Chapter 95

(Continued next weekend)

At this moment, Ding Shuang's forehead was dripping with sweat as big as soybeans. He could no longer pretend to be calm, nor did he dare to hope that he could bluff his way through. He was also filled with regret, thinking that since he had noticed the suspicious points earlier, he should have decisively taken his family and left instead of insisting on investigating further.

The vanguard of the Wuwei Army continued to launch fierce attacks on the defensive array of Yanchuan City. The ground trembled, and although the city walls were relatively sturdy, buildings within the city began to collapse. In the chaos, fires started to spread from bedclothes, and soon several fires were raging out of control in the city, causing widespread disorder.

The people inside and outside Chishan City were in a state of panic, and no one would notice the inner turmoil of Ding Shuang in the southern city tower.

Ding Shuang guessed that Chen Hai might be bluffing. How could the Wuwei Army have quietly infiltrated south of Chishan County with tens of thousands of elite troops? However, the people standing in front of him, including Chen Hai, were real, leaving him no choice but to believe them.

Besides, what difference did it make whether he believed them or not?

Not to mention that even the strongest person in Chishan County, Chu Siming, could not last two rounds against Chen Hai. Even Wu Meng and Zhou Jun, two Spirit Realm martial cultivators, could easily kill him.

Moreover, if he dared to make any rash moves, he believed that the fierce soldiers behind Chen Hai, with their eyes full of ferocity and greed, would not let his family off easily.

"I have also found out clearly that your family is still in Chishan County. It is only natural for you to try your best to protect them at this moment, without worrying about other matters," Chen Hai said calmly. "If you can help me take over Chishan County, once the main force of the Wuwei Army arrives, you will not only not be our enemy but will also have established great merit. Your wife and children will no longer have to worry about lacking wealth and status..."

"..." Ding Shuang remained silent.

"Both the Wuwei Army and the Hexiang Army are citizens of the Great Yan Empire. Although there is currently a rift between the two armies, leading to some fighting, they will inevitably become as close as brothers in the future. You don't need to worry about being accused of treason..." Chen Hai could see the struggle in Ding Shuang's eyes and continued to persuade him calmly.

Ding Shuang sighed inwardly. No matter how comforting the words were, once he betrayed, there was no point in trying to justify it.

Snowflakes fell from the night sky, landing on the battlements of the city tower. The intense tremors continued to come one after another. Despite the cold night, Ding Shuang was drenched in sweat, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on his shoulders and heart. Finally, he almost shouted hoarsely, "Unless I go back myself, my wife and children won't come to visit!"

"In that case, I will have Captain Wu and Captain Zhou accompany you to bring your wife and children over." Chen Hai waved his hand. With the city in chaos, it was unlikely that any flaws would be noticed as Wu Meng and Zhou Jun watched Ding Shuang go to fetch his family. However, Chen Hai needed to stay in the southern city tower.

This was the most chaotic time, and once Yanchuan City fell, many people would try to open the city gates and flee south. He needed to stay to prevent everyone from escaping, or the situation would become even more uncontrollable.

******

Ding Shuang's residence was very close to the southern city tower. Two houses had collapsed, blocking the alley, but after a short while, Wu Meng and Zhou Jun led a carriage through the gate and into the city.

Chen Hai stood by the battlements, watching in the dim night as about seven or eight people were escorted by Wu Meng and Zhou Jun into the hidden barracks under the city wall. A short while later, Wu Meng and Zhou Jun returned with Ding Shuang. By the dim lamplight, Chen Hai saw a beautiful young woman standing beside Ding Shuang, holding a sleeping child.

The child was sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the storm that was about to engulf her young body and soul.

Chen Hai sighed softly and walked back into the city tower to wait for Ding Shuang and his family to enter.

Ding Shuang, unable to guess what Chen Hai was thinking, said with a grim expression, "My wife and children have come to visit. Is there anything else you need, Captain Chen?"

"Ding Zhao's wife pays respects to the general." Ding Shuang's wife, holding the baby, bowed. She clearly understood their current situation.

Chen Hai saw that although her bright eyes were filled with fear and worry, she managed to remain relatively calm, which was a good sign. He stood up from a large wooden box, opened the lid, and pulled out the bound Chu Siming, throwing him in front of Ding Shuang.

"I originally planned to exchange Chu Siming for a ransom after the battle, but now I can only give this feat of killing an enemy to you, Lord Ding."

Chu Siming had already woken up and had heard the conversations between Chen Hai and Ding Shuang. He was both angry and shocked, glaring fiercely, not believing that Ding Shuang would dare to kill him as a token of loyalty.

Ding Shuang's wife's face was pale. At this moment, the child in her arms suddenly woke up, staring with wide, innocent eyes at everything around her, reaching out to grab Chen Hai's beard.

Chen Hai raised his hand, covering the child's eyes with his sleeve to shield her from the bloody scene, but his gaze was fixed on Ding Shuang, not allowing any hesitation.

Wu Meng handed the Spirit Pattern Sword to Ding Shuang.

Ding Shuang's face was ashen, but he did not hesitate for long. He took the sword and slowly thrust it into Chu Siming's chest.

Chu Siming could only roar in anger as he died, his chest heaving like a bellows, struggling like a dog with its limbs tied. Blood flowed everywhere. Qi Hanjiang and the other soldiers watched, admiring Ding Shuang's ruthlessness.

Chen Hai finally threw Chu Siming's body back into the wooden box and lowered his sleeve from the child's eyes. He thought that if he had stayed on Earth without any accidents, even if he still had feelings for Su Qian, he should have married and had children by now.

At this moment, a rare tenderness appeared in Chen Hai's eyes.

Ding Shuang, seeing this, finally believed that Chen Hai was not a ruthless villain. He returned the Spirit Pattern Sword to Wu Meng but still looked grim, gritting his teeth and asking, "Captain Chen, can you now tell me the truth? There can't be many troops of the Wuwei Army hiding south of Chishan County, right?"

"Lord Ding is indeed a smart man. You understand that if the Wuwei Army had made adequate preparations to encircle and cut off the fleeing soldiers, we wouldn't have to take such a risk to control Chishan County," Chen Hai laughed. "But if we didn't do this, we wouldn't be talking about achieving great feats. What do you think, Lord Ding?"

Ding Shuang hadn't expected his guess to be correct, and his expression became even more grim.

He had already been forced onto the bandit ship and had no room for retreat. Even if he abandoned his family and exposed the conspiracy, returning to Hechuan Ridge would be a great feat, but the Chu family would never forgive him for killing their patriarch.

Ding Shuang secretly assessed Chen Hai, thinking that although he seemed arrogant, his plans were almost flawless, and there was a chance of success. He said, "Captain Chen, you only have a few dozen subordinates. Once thousands of fleeing soldiers surge into Chishan County, even if your identity hasn't been exposed, you won't be able to suppress the rebellion of thousands of soldiers. If you can't keep the fleeing soldiers in Chishan County, it can't be considered a great feat, can it?"

"Whether we succeed or not depends on your cooperation, Lord Ding." Chen Hai secretly thought that Ding Shuang would make a good strategist, but in a world where strength was paramount, his lack of cultivation meant he wouldn't receive much attention, no matter how intelligent he was.

Ding Shuang, having calmed down from the shock of killing, noticed that although the number of soldiers was small, they were all elite. He recalled the various actions Chen Hai had taken since entering the city and gradually pieced together a plan. Seeing Chen Hai's calm gaze, he guessed that Chen Hai was testing his intelligence. He said, "If Captain Chen trusts me, I can select some people to help you strengthen control over the civilian soldiers. They are all skilled in the area, and if they can seek wealth under the Dong family, they won't mind. Moreover, I can use the pretext of escorting them out of the city to bring their families to the southern city tower! The civilian soldiers may not be reliable, but if they don't rebel in the chaos, it might help you achieve your goal."

Ding Shuang's act of killing Chu Siming could be seen as coercion, but Wu Meng and Zhou Jun now confirmed that he was a ruthless person. His suggestion to trick his subordinates' families to the southern city tower as hostages and then force them to join the Wuwei Army to control the civilian soldiers was not something an ordinary person could think of or do...

Although Chen Hai and his group had sixty to seventy people, they were unfamiliar with Chishan County and had very weak control over the two thousand civilian soldiers. If their true identities were exposed, the large group of fleeing soldiers would cause a rebellion, and the two thousand civilian soldiers would scatter, no longer under their control.

However, if Ding Shuang could lead and coerce two or three dozen low-ranking martial officers to control these civilian soldiers, ensuring they didn't rebel or flee in the chaos, that would be his greatest value.

Before nightfall, Chen Hai had already sent Zhao Shan to gather information about the families of the Chishan County magistrate, county lieutenant, and chief clerk, considering this risky move as a last resort.

"Good, I am the nephew of Chen Lie, the Marquis of Zhaoyang Pavilion, and also the legitimate son of the Marquis. Although no one in the northwest knows me now, I believe that one day, you will hear my name wherever you go in this continent!" Chen Hai smiled and had Qi Hanjiang take Ding Shuang's wife and child to the hidden barracks below to rest, waiting to trick the other families over and needing Ding Shuang's wife to help comfort them.

Seeing Qi Hanjiang and others eyeing Ding Shuang's wife with greedy and disrespectful eyes, Chen Hai grabbed an iron crossbow bolt and threw it at them, his voice low and angry, "Ding Shuang is serving under me, and he is like your brother. Ding Zhao is your sister-in-law. Do you look at your sister-in-law this way at home?"

Qi Hanjiang and the others, hit by the heavy iron crossbow bolt, sucked in their breath and finally behaved themselves, escorting Ding Shuang's wife and child to the hidden barracks below...

Chen Hai then called back Zhao Shan and Shen Kun, who had been dealing with the Chishan County officials and civilian soldiers all day. He had them assist Ding Shuang in tricking the families of the local martial officers to the southern city tower as hostages.

With Ding Shuang's involvement, claiming that he could arrange for them to leave the city early, the local martial officers and even the low-ranking clerks, who dared not abandon the city, were eager to beg Ding Shuang to send their families to the southern city tower.

After about an hour, Ding Shuang had already tricked the families of over thirty local martial officers to the southern city tower, feeling ashamed.

Chen Hai was very satisfied with Ding Shuang. When the fleeing soldiers arrived, he could use the families of the martial officers held in the city gate as leverage to force them to control the civilian soldiers and defend the southern city tower, without worrying about his identity being exposed.

After all, using family members as hostages to force soldiers to serve was not uncommon in the Great Yan Empire.

Next, Chen Hai had Ding Shuang bring these low-ranking martial officers to the city wall.

Each of these low-ranking martial officers, accompanied by four or five loyal soldiers, could control a dozen times more civilian soldiers. Although they wouldn't have much combat power, they could at least maintain order and prevent rebellion.

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