We, a few of us, were unable to enter the altar and could only stand outside the iron railings, which the villagers had temporarily erected the previous night for the smooth execution of the grand sacrifice.
Elder A Long took a torch from a priest and lit the firewood in a brazier before the altar. Soon, a blazing fire erupted before the statue of the God of Night, billowing smoke and drawing the caws of crows that echoed throughout the entire village.
Besides Elder A Long, the Bai Xiu Si family was also present. We had deliberately avoided summoning them for the past few days, and they believed we had cleared them of suspicion.
Of course, the surveillance had been ongoing, and I had only called back my men today.
After lighting the sacred fire, Elder A Long picked up a document resembling a royal decree and held it up to read aloud: "Our great God of Night, we are eternally grateful for the prosperity and abundance you provide us each year. This year, we will again offer you a sacrifice. This sacrifice is none other than Officer He, who sought to take away someone from our midst!!"
"This fellow is truly detestable, suspecting a murderer among us. Do you think such a mortal deserves divine punishment!"
The villagers were incited by Elder A Long and began to surround us, holding chains and ropes, their faces fierce. From their reaction, it seemed this was premeditated.
"Bastards, what's going on?" I asked. Not far away, Bai Xiu Si sneered dismissively, "Officer He, I forgot to tell you, in our Ossiri Village, there is a custom where the life of an outsider is offered as tribute at every grand sacrifice. And as the leader among them, you are qualified, do you understand?"
"Hahaha, what kind of outdated customs are these! Utter nonsense. Using divine punishment to take a life is a despicable plan to murder. You may deceive others, but you cannot deceive me!"
I was the first to draw my gun and point it at the approaching villagers, while everyone else raised their weapons.
However, this only made the villagers seem to go mad. They charged at us with their swords and shields!
I yelled, "What are you doing? Attacking a police officer?"
"Don't worry about it, give them hell!" Bai Xiu Si commanded, and the villagers became even more frenzied. It was then I realized these people were all following his lead.
We were quickly surrounded. Although we weren't few in number, we were at a disadvantage against hundreds of villagers clad in armor.
Gao Ming Qiang couldn't help but pull the trigger. A gunshot split the dark night sky. A crow cawed wildly, and the bullet struck a villager's shield with a clang. Yet, the bullet could not penetrate the shield!
We fired volleys of shots, the reports echoing one after another. The villagers continuously raised their shields to block, and dense bullets rained down upon them. But not a single one penetrated.
We couldn't help but retreat a few steps, but we were surrounded, with no escape. We were forced to huddle together, forming a circular formation, guns held at the ready in a 360-degree defense.
"They are few, don't worry, charge!" Bai Xiu Si urged again. The villagers lunged forward, intending to ram us with their shields. I knew bullets were useless now. I quickly exchanged a glance with the others. We put away our weapons, quickly grabbed their shields, and leaped over them, landing behind them. Gao Ming Qiang and Xia Hou twisted their wrists, dislocating the necks of two villagers. Seizing the opportunity, we disarmed them of their swords and shields.
We quickly wielded them. I also took down a villager and obtained a weapon. I had thought Zhang Ke Ying would be in danger, but to my surprise, she kicked a villager away with a single blow. She then retreated a few steps and leaped up, her legs clamping onto a villager's head, using her hands for support, performing a reverse kick with her legs flailing wildly. The villager was sent flying as if the floor had been lifted.
Had I not witnessed it myself, I would never have believed she possessed such martial prowess.
However, Xie Chu Chu was having a bit of trouble. I quickly rushed to help, cutting down a villager with my sword. Just then, a stone flew towards me. I raised my shield and blocked the attack with a clang. Then, I crouched low and charged like a bull, knocking the assailant over. I didn't finish him, merely kneeing him in the abdomen, causing him to writhe in pain on the ground.
At this moment, Gao Ming Qiang covered Xie Chu Chu as she broke through the encirclement of several villagers. Then, He Xin also found herself in a tough fight. She was grabbed by several villagers and about to be taken away. I leaped up and struck one villager's neck with my palm. But this wasn't a movie; my palm strike didn't knock him out. He just glared back and raised his sword to strike me, but I parried the blow with my own sword.
I pretended to retreat a few steps, and the man, like a hunting dog, pursued me, thrusting his sword at me. I dodged the attack by a hair's breadth with incredible speed. Then, I spun around and struck his head with the hilt of my sword from behind. This time, he collapsed to the ground.
I kicked again, sending the next villager clutching his abdomen. Though this move was a bit vicious, there was no other way. He Xin struggled free and shot one of the men in the knee. The man cried out in pain, clutching his wound, unable to get up.
In the chaos, Elder A Long and a few priests were shouting nearby. The Bai Xiu Si family had disappeared. Seeing that this couldn't continue, I raised my gun and fired several shots into the night sky: "Stop immediately! The stones outside have been cleared, and our reinforcements are on their way!"
Upon hearing this, the villagers began to waver. Xia Hou seized the opportunity, swinging several large stones to knock out a few villagers. The villagers became disoriented. By the time the special police burst in and surrounded them, Elder A Long and the priests were subdued and handcuffed. I immediately said anxiously, "Go after the Bai Xiu Si family!"
Li Fan and his men immediately deployed, and Gao Ming Qiang and I followed suit. I actually knew the direction Bai Xiu Si had fled, so I led most of the men that way. Others began a fan-shaped search, beginning a systematic sweep of the entire village.