Section 93: Control and Cooperation-Infinite Hunting Grounds(Blood Spatters, Fragrance Lingers)

"Is there anyone willing to die? No. Everyone wants to live a good life."

"But, what does fearing death accomplish? Can you avoid death by fearing it? Can you survive just because you want to? In the past, the landlords and the powerful took most of our grain; at the slightest sign of disaster, we were left to starve. The land was soaked in blood, the streets filled with wolves and vicious dogs. Did surrender, submission, or flight ever make the Han army spare us? Did it ever ensure our survival?"

"No! Even those among us who had learned a bit of reading in the army were slaughtered by them all the same!"

"Since that is the case, death is inevitable either way! Then, rather than being hunted and killed like dogs, it is better to fight to the death!"

Judging by the soldiers' eyes and expressions, they identified with these words to a certain extent—for those in desperate straits, as long as there is a definite direction and someone willing to step forward and lead, they will follow. They had long since run out of options.

Although the logic held and there was a degree of certainty, Wang Luo still felt a secret sigh of relief in his heart. Just as he prepared to continue, a fully armed officer dragged another man out from the crowd and stood before him.

It was Wang Chuan, an officer Wang Luo had previously promoted. He threw the thin, small man he had been dragging onto the ground, then offered a military salute to Wang Luo before speaking.

"General, this is the man. He has been whispering poison in my camp, saying we were born to win and that we should only concern ourselves with what happens after victory. It was all him!"

With that, he drew his sword from his waist, and with one swift motion, cut the man in two. The man let out a single "Ah!" before he was severed.

Wow. At this moment, slaughter and blood were the best embellishments. Wang Luo sized up his subordinate and offered a faint smile.

Influenced by the impassioned words and the surging blood, the fear, hesitation, doubt, and disappointment that had permeated the Revolutionary Army were gradually transformed into a kind of desperate courage.

"Can you harvest crops without sowing? Can you reach a distant land without taking a step?" Wang Luo seized the moment, pulled out his own blade, and drove it heavily into the ground. "Can you defeat the Han army without facing life and death?"

"Kill!"

"Kill!" Following Wang Luo’s shout, many soldiers joined in the cry.

"No passing on great wealth, no succession of high office! For the country and the people, divide the land and share the fields!"

"Hahahaha!"

As Wang Luo pulled his sword from the ground, he laughed heartily, and the soldiers roared with laughter along with him.

Looking at Wang Luo now, the eyes of many were filled with courage and confidence—for the courage to face death is courage nonetheless. Many of the soldiers who had caused trouble knelt, expressing their shame and willingness to accept punishment. But Wang Luo simply helped them up, encouraging them to wash away their shame with a better performance in tomorrow's battle. After handling this, Wang Luo turned to his original target: Zhou Chen, who was hiding to the side with a face full of shame.

"Do you know your mistake?"

"I know it, I know it." Zhou Chen kept his head down, his voice very low.

"I am stripping you of your rank and demoting you to a common soldier. Tomorrow, in the decisive battle, you will serve as acting commander of the sector and lead the right vanguard. Do you dare?"

Zhou Chen looked up, his face radiant with ecstasy. "I dare!"

---

"Let's go back to the main camp. I promise not to tell anyone you were the one who started the fire."

"Get lost!"

"Or... or we could go to the Han side. You burned the Revolutionary Army's camp; that counts as a merit."

"Get lost!"

Rank looked at the ropes on his body, feeling awkward and helpless.

When he had regained consciousness, he found himself tied up. Charles was pacing nearby, looking restless and stuck in a dilemma, which was actually quite amusing.

Remembering the expression on Charles's face when he threw the torch onto the tent and it ignited, Rank truly laughed out loud.

Charles glared at him, but Rank's laughter only grew louder. It was only when Charles drew his sword and walked toward him that he managed to hold it in.

"That fire burned way too big; it wasn't normal." Rank hurriedly tried to divert his attention. "Even with the wind, it shouldn't have burned like that."

"Of course!" Charles slammed his sword down right beside Rank’s ear. "That’s because Gittini had soaked the canvas in kerosene! He tried to set the camp on fire earlier but couldn't get it to light. Why else would I have dared to do it?"

Rank almost laughed again. "So, what are you planning to do now?"

"Wait!" Charles gritted his teeth. "It’s truly cursed. Ever since I entered this scenario, I’ve failed at everything! Everything I try to do fails! This time, I’m not choosing sides! Whoever wins, I’m going over to their side!"

If you do that, no one will take you seriously, Rank thought, but did not say it aloud.

However, why keep me tied up? Ah... if the Revolutionary Army wins, he’s afraid I’ll reveal he burned the tents, so he’ll likely kill me; and if the Han army wins, he wants to claim the credit for burning the tents, which also requires killing me...

Damn it.

---

"So, you failed to handle her?"

In a farmhouse on the wilderness, with a rough table and chairs and a pot of wine, two men stared at each other.

One of them, Gittini, looked utterly disdainful. Sitting across from him was Red Lightning.

"The Commander is excellent." Red Lightning picked up the wine pot and poured himself a cup.

"And you still have the face to sit here?" Gittini picked up his cup and took a sip. "I’ve always had a very pleasant cooperation with her."

"She didn't pay you."

"And she didn't pay you, either." Gittini spat the wine onto the floor. "Until the final settlement, none of you have anything to show for it."

"The Commander is stingy; women are usually like that." Red Lightning picked up his cup and took a lick. "If I were to tell her that you told me all the plans she had arranged, which is why I acted as I did, do you think she would spare you?"

Gittini was silent for a moment. "You won't have it easy either."

"After I took the lead in challenging her, I prepared for whatever she might do." Red Lightning picked up his cup again, twirling it in his hand. "She follows the rules at her core; that's the kind of team Wuzhou is. As long as what I do next is brilliant enough, she will endure it."

"If you make a mistake, she will kill you."

"It’s not just about mistakes. If I had done nothing, she would have found an opportunity to kill me later anyway." Red Lightning downed the wine in one gulp. "That is exactly the kind of person she is. I need your help."

"There's nothing I can do now," Gittini said. "Leaving without notice and then having this happen—Wang Luo is definitely suspicious of me now. That man has no interest in evidence; as long as he wins, he can tolerate many things. If he loses, he doesn't care about right or wrong."

"We can't let him escape." Red Lightning placed his empty cup upside down on the table. "Although Lin Feirui won her bet earlier and shared the profits with everyone, no one wants her to swallow the gains from these ten thousand people again."

"She used the 'Credit Snatching' item specifically because, once used, no other member of Wuzhou can use items that influence the Han army—she wants to prevent others in the team from defeating the enemy on a large scale, as that would fundamentally shake her position."

"So, it must be someone who is still aligned with the Han camp but is not part of the Wuzhou team... who uses the items we each purchased."

Gittini poured himself another cup, and this time he filled Red Lightning's cup as well. "That would be me, then. But how did you know?"

Red Lightning smiled but did not reply.

"Fine. I can use it. What's your offer?"

"We buy the items and give them to you to use. You write an IOU, a contract notarized by the Space: 10% of the settlement profits go to you, and the rest is automatically transferred to us."

"50%." Gittini proposed a figure he found satisfactory.

"20%."

"49%. The risk I am taking is immense. Besides, it just occurred to me that your Commander also needs someone to use items to stop the Han army's advance."

"30%, plus this." Red Lightning produced a piece of equipment. "She would also be very interested in the news that someone is colluding with her subordinates. You just said the man on the other side doesn't care about evidence; well, she is the same kind of person."

"Then 35%. I don't need the equipment; consider it a personal favor you owe me." Gittini raised his cup. "To our friendship and the success of our cooperation, cheers!"

Red Lightning raised his cup as well. "Cheers."