The spear soldiers were still tense, but their strong performance had relaxed their muscles somewhat; they were no longer as tightly wound. Derek kept a close eye on the situation, noting that the bandits were beginning to come to a consensus and were likely to surround them.
The merchant team had managed to form a rough circle, with Vincent, the manager, having left a gap for retreat.
“Fall back in an alternating pattern, watch your feet!” Derek commanded. The spear soldiers slowly retreated, their recent ferocity making the bandits hesitate, unsure whether to advance. A few minor leaders among the bandits shouted angrily, urging their men forward, while one particularly fierce fellow took the lead in charging.
The mountain folk were indeed as tough as they claimed. If they had been a group of farmers, they likely would have collapsed by now. But if Derek had to choose, he would still prefer farmers. Obedience was paramount; combat skills could be trained, but obedience was harder to instill.
As the bandits began to rush forward, potentially disrupting their formation, Derek wasn’t going to let them have their way. He barked out, “Stop, thrust!”
The spear soldiers instinctively halted and moved forward.
Thud, thud, thud!
The fastest bandit was suddenly pierced multiple times, blood spraying from his wounds. This time, the other bandits were thoroughly intimidated; none dared to approach.
Derek then directed the spear soldiers to retreat into their makeshift camp. Vincent hurried over, having witnessed the entire process. Derek’s performance left him in awe. He had worked with countless mercenaries before, but never had he seen such elite and fierce warriors.
Not only was their combat ability impressive, but their ability to counterattack while retreating was something most mercenaries lacked. A few elite troops could manage it, but for a unit to respond so cohesively under pressure was remarkable.
“Sir Derek, you truly are a knight of the Earl’s Knights’ Order. I’ve never seen such a powerful warrior as you!” Vincent’s faith in Derek was evidently renewed.
Derek didn’t respond immediately; he was checking on the spear soldiers. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The basic leather armor had done its job well. One unfortunate fellow had been shot in the chest, but the arrow had only grazed the armor, leaving him unharmed. The others were completely unscathed.
Derek felt thankful for the bandits; otherwise, even a small army could have suffered heavy casualties. He quickly commanded defensive measures, distributing weapons to everyone. The merchant guards were evenly assigned, with the merchants themselves taking cover at the back, able to strike out as needed.
He ordered the spear soldiers to prepare; a fight could erupt at any moment. Outside, the bandits were hesitating, likely divided in their opinions.
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Having already lost over ten men, they couldn’t return empty-handed. Failing this time would challenge the status of their leaders. After a heated discussion, they resolved to press on. Learning from their earlier mistakes, they quickly organized an assault plan to breach the merchant team's defenses, disregarding the barriers of the carts.
Derek watched as the bandits approached without any form of strategy and couldn’t help but sneer. “It’s basically safe now; these fools think they’re an elite army?”
The carts weren’t just props; without proper siege equipment, even a professional army would struggle to maintain order. If Derek were in charge, he would have prepared oil to burn them out. But the bandits were here for plunder, not destruction.
As the bandits charged in a disorganized manner, they truly believed they could overwhelm the defenders with numbers.
Not that he underestimated them; without several times their number and the willingness to accept losses, they had no chance of breaking in.
Looking at the bodies accumulating, the bandits finally faltered. They had come to rob for a better life, not to die. Without needing any command, they began to retreat, scattering in all directions. Those with a conscience dragged their fallen comrades’ bodies, while the less scrupulous simply fled.
In the blink of an eye, most of the bandits had disappeared. Apart from a few bodies they couldn’t carry, they left everything behind. The merchant team collectively sighed in relief, collapsing onto the ground. They had genuinely feared for their lives today.
Under normal circumstances, how could they have encountered such a large group of bandits?
The losses for the merchant team were minimal—just a few unfortunate souls injured or killed, some carts damaged, and a few goods lost. But compared to being robbed blind, it was a trivial matter.
Unfortunately, the bandits had achieved neither.
“Sir Derek, should we negotiate with them?” Vincent asked, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice.
He was demonstrating his tricky position and willingness to spend money to avoid disaster. If they could establish a relationship, perhaps this route would be safer in the future.
“Not yet; negotiations should wait until after we’ve repelled them. How can you satisfy their greed otherwise?” Derek replied, not even turning back, his words more of a casual dismissal.
He knew that if the bandits attempted another assault, they might just flee, and there would be no chance for negotiation. After all, they were just a ragtag group. Derek could see clearly that they were nothing more than mountain folk pretending to be bandits.
But he didn’t need to share that insight with Vincent. Soon, the bandits, now emboldened, charged again.
This time, they were even more confused. The chaotic thrusts of the spears made short work of any bandit who managed to breach the ranks. What seemed like worthless carts became the strongest fortress.
Vincent, realizing the situation, noted, “So these bandits are all bluster and no substance?”
Hearing Vincent’s lament, Derek finally turned around, relieved. If clients thought things were simple, business would be much harder. He promptly punctured Vincent’s illusions.
“If it were me, I’d burn them out and wait for them to come to me. No merchant team would get away if I were in charge. If they want treasure, they should strike at dawn, catching us off guard. That’s the only way to succeed. If they had any sense, they’d bring a few rams to break through these carts quickly. All their sneaky tricks, like poisoning or ambushing, would be irrelevant. If these bandits were even a little professional, today wouldn’t have gone so smoothly for us.”
Vincent was left trembling from Derek’s words, his gaze towards him shifting. If this guy ever changed professions, would anyone here survive? The difference between professionals and amateurs was glaringly apparent, and he instantly discarded any thoughts of cutting corners.
4o mini