A Heart of Stone

"Don't call."

Luo Yu sat down gracefully, crossing his legs:

"After you entered the tent, your guards were knocked out.

Tsk tsk, you really were hiding deep, setting a trap for me?"

Xiao Shaoyou's gaze narrowed, tapping his fingers on the table:

"You're full of surprises. How did you figure it out?"

He wasn't stupid. The only possibility now was:

Luo Yu really had guessed his plan.

"Simple. I investigated what kind of person Zhang Lu was in the camp - his actions were detestable, and his soldiers feared him like a tiger.

But you've always been clean, with soldiers praising you to the skies.

A person like you should instinctively want to protect me, not put me in danger. Your actions were too suspicious.

After much thought, I suspected you were behind it, trying to harm me, but I wasn't sure what you wanted.

So I kept watching your moves until you revealed your true thoughts just now."

Luo Yu smiled. Since arriving at Black Gorge Fort, he'd felt someone was secretly targeting him, making everything go wrong. Now he'd finally found the culprit!

"Tsk."

Xiao Shaoyou clicked his tongue, sighing:

"I always thought I was infallible, but today I stumbled. You're smarter than I imagined. Maybe I really don't deserve to be your superior.

But it also shows I have good judgment, not having misjudged you.

Ha ha ha."

Xiao Shaoyou's calmness baffled Luo Yu:

"How can you still laugh? Don't forget, you were just threatening to kill me.

Aren't you afraid I'll kill you now?"

"I'm really not afraid."

"Why?"

"Because if you kill me, you won't live long either."

Xiao Shaoyou was completely calm, showing no panic:

"At Cockcrow Fort, your headman and deputy headman died, now at Black Gorge Fort, the captain and deputy captain are dead, but you're unharmed.

Is this world so coincidental?

No matter what excuse you make, the higher-ups will suspect you're behind it. You're dead for sure when we return to Yunyang Pass!"

"I admit you're right."

The short dagger appeared, Luo Yu playing with it:

"But I hate being threatened. What if I really kill you? Zhang Lu said I'm a madman."

"Fine, I admit I'm afraid of you. How about we compromise and make a deal?"

Xiao Shaoyou threw up his hands in resignation:

"I'll handle Zhang Lu's death, it has nothing to do with you. Let's call it even.

How about that?"

Luo Yu was silent for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face:

"Deal."

He hadn't planned to fight to the death with Xiao Shaoyou anyway. He glanced at Zhang Lu's corpse:

"How will you handle this? A captain dying for no reason isn't a small matter."

"Since I dared to kill him, I'm not afraid."

Xiao Shaoyou kicked the corpse casually:

"This is the front line. Qiang cavalry roam everywhere, small-scale skirmishes happen every day. A captain or two dying isn't unusual. The higher-ups won't investigate deeply, they just need to keep everyone's mouths shut.

Of the dozen soldiers who came with us, half are mine, absolutely reliable. We just need to deal with Zhang Lu's few confidants. They've done enough evil, killing them is justified.

As for your men, they don't know how Zhang Lu died. Just tell them he died at the hands of the Qiang soldiers. No one will question you, right?"

"I have no problem with that. Just take care of yourself."

Since the battle at Black Gorge Fort, everyone now looked up to Luo Yu with complete admiration. He didn't worry about Xiao Shaoyou handling things - this man clearly had everything planned out.

"Alright, I'll go first and deal with those little problems."

Xiao Shaoyou picked up his curved sword, ready to kill Zhang Lu's guards.

"Not so fast. I have a bigger problem."

Luo Yu stopped Xiao Shaoyou, pulling out a secret letter:

"Take a look."

"What is it?"

Xiao Shaoyou looked puzzled, but his pupils contracted when he read the letter:

"Where did you get this?"

The contents were simple - the traitor had agreed with the Qiang soldiers to open the city gates and surrender Yunyang Pass, and would find opportunities to eliminate other military commanders.

A few short lines, but they involved thousands of lives!

"Found it on the body of a Qiang captain."

Though they'd just been at odds, Luo Yu trusted this man wasn't a traitor. Xiao Shaoyou was the only one who could help investigate.

"Damn traitors! It's because of cowards like them that the border situation has deteriorated!

The war hasn't even started properly, and they're already selling out their own people!"

Xiao Shaoyou's face was ashen, clearly having seen many traitors over the years.

Luo Yu said solemnly:

"If Yunyang Pass falls, we'll all be dead. The letter doesn't reveal who the traitor is. I don't trust anyone else, so I need your help.

Look at the handwriting, can you recognize anyone? Or do you suspect any generals in Yunyang Pass?"

Luo Yu's trust warmed Xiao Shaoyou's heart. He read it again:

"The handwriting is unfamiliar, can't tell who wrote it. The situation in Yunyang Pass is complicated. There are several generals capable of doing this, but I can't explain it clearly right now.

But this person has agreed with the Qiang soldiers to open Yunyang Pass's city gates on New Year's Eve.

Today is the first day of the twelfth lunar month, so we only have a month to find the traitor. We need to return to Yunyang Pass as soon as possible.

Once we're back in the city, I'll try to get samples of those generals' handwriting to compare and see if we can find anything."

Xiao Shaoyou quickly determined a plan. Luo Yu nodded inwardly - looks like he found the right partner.

"Let's go."

Xiao Shaoyou stepped out of the tent:

"We'll set off early tomorrow morning, back to Yunyang Pass!"

"Alright!"

…

The camp had already returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

Luo Yu didn't return to his tent, but took a detour to where the refugees were staying. He could see Shen Li waiting anxiously at the entrance from afar.

"What about Zhang Lu?"

Shen Li ran over in three quick steps when she saw Luo Yu, looking tense:

"Are you okay?"

"He's dead."

"Ah, how did he die?"

"These things don't concern you."

Luo Yu glanced inside the tent: "Are you all okay?"

"Y-yes."

Shen Li felt relieved, her head hanging low:

"Don't worry about us. People from the slave court are worthless. If we die, so be it."

"But now that you're out of the slave court, you should live well."

Luo Yu clearly disliked this attitude, frowning:

"Then what was the point of all our efforts these past few days? In this world, no one is born lowly, and no one is born noble.

If you give up on yourself, what future do you have?"

Shen Li's eyes widened in surprise, nodding uncertainly:

"I'll remember. Thank you for today."

"Don't thank me. Zhang Lu was targeting me anyway, saving you was just a side effect.

I have a heart of stone, don't mistake me for a good person. When we reach a safe place, you should leave as quickly as possible. Being in the army is just a burden."

Luo Yu left with an icy remark, leaving Shen Li stomping her feet in frustration.

The little thief waved her fists at his back:

"He has a heart of stone but still came to check on us!"