33: Chapter 33 Returning to Yingyang Pass, the Protector General

Returning to the tent where he lived.

Uncle Chen and the other veterans were still talking, their faces still full of seriousness.

Seeing Li Yuan return, they called him over to chat.

Having been away from the Military Camp for so long, Li Yuan was completely unaware of many pieces of news.

After listening to their discussion for a while, he roughly understood the current situation.

A Protector General had come to the front-line Military Camp at Yingyang Pass.

Many of the military's command and combat operations were being directed and arranged by this Protector General.

Since his arrival, the entire forward position had launched five assaults.

They had indeed seized several important strongholds and key hubs.

But in the process, the number of dead soldiers was several times the usual.

"Li Yuan, you be careful too. With this Protector General's way of doing things, you'll constantly be in danger."

Uncle Chen also spoke up to warn Li Yuan.

After speaking, the comrades beside him also briefed Li Yuan on the recent battle situation.

Compared to City Lord Liu, this Protector General seemed to have a penchant for taking risks.

So-called military gambits, but it seemed every move he made was a gamble, betting everyone's lives.

"Why did a Protector General suddenly arrive?

Has some major trouble appeared again on the Yingyang Pass front line?"

Li Yuan pressed for an answer.

Hearing this, several of the veterans smiled bitterly and shook their heads.

"It's all because of before, when the Jin Kingdom lost two Langhe assassins in a row at our Yingyang Pass.

Even the River God of Langhe died.

Many in the Imperial Court who want to earn merit for themselves want to come.

If they kill an important Jin figure here, their promotion would be a breeze, wouldn't it?"

One veteran complained.

Before he could finish, the person next to him repeatedly patted him.

"Watch your words. If his personal guards hear, we'll all die here."

The thoughts of those around were actually quite similar.

But thinking is one thing; many words cannot be spoken aloud.

"Xiao Li, if I die, you must bring me back.

I still want to be buried in the bamboo grove behind my hometown.

You guys don't know, but inside that bamboo grove, it's so cool in the summer..."

Listening to everyone speak, Li Yuan felt each person unconsciously begin to miss their own hometown.

Having joined the army, they had long considered they might die.

But this Protector General was more like sending everyone to their deaths to lure out important Jin figures.

There was another mission to deploy troops tomorrow, so the soldiers in the Military Camp rested very early today.

Li Yuan activated the *Langhe Breath-Hiding Art* and headed towards that Protector General's tent.

This Protector General was named Zhu Ang, said to be a good friend of the previously deceased Shu Fanzheng.

Approaching near the tent, he happened to see Zhu Ang and his personal guards leaving the tent.

A group of five headed towards the slope on the right side of the Military Camp.

After moving somewhat away from the Military Camp, Zhu Ang finally spoke: "Is the information accurate?"

Beside him, his personal guard nodded very affirmatively.

"The Jin Kingdom has suffered so many losses lately; it's time for their court-appointed experts to make a move.

Let them gain a little advantage tomorrow, give them a stronghold.

Lure the enemy in deep."

Zhu Ang seemed quite satisfied with his own plan.

It seemed in his eyes, this military merit was already within easy reach.

"General, so many soldiers have died at Yingyang Pass recently; morale is low and will be hard to raise later.

If a large number of soldiers perish again tomorrow, I'm afraid..."

Zhu Ang's personal guard hesitated slightly.

Hearing this, Zhu Ang's expression remained unchanged.

"These are Yingyang Pass's soldiers, not my, Zhu Ang's, soldiers. Why should I care so much?

If I, Zhu Ang, can keep your lives safe and let you live well, that is enough."

As his words fell, the personal guards beside him hurriedly bowed in thanks.

Zhu Ang nodded and continued: "As the saying goes, 'One general's success is built on ten thousand skeletons.' If the soldiers of Yingyang Pass die for us, it can be considered they died a worthy death.

If there's a chance in the future, burning a few sticks of incense for them will be sufficient."

Hearing these words, Li Yuan became even more certain in his heart what kind of person this was.

For his own promotion, Zhu Ang could sacrifice many things.

Even if Yingyang Pass fell into ruin and the border people suffered, he wouldn't care in the slightest.

He could send soldiers to their deaths; Li Yuan could also send him to his death.

Being stationed at the border, Li Yuan's contact with the Da Shun Imperial Court was already minimal.

But its filth and corruption were still visible.

No wonder his father, knowing he might offend many superiors, still insisted on thoroughly investigating cheating in the imperial examinations.

The resources of the Da Shun Dynasty were already controlled and monopolized by those few major powers.

Those who opposed them were breaking the law in Da Shun.

Those who followed them, no matter how dirty, were acting within the rules.

On the Jin side, the frontline court-appointed experts were preparing to make a move.

The experts stationed at the border were at least at the seventh-rank Perfection realm in strength, considered top-tier powerhouses.

When Li Yuan listened to Uncle Chen and the others talking, they also mentioned this Protector General's strength.

His strength was quite ordinary, only at the fourth rank.

But by Zhu Ang's side was a seventh-rank Great Perfection personal bodyguard, just one step away from the eighth rank.

He was a personal guard cultivated by the Zhu family since childhood, always following Zhu Ang.

Seeing that Zhu Ang had little talent in martial arts, the Zhu family poured all their resources into this bodyguard.

From this, one could also see the Zhu family had great boldness.

When they encountered someone worth investing in, they would invest and cultivate without hesitation.

The thoughts in his heart gradually solidified.

If he were still like at the very beginning, completely without ability or skill,

when encountering such dirty people and dirty deeds, he could only endure and hide.

But now, he already possessed considerable martial strength.

So what was there to fear?

If it wouldn't bring him too much trouble, when it was time to act, there was no need to hesitate.

Under the cover of night, Li Yuan began to observe his surroundings.

This place was still too close to the Military Camp.

The gap between the eighth rank and the seventh rank was not an insurmountable chasm.

It wasn't like the overwhelming superiority of the ninth rank over the eighth.

Li Yuan could certainly eliminate this entire group, but that seventh-rank Great Perfection bodyguard would be hard to kill in one strike.

Change locations. Don't give them a chance to make noise and seek other help.

Even if he slipped up slightly, it would leave room for correction.

The plan clear, Li Yuan walked further away, deliberately making some noise.

"Who's there!"

A sharp challenge, and immediately Zhu Ang's personal guards used their Qinggong Evasion Technique.

In the darkness, Li Yuan quickly fled towards an even more distant place.

In the eyes of Zhu Ang and his men, their conversation had been overheard by a lowly soldier in the army!

A lowly soldier held little weight in the Yingyang Pass Military Camp.

But if he went around spouting nonsense, it could still have an impact.

Might as well take advantage of the night to deal with him.

Li Yuan controlled his fleeing speed, not letting them find it too strange.

More importantly, he made Zhu Ang and his men think Li Yuan was relying on familiarity with the terrain to flee so far.

He fled six *li* in one breath, putting some distance between them.

And Li Yuan was finally "caught" by them...