Chapter Twenty-Three: A Death Threat!

"What?"

"You severely wounded the Barbarian High Priest?"

"How is that even possible? Surely the Barbarian High Priest must be surrounded by a multitude of elite guards?"

"I know you all must have achieved a great harvest this time, but this is simply..."

At this moment, Lei Yan looked at Su Mu, completely bewildered. He could not bring himself to believe it! One had to understand, this was the High Priest! That was the totem of the Barbarian tribes! If something were to happen to him... it would be synonymous with striking at the very lifeblood of the Barbarians! No wonder the Tiger-Wolf Cavalry, despite being in a position to crush the army and directly conquer Qinghe Town, had retreated in that critical moment.

Lei Yan’s mind was spinning. He exhaled a long breath, looked at Su Mu, and gritted his teeth. "Surely not many people know your identity, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lei Yan could not help but chuckle. Identity? Su Mu was a nobody; there was certainly no need to worry. Unless the Barbarians turned the entire Great Liang upside down, it was fundamentally impossible for them to find him. At this moment, Lei Yan felt a sense of relief.

"No," Su Mu replied, shaking his head calmly. "However, I estimate that the Barbarians will launch another counterattack in at most a month or so. And this time, it will undoubtedly be fierce."

Lei Yan’s brows locked in a tight frown. Indeed, holding the line was the key. Once Qinghe Town fell, the Barbarians would surely launch a full-scale crusade.

"Regardless, you have done well this time! Is there any reward you desire?" Lei Yan looked at Su Mu and gave a faint smile.

"A reward? General, you should know what I want," Su Mu replied, looking at Lei Yan with profound meaning.

"I will do my best to preserve the life of Fatty Li. As for the rest, I cannot make any promises. The arrival of the Inspector this time is like a blade hanging over my own neck," Lei Yan said in a low voice, his mood weighing heavily upon him.

Su Mu sensed what Lei Yan meant and shrugged. "General, can you let me see the Battalion Commander? That request shouldn't be too excessive, should it?"

Lei Yan gritted his teeth. "Fine! I understand! Take my token; you may use it to go and see him. But you must remain composed. You cannot afford to get into any more trouble. If something happens to you, I will have no way to answer to Fatty Li."

Su Mu nodded, took the token, and turned to leave. Watching the direction in which Su Mu departed, the look in Lei Yan’s eyes shifted. A figure from the past involuntarily surfaced in his mind. He had already suffered one regret back then. Could he really allow that regret to play out once more?

At this thought, Lei Yan clenched his fists. "I have already bowed my head once before regarding Brother Jiang’s affair, playing the coward for the sake of the so-called 'greater good.' But not this time! I cannot retreat again! For the sake of the Xilin Army and the people of Qinghe Town, I will not let this town be destroyed under my watch!"

***

Late at night.

Inside the dungeon, Su Mu, draped in a black cloak, looked at Fatty Li, who was imprisoned and breathing his last. His gaze froze. Even from a distance, Su Mu could see the bloodstains on Fatty Li’s body. It was evident that he had been subjected to brutal interrogation during this time. The methods were unimaginably cruel—they were clearly trying to finish him off!

Seeing this, Su Mu clenched his fists, his expression darkening. They had been fighting for their lives on the front lines to secure a glimmer of hope! And yet? Upon their return, Fatty Li was imprisoned and left on the brink of death. Was this the Imperial Court? The reason Great Liang was so riddled with decay was undoubtedly tied to these people.

Su Mu took a deep breath, walked up to the cell, and said in a low voice, "Battalion Commander, we are back."

Hearing Su Mu’s voice, Fatty Li lifted his head. "You’ve returned?"

Su Mu nodded. Fatty Li’s face broke into a smile, followed by a cough that brought up a spray of blood. "Su Mu, I have a request. If I die... you must help me lead the Tiger Might Battalion forward!"

Su Mu remained silent for a moment before placing a medal on the ground. "Battalion Commander, rest assured! I will!"

Su Mu said no more. As long as he could confirm that Fatty Li was still alive, that was enough. After all, as long as he lived, there was still a chance! Fatty Li looked at Su Mu, his mouth opening slightly before his hand fell weakly.

Just then, a mocking voice rang out. "Tsk, tsk, tsk! Isn't this someone from the 'Sick Cat' Battalion? What, did you make this special trip just to confirm if your Battalion Commander is dead or alive?"

Su Mu narrowed his eyes and turned to face Corporal Jiang, who was walking in with a smug expression. "You are the one who framed our Battalion Commander, aren't you? This sudden arrival of the Inspector must have something to do with you as well!"

Corporal Jiang’s lips curled into a smile. "That’s right! Who told Lei Yan to dare slap me! Since he wants to show favoritism to this Fatty Li, I’ll make them both pay the price!"

Su Mu walked toward Corporal Jiang step by step. A dagger appeared in his hand, his eyes fixed coldly on his target.

"Oh?" Corporal Jiang felt a slight tremor in his heart for reasons he couldn't explain. Something was wrong. "What are you trying to do?" he asked, cursing under his breath.

Su Mu smiled, stopping right in front of him. "You should hope for one thing! If the Battalion Commander dies, I guarantee one thing: you will die!"

Su Mu’s dagger pressed directly against Corporal Jiang’s throat, a thin line of blood already appearing. Corporal Jiang’s expression changed instantly, his body stiffening. He was panicked! At this moment, he could feel it—Su Mu truly intended to kill him!

"Don't be rash!" Corporal Jiang gritted his teeth, speaking rapidly. "If I die, all of you are finished!"

Hearing this, Su Mu sneered and pressed the dagger slightly harder. "Corporal Jiang, don't forget—you are a 'big shot,' a scion of a noble family from the capital. Trading our lowly lives for yours? I think that’s a massive profit. Would you like to try it?"

Corporal Jiang’s heart sank, and his body shuddered. Just then, Fatty Li, watching the scene, said weakly, "That’s enough! Jiang Changhong! This is between us. If you keep provoking him and end up dead, don't say I didn't warn you!"

Hearing Fatty Li’s words, Su Mu retracted the dagger and walked toward the exit. Watching Su Mu’s back, Corporal Jiang’s face turned ghastly. It was the first time in all these years that someone had dared to hold a blade to his throat!

"Madman! He’s a total madman!" Corporal Jiang felt a wave of regret. If he had known this guy was such a lunatic, he never would have provoked him. The problem was, things had reached a point where he was no longer in control! He could invite the Inspector, but sending him away wouldn't be so easy. After all, the Inspector was the Prime Minister’s man—a soul-devouring predator who never left a single bone behind.