More than a month has passed since Jimo left, and Qiuniu has only visited a couple of times, mostly talking about their military campaigns. Only then did I gradually learn of Jimo's actions. They feigned allegiance to the Guifang, attacked and captured Fuqi's capital, and simultaneously cultivated this force in secret. Now, Fuqi has lost its ruler and is suffering defeat after defeat. The Guifang are advancing south, and many cities have fallen without a fight, simply because the emperor is still alive and in Guifang's hands. Now, Jimo is leading his troops north, directly attacking the Guifang's northern headquarters. Basilji Yu naturally dispatched troops north, and Mr. Xu took a detour, cutting off two of the Guifang's forces and creating a pincer movement with Jimo.
I never expected his power to have reached this point. Qiuniu only said that it was the will of the people. The Fuqi royal family was arrogant and extravagant, and the Guifang were cruel and tyrannical. The world was in turmoil. The only force that could resist was Jimo. Naturally, the people flocked to Jimo, and their journey was surprisingly smooth.
With the Southern court emboldened to retaliate against the Guifang, Basiljiyu was caught off guard for a time.
The current situation is clear: Jimo's obstruction of the Guifang's food supply has already put the Guifang in a difficult situation. In addition, the attack from both the north and south, coupled with the fact that the south is wealthy and can hold its ground, could force the Guifang to retreat without a fight. Moreover, the imperial court, incited by Jimo, has launched a reckless military campaign and has gained some momentum.
This war is indeed arduous. A few days ago, Qiuniu suddenly told me that Jimo and Basiljiyu were facing off in a mountain pass. The confined space made it impossible to deploy troops, and the generals on both sides charged first, but there has been no news since.
He said, "With Yazi around, we'll never be defeated." But my heart is still uneasy, I don't know why.
After two months of separation, Qiuniu was getting restless. Just then, news came from Fuxi, who said there was no need to worry. Hearing this, I was still uneasy. Then Qiuniu said he had something to attend to at home and had to leave, and I didn't stop him. The mountains were, after all, more secluded than other places.
That's just what I thought.
The day after Qiuniu left, the Guifang army arrived. I was alone in the mountains, so I was caught off guard and didn't even have time to escape. There was a dull thud behind my head, and then I lost consciousness.
When I woke up, the scene before me was completely upside down. As if in a hallucination, I saw the giant. However, that burly body was now hanging high in the air, seemingly without any strength left.
"Madam." He had clearly been watching me the whole time, and when he saw me open my eyes, he called out softly. But his voice was so deep, it was nothing like the burly man he used to be.
"This is the Ghost Fang army camp. Madam, don't be afraid. The general will surely come back to help you."
He changed his way of addressing the general; before, he only called him "boss," like a mountain bandit.
Looking at him, I felt a little worried. But he just smiled憨憨地 as always: "Hehe, hairy legs are the fastest runner. He must have delivered a message to the general."
I was just about to ask about the battle ahead; they had been marching south for months, and we really shouldn't be imprisoned in the same place. Just then, the lock on the door clanged open, and the heavy cell door screamed as it was pushed open. I had seen the person who entered once before, a nightmare I could never forget—Basiljiyu.
That time, he wanted to burn me alive, and Ji Mo traded the old emperor for my life. Now, Ji Mo is no longer his ally; they are bitter enemies. He will no longer be so accommodating, and I suppose some suffering is inevitable. Yet, deep down, I didn't expect Ji Mo to come. He must still be on the battlefield right now; it wouldn't be worth it for him to withdraw for my sake. Fu Xi was right; trading the old emperor for me was extremely unwise.
As soon as he entered, he turned around and locked the door. Inside the cell, there were only me, Big Guy, him, and the room full of torture instruments.
"What would you like to try today?" he asked the big guy, his fluent Voocchio surprising me.
The big guy spat at him, which he dodged with practiced ease, as if he'd done this a thousand times before. He glanced back at me, then suddenly slammed a fist into the big guy's chin. A cry of pain, barely audible, caught in his throat, splattered crimson blood, and two loose molars clicked gratingly. I stared at the big guy's contorted face, his bones shattered, almost exposed.
Basilji Yu gripped his right wrist, lowered his eyes, and said, "After enduring for so many days, it's finally time to make a move."
His words, spoken so casually, seemed directed at me. He was holding back, wanting to show this scene to me.
The big man's face was covered in blood. The blow to his chin had almost knocked him unconscious, but he was still struggling, powerless and ineffective, just struggling.
Basilji Yu turned back to select instruments of torture before the table. I couldn't bear to watch any longer; my legs were still numb, so I could only crawl over, my sleeves stained with large patches of scarlet. The big man looked at me, seemingly wanting to grin, but he couldn't manage a smile. A pang of sadness struck me, but then my collar tightened. I turned around to find myself held captive by Basilji Yu. He smiled slightly and said, "No rush, no rush, it'll be your turn later."
I was slammed against the wall, and only then did I notice an unusual object beside my head: a round hoop with a three-inch-long handle embedded in the wall, covered in barbs.
Basiljiyu bent down and fiddled with the hoop, then suddenly opened it, splitting it in two from the base of the handle. He grabbed my wrist, and I suddenly understood something, but struggling was futile.
The barbs dug into my bones and flesh. He held my hand down tightly, and the three-inch-long handle sank into the wall. I heard a cracking sound from the wall behind my head, and I knew that the thing was locked and I couldn't break free no matter how hard I struggled. The hoop closed tightly as the handle disappeared, and I could almost feel the icy coldness against my bones.
Seeing the blood gushing from his wrist, the big man let out a roar from deep in his throat. Only then did Basilji Yu leisurely walk over, pick up the long whip on the table, and strike it in the air with a smile. The echo reverberated in the empty prison.
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