Mo Du's spirit grew increasingly scattered.
"Quickly use hypnosis, just repeating the retreat order will suffice."
"If that doesn't work, increase the dosage. We don't care if she's burned into an idiot!"
"Time is too tight. Immediately contact your trusted subordinates. We must depart within half an hour!"
The orders were simple.
'Select Elder Bei Di and others, withdraw from the medical tent, and lead an elite squad to scout ahead.'
'The main force will pack up and remain on standby, awaiting dispatches from the front.'
'I, Mo Du, will continue to command the central army and complete the mission.'
Once these orders were issued, the dozen or so Elders of Bei Di could legitimately and unimpededly leave the military camp.
But they would not leave Mo Du behind.
If Mo Du's affliction with hallucinogenic poison were exposed, all of them would be ruined.
By taking Mo Du with them, they could solidify the charge of her desertion. Then, with tens of thousands dead due to her disappearance, coupled with a smear campaign...
She would have no defense!
"Faster, faster, we must be quick!"
"Whether we can return alive to Liang Jie Quan depends on this moment!"
Outside the main tent.
The mounted messengers circled the camp again.
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
"The King of Northern Cuisine, leading three Black List experts, has come to our aid!"
"Brothers, we have hope of survival!"
The camp erupted in noise.
Cheers could be heard everywhere!
A messenger outside the tent announced, "Speaker, Mr. Zhang Wei has arrived, what do you think..."
An elder walked out, coughing lightly, "The Speaker is feeling a bit unwell and will not be able to greet you."
"But, the Speaker previously said..."
"Enough!"
The elder roared, "Let Zhang Wei wait in the outer camp. He is not to move without orders!"
After a moment's thought, the elder added, "Right, arrange a meeting, a welcome reception. Let Zhang Wei visit the medical tent for a while."
Closing the door.
Several people showed troubled expressions.
"Zhang Wei, as the head chef of Wine and Beauties, must be very familiar with Mo Du!"
"Given Mo Du's current state, she's bound to be exposed!"
"Damn it, didn't they say three days? We still have 18 hours!"
"First, let the wounded soldiers keep Zhang Wei occupied! The rest of us, let's go quickly!"
...
...
At the side gate of the camp, over a dozen carts laden with supplies began to raise their gates.
Besides the dozen elders, there were their trusted subordinates, around one hundred and fifty people.
"Hurry while it's dark!"
"It's at least 400 kilometers to Liang Jie Quan. We must cover half the distance under the cover of darkness!"
Their planning was meticulous.
A forced march would exhaust the horses and carriages, and time was not abundant. The Yun Kingdom's forces would likely regroup within five to six hours.
By moving stealthily at night, with men hiding their tracks and horses' hooves muffled, their safety would be greatly increased.
The carriages screeched to a halt!
"What's going on!"
"Reporting to the Elders, over a dozen people have blocked the carriages."
The numerous elders were aghast, had they been discovered?
Following the torchlight, they saw over a dozen people kneeling before the carriages, bowing respectfully.
The leader, choking back sobs, said, "Please, do not abandon us! Take us along!"
Elder Hao Dongxi descended from his carriage and reprimanded loudly, "We are going on a reconnaissance mission, what are you people doing here!"
"Don't lie to us, are you scouting ahead with the captured treasures?"
The attack on the Yun Kingdom had yielded considerable spoils.
The most precious of these were in these dozen or so carriages.
If these carts were returned to the North, the funds they would fetch could transform several factions.
"Utter nonsense! Guards..."
"Wait a moment!"
Before Hao Dongxi could issue his orders.
The people kneeling by the roadside pulled open their clothes, revealing fuses and explosives.
"If you don't take us, we'll return and lead people to inspect the loot stores. Then we'll chase you with everyone, creating a huge commotion, and no one will escape."
Hao Dongxi was furious, but helpless!
This operation was highly secret, especially since the King of Northern Cuisine was still in the camp...
"Fine, follow behind!"
"Let's be clear beforehand. After we return, you will all obey my commands. If any information is leaked, you will die!"
The men blocking the path rejoiced.
They said somewhat sheepishly, "Um... we actually have a few wounded comrades. Can we bring them onto the carriages?"
"Damn it... Fine, get on the carriages! Where are they?"
"Just by the roadside, I'll carry them here!"
Saying this, the blockers ignited the explosives strapped to their bodies!
"You! What are you doing!"
Hao Dongxi yelled!
Although the explosive's destructive power couldn't harm him, the sheer spectacle...
It was over!
Everything was over!
The faces of the elders turned pale.
Only Hao Dongxi shouted, "We have carriages and horses, let's speed up. They might not be able to catch us!"
Bang... Boom!!
These were not explosives...
They were fireworks!
No, they were flares!
Over a dozen fiery orbs ascended, illuminating the clouds as if it were day!
On both sides of the road, at some unknown time, a dense crowd of wounded soldiers stood... numbering over a thousand.
"What... what do we do..."
"Quick, bring Mo Du up to take the blame!"
Inside the carriage, the dazed Mo Du was placed in the highest position.
Beside her, Hao Dongxi whispered into her ear with a hypnotic incantation, "Tell them this was all Mo Du's idea, that Mo Du desperately wanted to live. Please spare Mo Du's life!"
Mo Du mechanically walked to the front of the crowd.
The bandages wrapped around her body shifted, her entire face was obscured...
Hao Dongxi was horrified, "You're a human skin doll? When were you swapped? Where is Mo Du?"
The human skin doll amplified her voice, which carried for more than ten li.
"Hao Dongxi and the other dozen or so Elders of Bei Di have deserted, stolen spoils, and poisoned Speaker Mo Du... Any one of these offenses is unforgivable!"
"According to military law, they shall be beheaded and displayed, their blood shed to consecrate the flag!"
The army roared in unison!
"Behead!"
"Behead!"
"Behead!"
...
Towards these traitors, the wounded soldiers felt no pity or sympathy.
Only blood could quell their rage!
An elder stepped forward and declared loudly, "I am Wei Yan, great-uncle of the Wei clan, from the seventeenth town of Bei Di's Wei City. Who dares to kill me!"
Pfft~~~
Blood splattered.
Over a dozen heads tumbled several times...
The human skin doll stepped on his head, wiped the blood from her hands, and whispered, "I dare."
The blood acted like a signal.
Like a tide, the soldiers engulfed the small convoy.
...
...
Inside the main tent, Mo Du lay on the bed.
Zhang Wei stood by her side in silence.
Ju Feng pushed open the door, "Head Chef, we stopped them. Some were torn apart by angry soldiers, about half were brought back alive."
"Mm, I see."
"How is Speaker Mo Du's condition?"
Zhang Wei shook his head, "It's very bad. I detected strange components in her body that I've never seen before."
After all, Zhang Wei's true profession was as a chef. His medical skills were only average.
All his medical knowledge was learned solely for the creation of medicinal cuisine, a very niche field!
"I'll go bring all the army doctors here at once!"
"It won't be of much use. Is Hao Dongxi still alive? Bring him here."
Ju Feng pondered, "Let the human skin doll come, she's quite adept with poisons!"
"It seems that's the only way..."
Zhang Wei added, "Oh, and interrogate Hao Dongxi. If we can find the poison, it will be much easier to resolve."