Chapter 16

Ying Tuzi led the way, a broadsword with a rolled edge slung askew at his side, walking at the very front of the troop.

Behind him followed twenty or thirty defeated soldiers, each with heads hung low, looking like a flock of ducks driven onto a rack.

The mountain road was rugged, the troop moved slowly, and someone kept whispering complaints.

"Damn it, is Ying Tuzi this damn crazy? It's obvious he's sending us to die, yet he still promises a hundred gold and a thousand-household fief! If I die, what use would that money and rank be to me!"

A soldier with a full beard muttered curses, yet he dared not stop his feet.

"Exactly, Xie Sandao clearly wants to use us as cannon fodder, and Ying Tuzi is foolish enough to believe his lies!" another soldier echoed, sucking in air through his teeth as he pressed a hand to his arm wound.

These complaints naturally reached Ying Tuzi's ears.

He suddenly halted, turned around, and his fierce gaze swept over everyone.

"Shut the hell up, all of you! Anyone who dares utter defeatist talk, I'll cut him down right now!"

He roared in a rough voice, spit flying.

"I tell you, that old fox Xie Sandao wants to hog all the credit; if we succeed, he gets the meat while we won't even get a sip of broth! Now I give you a chance—succeed, and you'll enjoy endless riches and honors! If you're afraid of death, get lost now—I don't even want to bring along this bunch of cowards!"

Ying Tuzi's words, half threat and half lure, actually stunned this group of defeated soldiers.

They were essentially desperadoes, willing to do anything for money and power.

Thinking of the gleaming silver and tempting official posts, their fear gradually gave way to greed.

"Big Brother Ying is right! Let's do it, damn it!"

The bearded soldier was the first to respond, waving his spear as if injected with chicken blood.

"Go! We seek wealth amid danger!"

Others chimed in, and their previously low morale miraculously rose.

The group marched mightily toward Mount Zhengyang, their rough shouts echoing along the mountain road.

Upon reaching the stronghold, the sight before them came as a great surprise.

The stronghold's gate stood wide open; inside all was silent, showing no sign of defense.

Ying Tuzi secretly rejoiced, it seemed those bandits were indeed all drunk—truly heaven was helping me!

"Keep it quiet for me! Sneak in silently and catch them off guard!"

Ying Tuzi lowered his voice and made a hushing gesture.

Everyone lightened their steps, cautiously sneaking into the stronghold.

The stronghold was deathly quiet, only occasional insect chirps breaking the silence, making it feel eerie.

The air was thick with a strong wine aroma, seemingly confirming Ying Tuzi's guess.

They passed through the empty courtyard and arrived at the hall's doorway.

Ying Tuzi took a deep breath, then flung the door open.

"Kill—"

However, what greeted them was not a bunch of drunken bandits, but row after row of icy arrows!

"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—"

The arrows tore through the air, dense as rain, and in an instant several soldiers were struck down.

Only then did Ying Tuzi realize he had walked into an ambush.

His face paled; he had just thought to order a retreat when he discovered his rear had been blocked off at some point.

Torches suddenly flared up, lighting the entire hall.

The Big Boss stood on the raised platform, long blade in hand, a cold smile on his face.

Behind him stood hundreds of fully armed soldiers, encircling Ying Tuzi and his men.

Ying Tuzi stared at the Big Boss, shocked and furious, pointing at him and cursing:

"You despicable villain! You actually……"

Before he could finish, the archers behind the Mount Zhengyang Big Boss loosed another volley, a sharp arrow piercing Ying Tuzi's thigh.

He let out a miserable cry and collapsed to his knees.

The intense pain nearly made him faint; he lifted his head to look at Xie Sandao, his eyes filled with resentment and despair…

Suddenly, he noticed a familiar figure flash behind Xie Sandao in a corner…

That figure was……

Ying Tuzi watched helplessly as the arrow pierced his thigh; the excruciating pain blackened his vision, nearly making him faint. He gritted his teeth and tried to crawl up, but found his legs no longer obeyed him.

He looked around; his once-mighty followers now lay one by one in pools of blood.

Wails and curses rose and fell, yet gradually were swallowed by the silence of death.

The bearded man was riddled with arrows, pinned to the ground like a hedgehog, dying with eyes unclosed.

Xie Sandao slowly descended from the platform, looking down at Ying Tuzi from above.

His face bore a smirk, as if toying with a mouse.

"Ying Tuzi, you too have your day? I told you you'd regret this."

Ying Tuzi clenched his teeth and forced out a sentence from between them:

"Xie Sandao, you damn cheat!"

Xie Sandao laughed heartily.

"All's fair in war, don't you know? Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to clash head-on with your rabble? If not to lure you into the trap, would I have wasted all that fine liquor? Smell it—this whole stronghold reeks of excellent aged rice wine; sadly, you don't have the fortune to enjoy it."

Xie Sandao said this, kicking with his toe at a corpse beside Ying Tuzi.

It was the military cadet he had previously sent out as a scout.

By now, the cadet was already dead, a dagger lodged in his chest, a gruesome sight.

Only then did Ying Tuzi realize he had fallen into Xie Sandao's trap from the very beginning.

He sent the military academy to investigate the situation, but he didn't expect that the military academy had already been bribed by Xie Sandao, who fed him false information.

He, like an idiot, led his brothers straight into this death trap.

"Xie Sandao, you won't die a good death!"

Ying Tuzi roared hoarsely, his eyes filled with the flames of hatred.

Xie Sandao crouched down, patted Ying Tuzi's face, and said in a contemptuous tone:

"Rest assured, I'll live just fine. As for you, you'll soon go down to join your brothers."

He stood up, waved his hand at the soldiers behind him, and said, "Clean them all up, leave none!"

The soldiers surged forward, waving the swords in their hands, and began the final slaughter of the remaining wounded.

Shrieks and wails sounded again.

The bloody smell spread through the stronghold, the desperate wails grew weaker and weaker, and were finally replaced by silence.

Xie Sandao kicked Ying Tuzi with the tip of his boot; Ying Tuzi let out a grunt, like a dying wild dog.

"So satisfying!"

Xie Sandao spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm.

"Damn it, I've held this in for so long; finally I've let out this foul breath!"

He walked over, picked up a wine jar, and gulped down several mouthfuls.

Then he walked up to Ying Tuzi and splashed the remaining wine on his face.

"What good wine, a shame you don't have the life to drink it."

Ying Tuzi choked, coughing up blood mixed with wine from his mouth, looking even more miserable.

At this moment, Ying Tuzi closed his eyes, facing death calmly, waiting for Ying Tuzi to give himself the final blow.

Everything is over; he feels sorry for those brothers who followed him through life and death.

【Ding……】

【The system grants you two Heaven's Mandate Points.】

【Successfully muddied the waters, successfully advancing the next step of the plan】

【But be careful, there are many loopholes; too many casualties will arouse suspicion of the Military Protection Chief.】

【Later, pretend to be weak to eat the strong; as the weak, advance slowly, step by step, building fortifications.】

Jiang Xiaomu has now received the system's notification; soon he will be able to, according to the plan, smoothly take the Second Boss hostage.