Liang Qiang stared at the gleaming curved blade, his mind somewhat dazed, as if already feeling the excruciating pain in his arm.

He could even see himself in the light, kneeling on the ground, howling in agony, his severed arm rolling to the side.

But he would not die. He would be treated, helped onto a horse, and then surrounded by countless people cheering amidst the bodies strewn across the ground.

Then he would receive promotions and titles. Later, he would ride into battle one-armed, with soldiers following him—from five hundred to a thousand to tens of thousands. He would fight everywhere, defeating the Western Liang army, then fighting who knows what other armies—

He would continue fighting and receiving promotions and titles, rising in the court with officials greeting him—

Though one-armed, everywhere he went, people would revere him, calling him a brave and valiant hero—

He even saw that girl’s face. She wore the Empress’s attire, sitting on the throne, her eyes full of admiration and joy—

“Lieutenant Liang, time waits for no one!” the soldier shouted. “Which do you choose—success and fame, or your arm?”

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

Liang Qiang suddenly came to his senses, instinctively stepping back.

The soldier holding the curved blade smiled: “Lieutenant Liang, such a good opportunity comes only once in a lifetime. Don’t worry, my movement will be swift; you won’t feel much pain.”

Liang Qiang clenched his hand, feeling the presence of his arm. Yes, falling into an ambush yet defeating Western Liang’s main force—even if that person was all-powerful, they could only arrange this once—

This opportunity was created specifically for him.

He, Liang Qiang, was truly worth a lot.

Liang Qiang suddenly smiled.

A nearby soldier muttered: “Has this guy gone mad with fear?”

“Probably mad with joy,” another soldier said coldly.

The sword-wielding soldier said: “Lieutenant Liang, you understand now, don’t you? This future is well worth trading for one arm.”

Liang Qiang raised his head and looked at him: “This isn’t just traded for one arm, brother. This is traded for my entire life—no, for the lives of generations of Liang descendants.”

Without an arm, he could never be independent. This achievement would be both his brocade robe and his shackles. To maintain his rank and wealth, Liang Qiang would have to hand over his life, his future, and the futures of his descendants to another’s control.

What a formidable person.

How skilled at business?

How adept at manipulating people’s hearts.

“Lieutenant Liang,” the soldier didn’t argue with him, just said coldly, “whether it’s worth it or not, the choice is yours. We won’t force you.”

No force? Liang Qiang thought. Yes, no force, but at this point, could he turn back?

If he refused, he would keep his arm but lose everything he had just gained, even his life.

Would it end just like that?

His life would be a joke.

Once dead, everything would be gone.

As long as he could return to the public eye, as long as he could shine brilliantly, what did his life matter? What did the Liang family’s fate matter?

Rare that someone needed him, wanted to use him, so—

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

The soldier showed a satisfied smile: “No problem, we’ll respect the Lieutenant’s order—”

He raised the curved blade.

“Lieutenant, to prevent the wound from being identified, we won’t ask you to remove your armor and lie down. I’ll just—”

Before he finished speaking, the curved blade swung down violently.

Creating an illusion of surprise? Though he had made his choice, when the blade came down, Liang Qiang still instinctively stepped back.

The soldier didn’t follow through, instead revealing an eerie smile.

A gust of wind came from the side. From the corner of his eye, Liang Qiang saw another soldier who had somehow approached, swinging his broad sword.

So this was the surprise!

Liang Qiang instinctively twisted his body, but it was too late. With a clang, the broad sword cut into a gap in his armor—

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

His arm.

He would have no arm afterward.

He—

Afterward, he would never be himself again—

He regretted it!

He regretted it!

Liang Qiang instinctively raised his hand to stop the broad sword.

With his cry of pain, there was a buzzing sound in his ears. The next moment, the broad sword stopped, and the soldier holding it also froze.

It wasn’t because Liang Qiang’s hand had truly stopped the blade, but because an arrow had pierced the soldier’s throat.

Liang Qiang was stunned. The soldier hadn’t even reacted; his mouth still bore a ferocious smile as he died.

“Who goes there!” The other soldiers instantly came to their senses, grabbing their weapons and looking back.

Now they saw that at some point, a group of people had appeared in the undulating ravines behind them. They were lying prone on the ground, with a dense row of bows and crossbows.

It sent chills down one’s spine in an instant.

…

…

Reinforcements.

Although their banners weren’t visible, one could immediately recognize them as Great Xia troops.

Liang Qiang and the soldiers around him also realized this.

“I—” the sword-wielding soldier opened his mouth for a moment, but suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Since these were reinforcements who had approached silently and shot dead one of their comrades without a word—

Had they been discovered?

Even if they hadn’t been discovered, suspicion would certainly arise.

After all, their actions just now, no more terrifying—the Western Liang soldiers who had stopped!

How to explain that?

This was too sudden. Logically, there shouldn’t have been reinforcements. The soldier broke out in a cold sweat.

Liang Qiang suddenly shouted, charging toward the soldier in front of him: “They’ve defected to the enemy! I’ll fight you to the death!”

With a clang, his long sword cut horizontally across the soldier’s front.

The soldier raised his hand to block. The swords met, sparks flying, barely protecting his throat. His eyes bulged as he stared at Liang Qiang.

“I’m very valuable,” Liang Qiang looked at him, emphasizing each word in a voice only the two of them could hear. “My arm wasn’t taken, but for this deal not to lose money, you, all, must die.”

The soldier clearly understood as well. Looking at him, his lips twisted into a strange smile. He shouted: “Kill—”

He pushed Liang Qiang away and raised his sword to strike him—

The other soldiers also began to move.

The buzzing sounds of arrows cutting through the air followed.

Liang Qiang stood in place, feeling countless arrows fly past him, watching as the soldiers before him were struck and fell to the ground, dying.

At the same time, the Western Liang soldiers who had been blocked now charged forward like a broken dam.

From behind came the sound of galloping hooves, accompanied by shouts: “Kill—”

The ground shook. Dust and wild wind swept through as countless cavalry charged past Liang Qiang, quickly colliding with the broken dam, splashing countless blooms of blood.

The earth once again descended into slaughter.

Whether from the tremors or the wild wind, Liang Qiang could no longer stand. He staggered to a half-kneeling position, barely managing to support himself by thrusting his sword into the ground with his right hand.

Blood gushed like a spring from his left arm.

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

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

“Liang Qiang.”

Horse hooves stopped beside him, and a female voice descended.

Liang Qiang raised his head to see a girl riding a black horse, wearing a half-worn red robe, with a bow on her back and a sword in hand.

Her hair was disheveled, and a layer of dust covered her originally fair face, but her eyes shone like stars.

“Liang Qiang,” she said, “are you all right?”