Chapter 847 - 399: Li Xian Blocks the Path, Vengeance Swiftly Taken, County Captain Kong Li, Dismount!

Chapter 847: Chapter 399: Li Xian Blocks the Path, Vengeance Swiftly Taken, County Captain Kong Li, Dismount!

Li Xian asked, "What exactly does the smoke signal look like?" The yamen runner, Liu Ping, responded with a description of the smoke signal’s appearance. Li Xian gazed intently and saw countless fireworks in Yuanbao Square, each rising and falling, echoing for half an hour, yet never ceasing.

Suddenly, a firework burst forth, its shape very similar to the smoke signal. But it was hidden among the vibrant sea of fireworks, completely unnoticed. Li Xian thought to himself, "Indeed, that person is very cunning. He anticipated that tonight would be a trap waiting for him, so he waited for the fireworks festival to act. Even if exposed, the smoke signal would be concealed, buying him time. The operation has already begun. Yuanbao Square is quite far from here, and I’m unfamiliar with the terrain, making it difficult to reach promptly."

Realizing the plan failed, he sighed softly but wasn’t disheartened. The surroundings were serene and peaceful, an ideal place for practicing martial arts. Polishing sword techniques, Finger-Flashing Golden Light...

After a moment, the Gold Appraisal Guard, late to the scene, saw a smoke signal rise into the sky, seemingly southeast of Yuanbao Square. Li Xian knew that the Gold Appraisal Guard would surely rush to encircle them. He remarked, "The Gold Appraisal Guard is several steps behind; I wonder if they can recover."

After another half a moment, a third smoke signal rose, located to the north of Tongji Square. Li Xian couldn’t help but praise, "This person is formidable. The smoke signal has been lit three times, and he’s been playing the Gold Appraisal Guard like a fiddle." Curious, he sheathed the sword and took out a map to observe.

Before long, a fourth smoke signal ignited. The position drifted back to ’Yuanbao Square.’ That thief darted east and west, sometimes at Tongji Square, other times at Yuanbao Square, sometimes farther, sometimes nearer. Taking advantage of the fireworks festival, he led the Gold Appraisal Guard by the nose.

Li Xian mused, "The more unpredictable his movements, the more it suggests he has a target. The Gold Appraisal Guard, though elite, is mocked to the point of helplessness! This man’s cunning is rare!"

The situation changed suddenly, leaving Li Xian uninterested in practicing martial arts. He observed the smoke signals, consulting the map to gauge the terrain. He pondered the thief’s thoughts and plans. "This thief always lingers around Yuanbao Square and Tongji Square, far from Zhou Mountain Square. But war is deception. Illusion within the reality, reality within illusion—could he be intentionally drawing the encirclement to the two squares, using Zhou Mountain Square as a breakthrough?"

At this moment, a smoke signal in Yuanbao Square flared once more. Almost simultaneously, yamen runners stationed at "Shanqing Street" stared blankly at the smoke signal. Relaxing in their negligence, they were suddenly ambushed from behind, unable to ignite a smoke signal before being easily injured, lying on the ground motionless.

The thief, tall and slim, with slender limbs, moved with extreme agility. His name—"Spring Wind Phantom Thief, Li Hengfeng," known for his thievery. Across several prefectures in Guanlong, he had a reputation as a thief, having once infiltrated noble families to steal treasures and escaping unscathed—quite formidable. When his plans succeeded, he laughed heartily.

It turns out... he’d been plotting for a long time. For any thief, stealing treasures from Jade City and escaping unscathed is an honor. Li Hengfeng, with several decades of thievery under his belt, was experienced and adept. He learned in advance that Yuanbao Square would host a grand fireworks festival tonight, so he planned his theft around it. Then, he would use the fireworks festival to escape.

He waited patiently for the right moment. Once the festival began, he attacked the Gold Appraisal Guard stationed in Yuanbao Square. Li Hengfeng excelled at thievery, but his strength was lacking. The Gold Appraisal Guard had formidable skills, and after a struggle, he managed to defeat them, secretly stealing a smoke signal. Although the Gold Appraisal Guard released a smoke signal, it was overshadowed by the grand fireworks festival.

Li Hengfeng escaped into the night, with no one the wiser. But even with the strict defense by the Gold Appraisal Guard, he found himself within a trap. He thought, "I must tighten the noose and at the critical moment, execute a diversionary tactic! Attack the weak spot." He exploited this opportunity to hide the stolen smoke signal in a wooded area. He set a cunning mechanism, and half an hour later, the signal ignited.

Subsequently, he began to show himself deliberately. Before each appearance, he planned his escape route, first allowing the Gold Appraisal Guard to release a signal, then immediately fled. This cat-and-mouse chase occurred several times. Through his adept Lightweight Skill and initial advantage, despite almost being cornered and sustaining several injuries, he was never captured.

The Gold Appraisal Guard found themselves helpless, merely playing along with his antics. Li Hengfeng darted east and west, weaving through several squares like a headless chicken in a panic, seemingly trapped, yet scheming a grand plan. The Gold Appraisal Guard continually converged on Yuanbao Square.

Once the time was ripe, Li Hengfeng calculated the timing. The previously set smoke signal was about to self-ignite, so he executed a diversionary tactic, fleeing elsewhere. Zhou Mountain Square, with its abundant mountains and waterways, enchanting scenery, and intricate alleys, was an excellent place for hiding. He learned earlier of the Gold Appraisal Guard’s plans. The area surrounding Zhou Mountain Square was guarded by the County Captain of Ximen County, an adept opponent he’d encountered before but one he found rather inept.

Attacking the enemy’s weak point was his forte. At the instant the smoke signal flared, Li Hengfeng suddenly appeared at Zhou Mountain Square in a blink. He didn’t act carelessly, aware that although yamen runners weren’t as elite as the Gold Appraisal Guard, they formed teams of three to five, armored and equipped with ingenious tools, capable of engaging him, releasing smoke signals. But they were so unperceptive that when he stealthily approached, they didn’t notice and were so feeble that a few strikes put them down, effortlessly breaking through the encirclement.

Momentarily startled, Li Hengfeng wondered, "Could my cleverness have backfired, having thoughtlessly toyed with the Gold Appraisal Guard only to ensnare myself?" Wariness set in, and as a result, he hesitated to flee forward. This momentary doubt, however, caught the attention of Kong Li.

Kong Li was filled with excitement, shouting, "That damn thief, bring your life here quickly!" Zhou Mountain Square had five main exits, which the thief would almost inevitably pass through. Kong Li, patrolling the five locations on horseback, unexpectedly spotted Li Hengfeng. He immediately released a smoke signal, elated beyond measure: "The last smoke signal appeared at Yuanbao Square, yet here he is! There’s no way he could be in two places at once. He must have used some cunning ploy to keep the Gold Appraisal Guard off balance, letting himself escape."