Border Soldier: My fiancée snatched credit and broke off the engagement, so I promptly became a marq

As dawn broke, Blackstone Castle remained utterly devoid of warmth.

The snow stopped, but the wind blew. The barbarian cavalry outside the north slope hadn't retreated, nor had the Black Tiger Camp on the east side. Torches burned all night on both sides, leaving two patches of black ash on the snow, like two wolves lying outside the fortress.

The list of merits was already surrounded by people.

The corpses dragged back from the side valley last night were placed under the notice board. The frozen armor was covered with a thin layer of frost, and the black line on the inside of the garment was pried open by Zhou Tie with the tip of his knife, revealing it to everyone.

The Black Tiger Camp's Camp Chronicle.

Half a blood-stained cloth was also placed on the table.

The ink on it had darkened due to the freeze, and only a few characters were still barely legible.

Merit Book.

Chen Mu.

Lu Shuangyi.

Batu.

Han.

Every word is like a nail.

Chen Mu stood beside the list, draped in a thick robe. Lin Qinghe had re-bandaged his wounds the night before, the strips of cloth binding him tightly, causing him a suffocating pain in his chest with every breath.

He cannot sit.

If he were to sit down in this situation today, the morale of the cooks would crumble.

When the small door opened, thirty black-armored riders trudged through the snow into the fortress.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed across the frozen ground outside the Hall of Military Merit. Han Zhao, draped in a black cloak, dismounted, glanced at the corpse, and then at the blood-stained cloth on the table.

His gaze lingered for only a moment.

He smiled quickly.

"General Lu invited me into the fortress so early in the morning just to see dead bodies?"

Lu Shuangyi stood to the side of the list, the snow on her silver armor still unmelted. She didn't take a detour.

"Recognizing people."

The wind blew the notice paper, making a rustling sound.

The remaining soldiers of the cookhouse gripped their iron hooks tightly. Several guards instinctively took a half-step back, but seeing Chen Mu still standing there, their heels nailed back into the snow.

Han Zhao walked up to the body and glanced down at it.

"I don't know him."

Chen Mu looked up.

"Didn't Captain Han see clearly?"

Han Zhao's voice turned colder: "I said, I don't know him."

Chen Mu nodded without arguing.

The less he argued, the heavier Han Zhao's heart became.

"Zhou Tie".

Zhou Tie stepped forward and lifted the corpse's left arm. With the sleeve cut open, the Tiger Head Battalion's insignia was revealed even more clearly.

A low murmur arose from the surroundings.

Han Zhao remained unfazed.

"There are many former soldiers in the Black Tiger Camp. It's not surprising that some have deserted and joined the barbarians."

Chen Mu looked at him.

"So, Captain Han means he's no longer a member of the Black Tiger Battalion?"

"nature."

"Registrar, record this."

The registrar was taken aback.

Chen Mu did not look at Han Zhao, but only at the booklet on the table: "Han Zhao of the Black Tiger Camp determined that this person was a deserter of the Black Tiger Camp who was secretly communicating with the Northern Barbarians and had nothing to do with the Black Tiger Camp."

The clerk's pen fell onto the paper.

Han Zhao's brows finally furrowed.

He suddenly realized that Chen Mu wasn't forcing him to acknowledge people, but rather forcing him to sever ties.

Once dissected, the corpse, the blood-stained cloth, and the waist tag will no longer be items belonging to the Black Tiger Camp, but rather evidence from the Black Stone Fortress investigation into the Tongman case.

He could no longer reach out and take it.

Han Zhao said coldly, "I didn't ask you to remember it."

Chen Mu said, "Didn't Captain Han just say that he has nothing to do with you?"

The snow and wind rushed in through the fortress gate, causing the candlelight on the table to flicker.

The Black Tiger Camp cavalrymen behind Han Zhao gripped their sword hilts. The Lu family guards also pressed their swords. Neither side uttered a sound; the scabbards struck the armor plates with a soft, cold tinkling sound that echoed before the banner.

Han Zhao stared at Chen Mu for a long time.

"no problem."

The registrar continued writing.

When the second nail was driven in, Zhao Hong's face paled slightly.

Chen Mu asked Zhou Tie to take out the waist tag with the Korean character.

"The second item. This waist tag, Anato removed it from the corpse. Does Captain Han recognize it?"

Han Zhao's gaze fell on Anato.

Anato knelt on the other side of the merit list, her hands still bound, wearing an old fur coat. The coat was too big, pressing down on one of her shoulders, but she knelt very straight, like a fox that was bound by a rope but was still observing the hunter.

Han Zhao sneered.

"Could a Northern Barbarian spy also testify?"

Anato looked up and smiled.

"When Commandant Han sent a message to Batu last night, he didn't mind that I was a northern barbarian."

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

Han Zhao's eyes turned cold.

Anato continued, "When that man entered the barbarian camp, he was wearing the Black Tiger Camp iron ring on his left hand. He told Batu that there was a troublesome soldier named Chen Mu in Black Stone Fortress, and that Batu needed to cooperate in creating a show of force to attack the fortress. After the Black Tiger Camp entered the fortress and sealed the seal, they would take Chen Mu away."

Han Zhao's black cloak was blown by the wind and stuck to his nails.

"Where's the evidence?"

Anato raised her chin.

"It's a corpse."

"What kind of evidence is the corpse of a deserter?"

"Then ask Batu." Anato's smile grew even colder. "Batu is still outside the North Slope. If Commander Han is innocent, why not go out of the fort and ask him if he recognizes this waist token?"

Upon hearing this, even Zhao Chenglie lowered his head.

No one dared to answer.

Of course, Han Zhao couldn't ask.

By asking, he was essentially admitting that he and Ba had communicated.

Chen Mu did not let Anado continue speaking.

"Recorder, note the second item. The Northern Barbarian spy, Anado, confessed that a deserter from the Black Tiger Camp had entered the Barbarian camp to deliver a message. His waist tag serves as proof. This needs to be verified."

The clerk wrote very quickly.

Han Zhao's expression grew increasingly cold.

Zhao Hong was hidden in the crowd, sweat beading on his forehead. Zhao Chenglie kept his head down, as if Anato wouldn't see him unless he looked up.

Chen Mu did not immediately interrogate the Zhao family.

The Zhao family is the meat.

Han Zhao is a knife.

He needs to nail the knife in place first.

Han Zhao suddenly smiled.

"Chen Mu, do you really think you can hold me back with just a barbarian woman?"

"Can't hold on."

Han Zhao was taken aback.

Chen Mu looked at the corpse, waist tag, and blood-stained cloth on the table.

"So I'm not in a hurry. Today, I'm just asking Captain Han to identify the person. After the person is identified, leave the body, the blood-stained cloth, the waist tag, and Anato as well."

Han Zhao narrowed his eyes.

"She is a spy from the Northern Barbarians, and should be handed over to the Black Tiger Camp for interrogation."

Chen Mu looked up.

"The Black Tiger Battalion tried to burn down the military merit hall last night, and today they're going to interrogate the witnesses?"

A cavalryman behind Han Zhao took half a step forward.

The scabbard clicked, and Zhou Tie's sword was already half an inch out.

The remaining soldiers of the cookhouse stepped forward in unison. Their iron hooks, machetes, and long forks were not as gleaming as those of the Black Tiger Battalion, but they were all pointing in the same direction.

They couldn't defeat thirty horsemen.

But they dared to stand up.

This is enough.

Looking at these lowly soldiers, Han Zhao finally felt a genuine sense of apprehension.

Two days ago, these people didn't even dare to raise their heads when they saw the Black Tiger Camp.

Now, they dare to wield knives for Chen Mu.

Han Zhao looked away, his smile fading.

"Alright. Anato, you stay. You stay with the body. We'll wait for the Commander to send someone to verify it."

He turned to leave.

Chen Mu called him back.

"Captain Han, there's one more thing."

Han Zhao stopped and turned around.

Chen Mu pointed to the outside of the north slope.

"Five hundred northern barbarian cavalry are pressing on the fortress. As the outer patrol unit, will the Black Tiger Battalion provide assistance?"

Han Zhao tightened his grip on the knife hilt.

He knew Chen Mu would bring this up.

Identifying the body is only the first step.

Forcing the Black Tiger Camp to take action was the second blow.

Chen Mu picked up the animal skin drawing Anado had made and unfolded it on the table. A gust of wind blew, causing the corner of the drawing to flutter, and Lu Shuangyi reached out to hold it down.

"There are two hundred soldiers lying in ambush in the valley on the north slope. If Commander Han is willing to assist in the defense, he should press down on the valley exit from the east. Black Stone Fortress will guard the front. Batu will be flanked from both sides."

Han Zhao sneered.

"You're quite good at commanding the Black Tiger Battalion."

Chen Mu shook his head.

"I wouldn't dare. I'm just reminding Captain Han—if the Black Tiger Camp doesn't move today and Batu retreats, I'll post this map next to the merit list, stating that the Black Tiger Camp knew there were ambushes in the side valley, yet still sat idly by and watched the Northern Barbarians besiege the fortress."

The snow was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

Han Zhao stared at Chen Mu.

The most disgusting part of a conspiracy lies here.

They can be seen, and they're hard to hide from.

Han Zhao only said two words at the end.

"OK."

He mounted his horse.

"Black Tiger Camp is positioned to the east of the valley. But Chen Mu, you'd better hold the north wall. If you can't, I'll be the first to enter the fortress and collect your corpse."

Chen Mu held the spear firmly, his voice steady.

"Don't worry, Captain Han. My body is very valuable; it won't be easy to collect."

Han Zhao led his men away.

Only after the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance did the crowd in front of the list breathe a sigh of relief.

Chen Mu did not relax.

When Han Zhao is forced to make a move, Batu will change his tactics.

The real battle begins now.

Anato knelt on the ground and suddenly spoke.

"Chen Mu".

Chen Mu looked at her.

Anato laughed with a hint of schadenfreude.

"You drove Han Zhao to the side valley; he will hate you to death."

Chen Mu said, "Even if you sell out your father, he will hate you to death."

Anato's smile froze.

Chen Mu then said, "So we'll remain the same for now."

She looked at him, and after a while, whispered, "Then you'd better not die."

Chen Mu asked, "Are you concerned about me?"

Anato hummed softly.

"If you die, no one will protect me."

Chen Mu said, "You're not worth me risking my life for right now."

Anato gritted her teeth: "Chen Mu!"

Lin Qinghe spoke coldly from the side: "He's not going to protect you now either."

She came over carrying a medicine box and pushed Chen Mu directly towards the medical tent.

This time, Chen Mu did not refute.

He had just turned around when he heard Su Wan's voice behind him.

"Chen Mu".

Su Wan stood at the entrance of the Hall of Merit, clutching the list of fallen soldiers from the cookhouse. She hadn't slept all night; her face was pale, but her eyes were wide awake.

"The roster is fine," she whispered. "There were sparks outside the Military Merit Hall last night, which I put out with water. The roster... I've been holding it the whole time."

Chen Mu glanced at her.

The booklet's cover was soaked. The back of her hand was also red.

She was waiting for a single sentence.

Even if it's just "hard work".

Chen Mu simply nodded.

"Give it to the registrar."

The expectation in Su Wan's eyes slowly faded.

"it is good."

She handed over the booklet.

Lu Shuangyi walked past her, pausing for a moment.

"You did one thing right."

Su Wan looked up.

Lu Shuangyi's voice was indifferent.

"But doing one thing right can't make up for one night of doing something wrong."

Su Wan's fingers trembled slightly.

Outside the north slope, the bugle sounded again.

Batu's white horse appeared at the forefront of the barbarian cavalry.

Five hundred barbarian cavalrymen began to form ranks.

On the east side, the Black Tiger Camp also made a move.

The paper on the merit list rustled in the wind.

Chen Mu looked up and glanced at the names on the list.

"Call it the Fire Station Camp."

Old Chai immediately straightened his back.

Chen Mu said, "Up on the wall."