Volume 1, Chapter 25: Who Is the Traitor?

Zhenbei Pass stands like a colossal beast crouching on the northern frontier. Its walls, rising over thirty feet high, are covered in the gouges of arrowheads and dried scabs of blood. A cold wind whistles by, carrying stinging snow, and the flags atop the battlements snap violently, as if the souls of countless fallen warriors were wailing in the gale.

This is the northernmost barrier of the Great Liang, the final iron gate holding back the armored cavalry of Northern Yan.

The commanding general, Xiao Lie, holds the imperial title of General for Pacifying the Borders and is a renowned practitioner of the Blood-Refining Realm in the north. Rumor has it that he has tempered his vital essence to its peak, capable of unleashing sixty-five hundred pounds of force with ease. He once held the city gate alone, single-handedly repelling three thousand Northern Yan cavalrymen; even the Wolf King of Northern Yan holds him in fear. To the people of the Great Liang, Xiao Lie is the anchor of the frontier. As long as he stands, Zhenbei Pass will never fall.

It was not until the Hour of the Ox (1:00 AM to 3:00 AM) that Zhang Muyang and Su Ying, accompanying the reinforcements from Sifang County, finally arrived at Zhenbei Pass. However, the gates were bolted shut. Thousands of reinforcement troops from surrounding counties were huddled in the darkness beneath the walls, held back by guards at a distance of thirty feet, shivering in the snow, none permitted to draw near.

"Wait here. No moving about," commanded Battalion Commander Wu Kexiong. He dismounted, taking only Chen Xiucheng, Liu Yunzhao, and three squad leaders into the city.

The freezing wind bit like a knife, the snow penetrating deep into one's bones.

"Dammit, if they won't open the gates, do they expect us to freeze to death out here?"
"Shh... keep it down! Didn't you see the archers on the ramparts? Two men from Jingyang County tried to flee yesterday and were turned into pincushions on the spot."
"Still better than freezing to death like this."

The veteran soldiers grumbled, rubbing their frostbitten fingers and glancing toward the walls, yet no one dared to leave. The fate of those who disobeyed orders was far worse than the cold.

Zhang Muyang whispered, "Zhang Ying, are you cold?"
Su Ying shook her head, her brow furrowed. "I have a bad feeling... something is wrong."
"Let's stay on our guard."
"Understood."

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the gate finally cracked open. Wu Kexiong remounted and cracked his whip. "Men of Sifang County, follow me!"

Where to? Why? The soldiers dared not ask, following in silence.

Only after traveling several miles, far from the lights of the pass, did Wu Kexiong shout, "Halt!"

The sound of hooves ceased instantly. Wu Kexiong reined in his horse and laughed heartily. "There are thousands of reinforcements from across the region, but we in Sifang County have the best luck—we’ve been assigned by Deputy General Wang Shibei to guard Hufeng Pass!"

Hufeng Pass is a strategic location with high walls and rugged terrain, long considered the safest defensive post. The new recruits breathed a collective sigh of relief, and even the veterans wore smiles. Who doesn't want to survive? Guarding a secure post is far better than being cannon fodder on the front lines. The atmosphere lightened, with some even whispering and joking.

However, Zhang Muyang and Su Ying exchanged glances, both seeing the turbulent storm in the other's eyes.

Earlier, when the two were gathering herbs in the mountains for Yang Wenjuan, they encountered four Yan scouts disguised as hunters. They killed them and discovered a map of the Zhenbei Pass defenses and a secret letter: *Drugging the victory wine at the end of the year, setting fire to the granaries, using torches as a signal—the Northern Yan army would then breach Hufeng Pass...*

Everything now seemed to be unfolding exactly as the secret letter had predicted. What appeared safe was, in reality, a death trap. How were they to tell Battalion Commander Wu?

The unit trudged through the deep snow until the horizon paled with the first light of dawn, finally arriving at Hufeng Pass. The walls here were imposing, and five hundred meters ahead lay a riverbed. However, in the bitter cold, the river was frozen solid. The secret letter had stated this would be the breakthrough point for the Northern Yan army.

Wu Kexiong pulled his horse to a stop, pointing his whip toward the distant walls. "Old Chen, see that? A year ago, eight hundred Northern Yan cavalry tried to raid Hufeng Pass. I held it for seven days and nights with a hundred men. When our arrows ran out, we threw boulders until the enemy corpses were piled higher than the walls!"

Chen Xiucheng bowed. "Who in the north does not know of your fame, Commander?"

Wu Kexiong sighed. "Being sent to guard this place is a stroke of luck. Hufeng Pass is easy to defend and hard to attack; the brothers can finally get some rest."

They began to build fires and prepare meals; everything seemed perfectly normal. But Zhang Muyang was truly desperate. He did not care for the lives of the other soldiers, but if Hufeng Pass fell, neither he, nor Su Ying, nor the youths of Zhang Village would survive.

"Wait for me," Zhang Muyang said to Su Ying and Zhang Xiaobei, turning to leave.
"Are you really going to storm in there?" Su Ying grabbed him, whispering, "At least one of those five squad leaders is an accomplice of Wei Wutong."
Zhang Muyang sneered. "Whoever he is, I’ll make him show his fox tail."
"But if you expose the secret letter now, he will surely kill you to silence you."
"Good, that's exactly what I'm hoping for!"
"You... hmph, don't expect me to bury you quickly if you die." Su Ying let go and turned her head away with a cold snort.

What a stubborn, soft-hearted woman. Zhang Muyang smiled, walked to the command tent, and shouted, "Report!"

Outside, the personal guards blocked his path with drawn blades. "The Commander is in a meeting. Get back!"
"I have military intelligence of the utmost urgency!"
"You're courting death!"
"Move!"

Zhang Muyang dropped his shoulder and slammed into the guards, tearing open the tent flap and barging inside. Inside, Wu Kexiong sat behind a desk, clutching a map. He glared as the intruder entered. Surrounding the desk were five squad leaders, their faces grim, hands resting on their hilts. Only Chen Xiucheng looked surprised.

"Commander!" Zhang Muyang knelt on one knee. "I have a vital report concerning the survival of Hufeng Pass!"

Wu Kexiong’s eyes flashed with a cold light. He subconsciously rubbed an old scar on his sword hilt—a habit he had before killing. "You dare interrupt a military council? Drag him out and execute him!"

Two guards stepped forward, grabbing Zhang Muyang’s arms to drag him away.

"Squad Leader Chen!" Zhang Muyang shouted urgently.
"Wait..." Chen Xiucheng raised an eyebrow and bowed. "Commander, this is Zhang Muyang, a section leader under my command. He is usually reliable. Perhaps we should hear what he has to say before executing him."
Wu Kexiong snorted. "Fine. Speak! If you are spouting nonsense, I will cut you down myself!"

Zhang Muyang did not speak immediately. Instead, he looked up, his gaze sweeping across the five squad leaders with a sharpness that made them uneasy.

"What are you looking at? These are brothers who have lived and died with me. They are trustworthy!" Wu Kexiong barked. "Speak!"

Zhang Muyang knelt and bowed. "Commander, I intercepted a secret letter from Northern Yan... there is a traitor in our ranks!"
Wu Kexiong slammed his hand on the desk. "Nonsense! My men are all iron-willed warriors!"
"I would not dare speak falsehoods," Zhang Muyang said, staring at the squad leaders. "The scout said before he died... there will be a signal torch at Hufeng Pass at the Hour of the Rat tonight."

"The little beast dares to slander the Commander!" Squad Leader Shi Changming suddenly drew his sword.
"Do you have proof?" Wu Kexiong stared at Zhang Muyang, his eyes frigid.
"I do!"

Zhang Muyang keenly noticed Shi Changming’s gaze linger for a fraction of a second on the wax seal of the secret letter, and his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

*Ha!*

Zhang Muyang no longer hesitated. He pulled the oilcloth-wrapped map and letter from his tunic and presented them with both hands. "Commander, look..."

The map and letter were indeed genuine. Wu Kexiong glanced at them, his pupils constricting. The letter bore the wax seal of the Northern Yan Wolf King—a mark he had seen on the battlefield three years ago; it could not be a forgery. But General Xiao had only ordered a reassignment of the city defenses last month; how could the maps have leaked?

Chen Xiucheng, Liu Yunzhao, and the others gathered around. Upon seeing the contents, their faces turned deathly pale.

Squad Leader Shi Changming’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. His voice was hurried. "Commander, the origin of these maps is unknown. It is likely a trick by the Yan thieves!"

*Clang!*

Wu Kexiong drew his blade, his voice sharp. "Speak! Where did you get this map and letter?"

The tent fell into a deathly silence, save for the crackling of the brazier.

Shi Changming lunged forward. "Commander, this boy broke into the military tent—he is surely an accomplice of the Yan!"

His voice was hoarse as he swung his blade toward Zhang Muyang’s throat...