39: Chapter 39 Closing the Door and Beating the Dog

Black Leopard was arrogant to the extreme.

The bandits behind him also let out bursts of obscene laughter.

On the stockade wall, the soldiers of Panshi Stockade stared with angry eyes, trembling with rage, their grips on their long spears creaking.

This was simply a humiliating disgrace!

Old Qiu's face turned livid, and he was about to retort with curses.

But Gao Feng raised his hand to stop him.

Instead of anger, a playful smile appeared on his face.

He looked at Black Leopard below and spoke slowly; his voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Master Leopard, is that right?

Regarding the conditions you mentioned, we... need to consider them.

How about this? Since you have come from afar, why not enter the pass and have a drink of wine? We can sit down and talk it over slowly. How about that?

Gao Feng's words left everyone stunned.

The soldiers on the stockade wall looked confused and anxious.

Meanwhile, Black Leopard below the wall, upon hearing this, restrained his sinister grin, replacing it with a look of scrutiny and suspicion.

He narrowed his eyes, sizing up the Stockade Master on the wall who was excessively young.

Could someone who was able to establish a foothold in Ghost Sees Sorrow and dared to frame Dushan Stronghold really be such a pushover who would easily give in?

There might be a trap in this.

Black Leopard had been in the Dao for many years; being able to become a minor leader relied not only on ferocity but also on an extraordinary level of caution.

He sneered and did not agree immediately, instead pointing from afar with his riding crop and saying, "Want to talk? Fine! But you must show some sincerity!"

How about this, a flash of cunning crossed his eyes, "You, the Stockade Master, come down from the wall alone and walk to me. Then, have your subordinates open the stockade gate. Only then will I believe that you truly want to talk and aren't trying to pull any tricks!"

He was testing them.

If the opponent truly intended to use the "opening the door to invite the thief" strategy, they would never dare to let their own Stockade Master risk his life personally.

His words made the hearts of everyone at Panshi Stockade jump into their throats.

Stockade Master! You cannot! Old Qiu urged hurriedly.

Yes, Stockade Master! Those below are all outlaws; you must not go down!

Gao Feng waved his hand at the crowd, signaling them to stay calm.

A look of "difficulty" and "hesitation" appeared on his face, as if he were struggling with a fierce internal conflict.

After a moment, as if he had made up his mind, he gritted his teeth and shouted to Black Leopard below: "Fine! I will go down! But you must guarantee that you will not take my life!"

Haha! As long as you are obedient, Master Leopard will naturally not make things difficult for you!

Seeing Gao Feng "give in," Black Leopard's wariness lessened by three points.

In his view, a Stockade Master who would gamble with his own life was either truly afraid or an utter fool.

No matter which it was, it was a good thing for him.

Immediately, amidst the worried gazes of the people of Panshi Stockade, Gao Feng walked down the wall alone, step by step, heading outside the pass.

A gleam of triumph flashed in Black Leopard's eyes. He gave a hidden signal to the bandits behind him, indicating they should prepare; once the enemy Stockade Master walked out of the pass, they were to immediately step forward and capture him alive!

Capture the ringleader to capture the gang!

Once the enemy Stockade Master was taken, wouldn't this stockade be theirs to do with as they pleased?

Gao Feng walked at a measured pace; his steps were steady, yet his face perfectly displayed a hint of nervousness and fear.

Fifty paces... Forty paces... Thirty paces...

Just as he was about to step out of the pass and into the range controlled by Black Leopard and his men!

Just at the moment when Black Leopard and his bandits were most focused and about to make their move!

A sudden change occurred!

All expressions on Gao Feng's face vanished instantly!

Replacing them was the chilling, murderous intent of a tiger before it pounces!

He stomped his foot violently, and his body retreated backward with incredible speed! Like an arrow released from a bowstring, he instantly retreated back inside the pass!

Not good! It's a trap!

Black Leopard's pupils constricted; he was the first to react, roaring, "Quick! Catch him!"

He and the dozen or so cronies beside him didn't even think, pouncing like hungry wolves toward the open pass!

They had been completely deceived by Gao Feng's superb acting!

They thought the opponent was trying to run away, and this was the best opportunity to capture him!

However, what they rushed into was not the path to victory. It was the gate to Hell!

The moment Black Leopard and his men rushed into the range of the pass!

Close the gate——!!!

Gao Feng's cold and murderous voice boomed like a thunderclap on flat ground!

The dozen or so able-bodied men of Panshi Stockade, who had been waiting for a long time on both sides of the pass, used all their strength to violently push the huge winch!

Boom——!!!

Accompanied by a teeth-grinding roar, that huge stockade gate, built from several thick logs and reinforced with iron plating, slammed shut with an unstoppable Aura!

The heavy gate slammed into the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust; the entire pass seemed to tremble for a moment.

This sudden scene left everyone stunned.

The expressions on the faces of Black Leopard and his dozen or so cronies, who had just rushed into the pass, instantly froze.

And outside the pass, those bandits who hadn't managed to rush in were all stupefied where they stood.

You... you dare to play me?!

Black Leopard roared at Gao Feng with a fierce but cowardly tone, an ominous premonition instantly clouding his heart.

Gao Feng looked down at him from above, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold arc once again.

It was the look one gives to a dead person.

Nothing interesting.

His voice was not loud, yet it drowned out the wind in the valley and clearly reached everyone's ears.

I just wanted to invite you 'honored guests' to have a drink before your execution.

Before the words faded, he waved his hand again!

Release!

The second order followed immediately!

Hearing the order, the soldiers of Panshi Stockade, who had been lying in ambush on the slopes on both sides of the pass for a long time, immediately pushed down the boulders and battering logs they had prepared.

But this time, their target was not the dozen or so people inside the pass.

It was the nearly one hundred leaderless bandits of Dushan Stronghold outside the pass!

Rumble... Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

For a moment, stones of various sizes and sharpened giant logs descended from the sky like hail, carrying the whistling sound of death!

They smashed fiercely into the line of leaderless bandits blocked by the stockade gate!

Not good! There's an ambush! Quick, dodge! Ah——!!!

The bandits outside the pass instantly erupted in chaos, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves.

Their leader was locked inside, and they had completely lost their command; they could only scurry about like headless flies, passively enduring this disaster-like blow.