Feng Zhou Grand Garrison, garrisoning over ten thousand troops.

General Geba had a nightmare that night and, startled awake, emerged from his tent.

The deputy general was on night watch. Seeing Geba run out in the middle of the night, he asked, “General, what’s wrong?”

Geba had an explosive and straightforward temper. He grunted, “Had a nightmare. Can’t fall back asleep right away, so I came out to look around. Is everything alright?”

The deputy general laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. What could happen? Across from us is our Daqiu main force, with the King personally stationed at the front. Here we could be having nightly revelries.”

Geba loved charging into battle. This time Grand Marshal Wu Yanle had placed him in the rear, so he was already displeased. Hearing the deputy general say this, he couldn’t help cursing, “Bullshit. Even if things here are calm, everyone better stay disciplined. Whoever violates military discipline, I’ll chop off his head—that goes for you too.”

The deputy general shrank his neck. “General, this officer wouldn’t dare. I just mean it’s frustrating. The war at Great Zhou didn’t involve us, and this time they’ve got us defending again. All that peacetime training for nothing.”

“Exactly! I’m annoyed too. Victory after victory at the front, but we don’t get any military merit—we’ve become rice-eaters instead. That green kid Wu Yanle says I have a bad temper and only know how to fight desperately on the battlefield. Damn it, if you don’t fight desperately in war, what are you supposed to fight?” Geba felt indignant, considering himself fierce in battle.

“Report—” A soldier suddenly came running. “A large expanse of lamp lights has appeared on the river ahead, stopped motionless in the middle of the river.”

Geba squinted. “Are they our ships?”

The soldier said, “They don’t seem to be. Our patrol boats went over to hail them, but there’s no response.”

Geba suddenly grew excited. “Oh, is that so? Could those Song people who aren’t afraid of death have come to provoke us? Wake everyone up for me and follow me to the river to take a look.”

The deputy general hesitated. “Everyone? What if they attack the garrison—”

“Attack?” Geba found it amusing. “Unless they emerge from the water. In this dead of winter, they’d freeze to death first.”

The deputy general thought that made sense too. He then mobilized eighty boats to depart, leaving only a small number to guard the garrison.

But not long after they left, increasingly large ripples appeared on the water surface before the garrison gates. Finally, dozens of human figures surfaced and silently came ashore, swiftly eliminating the soldiers guarding the gate. Then, more and more dark shadows reached shore, spreading across the grand garrison like an icy breath.

Geba was completely unaware that his nest had already been raided. He lit all the lamps on the boats, wanting to illuminate the other side clearly, and shouted loudly, “Who goes there? State your name!”

The wind blew the flames—crackling. The wind blew the sails—snapping. The light on the opposite side flickered bright and dark.

“If you don’t speak up, I don’t care about anything else—I’m going to shoot arrows!” Geba roared.

Still no one answered him.

“General, I think the situation is strange. It would be best to return to the garrison. Our water garrison is easy to defend and hard to attack—we needn’t fear whatever tricks they’re playing.” The deputy general felt uneasy.

Geba wouldn’t listen at all. “Shoot for me! Shoot until they’re willing to speak!”

The archers shot several volleys. They heard thudding sounds but no one cried out in agony. Moreover, it suddenly went dark ahead—even the ship shadows disappeared.

Geba was greatly shocked. “What the hell kind of trick is this?”

“I’ve received General Geba’s generous gift.” Just then, a clear, bright voice rang out.

“A woman?!” Geba couldn’t help saying.

“Years ago I heard that General Geba had a fiery temper. Seeing it with my own eyes this time, it’s indeed true. I also speak directly, General. If you surrender and lead these brothers on your boats to jump into the water, I’ll spare your lives.” That female voice—who else could it be but Mo Zi!

Geba spat. “Women should be home taking care of children. What are they doing waging war?”

After speaking, he quietly instructed the deputy general, “It’s the enemy. Everyone get ready and stay alert.”

The deputy general had just turned to run when he felt wind at the back of his neck and pain in his throat. His eyes rolled back white and he died.

Geba stared dumbfounded at that arrow that had appeared from who knows where, and roared, “Extinguish the fires! Extinguish the fires for me now!”

The fires were extinguished. The enemy couldn’t see him and he couldn’t see the enemy, but that woman’s voice remained bright.

“General Geba, I’m advising you kindly. If you don’t appreciate it, then don’t blame me.”

Geba shouted, “We Daqiu cavalry only die in battle—we don’t live as cowards. Men, shoot for me! Shoot forward! I don’t believe that with voices this close, they can hide to the edge of the sky.”

“Hahaha—General Geba is really amusing. Your eyes only grow in front, you can’t see what’s behind.” Mo Zi laughed heartily. “Come, give General Geba some light so he can see clearly.”

Whooshing sounds continued.

In an instant, fireworks exploded across the sky.

“General, they’re on the left!” The left flank soldiers shouted.

“They’re on the right!” Panic came from the right flank.

“There are boats behind… very large…” The voices from the rear were intermittent.

They were already surrounded.

“General Geba wants to die on the battlefield—I’ll fulfill your wish.” Mo Zi’s ship was on the right flank. Watching the fireworks fade, she drew her bow with both hands. An arrow flew into the air, bursting into a golden flower.

Geba then heard dozens of thunderous sounds. The ships in front, behind, left, and right of him seemed to suffer earth-shaking tremors and began violently rocking. Soldiers screamed, fell into the water, and fled. The arrogant morale from moments ago was instantly shattered.

Unwilling to show weakness, he roared, “Stay calm! If they have weapons, so do we. Set up the fire throwers, mount the great crossbows, quickly! Quickly!”

Mo Zi didn’t shout again, only saying to Ding Gou, “Have the ocean-going ships ram through. Close-quarters combat will render their throwing devices and great crossbows useless.”

Ding Gou nodded and ordered the signalmen to raise flags. The massive and solid ocean-going ships thrust into the enemy formation in straight lines for boarding combat. Immediately, sounds of slaughter filled the air. He too jumped onto the nearby command ship to personally kill enemies.

Onto that ship also jumped Fatty Shrimp, and also Water Snake.

Zan Jin looked at Mo Zi, wanting to speak but stopping.

“You want to go too?” Mo Zi could tell.

Ding Gou was waiting.

They had been as close as brothers to Stinky Fish, and now a fire burned in their hearts.

“I have only one requirement.” Mo Zi’s skills weren’t good enough—she could only observe the battle, or else she would drag others down. “You must all come back alive.”

Zan Jin’s expression was resolute as he jumped onto that ship.

Ding Gou raised his fist. “Avenge our brother!”

A shipload of soldiers who had followed Stinky Fish responded, “Avenge our brother!”

This was the warship on which Stinky Fish had last watched the sunset. Now it had a name—Flying Fish. Those closest to Stinky Fish had each contributed a brushstroke of red paint, so that Stinky Fish’s spirit could ride the winds and break the waves with the ship, laughing proudly and freely.

The ship sped away swiftly. Luo Ying and Hua Ying held long swords and sabers, protecting Mo Zi on one side while coldly watching the fire burning ever brighter on the river surface.

Xiao Yi came running from the stern. “Mo Zi, there’s a signal from shore. They’ve successfully captured the main camp and want us to enter the garrison.”

Mo Zi sent over a dozen ships for final cleanup, but her command ship remained completely motionless. Without seeing the final victory, she wouldn’t turn her back on the life-and-death comrades who had accompanied her this entire way. She had no great abilities, but she could at least wait in a place where she could see them.

Geba hadn’t expected the enemy’s ships to charge into formation. Daqiu ships were solid as iron and had become famous in one battle since Yuling’s fall. At first he was full of confidence, directing all his ships to gather together and ram back. But when he finally saw the ships clearly, his eyes went straight.

What kind of ships? One was as wide and long as several of his warships, a full double in height. He had to tilt his head back and still couldn’t see anyone on the ship. The expanse of lamp lights earlier—he had thought it was many ships connected together, but in fact it was just one horizontal face of this kind of large ship.

Geba was still in a daze when he saw batch after batch of soldiers flying down from the large ship like heavenly troops and generals. Only then did he suddenly awaken, but he truly wasn’t afraid of death. With a roar, he grabbed the large spiked club on his back and swung it over. He came from the Black Armor Warriors and his kung fu was indeed formidable. In no time, Song soldiers boarding the ship were dead and wounded everywhere.

“Kill for me! These Han people are made of tofu—don’t be scared by their numbers, and don’t surrender. The Song army doesn’t keep Daqiu prisoners. Rather than die as cowards, better to kill one person each—every one is pure profit!”

His roars truly did inspire quite a few people. The Song forces couldn’t immediately take the command ship by storm.

Ding Gou, Zan Jin, Fatty Shrimp, and Water Snake leaped aboard precisely when the Song forces showed hesitation.

Ding Gou swept his eyes over the ship’s situation and said to Zan Jin, “Boss, to catch bandits first catch the king. That big guy talks too much. Take him down and the others will be useless. You go, or should I?”

Zan Jin didn’t speak but acted, having already crossed several steps forward. Some fool charged forward and opened his blood to the Jade Heart Sword, its sword energy surging violently.

Geba pointed his large club. “I don’t care what green sword or red sword—none can match my wolf fang’s bite.” He swung it over with a whoosh.

Zan Jin’s form suddenly rose. His feet leaped up, somersaulting three hundred sixty degrees in the air, landing and turning around. The Jade Heart Sword slashed over.

Geba had a bad temper but real kung fu. Sensing wind from behind, he immediately turned back. Seeing the sword light, he rolled backward, preserving his head but losing a tuft of beard.

Zan Jin never underestimated opponents. When one sword missed, another came out—unhurried and methodical, steady and sure.

Ding Gou dealt with small fry while shouting, “Boss, that sword just now would make Stinky Fish laugh at you. Where’s the power? Haven’t been eating enough lately or what?”

Zan Jin replied, “Bad mood, really haven’t eaten enough. Did you bring rations?”

Ding Gou’s eyes went wide as he swept away the obstacles before him with one smooth motion. “You haven’t eaten enough and you’re still stealing my work? Hurry up and get to the side—I’ll handle this.”

Stinky Fish had passed, but they had inherited his love of joking.

Geba didn’t know their style. Thinking they completely looked down on him, he flew into a rage. “Damn it, you two don’t need to rush. I’ll finish off this one first, then come take the life of you scar-faced bastard.”

Ding Gou then remembered the scene of Stinky Fish consoling him when he got that scar, and his eyes reddened. “You’re not allowed to curse grandma! That’s my brother’s exclusive phrase!” Several sword flowers pierced through several people’s chests. “Boss, you’re too slow—I’ll finish him.”

Zan Jin didn’t yield either. He actually combined twin swords with Ding Gou, their coordination flawless.

Poor Geba—facing Zan Jin alone he was already far outmatched. How could he possibly withstand two masters? After resisting for one and a half moves, he had no power to defend. His body became like meat on a chopping block, slashed by this one’s sword, stabbed and pierced with holes by that one.

As if they’d discussed it beforehand, Zan Jin and Ding Gou weren’t in a hurry to take Geba’s life. Their swords were like wind wheels, attacking from front and back. Each flash of light left a bloody mark as they listened to Geba howl.

“Damn it, don’t let me live, or else I’ll definitely skin you and eat your—”

Twin swords pierced his heart.

Zan Jin and Ding Gou, splattered all over with Geba’s blood, still unsatisfied, turned around and went on a killing spree.

This battle was for Stinky Fish, for their fallen brothers—absolutely without mercy.