Chapter 61: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

With his fiery temper, Zhou Gang was the first to leap to his feet, staring at Zhang Jiawen as he demanded, "General, tell us which bastard dares to collude with those animals! Name him, and with all our brothers here, we'll hack him to pieces!"

Everyone else remained silent, merely looking at Zhang Jiawen, while Zhao Ji lowered his head to mask his expression.

He felt as though his actions had been exposed, but upon second thought, he deemed it impossible; everyone who knew about this matter was his trusted confidant. Their lives and fortunes were bound to his, making betrayal out of the question.

Besides, the city walls were still under his control. Even if they had truly sensed something amiss, it was already too late.

"Brother Zhao, why aren't you saying anything?"

Just as Zhao Ji was pondering countermeasures, Lin Shize's sudden remark startled him. Catching Lin Shize's smile, Zhao Ji felt an even deeper surge of unease.

With an unnatural expression, he replied, "I was just waiting for the General to name him so I could lead the brothers to capture this traitor."

"If this traitor is found, what does Brother Zhao plan to do?" Lin Shize pressed on.

Wearing a look of righteous indignation, Zhao Ji drew his saber and declared, "I will certainly hack him into a thousand pieces!"

Maintaining his smile, Lin Shize shook his head and said, "I'm afraid Brother Zhao wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it."

Zhao Ji assumed a stern and upright stance. "What do you mean by that, Brother Lin? Traitors deserve to be executed by all. How could I possibly not bring myself to do it?"

Instead of answering his question, Lin Shize muttered to himself, "In times of great upheaval, people's hearts are no longer pure."

"I'm afraid that if the Mongol army charges over and the city gates are thrown open once more, we won't be able to hold the garrison."

"Lin Shize! What do you mean by spouting such sarcastic and nonsensical rubbish here?"

"It's my turn on duty today, yet you deliberately came over to drink, and now you're uttering all these inexplicable words. Could it be that you suspect me of collaborating with the enemy?!"

With wide eyes and blazing fury, Zhao Ji pointed his saber at Lin Shize, though his heart trembled uncontrollably inside.

How could Lin Shize know about these matters? Was he merely talking nonsense, or had the plot truly been exposed?

Hearing this, Zhou Gang and Qian Zhengliang cast shocked glances at Zhao Ji.

Anxiously, Zhao Ji blurted out, "Why are you looking at me like that? We've been brothers for so many years—don't you even have this bit of trust in me?!"

"This son of a bitch is clearly framing me! How could I ever collaborate with the enemy? Even if I were to die on the battlefield and leap off the city walls, I could never betray my country!"

Lin Shize replied, "Brother Zhao shouldn't speak with such absolute certainty just yet."

Zhao Ji shouted, "Lin Shize! If you don't make yourself clear today, I won't let this rest. Bring out the evidence to prove that I'm a traitor selling out the country!"

Zhou Gang and Qian Zhengliang stared at the two men in utter bewilderment, unable to fathom what had gotten into everyone today. They had been drinking amicably as brothers, only for the conversation to suddenly turn to traitors.

With clear eyes entirely devoid of intoxication, Lin Shize gazed at Zhao Ji.

"Since Brother Zhao wants evidence, I shall give it to you, sparing you from shedding tears before you see the coffin."

"Bring them in!"

Several of Zhao Ji's trusted confidants were dragged forward, bound tightly with thick ropes.

Kneeling on the ground, Wu Shi wept bitterly, snot and tears streaming down his face as he wailed, "Spare my life, General! I knew nothing; everything was instigated by Zhao Ji!"

Zhang Jiawen had not uttered a single word from the very beginning. He simply sat in his place, downing cup after cup of potent liquor. His eyes grew increasingly bloodshot, while his complexion turned paler by the minute.

Seeing his subordinates wiped out in one fell swoop, Zhao Ji staggered. All of his plans had been carried out in absolute secrecy—why on earth had they been uncovered?

With a vicious glint in his eyes, Zhao Ji gave a wave of his hand, and dozens of heavily armored soldiers rushed forward instantly.

"Originally, for the sake of our years as brothers, I intended to spare your lives. But this little bastard forced my hand. If you want to lay the blame, blame him!"

Never expecting Zhao Ji to genuinely be a traitor, Zhou Gang pointed an accusing finger at him and cursed furiously, "Zhao Ji! You son of a bitch, I'm going to rip you apart with my bare hands!"

Looking at him with utter disdain, Zhao Ji sneered, "Zhou Gang, you bloody brute are nothing more than a fool."

Immediately shifting his gaze to Lin Shize, he said, "Kid, do you know what it means to be too clever by half?"

"Originally, I only intended to hand the garrison over to the Mongols so you lot could still survive. But now that matters have reached this point, all of you must die!"

Ever since he chose the path of treason, he had anticipated this day and made foolproof preparations. The dozens of men behind him were the most elite soldiers in the entire garrison.

As long as he subdued Zhang Jiawen and the others, and then let the Mongols in, everything would be over.

Crash!

Zhang Jiawen violently shattered his wine bowl and stood up, his bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely at Zhao Ji.

"You had the chance to live as a proper human being, yet you chose to act like an animal, didn't you?"

Zhao Ji retorted, "Zhang Jiawen! I've spent five years acting like a human! Do you have any idea how I've survived these past five years? I've been treated worse than a dog."

"We became soldiers to climb the ranks and get rich. Look at the scar on my head—I nearly died right here."

"I risked my life to protect this city, but what was my reward in the end? I merely received the rank of a thousand-man commander."

"Those aristocratic scions don't have to lift a finger to attain high office and ride fine steeds, and even a bumpkin like Chu Luolong managed to secure the position of Deputy Surveillance Commissioner."

"Yet day in and day out, I've had to hang my head by the belt of the heavens. Why should I?!"

"I no longer want to carry shields and brave showers of arrows to storm cities, nor do I want to cross blades in a desperate fight to the death with the enemy. I am terrified that one day I will perish on the battlefield and turn into a pile of rotting meat."

"I want a life of luxury and fine silks. I want to take back what rightfully belongs to me. What have I done wrong? Tell me, what have I done wrong?"

Trembling with boiling rage, Zhang Jiawen pointed at the distorted, ferocious face of Zhao Ji and shouted, "Just for the sake of wealth and glory, you're willing to trade the lives of your brothers and surrender to the Mongols?"

Zhao Ji pleaded, "Brother, I never wanted to kill you all. The Mongols are right outside the city walls, and I've already arranged it with them—the moment we hand over the garrison, wealth and glory will be within our grasp."

"We are brothers. Come with me, and I guarantee we'll share in the prosperity. You won't have to live in constant terror ever again. How about it?"

In a fit of righteous fury, Zhou Gang drew his saber. "Bah! You soulless beast! To think I ever called you a brother—it just shows how blind I was. Even if I die today, I will never turn traitor with you!"

Qian Zhengliang also drew his saber, pointing it directly at the bridge of Zhao Ji's nose as he cursed him out.

Driven mad with rage, Zhao Ji laughed bitterly. "Very well, very well. Truly, there is a path to heaven which you refuse to take, yet you cast yourselves into the gates of hell uninvited."

"Since you don't wish to live, I'll grant your wish."

Lin Shize spoke up: "Zhao Ji, did you really think that knowing your plan all along, we would come here completely unprepared?"

Before his voice had even faded, a massive horde of soldiers suddenly surged from both sides of the city walls. In an instant, a torrential downpour of arrows rained down, and the soldiers behind Zhao Ji were swallowed by the volley in the blink of an eye.

Terror washed over Zhao Ji's face. He had never imagined that so many troops had been laying in ambush along the ramparts.

Yet, having earned the rank of a thousand-man commander, he was no mere incompetent fool.

To capture the bandits, one must first capture their ringleader. The only chance he had left to turn the tables was to seize Zhang Jiawen and the others.

"Charge!"

Seeing Zhao Ji brandish his saber and rush straight toward him, Lin Shize took a bold step forward to meet him.