If I made you cannon fodder, how did you manage to achieve your goal of conquering the wolf's l

The fire in Beicang gradually died down in the northwest corner of Yunzhou City, but the invisible dark cloud over the city was even heavier than the thick smoke in the sky.

Everywhere in the streets and alleys, heavily armed patrol and supervisory troops could be seen. Horseshoes clattered and clattered on the icy cobblestones. Chen Huaishan's martial law decree had cast a wide net over the entire city. Officers, torches in hand, searched everywhere, kicking open inns and houses, shouting for the capture of the arsonist and traitor Hu Lie.

However, to discerning people, this large-scale search was nothing more than a smokescreen for the city's residents and the imperial envoy.

If Chen Huaishan truly wanted to find a trusted military officer with a serious crime, he would never have gone to such lengths and make such a big fuss. What Chen Huaishan wanted was for Hu Lie to either actively flee to his death in the chaos, or die in some unknown corner.

In stark contrast to the superficial hustle and bustle of the city, in the dark, damp alleys and shady, low-class areas of Yunzhou City, another invisible net is quietly tightening.

In the backyard of an old wine shop in a narrow, secluded alley in the south of the city, with a tattered cloth curtain hanging in the air.

Liu Ruyan, dressed in an inconspicuous gray cloth cloak, stood in the shadows under the eaves. In front of her stood a hunched-over, middle-aged coachman who reeked of alcohol, and a pawnshop owner with a heavy brass key hanging from his waist.

These two people were the spies that Su Jinniang had secretly planted in Yunzhou City over the years.

"How's the investigation going?" Liu Ruyan's voice was very low, as cold and clear as icicles under the eaves on a cold night.

The pawnshop owner rubbed his hands, which were red from the cold, and whispered, "Miss, although Hu Lie is a rough and bold man, he is more cunning than a fox. Before the incident at Beicang, he had already sent all four of his concubines from his private residence in the east of the city to the countryside through the secret pawnshop. He even exchanged all his valuables and gold and silver for notes issued by the Sihai Money Exchange in advance. He knew that the commander-in-chief wanted to use him as a scapegoat, so he would never go to those so-called safe houses that the commander-in-chief arranged for him."

The coachman beside him leaned forward and added in a low voice, "I inquired at the carriage shop and found out exactly what happened. Half an hour ago, the manager of the mortuary in the west of the city secretly hired a heavy-duty hearse from the old black market, saying that a merchant from out of town had died suddenly in the city and needed to be transported out for burial before dusk. But I secretly checked out the coffin shop, and that black lacquered pine coffin was lined with three whole layers of breathable yellow silk mattresses, and there were even hidden ventilation holes at the bottom!"

Why should a coffin for the dead be lined with a thick mattress used to keep the living warm, and why should it have a hidden ventilation hole?

Liu Ruyan narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, a clear and bright light flashing in her eyes.

"All nine city gates are sealed off by the General's Army's soldiers; even birds can't get in or out." Liu Ruyan pondered the city's defenses and said in a deep voice, "If he can't get out of the city gates, his only way out is the sewage culvert in the west of the city that connects to the outer river—the West Water Gate!"

"Young lady, your strategy is brilliant!" the coachman exclaimed in a low voice. "The West Water Pass is usually used by rafts carrying filth and unclaimed corpses from within the city, guarded by a few corrupt soldiers who have been paid handsomely. Just lie down in a coffin and float down the pass; once you reach the reed marshes ten miles outside the city, you can switch to a fast horse and soar freely!"

Liu Ruyan didn't say much. She took out a small ingot of fine silver from her sleeve and tossed it to the coachman before turning and disappearing into the snow and wind at the end of the alley.

……

West of the city, the mortuary.

This was the most desolate and eerie area in the entire Yunzhou City. Low, dilapidated mud-brick courtyards were surrounded by withered poplar trees, and tattered white banners fluttered in the cold wind. The air was filled with the lingering smell of burning paper money, cheap realgar, and the strong acetic acid used to preserve corpses, making one want to vomit.

In the center of the courtyard, there were seven or eight thin-skinned coffins that had not yet been buried.

In the innermost morgue, a large black lacquered coffin weighing several hundred kilograms sat on a bench. Four burly men dressed in coarse hemp mourning clothes, with the outlines of knife hilts faintly visible at their waists, were nervously securing the coffin lid to the cart with hemp rope.

"Hurry up!"

A man dressed in hemp clothing, who appeared to be the leader, lowered his voice and urged, his eyes scanning the gate outside the courtyard warily. "The arrangements at the water gate are complete. The Blackwater soldier on duty received two hundred taels of silver, leaving us only half an incense stick's time to change shifts. If we miss the deadline, and the commander's personal guards come searching, none of us will survive!"

With the combined efforts of the four men, the heavy black wooden coffin was steadily pushed onto the two-wheeled flatbed cart.

The wheels creaked heavily and harshly on the icy, muddy ground.

Just as the four men pushing the cart stepped out of the morgue and were about to cross the front yard to leave,

"Tap, tap, tap."

Three crisp, rhythmic knocks suddenly rang out from above the tightly closed gate.

The four men in hemp clothing stopped in their tracks, their muscles tensing instantly, and their hands instinctively pressed down on the hilts of the short knives beneath their mourning clothes.

Amidst the wind and snow, a short, thin figure had somehow found himself leaning against the dilapidated gatehouse of the mortuary.

Hou San had a dry grass stalk dangling from his mouth, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his cotton robe, looking down at the people in the courtyard with a mocking and sly look in his bright eyes.

"Brothers, it's broad daylight at the funeral, why isn't there even a mournful wail?"

Hou San spat out the grass stalks in his mouth, then gracefully leaped down from the gate tower, which was over ten feet high, and landed lightly three steps in front of the cart.

The leader's expression changed, his eyes flashing with ferocity. He snarled, "Where did this beggar come from? Mind your own business! Get out of the way, don't disturb the spirit of the dead!"

As they spoke, two men silently flanked them from both sides, the short blades hidden in their sleeves gleaming coldly in the dim light.

Hou San ignored it and slowly strolled to the side of the large black lacquered coffin.

He extended his right middle finger, bent the knuckle, and gently tapped the heavy coffin lid three times.

"Thump, thump, thump."

The sound was muffled and echoing.

Hou San bent down, facing the ventilation hole on the side of the coffin, and said with a smile:

"Commander Hu, this black coffin is spacious and sheltered from the wind. I wonder if you are comfortable lying inside?"

Before the words were finished, a heavy breathing suddenly came from inside the entire black lacquered coffin!

"boom!"

The thick hemp ropes binding the coffin shattered under the powerful infusion of true energy!

The heavy, solid black wooden coffin lid, accompanied by a howling gale, shot skyward and swept straight toward Hou Sanmianmen, who was standing right next to it!

Hou San was prepared. He pushed off the ground with his toes and slid backward more than ten feet like a light leaf, narrowly avoiding the spinning heavy log.

"Crack!" The coffin lid slammed heavily against the mud wall behind them, collapsing half of the wall.

Amidst a flurry of sawdust and snowflakes, a burly figure leaped out of the coffin!

The man was dressed in a tight-fitting black satin outfit, with a full beard, blood-red eyes, and a heavy steel sword that gleamed coldly in his hand. He exuded a fierce and murderous aura that had been forged in battle amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

It was none other than Hu Lie, the commander of the Yunzhou Transport and Damage Relief Camp!

"Who the hell did this bastard come from, daring to block my way out! Die!"

Knowing his whereabouts had been exposed, Hu Lie showed no hesitation, only the frenzy of a cornered beast. He stomped heavily on the ground, splashing mud and water everywhere, and the heavy blade in his hand unleashed a sharp, gleaming blade light, carrying a force as heavy as splitting mountains and shattering rocks, heading straight for Hou San's heart!

At the same time, the four escorting assassins tore off their disguised mourning clothes, drew out their blue-glowing, poisoned short blades, and formed a four-way encirclement, cutting off all of Hou San's escape routes!

Although Hou San was fast, his frontal strength was far inferior to that of Hu Lie, who came from a regular military background.

The heavy, mountain-like wind of the blade rushed towards him, stinging his cheek. Hou San drew his short blade from his waist and barely managed to parry. As the blades clashed, sparks flew, and Hou San felt an overwhelming force surge into his arm, instantly splitting his hand. He was thrown backward, his back slamming hard against a pillar in the morgue!

"Go to hell!"

Hu Lie roared and stepped forward, raising his heavy sword high with a ruthless intent to eliminate any threat, before slashing down straight down!

There's no way to retreat!

Just as the heavy blade was less than half a foot from Hou San's forehead—

Suddenly, the dilapidated gate of the mortuary was kicked to pieces from the outside!

Amidst the flying sawdust, a tall figure shrouded in a heavy black cloak stormed into the battlefield like an iron tower.

Although the man was wrapped in thick, blood-soaked white cloth, his movements exuded the fierce and domineering aura of a great general. Without even drawing his sword, he strode into the courtyard, unleashing a powerful kick that swept through the wind and snow with a dull whistling sound, striking precisely at Hu Lie's wrist holding the sword!

"when!"

A deafening metallic clang rang out!

The heavy steel broadsword in Hu Lie's hand was kicked away by this kick, spinning and embedding itself in the trunk of an old poplar tree three zhang away, all the way down to the hilt!

Before Hu Lie could react, the tall figure lunged forward, his left elbow striking Hu Lie's breastplate like a battering ram!

"Snap!"

The crisp sound of a sternum shattering echoed through the courtyard.

Hu Lie spat out a large mouthful of blood, and as if struck by lightning, he flew backward more than 20 feet away, crashing heavily into the snow and mud on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.

The four assassins who were about to pounce were intimidated by this violent force and involuntarily froze.

The next moment, a dense series of mechanical vibrations began to resound around the courtyard walls.

Ten scouts from the Zhenbei Army, clad in snow-white cloaks, quietly appeared atop the ruins, their twin armor-piercing crossbows aimed at the four assassins inside the courtyard.

Ten powerful crossbows were drawn but not released, their cold arrowheads blocking out all blind spots.

The four assassins looked at the dark crossbow muzzles all around them, feeling the lifeless chill of the air. Their fingers, gripping their short blades, trembled. In the end, they dejectedly threw down their weapons and knelt down to be bound.

The wind and snow subsided slightly.

Wearing a cloak, Xu Qingshan, surrounded by Liu Ruyan and Zhou Laoqi, walked unhurriedly into the courtyard of the mortuary.

In the center of the courtyard, the tall figure who had kicked Hu Lie over slowly raised his hand, pulled off the black hood covering his head, revealing a face covered with scars and with a cold expression.

Lying in the mud, Hu Lie clutched his caved-in chest, coughing violently and spitting out blood. When he struggled to lift his head and saw the face of the man who had dealt him such a severe blow, his bloodshot pupils instantly shrank to the size of pinpoints!

It was an extreme shock and terror, like seeing a living ghost!

"Zhao...Zhao Wu?!"

Hu Lie's voice was completely distorted with fear as he pointed at the man before him, his hand trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind:

"You...you weren't ambushed and killed on the way?! The General's Office already issued an obituary saying you fell off a cliff and your body was never found...how...how could you still be alive?!"

Zhao Wu looked down at his former colleague, who was lying paralyzed on the ground. His scarred face showed no warmth, only a deep-seated hatred and mockery.

Zhao Wu bent down and spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm onto Hu Lie's face, gritting his teeth and sneering:

"Thanks to Second Master and Commander-in-Chief! I'm tough as nails; even the King of Hell thinks I'm too resentful and can't take my soul!"

Zhao Wu turned his head to look at Xu Qingshan, who was slowly walking forward. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and his tone was chilling:

"Commander Xu, that bastard was my deputy general in the vanguard battalion back then. I know his temperament, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities better than his own father."

Zhao Wu drew a fine steel dagger from his boot, twirling it in his hand with a sharp, swift motion, his gaze fixed on the lamb to the slaughter:

"He handed the case over to me for questioning."

"Within half an incense stick's time, I made him spill everything, even the things he did when he was a kid, like sneaking around in a widow's room!"