Chapter 110: The Strategy of the Isolated City

The shadows of wolves undulated, their fur bristling as the wolf soldiers gradually surrounded the outskirts of Soulfall Valley.

Here, the shade of the trees was unusually dense, and the earth beneath was foul and rank, a nauseating blend of fishy stench and the odor of decay, mingled faintly with the forest’s natural fragrance. The closer one ventured into the valley, the heavier and more unbearable the smell became, for Soulfall Valley was like a vast conch shell, closed off from the outside world. The deeper one went, the louder the wind howled.

It felt as if the rotting corpses themselves were circling around.

Perhaps because of this, a faint white mist drifted through the valley. Although it appeared thin and wispy, the mist was impenetrable to the eye, obscuring the true form of what lay within.

Moreover, the mist was more than just malodorous. A single breath could induce a dizzying vertigo. Corpse qi, inherently a foul and sinister force, had accumulated here over countless years, mingling with the damp, gloomy atmosphere.

If any practitioners of dark arts or demons practiced their craft here, they might well conjure some malevolent entity. After all, this place was the very prototype of a cursed ground.

“The scent of the Young Wolf Lord vanished right here,” an elder wolf soldier said, frowning as he sniffed, nodding in confirmation.

“But the stench is so overpowering, we can no longer trace the scent.”

The One-Eyed Wolf glanced at the moss-covered, rock-strewn mountain walls on either side and the thick white mist before him. In a low, gravelly voice, he asked, “Are they trying to play the empty city ruse?”

The tale of the Zhuge family playing the zither atop the city tower, with the gates wide open to repel Sima Yi’s army, was a widely known story.

Though the story had many odd points—such as why no scouts were sent inside to investigate or why no arrows were shot at the player atop the tower—the One-Eyed Wolf, battle-hardened and experienced, would never repeat such mistakes. While Sima Yi’s army pressed the siege, so too did the One-Eyed Wolf command a formidable force. With the advantage on his side, there was no need for undue caution.

“Send a few wolf soldiers in to scout, spread them out, and have them alert us immediately if anything happens,” he paused. “Send others to climb the mountain walls on both sides. I want to see—are they truly feigning an empty city, or is it genuinely empty?”

In these dense woodlands, the wolf soldiers naturally held the advantage. Even if there were ambushes, they might not be effective. But the One-Eyed Wolf was cautious and meticulous, never acting rashly.

Due to the peculiar topography of Soulfall Valley, the miasma flowed both ways, so from the upper reaches of the valley walls, visibility was somewhat clearer.

Soon, strange wolf howls echoed, signals indicating no enemies were present.

The One-Eyed Wolf frowned, just as the scouts preparing to enter returned with news. Suddenly, three faint metallic scraping sounds rang out, and within moments, three heads rolled onto the ground—eyes wide open, bloodied, lifeless.

Chaos erupted among the wolf soldiers. Some, growing impatient, raised bows and loosed arrows into the mist.

The One-Eyed Wolf remained unmoved. He thought more deeply than anyone else. The enemy would not truly dare play the empty city trick. He would never order a retreat. So what exactly was the opponent’s intent?

“Wei, what’s the plan? We can’t just stand by and watch,” Luo Yi began to grow restless.

“Are you thinking of sending more men to their deaths? They’re not Zhuge Liang,” the One-Eyed Wolf frowned. Zhuge Liang’s forces were not as formidable. Sending more wolf soldiers in would only mean piling up casualties.

If he himself went in, would it not give the enemy a chance to divide and conquer?

Luo Dun was being held up by three wolf soldiers—not only to protect the martial arts apprentices but also because he was slow and easily restrained by the wolves.

For a grand pugilist, a mere handful of wolf soldiers posed little threat.

Suddenly, he understood the enemy’s intent. Given the pugilist’s strength, even if it wasn’t an empty city, he could easily create the illusion of one.

If their numerical advantage was fully unleashed, could there really be no trap?

Caught in a dilemma, the One-Eyed Wolf’s hand throbbed with a faint but persistent pain. His irritation deepened, but he forced himself to endure, determined to discern the nature of this trick.

Just then, urgent wolf howls echoed from the valley’s ridge. The soldiers grew more agitated. The message was clear—Zhao Pi’er had been brought out by the enemy!

The milky-white corpse mist appeared pristine, yet it carried an indescribable revulsion, as if steeped in mountains of blood and death.

Within the mist, faintly, Kou Li’s voice sounded—

“Before you killed Bao’er, didn’t you hear his words? Fierce flames, wolves howling in the fire, your death will be the most miserable—not only burned, but with your limbs severed and your eyeballs gouged out…”

“I will make sure his last wish is fulfilled!”

“Ahhhhh!!!”

“My eyeballs! How dare you—”

“My father will never forgive you! The Water Dragon Gang will never forgive you!!!”

A continuous stream of wails and screams echoed from within the mist, accompanied by the acrid scent of burning flesh. The wolf soldiers burned with rage and frustration, and even the leading wolves’ faces darkened.

“How long are we going to wait? We can’t just watch Zhao Pi’er burn alive. Don’t forget, his father is the Grand Elder of the Wolf Clan. Even if you have a prince’s protection, it won’t help,” Luo Yi urged.

“Do you think I’m ignorant? They want us to enter. I’ve already prepared to call for reinforcements with longbows and crossbows for a flawless ambush. Wait—”

The One-Eyed Wolf’s heart jolted. Had he truly fallen for their empty city ruse? How could such a small group of martial arts remnants have arranged a trap so quickly?

Was this a feint to distract while others escaped under cover?

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