Jing Hengbo looked at this group of shocked people before her with satisfaction.

Kang Long Army had always had a bad impression of her. She wondered what these titled captains were feeling at this moment?

Fortunately, these people were merely shocked. After a moment they returned to normal. After all, having not participated in the original palace coup incident, the relatively detached titled captains were only curious about the legendary Queen.

Quan Ninghao even felt somewhat gratified, saying: “This subordinate still remembers when Your Majesty angrily cut down the flag below Di Ge city that day – Di Ge still talks about it with relish. Now that we subordinates follow Your Majesty the Queen, in the future we’ll definitely cut down Di Ge’s flag once more!”

“In the future, I’ll allow you to cut down Cheng Gumo’s general flag and draw a pile of shit on his banner.” Jing Hengbo grinned and looked down the mountain, suddenly saying: “Quan Ninghao, following me isn’t about enjoying good fortune. I want to walk the most difficult path in this world. On this path there will be sacrifice and death – perhaps none of you can walk with me to the end. Are you afraid?”

“Generals inevitably die on the battlefield.” Quan Ninghao replied without hesitation. “What’s there to fear about life and death!”

“Now I have something very satisfying for you to do, but after that comes something very difficult. Do both things well, then decide whether to follow me.” Jing Hengbo showed everyone the black grass leaves from her pack. “I give you half an hour to collect all the tips of this type of grass for me. Leave none of what you see. If you encounter Pei Shu and his subordinates blocking you, remember – just stay close to areas with light blue moss. They’ll naturally avoid those places.”

“May this subordinate ask why?”

“Pei Shu and his people have survived in the valley for years, relying on antidotes from the valley. But this is still a poisonous valley after all. With mutual generation and restraint of all things, eventually they can no longer leave the valley’s medicinal herbs, can no longer leave Tianhui Valley. Though they seem free in the valley, they’re actually far more restricted than you newcomers. For instance, that light blue moss – you’re not greatly affected by it yet, but because they’ve eaten too much of that black grass, they can’t approach it at all. So once you grasp their weakness, victory is easy. Now, I want you to go beat them up!”

“Understood!”

This response was cheerful and spirited. Jing Hengbo smiled, thinking these unfortunate titled captains had suffered enough under Pei Shu – time to repay that arrogant fellow.

Sure enough, before long the entire mountain valley echoed with various angry howls. Pei Shu and his subordinates had discovered the titled captains were digging up their life-saving grass.

“I spared you, yet you dare provoke me!” Pei Shu’s angry roar echoed through the valley. Jing Hengbo sat cross-legged listening, thinking his qi was really strong, his martial arts really good, his voice really loud – what should she assign him to do? Palace eunuch messenger?

Thick mist was stirred by flowing true qi, weapon wind sounds surged like gathering storm clouds. When the half hour was up, the titled captains returned on time, each carrying a large sack filled with those grass tips. Judging by the quantity, all such grass in the entire valley was now in their packs.

Jing Hengbo was very satisfied and shouted loudly: “Was the beating satisfying?”

“Satisfying!”

Jing Hengbo waved her hand: “Move out!”

Military men were different – no one questioned, they shouldered their sacks and followed her down the mountain.

Gray ghost shadows pursued relentlessly behind them. Pei Shu’s curses had escalated from the titled captains themselves all the way to their grandmothers. The titled captains acted as if they heard nothing.

Suddenly the cursing stopped, and a cold, sinister aura pressed against the back of Jing Hengbo’s neck.

Without turning her head, Jing Hengbo grabbed a handful of that medicinal grass from her pack, holding it in her palm, laughing: “Pei Shu, if you dare attack me, I’ll immediately order everyone to destroy all your life-saving medicine. This stuff doesn’t grow back easily, does it? By the time a new crop grows, you’ll all be dead, right?”

The cold aura immediately dissipated, and Pei Shu’s angry curses immediately rang out overhead.

“Damn it! What exactly do you want to do!”

“I want you!”

Everyone was shocked by this declaration. Pei Shu and his people were merely surprised, but Quan Ninghao and others stumbled outright.

The rumors about the Queen being fierce were indeed true – there was no most fierce, only more fierce.

“Want me?” Pei Shu was stunned, then burst into laughter, the sound seeming to have metallic tones that made even the rocks tremble slightly.

“Can you handle me?” His voice was mocking. “Based on what?”

“Based on my uprooting all your life-saving medicinal grass, based on you never being able to catch me!” Jing Hengbo laughed heartily. “Pei Shu, from now on you can only follow behind me picking up grass!”

“Insolent!” Pei Shu’s voice echoed throughout the valley. “Men, intercept all those useless captains! If even one escapes today, we all die!”

“Quan Ninghao!” Jing Hengbo shouted loudly. “Today I don’t want you to win, don’t want you to flatten this valley. I only want you to carry this medicine to the valley entrance. I’ll handle the rest. Can you do this small thing!”

“We’ll die rather than fail!”

“Then let’s begin! I’ll hold off Pei Shu – you just go!”

“Damn it! Damn it! If I don’t kill you today I’m not surnamed Pei!”

“You can take the surname Jing, given name Se!”

Loud laughter accompanied flying figures as Jing Hengbo flashed, already appearing several zhang away. Behind her, Pei Shu stuck like a bone maggot, closely pursuing.

The frantic chase through the valley began.

On one side was the ghostly unpredictable movement competition between Jing Hengbo and Pei Shu, on the other side was the titled captains and Pei Shu’s subordinates’ first clash after years away from the battlefield.

The titled captains immediately discarded all excess weight, including the previously collected rare flowers and herbs worth thousands in gold. As they flew they formed battle formations – some volunteered to guard the rear, others who fell behind immediately turned to block enemies, never allowing themselves to become burdens to the team.

This was the first test after pledging allegiance to their new master – they had to succeed!

Unlike the latter’s chase that sent mud flying and earth and grass scattering in earth-shaking chaos, the pursuit between Jing Hengbo and Pei Shu looked surprisingly quiet – one blink here, one blink there. Because pupils could no longer capture the specific movement trajectories, only fragments of their actions, those two shadows were like two crucial pieces on a strange chessboard, always landing in unpredictable places.

Jing Hengbo had to admire Pei Shu’s movement techniques – several levels above even Tian Qi’s. Her teleportation was enough to surpass Dahuang’s most exquisite lightness skills, yet she couldn’t completely shake off Pei Shu. Perhaps it was terrible intuition honed in harsh environments – though teleportation made it impossible to determine where she’d be next, he could somehow sense it and follow just one step behind.

Jing Hengbo almost thought he could teleport too.

She had been in the valley for quite some time. Though mostly traveling on the mid-mountain where poisonous mist was thin and receiving less impact, by now it was about time. If she was going to resolve this, it had to be soon.

She teleported while laughing heartily.

“Pei Shu, don’t you really want to leave the valley? Has your brain been flooded?”

“Don’t you want to know how the outside world has changed? How those enemies are living?”

“Don’t you want to know what kind of life others are living? Don’t you want to know if the world is still the same without you?”

“Don’t you want to return to the past, live those days of universal reverence and pursuit, enjoying all glory? Don’t you want people to call you Young Marshal again? Don’t you want to continue leading thousands of troops in your beloved mounted warfare career?”

“Shut up!” The frantic roar came from behind. Pei Shu’s voice sounded like he wanted to devour her. “Don’t want don’t want don’t want don’t want! Shut up!”

This was how people reacted when struck at their pain points. Jing Hengbo shrugged, neither her mouth nor feet stopping.

“Pei Shu, the world outside the valley has become even more prosperous.”

“Shut up!”

“Pei Shu, people outside the valley haven’t suffered any problems from lacking you. They’re well-fed and clothed, singing and dancing in peace. Right now they’re probably gathered around hearths eating New Year’s Eve dinner. They won’t know what it’s like to look at gray skies in Tianhui Valley, eat wild grass, eat raw meat, sleep in mud. They won’t remember who Pei Shu was who once protected them. Maybe if reminded, they’d think for a long time, then say ‘oh’ and say ‘ah, that idiot.'”

“Shut up!”

The titled captains gritted their teeth – why were there no legends in Di Ge about the Queen’s mouth? Too vicious!

“Pei Shu, your enemies are all living well. Gong Yin is about to become emperor. Ming Cheng is back as queen again. Cheng Gumo has taken a seventh concubine and is having more children. Jin Zhaolong has new favorite concubines. Yesterday he was still holding one watching exotic dances. Ying Bai gets more handsome, never pays for women in Di Ge and even gets paid, unlike you who can only lie in mud every night masturbating to the moon, howling and pretending to be a werewolf. Even Kang Long’s officers live better than you – look, the titled captains are all fatter than you.”

“Shut up!”

The titled captains covered their faces – was following such a master really good?

Pei Shu’s subordinates were already stunned, their steps stopping. Some began to cry.

“Pei Shu, I don’t believe you don’t hate. I don’t believe you don’t want to go out. You’re the Dragon City Young Marshal, you’re Jade White Gold Pivot. They say you rode with romantic flair, laughing proudly through Dahuang. How could someone like you, just because of fearing death, hide in Tianhui Valley not daring to take a single step out, spending a lifetime looking at gray skies, eating black grass, sleeping in rotting mud, and when you die not even needing a grave, just thrown in mud to become swamp fertilizer? Ah ah ah Pei Shu, you’re so shameless, how did you become like this? Do you want to make Gong Yin die laughing? Do you want to make Ming Cheng die laughing? Do you want to make Ying Bai die laughing? Do you want Jin Zhaolong to die laughing? Ah, they’d definitely die laughing if they knew what you look like now. Gong Yin would feel insulted – how could someone like you be worthy of his brainpower? Ming Cheng would feel insulted – why did she once think you were handsome? Ying Bai would feel insulted – how could someone like you be worthy of being compared to him? Jin Zhaolong would feel insulted – how could someone like you make him spend so much effort scheming…”

“Shut up!”

The roar was enough to overturn a mountain valley. Jing Hengbo even felt the airflow from Pei Shu’s shout lifting her hair.

If there were a needle right now, she estimated that with just a light poke, Pei Shu would explode.

Everyone around had stopped, leaving only Pei Shu’s wheezing gasps and deathly silence.

The titled captains looked dazed, still not recovered from being shocked by Jing Hengbo’s nagging poison tongue. Pei Shu’s subordinates’ gray faces showed grief and anger. These indifferent figures, as if cast from gray mud, finally began to breathe heavily.

Old scars ached terribly, torn open brutally and doused with today’s snow, pain piercing heart and lungs.

Jing Hengbo looked up – they’d reached the valley entrance. But now Pei Shu and his subordinates had also caught up. Even in his rage, he still used his own methods to command his subordinates in a strange formation, surrounding her and the titled captains. Once they moved, they’d be trapped.

“Have you finished all the words you’ll say in this lifetime?” Pei Shu gasped for a long time, then said sinisterly: “I’ll give you a chance to say one last sentence!”

“I say,” Jing Hengbo immediately replied, “shall we make a bet?”

“No!” Pei Shu roared.

“Pei Shu, how did you become like this, do you know…”

“Shut up! Bet! Bet on what!”

“I bet I can make you leave the valley yourself.” Jing Hengbo shrugged. “I bet you can’t keep these life-saving medicines.”

Pei Shu’s sinister gaze circled around her. He was certain they were surrounded. Except for this annoying kid who could escape with his strange lightness skill, no one else, including the medicine, could take a single step out of the valley entrance.

He was a famous general – accurate battlefield judgment was instinct. Never wrong.

But he still said viciously: “Won’t bet!”

He felt this kid was up to something. Since he already had certain victory, why should he humor him?

Famous generals never acted on impulse.

Jing Hengbo thought this kid really deserved praise – definitely had to drag him along as a palace eunuch messenger!

“I bet you can’t keep a single medicinal grass!” she said. “And I won’t move a step!”

Pei Shu narrowed his eyes.

“Are you looking down on me?”

“Yes, I’m looking down on you!” Jing Hengbo seemed oblivious to his killing intent, smiling as she pointed: “If you don’t even dare accept this, you’re only fit to be a pig wallowing in mud ponds for life. What face do you have left to command subordinates? Should I leave those gold-seeking beasts for you to play marshal?”

Pei Shu’s expression shook as he stared at Jing Hengbo, the muscles on his cheeks slightly bulging.

Hit at his weak point, even famous generals had helpless moments.

He didn’t believe that even if this kid could manipulate objects from a distance, there had to be a process. Could he not catch up to or stop even a single medicinal grass?

“I’ll bet!” he suddenly roared.

Before his roar ended, his shoulders swayed slightly – he was ready to exert force and leap.

“Watch carefully!” Jing Hengbo immediately continued, waving both hands.

“Whoosh.” All the packs filled with medicinal grass suddenly disappeared!

Everyone cried out in surprise.

Pei Shu was shocked.

His preparations weren’t even ready, yet the other side had already finished!

How incredibly unbelievable!

But there was still time! He looked up to see one more pack, slightly lagging behind, about to disappear from view.

Cannot let this pack leave the valley!

He shot forward like an arrow.

His movement technique pushed to the limit, his figure became a phantom in everyone’s eyes, no longer showing clear outlines, like a painter’s dragged and smeared brushstroke, suddenly gone.

As he charged forward, seeing the pack right ahead, his heart leaped with joy. One more step, reach out and grab it.

When he took that final step, he heard surprised cries behind him, feeling pleased – probably because his movement technique was too shocking?

The scenery around him seemed to change, but he was using all his strength and couldn’t stop his momentum now. Even if there was a black demon ahead, he could only crash into it.

His fingers had already touched the pack!

His heart was wildly joyful.

Definitely won!

The pack suddenly moved forward an inch!

Right before his eyes it moved forward an inch, then with a plop, fell into a swamp ahead!

Pei Shu wanted to vomit blood!

This moment felt like he’d suddenly become a mad dog being led by a dog-teasing stick. He chased one step, the stick moved one step. Finally when he was about to catch it, they threw the stick away.

He almost wanted to jump into that swamp right now.

He stood still, gasping constantly, having overexerted himself. His whole skeleton was creaking from the recoil – he now wanted to take apart that kid’s bones, every single one made into dog-teasing sticks!

After standing still he suddenly shuddered all over.

The surrounding scenery…

Snow…

Looking up, snow was falling.

Tianhui Valley’s poisonous mist had condensed for thousands of years, almost becoming solid. Rain and snow could never fall down…

The surrounding rocks were slightly green, with oil-black soil under the snow.

Everything in Tianhui Valley was gray…

He shivered violently, somewhat stiffly half-turning around.

First he saw the rock behind him – huge gray stone with blood-red seal script: Tianhui Valley.

Saw the valley entrance behind the rock, his subordinates gaping in shock.

Saw the equally shocked but smugly satisfied titled captains.

Saw that kid, indeed still in his original spot, unmoved, now beckoning to him with a finger.

“Little Shu Shu.” Jing Hengbo said. “I didn’t move, you left the valley, and you didn’t get a single grass. How about our bet?”

Pei Shu’s gray face could actually display countless colors. His eyes were bright like black diamonds, terrifyingly so. Looking at those dazzling eyes that made one’s heart stop, Jing Hengbo thought this guy’s eyes alone were enough to captivate the world. What a waste of that gray face – she definitely had to find a way to whiten it for him.

“Now that you’re out, don’t go back in.” Jing Hengbo spread her arms wide, smiling: “Look, the soil outside is so black, the sky outside is so dark, the rocks outside are blue-green – so magical, so beautiful.”

Pei Shu’s subordinates poked their heads out at the valley entrance, sincerely agreeing it was indeed magical.

Pei Shu stood rigidly three steps outside the valley entrance. Jing Hengbo’s sharp eyes noticed his legs trembling slightly, as if somewhat unaccustomed to the overly solid ground beneath his feet.

Then he turned and roared: “Why aren’t you all rolling out here!”

Pei Shu’s subordinates scurried out. Pei Shu gave each one a slap: “Bastards! Idiots!” Those who were hit rubbed their heads and formed a line, seemingly quite used to it.

After standing outside the valley for a while, these people began to shake.

“Hey, the ground seems unstable…” someone wanted to collapse.

“Hey, this air is suffocating me…” someone desperately gulped several breaths of air, showing a strange expression of discomfort.

“Hey, I want to slide…” someone shook and still wanted to make sliding motions.

Though Pei Shu kept trying to stand straight, his body kept trembling slightly.

Jing Hengbo and the titled captains had originally been watching this group’s strange behavior with crossed arms and smiles. This certainly wasn’t poison taking effect – it wouldn’t be that fast. This was just these people being unaccustomed after spending five years in the valley’s harsh environment without seeing daylight, living with mud as companions. Now standing on solid ground facing fresh air, they temporarily couldn’t adapt.

Just like how Chinese people going abroad would find the sky blindingly blue.

Jing Hengbo smiled and smiled, then couldn’t smile anymore – five years without seeing daylight, living like savages in poisonous mist and mud, to the point that five years later on this snowy day, this external environment that wasn’t even particularly beautiful made these former famous Huangjin tribe generals and heroes panic and unable to adapt. How heartbreaking and desolate was this?

Suddenly there were mixed footsteps in the distance as people ran over, shouting loudly: “Who goes there! Are the brothers who entered the valley back?”

Jing Hengbo looked – it seemed to be Beixing City lord’s guards, probably hearing the commotion at the valley entrance and coming to investigate.

Before she could answer, she heard Pei Shu angrily say: “You dare question me? Kill!”

His figure flashed as he crashed into that group of ten-plus people. Gray shadows wound around like smoke and vapor twice, and those guards were dazed. Someone wanted to rub their eyes, but before their hand could rise they let out a scream – their hand was suddenly gone, spraying blood as it flew into the sky.

Pei Shu’s subordinates shot out like phantoms. These people couldn’t stand steady on level ground at first, but fighting immediately helped them find balance. Gray shadows shuttled about, blood light shot everywhere, screams continued, killing intent ran rampant. The Tianhui Valley ambush scene replayed, this time with a group of guards as the unlucky victims. In just a few breaths, that group became scattered corpses. Before Jing Hengbo could even walk out of the valley entrance, her feet touched blood flowing across the ground.

She blinked – ruthless, so ruthless. This group were originally fierce generals, then suffered endless injustice and torment. Once they struck, they showed no mercy, their killing intent shocking to heaven.

She propped her chin, thinking such a team would be hard to lead – too rebellious. At first she’d have to ruthlessly suppress their edge.

Looking again at the titled captains, each one’s eyes were bright and eager to try. She immediately felt a headache.

These two groups seemed to be from opposing camps…

A dozen people weren’t enough for Pei Shu to kill. After a moment he wandered around in the pile of corpses, kicking left and right, as if still wanting to kick someone alive to fight another three thousand rounds.

Jing Hengbo walked forward and patted Pei Shu’s shoulder: “Come with me. I’ll work hard to let you survive outside Tianhui Valley. I’ll restore you to your original state, let you become Jade White Gold Pivot, Dragon City Young Marshal again. No, not Jade White Gold Pivot – Gold Pivot Jade White!”

Pei Shu’s shoulder swayed, shaking off her hand.

“Since I’ve left the valley, I won’t go back. But don’t think I’ll willingly be your lapdog, don’t think I’ll fall for your tricks again. I’ve figured it out – no antidote doesn’t matter. I’ll lead my brothers through a few days of freedom, not wasting these years of hardship, and conveniently slaughter all those who harmed us. Better to die happily!” He suddenly turned and grabbed Jing Hengbo’s chest clothing, saying viciously: “I need traveling expenses – hand over money!”

“Stop!” Quan Ninghao rushed forward, but Jing Hengbo waved him back.

“Won’t comply?” she smiled: “Then goodbye. Don’t grab me anymore either. I’ll give you the antidote, you let me go. Let’s part on good terms.”

Pei Shu was stunned, narrowing his beautiful eyes.

“You’d willingly give me the antidote?”

“I can also include some precious products from Tianhui Valley for you to exchange for traveling expenses.” Jing Hengbo smiled as she brushed away his hand. “Look, your enemies are all so far away – how can you go without traveling expenses? Jin Zhaolong is in Beixing, the ministers who originally framed you are in Huangjin tribe capital Tianlin, Ming Cheng, Cheng Gumo, and Gong Yin are in Di Ge. Remember to visit them one by one, mwah mwah.”

“You don’t want me anymore?” Pei Shu asked incredulously.

Someone in the crowd made a “pfft” sound.

Jing Hengbo scratched her chin – narcissistic and prideful people, whoever indulges them is an idiot.

“You’re not bad.” She patted Pei Shu’s shoulder. “But I don’t absolutely need you either. Look, your temperament is so difficult – antisocial, irritable, unsociable, and you have old grudges with the titled captains. Plus you’re rebellious by nature. If I took you, after using all my efforts finding antidotes, recovery, training, in the end you might dump me when you have your period. Wouldn’t all my hard work be wasted? Even if you don’t dump me, fighting every day and not listening would give me headaches. Besides, my subordinates are full of masters – plenty stronger than you. No need to invest such effort for just you. In anything, returns must exceed investment, right? You’re not very useful to me, yet I’d have to put in more effort than for others. Am I stupid?”

“This is provocation, right?” Pei Shu suddenly wasn’t angry anymore, sizing her up sinisterly: “Women’s hearts are like needles in the ocean. These words are clearly the opposite of what you mean. You clearly want me very much, very much.”

“Eh, how do you know I’m a woman?” Jing Hengbo looked at her tightly wrapped clothes and face mask, very curious about this guy’s eyesight.

“I discovered when I grabbed your clothes – your chest was bound.” Pei Shu said carelessly. “If I couldn’t even tell this, I wouldn’t deserve to be called Pei Shu!”

The titled captains gripped their weapons, waiting for the Queen to rage so they could loyally attack.

Pei Shu’s subordinates stood ready for battle.

“Ah, I see.” Jing Hengbo nodded. “How do you think it was bound? Not tight enough? Easy to discover?”

Titled captains: “…”

Pei Shu’s subordinates: “…”

“It’s not that the binding was bad.” Pei Shu’s gaze wandered. “Your figure is too good, your chest too full. Though binding makes it unnoticeable, one touch reveals it.”

“Of course! My cup size is unstoppable!” Jing Hengbo proudly thrust out her chest.

“Indeed.” Pei Shu rarely agreed with her words.

“But is there any way to hide even this flaw?” Jing Hengbo humbly asked for advice.

“There might be a method…” Pei Shu stroked his chin.

Titled captains: “…”

Pei Shu’s subordinates: “…”

A moment later, the mortal enemies looked at each other and walked aside with their weapons.

So sufficient shamelessness was one of the essential conditions for important people to rise to power…

After finishing the cup discussion, the topic returned to normal.

“Really, I won’t force you.” Jing Hengbo said earnestly. “I just ask that you don’t oppose me. Since that’s the case, bye-bye, good luck, hope to hear news of Jin Zhaolong’s death in a few days. Goodbye, mwah mwah.”

“Stop.” Pei Shu grabbed her sleeve. “Do you really have many masters there?”

“Obviously.”

“Each one stronger than me?”

“Hey, you’re about to break up with me, why ask so much?”

“I don’t believe it. I don’t believe that besides Ying Bai who could be my opponent, there’s a whole batch of masters. You must be coaxing me.”

“So what if I’m coaxing you? Bite me if you can. We’ve already broken up – stop being so obsessed, okay?”

“No. I want to make a bet.”

“Bet on what?”

“I’ll follow you first. You let those masters compete with me. If they can really make me lose – no, a draw is fine. If five masters can draw with me, I’ll follow you!”

“Who wants you following me? You’re obviously a Virgo! Can’t serve you, goodbye!”

“No, we must bet.”

“I don’t want you, okay?”

“No, I’m a Virgo.”

“Damn Virgos just can’t be provoked! So annoying. Fine, let’s bet!”

“It’s settled then. If I lose the bet, you have to cure my poison and face, and I want to become Young Marshal again and kill all those who should be killed.”

“I feel like I’m getting a bad deal… No, let’s modify the rules.”

“What?”

“I’ll put out ten masters to bet with you. Ten matches – I only win if I win all ten. If you win even one match, you can get lost yourself, mwah mwah.”

“You’re looking down on me!”

“I just want to leave you, dear.”

“I’ll bet!”

“Deal!”

…

A quarter hour later, crowds appeared in Jing Hengbo’s field of vision.

The city lord’s guards and Huangjin tribe’s Golden Scale Army had originally avoided the turmoil on Xuanyuan Second Young Master’s side, wandering near the valley entrance, ready to enter and loot at any time. Hearing the disturbance at the valley entrance, they all rushed over.

There were many people – several hundred forming a dark mass, looking at Jing Hengbo and others emerging from the valley entrance with full packs, their eyes turning green.

“How’s the situation inside? Did you find everything you should find? Handle everything you should handle?” The leader, a deputy general of the Golden Scale Army, asked the titled captains in a rough voice.

Quan Ninghao picked up a pack, smiled, and ignored him.

That general hit a soft nail and felt he couldn’t save face, immediately roaring in fury.

“I’m talking to you! Don’t you know how to answer?”

Golden Scale Army on all sides coldly stepped forward.

Under normal circumstances, titled captains’ military ranks were above these tribal royal armies, so these people wouldn’t usually dare be presumptuous. But the problem was everyone was dressed similarly, and the arm markers had long since fallen off or been stained dirty from crawling in mud. In these Golden Scale Army and city lord guards’ minds, the first batch of titled captain scouts must all be dead – these were the second batch of Kang Long Seven-Color Battalion soldiers who went in, so naturally they could order them around.

Moreover, in everyone’s thinking, these people had been in the valley so long and came out covered in blood, having surely experienced brutal fighting and were now at their wit’s end. Seeing those bulging packs, if they didn’t take advantage now to get some benefits, when would they?

That deputy general who could lead a team in this operation was naturally no reckless person. He squinted, sizing up the situation before him. A few dozen people stood scattered at the valley entrance. Quan Ninghao’s titled captains all looked bedraggled. As for Pei Shu and others, the deputy general couldn’t imagine people could survive in the valley, thinking they were Kang Long Army soldiers covered in valley mud. Looking at their miserable state, they probably had no fighting strength.

Thinking this way, his courage immediately grew. He sneered and stepped forward, signaling soldiers to form an encirclement.

Quan Ninghao still acted as if he saw nothing, quietly asking Jing Hengbo: “Your opinion?”

This was asking for Jing Hengbo’s instructions on what to do. Jing Hengbo was very satisfied with his understanding of when to advance and retreat.

“Planning to eat the black?” She smiled at those soldiers. “Tianhui Valley is mine. What I obtained, I won’t share a hair with anyone. Figure out how to make sure no one dares enter this valley again in the future.”

“I like what you said.” Pei Shu immediately turned his head over. “Just for those words, I’ll help you fight.”

“It’s not your turn yet.” Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes.

Quan Ninghao had already straightened up, waving to the other titled captains.

His title was “Valiant Perseverance,” the highest level among titled captains. Now he had invisibly become the leader of all captains.

Everyone grinned and tore off their gold-wire face masks.

“Titled captains!” That deputy general recognized Quan Ninghao, his face greatly changed as he stepped back: “You should all be dead…”

Before finishing his words, he realized his slip of tongue. His face changed again. Opposite him, Quan Ninghao and others had already begun to sneer coldly.

“Good, good, even you all know – we really were meant to be sacrificed!”

“So what?” The deputy general was frightened by their eerie laughter into stepping back several paces, then felt he’d lost face. Seeing his side had many people, his courage returned as he said coldly: “Your own people sold you out – what’s that to us? Heh, titled captains with such great reputations, aren’t you now just like stray dogs, coming to Tianhui Valley to scout for us, rolling in mud? With all your martial prowess you still can’t make it in the military – what face do you have to act tough with us? Speaking of which, you’re just like our former Dragon City Young Marshal – thinking your martial arts were unparalleled and military achievements matchless, but in the end you’re all just idiots fit only for swamp mud!”

Quan Ninghao paused his steps, then smiled again.

From one side came the sound of cracking joints as someone flexed their wrists and loosened bones.

“Hand over your things, we’ll redistribute according to contract later…” That deputy general retreated to a safe area while signaling soldiers to set off signal flares, summoning the army stationed ten li away for support.

Relying on superior numbers, he wasn’t particularly afraid. Looking at Quan Ninghao, then at Jing Hengbo and others, he sneered coldly and pointed around: “All be good for me and I’ll spare your cheap lives, otherwise…”

“Crack!”