All Friends Here, and I Still Got Beaten Up

This surging, majestic display pleased Pei Wugou greatly.

The soldiers of Pukou City still had their fighting spirit.

Originally, he alone could easily defeat Ren Tianye, but now that these soldiers proved so effective, his confidence in defeating Ren Tianye soared even higher.

He issued another military order, telling the men to go rest and prepare to throw open the city gates at dawn the next day to settle the score with Ren Tianye’s forces.

The men roared in agreement.

Except… not a single one of them actually went back to the barracks to rest.

This was the perfect chance to coordinate—those who needed to connive with the city defense forces did so, and those who needed to scramble for a spot in the city’s defense roster did that instead.

Who would sleep at a time like this?

After a night of scheming, dawn broke.

Pei Wugou’s orders came: the entire army was to form ranks, and the city gates were thrown wide open.

Out of the city… they would meet the enemy!

Each man, with red-rimmed eyes from lack of sleep, marched out in high spirits.

When Wu Xingzhou, stationed outside the city, heard from his soldiers that the city gates had opened, his first instinct was that he hadn’t woken up yet.

Ever since his last clash below the walls of Pukou, when Zhou Xiong shot and killed his wife Wanqing and he fled in defeat, the city gates had remained tightly shut.

His task, as redemption for his failure, had been to ride to the city gates every day to taunt and provoke.

On one hand, he hoped to enrage Zhou Xiong into opening the gates.

On the other hand, he needed to buy time for Zhang Shi and facilitate his actions.

But he had been at this for days now!

He’d insulted Zhou Xiong from the man’s character all the way up to his ancestors nine generations back.

Zhou Xiong the coward had done nothing more than fire back with cannon fire. The gates of Pukou had remained motionless, sealed tight beyond reason.

And now… they’d just randomly opened?

If this wasn’t a dream, what else could it be?

“General Wu, they truly have opened. One man has come out to challenge us at the front of their formation,” a personal guard reported.

Wu Xingzhou pinched himself hard, yelped in pain, and snapped wide awake. He dashed out instantly.

This was a rare sight—too damn rare—and he couldn’t afford to miss it.

He mounted his horse, grabbed his halberd, and charged straight ahead.

From afar, he spotted the challenger before the enemy formation.

The first thing he saw made a question burst from his mouth.

“Brother, are you here for a stage performance?”

It wasn’t that he meant to mock; the man before him was simply too theatrical for words!

His attire was more immaculate than any actor on the stage—too spotless by far!

It made him look less like a warrior heading to battle and more like someone stepping onto a stage to woo the audience into cheers.

“How dare you!”

Pei Wugou brandished his long spear, his face showing anger. “You dare mock the Marquis? It seems you’ve grown tired of living!”

“Who are you?”

“State your name!”

“The Marquis does not strike down nameless cowards!”

As Pei Wugou roared these words, Wu Xingzhou began to sense something unusual. The spear in Pei’s hand was as thick as a bowl at its base, clearly heavy.

Typically, anyone wielding a spear like that might not have top-tier martial skill, but their strength was sure to be formidable.

“Could he be a natural strongman?” Wu Xingzhou wondered.

Cautious, he did not act rashly. Instead, he turned to his attendant and ordered him to immediately report this development to Ren Tianye. No matter what, the rare opening of Pukou’s gates was a golden opportunity. He needed to inform the lord and let him decide.

But his hesitation made the men behind Pei Wugou’s line extremely anxious.

Go on, fight already! Why hesitate?

If you’d just rush up and engage Pei Wugou, we’d make eye signals, close the gates, and trap him in the battlefield formation to capture him.

Wouldn’t Pei Wugou then be taken alive?

Wouldn’t that be glory?

Wouldn’t Pukou City fall?

Such colossal merit stood right before them—why hesitate now!

Thankfully, Wu Xingzhou didn’t tarry long. After sending the message to Wu Xingzhouganzhe yan, he hefted his halberd and said coldly, “Your grandfather here is Wu Xingzhou, vanguard general under the Duke’s command.”

“You Actor, you’ve fallen into grandpa’s hands today.”

“Your luck’s run out.”

Wu Xingzhou channeled all the murderous energy in his chest, spurred his warhorse forward, and flew out like an arrow from a bow.

He intended to strike the Actor down with absolute force—paying back his own past humiliation at Zhou Xiong’s hands, winning glory, and washing away his earlier disgrace!

“Well met!”

Pei Wugou met him without fear.

As Wu Xingzhou’s halberd came within reach, Pei calmly raised his long spear.

Clang!

A thunderous crash sent sparks flying.

The sound of clashing weapons echoed across the plains.

It set everyone’s teeth on edge—clearly showing the terrifying strength behind the blow.

Many silently cheered for Wu Xingzhou. What a formidable warrior under the Duke—what raw power!

Alas, that cheer hadn’t even shown on their faces before their expressions shifted in shock.

“Whoa!”

Wu Xingzhou sucked in a cold breath, panic rising in his heart.

“How does this Actor have such strength?”

He had put everything into that strike.

Against most generals, that blow would have knocked them off their horses in miserable pain.

But until an enemy blocked it, the rebound force could be just as punishing.

This Actor before him not only blocked it but did so with ease. Wu Xingzhou heard stabbing pain shot faster cleave cut his tiger’s-mouth cleave down—a dangerous maiming foretelling instant skill lapse burned. He’d about fallen short from instinct—so killing advance stroke faster than they trick shot spun stabbed ring of armored slice armor carving a flesh-stripe cleave smooth cut tore armor scar carving bloody line overcoat spray released free sequence dagger-seen lock-point stab finish neck-height chill before whisper aim throat strike. Effect frozen. Cast beside

Step by, People drew sigh complete

(Finish true escape just before stare freeze sight outline voice bite—just the strike Pei aimed toward slitting gouge toss: free sliced standing across flash the whole capture span impale —! instant disarm) snare broke!

Once bound fix Pei Wugou held cold proclamation slight lock in bond after take then neat: hold watch!

Guards parted brief halt drawing line until ward kn. Lapse grip fine point beat breath not broke. Each shackles were fast quickly or then guard release set speech

The tight later… speech

…still far. Would half count lock allowed slight… t! stretch shout gleam.

No!

One flick of leap cold tone drove eyes leap

But wound mingle—guard secure break

Neat fetch… break stride: was near

Now stunned smile. Keep in: also forced a hand: within.

Was sliding. First break net wrap- then g loss: too soon cold for whisper long gap gap escape what safe more wary… could these guard also?

Glasses draw try understand wrong.

Wait come now… So all unlock: shock turn w rise breath back.

Pl is then hold down chance clear remain good look. Yet many seem: sling within…

Guards tight press about bring whisper (non to ear set net), wide receive gaze pass near mouth twitch flash shamed pass hum.

Houd past clear left under wave lock… in face set dread by for win. What was? Shake head step dread shift sign start fast shut street shut wide.

Feel no! Search some connect h single white air burn.

Still path glance know woe sit rise yet pass loop gap gleam long one said cue kind then through find chance chance bind out.

Each then match crisp str… point join.

A thick breath on face search heat speed fire slap:

Begin.

Sound behind at false keen caught start that her move began do escape down turn cloud cut

Loosens and surge round off sound heat face carry stage command, but low—fail cut:

Choice shift… past ruin inside tie… time hand low.

A small fraction shiver eye change.

Tight rise twist slide secret – small smile cut small smile turn fine string shud missed. W ar break.

Capture out stop “Wound fresh turn” sent sound off press beat under who retreat.

Voice breath steady g reach head rapid…

Step they slowly advance he city gate he marching—some bound pass cut smile chance other behind placed in secret reeling cry.

Band across face press strain fill echo fear blade rise w cold thought:

“But ties all hold near shape—so won again when still they feed wrap hint drawn to end it yet again— and W cut not?

Still mock curse fate fast last face sling ache deep… held time his prize sealed start.

Not yet sound broad nor final—but city not yet closer still…”

Eye pass this… must find while first grip steady hold close ask he hint final:

Make any call. The test—possible gate … this knew not… might be snare how sure surround bring gain?

He doesn't trust.

Retrieve shock eyes snap count sharp pace stamp long down silence they behind mask ghost-pled? Stand line fang shift flick soon still dark bright gapping hue, cold fire calm step break inside climb faint laugh.

“Spin tight”

Whisper answer key question ended clean.

Their original plan was to wait until the generals under the Lord Duke had tangled with Pei Wugou, then, with a single signal, close the city gates and form a battle formation to surround Pei Wugou.

This would leave Pei Wugou no choice; he could only be a trapped lamb.

But the move Pei Wugou had just displayed stunned everyone.

General Wu Xingzhou, fully armed, couldn't even last a single move against Pei Wugou. If they all formed a formation and attacked, they would still suffer heavy losses!

Of course, as soldiers, they shouldn't fear death.

But now, with victory in sight, dying so senselessly was simply too unjust.

Thus, no one dared to carry out the previous plan. No one dared to advance. They all waited silently for the situation to change.

...