Why Help Me?

Several trusted men suddenly became corpses, Wang Shuang's eyes were filled with terror, completely unable to understand what was happening.

On the contrary, several of Zhang Gui's men emerged from the compartments on either side, each wielding a saber, their faces appearing particularly fierce in the candlelight.

The bound Zhang Gui suddenly untied himself and stood up, sneering:

"Wang Shuang, your end has come."

He hadn't been tied at all! The knot behind the chair was a live knot!

"This, this is what's happening!"

The shaken Wang Shuang looked at Luo Yu, who casually broke free of the hemp rope and chuckled:

"Commander Wang thought everyone was a fool, but never imagined he was the real fool. I knew from the start that the secret letter wasn't written by Zhang Gui - it was all your plot!"

"How could that be! I covered my tracks perfectly, how could you possibly see through it!"

"Very simple."

Luo Yu kindly explained: "Because Zhang Gui told me he was illiterate. How could he write a detailed letter of collaboration with the enemy?

You exposed yourself right from the start!"

Wang Shuang was dumbfounded, never expecting to be exposed by such a small detail.

Luo Yu spoke casually:

"When I first saw the letter, I knew you wanted to use me, but I couldn't figure out your true intentions. Were you trying to remove your rivals through me, or did you have other plans? The more I thought about it, the more I felt you had deeper schemes.

So I worked with Deputy Commander Zhang to stage this play, to lure you into revealing the truth.

I never imagined you really wanted to defect!"

"Then what about Zhang Gui's injuries! He clearly took a knife wound!"

"Hehe, just a light slash. Without some blood, how would you believe us?"

Wang Shuang's despair grew as Luo Yu's explanation revealed his fear. Behind that youthful face lay a mind so meticulous! He had been manipulated all along.

"Don't waste time talking to him!"

Zhang Gui sneered, taking a curved saber: "Collaborating with the enemy, death is the only punishment! Kill him!"

Wang Shuang's face turned pale with fear. He turned and ran out of the house, shouting:

"Help! Help! Zhang Gui and Luo Yu have rebelled! They've rebelled!"

"Kill them!"

The Watchtower wasn't large, and his terrified cries quickly alerted everyone. The surrounding soldiers were confused when they saw the four corpses inside, looking at each other, unsure of the situation.

"Commander, what's happening? These corpses?"

The one asking was Dong Chuan, the most senior section leader in the Watchtower, about thirty years old.

"Zhang Gui has colluded with Luo Yu to rebel! Kill him, quickly kill them!"

Seeing more and more people gathering, Wang Shuang finally felt some confidence. After all, he was the commander - could Zhang Gui dare to kill him in public?

In reality, he and Zhang Gui each only had a few trusted men. The other soldiers mostly just followed orders.

"Don't listen to his lies!"

Zhang Gui raised his saber at Wang Shuang: "Just now he admitted to collaborating with the enemy, planning to open the gates at midnight to help the enemy attack the Watchtower!

I have not only his handwritten letter, but also eyewitnesses who heard it!"

"That's right, Wang Shuang is the one collaborating! He's betraying our brothers!"

"This traitor!"

Zhang Gui's men cursed, but the others were skeptical. After all, they knew the two commanders didn't get along - whose words could they believe?

Dong Chuan frowned at Luo Yu:

"Brother Luo, what's really going on?"

Though Luo Yu was a new recruit, his influence wasn't small. His battle at the gate had boosted morale and earned him considerable respect.

"Deputy Commander Zhang is telling the truth. It's Wang Shuang who's collaborating."

Luo Yu sneered: "Not only is he collaborating with the enemy, but he also wanted to use my hands to kill Deputy Commander Zhang. If we hadn't been prepared, we would have been dead by now."

All the soldiers fell silent. Luo Yu and Zhang Gui had their differences, and if even Luo Yu said this, Wang Shuang must really be collaborating!

They had fought the enemy to the death, been besieged for seven or eight days, lost so many comrades, yet their commander wanted to sell them out.

How laughable!

"What's wrong with me!"

Seeing his plot exposed, Wang Shuang shouted hoarsely:

"The Watchtower is besieged, no reinforcements, no food. I'm just trying to find a way for our brothers to survive. What's wrong with that? Brothers, if you want to live, you have to surrender. Follow me and you won't go wrong!"

"Commander."

Dong Chuan's face was filled with sorrow and anger: "We Longxi people have blood feuds with the enemy for generations. How can we collaborate? We'll be cursed by our people!"

"I don't care! I just want to live! Don't you want to live!"

"Listen, all of you listen."

Zhang Gui mocked:

"This is our commander, a complete coward! Do you deserve our brothers' trust?"

"Are you any better?"

In his despair, Wang Shuang pointed and shouted:

"For a year, how many brothers' credits have you stolen? Three months ago when the army pay arrived at the front, you made me keep half for myself and lied to the brothers that the court hadn't paid in full!

And last year when over ten brothers died, all that meager consolation money went into your pocket!

Ask your conscience - do you deserve our brothers' trust!"

The soldiers' faces changed again. Some were so angry their eyes were red. They came to the front to fight for a few pieces of silver and a meal, but Zhang Gui had been drinking their blood!

Stealing credits, withholding pay, embezzling consolation money - Zhang Gui had been treating them all like fools! They did all the fighting, while Zhang Gui took all the benefits!

Absolutely shameless!

The scene suddenly became tense. It seemed neither commander was any good.

"Scoundrel, shut up!"

Zhang Gui was truly panicked. It wasn't good to provoke the masses at this moment. He lunged forward, his saber piercing Wang Shuang's chest.

"Thud!"

The body fell slowly to the ground, shocking everyone. Zhang Gui had actually dared to kill Wang Shuang in public.

Zhang Gui roared:

"Wang Shuang collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country. He deserves death, and I have executed him!

As for what he just said, it's all lies! He withheld the army pay, he embezzled the consolation money! He was just trying to stir up trouble!

Don't believe him!"

The room was deathly silent, everyone looking at him with a mix of anger and mockery. If he had done it, why had he killed Wang Shuang to silence him?

"From now on, everyone in the Watchtower will follow my orders!"

Zhang Gui held his saber menacingly:

"Whoever opposes me, step forward!"

Several trusted men stepped forward together, looking fierce.

Having fought Wang Shuang for so long, Zhang Gui naturally had his own methods. These battle-hardened veterans were his greatest support. He knew that once Wang Shuang was dead, no one would dare challenge his authority.

Sure enough, intimidated by Zhang Gui's authority, no one dared to move, though their faces showed resentment. The section leader Dong Chuan's face was red with anger, clenching and unclenching his teeth several times.

Zhang Gui nodded in satisfaction, giving his trusted men a look, then turned to Luo Yu:

"Hehe, Brother Luo, I owe you one today. Otherwise I would have really fallen flat!"

Though Zhang Gui smiled, his trusted men subtly changed positions, as if surrounding Luo Yu.

Luo Yu smiled slightly:

"Deputy Commander Zhang is too kind. I exposed his plot to protect our brothers' safety. I couldn't just watch the Watchtower fall, could I?"

"I have a question."

Zhang Gui's hand secretly gripped the hilt behind his back, but his expression remained normal:

"I have a grudge against you. Why did you help me?"

"Thwack!"

A flash of cold light, a sharp dagger suddenly pierced Zhang Gui's throat, blood spouting out.

Luo Yu leaned close to Zhang Gui's ear, whispering softly:

"Who said I was helping you?"