Chapter 34: The Malignant Spirit Bares Its Fangs

"Take me to the western city watchtower!"

As soon as Pei Yunchu stood up, Gu Liubai’s expression shifted, and he spoke to her with abrupt, uncharacteristic directness. His tone was entirely different from his usual demeanor.

Pei Yunchu had no time to dwell on it; she swept out like a gust of wind. The city of Heishawa was already in a state of utter chaos. When she ascended the watchtower, she found that alongside the grim-faced Xu Tuibei, there was a man dressed as a scholar standing by Gu Liubai’s side. It was Chen Tu. However, she was in no mood to ask questions. The sea of flames rolling in from the mountains and the glint of countless blades reflecting in the distance made her feel as if she were no longer in the real world.

"Twenty thousand cavalry," Gu Liubai’s cold, sharp voice rang out, and only then did she feel she could breathe again. Her lips were drained of all color. She turned to look at him, only to find no trace of fear on his face—only an indescribable, predatory rage.

"How could there be such a massive number of enemy troops?" She knew well that as an intelligence operative for Mingbapo, Gu Liubai could not be mistaken, yet the notion still felt absurd.

"Of course it’s impossible," Gu Liubai replied roughly. "Unless someone deliberately meddled."

Pei Yunchu felt as if she had been struck by lightning; she swayed, nearly collapsing to the ground. For such a vast enemy force to ambush Heishawa without them being warned meant that even before the storm that killed Luo Qing, the enemy must have already established camps not far from the city. Unless the border scouts and intelligence agents were completely incompetent, it would have been impossible for them not to detect such a large force marching, or even camping within a few dozen miles.

But those scouts were not incompetent. They were either dead, replaced by someone else’s men, or the intelligence they sent back had been intentionally suppressed. Who could do such a thing? Who would dare?

While others might struggle with the question, the image of Xie Wan, who had bowed to welcome her at the Luzao Station, immediately surfaced in her mind—that member of the Xie clan she hadn't even wanted to look at directly.

"What exactly does he want?" she asked, her voice sharp as she stared at Gu Liubai. She already held the answer in her heart, yet she dared not believe her own judgment.

"The Xie clan will lose a Grand Swordsman, the head of the Pei family will lose his most beloved daughter, the Emperor of the Great Tang will lose his warhorses and his dignity, and Heishawa will cease to exist." Gu Liubai’s voice was as frigid as ice pulled from a frozen cavern. "The generals in the west will be punished and stripped of power. If someone were to then defeat the enemy, behead their leader, and save even a few horses, they would be the true winner in the eyes of the Emperor. Compared to what that winner stands to gain, three thousand Turkic soldiers are truly nothing."

Chen Tu, standing by his side in the guise of a scholar, understood. The only thought in his mind was that this was pure, unadulterated madness. The Festival of Slaughter, the Great Fair, the handover of warhorses—Heishawa was currently brimming with coveted supplies. To the enemies of the Great Tang, it was a piece of succulent fat. But who would dare lead an army on a long, arduous trek through freezing terrain? Who would dare come to eat this meat when basic grain supplies could not even be maintained?

If their intent were discovered, they would not be facing a feast, but a prepared trap—a slaughterhouse that would strip the meat from their bones. Unless, of course, someone assured them there was no ambush and charted a path for them that would never be detected in advance.

"It’s the Tibetans," Gu Liubai said with absolute certainty, even though the banners and uniforms of the approaching enemy were still indistinguishable. "Only the Tibetans have this kind of military strength, and only they would come from that direction. They lack iron and copper, they lack many things, but they do not lack horses or men. As long as someone provides them with supplies for winter warfare, they will not refuse such a feast, nor would they pass up the chance to slaughter a border city of the Great Tang."

"They will massacre the city?" Pei Yunchu’s body trembled uncontrollably under the crushing weight of fear, though she realized immediately after speaking that it was a naive, useless question. She had once dismissed Xie Wan as someone who lacked the temperament and audacity for true ambition. She had never imagined that the man who seemed so unremarkable would be mad to such a degree.

"Even if his design is for the Tibetans to play along and provide him with heads, he will still be suspected. He can't escape unscathed," she said, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to remain calm. Even in death, she would not disgrace the Pei family name.

"If you couldn't imagine he would be this reckless, who would believe he could achieve this alone? And if it isn't just him, who is behind him?" A mocking sneer touched Gu Liubai’s lips. "The truly powerful only care for the final spoils; who cares how many innocents are buried alongside them? Heishawa will be razed to scorched earth, and anyone else involved will be erased. Any lingering doubts will be incinerated by the fires of rage."

Gu Liubai’s voice grew colder. "Even if they investigate, they will find no way to link this to Xie Wan. The only concrete evidence will likely show him fighting wholeheartedly against those three thousand Turkic cavalry."

"Hahahaha!"

A manic, wild laughter suddenly erupted on the city wall. The wall vibrated, and the layers of fat on Xu Tuibei’s body shook with it. His face was streaked with glistening tears.

"I thought I was finally leaving this place, but who would have thought I’d die in this hellhole instead!"

"Offering a glimmer of hope, only to stomp me back into the mud?"

"Hahaha, to hell with the Eternal Heaven, to hell with the Heavens themselves—this is hilarious!"

His crazed laughter gradually morphed into an angry roar. "Bring me my blade! I am in command now—does anyone have an objection?"

A giant Mo-dao, larger, heavier, and brighter than any standard issue, was heaved over and placed into his hands. At this moment, there were officials of the fifth rank present; by all rights, the command should not have fallen to a minor, scattered officer like him. Yet, no one dared voice an objection. A nearby general had just begun to open his mouth to rebuke him, but before he could finish a single word, Xu Tuibei cleaved him in two. Blood splattered across him.

In that instant, the laughing, roaring Xu Tuibei looked like a resurrected demon god. Only now did he seem truly alive. If he could not live the life he wanted, he would die the death he imagined. The current Xu Tuibei was beyond all restraint.

Pei Yunchu was stunned. Watching the incredibly calm Gu Liubai, who was thinking quietly, and the demonic Xu Tuibei, she realized this was their true nature. Only in such moments did they bare their fangs.

"No one is coming from Yangguan for the time being. Any carrier pigeons or falcons used for military intelligence must be grounded," Gu Liubai’s voice cut through the air.

"Why?" No one dared question the current Xu Tuibei, but there were certainly those who dared challenge this callow youth.

"The Tibetans aren't in a hurry to attack; they will surround Heishawa first. Yangguan can spare at most two or three thousand cavalry. If they come, they will be the first to be devoured," Gu Liubai said calmly. "Our Tang troops have suffered two major defeats against the Tibetans because of careless intelligence transmission. The golden eagles they raise aren't for sending messages—they are specifically trained to hunt our carrier pigeons and falcons. It’s all recorded in the military archives."

The man who had challenged him fell silent. Everyone on the wall looked at Gu Liubai with growing awe. The officials who knew Pei Yunchu’s identity assumed Gu Liubai was a strategist for the Pei family. He was just so young—and it was such a pity. Such a brilliant talent, yet destined to be lost here. Even with a fierce general like Xu Tuibei, the Pei family’s experts, and a strategist of such caliber, no one felt they would make it out of this city alive.

"How do we do this?" the demon-like Xu Tuibei asked Gu Liubai, blunt and direct. He would leave the morale to himself, but for everything else, he was happy to save his own brain and defer to Gu Liubai. Even in his previous postings, he had never met someone with a sharper mind or faster reflexes.

Gu Liubai spoke directly: "Keep only a few people on the towers. The walls aren't high enough; they won't attack immediately, but they will keep firing arrows to prevent anyone from escaping. Too many people on the walls means more casualties, and once morale breaks before the assault even begins, it’s over."

"Good! Jiang Zhe, have them bring up more hay bales to block the arrows, and soak them with water to prevent fire attacks."

"Xiao Wu, pick your men to stay here and drive the rest down."

"The city is going to fall, that’s certain. Set some traps inside and give them a proper welcome!"

"Move those crossbow carts and aim them directly at the city gates. When the gates break, give them a heart-chilling surprise."

Pei Yunchu gradually calmed down. For some reason, even though Xu Tuibei had openly stated the city would fall, the calm in Gu Liubai’s voice and the savage grin on Xu Tuibei’s face made her feel less afraid.

Li Xizhi appeared beside Gu Liubai. Before she could stop him, this trusted aide who had always obeyed her every word bowed to Gu Liubai and asked softly, "Do you think there’s any hope of sending some people out first?"

"I don't believe that is the right choice," Gu Liubai shook his head. "I know you want to send Pei Yunchu away, but her staying here boosts the morale of the entire city. If you let her leave, the troops will lose heart, and there won't be a shred of hope left."

"Where does that leave me?" Pei Yunchu realized what he was implying and sneered at Li Xizhi. "If you say that again, I will have them kill you first."

"If killing him were useful, I would have done it already." Gu Liubai stopped Pei Yunchu with a look. He began to laugh. A thick, chilling murderous intent flowed in his eyes. He looked at Li Xizhi slowly and calmly. "On a night like this, how the enemy maneuvers, how far horses can run with or without a heavy load—Xu Tuibei knows this better than you. If he thinks we have to die here, then believe me: unless we all abandon this city and sacrifice our lives to help you, you will not make it to Yangguan."

The youth, who had always seemed so gentle, finally bared his fangs.

"Either stay and fight to the death with us, or I will have you killed first."