Flames shot into the sky as the smell of scorched vegetation mixed with black smoke rode the northern wind toward Deer City.
Li Shuang gazed into the distance, barely making out figures darting through the flames while distant clamor carried on the wind. The military commanders had all gathered atop the city walls. Luo Teng watched anxiously, breaking into a sweat despite the winter cold. “Damn it! With flames reaching that high, is this some Western Rong strategy, or did that Black Armored warrior cause an accident? Or… could there be internal strife among the Western Rong?”
“Such intense flames don’t seem premeditated,” another commander analyzed. “But no matter how formidable that Black Armored warrior is, one person couldn’t have started such a massive fire alone.”
Qin Lan said, “Stop speculating. Nothing is certain yet. Let’s wait for the scouts’ report.”
While everyone shared similar thoughts, Li Shuang’s eyes suddenly narrowed as an idea struck her. “Sound the war drums. Blow the horns.” The surrounding commanders were startled.
“General, are we launching an attack?”
“No.” Li Shuang continued watching the Western Rong camp engulfed in flames. “Such a massive fire, even if planned, must have exceeded their intended control. The Western Rong have already lost two great generals, leaving them leaderless and their morale unstable. Tonight’s fire has thrown their numerous forces into chaos. If we sound the drums now to feign strength, even if we can’t drive them away, we can at least shake their resolve.”
Qin Lan’s eyes gleamed. “This plan could work.”
“But…” Deer City’s original defender, a short man with a goatee, seemed frightened. “What if the Western Rong hears our drums and attacks instead?”
“Let them come,” Li Shuang replied. “Without leaders, in a panicked assault, with their camp ablaze—let’s see what capability the Western Rong have to attack Deer City.”
The goateed man looked at Li Shuang, trembling internally at her commanding presence. He fell silent, and a brief quiet fell over the city wall before Li Shuang’s gaze swept to the side. “Why are you all still standing around?” Her cold voice made the commanders’ hearts jump, and they immediately clasped their hands in acknowledgment before dispersing to their duties.
Only Qin Lan remained by Li Shuang’s side atop the wall, watching the increasingly massive flames in the distance.
Li Shuang gazed out intently, unaware that Qin Lan, standing one step behind her, was quietly studying her with an unusual silence.
“General…” Qin Lan called softly.
His gentle voice prompted an equally soft response from Li Shuang: “Mm?” It was the familiar tone she had always used when speaking with him at the manor.
“Is the General worried about that Black Armored warrior?”
Li Shuang froze, her fingers resting on the rough city wall stone slightly curling inward. “Ah?” She turned to look at Qin Lan, seemingly caught off guard by his question, or perhaps surprised that he had read her inner thoughts so clearly.
Qin Lan’s eyes darkened slightly.
Li Shuang quickly recovered with an “Oh.” “He has saved me twice. Though his behavior and background are mysterious and his manner sometimes offensive, I…” She paused. “I truly don’t want him to die among the Western Rong forces in this chaos.”
Qin Lan’s lips tightened as he lowered his head, concealing his expression, and spoke no more.
The war drums of Deer City thundered and horns blared, their sound like the roar of a dormant dragon in the frontier, piercing through the cold night and darkness, tearing through the northern wind to reach the blood-red sky in the distance.
The Western Rong army, like ants crawling through the sand, indeed reacted as Li Shuang had predicted. Upon hearing the war drums and horns, their formations began to waver and scatter.
That night, amid the flames, cold wind, and heart-stopping drum beats, the Western Rong army gradually began to retreat.
“They’re retreating!” A soldier on the city wall called out.
“They’re retreating!” The soldiers were overjoyed.
This outcome had been exactly what Li Shuang anticipated. Only when the shadows of the Western Rong army had completely vanished into the cold night did she allow a satisfied smile to touch her lips?
Deer City’s first confrontation with the Western Rong had been won.
To subdue the enemy without fighting—although this victory had been somewhat fortunate, it didn’t diminish Great Jin’s establishment of military prestige in these northern frontier lands.
This difficult winter had barely begun, but the Longfeng Camp had already secured Deer City’s safety for the better part of the season. After all, no other tribe or nation in these northern lands could muster more military strength than today’s Western Rong.
This time, the Western Rong had hit a wall and fled in disarray, surely serving as a warning to other tribes and nations.
Great Jin’s Deer City might be rich in resources, abundant in provisions, and home to friendly civilians, but it was not to be trifled with.
Li Shuang turned to leave the city wall. Her silver armor clinked as she moved, the soldiers’ cheers still echoing behind her. Amid this clamor, she suddenly heard a distinct “plop.”
Li Shuang glanced to the side. On the ground was a faint wet mark, reflecting the firelight and cool moonlight in the darkness.
This was…
Li Shuang crouched down, lightly touching it with her finger… blood.
Li Shuang looked up. Above her was the eave of the city wall tower. From her angle, she could see nothing but the desolate moonlight against the eaves.
But the blood was still warm—someone must have passed by just moments ago.
Li Shuang had her suspicions. With a light push, she used her qinggong to leap onto the eaves. But scanning the rooftop, she saw neither any person nor additional blood trails.
Li Shuang furrowed her brow, rubbing the fresh blood between her fingers before jumping back down.
Qin Lan was waiting below and asked, “Did the General find anything?”
Li Shuang shook her head. She knew that if the Black Armored warrior had come, with his level of qinggong, it would be impossible for her to detect or catch up to him.
She descended from the city wall and returned to the main camp. Upon reaching the entrance, she found all the commanders standing outside, exchanging strange looks.
Li Shuang glanced around. “Why aren’t you going in? Why are you all standing outside?” As she spoke, she lifted the tent flap and entered—then froze in the doorway.
Qin Lan, who had been about to follow Li Shuang inside, nearly collided with her back. He quickly stepped backward, peering through the gap in the tent flap that Li Shuang held open. For a moment, even the usually calm and composed Qin Lan was stunned…
Inside the tent stood a Western Rong military banner, from which hung a blood-soaked male head. The head’s eyes were tightly closed, blood still dripping from the neck onto the ground.
It was a terrifying sight.
Behind the head, on the Western Rong banner, written either in blood or ink, were large characters: “The head of the Western Rong general is my gift to you. Hope you’re happy.”
Happy my foot!
Below was a smaller line of text: “As for the others, move and die.”
No wonder they all stood awkwardly at the entrance, not daring to enter!
These generals had all been intimidated by that mysterious fellow!
Li Shuang gripped the tent flap so hard she tore it down. “Where are the guards on duty?!” She turned back, face dark with anger. “Are you all dead? How did such a large banner and bloody head get delivered without anyone seeing?!”
All the commanders lowered their heads in silence.
Li Shuang’s gaze swept over them like a knife before returning to the banner in the center of the tent. Though she was no stranger to killing, she had never imagined someone would one day present an enemy’s head to her as a gift.
She wasn’t afraid, she just…
Thought the gift-giver must be sick in the head, absolutely sick!