City of Corpses

The night sky was dark with clouds, a cold wind suddenly rising, obscuring the bright moonlight, hinting at rain to come.

"Charge!"

"Qiang soldiers have entered the city, fight, fight!"

As the Qiang main force entered the city and spies set fires and caused chaos, the entire Yunyang Pass fell into turmoil. The sounds of war drums, soldiers' shouts, and horses' neighs intertwined in the night air.

Tonight was destined to be a bloody night.

The city's defenders were leaderless, with only a few of Kong Xian's loyalists betraying. Most soldiers fought independently, unaware of the situation, as their commanders were all concentrated in the general's residence.

The general's residence was a scene of sword flashes and bloodshed, the two sides fighting fiercely.

"Kill them, quickly kill them!"

Kong Xian's face was dark. His troops initially held their own against Han Shuo, but when reinforcements from Xiao Shaoyou and Luo Yu arrived, they were overwhelmed.

Xiao Shaoyou fought like a madman, leading his elite troops in constant charges, determined to break through the battlefield and kill Kong Xian. And Meng Hu, truly like a tiger, smashed a centurion to death with two punches, fighting so fiercely that no one dared to face him.

Kong Xian was frantic. A sure victory had been ruined by Han Shuo's unexpected reinforcements.

"General, retreat, retreat now!"

Several aides gathered around Kong Xian, urging him: "We can't win, we can only wait for the Qiang to kill them all before we make our move."

"Damn, they got lucky, let's go!"

Kong Xian was a decisive man, escaping through a back door with his guards. The Qiang would kill Luo Yu and the others eventually. Though angry, he wasn't in a hurry.

"Thank you, Captain, for saving us. Otherwise we'd be in real danger tonight."

Luo Yu bowed, curious: "How did you know Kong Xian would move tonight?"

"I've known him longer than you, so I understand him better."

Han Shuo's gaze sharpened: "Recently he's been acting strange, replacing several datus and centurions with his loyalists, regardless of their ability. He also assigned the troops absorbed from the Li family to his loyalists.

Especially since last night, the gate guards were changed and no one was allowed near the gates. So I kept an eye on the general's residence."

Luo Yu was surprised, not expecting Han Shuo, who seemed like a brute, to be so perceptive.

"So Captain Han isn't one of his loyalists?"

"Hmph, if he really considered me loyal, would he send me on the night patrol tonight? Clearly he wanted to send me away."

"Damn, let that traitor escape."

Xiao Shaoyou's face was grim, half-covered in blood. He had truly wanted to kill, charging fearlessly at the front.

"Forget him for now. We need to think about the current situation."

Han Shuo's voice was grave: "The Qiang main force is in the city, the west, south, and north gates are all lost. We can't fight them. You two are smart, what should we do?"

Though Han Shuo was the highest-ranking, he knew his two subordinates well, especially Luo Yu. In times of crisis, Luo Yu's mind was sharper than his own, so he was willing to let the younger men lead.

Xiao Shaoyou gradually regained his composure:

"Four thousand Qiang soldiers, our city defenders can't handle them. I suggest we concentrate our forces and break out eastward, preserving our strength until reinforcements arrive from the interior."

Luo Yu nodded in agreement with Xiao Shaoyou's plan. In the current situation, fighting was futile. There was no point in sending his men to die needlessly. Dead men couldn't keep their five-year promise.

"Let's do it!"

Han Shuo agreed: "Let's gather our forces, collect the scattered troops, and break out eastward!"

"Ride!"

"Clack clack clack!"

A large number of warhorses galloped through the streets, followed by infantry. Shen Li also helped support elderly refugees in the column. Many faces bore deep sorrow and grief.

The great Yunyang Pass, lost so easily. A month of peace vanished in an instant.

Luo Yu's brow furrowed. This street had clearly been raided by Qiang soldiers, with many civilians killed. The cries of pain echoed constantly in his ears.

A few surviving civilians begged for help when they saw the troops, but the horses never slowed.

The soldiers felt guilt, even shame. They were soldiers, border guards protecting their homeland, but now, facing enemy invasion and the pleas of civilians, they could only retreat, or rather, flee.

"Yang'er!"

Passing a street corner, Luo Yu suddenly remembered the mutton soup stall. He turned sharply and galloped in, leaving his men confused but following closely.

The scene in the alley was unbearable. Countless civilians lay in pools of blood, even women stripped naked, having been violated.

All the soldiers fell silent, their anger and hatred mounting. These were their neighbors, their fellow citizens.

"Yang'er, Yang'er!"

For the first time, Luo Yu felt panic, calling out the boy's name again and again. But when he reached the mutton soup stall, he froze in shock.

The white-haired Old Li knelt on the ground, holding Yang'er's small body, covered in blood, lifeless.

At that moment, the hundreds-strong column fell silent. Even tough men like Meng Hu had tears in their eyes. Shen Li couldn't hold back her sobs.

"How, how could this happen."

Luo Yu staggered forward, his hand trembling as he touched the familiar face.

"Grandson, my grandson."

"Grandpa is holding you, don't be afraid, your father is waiting for you."

The old man seemed unaware of Luo Yu's presence, calling his grandson's name over and over. His son and grandson both dead, there was nothing left for him in this world.

Yang'er clutched the wooden knife Luo Yu had given him, his body growing cold. Luo Yu's eyes filled with tears for the first time.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I came too late."

Luo Yu bit his lip, heart aching, feeling the wooden scabbard in his pocket. He gently inserted the knife.

This was his New Year's gift for Yang'er, meant to be given after the New Year. Now their morning farewell was eternal separation.

Luo Yu stood up in a daze, looking around the alley, bodies everywhere.

The Zhang aunt who gave him pickled cucumbers, the Wang aunt who gave him rice wine, the Black Kid who helped at the camp...

All dead, all of them.

Dead in their shabby homes that had sheltered them from the wind and rain.

Even now, he could hear the childish voices calling "Big brother," the only thing that could make him completely relax.

All gone, like a dream.

"Let's go."

Xiao Shaoyou struggled to speak: "If we don't leave now, we won't make it."

"Not leaving."

Luo Yu's chest seemed even more upright than before. He wiped away his tears, his calm voice filled with resolve:

"I'm staying, to defend Yunyang Pass!"