Chapter 21: Cut Them Down—Strike at Every Sight, Leave No One Behind!

Five hundred meters away, the Rongdi camp flickered with scattered firelight. Patrolling soldiers moved silently like ghosts, their torches casting faint, intermittent glimmers.

“Chief Liu, are we really going to strike from here?” Zhao Ergou leaned in to ask.

General Liu looked at Zhao Ergou, aware that this reckless fellow had been acting wildly lately, a desperate man who threw caution to the wind in battle. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Five hundred meters is too far! Too much noise! We’ll only alert the enemy!” Zhao Ergou spoke without hesitation. Though brash, he was not without sense.

If this were his previous life, a young man running five hundred meters would be gasping for breath, exhausted before even reaching the Rongdi camp gate—a sure recipe for failure.

Though the Qin soldiers were far more disciplined, Zhao Ergou firmly insisted, “One hundred meters! We must get within one hundred meters before striking!”

“You’re talking nonsense! How can you get that close without being killed?” General Liu scoffed, his beard bristling as he glared.

“Chief Liu, I have a plan! Silent as the grave, I guarantee it!” Zhao Ergou pounded his chest with confidence.

His “plan” was naturally to sneak in himself.

He was eager to test his killing spirit, after all.

“You?” General Liu looked incredulous.

“I swear an oath of military duty! If I fail, bring my head!” Zhao Ergou threw caution to the wind.

Five hundred meters was too far.

If their side lost cohesion or was discovered early, the chance to slaughter these Rongdi dogs would be lost.

Where would the fun be in that?

“Fine! Since you dare swear an oath, bring your men to within one hundred meters of the enemy camp,” General Liu relented, admiring such boldness. He wanted to see if the famed Zhao Ergou truly had the skills.

Hearing this, Zhao Ergou chuckled, “Chief, just watch! Zhao Ergou always delivers!”

Turning to his comrades, he whispered, “Brothers! The time to make our mark has come! Follow me and let these bastards across the way know who really rules this battlefield!”

“Captain, isn’t this too risky?” Luo Datong expressed some concern.

“Risky? Old Luo, following me means living on the edge!” Zhao Ergou slapped Luo Datong’s shoulder heartily, laughing boldly. “Don’t be a coward, whining and stalling!”

He released Luo Datong’s shoulder and swept his gaze over the group, eyes blazing with unwavering confidence. “Listen carefully! When I act, you act the same! Anyone who chickens out, don’t blame me for turning my back on you!”

On the battlefield, courage wins. Without spirit, death comes swiftly.

“Yes, sir!” The men, fired by Zhao Ergou’s passion, answered in unison.

“Move out!” With a grand gesture, Zhao Ergou was the first to slip forward.

His lithe figure moved like a leopard, dashing through the night like a gale.

“Keep up! Don’t fall behind!” He urged excitedly as he ran.

If not for the distance from the Rongdi camp and the cover of darkness, they would have been spotted immediately.

But all was as Zhao Ergou had anticipated.

The soldiers followed closely, ignited by his fervor, each burning with eagerness to charge the enemy lines.

When they were about a hundred and fifty meters from the camp, Zhao Ergou suddenly halted.

“Hide here!” he whispered, though his tone still brimmed with confidence and control.

The men scattered quickly, each finding cover with swift, precise movements.

Zhao Ergou surveyed the terrain, pointing to a small earth mound ahead. “You, Luo Datong, and the squad leaders—come with me to sneak forward. The rest stay put.”

“Yes, sir!” the group answered without hesitation, placing trust in Zhao Ergou’s proven prowess.

This was the benefit of his past daring exploits.

Crouching low, Zhao Ergou moved swiftly toward the mound like a gust of wind.

Luo Datong and the others followed close behind, knowing following Zhao Ergou was the safest bet.

Peering beyond the mound, Zhao Ergou quickly assessed the enemy camp.

“Hmph, these bastards are pretty alert,” he sneered, a confident smirk curling his lips. “But before me, they’re all paper tigers!”

Rongdi soldiers patrolled closely with torches, circling the camp.

However, they did not patrol beyond a certain perimeter.

They lay in wait, biding their time. Zhao Ergou said, “We hold for now. When they’re tired and careless, we strike.”

As a soldier, Zhao Ergou knew well the value of patience.

Though he could charge recklessly, he was only one man—not a fool who would gamble his life lightly.

Naturally, the key was to kill as many Rongdi dogs as possible. “I’ll set fire soon,” he added.

The men waited patiently, while Zhao Ergou’s thoughts wandered. “I wonder if the system counts Rongdi soldiers killed by fire as kills...”

Half an hour passed. The night wind howled across the borderlands, whipping up dust that stung General Liu’s face.

But he merely brushed the dirt away, his sharp gaze fixed steadily on the distance, showing no impatience.

“General Ya, do you think that fellow has run off with the troops?” a company commander couldn’t help but voice his doubt and unease, breaking the heavy silence.

General Liu spun around sharply, his eyes slicing through the commander like blades. “Nonsense! The man I trust is no coward! Speak such nonsense again and face military justice!”

The commander shrank back, silenced by Liu’s imposing presence.

Time slipped away, the night deepening like a vast, black curtain covering the land.

In the Rongdi camp, footsteps of patrolling soldiers grew sparse, their vigilance slackening, swaying as if drunk.

They had painstakingly crawled the last hundred meters over the course of an hour, their armor weighing like a thousand pounds, each step like walking on knife’s edge.

“What time is it now?” Zhao Ergou whispered, excitement barely concealed, as if a grand spectacle was about to begin.

“Six quarters past the second watch, two quarters before the third,” Luo Datong replied steadily.

Zhao Ergou grinned, flashing perfect white teeth. “Good! Three o’clock! The perfect time to carve them up!”

“Listen up! When we rush in, Tu Dakang, you lead a squad to set fire—burn this lousy camp to the ground!”

“Luo Datong, you lead the others to slash—kill every one you see! Leave no survivors! Understand?”

Though his voice was low, Zhao Ergou’s words carried immense power and rousing conviction.

“Understood!” Tu Dakang and Luo Datong responded together, their voices tinged with excitement and fervor.