Chapter 525: Are You Silly?
Su Ping hesitated when Deputy General Lin scolded him for the second time. "Move forward slowly. Protect yourself!" He recalled Qin Silong’s advice, realizing that this time, a frontal assault was unnecessary. He opted to wait for the signal to retreat, banking on the sound of the drums.
Despite understanding the strategy, Su Ping had to heed Deputy General Lin’s orders. Advancing cautiously was already pushing his limits. The front line, however, bore the brunt of the assault, with rocks and arrows claiming the lives of hundreds and injuring nearly a hundred more—each one a living being.
Deputy General Lin, shielded by over a dozen guards, remained unscathed but expressed dissatisfaction with Su Ping’s performance. He demanded, "Chiliarch Su! Stand up and lead the charge! Disobeying military orders will result in execution!"
Knowing that standing up made him an easier target for the arranged assailants, Su Ping reluctantly rose. Deputy General Lin, sneering, signaled the charge with a secret code, expecting his men to eliminate Su Ping.
To his surprise, the arrow aimed for him. Panicking, he sought protection behind his guards, shouting, "Quick, protect me..." Yet, before Deputy General Lin could finish, the arrow struck his chest, and he tumbled to the ground.
The personal guards rushed to save him, but arrows from the enemy camp claimed nearly half of them. Despite the casualties, they managed to carry the injured Deputy General Lin onto a horse.
Seizing the opportunity, Qin Silong ordered the drums to beat, signaling a retreat.
*
Qin Silong breathed a sigh of relief, well aware that Deputy General Lin intended to seize this opportunity to eliminate him. Caught between enemies in front and conspirators behind, he faced a double danger.
Despite the peril, Qin Silong resolved not to be a coward. Bound by the need to withhold crucial information, he opted to issue a warning in advance.