章節 152: Ambush
With an excited expression, Alan departed, leaving Jake also filled with anticipation for the future.
In the game world, not long after Jake arrived, the team set out. Alexander's voice echoed in the ears of the group, urging them to accelerate their march.
Jake didn't sit on the food-laden carriage this time; he chose to walk. He allowed the two injured members of his team to sit on the supply wagon instead. This gesture of kindness earned him even more gratitude from those two teammates.
About ten kilometers away from Jake's group, there was a winding little hill surrounded by lush trees and thickets. Presently, a group of ragged and emaciated individuals hid there. Some of them held swords, while others had hoes and kitchen knives. Their eyes were fixed on the winding path not far from the foot of the hill.
The leader of this group was a burly man in his thirties. The tattoos on his face indicated his criminal status. Like the others, he gazed at the road ahead. However, compared to the vacant looks of the others, his gaze appeared fiercer, darker. Moreover, his physique was more robust than the rest.
This man was called Easton. Just a year ago, he was a wandering idler. However, as the internal situation of the YF country deteriorated, uprisings erupted in many places, including the local region where Easton lived. Being fond of brawling and aggression, Easton quickly joined one of these local insurgent groups. With his decent combat skills and ruthless fighting style, he soon became a core member of the insurgency.
However, this insurgency didn't last long and was eventually crushed by the imperial army. As a significant figure within the insurgency, Easton was naturally arrested and later sentenced to exile.
Yet, Easton was not content with this fate. During his journey of exile, he killed his captors and escaped. Utilizing his previous reputation and his brutal methods, he rallied a group of people and continued the uprising.
Over the course of a year, Easton's insurgency not only survived but also grew substantially. The entire group now numbered three to four thousand individuals, becoming a significant local power. The imperial army attempted multiple times to suppress them, but failed each time. Easton himself became a wanted fugitive.
However, rather than instilling fear, being on the wanted list brought Easton some prestige within the insurgency, accelerating its growth. As the group expanded, it came with both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, their strength increased, and they gained more confidence in battles against the imperial army. On the negative side, with more members to feed, the challenges of sustenance increased.
At this point, those who could join the insurgency were people who couldn't afford meals, people on the brink of survival. Joining the insurgency was a last resort for them. Thus, their first and foremost demand upon joining was to have enough food to fill their stomachs.
Easton found this request challenging to fulfill. Procuring food was no easy task. The wealthy households with food in the nearby villages had either been plundered by him or had their supplies stored in the county town. However, the county town was heavily guarded by regular imperial forces, which outnumbered his own fighters. Moreover, the towering city walls were daunting enough to discourage him.
Easton had to think of alternative solutions. Just at this moment, he received news that the imperial court intended to transport a batch of food to the wilderness plains to support the frontlines. Upon hearing this news, Easton's eyes lit up, especially upon learning that the food convoy consisted of individuals with little training, hastily conscripted for the task. This information further piqued his interest.
"Snatch them!" Almost without hesitation, Easton made this decision. Subsequently, he inquired about the route of the supply convoy and ultimately chose to set up an ambush near the small hill.
"Leader, do you think the supply convoy will pass through here?" A man with a narrow head and pointed nose asked Easton.
"They will definitely pass through here, without a doubt!" Easton confidently replied.
Due to the presence of many wagons, the supply convoy was bound to take the main road rather than the difficult small paths. The road from the departure point of the convoy to the wilderness plains was just this one major route they were facing. Where else could they go?
"Is there really a lot of food on their carts?" Another person asked. At the mention of food, his eyes gleamed, and his tongue subconsciously licked his lips, his face filled with desire.
"Yes, there's a lot!" Easton exclaimed loudly. Then he turned to the people behind him and shouted, "There's plenty of food in the supply convoy. Even if you lie there and eat for three days and nights, you won't finish it all! When it's time to fight and seize the food, don't chicken out. Charge forward, kill them, take the food. If I find anyone too cowardly to fight, once the food is taken, they won't get a single grain of rice! Is that clear?!"
"Crystal clear!" the crowd responded in unison.
Though the people felt somewhat nervous and fearful, the thought of having their stomachs filled alleviated some of their fear. While charging into battle might result in death, not getting any food would lead to the same fate. Given this choice, why not take the risk?
After all, by choosing to join the insurgency initially, weren't they already facing the prospect of a death sentence? What was left to fear? Seeing the expressions of his subordinates, Easton felt satisfied. This was the effect he desired. He had lofty ambitions and was not content with being just a minor leader within the insurgency. He wanted more!
Easton aimed to constantly expand his forces, and for that, he needed food. Other things weren't as important. Even if they didn't have weapons, they could still fight with their own hands and teeth. As long as he prevented his men from starving to death, it was enough.
Thus, while these people thought that seizing the food would guarantee their full bellies, Easton was already considering sharing only a small portion with them. He could let them have enough to survive, while the rest of the food could be used to entice more people to join his ranks.
In this era, having food in your possession meant many people would flock to you for sustenance. It was incredibly crucial. In such circumstances, how could Easton allow them to gorge themselves freely?
As Easton contemplated how to use the food to his advantage, figures appeared in the distance of their field of vision. The supply convoy was coming!
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