Liang Qiang looked at the curved blade’s gleam, his mind somewhat dazed, as if already feeling the searing pain in his arm.

He even saw himself in that gleam, kneeling on the ground howling in agony, his severed arm rolling to the side.

But he didn’t die. He was treated, helped onto a horse, then surrounded and cheered by countless people amid corpses covering the ground.

Then he received promotions and honors. After that, he campaigned one-armed on horseback, the soldiers following him growing from five hundred to a thousand to tens of thousands. He fought everywhere—after finishing with the Xi Liang soldiers, he fought who knows what other soldiers—

He fought his way forward, receiving promotions and honors along the way, ascending to the court, welcomed by all the officials—

Though he had only one arm, wherever he went people revered him, everyone called him a heroic and brave warrior—

He even saw that girl’s face. She wore empress robes, sat on the throne, her eyes full of admiration and also joy—

“Military Marquis Liang, time waits for no one!” the soldier shouted. “Do you choose success and fame, or your arm?”

The curved blade slid across his armor, making a grating sound.

Liang Qiang suddenly snapped back to reality, instinctively stepping backward.

The soldier gripped the curved blade and smiled: “Military Marquis Liang, such a good opportunity comes only once in a lifetime. Don’t worry, my movements are quick. You won’t feel much pain.”

Liang Qiang clenched his hands, feeling the presence of his arms. Yes, falling into an ambush yet being able to defeat the Xi Liang army’s main force—even if that person was omnipotent, he could only exchange for this once—

This was an opportunity exchanged specifically for him.

He, Liang Qiang, was truly worth so much.

Liang Qiang suddenly laughed.

A soldier nearby muttered in a low voice: “Has this kid gone mad from fear?”

“Mad from joy, more like,” another soldier said coldly.

The soldier holding the blade said: “Military Marquis Liang, you’ve thought it through, haven’t you? This future exchanged for one arm is truly worth it.”

Liang Qiang raised his head to look at him: “How is this exchanged for just one arm? Brother, this is exchanged for my entire life—no, for the lives of my Liang clan’s descendants, generation after generation.”

Without an arm, he could never be independent again. This merit and fame would be his brocade robe and also his shackles. For Liang Qiang to maintain his official position and benefits, he could only hand over his own life, his own future, his own children and grandchildren to someone else’s control.

What a formidable person.

What a good businessman.

What skill in manipulating people’s hearts.

“Military Marquis Liang,” the soldier didn’t argue with him, only saying coldly, “Whether it’s worth it or not, you choose for yourself. We won’t force you.”

Won’t force him? Liang Qiang thought—yes, won’t force him, but having come this far, could he still turn back?

If he didn’t choose, he’d keep his arm but lose everything he’d just gained, even his life.

Would it just end like this?

His entire life would be a joke.

Dead, and there would be nothing left.

As long as he could return before the world’s eyes, as long as he could shine brilliantly, what did his life matter? What did the Liang clan’s fate matter?

How rare that someone needed him, that someone wanted to use him—then so be it—

Liang Qiang raised his head and said: “So that in the future I can still somewhat resemble a person, leave me my right arm, take my left arm.”

That soldier showed a satisfied smile: “No problem. I obey the military marquis’s command—”

He raised the curved blade.

“Military Marquis, to avoid having the wound identified, I won’t ask you to remove your armor and lie down properly. I’ll just do it like this—”

Before he finished speaking, the curved blade suddenly chopped down.

To create the illusion of surprise? But although he’d already made his choice, when the curved blade actually came slashing down, Liang Qiang still instinctively stepped back.

That soldier didn’t follow, instead showing a sinister smile.

A fierce wind attacked from the side. From the corner of his eye, Liang Qiang saw another soldier had somehow closed in from beside him, a broad blade slashing toward him.

So this was the real surprise!

Liang Qiang instinctively twisted his body, but it was already too late. Clang—the broad blade struck into a gap in his armor—

Although flesh wounds on the battlefield had never stopped, and Liang Qiang thought he was no longer afraid of pain, when the broad blade cut into his arm, he still let out a cry of pain—

His arm.

From now on he would have no arm.

He—

From now on, he would no longer be himself—

He regretted it!

He regretted it!

Liang Qiang instinctively raised his hand to use it to stop the broad blade.

Accompanying his pained cry, there was a humming sound in his ears. The next moment, the broad blade stopped moving, and the soldier holding the broad blade also stopped moving.

This wasn’t because Liang Qiang’s hand had actually blocked the blade, but because an arrow had pierced through the blade-wielding soldier’s throat.

Liang Qiang froze. That soldier hadn’t reacted at all—his mouth still carried a savage smile as he died just like that.

“Who’s there!” The other soldiers instantly snapped to attention, grabbing their weapons and looking behind them.

Only then did they see that at some point, a group of people had appeared in the undulating ravines behind them. They lay prone on the ground, a row of bows and crossbows densely arrayed.

In an instant, it made one’s scalp tingle.

……

……

Reinforcements.

Although they couldn’t see their banners, with one glance they could recognize these were Da Xia’s forces.

Liang Qiang and the soldiers on this side all reacted as well.

“I—” The blade-wielding soldier opened his mouth for an instant, but suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Since these were reinforcements who had silently approached and soundlessly shot dead their own comrades—

Had they been exposed?

Even if they hadn’t been exposed, this would certainly arouse suspicion.

After all, their actions just now—no, even more terrifying was those Xi Liang soldiers who had stopped ahead!

How to explain?

This was too sudden. By rights there shouldn’t be reinforcements. The soldier broke out in a cold sweat.

Liang Qiang suddenly shouted loudly, charging at the soldier before him: “They’ve turned traitor! I’ll fight you to the death!”

A clang rang out. The long blade in his hand slashed horizontally at the soldier before him.

That soldier raised his hand to block. The long blade pressed against it, striking sparks, barely blocking his throat. His eyes bulged as he stared at Liang Qiang.

“I’m worth a lot of money,” Liang Qiang looked at him, enunciating each word in a voice only the two of them could hear. “The arm wasn’t taken, but if this business deal isn’t to lose money, you all must die.”

The soldier obviously understood too. Looking at him, the corners of his mouth pulled into a strange smile. He shouted loudly: “Kill—”

He pushed Liang Qiang away and raised his blade to slash at Liang Qiang—

The other soldiers also sprang into action.

The humming sound of arrows cutting through air came from behind as well.

Liang Qiang stood in place, feeling countless arrows fly past him, watching the soldiers before him instantly get struck by arrows and fall to the ground dead.

At the same time, the Xi Liang soldiers blocked ahead also surged forward like a bursting dam.

Behind him too came the thunder of hoofbeats, accompanied by battle cries: “Kill—”

The ground shook. Dust and fierce wind swept through. Countless soldiers charged past Liang Qiang from behind, quickly colliding with the bursting dam, splashing up countless blood flowers.

The earth once again plunged into slaughter.

Whether from the tremors or the fierce wind, Liang Qiang could no longer stand. He staggered and half-knelt, barely using his right hand to stab his blade into the ground for support.

His left arm bled like a fountain.

That soldier hadn’t severed his arm, but the blade had cut deep into his flesh.

He lowered his head, watching his blood drip onto the ground.

“Liang Qiang.”

Hoofbeats stopped beside him, and at the same time a female voice descended.

Liang Qiang raised his head and saw the girl riding a black horse, wearing a half-worn red robe, bow on her back and blade in hand.

Her hair was disheveled. Her originally fair face was also covered with a layer of dust, but her eyes shone bright as stars.

“Liang Qiang,” she said. “Are you alright?”