Muzhaer looked at him with both heartache and disappointment.

After all, this was someone he had watched grow up.

Alasan glared at him furiously, his eyes filled with unwillingness and some confusion. He had clearly arranged everything carefully—where exactly had it gone wrong? What had he miscalculated?

Not until Third Master entered—

He was shocked. “You… how can it be you? Weren’t you leading troops to transport grain?”

Third Master stood to the side, his gaze deep, sighing. “If Muzhaer hadn’t deliberately dispersed us, how else could he draw you out?”

“So it turns out, it turns out you knew all along. You deliberately set a trap to lure me in.” He suddenly understood.

“We didn’t know that the person secretly colluding with Huhehaote would be you!”

“Ha ha ha…”

He laughed several times, the laughter utterly desolate, also mocking his own stupidity.

In the end, before these shrewd eagles, he was merely an immature fledgling.

Like Muzhaer, Third Master had watched Alasan grow up. He had even taught him archery and horsemanship, regarding him as half a son. After his father Chalan died, Third Master had helped him many times, teaching him countless things. Who could have imagined that the person who appeared so harmless had been concealing hatred in his heart all along, plotting to collude with Huhehaote to swallow up Houliao?

Though he had made countless mistakes, at least no serious consequences had resulted.

Moreover, Muzhaer truly couldn’t bear to kill him, so he ordered him imprisoned. After this battle was won, he would settle accounts with him properly.

As he was being dragged out, Alasan shouted, “Muzhaer, you’d better kill me. As long as I don’t die, I will definitely kill you.”

His voice grew fainter as he was dragged away…

Third Master frowned and sighed again, asking Muzhaer, “What do you plan to do?”

Muzhaer picked up the dagger from the ground and wiped the blood and dust from it with his sleeve, his eyes filled with sorrow.

For a long while—

He finally said, “Chalan only had this one son. I must preserve his bloodline for him.”

The implication was that he wouldn’t execute Alasan.

Third Master agreed with his decision.

Five days later.

Houliao’s troops had all established camps surrounding the Yuedan military camp.

Huhehaote had also waited five days but never received news of Alasan capturing Muzhaer alive. Instead, he heard the trumpet blast declaring battle.

Sounding from all directions!

Yuedan and Houliao fought on this grassland for a full half month.

Huhehaote’s ambition became a sword piercing himself…

In the end, Yuedan was defeated.

Saihe captured that Batu fellow and dragged him to an open space, having his soldiers form a circle around them.

Back when he had diarrhea and was beaten by Batu—that grudge, he had always remembered!

Today, he must avenge it!

“Batu, I said that sooner or later I would kill you with my own hands.” Saihe said.

Batu looked at him, gripping a blood-stained short blade in his hand, and scoffed, “Defeated opponent!”

“You…”

“If you have the ability, fight me one-on-one.”

“That’s exactly what I intend.” Saihe snorted coldly. “If you win, I’ll sever both my arms and let you go. If you lose, I’ll gouge out your heart, dig out your brain, and eat your flesh.”

Thus, the two fought one-on-one.

Similar in build, equal in strength.

In the end, Saihe still won!

His short blade was pressed against Batu’s throat.

“Spare me, and I guarantee I’ll leave Western Sai forever.”

“Let you go?”

“Saihe, I know we had grievances before, but if you spare me, this life of mine will be yours from now on, at your command.”

Hmph!

Someone who fears death has never been worth keeping!

Saihe saw through his little scheme and said, “Are you still hoping Huhehaote will come save you? He can barely save himself now, fleeing in defeat. He can’t spare any thought for you. Your life—I’m taking it for sure.”

Batu trembled, lowering his eyes, his face ashen.

Saihe then raised his short blade and with one swift motion, severed his head.

Blood splattered everywhere.

In the end, death was inescapable!

…

Huhehaote led a dozen men breaking through the encirclement, riding horses to flee back to the western grasslands, planning to make a comeback.

But he forgot—pursuers behind, ambush ahead.

Jingrong knew that once Huhehaote was defeated, he would certainly try to escape back to Yuedan, so he had taken Muruo, Wurihan, and others to lie in ambush on the road early, waiting for him to take the bait.

From afar, they saw Huhehaote’s cavalry approaching. Wurihan gave the order—archers ready, aim at those horses’ front hooves and shoot.

One fell, two fell, three fell…

All were unhorsed.

Huhehaote took a great tumble, eating a mouthful of dirt.

By the time they each struggled to their feet, they were already surrounded.

Huhehaote was covered in wounds and blood, his eyes red—was it blood? Or bloodshot?

He looked at the people blocking his path, utterly shocked.

One was Jingrong, who had escaped from under his nose.

One was Bai Yin, whom he had nearly poisoned to death.

His gaze trembled.

“Bai Yin?”

Bai Yin’s face was cold, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

Huhehaote knew he could no longer escape. His only chance of survival was to grasp this lifeline called Bai Yin.

He said, “Bai Yin, you and I are brothers—brothers who’ve risked life and death together for so many years. Now you’re joining forces with them to kill me?”

“Brothers?” Bai Yin sneered coldly. “If you regarded me as a brother, you wouldn’t have tried to poison me to death.”

“That was A’Mulang’s doing. He worried you’d been bought by the Houliao people, so he acted to kill you behind my back. Bai Yin, I’ve always considered you a brother—before and now. As long as you ensure I leave here, in the future when this world is mine, I’ll naturally give you half.”

Yeah right.

Bai Yin remained unmoved, staring into his eyes, then took a step back, saying, “All I can do is ensure you die here.”

“Ugh!”

That lifeline was clearly beyond his grasp.

Jingrong looked at his faintly trembling face and spoke, “As they say, the defeated are like bandits, the outcome is set. You succeeded through your heart, and failed through your heart as well. Today, no one can save you.”

Hearing this, Huhehaote laughed. “Even if I die, I will never surrender to you.”

Immediately after, he gave an order: “Kill!”

Defeated remnants could only struggle desperately for a moment.

Unable to escape being slaughtered one by one!

Huhehaote was kicked to the ground by Jingrong, a sharp sword instantly pressed against his brow.

Just a fraction away.

Jingrong looked down at him. “I said I would take your head, and I always keep my word.”

Huhehaote lay wretched on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Looking at the sharp sword so close to his brow, he panted and asked, “Who exactly are you?”

“A person about to die—what does it matter if you know?”

“…”

“However, I might as well tell you.”

Jingrong withdrew his sword, bent down, and whispered something in his ear.

At the same moment, Huhehaote’s body trembled violently, his eyes widening.

Unbelievable!

He opened his mouth. “You… you are…”

Before he could finish speaking—

Jingrong raised the sword in his hand and severed his head.

A bloody head rolled several times on the grassland. Finally, it came to rest at Bai Yin’s feet.