Wu Zhao nodded in agreement, then looked at me. I thought for a moment, "Most likely, the mountain bandits will gather over there, ready to ambush us?"
Block the main road, leave the small paths, for easier management. We Yan Xia people are most familiar with these blockade and control tactics.
The three vehicles began to move upstream along the abyss. Not long after, a large number of presences entered my spirit sense vision. Most of them were gathered in the woods on the opposite side of the abyss, which should be the mountain bandits.
I asked Wu Zhao, "Are these mountain bandits so easy to deal with? You are from the Yin Messenger's Mansion, do they dare to provoke you?"
"They dare to intercept rebels and my Lord's regular army. There's no room for negotiation with them. If they discover we're transporting guns, they'll definitely take them all," Wu Zhao said.
"What's their strength?" I asked again.
Wu Zhao thought for a moment, "It's about a four-six split with our team. Don't worry, we can get through."
I guessed that Wu Zhao didn't take this route when she came, otherwise, she wouldn't have only brought nine subordinates. If she knew she'd have to fight a battle with mountain bandits, she would have definitely brought more subordinates, or even asked colleagues from other departments for help.
"Then let's stop for a moment," I said.
"What, are you scared?" Wu Zhao chuckled.
"I don't want to make a needless sacrifice," I said. A four-six split meant the Yin Messengers might be in danger, which wasn't worth it. "Let's stop for a moment. I'll teach everyone how to use guns. We'll open the baptism for these unscrupulous mountain bandits first."
"...Right! How did I not think of that!" Wu Zhao suddenly realized.
Everyone got out of the cars. Bing Bing wasn't very good at using the G98, but Lin Chi and I had already grasped the essentials of shooting. We opened a box, distributed one gun and one hundred rounds of ammunition to each person, and took advantage of the distance from the mountain bandits to practice shooting towards the woods.
The crisp gunshots startled many birds in the forest. The mountain bandits upstream also heard the unusual commotion. Thinking it might be a business opportunity, the presences in the woods across the abyss dispersed, likely to set up an ambush. Meanwhile, about seven or eight mountain bandits on our side of the abyss returned to the other side, probably to lure us into a trap.
The Yin Messengers were all experts. Experts can learn things quickly. They soon learned how to fire the guns. Furthermore, their psychological resilience was strong; they wouldn't fire indiscriminately like ordinary soldiers. They all possessed the basic qualities of snipers, knowing how to kill enemies most efficiently.
Each Yin Messenger practiced with ten rounds of ammunition. After adapting, they began to perform long-range precision shots at the tree trunks across the abyss. They were like little Yama kings, not even needing gun rests. Their left hands were steady as can be, and the recoil was barely noticeable, appearing similar to humans shooting air guns.
After practicing another twenty rounds each at the opposite side, I felt it was enough. I then gathered everyone and instructed them to get back in the cars to head for our target.
Upon reaching the small bridge, Wu Zhao's worries were unfounded. The bridge was wide enough for the trucks to pass, and even for two vehicles to cross each other.
Wu Zhao said, "It wasn't like this before. The mountain bandits widened the bridge."
"They probably widened it to make people feel more at ease crossing, right? Look at the bridgehead on the other side, it's not that wide," I said. "And, under the bridgehead on our side, a few mountain bandits are hiding. They might be waiting for us to cross the bridge and cut off our retreat."
"Really? I didn't see them. Then, should we take care of them first?" Wu Zhao asked.
"No rush. No need to beat the grass to startle the snake. Let's go straight over the bridge. Everyone, rack your bolts, prepare for combat!" I said.
The three trucks crossed the bridge one by one, slowly moving towards the other side. The bridge was a suspension bridge, paved with heavy wooden sleepers connected to form a wooden plank. Although sturdy, it still swayed. I glanced down into the abyss. There was no mist, and the bottom was visible. It was at least a hundred meters deep. The acceleration due to gravity in the underworld is the same as in the mortal world, 9.8. Falling would be certain death – and I would have to be resurrected, which is quite troublesome.
When we reached the bridgehead, just as Wu Zhao's car passed, several people rushed out from the woods ahead, blocking our path.
At the same time, those presences from behind emerged from their hidden positions under the bridge, standing on the bridge to block our retreat.
"Halt!" shouted a bearded mountain bandit at the head of the group.
Because it was now cars and not carriages, the mountain bandits were likely confused. They probably wondered why the horses weren't pulling the carts in front, but "pushing" them from behind. While they were bewildered, I decided to move forward. It wasn't good to stay on the bridge, so I honked the horn, signaling Bing Bing to continue driving.