The cold blades were like a forest, and a chilling killing intent swept over us.
At the city gate, the previously orderly procession instantly descended into chaos, with the people retreating in fear, lest they be caught up in this sudden uproar.
A dozen or so fierce soldiers surrounded Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan, their weathered faces filled with vigilance and ruthlessness.
"Tie him up!"
The leading soldier gave the order in a stern voice, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of catching a big fish.
However, just as the soldiers were about to swarm forward and lasso the "suspicious spies," a thunderous shout, like a clap of thunder in spring, suddenly came from the city tower!
"stop!"
The voice was powerful and majestic, filled with an unquestionable, iron-blooded aura, instantly suppressing all the noise at the scene!
"What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket at the city gate! Put your knives away, all of you!"
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall, imposing figure striding towards them on the ramparts of the city gate.
The newcomer was dressed in black iron armor, tall and broad-shouldered, with a fierce aura that could be felt even from a distance, aura that had been honed in the midst of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, almost solidified into a tangible form.
His face was covered with a thick, bushy beard, each hair standing up like steel needles. The most striking feature of his square face was his left eye, which was pierced by a hideous scar. That eye seemed to have long lost its light, leaving only a murky gray-white.
But his only remaining right eye shone like a hawk's, and no one dared to meet his gaze.
"It's General Meng!"
"The Great General has arrived!"
The soldiers surrounding Xiao Che, upon seeing the newcomer, instantly replaced their fierce expressions with a deep-seated awe. With a swift movement, they sheathed their swords and bowed respectfully.
"General!"
The newcomer was none other than Meng Wei, the supreme commander of Zhenbeiguan, known as the "One-Eyed War God" and the Great General of the Border Defense!
Meng Wei ignored the saluting soldiers, walked with his hands behind his back and strode into the center of the arena. His one eye, with a hint of impatience, swept over the soldier who had led the disturbance.
"What's going on? Is such a small matter worth making such a fuss over?"
The soldier felt a chill run down his spine under the soldier's gaze, but he still steeled himself and pointed at Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan, loudly reporting, "Reporting to the general! I have found these two to be acting suspiciously, and their travel permits are forged. I suspect they are spies sent by the enemy!"
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Wei turned his oppressive gaze to the pair of "spies" surrounded by soldiers in the center.
He glanced at it casually, his face showing a hint of annoyance at dealing with trivial matters.
However, that one glance was enough to strike him like a thunderbolt from the heavens, instantly turning him to stone!
His weathered, square face, which remained calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain, lost all color the moment he saw Xiao Che's face!
His pupils contracted to the most dangerous pinpoints in an instant!
Then, in the next second, it zoomed in suddenly, filled with shock, horror, and a kind of almost manic disbelief!
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
The wind stopped.
The noise also disappeared.
In Meng Wei's world, only that face before him remained—a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
That face, though roughened by the wind and sand and covered in dust, still possessed striking features, a straight nose, and especially those deep, calm eyes that seemed to hold the stars and the sea...
Even if he were reduced to ashes, Meng Wei would still recognize him!
That is...
That is...
Meng Wei's lips began to tremble uncontrollably. His body, as solid as a mountain, also began to tremble slightly.
How did he end up here?
How could he possibly look like this?
The surrounding soldiers noticed their general's unusual demeanor. They exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand why their usually decisive and ruthless general would display such...terrified expressions upon seeing these two spies.
Could it be... that these two spies are some very important figures?
Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Meng Wei made a move.
His burly body jolted suddenly, and then his knees buckled. Without hesitation, he was about to kneel down in front of everyone with a "plop"!
If this kneeling is done properly, then the entire Zhenbei Pass, no, the entire northern border of the Great Liang Dynasty, will be engulfed in a tremendous upheaval!
However, just as his knees were about to hit the ground, a soft, seemingly unintentional cough clearly reached his ears.
"cough."
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, exploding in Meng Wei's mind!
That cough instantly pulled him back to reality from his immense shock and instinctive impulse!
His motion to kneel down was abruptly and miraculously halted in mid-air!
In a flash, Meng Wei's brain, honed through countless battles and honed to the instinct to remain calm in the face of danger, began to work frantically!
You mustn't kneel!
Never kneel!
That kneeling gave him away!
If His Majesty's identity is exposed, then the purpose of his trip... the consequences will be unimaginable!
Meng Wei's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat!
He completed a series of complex psychological activities and response decisions in less than half a second.
Suddenly, his knee, which was already bent halfway, twisted violently, and the entire kneeling motion was transformed into a...bending motion in an extremely strange yet extremely smooth way!
He bent down and, with perfect precision, picked up the leather whip that the officer had previously discarded from the ground.
The whole process was smooth and seamless, so fast it was dazzling!
The surrounding soldiers were all dumbfounded.
All they saw was their mighty general, who, upon seeing the pair of spies, first froze, and then, suddenly, bent down in a strange posture and picked up the whip from the ground.
What kind of operation is this?
Just as everyone was filled with questions, Meng Wei, who had picked up the whip, suddenly straightened up.
His face, which had been deathly pale, was now flushed red! It was hard to tell whether it was from anger or from holding it in.
Without saying a word, he swung the whip in his hand and lashed it hard at the soldier who was leading the arrest!
"Smack!"
A crisp popping sound!
A bloody whip mark instantly appeared on the soldier's face!
"You bastard!"
Meng Wei's roar, like an angry lion, made everyone's ears ring!
"You're blind as a bat!"
"Open your dog eyes and see clearly for me!"
He brandished his whip, pointing it at the calm Xiao Che and the barely suppressed-laughing Lin Wan-wan, and roared in a tone of utter disappointment:
"These are my cousins from the capital!"
"You bastards dare to stop even my relatives! And you even dare to use knives?!"
"I think you're all tired of living!"
"Get the hell out of here right now!"
As he spoke, he lashed out with his whip again, striking another soldier's armor with a loud clang!
The entire city gate fell silent instantly.
Everyone, including the soldiers who were dizzy from being whipped, was stunned.
They all stared wide-eyed, their faces full of question marks; their brains had completely shut down.
Uncle...cousin?
Aunt?
They looked at the two ragged "spies" who looked worse than refugees, then at their own general, who was furious and acting like a protective mother hen...
In an instant, everyone's worldview was subjected to an unprecedented and enormous shock.
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