeing the assassin reaching for the reins, she thrust her spear into his chest. She quickly jumped off her horse onto the carriage platform and, with both hands, pushed him into the carriage. The assassin landed in the middle of the floor, grabbing the spear socket and trying to stop the spear from driving deeper into his chest.
Chinua turned and quickly rode towards the second carriage. Seeing the assassin reaching for the reins, she thrust her spear into his chest. She quickly jumped off her horse onto the carriage platform and, with both hands, pushed him into the carriage. The assassin landed in the middle of the floor, grabbing the [clarify socket] and trying to stop the spear from driving deeper into his chest.
Chinua didn't hesitate. "Get out!" she shouted into the carriage as she quickly pulled her spear from the dead assassin. The glint of steel warned her; she whipped the spear around to block a sword thrust from another assassin.
Inside the carriage, Yagaan grabbed Ankhtsetseg's hand and rushed them to the back. She leaped out and pulled Ankhtsetseg after her, just as the carriage lurched forward, driven away with the two maids still screaming inside.
The sight of the carriage being driven away sent a jolt of fear through Yaman. "Princess Ankhtsetseg!" he yelled and spurred his horse after it. Five soldiers, the ones still on their feet near the carriages, joined his desperate pursuit. Left behind, the remaining assassins now faced Chinua and her seven surviving men.
"Come on!" Hye shouted and stretched out his hand to Ankhtsetseg.
"Go on!" as she quickly helped Ankhtsetseg mount the back of Hye's horse.
The horses slowly backed away from the main fight. Hye's brow furrowed as he realized the assassins' true target. They weren't attacking the carriages generally – they were focused only on the Magoli soldiers, especially Chinua! He saw others abandoning their posts and converging on her. With a surge of concern, Hye turned his horse towards Geming's carriage, but his path was instantly cut off by two assassins.
Seeing the situation spiral, Geming's jaw tightened. He felt he had no choice but to finally order his men to help Hye and Ankhtsetseg. But as his men surged forward, he and Wang Yong stayed put, sitting in the carriage.
At this time, the Magoli soldiers had killed most of the assassins. The surviving attackers knew their situation was hopeless; even if they stayed, death was certain. Better to fight another day. With a sudden scramble, they quickly dispersed and escaped, their horses' hooves pounding the ground as they fled.
Chinua shouted, "Don't chase!" at the Magoli soldiers pursuing the assassins. She had dismounted from her horse and stood over the dead assassin. She saw Hye and Ankhtsetseg riding towards her and looked up at them. "Are you safe?" she asked, her voice laced with relief.
"I'm fine," Ankhtsetseg said, "just a little scratch getting off the carriage." She looked down at Chinua, whose armor was smeared with blood. She realized then that she had been wrong. Chinua looked much better in armor than she ever had in a gorgeous princess's dress. "What about you?" she asked, her voice soft with concern. "Are you injured?"
Chinua shook her head, a faint smile touching her lips despite the blood. "Don't worry about me," she said. "I've been through tougher battles." Her eyes found Hye, who looked slightly winded but unharmed. "How about you?" she asked, her voice softening. "Are you hurt?"
Hye shook his head, dismounted, walked to Chinua, and whispered, "It seems that these assassins are specifically targeting you."
Chinua asked, "How do you know?"
"It's clear they weren't targeting any Tanggolian forces," Hye stated grimly.
"They're only interested in you, or someone you're protecting." He gestured towards the dead assassin, then met Chinua's gaze. "Any ideas?"
Chinua sighed and said, "I don't know."
Hye's gaze was steady and knowing. "The look in your eyes says something else," he said softly.
Chinua looked away, a faint smile touching her lips. "Perhaps," she said, "I've offended a great many people recently."
Despite answering Hye as she did, Chinua harbored a suspicion: the person who sent these assassins was likely the same one who hired Drystan to kill her.