Someone reacted and rushed forward to pull his companion away. Ma Xingguo was helped up and looked down. Fortunately, his breastplate was strong, otherwise he might have had his chest broken like those of his men.

He is a long history man, so his armor is naturally not comparable to that of ordinary soldiers.

The place where the sacks had been piled was already a mess, and there were even potholes on the ground. Everyone was frightened and did not dare to go near it for a while.

At this moment, screams were heard from behind, and Song Liang shouted loudly: "Everyone, be careful, they are on the roof."

"Was ambushed!"

Fang Xingguo's expression suddenly changed.

He originally thought that tonight's operation would be a cat-and-mouse game. Who would have thought that Taixuan Temple had already laid an ambush in advance. Before even a Taoist priest could be seen here, he was killed and injured by strange sacks that blew up more than a dozen people.

There were continuous screams from behind, and Fang Xingguo said solemnly: "Follow me!" Although there was a faint feeling of tearing in his chest, the soldier's tenacity was still reflected at this moment. He held the sword and led the people to prepare to pass through the hall.

Head to the backyard for support.

At this moment, he heard the sound of "swish, swish, swish", and Ma Xingguo was shocked when he heard continuous screams from behind him. He looked back and saw several soldiers falling to the ground, hit in the vital parts by crossbow arrows.

When Ma Xingguo was horrified, a crossbow arrow had been shot directly at his chest. Ma Xingguo roared, swung his sword, and opened the crossbow arrow. At this time, he had noticed the direction of the crossbow arrow. He looked up and was shocked to find that in

There were actually many people lying in ambush on the roof beams of the main hall.

When I just came in, I almost didn't look at the roof beams, and it was dark on the roof. These people were all dressed in black, so even if I glanced at them, I might not be able to spot them.

These people all held arrows and crossbows in their hands, and they fired ruthlessly and aimed at the officers and soldiers below. The crossbow arrows were like lightning.

"Up above!" Fang Xingguo shouted: "Everyone, be careful!"

Tonight's operation, fifty archers were mobilized to participate in the operation. Twenty of them followed Qin Xiao and ambush outside the back door of the Taoist temple. After entering the Taoist temple, the troops were divided into three groups, with ten archers in each group, and followed Ma Xingguo to charge.

The ten archers who entered the hall became the first targets of the attacks by those on the roof beams. Four or five of the officers and soldiers killed by crossbow arrows were archers.

The remaining archers reacted very quickly. They quickly found a place to take cover, bent their bows and arrows, and launched a counterattack at the men in black hiding in the rafters.

Arrows are coming and going. The man in black is at a high place, overlooking the hall, and has a great advantage in sight. However, being on the roof beam, the range of movement is very limited. Once a favorable arrow hits, it is not easy to dodge.

.

“Swish swish swish!”

Several more officers and soldiers fell to the ground, but the archer instantly shot down two men in black.

There were many officers and soldiers, but they did not have wings and could not fly up to kill the opponent. They could only find a place to hide in the hall, but dozens of people were densely packed in the hall. Whenever the man in black fired a crossbow, he would definitely hit one person. In an instant,

In the meantime, more than ten people were shot to death and injured by men in black. More than ten people were killed and injured before. At this moment, the number of people who were still fighting was less than half of the people who rushed into the hall.

Ma Xingguo did not expect such a situation at all. Even if the chickens and dogs killed by Taixuan Guan were not spared tonight, there were so many casualties and it would not be considered a great achievement. He was shocked and angry. While dodging, he also judged

There were at least a dozen men in black ambushing on the scattered roof beams above the main hall. He knew that these men in black must be Taoist priests from the Taoist temple, and they could hide in the darkness above by wearing black clothes.

Although the opponent's number is not large, they occupy the most advantageous place, and they all have deadly arrows and crossbows in their hands. The arrows and crossbows have a farther range than bows and arrows, but in this hall, these arrows and crossbows have become the most sharp and effective weapons.

.

Continuing to stay in the main hall will only increase casualties.

Ma Xingguo shouted loudly: "Come out and surround the hall!" But he rushed over and chopped down the remaining copper lamp post with a knife. During the previous explosion, a copper lamp post had been blown away.

As soon as the lamppost was extinguished, the hall suddenly became dark, but there was moonlight outside the door. Everyone knew where the door was, and those with injured companions dragged their companions out and ran outside.

Once the lights went out, the man in black on the roof beam could no longer see his target, and could only fire arrows randomly based on the movement below.

Ma Xingguo rushed out of the hall and watched his men escape with wounds. In the end, including the injured soldiers, only about thirty people came out, and nearly half of them were lost.

The officers and soldiers looked disgraced one by one, as if they had escaped from the gates of hell. They were like wolves and tigers when they rushed into the Taoist temple. Now everyone is in shock.

"Sir, they...they have already laid an ambush." ​​One of the men gasped.

"Block the front and back doors of the hall and don't let them escape." Ma Xingguo clenched his fist and said, "Sound the arrows and ask for reinforcements to come over."

The Taoist temple was surrounded on all sides. Of the 350 officers and soldiers, only 150 were responsible for attacking the Taoist temple. At this time, many people were killed in the main hall. There were also killings and screams from the backyard. It was clear that the battle was fierce.

Ma Xingguo could only ask people to shoot loud arrows and ask the officers and soldiers who were ambushing on the other three sides of the Taoist temple to come for reinforcements.

Qin Xiao was now in a bamboo forest not far from the back door of the Taoist temple.

The location of the Taoist temple is very particular. It is very spacious in the front and back, and the residences and shops are some distance apart. After leaving the back door of the Taoist temple, only a few dozen steps away, there is a bamboo forest. Qin Xiao and a hundred people ambushed in this bamboo forest.

Tonight's arrest plan was personally formulated by Ma Xingguo. According to Ma Xingguo's idea, the officers and soldiers launched an attack from the main entrance. If the Taoist priests could be captured in one fell swoop before they woke up, it would be a dream. Once the Taoist priests notice,

In panic, they must have fled through the back door. At that time, Qin Xiao could round them up from behind.

However, when he heard a loud noise coming from the Taoist temple, Qin Xiao knew that tonight's operation must not go smoothly.

But the loud roar was like thunder in the sky, which was really scary. Qin Xiao really didn't understand how there could be such a terrifying loud noise in the Taoist temple.

When the sound of fighting came from the Taoist temple, the officers and soldiers in the forest drew their swords and were ready to attack. However, no one dared to act rashly without Qin Xiao's order.

When a shrill sound came from the sky, someone next to Qin Xiao immediately said: "Sir, that's a sounding arrow. Lord Chang Shi ordered us to go for reinforcements."

Qin Xiao also guessed that Ma Xingguo's actions were not going well, so he no longer hesitated. With a wave of his hand, the soldiers who were ready to go immediately rushed out of the forest and arrived at the back door of the Taoist temple. Qin Xiao ordered: "Leave twenty people, ten

The famous archer blocked the back door and shot whoever came out of the back door immediately. Others followed me in." He kicked the back door.

In fact, the back door is also very strong, but Qin Xiao is now at the fourth level, so it is naturally easy to kick open a door. The courtyard door was kicked open with a "bang", and the soldiers had already poured in.

Qin Xiao was not in a hurry to charge forward. Looking from a distance, he saw a fierce battle in the backyard. A group of officers and soldiers were surrounding several Taoist priests and killing them. However, there were more than 20 corpses lying on the ground, and some of them were killed.

There were Taoist priests, and some were lying on the ground struggling in pain, and the scene was quite chaotic.

Although there were not many Taoist priests left, they stood guard in front of the door of a house. These people all held long swords in their hands. Although their swordsmanship was not very sophisticated, they could still resist for a while.

These Taoist priests were at the end of their rope, and their robes were stained with blood. At this moment, dozens of officers and soldiers rushed in from the back door. The backyard was crowded into a ball, and most people couldn't get forward at all.

"Go to the main hall in front." Song Liang saw the reinforcements coming from the crowd and shouted loudly: "Master Qin, Mr. Chang Shi is in the main hall in front. Go to the main hall for reinforcements." Then he said to someone beside him: "We are desperate here. Bring some people."

Let’s go together to reinforce Master Chang Shi.”

A group of people cheered and rushed towards the front hall.

When they got to the back of the main hall, they saw someone running towards them. When they saw a dark group of people coming for reinforcements, they hurriedly said: "Master Chang Shi has an order to surround the main hall. There are rebels here, don't let them escape.

"

Qin Xiao made some arrangements and had people surround the back of the hall. Then he led a dozen people around to the main entrance of the hall, only to see Ma Xingguo leading a group of people blocking the front door.

"Lord Chang Shi, how is the situation?" Qin Xiao was a little surprised when he saw Ma Xingguo's clothes were torn in front and his face was gray.

When Ma Xingguo saw Qin Xiao bringing reinforcements, he pointed at the main hall and said bitterly: "These rebels are ambushing in the main hall. They have hidden arrows and crossbows, and they also have extremely powerful weapons. Did you hear the sound just made?"

?”

"I heard." Qin Xiao nodded and said, "What weapon?"

"I can't understand it either." Ma Xingguo said: "When the fire started, there was a sudden loud noise, and everyone who was close to it was shattered, and more than a dozen people were killed or injured. If I didn't have a pair of refined breastplates, I might have died inside.

.”

Qin Xiao was a little surprised and couldn't understand what kind of weapon was so powerful.

"Master Qin, I can now confirm that Taixuan Temple is indeed the Queen Mother's lair in Suzhou City." Ma Xingguo held a knife in one hand and a fist in the other, staring at the main entrance with a sharp gaze: "It is already a crime to hide arrows and crossbows in a Taoist temple.

If there is a rebellion, how can a group of Taoist priests hide their weapons if they are not rebels?"

"How could they know that we would come here tonight?" Qin Xiao frowned and said, "Otherwise, how could they have prepared an ambush in advance?"

Ma Xingguo said: "Last night it was found out that Dong Yuan was the envoy of the Queen Mother Society. Dong Yuan died and the Dong family was sealed. This matter must have been known to Huang Yang. He knew that since Dong Yuan was exposed, the Taoist temple was very

He may also be exposed, so be prepared in advance." He asked, "Can Taoist Huang Yang be caught?"

"There was also an ambush in the backyard, but the remaining Taoist priests have been surrounded and they can't leave." Qin Xiao glanced at the main hall and asked: "Sir, what should we do here?"

"Those guys are hiding on the beams, holding crossbows in their hands. As soon as they enter, they will shoot them immediately." Ma Xingguo took two steps forward and shouted inside: "Listen to the people inside, you have been captured.

We are surrounded. If you are captured without mercy, you still have a chance to survive. Otherwise, I will set the hall on fire and burn you all to death." He ordered: "Come here, go find kerosene and bring firewood nearby. I will burn these people today.
Chapter completed!