Chapter 73

On Mount Mao'er, the defensive positions still exist, but only a small squad remains to maintain vigilance. At the foot of Mount Mao'er, large military camps have been built. After the Western Qin army received satisfactory compensation, they had already retreated several days ago. The Death Battalion also came down the mountain and used the trees they had previously cut down to build their own barracks at the foot of the mountain. Of course, maintaining the tradition of the Death Battalion, there were no fences, no trenches, and no watchtowers, only countless hidden traps and pitfalls.

Now they are like orphans, with no one to care for them. The entire Western Border Army was annihilated, and they became the only survivors. The county troops and the government system within the city were not under their command, and they did not want to deal with each other. So they settled down outside the city. Fortunately, the provisions provided by Cheng Pingzhi were still sufficient to sustain them, so they would not run out of food.

Although the city gates were open, the county troops still maintained vigilance. Of course, they were not on alert for the Western Qin people to return, but were monitoring the Death Battalion.

"Things are about the same." Shuchang released Guo Jiuling's wrist and looked at him, "Your vital energy is greatly damaged. It's impossible for you to recover to your former level 9 abilities. Your realm has at least fallen by half. I've done my best."

Guo Jiuling, lying on the bed, was very open-minded. He smiled and bowed to Shuchang, "Thank you, Doctor Shu. I am very content. To be honest, I never thought I would survive. Martial arts, whether I have them or not, don't matter anymore. I am old, and without these martial arts, I can stay at home and enjoy my life, without having to run around anymore."

"You are quite open-minded." Shuchang laughed, "But you should be content. It's fortunate that the Western Qin people sent you to the Death Battalion rather than to the city. If they had sent you to the city, you would likely not have survived."

"You are indeed the best doctor I have ever seen, much better than those imperial physicians in the capital." Guo Jiuling nodded repeatedly.

"No, no, no, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses." Shuchang chuckled, "Old Guo, now that you have survived, why are you still staying here? Why don't you go back to the city?"

"I won't go back. It's more comfortable here. In the city, it's suffocating." Guo Jiuling shook his head.

"If you like it here, stay. But I must warn you, someone might come to cause you trouble." Shuchang chuckled, waved his hand, and walked out.

"Someone will cause me trouble?" Before Guo Jiuling could react, the small wooden door was pushed open with a bang, and a tall figure blocked the doorway, blocking the sunlight.

It was Zhang Xiaozheng, also known as Little Cat.

"Doctor said you are fine, so I came to ask you some questions." Little Cat threw the iron saber in his hand onto the table with a clank.

Glancing at the iron saber, Guo Jiuling smiled, "Little Cat, just ask your questions. Why did you bring the saber in? Trying to scare me? Is there anything worth scaring me about?"

Little Cat looked at him with a cold face, "Mr. Guo, you can still smile because you are still alive. But our Western Border Army lost 60,000 brothers. My Pursuit Wind Battalion lost all 3,000 of its members. My Leopard and Wolf Tooth brothers are also gone. To this day, Qin Lao is nowhere to be found. You can still smile, but I can't."

Hearing Little Cat's words, the smile on Guo Jiuling's face gradually faded.

"Little Cat, believe me, I am as sad and distressed as you are."

"No, not the same!" Little Cat said decisively, "They were our brothers who lived and worked together every day, but to you, they were just strangers. To the high officials of the court, they were just numbers on a ledger. Mr. Guo, I still remember the words you said in the tent. Do you remember? 'Absolutely safe,' heh, now it looks like a joke."

"That is precisely what I find puzzling." Guo Jiuling looked at Little Cat, "I have been closely monitoring this matter from the beginning. The number of people who knew about it can be counted on one hand, and they were all absolutely trustworthy."

Little Cat sneered, his hand on the hilt of the saber, "You survived, and the Western Qin people sent you back."

"Do you suspect me?" Guo Jiuling was surprised.

Zhang Xiaozheng took a deep breath but remained silent.

Guo Jiuling shook his head in regret, "I don't know how to explain, and I can't prove myself to you. But from the beginning, I was the main planner and executor of this operation. It's not unreasonable for you to blame me. If you want to take my head to avenge your Pursuit Wind Battalion and your brothers, I have nothing to say."

Little Cat suddenly stood up, his hand gripping the iron saber on the table, staring at Guo Jiuling. Guo Jiuling turned his head to the side and closed his eyes. The small wooden room fell into a tense silence.

"Little Cat, that's enough!" Shuchang appeared at the door, looking at Little Cat and speaking in a low voice, "He is still a patient, and this matter is not something he alone could have done."

"Who did it? If no one leaked the information, how did the Qin people prepare? How could the Thunder Army move on such a large scale without us knowing? What are the internal guards for? Doctor, I have been thinking about this for days. There must be a conspiracy, a conspiracy." Little Cat shouted.

"I don't know, but there is no wall that doesn't leak. Whoever did this heinous deed will eventually be exposed, and heaven will not let them off." Shuchang said.

"Heaven, heh!" Little Cat sneered, dragging the saber and walking away, "Doctor, I never believed in heaven." He turned to look at Guo Jiuling and saw a large tear rolling down the old man's face. He sighed deeply and walked out.

Shuchang also sighed deeply, leaning against the door, silent for a long time.

"The entire operation was supposed to be foolproof, but now there is indeed a problem. Little Cat is right; there must have been a problem internally, and the scope of people who could have done this is quite small." Guo Jiuling opened his eyes and looked at Shuchang from the bed.

"What do you plan to do?" Shuchang asked.

"After I recover, I plan to go back to the capital to investigate this matter. I will get to the bottom of it." Guo Jiuling said through gritted teeth.

"You might be looking for your own death." Shuchang said coldly, "There are only a few people who are in a higher position than you. If they did it, do you think you can find out? And even if you do, can you bring them down? You might die without knowing why, don't forget, you are no longer a level 9 expert, but just a weakling."

"Without martial arts, I still have connections, eyes, and a mind." Guo Jiuling said calmly, "Doctor, although I am part of the internal guard system, I am also a man who has come from the battlefield. This time, I witnessed the Western Border Army's brothers fighting to the death, falling one by one under the enemy's blades. As the planner of this operation, the pain in my heart is known to no one. I feel that I sent them to their deaths. If I don't get to the bottom of this, I will die with regret. In the future, when I meet those fallen brothers in the afterlife, how can I answer their questions?"

"Take care of yourself!" Shuchang shook his head and turned to walk out.

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