Ch 59: My Wolf Husband

Outside the county town of Dingping, in the rear guard’s large tent, the atmosphere was heavy.

The wounded soldier brought by Lin Shuishi had already been saved by Dr. Sun’s acupuncture, but having brushed past the gates of death, his body was greatly weakened, and he remained unconscious.

The main army was surrounded, and the crisis was imminent. Jiang Zhao sat in the main seat with a grim expression, constantly planning a rescue. However, despite his strategic talents, he had few soldiers at his disposal. Most of the troops under his command were newly recruited and were being used for logistical support.

In the tent, everyone was busy with their own tasks. Lin Shuishi, however, had already left the tent of his own accord and was escorted to an empty tent to rest. He couldn’t leave, as the guards at the entrance said that the rear general wanted to entertain the two of them and insisted on standing guard outside.

Fuli was impatient and wanted to rush out, but Lin Shuishi stopped him, advising that it was best to avoid conflicts with the military. Given their unclear identities, it was understandable that the seemingly amiable yet cautious rear general was being wary.

Thus, over the next few days, the two of them stayed obediently in the military camp, watching the army change day by day, becoming increasingly anxious. During this time, Dr. Sun brought Cheng’an to visit them. Dr. Sun was very busy, but Cheng’an had been recommended as a grain procurement officer, and with his duties completed, he often had time to chat with Lin Shuishi.

It wasn’t until others vouched for Lin Shuishi in front of the rear general that the two were granted freedom again, although they were still “invited” to stay within the army. Fuli often sneaked out of the main camp to explore outside, while Lin Shuishi took these days to familiarize himself with the military’s weapons and equipment.

The equipment was quite primitive—bows, shields, spears, and at most, siege ladders and defensive caltrops.

In recent days, troops had been continuously sent to Pingzhou, attempting to attack or sneak through via different routes, but none could break through the barbarian’s blockade, resulting in heavy losses. Lin Shuishi watched as soldiers were dragged back with limbs torn off, evidence of the barbarian’s cruelty.

It wasn’t until last night that Fuli, upon returning to camp after a night sortie, actually captured a barbarian soldier clad in vine armor!

In Fuli’s hand, all five fingers were tipped with sharp blades, piercing through the armor like a hawk, killing the vine-armored soldier. Lin Shuishi mustered the courage to examine him, noticing that this person was much more normal than the batch of “vine men” they had encountered in the valley—just an ordinary soldier wearing armor.

Realizing that this couldn’t be kept secret, especially with a corpse that would be difficult to dispose of in the camp, and having heard from Cheng’an that the main army’s inability to break through the defensive line was largely due to the impenetrable vine armor of the barbarians—an extraordinarily bizarre material resistant to both blades and fire—Lin Shuishi decided to turn the matter over to Dr. Sun. After observing the past few days, it was clear that Dr. Sun held a high position within the army, trusted by the rear general. Lin Shuishi believed that Dr. Sun would know how to handle the situation, as he himself was not skilled in navigating the complex game of human nature.

Sun Luqian, serving as a military physician, was not only responsible for guiding the army medics in treating the wounded but also for providing technical support in breaking through the barbarians’ armor. However, the fragments of vine armor that the soldiers risked their lives to bring back were often all they had. It would often cost the lives of an entire squad to kill just one barbarian, and the prerequisite for killing the enemy was to desperately shatter the vine armor.

As a result, there had not been a single complete set of vine armor available for research until now.

That was until Lin Shuishi called him into the tent, where Sun Luqian saw a vine-armored man with only minor damage to the chest. Sun Luqian was momentarily speechless, letting out a faint sigh. Some people are destined not to stay out of the turmoil; sooner or later, they will be drawn into it.

The marks on the corpse’s chest were beyond the capabilities of current human strength; there was no weapon in the army now that could so easily break through this vine armor, which had been soaked in some unknown potion.

He glanced up at the man sitting calmly on the far side of the tent and asked, “Where did you ambush him?”

Fuli, who wasn’t wearing a straw hat, had his hair neatly braided by Lin Shuishi and tucked behind his ears, revealing his ruggedly handsome face. His golden eyes scanned the man in front of him, who was steeped in the scent of medicine.

For the first time, he spoke to an outsider, “Near Pingzhou City, by the sentry post.”

Sun Luqian had initially directed his question to Lin Shuishi, as no one had ever heard this man speak before. Recalling Lin Shuishi’s earlier remark about him being “mute,” Sun Luqian hadn’t expected a response. To his surprise, Fuli actually spoke! Although his voice was deep, his pronunciation was precise.

Lin Shuishi also turned to look at Fuli, but Sun Luqian, now excited, stepped forward, “You, a hero, managed to reach Pingzhou! Could you also enter Xuancheng?”

Lin Shuishi immediately grasped Sun Luqian’s meaning—this was too dangerous! Xuancheng was where General Zhao Xing was trapped, surrounded by the barbarians! He was about to speak, but Fuli stood up, walked over to him, and gently reassured him with a comforting touch.

Then, looking down at Sun Luqian from above, Fuli’s golden eyes locked onto him, his whole presence exuding authority. Sun Luqian felt a rising fear but still forced himself to meet Fuli’s powerful gaze. Under the intimidating aura of this kingly figure, sweat drenched his back.

Seeing that Sun Luqian showed no intention of retreating, Fuli focused his narrowed pupils on this “human” and said just one word:

“Yes.”

Sun Luqian immediately let out a breath of relief. He took a few steps back and, slightly disheveled, sat down in a chair. After a moment, he stood up, gave Fuli a deep bow, and then left the tent.

Lin Shuishi had been observing the intense undercurrents between the two. He realized that Fuli had already made his decision and had reached some crucial agreement with the human army, all conveyed in that single word.

Before long, soldiers arrived to drag away the corpse of the vine-armored soldier, with Rear General Jiang Zhao following closely behind. As soon as he entered, he, like Sun Luqian, gave a deep bow to Fuli and Lin Shuishi.

The playful demeanor this man had shown during their first meeting was now long gone. His mouth was full of sores, a sign of the inner turmoil and stress he was under.

No matter how skillful a strategist he was, he could not contend with the nearly inhuman strength they were facing. The number of troops the court could deploy was limited, and the reinforcements from various vassal kings were far away. Even if they reached Dingzhou, they wouldn’t be able to break through the barbarians’ formations and armor, only to waste lives in vain.

General Zhao Xing’s family had a long history of military service, and there was no one in the court who could surpass him in the art of warfare. Even with his courage and exceptional skills, he barely managed to fend off the barbarians’ siege, but he was now trapped in Xuancheng. It was a time of dire straits, and the situation inside was likely unimaginably grim.

That night, the candles in the small side tent burned for half the night. The rear general came and went in a hurry, mobilizing troops and supplies through the night. He hadn’t slept for several days and nights, and now, with a long sigh, his eyes slightly reddened, he stood alone in the cold night, gazing up at the lonely moon.

The nation was in peril, with smoke rising everywhere, and the people were suffering. Behind Pingzhou City lay the prosperous lands of Jiangnan, with its abundance of rice and fish, and the imperial capital of the Six Dynasties.

The barbarians were about to breach the gates, and if they did, the Central Plains would fall, and the nation would be lost. The emperor, resolute and unyielding, refused to move the capital. He unsheathed his sword and removed his crown, vowing to live and die with the country and its people.

Pingzhou was the last line of defense. Zhao Xing bore a heavy burden, and even if it meant being ground to dust, he had to hold the line!

Inside Xuancheng, the ground beneath the tightly closed city gates was a scene of utter chaos, with burning ladders, charred and mutilated bodies doused in hot oil, useless arrows scattered everywhere, and siege equipment broken into pieces.

Atop the city gate stood a group of soldiers, their faces ashen and bloodied, continuously falling and being replaced by others as they defended the city.

A deputy general, his armor in tatters, and one eye remaining, trembled slightly as he spoke to the large man gritting his teeth while applying a hemostatic powder to a gaping wound on his chest, “General, the grain is gone, and the soldiers are eating bark to stave off hunger. If this continues, the barbarians won’t have to breach the city; we’ll starve to death first.”

The general, his gums bleeding, rasped, “Has there been any word from the scouts or the light cavalry?”

“None. Once they entered the enemy’s formation beneath the city, they never returned. General, if the supplies don’t arrive soon, we won’t be able to hold the city!”

“Silence! If Dingzhou falls, there will be no natural barriers left to defend. The barbarians are so brutal—they’ve slaughtered five cities already, leaving nothing alive! The people behind us will all be at their mercy!”

Thank you for the correction. Here’s the revised translation:

The general then bit down on a piece of cloth to tie off his wound, his eyes bloodshot. “Even if we must die, we will defend Pingzhou until the reinforcements arrive!”

Meanwhile, in the dark forest, a shadow moved silently, having scouted the area thoroughly. A low, guttural sound followed, and soon the rustling of small paws digging into the earth could be heard. In no time, they had dug quite a distance.

Lin Shuishi, crouched near the narrow tunnel, couldn’t help but exclaim at their efficiency!

The defending forces in Dingzhou were trapped, their ammunition and food supplies nearly exhausted. They were barely managing to hold the city, but it was clear they would soon be worn down by the barbarian forces. The most critical need now was for food supplies.

However, any attempt by the logistics troops to approach would be met with annihilation. The defending forces in Dingping were already few in number, and most were new recruits who could not endure such losses.

Lin Shuishi had an idea as he looked at Fuli. If humans couldn’t enter, who said small animals couldn’t? If the ground couldn’t be breached from above, who said it couldn’t be done from below? Could the barbarians possibly have underground radar?

Thus, the current scene unfolded. Under the cover of darkness, a group of pangolins, wombats, and moles had gathered. They chirped and burrowed forward with incredible speed!

Lin Shuishi watched these expert diggers—some burrowed, some transported dirt, while others occasionally poked their heads out to keep watch, their shifty eyes giving them the look of seasoned spies!

The pangolins dug with astonishing speed. Lin Shuishi had witnessed their prowess back on Dongshan; they could tear through not only soil but even rocky layers with ease! However, to maintain their speed, the tunnels were not large, only allowing small animals to pass through.

Fuli, on the other hand, leaped into the darkness, heading toward Xuancheng. Concealed, he observed the surroundings near the city. His golden beast-like pupils dilated in the night, allowing him to see the situation outside the city clearly. The barbarians had set up formations beneath the city, establishing camps and sleeping under the open sky.

As Fuli gazed at the massive formation, a sense of familiarity washed over him. The ancient formation, though incomplete, was more than enough to deal with humans.

A barbarian leader suddenly felt a chill deep in his heart, causing his hair to stand on end. He quickly shook his head and looked up toward the distant treetops, but he saw nothing—not even a leaf stirring.

He gritted his teeth, convinced that the eerie formation drawn by the shaman was to blame. Why not just fight head-on? The thrill of tasting blood and flesh was what he craved! What was the point of such formations that required constant guarding? To hell with it!

Meanwhile, inside Xuancheng, General Zhao Xing, who had just been feverish, leaned against the city gate, resting briefly. The old defender beside him, feeling troubled, wanted to drape a tattered blanket over him, but Zhao Xing suddenly stood up, eyes wide open, gripping his spear tightly. He lunged at the platform behind the gate with the spear!

The strike was as swift as a dragon or serpent, moving so fast it seemed to disappear into thin air before it reappeared with a sharp whistle!

This was the most powerful attack in the Zhao family’s spear technique, capable of penetrating even vine armor. No one in the army could withstand it, and Zhao Xing had defeated countless enemies with this spear.

But at this moment, Zhao Xing was utterly shocked. He saw a tall figure standing not far ahead in the dim moonlight!

The figure’s strong silhouette was hidden in the darkness, with a blood-red, half-formed crescent moon behind it. All was shrouded in shadow, except for a pair of dark gold, glowing beast eyes, which emitted a faint cold light, instilling a primal fear in those who saw them.

The figure easily caught the fierce, deadly spear with one hand, tilted his head to glance at it, then raised his arm and threw it back.

Zhao Xing heard a loud “thud” as the treasured family spear embedded itself deep into the hard city bricks. The spear shaft, unable to withstand the immense force, quivered back and forth with a buzzing sound.

The deputy general beside him finally snapped out of his shock and gasped, while Zhao Xing looked at the spear lodged just inches from his feet. He raised his head and spoke steadily.

“Who are you, sir?”