The Traitor

"Knock knock!"

In the dead of night, Luo Yu quietly knocked on Zhang Gui's door.

Rooster Crowing Fort had few houses. Only Wang Shuang and Zhang Gui had their own rooms, while regular soldiers had to share with seven or eight others.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Deputy Commander, Luo Yu."

"Yu?"

Zhang Gui's voice carried a hint of confusion - he clearly hadn't expected Luo Yu to visit him so late at night.

"Come in."

Luo Yu pushed open the door. The wooden house was similar to Wang Shuang's - a wooden table, a bed, small compartments on both sides, and a pile of miscellaneous items in the corner.

"Commander Zhang isn't sleeping yet?"

Luo Yu glanced around. Zhang Gui was polishing a curved saber with a yellowed rag.

"The fort is besieged. Who knows when the Qiang might attack at night? Someone has to stand watch. If Commander Wang sleeps, I can't sleep either."

Zhang Gui shot Luo Yu a cold look:

"Speak! What do you want?"

"I just wanted to ask Commander Zhang if we could put Wu Mazi's death behind us? I don't want to be enemies with you."

"Ha ha, are you here to beg?"

Zhang Gui sneered: "I already told you, we illiterates come to the front line to earn military merit. Wu Mazi has done a lot for me.

If you had confessed and handed over the merit when you returned, I might have been lenient.

Now you want to beg? Too late!"

After losing face in front of the fort, Zhang Gui now despised Luo Yu.

"Since that's the case, there's nothing to talk about."

Luo Yu suddenly changed the subject: "Commander Zhang, did you send a secret letter to the Qiang? Planning to open the gates and surrender?"

The hand polishing the saber froze mid-air as Zhang Gui instinctively gripped the hilt:

"What are you talking about?"

A small dagger appeared in Luo Yu's hand as he muttered:

"I hate traitors who betray their country!"

…

Wang Shuang paced back and forth in his room, his face illuminated by flickering candlelight, a worried expression on his brow.

He kept glancing at the door, every second feeling like an eternity.

"Creak."

The wooden door opened, and Luo Yu finally appeared, a bloodstained dagger in his hand.

"How did it go? Did you succeed?"

Wang Shuang asked eagerly: "Did you kill him?"

"Still breathing."

Luo Yu spat:

"He's strong. It took some effort to knock him out. I tied him up. Commander, do you want to see?"

"Haha, you didn't disappoint me."

Wang Shuang felt relieved, waving his hand:

"Let's go see this traitor!"

Wang Shuang's room was on the east side of the fort, Zhang Gui's on the west. Not far apart, Wang Shuang also called four trusted men. They marched together to Zhang Gui's room.

The night watchmen watched this scene with surprise. What were they doing in the middle of the night? But they didn't dare ask.

Wang Shuang rushed into the room and saw Zhang Gui in a sorry state.

The room was in disarray, clearly showing signs of a fight. Zhang Gui had a knife wound on his arm, covered in blood, bound to a chair. He looked badly beaten, barely conscious.

Seeing Zhang Gui's fall from grace, Wang Shuang gloated:

"Haha, Zhang Gui, Zhang Gui, never thought you'd come to this!"

"Commander Wang."

Zhang Gui struggled to lift his head: "May I ask why you sent Luo Yu to capture me? What crime have I committed?"

"Why capture you? Don't you know?"

Wang Shuang's lips curled: "You sent a secret letter to the Qiang, agreeing to open the gates tomorrow night. Your plot to betray the country was exposed by me.

Who else would I capture?"

"Spit!"

Zhang Gui glared:

"Lies! When did I write to the Qiang scum! Wang Shuang, you're clearly using this as an excuse to get rid of me!

You've been targeting me for a year. Why pretend? Today I've fallen into your trap!"

He turned to Luo Yu: "You fool, with your skills, you've been used as a tool!"

"Haha, I'm so happy."

Wang Shuang couldn't contain his laughter. Luo Yu looked bewildered:

"Commander, what's going on? Wasn't the letter written by Zhang Gui?"

"What's going on?"

A cold glint flashed in Wang Shuang's eyes:

"Men, Luo Yu has overstepped his bounds, taking private revenge on Deputy Commander Zhang Gui. His crime is grave. Seize him!"

The four trusted men, prepared for this, pounced on Luo Yu, tying him up with a hemp rope.

Outnumbered, Luo Yu struggled and shouted:

"Commander, what are you doing? You said Zhang Gui was passing secrets to the Qiang, and you wanted me to help punish the traitor. Now it's me taking private revenge?"

"You, you're strong but stupid."

Wang Shuang laughed uproariously:

"Zhang Gui was right, you're stupid! All brawn and no brains."

Zhang Gui glared at Wang Shuang through gritted teeth: "If I'm not mistaken, the real traitor is you!"

"There's no need to hide it anymore."

Wang Shuang's lips curled as he finally revealed the truth:

"Exactly, I did make a deal with the Qiang to open the gates tomorrow night.

I was just worried you'd cause trouble and ruin everything. Since you had a grudge against Luo Yu, I used his hands to get rid of you!"

"You! You're the real traitor!"

Luo Yu's expression turned cold: "Traitor!"

"Haha, let you die knowing."

A hint of disdain flashed in Wang Shuang's eyes:

"That letter was actually written by me. Did you really think I'd appoint just anyone as deputy commander?

You're skilled, but you don't seem like someone who would serve me. So I used your hands to kill Zhang Gui, then have you executed for the crime.

Two birds with one stone, isn't that great?"

Wang Shuang was now a different person, his face full of cunning. No wonder he brought those trusted men - he was ready to kill the messenger.

"Spit!"

Zhang Gui cursed: "You're a traitor to your country! I'm ashamed to be associated with you!"

"Ashamed to be with me? I don't care!"

Wang Shuang shouted fiercely:

"In this world, survival is most important!

The fort is besieged, our supplies are cut off, and there's no hope of reinforcements. What's the point of holding out? Surrendering to the Qiang will save our lives and bring us wealth. Why not?"

"It's just your excuse for cowardice!"

"I don't have time to argue with you. Look out for yourself!"

Wang Shuang sneered at the two:

"Two dead men aren't worth arguing with."

Feeling victorious, Wang Shuang laughed out loud, triumphant.

Luo Yu suddenly lifted his head coldly, his lips curling strangely:

"Commander, what makes you think you've won?"

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Several arrows shot out from the side compartments, piercing the chests of Wang Shuang's four trusted men.

Blood spurted out as they fell to the ground, not even having time to scream.

The laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by a stench of blood filling the air.