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The camp wasn't entirely idle; Countess Setia's capabilities became evident. She organized all the servants, distributing single-handed swords as defensive weapons. The women were gathered in the center of several carriages. During the recent skirmish, she even dispatched people to retrieve those unfortunate souls by the river.

The steward, Roy, gripped his sword tightly, standing guard in front of the Countess. Becotte, armed with a longsword, was barely 11 and lacked fitting armor, wearing only a simple chainmail. He watched the retreating figures with excitement, eager to chase after his father!

With the return of several soldiers, the servants gradually relaxed. However, Liu Yuan remained focused on the forest near the river, his sense of urgency growing stronger. Sure enough, before long, another large group emerged from the trees.

These individuals were different from the previous rabble. They had some armor, and their weapons were more formal, consisting of longswords and spears. More importantly, there were about a dozen archers among them, who released arrows towards the camp as they advanced.

Roy's eyes widened in horror as he spotted five or six mounted bandits. This meant that even if the Countess and young master escaped on horseback, they might not evade pursuit.

He immediately shouted, "Someone, quickly overturn the carriages! Everyone, gather around! Even if it costs us our lives, we must protect the Countess and young master. We'll be safe once the Lord returns."

Roy's emergency response was commendable. Although the bandits appeared fierce, the numbers were relatively even. A desperate defense might secure the safety of the family for the time being.

Roy noticed the brazier nearby and kicked it over, scattering burning coals onto a nearby tent. Ignoring the contents, the tent quickly caught fire, sending thick black smoke into the sky. He hoped the Lord would notice the danger and return quickly to provide assistance.

Most of the servants followed Roy's instructions, abandoning the miscellaneous supplies and converging towards the center. They picked up wooden planks and iron pots to use as shields.

However, Liu Yuan didn't join them. Instead, he dove under a carriage. He clearly saw that there were about sixty enemies, including a dozen archers. Gathering together as Roy suggested would turn them into sitting ducks.

The bandits quickly charged. The two crossbowmen from the Setia guard kept up their attack, felling several enemies with their bolts. The bandit archers were equally active, showering the camp with arrows. The makeshift defenses couldn't completely stop the arrows, and cries of pain could be heard.

The Setia family's servants were better fed than the often-starving bandits, resulting in similar physical strength. Combined with the defensive formation of several professional soldiers, they temporarily held off the enemy's attack.

However, the bandits, accustomed to a life of danger, were naturally fierce, giving them the upper hand. Fortunately, the six halberdiers were effective. As heavy infantry, they wore chain and plate armor, along with bevor and gorget. When the visor of their kettle helm was lowered, they could continue fighting unless an arrow struck their eye socket. Their nearly three-meter-long axe-spears could both thrust and cleave, and their valiant resistance prevented the bandits from breaking through.

Roy hastily put a chainmail shirt over the Countess's clothes. Several loyal personal servants also wore spare armor. Those around them used various items to defend against the occasional stray arrows. He knew this situation couldn't last long. These were hardened bandits who had spent years killing and looting, and the five bandit knights posed a real threat.

These knights were essentially landless knights, often hired by other lords as mercenaries. Others abandoned their knightly honor and became bandits, but their combat prowess didn't diminish; it might even have increased. It was said that the Smiling Knights of the Brotherhood of the Woods possessed combat strength comparable to the Imperial Guard. He knew that once these bandit knights joined the battle, they wouldn't be able to hold out for long. Their only chance was to wait for the knights to dismount, then have someone stall them while the Countess and young master escaped on horseback.

As Roy predicted, the bandit knights' horses were unarmored, preventing them from charging into the formation. When they realized that these people weren't going to run, they dismounted, drew their swords and shields, and pressed forward, cutting down several servants in their path.

At that moment, Roy shouted, "Now! Everyone, charge forward! Clear a path!" The soldiers, who had been defending until now, suddenly charged forward. The two crossbowmen also fired their bolts at the bandit knights.

Then, a large number of servants suddenly charged towards the southeast, scattering the bandits there in an instant. Old Parker swung his half-man-high iron hammer, smashing the heads of two bandits. The coachman, Jayne, used a pitchfork to pierce the neck of a bandit blocking the way. Several personal servants then rushed out, escorting the Earl's family.

The bandits were caught off guard by the servants' sudden attack, but they quickly recovered. Many of them flanked from both sides, especially two of the five bandit knights. Roy gritted his teeth and led another group of servants back to buy time for the Earl's family.

However, the bandits outnumbered them, and more than a dozen of them bypassed the interception and gave chase. Coincidentally, their path led directly to Liu Yuan's hiding place. He hadn't wanted to get involved, but seeing Old Parker fighting valiantly, the stubborn Becotte, and the terrified little girl...

Liu Yuan still couldn't bring himself to stand idly by. Just as the group passed his carriage, he decided to act. He waited a moment, until a group of bandits had just run past, then Liu Yuan crawled out from under the carriage. He raised his hand crossbow and fired at the backs of those at the rear, "Swish, swish, swish... swish, swish..." The lever action was very fast, and he shot accurately. The only drawback was that the hand crossbow's short bolts had limited killing power. Even so, among the eight people hit by the bolts, five were struck in vital areas, though they wouldn't die immediately.