Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 193: The Ambush (Part-1)

"Hmm? Something is off..." She murmured under her breath, looking ahead.

Years spent walking on the edge between life and death, in her past life, had honed her instincts to an almost frightening degree. Without any visible warning, a sense of unease rose sharply in her chest.

Intuition was a strange thing. It could not be explained, touched, or measured, yet it existed undeniably. Those who had stared danger in the face often developed this instinct, and more often than not, it was far more reliable than sight or sound.

Zora’s gaze slowly swept across the forest ahead. The sky was at its darkest, that oppressive hour just before dawn when the world seemed to hold its breath.

Almost at the same moment she sensed it, Prince Kael’s expression also turned solemn.

"Darling," he said quietly, "wake everyone."

She nodded without hesitation and immediately moved to rouse Reesa and the others.

Though Reesa and the rest had been resting, the moment they heard Zora’s low warning, their spirits snapped awake. Their eyes were still half-closed, yet the mana within their bodies surged instantly, ready to respond at any moment.

Zora returned to Prince Kael’s side.

His eyes gleamed with thoughtful light as he asked in a low voice, "How are you certain it’s people and not monsters?"

He hadn’t missed her reaction earlier. She hadn’t merely sensed danger; she had judged its nature. That level of perception was anything but ordinary.

Zora’s red lips curved slightly. "At this hour, most monsters are already resting. Even those inclined to attack wouldn’t choose this moment."

Her voice remained calm and steady. "This is when humans are at their most exhausted and least vigilant. Coincidentally, it’s also the perfect time for a sneak attack. Don’t you agree?"

Prince Kael chuckled softly. "My lady truly has a great foresight and amazing senses."

"I should say the same for you, too," she replied lightly.

Yet her brows soon knitted together again.

If it wasn’t a monster, then it was human spirit warriors. Robbery was not uncommon in the White Mountains, but ambushing such a large, well-organized group carried enormous risk. Unless...

Unless there was a grudge.

A name surfaced instantly in Zora’s mind.

Julian.

Their conflict in the White Mountains had been anything but trivial. Judging from Julian’s temperament, it was impossible that he would simply swallow that humiliation and walk away.

Now that the blue rank mission had drawn countless spirit warriors into the mountains, the chances of Julian appearing here were extremely high.

*

Just as Zora expected, behind a massive, gnarled tree, Julian stood motionless, leading a group of men concealed within the shadows. His sharp gaze fixed on the resting group ahead, cold and predatory, like an eagle locking onto its prey. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

In the darkness, killing intent quietly spread. "The last time, Alaric Von Seraph and the others slipped through my fingers," Julian said through clenched teeth. "This time, I won’t let a single one of them escape."

His face was shrouded in gloom, hatred churning beneath the surface like a storm ready to break.

The grudge between him and Alaric Von Seraph had long since gone beyond reconciliation.

Tonight, he wanted to see Alaric Von Seraph crushed, humiliated, and writhing in pain. Only then could the resentment in his chest find release.

If not for Alaric Von Seraph, how would he have fallen to such a miserable state?

Meanwhile, Nathaniel, who was with him... his gaze slowly shifted, locking onto Zora’s figure in the distance. The hatred in his eyes burned even hotter.

And if not for Zora, would he have lost an arm?

That day, they had retreated early enough to preserve their lives, but the price he paid was unbearable.

A severed arm was not merely a physical injury.

For a spirit warrior, it meant shattered balance, crippled techniques, and a future forever stained by limitation. Countless martial skills he had once mastered could no longer be performed. His path of cultivation had, in essence, been cut short.

The more he thought about it, the more his heart twisted with venomous rage. If he did not personally tear Zora apart, he would never find peace in this lifetime.

Originally, those around him had advised him to stay behind and recover.

But Nathaniel knew himself too well. If he did not come, if he did not see her fall with his own eyes, this hatred would rot inside him forever. That was why he stood here now, hiding in the shadows, waiting.

"This time, we’ve joined forces with the Black Vulture Mercenary Group," Julian then said coldly. "Even if they’re capable, they won’t escape tonight."

His lips curled into a cruel smile, eyes glinting with vicious anticipation. He wanted Zora to taste despair, to feel the same helplessness he had endured.

"Brother Julian," a tall, sharp-featured man beside him asked calmly, "as long as we help you kill these people, you’ll officially join the Black Vulture Mercenary Group afterward. Is that correct?"

This man was Thaddeus, the second leader of the Black Vulture Mercenary Group.

The Black Vulture Mercenary Group was one of the three major mercenary forces operating near the White Mountains. With a large number of seasoned fighters and a fearsome reputation, they were not a group easily provoked.

The two leaders, Pyrrhus and Thaddeus, were brothers. Both possessed outstanding cultivation talent and an uncompromising, ruthless style of doing things. It was precisely this decisiveness that had allowed their mercenary group to rise so rapidly.

Julian nodded without hesitation. "Yes. As long as you help me kill them, I will pledge myself to the Black Vulture Mercenary Group from this day onward."

Thaddeus’s eyes flashed with satisfaction.

He had taken notice of Julian days ago. Given his age and former strength, Julian’s potential was undeniable. Recruiting him would be a considerable gain. When Thaddeus later learned that Julian also had enemies he wanted eliminated, the decision became even easier.

The Imperial Academy might be powerful, but this was the White Mountains.

If the job was done cleanly, without witnesses or evidence, the academy would have no way of tracing it back to them. And even if suspicion arose, without proof, what could they do?

To Thaddeus, killing a handful of academy students in exchange for a promising spirit warrior was a bargain.

"You can rest easy," Thaddeus said, his voice cold and confident. "I’ll make sure you get your revenge."

He lifted his hand slightly, and in response, the mercenaries behind him moved as one, their figures melting into the darkness.

The faint rustle of leaves brushing against boots spread through the night.

Zora’s red lips curved almost imperceptibly. The moment had come. The enemy had made their move.

In the next instant, a black shadow burst forward like lightning, slicing through the darkness. Whoever it was clearly knew how to use the terrain and night to their advantage.

"Let’s Go."

Thaddeus and his group had clearly intended to strike while everyone was resting.

A surprise attack in the dead of night would have ended things quickly and cleanly, saving them a great deal of trouble. Unfortunately for them, the moment they closed in on Zora’s group, they realized their plan had already failed.

Their presence had been exposed.

Almost simultaneously, Alaric Von Seraph and the others opened their eyes, weapons flashing into their hands with practiced ease. The relaxed atmosphere from moments ago vanished, replaced by sharp vigilance and battle-ready tension.

"So they really are academy students," Thaddeus said with a faint smirk. "Their senses are sharp enough."