Chapter 26: No, I Am Here to Kill You

"Shut up!"

Ji Ci suddenly covered his mouth, refusing to let him make such a desperate vow.

"You fool, I am here to save you; how could you use such words to threaten me!"

Dongfang Jibai let out a low chuckle, taking the opportunity to press him down into the silk quilt. For a moment, the cave was filled with tender affection.

At the cave entrance, a small flower bloomed quietly, stealing a glance at the two in their intimacy. As dew dripped down, the flower shivered, its petals trembling as it reached upward, thirsting for more.

Outside, Deputy General Sun was searching for him like a madman.

Yet, at this moment, the Great General was lost in a world of tenderness, giving no thought to the fate of the vast army.

"Found him! The General is here!"

Deputy General Sun stumbled toward the spot, only to see a man wearing Dongfang Jibai’s armor. The man's face was shredded by tree branches, and a guttural, wheezing sound emerged from his throat.

It was the body double Bai Yi had arranged in advance.

This man was originally a prisoner on death row for the rape of a young girl, a criminal who should have been executed by Dongfang Jibai himself.

Bai Yi had discovered that the man’s stature was similar to the General’s, so he spared his life, keeping him locked in a dark dungeon for an entire year. Every day, he forced the man to practice wielding swords, even going so far as to replicate the old scars on his body.

Before sending him here, Bai Yi fed him mute-inducing medicine and used poison to destroy his intellect.

Now, the man was illiterate, recognized no one, and possessed no sense of self. With his face ruined beyond recognition—even by his own mother—there was no risk of his identity being exposed.

Deputy General Sun roared with reddened eyes, tearing off his own cloak to wrap the broken body. "Military surgeon! Quick—!"

When 'Dongfang Jibai' was carried back into the encampment, the entire camp erupted.

Bai Yi lunged toward the stretcher, his hands trembling as he gripped the blood-stained armor of 'Dongfang Jibai,' his eyes bloodshot. "General!"

His voice was hoarse, filled with such profound grief that anyone watching would have believed his sincerity was absolute.

Shiwu stood to the side, his brows tightly knitted.

Everything was going too smoothly—so smoothly that it made his skin crawl.

Dongfang Jibai… had he really fallen just like that?

Looking at these injuries, even a legendary immortal would struggle to save him. Could it really be that simple?

The military surgeon hurried over, and after a thorough examination, he shook his head with a grave expression. "The face is destroyed beyond recovery; the right arm is fractured and will never lift heavy objects again; the legs are shattered—I fear... he will never stand again."

Dong Ming, unwilling to believe it, stepped forward to verify for himself—the position of the wounds, the traces of old scars, the calluses on the palms—everything matched perfectly.

It appeared to be Dongfang Jibai, without a doubt.

Yet, he still felt that something was wrong, though he couldn't put his finger on it.

"His brain has suffered trauma, and his mind is clouded; I fear he no longer recognizes anyone," the surgeon sighed heavily, his tone weighted with despair.

How could their great General end up like this? The Great Zhou was in grave danger.

Bai Yi fell to his knees abruptly, clutching the surgeon’s sleeve with a death grip, his voice choking with sobs. "Please, save the General! You must have a way, don't you?"

He looked as if the surgeon were his last straw of hope.

If Ji Ci were here, he certainly would have awarded Bai Yi an Oscar.

The surgeon shook his head. "Guard Bai, I am powerless. If the Divine Physician Wang were here, perhaps he could try. But the General’s legs are beyond saving."

The surgeon pushed Bai Yi’s hands away to treat the wounds of 'Dongfang Jibai.'

Shiwu’s eyes remained fixed on Bai Yi’s back. Judging by Bai Yi’s reaction, the man lying there was undoubtedly Dongfang Jibai.

"Where is the Divine Physician Wang? I will go find him." Shiwu stepped forward to help Bai Yi to his feet.

"Medicine King Valley," Bai Yi said, looking up with tears in his eyes. "Shiwu, you must bring him back!"

Shiwu nodded, turned, and strode away.

Dong Ming let out a cold hum. "Now that the army is without its commander, what are we to do?"

Gao Tou stood with his arms crossed, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "The General left standing orders—if he were to meet with misfortune, Deputy General Sun is to take command of military affairs, and the entire army is to hold its position, forbidden from launching any attacks."

He glanced at Dong Ming and continued, "The Northern Di are currently severely weakened, and there are no survivors at Yixiantian; no one knows that the General has met with misfortune. We need only follow orders."

"Words have no proof. Did the General leave a letter?" Dong Ming pressed aggressively.

Deputy General Gao laughed coldly. "Are you in a position to question the General’s orders? Deputy General Dong, you are overstepping your bounds."

The two were at daggers drawn, the atmosphere suddenly taut.

Deputy General Gao pushed Dong Ming aside, the armor on his body clattering, and looked down at him. "Issue the order: guard the commander’s tent. If anyone suspicious approaches, execute them on the spot."

Dong Ming’s hands clenched tightly. As a Deputy General himself, why was he forbidden from seeing him!

He was determined to see!

As he approached the desk of 'Dongfang Jibai,' before Dong Ming could reach out, Deputy General Sun burst in with murderous intent and punched him square in the face.

"Dong Ming, you animal! Was it you who provoked the General, forcing him to act as bait for the enemy? You’ve stood by the General through life and death for five years, you’ve watched him grow—how could you be so heartless?"

The two immediately began to brawl, eschewing weapons, trading heavy blows, neither holding back.

Dong Ming did not yield; they traded blows until both their faces were bruised and bloodied.

Outside the tent, Deputy General Chen Qian listened to the commotion within. He quietly lifted the curtain, then slowly let it fall, ordering, "Guard the tent well. Do not allow anyone to enter."

"Yes, Deputy General Chen."

The two fought for a long time until they collapsed to the ground, exhausted, finally stopping.

Inside the tent, Gao Tou watched the two gasping on the floor with cold eyes, mocking, "If you have so much energy to spare, you would be better off killing some Northern Di to avenge the General."

On the bed, the fingers of 'Dongfang Jibai' twitched slightly. He could hear the sounds nearby, but he could not speak.

Aside from the surgeon who treated his wounds, no one in the army paid him any heed.

He realized that he was now the General, possessing the high-ranking status he had longed for, yet he was also the target of so many people's schemes.

So, it turned out that those at the top did not have it easy either.

He now regretted laying his evil hands on that young girl.

Was it regret? Perhaps not; he was simply afraid of death.

Outside the tent, Bai Yi stared into the distance. The General had fallen from such a great height; it was likely he was doomed.

But the General had the little fox with him. He didn't know how powerful the little fox was, but he suspected the creature was an immortal.

A fox immortal.

From the first time the General warned him never to speak of anything bizarre happening around him, Bai Yi knew that he was the one Dongfang Jibai trusted most.

Elsewhere.

Shiwu galloped on his horse. Before he even reached Medicine King Valley, he encountered several men in black surrounding a young man in colorful robes, attacking him.

"Stop it, I’m just a doctor!" the man cried out, dodging in a panic.

Shiwu narrowed his eyes, a cold sneer tugging at the corners of his lips—Wang Feng? How convenient.

He hadn't even begun his search, and the Divine Physician Wang had delivered himself right to his door.

He spurred his horse forward, his sword flashed, and the men in black fell to the ground.

"Are you Wang Feng?" Shiwu asked.

Wang Feng’s clothes were already in tatters. Shaken and breathless, he immediately ran to Shiwu. "Yes, yes, I am Wang Feng! Did Jibai send you to fetch me?"

"No," Shiwu said, slowly drawing his sword, its cold light reflecting in his icy eyes. "I’m here to kill you."

The blade pierced through his chest, blood spraying three feet into the air.

Wang Feng’s eyes widened, and he stumbled backward. "It’s you? You traitor..."