Chapter 30: Blood‑Stained Chip

Wang Jin's vicious yet clumsy kick completely shattered the battlefield's balance.

The remaining few "water ghosts" who had climbed up from underwater, seeing their comrade kicked into the sea of fire and then blinded by some unknown powder, were greatly shocked, and their advance stalled.

And it was this stall that gave Colonel Li and Zheng Ping the opportunity to fall back and defend!

"Protect the commander!"

Colonel Li roared, thrusting his blade to repel the enemy before him, then spun with a sweeping slash; the blade whistled as it cut toward a "water ghost's" waist. That "water ghost" hastily raised his sword to block, but was cleaved clean off his feet along with his weapon by Colonel Li's immense strength.

Zheng Ping's move was even more vicious; he glided like a ghost close to another "water ghost", his blade turning into a cold light like a poisonous snake, stabbing directly under the opponent's ribs and crushing the heart.

The pressure at the bow instantly lessened.

The Night Owl leader, who had not yet made a move, seeing the deadly pincer attack from inside and out, was actually thwarted by this seemingly weak civil official using such despicable means, his pupils constricting sharply.

He knew that if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to escape.

He no longer lingered in battle, feinted a move to push away the two guards entangling him, then turned and rushed toward the ship's rail, intending to jump into the river to flee.

"Want to leave?"

Wang Jin's icy voice sounded behind him.

The Night Owl leader's heart jolted, feeling only a vicious wind striking from the side.

He didn't even consider Wang Jin a threat, merely reacting instinctively by swinging his sword to block.

However, what flew in was not a weapon.

But a heavy, water-soaked fishing net.

Exactly the one previously hung on the ship's rail as a spare.

The Night Owl leader's blade struck the net, merely denting it without being able to cut it. The net's tremendous force then enveloped him entirely, staggering him and slamming him hard onto the slippery deck.

"Seize him!"

Before he could struggle to his feet, the already blood‑mad Imperial Guards and Zheng family guards lunged at him like wolves and tigers.

Blade backs, fists and feet rained down upon him like raindrops.

Though the Night Owl leader's martial skill was high, being entangled in the net and then besieged by several elite fighters, he could only utter a reluctant groan before being beaten to the point of broken tendons and bones, completely losing any ability to resist.

With the leader captured, the remaining assassins lost all will to fight; within half an hour they were all either slain or taken alive.

The fire on the river surface gradually dwindled.

The soaring flames and the piercing smell of burnt announced the grim end of this ambush.

Wang Jin's official ship was already shattered, its hull covered in sword marks and arrow holes, a huge breach continually pouring water in, threatening to sink at any moment.

On the deck, blood flowed in rivers; over a dozen bodies lay scattered, some assassins, some of our own guards.

On Wang Jin's side, the Imperial Guards suffered three dead and five seriously wounded; the Zheng family guards had two dead and four wounded. Almost everyone was stained with blood.

Wang Xiu, controlling Wang Jin, gazed at this gruesome sight, his stomach churning. This was the first time he had so directly confronted death.

He had no time to lament.

"Colonel Li, tally the wounded and treat the critically injured!"

"Zheng Ping, take people to interrogate the prisoners, especially that leader—I want him alive!"

"Everyone, immediately transfer to the captured enemy ship—this one is going to sink!"

He suppressed his discomfort and issued the orders clearly, one after another.

After enduring this bloody battle, no one dared question any of his decisions. All the guards, whether Imperial or Zheng family, looked at him with a gaze mixed with awe and fervor, carrying out each of his orders without reservation.

They transferred the wounded and supplies onto a relatively intact Fire Dragon Ship.

That assassin leader, bound five‑fold, was brought before Wang Jin.

One of his arms and one leg were twisted at unnatural angles, obviously broken, yet he still held his head high, staring at Wang Jin with eyes full of hatred and incomprehension.

"I have lost. Do with me what you will—kill or dismember, as you please." He said in a hoarse voice.

Wang Jin ignored him, crouched down, and rummaged through his bosom. Soon he produced a black iron plaque.

The iron plaque's material was exactly the same as the one Zheng Hao had displayed the night before; its front bore a ferocious demonic visage, while the back, instead of the characters meaning 'bad', showed a claw‑flaring 'owl' character.

"\"Night Owl? You lot are fit only to hide in the night! \" Wang Jin pocketed the plaque, rose to his feet, and looked down at him from above.

"\"You are a civil official—how… how do you know battlefield tactics? \" the Night Owl leader blurted out his greatest doubt.

"\"Want to know? \" Wang Jin gave a faint smile, \"Tell me who sent you and how you learned of my advance route, and I'll spare your life. \"

The leader's eyes flickered with hesitation, but it quickly turned to resolve: "\"Under the rules of the Unruly, there are no survivors. Kill me. \"

"\"Killing you would be too lenient. \" Wang Jin's smile, illuminated by the firelight, turned somewhat cold.

He turned to Colonel Li, whose arm bore a deep wound down to the bone, bleeding steadily.

Wang Jin approached, once again taking out the already empty small porcelain bottle, scraping out the last trace of medicinal powder within, and carefully sprinkling it onto Colonel Li's wound.

In the astonished gaze of all, the terrifying wound's bleeding slowed at a visible pace!

Colonel Li further felt a cooling sensation spread in, the excruciating pain reduced by more than half.

"\"This… sir, what sort of divine medicine is this! \" Colonel Li exclaimed.

Wang Jin offered no explanation, merely demonstrating it to the Night Owl leader.

He walked back to the leader and said softly: \"I have a medicine that can make a wound rot and fester bit by bit while the victim remains fully conscious. This process lasts seven days and seven nights. You will clearly feel your flesh turning into a pool of pus, and your bones darkening inch by inch. \"

His voice was soft, yet like a devil's whisper, making everyone present feel a chill run down their spines.

"\"There are other methods; surely you will find one to your liking…"

The Night Owl leader's complexion changed. Death he did not fear, but this torment, with so many variations, exceeded the limits of his imagination.

"\"I will speak…\" Wang Jin looked into his eyes and said word by word, \"Who sent you? What I want is not a name, but a token. \"

He gasped violently, finally squeezing out a few words from between his teeth: \"I… I have… in the hidden lining of my inner garments… a… a troop‑movement order from the Ministry of War, sealed with wax…\"

Zheng Ping immediately stepped forward, tore open his clothing, and indeed found, inside the lining, a document wrapped tightly in oilcloth, bearing the Ministry of War's wax seal!

Wang Jin received the order, opened it, and glanced at it.

What was written above was that Zong Chuke, under the pretext of 'suppressing water bandits', secretly mobilized the Night Owl squad to cooperate with local officials' actions.

This is Iron Control proof!

It is evidence that Zong Chuke colluded with the 'Bad People' covert division to assassinate a court official of the Court!

Wang Jin kept the secret order safely, looking at the Night Owl leader, his eyes showing no ripple, a glint of survival light shining in his eyes.

As long as he is released, he does not believe that fleeing to the Great Desert or the South Seas will help, for Zong Chuke can find him.

'Give him a quick death.'

'You don't.....'

'Yes.' Zheng Ping raised his hand and the blade fell; the assassin had not yet spoken the two words 'trust' when he was beheaded with one sword, his eyes still showing disbelief.

After handling everything, Wang Jin stood at the bow, gazing toward the direction of Jiangling Prefecture to the south.

He knew he had won this battle; he not only survived but also obtained a trump card sufficient to threaten the Minister of War.

But how should this trump card be used?

Should we immediately report to the Court and put Zong Chuke in a deadly situation? Or keep it in reserve as a future killer's mace for court intrigue?

Wang Xiu controlled Wang Jin, who fell into deep thought. He knew that the next choice would test his wisdom even more than this blood battle.