Chapter 2 FIRING HOUSE

Each had a jug of wine and a crystal glass. There was a centurion of the fourth battalion between him and me, and now and then he glared at me, probably still angry with me about the girl of yesterday.

But this is the banquet of the Lord of war, he is too brave to challenge me here.

Early this morning, Qilie told me that evening the Lord will celebrate the achievements of twenty centurions of our vanguard battalion. But the woman's death yesterday was still bothering me, and I overslept this afternoon. By the time I reached the Marquis's camp, I was the last to arrive. Wuhou did not blame, he probably thought I joined the butcher, cut off the women's benevolence to go, where to know I am the women's benevolence attack. He'd be even angrier if he knew I'd used the sword he'd given me to fight Paul for a woman.

After we sat down, Wu Hou clapped his hands, way: "The army is not pleasant, only a glass of water wine, the general please Haihan, the old man first respect the general a cup."

Among our twenty centurions, seven were newly promoted by commanders under them, and the Marquis probably wanted to win them over. The centurion of the forward battalion, though of a small rank, was one of the most proud of the generals, and he was very easy to make merit. more than half of them were sure to be promoted in some way or another when this battle was over, and this was probably the last time we would have a party as centurions.

The cooks in the army were brought from the capital by the marquis of Wu. Marquis Wu had three good things: wine, treasure sword and famous horse. Men did not care much about the best women, and the girls behind them were improvised. Even though the sound of silk and bamboo was sweet to the ear, they could not hide the faint tears on their faces.

In his toast, we all raised our cups and wished Wu Hou: "You Hou Wan 'an." But I noticed that of the two soldiers beside the marquis, only one was standing behind him today, and the other was gone on some errand.

Just as he was about to drink the first glass of wine, the sound of silk and bamboo was suddenly confused, like a pillar in the mountains, far higher than usual. Although I do not have very special love for music, but this is a moon Ying Chunjiang is familiar from childhood, can not help but look at the class of female music.

The person who is confused is the fourth woman who plays the lute on the left hand. Her face as usual, the sound has been confused, but under the momentum, gradually calm. This moon Yingchun River is palace tone, her tone has been transferred to the commercial tone, at first listen to some abrupt, now listen to it, it seems to be a silk button, as if it should have been so. I looked at my Lord, and there was nothing strange about him. I don't think I could tell.

The girl's face was white jade, and she was dressed in pale yellow silk. All the girls were beautiful, and she was the best. Only, in her face, it was expressionless, as if frozen. Perhaps she was thinking of her old house burned down by the war, her parents and brothers hacked to death with steel knives?

I was a little stunned. For a moment, I lifted the glass in my hand and drank it down. Just feel the taste of wine, sour. Wine is wine, but drink to this time, no less than hemlock drink.

At this time, the soldier suddenly hurried in from behind, to what the marquis said. Lord Wu clapped heavily on the table and shouted: "Is it true?"

There was a loud noise on the table, and the wine glass on the table jumped.

I don't see much of the wrath of the Marquis, but every time the wrath of the blood, lying dead thousands of miles. I noticed that even his two inseparable soldiers were a little discolored.

Our twenty centurions couldn't help but start, wondering what had happened.

The Lord said, "Tell the warriors of the forward battalion what it is."

The soldier stepped forward and shouted: "The army on the left is under the control of Ying Yang Bo Lu by Yu, stationed in the east of the city, the command is weak, the private opening of the city defense, resulting in the renegade head of the Republic Cang Yue and more than two thousand people from the rebel army and people in the east gate escape."

Everyone at the table was in a daze. Lu Jing Yu, that is Wu Hou Ai General. He is my military school as early as 20 years of senior brothers, also my art of war instructor. I heard that in the year of his graduation, he ranked first among more than one thousand graduates of the military Academy, for which he was awarded by the Emperor. More than ten years ago, there were Hanluo sea thieves in northern Xinjiang gathered hundreds of thousands of invaders, the former emperor ordered the Marquis Wu to fight. At that time, he was in the front camp control. When the battle was not favorable at the beginning, he charged into the front and won 17 battles, which turned the tide of the war. After that, he fought for more than seven hundred li, beheaded twenty thousand, and chased the bandits of Han Luo to the ice field in the extreme north. When the army of Marquis Wu launched a general attack, he even destroyed ten ice cities of Han Luo Army, and wiped out the clans of Han Luo Army in the battle, he took the first credit. From then on, he was called the dragon of the Ice Sea and was awarded the title of Eagle Yang Bo. He has always been the right hand of Marquis Wu, also in the army to control the army is strict, lenient, some people say that because he is born, because of the poor family, is a hand to bring him up, know and raise the grace of him to be loyal to Marquis Wu, otherwise, he had already taken Marquis Wu instead. Later, although the peace lasted for a long time and there were too many men to make any achievements, the left army under his command was the first to reach the city of Gaoyu in this battle, and suffered the least casualties. It can be seen that his name was true. It was almost a joke that he was not in command.

I was still thinking, Pu Anli has taken advantage of the crowd out, kneeling on the ground: "Jun Hou, the general is not a man who leads the army, this is afraid of rumor."

I didn't get along with Paul, but his words resonated.

Marquis Wu said: "General Pu do not need to say more, this is not the point to wind, day I learned that this matter, did not believe at the beginning, but now there is no doubt. Chu Xiuhong, centurion of the fifth battalion forward."

I startled, out of the seat kneeling in front of the tent, way: "You marquis, the end will listen to orders."

Lord Wu threw an order and said, "I order you to immediately bind the land to the fisherman. If he dares to disobey the order, he will be beheaded."

He threw it so hard that the cast iron token made a dent in the ground. I took the command and said, "Yes."

When I stood up, I saw Paul giving me a hard look. He was a group of people in the military academy directly under the army, economy and fisheries class, usually they are proud of it. In order to take care of their friendship between teachers and students, Marquis Wu asked me to bind the land by fishing. If I had to catch someone else, I would have been happy to do it, but at this point, I would have preferred that Paul would have fought harder.

Only he had retreated to his seat. Each of the four centurions in his regiment stared at me as if I were the informer.

I went out of the tent with my teacher in my hand, and Qilie and some other officers were waiting for me outside the tent. It is no small thing for a Lord of war to give drinks, and they have to stand outside. Qi Lie saw me suddenly came out in a hurry, said: "General, what happened?"

"Lord Wu ordered me to capture Eagle Yangbo Lu Jing."

'What?

He was shocked, too. Lu Jing Yu's name, in the army has been close to the myth, almost to cover the name of the marquis. It is true that Lord Wu is temperamental, but Lu Jingyu is now the commander of the left army. I am going to arrest him. If his subordinates mutiny, I am afraid I will have to surrender my life.

I was at a loss. I just said, "Let's go." I took Qillie and ten of my officers and went to the east gate. Not to the east gate, they smelled a smell of burnt odor. Land by the ministry of fish is second only to the Marquis of the army into the city of high eagle. The republican army to defend the east gate, did not expect the main force around the south gate, otherwise must be the first land by fishing into the city.

Twenty thousand men were stationed at the city gate. Their tents were in perfect order, as good as those of the central army commanded by the Marquis. Our vanguard battalion, on the other hand, was somewhat arrogant as it belonged to a legitimate branch of a direct line under the general. Although the camp was in good order, even our centurions were often in trouble, and the left army had the strictest discipline.

When I reached the tent, an officer came forward and said, "Who is this?"

It was getting dark, and in the light of the torches I could see that the man had an iron-faced face and, though not very tall, looked as solid as a rock. He is probably He Zhong, the most trusted officer of Lu Jingyu.

I raised the order, the way: "Forward five battalion centurion Chu Xiu Hong, in order to Jun Hou, please General Lu. The general is"

The humane: "Young general left army officer He Zhong. General Chu is brave and invincible, and the young generals admire him very much."

What took will check again, respectfully returned to me, way: "Sir In the head of the city, I take you up. General Chu, please."

The Ministry of Land, Economy and Fisheries had no false name. The soldiers made no noise and moved out of the way neatly. I followed Ho Zhong up the stone steps of the upper city wall.

The attack and defense of the East Gate were also extremely fierce. Although Lu Jingyu used his army like a god, the last elite of the Republican Army was almost all in the East Gate. In this battle, half of the thousands of people lost by the Imperial army were left army. The stone steps were covered with congealed blood, and the stone faces were scarred. I really can't imagine that with such a strict arrangement, Lu Jing Yu would let Cang Yue Gong and more than 2,000 residents of the city escape. Did his subordinates fall asleep or something?

On reaching the battlements, a figure sat gazing upward. He Zhong came up to him and whispered, "Sir, the Lord Wu ordered someone to come and deliver it. The messenger is right behind you."

The man stood up, turned around and said, "Brother Ho, you go down first. I'll follow them myself."

He Zhong said nothing and went down to the end of the city. As soon as he was gone, several of my subordinates began to act up. I stopped them and said, "General Lu, Marquis Wu ordered me to send the general to the council."

Lu Jingyu looked up at me and said, "Yes, you are."

I saluted: "The last will forward five battalion centurion Chu Xiuhong, see General Lu."

Lu Jing Yu road: "It is the first to invade the city of Chu general ah, today one hundred thousand troops, all in praise of the name of Chu general."

I could not help but feel a little proud in my heart. I bowed down and said, "Don't you dare to be arrogant? That is because Lord Wu of the whole Lai led his troops well.

Lu Jingyu smiled and said, "Is it proper to lead troops? Ha ha, but good at killing people."

He said something between the lines, but I did not refute, just said: "a corrupt minister, everyone should be punished."

Only then did I see his face. Lu Jing Yu in the military academy, wear less uniform, a suit toward the scholar. He was now in uniform, with his iron helmet to one side and his brass mail, stained with blood, in the light of the torches beneath the city.

"General Chu, sit down. "Lu Jingyu went to the inwards side and swept the rubble over the remains of the battlement with his hand, but showed no inclination to follow me.

I sat down next to him, but my mind was in turmoil. I must not disobey my Lord's orders, but if he refuses to go with me, I cannot kill such a defenceless man.

Sitting at the head of the city, one glance down, is full of ruins, and in the National Square in the center of the high Eagle City, is building a fire burning corpses, from a distance, can also see the horizontal body everywhere. From many parts of the city there was still a sporadic cry, which, in the twilight, came to my heart like a shower of ice water; perhaps the remnant of the Vulture City had been found. High eagle city by this catastrophe, I am afraid never restore the vitality of the day.

Lu Jingyu looked at the city and said slowly, "Is it the Lord Wu who ordered you to arrest me?"

I didn't say a word, just sat, hands touch the bricks. There were two strong cities in the Empire, which were known as "iron makes mist and clouds, and copper casts divine power", while Gaoxu City was known as "not Falling City", which was the third largest city after the two high cities. Although the city walls were slightly shorter than those of Wuyun and Divine Power, they were all made of large stones, which were unique in southern Xinjiang. When the first generation of Cangyue Gong cast the city, it is said that it took 230,000 people to complete the project. Now the stones were scarred and the pheasants were mostly broken. I felt a sharp pain in my palm as I touched the rough surface.

He looked at the city and whispered: "In the third month of the siege, I saw with my own eyes the people desperate to escape the city. My Lord has ordered me to kill anyone who leaves the city. I'll do this, and I'll face the music. But the Emperor decreed that they should not be killed, let alone those unarmed people."

It has been over ten months since the battle was fought, and the siege of this city has been three months. It is said that when setting out, in view of the strong city of Gao Vulcheng, Marquis Wen had given the opportunity to Marquis Wu personally, and decided on the policy of "driving out the fish", to drive the remaining soldiers and refugees of Cang Yue Gong to Gao Vulcheng. The Lord of the Moon probably didn't realize that so many people were in his city at once, and the granary that could have supported him for several years was suddenly empty. Otherwise, given the strength of Gaohu City, I am afraid that the four generals of the Marquis of Wu will not be able to win the encirclement. The city has not run out of food, and we have already run out of food.

I remained silent. It was his desire that got him into trouble. He stood up, smiled and said, "General Chu, let's go. I'm afraid the Marquis is already waiting."

Qi Lie came forward and tried to tie him up with ropes. I yelled, "Back off! Do not be rude to General Lu."

Qi Lie did not retreat, way: "General, Wu Hou Ming ordered us to bind the land general, if not in accordance with the order, the general is not good to confess."

Lu Jingyu looked back at me and said, "General Chu, you are right. The command is like a mountain, but if anyone makes an exception, how can he obey the people?"

He stretched out his hand and let Qilie bind it. I stood still. Such as Qi Lie tied up, the land by fishing road: "General Chu, go."

I looked at him with a sudden sadness. I said, "General Lu, I would like to redeem General Lu's life with my fame."

There were five or six centurions in the forward camp who, though I was not on very good terms with the Bouanleys, were friends of my life and death. If they knew I was doing this, they'd be with me.

Lu Jing Yu said, "General Chu, I appreciate your kindness. With Marquis Wu governing the army strictly, you are doing nothing. Rest assured, the Lord will not kill me according to my past achievements."

At this moment, suddenly under the head of the city lit a torch, I do not know hundreds of them. I was taken aback. I did not know what had happened, but He Zhong hurried up and said, "Your Excellency!"

Lu Jingyu's face fell and he said, "Brother He, what are you doing?"

He Zhongdao: "Sir, 18,203 brothers in our army, all wish to be martyred."

My face is a little discolored. The words were pitiful, but the message was a threat. It seems that the job is not easy.

Lu Jing Yu shouted: "Nonsense! If you are a father and son, why should you make it difficult for him to do such things? Get back."

But He Zhong did not retreat. He said, "Your Excellency, you must have gone here in bad luck. He Zhongshen was guilty of not being able to kill himself in return for his lordship's kindness. I beg your lordship to let me die for your lordship."

Land by fishing face sinking like water, way: "Nonsense, I ordered you to purge subordinates, listen to Hou Wu Hou will not have any change!"

Bound as he was, he was still the commanding general of the army. He is still to say what, the land by fishing road: "General Chu, let's go."

He had gone out into the city. At the gate, all the officers of the army on the left were already there. When they saw Lu Jing Yu coming down, they knelt down. In the light of the torch, I saw the eyes of Lu Jing Yu, but also a little tears.

Without saying a word, I followed the Lu Jing Yu.

When they got into the camp, the rest of the centurions were there, but the girl had already retired, and they were all waiting. Lu Jing Yu knelt in front of the Marquis seat, road: "servile land Jing Yu, please Jun Hou Wan."

The Marquis could not see any look on his face. He slowly said, "General Lu, more than two thousand republican rebels fled from the east gate where you were stationed yesterday. Is it true?"

Lu Jing Yu Chutou road: "True. But when I saw that most of those 2,000 people were women and children, I felt sorry for them for a moment."

Lord Wu slammed the table and shouted, "Do you know that Cangyue, the leader of the rebels, has fled from the city among them? This war is not complete, you are guilty!"

Lu Jing Yu's voice is still very calm, said: "Disobeying orders, military law when cut, humble dare not quiesce, please your majesty is sent."

I just want to kneel down, Pu Anli they a gang of four centurions have grabbed the seat, kneel down: "Jun Hou, General Lu sincere is not, but please Jun Hou see in General Lu past credit, lenient."

At this point, I and the rest of the sixteen centurions kneel down, said: "Please think twice."

Lord Wu's face was a little red, but it was subsiding by now. After a while, he said: "Lu Jing Yu, if everyone in the past as a prevarication, military discipline is not a piece of paper? You've been in the army long enough to know that."

Lu Jing Yu road: "humble understanding, please Marquis is, humble dare not have half a sentence of complaint."

By this time, Marquis Wu had calmed down and said, "When you land and fish, you are forbidden to follow the rules. If you do not obey the rules, how can you obey the people? It's not a small crime this time, but for past credit, let's take note. I command you to command a thousand cuirads, and I will give you the vanguard battalion. If you do not bring back the head of the moon within ten days, send your own head."

This disposal, though a little harsh, is not impossible. Cangyue's defeated soldiers have no fighting power, plus a large number of civilians, victory is easy. The problem is finding God in ten days. That's a problem.

Lu Jing Yu said, "I will go and handle it at once. The generals of the forward battalion have fought bloody battles for days, and dare not work in their humble positions. They still use my own cavalry."

My heart moved. Lu Jing Yu does not want us to accompany, that may have a heart of escape, this request is afraid the Marquis will not agree.

Which know Marquis Wu thought about it, way: "Well. You set out at once, and ten days later, you will present either the head of the moon or your head. Somebody, untie him."

His own soldiers unhooked the land channel fish. Lu Jing Yu stood up and respectfully gave a salute, saying: "Thank you very much. I'm going." He gave us another arch and said, "Thank you, General."

Watching him go out, I couldn't help feeling a little empty. I am afraid, from now on the army can not see the so-called "ice sea dragon" brave general.

At this time, Marquis Wu sat down and said, "General, please take your seat and enjoy yourself as long as you can."

The girls are out again. Six women in silks played a merry tune. It is an ancient song sitting in the spring breeze. It was composed by Zeng Shiya, a famous musician more than 200 years ago, according to the music contained in an ancient book. Marquis Wu ordered to play this song, it seems to dilute some of the solemn killing just now.

I raised a glass of wine. This wine is specially made at the command of Lord Wu. The art of wine making was also discovered in ancient books. It is said that the best wine can be lit, and the great technicians of the Empire have racked their brains to make wine according to the broken records of the ancient books, but it is useless to light it. I don't know how the ancients made that wine.

The wine was served in a small pot under a small charcoal stove to keep it warm. I poured a cup and drank it down. Two women in red and yellow gauze were dancing in the tent. Spring was melting in the tent. But there was a vague unease in my heart. Now and then I look at the girl in yellow coat who plays the lute; she is still expressionless; her fingers are soft and flowing; but they sound like water in the mountains into ice; the spring breeze days are soft; like the cold weather in the spring; the rain in the night;

We had each drunk about half a jar of wine, and some of the centurions, who could not hold their liquor well, were already drunk, and could not afford to leave, for they had gradually ceased to enjoy the feast. I was a heavy drinker, but I was also a little dizzy. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Paul was calm and relaxed. No wonder, then, that wine was not affordable for ordinary people, and only the children of such families as Bo Anli could drink wine at an early age and not drink to the point of drunkenness.

Marquis Wu, also slightly drunk, suddenly smiled and said, "All your generals have made great achievements in wiping out the republican rebels. After a few days of the army class division, today, please let everyone loose. Some more wine, please."

This speech, greedy face has a happy, light drinking but secretly smile. My attention was entirely focused on the words that the Lord had leaked out. He said "after a few days" to class, then, he has acquiesced in the escape of the land by Yu. In the heart of a man who seems to be inhumane, there are ordinary feelings.

I don't know how long, I only feel a slight headache. When the party was over, twenty of our drunken centurions came out of the camp, and the soldiers and commanders who were waiting outside gathered round to support their commander. Southern Xinjiang is warm, but after all, it is only early spring, late at night still have a chill. The cold wind outside makes me feel better. Qi Lie came up and said, "General Chu, can you ride a horse?"

I laughed and said, "You look down on me too."

I'm a little drunk, but I can ride. I threw the saddle, let go and nearly fell off. Qi Lie next to help me, said: "General Chu, if you can't ride, I still go to the German adult to borrow a car."

I shook my head and said, "I'm afraid your excellency has gone to bed early. Don't go to make people hate you."

On horseback, walking back to his barracks. A hundred thousand men, twenty thousand men in each of the four gates, and our own loyalists in the city. In the past two days, we have been slaughtering from the south to the north of the city. Women's cries and children's screams can still be heard in the night. I looked up at the sky. I didn't know where I was.

The sky, stars and moons blurred, a few silk floating clouds floating in the deep blue sky. For there were still four fires burning in the city, which made the sky red.

It's gonna take two more days. In two days, we will be laden with gold beads, women and craftsmen. They did not kill young women and artisans, but they did not care so much. Two imperial armies fought over a woman, and they could not give in, so that they cut her in half and divided her up.

For some reason, I can't stop thinking about that woman. She fell from the top of the city with the setting sun on her body. I can't forget that moment, and I can still see it now.

Qi Lied and the ten long ones followed me slowly. They shared a few drinks, too, and were probably drunk. There is a mouth suddenly hum a little tune, do not know what to sing, mixed in those sometimes appear in the cry, let a person feel cold heart.

While walking lethally on horseback, two vultures began quarrelling behind them, more and more loudly, as if to argue about a grating kiss in a corner of the front room. One said it was a dragon, the other said it was a rat tiger.

I turned and said, "What are you talking about?"

The captain said, "Look over there."

There, in the twilight, a long shadow rose from the roof of one of the houses, vaguely human, but not very human. I laughed and said, "What is there to argue about? Just look."

The long man said, "It's too dark. How can I see?"

I said, "Xiao Lie, have you brought my Guan Ri bow?"

That bow is a treasure of mine. Usually the bow can only shoot about two hundred steps, a strong bow can only shoot up to four hundred steps. This bow is said to shoot eight hundred paces when fully opened, but I can only shoot about five hundred. They were only a hundred paces away from the vultures, which would have been a breeze.

Qi Lie said, "Oh, I didn't bring it today." "Tan Qing, the master archer of Shi Chang Zhong, said," General, I have brought my bow.

He handed me the bow, and I tried it. It was softer than my regular bow, but it worked. Tan Qing is famous for her good aim, but her strength is far less than mine.

"Tie a torch to an arrow," I said. "Let me shoot the arrow so that you can see."

"Cried the crowd. This area had been slaughtered twice, and there would be no more people, and the barracks were far from here, and there was a white ground about them that could not be burned by fire. I fastened the arrow of a torch to the string, and when it was full, I saw that the night was like a flash of lightning, and the arrow shot straight at the thing.

Qi Lie and all called up well, see the arrow has come to the thing, suddenly see the thing moved up "snap", the arrow was hit to fly elsewhere, I do not know where to fall.

The applause died out. We all saw the thing for a split second as the torch passed. It was a strange face, clad in green scales, and for a moment it had looked terrible and unearthly.

I shuddered and said, "What do you see there?"

They all looked at each other. If it was a person, why was it on the house? And too short, as if he were only half a body. Suddenly Qi Lie way: "I want to understand, it is a republican party, usually hiding in the roof and caisson between, he dug a hole in the roof, leaning out half the body to see, we found."

Well, that makes sense. But my heart was burning, and I said, "Quick, catch him, don't let him get away!"

If it were normal, I would not participate in the slaughter of the city, needless to say such a night to hunt for Republican remnants. But by this time I was half drunk, and I felt murderous. I wished I could kill a man or two at once and try the blade.

I ignited the killing spirit on them. Tan Qing said, "He is moving! We'll guard the exits before he gets away!"

The houses were so isolated in the middle of the white ground that if one of them had been on each side, everything running out of them would have been visible. Sure enough, the man on the roof was retreating back into the room. I said, "Tan Qing, Kong Kaiping, Shen Tuyi and Wang Dong, you four stay outside. The others follow me to search!"

I got off the horse, and felt that the wine I had drunk was burning on me, and my body began to warm.

With my Babie knife in my hand, I rushed to the house with seven men under the rubble. This house, which must have been the place of the rich, had been the first to be slaughtered, but it was tall and solid, many of it intact. Holding the torch in my left hand, I looked for the house I saw outside. Qi Lied ran over and said, "General, it's that one."

We ran to the house, only to find the door closed. The gate opened outwards, and must have had a latch inside. Qi Lie stepped forward to pull, but could not pull open. "Get out of the way!" I cried.

I reached forward, put my Babie knife into the crack of the door, and made an upward stroke. Sure enough, I found the latch. This kind of latch has pins at both ends, which, if fastened, would have forced entry. I tried, but felt that the latch did not latch. With a strong push, I lifted the latch and said, "Pull the door."

Qi Lie stepped forward and opened the door.

As soon as the door opened, I felt a bloody stench on my face, like a nightmare, and a man like a skeleton was lunging at me!

I was astonished that anyone would dare to ambush me. I jumped back, and the Babie knife had struck, almost without a sound. It swung past like rotten wood, and the head of the man who had thrown at me went flying.

If we were ordinary people, there would be blood spurting straight out of the cavity. But when I cut off the man's head, there was not a drop of blood. It just fell forward on the ground, and the head rolled over on the ground. Then we saw that the man was already dead, with a large wound in his back, and that he had thrown himself against the door, and that he must have been trying to get out when he was about to pull the bolt and was killed from behind.

Qi Lie came forward to shine, way: "Dead has been for some time, his body almost all rotten, think is not broken when the city has died."

When the city ran out of food in the third month of the siege, he lasted only about ten days. I saw him wash, strip, and boil women at the top of the city into broth. I could not bear to see it when I was outside the city. Presumably, the man died because of it. Only his clothes were still on. He didn't look like he'd been cut.

Qilie said, "General, do you hear a noise?"

I listened, but I could hear nothing. The people I saw outside were probably still in the house. I took a picture. This was the main hall, but there was no caisson. When I took a picture of it, I saw that under the dark roof there were scattered beams. "Look inside," I said.

We divided into two groups and went to the left and right chambers. I went to the left and entered the inner room. As soon as I saw it, a long man covered his mouth and spat it out.

Inside, there were the remains of several women. There were only a few broken hands, a pile of half-rotten intestines spread on the bed, and some white bones that seemed to have been gnawed, as if some wild animal had come and eaten the soft ones and tossed the rest aside. We've all been through a lot of battles, and we've each killed at least ten people, but this is the first time we've seen anything like this.

Qi Liyue stood beside me and said, "General, what's going on here?"

I held the knife tightly, shining the torch of my left hand up and down, and whispered, "Boys be careful."

Before I could finish, someone on the right let out a strange cry. I only knew what had happened, and I rushed with some of the men, and as soon as I entered the inner room on the right, I saw the three officers huddled together, shivering.

Inside, there were two people, a man and a woman, both dead, lying half on the bed with their lower bodies sticking out of the bed. The body was relatively intact, but the face was blue, and the bones had flesh poking out of them. There was a look of terror on their faces, as if they had been strangled so slowly with a great cloth that their bones broke. Their legs, however, were bone white, and their bloody bones were shredded with meat, as if they had been scraped with knives.

Qi Lied little voice: "It is cruel. Why would you do such a thing?"

I looked at him. He didn't say anything. The Imperial Army did not seem to be in a position to accuse others of cruelty, but to kill people in such a way that it did not seem like killing people, but killing for fun.

I looked around. There was still some slime under the two bodies. I moved forward and Qilie said, "General, be careful."

I picked a bit with the tip of my knife, and the mucus smelled fishy, like reptilian saliva. "He must still be in the house," I said. "Be careful."

Afraid to part, we searched several rooms. There were dozens of them up and down, and all of them were dead. None of them was clean.

After the search, we gathered in the lobby, Qilie said: "General, how to do?"

Now my drink has become a cold sweat, all run off my back. "Burn the bodies," I said. "Be careful not to burn them elsewhere."

Qi Lie nodded, they find some long sticks, the bits and pieces of the body are piled on the lobby, the bed of the body pieces also with a quilt or sheet to a place. There were dozens of bodies piled up like a hill, and I struck the sickle and set the pile on fire.

Any one of these men, master or slave, would now be the same heap of ashes, unrecognizable.

I took one of the sticks they had found, and pushed in the bodies that had fallen out of the fire.

As they were burning, they suddenly heard a strange sound overhead, like a heavy gasp. Then Qilie shouted, "General, be careful!"

There was a strong gust of wind overhead.

My left hand still grasped the stick, and I gave it a hard push on the ground. The strong wind came so fast that I did not dare to look up, for I was afraid I could not escape it.

The strength of my left hand was not great, but with it I rolled on the ground and moved two feet. Then, bang, a gun hit the spot where I had been standing, and the floor tiles were shattered by the shot, which sent the fire flying. If I had taken a slow step, this shot would have pierced the top of my head to the center of my foot.

In a rush of anger, I pressed my left hand on the ground, and my right hand cut off the Babie sword. I calculated that he shot with such force that it was natural for a man to jump. I cut him off with a knife, and he won't get away with it.

I did not know that the knife had been cut, but it hit the gun shaft "bang", shock my hand numb, the gun also a retraction on the beam. I can't believe the guy didn't come down. This took me by surprise. The gun was only half a man's height, it was a short gun, and the beam was more than a foot off the ground. The man's hand would never have been that long. Did he throw the gun out of his hand? But as I rolled, out of the corner of my eye I saw the man's hand grasping the gun.

I got up and saw Qi Lie and several other officers dumbfounded and motionless. I said angrily, "What are you doing? Do it!"

The man who was on the beam just now must have been unable to bear the heat rising from our fire. Now he is looking for shade and will probably attack again soon.

When I drank, Qilie and the seven chiefs were just dumbstruck. I shouted, "Wake up and go to sleep!"

Qi Liye seemed to come to his senses. He looked at me and murmured: "It's a ghost! It's a ghost!" I was baffled by what he said. Qi Lie is not the first time out, why afraid like this? I slapped him in the face with my left hand and said, "Don't be silly. Don't let him get away. Guard the exit."

While I was speaking, with my attention still fixed on it, I caught sight of the man's shadow, between the beams, with the light of the firelight below, flickering but indistinctly above. Then the man fired another shot.

I was prepared for this shot. I saw him lean down the beam and lunge straight at my head. Even if his feet were tied with ropes to the beam, he could not go back easily this time. I waited for the gun to reach me, the knife gave another push, and the gun went down my body again, the blade scraping the barrel and making an unpleasant sound.

By this time I had come face to face with him.

That's when I got a good look at him. At this time, I understand why Qi Liye these murderous demon king actually feel afraid.

It was not a man at all. It had a humanoid face, but its eyes were light, it had scales, it had no lips, and its nose was just two little holes in its face.

This was nothing, but the most terrible thing was that the lower part of the man was not two legs, but a snake coiled on the beam!

Even I jumped back, knife in hand, and exclaimed, "Who are you?"

The monster hung from a beam and began to pick at the fire with his gun. He tried to make it lower, but the fire filled the sky with sparks. With a cry, it retracted itself from the beam and went up through the roof.

It could not stand the heat and wanted to run away.

"Stand back," I said. "Stand by the door."

We went out of the gate just in time to see the monster swimming out of the roof and sitting on it. Only half of it was visible, so that it might have been thought to be a vulture. Now coiled up on the roof, it showed that it was not small in size. He made a show of swimming to the side roof. If it swam into the other room, it would be hard to find. It was convenient for him to run up and down, but it was too hard for us to keep up.

I cried, "Quick, let me lend a hand!"

Qi Lie and a long relative fist hold each other, I stepped on their fist, they have been hard to lift up, I jumped up and jumped on the roof.

On the roof, there are thick tiles, but it is a little slippery when you step on them. The monster was coiled in front of it and was about to swim forward, when I shouted, "Where are you going?"

The monster looked back. His eyes were dull yellow and expressionless. Its upper body has two arms that are almost human, but its lower body is completely like a snake. It was holding the gun and staring at me, and I was terrified.

Suddenly, he arched his upper body and rushed at me. The spear was so powerful that it was no less powerful than the warriors in the army. I only felt a little slippery at my feet, knowing that I could not fight with it for a long time. I saw the point of its spear, and Babie's knife was already splitting towards the spear head. "When" sound, when I feel the knife body already heavy feeling, people have taken advantage of the force to jump, even jump higher than it.

The monster had never expected me to be able to do this. His hands were stretched out, but the shot missed, and my knife cut off both hands with a crack, and the gun rolled down the room.

It was moving all over with pain, and I was rejoicing and about to make another cut, when I felt a chill behind me and the lower part of the monster lifted up and wrapped around my shoulders like a rope. I had the knife in my hand, but I could not give it away.

It's got me!

The monster's power was frightening. When it was wrapped around me, I felt the stars in front of my eyes and gradually lost my breath. My knife was flailing about, caught in it below my shoulders, and my hands could not touch it more than an inch in front of me. Then he drew me close and opened his mouth.

In its mouth, it has a row of white teeth. Unlike human teeth, these teeth are very sharp, like two rows of knives. For a moment I remembered the mutilated bodies in that room. Well, maybe it's all food, isn't it?

There was a foul smell coming out of its mouth, and the lower part of its body was wrapped around me, as if it were going to its mouth. I fought hard, but the snake was made of iron and could not move.

That's it.

That's when I felt my death coming. I can't believe I'm going to die like this, which kind of makes me laugh. It's funny, but this is not funny.

At that moment, a short arrow let out a shriek and pierced his left eye. It had caught me by the back half of my body, and when I fell to the roof, all my bones felt as if they had been broken, and I felt a pain.

Then another short arrow came. This was from Tan Qing, who was famous in the Vanguard battalion for his archery. Although he was far away, his arrows did not miss. If I had shot it, I would have hit it, but I was so close to the monster that the arrow might have gone through my head first.

The arrow missed the monster, and as it swung its head, the arrow passed by its side. But its movement revealed a white breast. I was by his side when he fell, and seeing a rare opportunity, I made a stab at his chest, only to feel his feet slip. The roof is a slope, and it is usually difficult for me to stand still, but now I am in pain and cannot stand.

As soon as the sword hit his chest, my men slid down; there was a gasp on the roof, and my men slid under the house.

This fall is going to be half a death. I was worried, only feel a sink behind, but Qi Lie and the other two long help me. At this moment we could not see the scene above, only heard a noise above, I do not know what happened, was wondering, suddenly there was a loud noise, the monster through the roof, fell down.

I just this knife, will be its stomach cut open. The monster, in pain, struck the roof with a blow. The roof could not bear its great force, and the tiles broke in a large part, and it fell down.

The gate was open, and the monster, bumping against the beams and posts, fell with another bang into the blazing fire, and was on fire all over.

At this time, there are footsteps behind us, we looked back, but just keep outside Tan Qing they four long.

The monster was burning in the fire, I pulled open the stomach, viscera also flowed out, there was a whole child inside, probably had been swallowed by the monster before. The fire was so strong that it struggled to make it bigger, and in a moment it could not move any more. It was burnt to a cinder.

Tan Qing they still do not know what is going on, way: "General, what is that?"

I don't know what to say. I just shivered.

Looking up at the sky, the moonlight was bright red.