Chapter 65: Shen Lian: I Suspect He is PUA-ing Me!

Lu Wenzhao's men, who had been fighting alongside Chang Zhi's subordinates, immediately stopped their Embroidered Uniform Guard sabers at the words and cast suspicious glances at those beside them.

Chang Zhi's and Du Rong's men also heard Lu Wenzhao's shout. Taken aback, they cast vigilant gazes at the others.

Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, Wang Lu bellowed, "What are you waiting for! Kill them!"

Xue Jing and the others snapped out of their daze, lunged forward recklessly, and started hacking away with their blades.

Meanwhile, Lu Wenzhao's men had confirmed their commander's intent, especially since Du Rong had already been slain by Lu Wenzhao himself.

Du Rong's corpse provoked his subordinates, causing these men to immediately turn their weapons and charge toward Lu Wenzhao.

"Avenge Commander Du!" a hundred-man commander roared as he lunged at Lu Wenzhao.

Yet Xue Jing, who had been fighting him moments before, did not hesitate. He lunged straight forward and slashed at the man's back.

Two banner leaders under Lu Wenzhao rushed over, driving their blades simultaneously into the hundred-man commander's chest and waist.

As they yanked their blades free, unleashing a torrent of blood, the hundred-man commander collapsed with a heavy thud.

Because of Lu Wenzhao's betrayal, the tide of the battle began to turn decisively.

Lu Wenzhao also rushed toward Wang Lu's direction, shouting, "I've come to help you!"

At this moment, Chang Zhi's eyes split with rage. He rapidly retreated, cut down two banner leaders, and fled toward the direction of the armory.

"Shen Lian!" Wang Lu yelled at the top of his lungs, "Shoot him!"

Shen Lian's flying-kill crossbow—charged to its maximum strength—instantly took aim as his finger lightly squeezed the trigger.

The crossbow string tightened with a series of wooden twangs, and the next moment, carrying a lethal intent, it flew toward Chang Zhi.

Chang Zhi crashed to the ground instantly. Xue Jing, who was closest to him, sprang forward abruptly, a flash of elation crossing his eyes. He swiftly grabbed Chang Zhi by the back of the neck and lopped off his head with a single stroke of his blade.

"Chang Zhi is dead! Surrender immediately!" Xue Jing shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Watch out!"

A banner leader wielding a broadsword approached from behind Xue Jing, preparing to bring it down.

Wang Lu hurled the long saber in his hand straight forward!

Hearing Wang Lu's shout, Xue Jing spun around swiftly, only to see a blood-stained, battered blade slashing toward his neck. There was no time to parry.

In the nick of time, a Miao saber whizzed past, kicking up a fierce gust of wind as it knocked the broadsword away.

Having narrowly escaped death, the surviving Xue Jing immediately thrust his blade forward, driving the tip deep into the banner leader's stomach.

Xue Jing charged forward, forcing his opponent backward until they pinned him against the wall of the Secret Order Hall.

Bang!

Following the muffled impact, blood poured uncontrollably from the banner leader's mouth, staining his teeth a crimson red, and the light of life rapidly vanished from his eyes.

"Chang Zhi is dead! Cease your resistance!" Wang Lu shouted as he snatched the Red Silk saber from Lu Wenzhao's grasp.

Lu Wenzhao froze for a second, about to resist, but hesitated and let go instead.

Wang Lu hacked down a desperate hundred-man commander who rushed at him. Ignoring the blood-spattered battlefield, he charged straight to Xue Jing's side and came to a halt.

Taking the severed head from Xue Jing's hand, Wang Lu roared once more, "Chang Zhi is dead!"

Hiding near the drainage outlet in the corner of the wall, Lin Guo'er chimed in and shouted, "Your commander is dead! Chang Zhi is dead!"

"Chang Zhi is dead!" Wang Lu's remaining subordinates snapped to their senses and joined in the chorus.

The two warring factions slowly ceased fighting and separated. A group gathered around Wang Lu, while the remaining seven men were all that was left of Chang Zhi's and Du Rong's subordinates.

"My lord, your saber." Yue Qian retrieved Wang Lu's weapon and handed it back to him.

Seeing Wang Lu retrieve his blade, Lu Wenzhao reached out to take back his own.

Ignoring him completely, Wang Lu took a step forward to sidestep Lu Wenzhao and addressed the survivors: "Chang Zhi is dead. Why haven't you laid down your arms and surrendered? Do you really intend to die with him?"

The men looked at each other in hesitation, unable to make up their minds.

Wang Lu sneered, "Chang Zhi was shot in the back just now. He abandoned you without a second thought, and yet you still want to throw your lives away for him? You must know that combined, you are no match for me! Drop your weapons and follow me from now on!"

"Surrender and your lives will be spared!" Yue Qian took the lead and shouted.

After a moment of hesitation, the first man finally dropped his saber to the ground.

Clang—

Clang—

The sound of metal blades striking the bluestone bricks echoed incessantly.

Wang Lu nodded with satisfaction, walked up to the man who had dropped his weapon first, and asked, "What is your name?"

"Geng Er, deputy commander under Du Rong," the tough man replied.

Wang Lu nodded, slung an arm around the man's shoulders as he walked back to his own people, and asked, "You know where Du Rong's and Chang Zhi's residences are, don't you?"

Though puzzled, Geng Er nodded anyway.

Standing by Wang Lu's side, Yue Qian asked, "My lord, how should we deal with the rest of them?"

Wang Lu glanced back at them, pondered for a moment, and said, "Keep two who can clearly explain Chang Zhi's and Du Rong's rebellion. Kill the rest."

The remaining six men panicked instantly. One of them, driven to rage by humiliation, snapped, "You tricked us!"

Even as he spoke, Yue Qian and his men had already charged forward. As the cursing man hastily scrambled to pick up his blade, Yue Qian brought his saber down in a fierce arc.

A severed hand instantly hit the ground.

Blood spurted wildly, and before the man could finish screaming while clutching his severed wrist, Yue Qian decapitated him with a single sweep.

The rest of the captives were quickly subdued as well.

With the situation securely under control, Wang Lu summoned Shen Lian and the others into the official yamen.

"Gather all our men. Raid Du Rong's and Chang Zhi's houses. Shen Lian, lead the operation."

Wang Lu sat in the seat formerly occupied by Xu Xianchun, looking down from above.

Shen Lian, lost in thought for a moment, cupped his fists and said, "I am wounded. It would be better to let someone else handle this."

Wang Lu shook his head and replied, "You are the one I trust most here. Whether it's your ability or your character, I can't find a second person like you. But since you say so, I cannot disregard your health. Then let..."

Wang Lu looked toward Yue Qian, Xue Jing, and the others. They, too, were covered in wounds and looked utterly wretched.

"I'll go," Shen Lian said, following Wang Lu's gaze and finally giving in as he took in the miserable state of the others.

"But what about your injuries?" Wang Lu asked with a worried expression.

"It's nothing," Shen Lian answered.

Knowing Shen Lian's constitution was remarkably resilient, Wang Lu nodded and said, "Keep twenty percent of the confiscated property from the raids."

"There's no need," Shen Lian refused flatly.

Wang Lu did not press the matter and directly ordered Shen Lian to assemble the troops.

"Yue Qian, Xue Jing, take Commander Lu's men and deal with the people outside. No news of what happened here is to leak out. Afterward, arrange for our men from the commandery to come over and take over the defense of the Commander-in-Chief's yamen."

Yue Qian and Xue Jing looked at Lu Wenzhao, who pulled out a tally token and tossed it over, saying, "Seeing this token is the same as seeing me."

Once Yue Qian and the others departed, the faint sounds of shouting drifted in from outside.

Lu Wenzhao and Wang Lu sat in silence for a short while until the outside grew quiet. Only then did Lu Wenzhao speak, "Can I have my saber back now?"

Wang Lu leaned forward, sizing him up as he asked, "Commander Lu, could you tell me what was going on in your head? You fought me first, then halfway through you helped me out. What's this? Did you realize you couldn't beat me, so you decided to turn over a new leaf?"

Lu Wenzhao let out a cold hum. Seeing that Wang Lu had no intention of returning his weapon, he said with a sullen expression, "Regardless of everything, I helped you. Otherwise, your men would all be dead, and no matter how good your saber techniques are, what could you have done?"

Wang Lu smiled. "I admit you helped me, but your logic is flawed. Even without you, I still could have taken care of Chang Zhi, Du Rong, and the small fry under them."

"Believe whatever you like. I don't want to bicker with you in a place like this. The only reason you're keeping me here right now is because you don't want the other commanders to take advantage of the chaos and muscle in, isn't it?"

Lu Wenzhao raised his head with absolute confidence and said, "Wang Lu, let's cooperate."

Wang Lu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Still not giving up?"

"Heh," Lu Wenzhao's lips curled into a smirk as he said, "The Emperor is about to pass away."