Who Will Lead?

"Pfft."

"You, you…"

Zhang Gui desperately clutched at the wound on his throat, but the blood wouldn't stop flowing. Shock, despair, and anger swirled in his eyes as they grew dimmer.

He struggled, reaching out to grab Luo Yu's sleeve. Luo Yu watched him coldly:

"Wang Shuang would betray his benefactor, and you would repay kindness with ingratitude. If I didn't kill you, I would have been the next to die.

He thought I was a fool, and so did you?"

"You…"

Zhang Gui fell to the ground in despair. Throughout it all, Luo Yu showed no mercy, his expression cold and indifferent.

From his experiences - following Wu Mazi, Xiao Wu's false accusation by Zhang Gui, and Wang Shuang's attempt to use him as a pawn - Luo Yu realized that danger in battle doesn't just come from enemies. It can also come from your own comrades, and sometimes the most deadly blows come from behind.

Each crisis seemed to come from his own side, and he made up his mind:

Either don't fight, or fight to the bitter end!

As Zhang Gui's body finally lay still, his loyal followers were still in shock:

"You, you actually killed Zhang Leader!"

Luo Yu pulled out his dagger and casually wiped the blood:

"Surrender now, and I'll spare your lives! Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

The men exchanged glances, then nodded and charged forward with fierce determination:

"Who dares kill Zhang Leader? We'll fight him to the death!"

"What does it matter if he's skilled? He's just one man! Kill him!"

"Charge!"

"Slash!"

As they took their first steps, curved blades stabbed into their backs, halting their forward momentum. It turned out Meng Hu and several new recruits had been hiding behind them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Since Luo Yu had decided to get involved in the conflict, he couldn't have been completely unprepared.

Luo Yu looked at the bodies and shook his head:

"I gave you a chance, but you didn't take it."

The Jiming Fort was silent, the flames flickering on the walls casting light on nearly ten blood-soaked bodies, the air thick with the scent of blood.

The remaining twenty-odd soldiers were in shock. In just a short time, the company commander, deputy commander, and their confidants were all dead?

"Comrades,"

Luo Yu turned to face the remaining soldiers and shouted:

"Everyone has seen what happened. Company Commander Wang Shuang betrayed us to the Qiang bandits, selling out his comrades, deserving death! And Zhang Gui stole military funds and embezzled soldiers' pay, equally deserving death.

But I didn't kill him out of personal revenge, only for self-preservation.

If anyone thinks Zhang Gui shouldn't have died, feel free to seek revenge against me, or even report me to the authorities later. I, Luo Yu, will face you without fear.

I killed him with a clear conscience!"

The crowd was silent. Zhang Gui's loyal followers were all dead, and who would want to avenge him? Many had been bullied and beaten by Zhang Gui. Just for what he did, the soldiers were lucky not to have torn him apart.

Someone whispered quietly:

"But both the company commander and deputy commander are dead. Who will lead the troops? There are still nearly a hundred Qiang cavalry outside. We can't just sit here and wait to die, can we?"

"Right, who will command the defense of the fort?"

This question woke everyone up. Their biggest crisis wasn't Wang Shuang and Zhang Gui's infighting, but the Qiang soldiers outside. Their forces were less than half strength, the Qiang numbers were several times greater, and their supplies were almost exhausted - a truly desperate situation.

How would they defend Jiming Fort? They needed someone to lead them.

Everyone looked at each other, but most eyes fell on Luo Yu and the squad leader Dong Chuan.

Luo Yu's actions didn't match those of a new recruit. He had repeatedly killed enemies and established himself, gaining some respect in the fort.

As for Dong Chuan, originally there were five squad leaders in Jiming Fort. Wu Mazi had died at Luo Yu's hands, another had died in battle, and the other two were Wang Shuang and Zhang Gui's confidants, killed in the recent conflict. This meant Dong Chuan was now the highest-ranking and most experienced soldier in the fort.

Meng Hu was the first to stand behind Luo Yu, his expression unchanged:

"I don't trust anyone else. I only trust Brother Yu. Brother Yu said he would lead us out of Jiming Fort alive.

I believe him!"

Xiao Wu and the other new recruits stood silently behind Luo Yu, followed by the veterans he had met on his first mission. Even though Luo Yu had faced multiple challenges from Zhang Gui after returning to the fort, he never revealed that they had each stabbed Wu Mazi once. This alone earned their gratitude.

More and more soldiers stepped out of the crowd to stand behind Luo Yu, showing that he had built significant respect in Jiming Fort over the past two days.

Dong Chuan was silent for a long time before speaking:

"You're right. Wang Shuang betrayed the country, and Zhang Gui embezzled military funds. These two deserved death. Right and wrong are clear to me, Dong Chuan. I won't seek revenge for them.

I don't have the ability to lead the defense, nor do I want to compete for power with you. But I can't just hand over the lives of all the brothers to you.

I just want to ask one thing: can you really lead the brothers to survive?"

Everyone looked at Luo Yu. This was the same question they all cared about.

Luo Yu stepped forward, his expression serious:

"In such a dire situation, no one can guarantee victory.

I can only say, if we win, we all live. If we lose, I, Luo Yu, will die with you all!"

Everyone was deeply moved. Dong Chuan's heart trembled, and he made up his mind:

"Alright! I believe you!"

"From now on, what Luo Yu says is the military order. Whoever disobeys, I'll be the first to cut him down!"

At dawn, the cold wind of the Western Border pierced the bone.

Luo Yu stood on the highest point of the fort, gazing into the distance. He could vaguely see a dozen or so Qiang tents and galloping horses. These Qiang soldiers were like wolves and demons roaming outside the border, ready to swallow Jiming Fort whole.

He hadn't slept all night.

He was thinking about how to save his twenty-odd brothers.

"Boss, did you call us?"

Squad Leader Dong Chuan and two other squad leaders approached. They were the only remaining officers in the fort.

Luo Yu said calmly:

"About a hundred taels of silver were found in Wang Shuang and Zhang Gui's rooms. With their pay, they couldn't have had so much money. It must be embezzled military funds and compensation.

Divide this silver among the brothers. The compensation will be sent home through fellow soldiers after the fighting ends."

"Understood."

The three were surprised. Luo Yu was giving away all this silver without keeping any for himself.

"With this silver, the brothers' morale will be higher."

Luo Yu then spoke about the main issue:

"I read the secret letter Wang Shuang sent to the Qiang. He agreed to open the fort gates tonight, working with them to capture Jiming Fort.

This means the Qiang will attack tonight."

The three men's expressions changed. Were they going to fight to the death tonight?

"Cough."

Dong Chuan asked cautiously:

"Boss, have you thought of a plan to defeat the enemy?"

Luo Yu didn't answer directly, but asked:

"You're all older than me, with more military experience. Are you really willing to follow my orders?

In the face of the enemy, if we're not united, we'll only die."

"Of course we'll follow!"

Dong Chuan slapped his chest:

"I, Dong Chuan, give my word. I'll follow Luo Brother's orders!"

The other two echoed:

"We'll follow your orders!"

"Excellent!"

A crazed look flashed in Luo Yu's eyes as he clenched his fist:

"Then let's follow the agreement and open the fort gates tonight!"

"Surrender!"