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

Insights into basic knife techniques?

Xu Qingshan's eyes flickered slightly.

The next moment, a wave of unfamiliar memories flooded into his mind.

It was as if someone was standing in front of him, demonstrating swordsmanship over and over again.

Chop, slash, sweep, block, stab...

These are all the most basic and effortless methods of killing.

How to hold the knife, how to stand, and where to strike first when facing an enemy charging at you.

These things seemed to be instantly etched into Xu Qingshan's mind.

Xu Qingshan looked down at the machete in his hand, and finally felt a little more confident.

This is what he needs most right now.

All those magical techniques and secret manuals are too unreliable; what he needs now is a way to shut people up with a single, decisive strike.

Especially people like Li Kui who have a foul mouth.

The room remained quiet.

The eight women were unaware of what had happened to Xu Qingshan; they only saw him suddenly lower his head and stare at the wood-chopping knife, his eyes gradually becoming sharper.

Xiao Hongluan was closest to him and felt it most clearly.

Xu Qingshan just now, although he dared to take action, relied more on courage than anything else.

But now, although he still looks thin and frail, he suddenly exudes an indescribable sense of danger.

Xiao Hongluan frowned slightly.

Is it just an illusion?

She had seen many knife-wielders in the army before.

The way someone who has truly practiced with a knife handles a knife is completely different from how an ordinary person handles one.

An ordinary person holding a knife will only slash randomly.

Those who have practiced with a knife know where to strike even before the knife is moved.

Xu Qingshan now gives her the same feeling as the latter.

But how is that possible?

How could a lowly soldier, bullied to the point of starvation by veterans, have learned swordsmanship?

Before Xiao Hongluan could figure it out, there was another commotion outside the courtyard.

It was the sound of torches burning, and a flurry of footsteps.

Shen Qinghe's expression changed, and she whispered, "They're here again?"

Xu Qingshan raised his head and looked at the courtyard gate.

"No."

"The person in charge has come this time."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the courtyard gate was pounded on.

boom! boom! boom!

"Xu Qingshan!"

Liu Sandao's gloomy voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Open the door!"

The women inside the room immediately tensed up.

Previously, Li Kui was just a veteran, but Liu Sandao was different.

He was the military commander of Blackstone Fortress.

Although his official rank was not high, he was in charge of the military households and low-ranking soldiers in this area.

In this wretched place, a single word from him could cost someone half a bag of grain or send them to the most dangerous night sentry post.

Xu Qingshan just injured Li Kui, and now Liu Sandao has brought his men to the door. Everyone knows that nothing good is coming of it.

Xiao Hongluan whispered, "We can't open it."

Xu Qingshan glanced at her.

Xiao Hongluan said, "He brought men with him."

Xu Qingshan smiled and said, "If he doesn't bring anyone with him, it's not appropriate for me to perform this play."

Xiao Hongluan frowned; she didn't understand.

Xu Qingshan had already stood up, carrying a machete.

Shen Qinghe couldn't help but ask, "Are you really going to open the door?"

"certainly."

Xu Qingshan walked towards the courtyard gate.

"If he doesn't come, then Li Kui's beating will have been for nothing, right?"

The people in the room were all taken aback.

This makes it sound like Li Kui getting beaten up was actually quite worthwhile.

Xu Qingshan walked to the back of the courtyard gate and unlatched it.

The courtyard gate opened.

The firelight instantly illuminated the dilapidated courtyard.

Liu Sandao stood outside the door, his face grim, followed by seven or eight soldiers.

Li Kui was being supported by two people; his face was deathly pale, his wrists were swollen, and there was a bloody mark on his neck.

The moment he saw Xu Qingshan, he looked at him as if he had seen his father's killer.

"The military leader, that's him!"

"That brat set a trap for me and even broke my hand!"

Liu Sandao stared at Xu Qingshan with eyes as sharp as knives.

"Xu Qingshan, how dare you! You dare to injure a fellow veteran in the barracks?"

Xu Qingshan did not answer immediately.

He glanced at Li Kui first, then at the soldiers behind Liu Sandao.

well.

The more witnesses there are, the easier this matter will be.

Xu Qingshan lowered his wood-chopping knife to his side and said calmly, "I don't understand what Commander Liu is saying."

Liu Sandao's face grew even colder.

"Can't understand?"

"Wasn't it you who injured Li Kui's hand?"

"Yes."

Xu Qingshan nodded and readily admitted it.

This surprised Liu Sandao for a moment.

Li Kui immediately shouted, "Commander, did you hear that? He admitted it himself!"

Xu Qingshan looked at Li Kui and said calmly, "I admit to hurting you, but I don't admit that I was wrong."

Li Kui was so angry that his face turned blue.

"Xu Qingshan, you're talking nonsense!"

"You set a trap for me, and you still dare to say you did nothing wrong?"

Xu Qingshan asked, "Was it wrong for you to climb over my wall in the middle of the night?"

Li Kui's expression froze.

Liu Sandao's eyes darkened slightly.

Xu Qingshan continued, "You were carrying a short knife and sneaked into my yard in the middle of the night."

"There are eight newly exiled female prisoners living in this compound. I have their wooden plaques, and they've already been registered in the military register. Li Kui, tell me, what are you here for?"

Li Kui opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

Are you saying they're trying to kidnap people?

That certainly won't work.

Just passing by?

He already said it once, but even he himself doesn't believe it.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Xu Qingshan turned to look at Liu Sandao.

"Commander Liu, you handed the people over to me during the day, and you gave me the wooden plaque yourself. You made it clear that if anyone dies, escapes, or causes trouble, it's all my responsibility. So, can I understand that as long as they're still in this compound, I have to protect them?"

Liu Sandao remained silent.

Xu Qingshan continued, "Since I'm going to protect them, can I stop someone from breaking into the military household compound at night? Can I kill someone who is being illegally robbed by the court? Or is it that what Commander Liu said during the day doesn't count?"

As soon as the last sentence was spoken, the area outside the courtyard fell silent.

The soldiers behind Liu Sandao all had strange expressions on their faces.

This sounds like a question.

In reality, they were setting Liu Sandao up.

If he says it doesn't count, then he's contradicting himself.

If he's serious, then Li Kui has no choice but to accept the consequences of this attack tonight.

Li Kui also realized what was happening and hurriedly said, "Commander, don't listen to his nonsense. I didn't kidnap anyone, I just..."

"What is it?"

Xu Qingshan interrupted him.

"So you couldn't sleep in the middle of the night, so you brought a knife to my yard to admire the snow? Brother Li, your refined taste is something most people can't imitate."

Several soldiers lowered their heads, their shoulders trembling slightly.

They wanted to laugh, but they didn't dare.

Liu Sandao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Why is Xu Qingshan's mouth suddenly so sharp? I never realized this kid was so talkative.

Li Kui was so angry that he trembled all over.

"Xu Qingshan, I..."

"Shut up!"

Liu Sandao suddenly roared.

Li Kui shuddered in fright.

Liu Sandao slapped him across the face with his other hand.

Snapped!

That slap was hard.

Li Kui was already unsteady on his feet, and the blow made him stagger two steps and almost fall.

"Useless trash."

Liu Sandao cursed, "You're so drunk you can't even recognize your own path! Don't you think I'm embarrassing myself enough?"

Li Kui covered his face, his eyes filled with resentment, but he dared not refute it.

Xu Qingshan watched this scene with a cold smile.

Liu Sandao was indeed not stupid.

At times like this, he could only attribute the incident to Li Kui being drunk and taking the wrong turn.

In this way, Li Kui was spared the charge of kidnapping, and Liu Sandao also saved face.

As for Xu Qingshan?

In Liu Sandao's eyes, he was probably just a small fry who could be dealt with sooner or later.

Liu Sandao turned to look at Xu Qingshan, his eyes cold.

"That's the end of tonight's matter. Li Kui was drunk and accidentally wandered into your yard. You injured him in self-defense, so I won't pursue the matter further."

Xu Qingshan nodded, "Commander Liu is fair."

Liu Sandao sneered.

"Don't flatter me, Xu Qingshan. Don't think you can really gain a foothold in Black Stone Fortress just because you're clever. This isn't the county government office, nor is it an academy. This is the frontier. Those who survive here don't rely on their words."

Xu Qingshan said, "That's why I took the knife."

Liu Sandao's eye twitched.

Is this kid genuinely unable to understand threats, or is he pretending not to understand?

Liu Sandao stared at him and lowered his voice, saying, "Seven days. You only have seven days. After seven days, I want to see eight living people. If there's one less, I'll hold you accountable; if there's one more trouble, I'll hold you accountable too. Do you understand?"

Xu Qingshan smiled.

"I understand, Commander Liu. Don't worry, I may not have any other skills, but I'm incredibly resilient."

Liu Sandao snorted coldly and turned to leave.

As Li Kui was being carried away, he kept staring intently at Xu Qingshan.

His eyes were full of resentment and malice.

Xu Qingshan looked at him and suddenly spoke, "Brother Li."

Li Kui paused in his steps.

Xu Qingshan said calmly, "Next time you want to come, remember to use the main entrance."

"The wall in my yard is your nemesis."