The scarred face contorted with ferocity.
Gripping the sword's hilt, he swung it savagely, as if Commander Hachi had already fallen before his blade.
Chen Yu sat nearby, propping his chin on his hand, observing the leaders.
They still had to kill!
If that was the case, why were they being so obsequious, offering fawning smiles and payment? What were they trying to achieve?
He couldn't understand.
It felt like their thought processes were truly peculiar.
"His city soldiers will all fall asleep soon. Once we deal with Hachi and seize his military token, the city soldiers will belong to our city-state," the scarred man murmured, his voice grave. "Heh, he wants to rebel? We won't give him such an opportunity."
"Second Master, you..."
"I put sleeping powder in their congee."
Oh.
So it was sleeping powder.
Chen Yu actually possessed such a concoction too; he hadn't used it because he feared the dosage wouldn't be enough.
"The congee has a strong aroma; those foolish soldiers won't notice," the scarred man whispered. "If the soldiers outside the mess hall dare to resist, our City Lord contacted the Hyena Tribe last night and had them send reinforcements. Hachi has no chance of turning the tide."
Chen Yu glanced sideways, seeing the black bean eyes of the other person spread.
"I don't know."
He knew very well what Chen Yu wanted to ask him: if that group from earlier was from the Hyena Tribe. At the time, he was solely focused on causing trouble and quickly coming to inform Chen Yu.
He hadn't really paid attention to their specific race.
"Boss, it feels like our attack on the city is a bit chaotic this time," Hei Dou whispered, his voice lowered. Chen Yu raised his hand, lifting him onto his shoulder and tiptoeing back several meters. "It is indeed a bit messy, but... it doesn't affect us. Let them wear each other out."
"Then what about us?"
"Let's go~"
Chen Yu gave Hei Dou a wink, and the two of them quietly withdrew from the mess hall's latrine area.
At this point, Chen Yu had a general understanding of the situation within the city-state.
The city soldiers were one faction.
The slave overseers belonged to another.
Both factions harbored ulterior motives. The slave overseers, led by the necromancer, intended to eliminate the leadership of the city soldiers and absorb the remaining soldiers.
The city soldier commander likely intended to seize control of the city.
The conflict had emerged.
Chen Yu's own position was no longer as critical.
Internal strife would suffice.
Given this, Chen Yu actually had many ways to capture the city, minimizing his own losses while maximizing his gains.
Outside the mess hall, the city soldiers were still shoveling congee into their mouths.
However, the Pig Head overseer and the slaves had all disappeared.
Evidently, the slave overseers knew a great battle was imminent, and slaves were their labor force for generating income, so their safety needed to be ensured first.
This suited Chen Yu perfectly.
Pushing open the door and heading to the mess hall's woodpile, Chen Yu dug out Hachi.
"Hey~"
"Wake up, Commander."
Hachi, lying in the hay, opened his eyes groggily. He immediately saw Chen Yu squatting before him, his face etched with worry.
"Commander, why are you lying here?"
"You..." Hachi, opening his eyes, felt a sharp pain in his head. He glared at Chen Yu and whispered, "Who are you? Where is my armor?"
"Commander, you should run."
Chen Yu didn't answer, his eyes filled with anxiety.
"The overseers of the city-state want to harm you. Your city soldiers have already been poisoned by them, and they are now plotting to kill you."
"What?"
Hearing this, Hachi's eyes widened instantly.
"How do you know?"
"I was serving those overseers just now and overheard them discussing," Chen Yu whispered timidly. "They said you were already dealt with by them and buried in the mess hall's woodpile. As soon as your soldiers were poisoned, they would annihilate you all. I took advantage of those overseers going to the latrine to quickly come and save you."
"It was them!"
Hachi, his head still throbbing faintly, clenched his fists tightly.
Chen Yu rubbed his hands, his eyes full of fear.
"Commander, I hope you'll take me with you when you leave. I don't want to stay in this damned place anymore. Considering I saved your life, you should..."
"Get lost!"
Hachi’s face contorted with rage as he shoved Chen Yu over.
"A mere slave, daring to negotiate with me? You think you can run? If you run, who will work for me when I take over this city-state? You'd best stay here quietly. Dare to take a step, and I'll kill you on the spot."
Bang!
Hachi, his face flushed with anger, kicked open the mess hall door.
"Still eating like pigs? Are you all pigs?!" Hachi glared at the city soldiers still devouring their meal, grabbed a weapon from one of them, and donned armor.
"Commander~"
The city soldiers quickly put down their bowls and stood up. Hachi also gripped his sword and shouted.
"Follow me and kill!"
The shouts of killing echoed to the heavens.
The overseers, who were still lurking outside the latrine preparing for an ambush, heard the shouts. They glanced sideways and saw Hachi, sword in hand, charging at them like a beast.
"Second Master, why is Hachi..."
The overseers hesitated to speak.
They were all positioned here in the latrine. How could Hachi possibly emerge from the direction of the mess hall, and his soldiers were also charging with imposing momentum.
"They come with ill intent,"
The scarred man narrowed his eyes, swallowed hard, and rebuked in a low voice.
"Put your weapons away."
After sheathing his weapon, the scarred man greeted Hachi with a smile.
"Commander Hachi..."
"Die!"
Hachi swung his sword down.
The surging force seemed capable of splitting mountains and cleaving peaks. The scarred man quickly rolled back twice, drew his weapon from his waist, and reprimanded in a low voice.
"What are you doing?!"
"What am I doing? Didn't you want to kill me? And you dare to ask me what I'm doing?" Hachi, brandishing his sword, roared, "Knocking me out in the mess hall and then making a move on my subordinates. Quite a calculation you've made."
"What?"
"Still pretending to be clueless and playing dumb with me? I know all your tricks. Deliberately withholding my military pay, you wanted to force me to rebel, right? Fine, I'll fulfill your wish. I'll rebel today, and from now on, this city-state will be called Hachi's!"
"Hachi, we already gave you the military pay!"
The scarred man shouted furiously, "What more are you unsatisfied with? Not a single copper coin is missing from the 120,000 military pay. What else do you want?"
"When was it given?"
"Just now..."
"Go to hell! I was unconscious from being beaten by you at the time. You say you gave me military pay?"
"What?"
Hearing this, the scarred man froze. Then, as if understanding, he exclaimed.
"Hachi, there might be a misunderstanding here. It must have been that magic-cloaked fellow who came again. Perhaps he disguised himself as you just now, and then..."
"Wo~"
Suddenly, the city soldiers standing behind Hachi, who had been charging with imposing momentum, clutched their stomachs and collapsed in pain.
Seeing this, Hachi's expression instantly changed.
"Magic cloaked fellow, hah... what else do you have to say? The truth is right before my eyes." Hachi's eyes turned bloodshot, and he gripped his sword hilt tightly. "Today, you will all die!"
And at this moment—
Chen Yu, cloaked in magic, sat silently on the mess hall's rooftop.
Sitting on the mountain, watching the tigers fight.