Chapter Fifteen: The Five Generals and Seven Ladies

Two surging forces collided in midair. The White Feather Arrow was crushed inch by inch from its tip to its fletching by the single-handed spear, which did not lose momentum but continued toward Shaya’s chest in the sky. Shaya had not expected his arrow, imbued with all his inner strength, to be so easily shattered by the single-handed spear. True, he had fought hard and suffered serious injuries, and his anger at Deng Tao’s actions had thrown his mind into chaos, so the arrow’s power was at most half its usual potency. Yet even so, it shouldn’t have been something any ordinary martial artist could withstand, let alone destroy head-on.

Of course, he didn’t know Deng Tao’s spear was no ordinary weapon; it was on a completely different level. If his White Feather Arrow had been made of such exceptional material, who would have been crushed was still uncertain.

At this moment, Shaya was suspended in the air, unable to draw strength from anywhere. His true energy had been exhausted with that last arrow. Had it been someone less experienced, facing the flying spear, they would have had no choice but to await their death. But Shaya was a survivor, an assassin who lived on the edge of life and death, and lacked nothing so much as experience in snatching life from the jaws of death. In this mortal moment, he kicked the back of the Blackwood Bow with his left foot, spinning the bow from vertical to horizontal in his grasp. Borrowing the recoil, he spun in midair, the long bow whirling like a top, and with perfect timing struck the spearhead of the single-handed spear as it came flying.

The spearhead deflected, piercing his shoulder and knocking him three feet through the air, taking his entire left arm with it.

Blood rained down!

Though Shaya lost an arm, he avoided a fatal blow and, propelled by that strike, left the confines of the large ship. As long as he fell into the water, his endurance and tenacious will gave him a thirty percent chance to escape.

But at that instant, a dazzling longsword sliced through the air, catching up with him and, with a swift thrust from behind, pierced his abdomen. The sword tip passed clean through his body.

Zuo Wen had finally arrived. It was his first strike, and he executed it flawlessly—timing, angle, and force all under perfect control, as subtle as a deer’s horns, reaching the pinnacle of skill. As the sword entered, his wrist twisted, shredding Shaya’s internal organs. Then, with a fierce kick to Shaya’s back, a surge of powerful energy invaded his body, severing the last thread of life.

Shaya let out a muffled groan and fell back onto the deck, spewing a mouthful of blood. His face, already ghostly pale, grew even more ghastly. He struggled to lift his head, and with his remaining right hand, drew something unknown from his cloak. Xu You, just emerging from the ship’s ladder, saw this and shouted urgently, “Kill him—!”

His words were cut off by a shrill screech. A dense plume of black smoke shot skyward, blooming into an explosion of black fireworks dozens of yards high, lingering in the air.

“Ha!”

The longsword flashed again, pinning Shaya to the ground like a fish on a spit. This time, he didn’t struggle; he died instantly. Zuo Wen landed, apologizing to Xu You as he approached: “This is all my fault. I didn’t realize he still had strength to send a signal after my repeated blows...”

He did not know what the black fireworks were made of, able to gather and linger even in the wind, but even someone like Xu You, who rarely ventured into the martial world, understood this must be a tool for communication or warning among the Four Arrow Assassins. For Zuo Wen, a veteran of the rivers and lakes, the meaning was obvious.

Xu You spoke gently, “Commander, there’s no need to blame yourself. Shaya earned his fearsome reputation for a reason; he must have trained in secret arts to protect his heart, so he was hard to kill… But no matter how formidable he was, he ultimately died by your sword. After today, your name will surely shake the world. I congratulate you in advance.”

Zuo Wen dared not claim credit. “It was all thanks to your brilliant strategy, sir…”

Xu You waved his hand. “Without the soldiers risking their lives to surround the enemy, without Deng Tao’s spear breaking the arrow, and without your extraordinary skill, what use would a thousand clever plans be? The credit belongs to all of you!”

Zuo Wen and Deng Tao were both taken aback. Killing one of the Four Arrow Assassins would greatly boost anyone’s reputation. Xu You, though he never struck a blow, had devised plan after plan, luring Shaya and Yueya into a trap and killing them one by one. If merit were to be weighed, none could compare to him. Yet he seemed not to care, his generosity and breadth of spirit winning everyone’s admiration.

“Commander, check on everyone’s injuries. Since there’s a renowned physician aboard, ask him to treat the wounded brothers. Not another life must be lost!”

Zuo Wen went to carry out his orders. Xu You paused for a moment, then said, “Deng Tao, search the body and see what you can find.”

Deng Tao bent to search, then turned and handed over a token. “Only this, nothing else.”

Xu You examined it—it was identical to the token found on Yueya earlier: same material, same craftsmanship, same design on the reverse. But on the front were engraved the words “General Five.”

“General Five, Lady Seven…”

Xu You gently rubbed the cold token, his brow tightly furrowed. Deng Tao found it odd; even when Yueya attacked, Xu You’s expression hadn’t changed in the slightest. It was precisely that unshakable confidence that had led them to kill two great assassins on this ship. Why, then, did this small token seem to plunge him into an enormous dilemma?

“Sir, is there something suspicious about this token?”

Xu You put it away, smiling. “Not really—I’m just curious, that’s all…” He did not explain further, and Deng Tao dared not ask, apologizing before withdrawing.

A quarter of an hour later.

The bloodstains on the deck had been washed away, no longer forming the terrifying patterns that made it impossible to step anywhere, but the pungent smell of blood still lingered in the river breeze, making people nauseous. The corpses of Shaya and Yueya lay side by side at the center of the deck. Xu You gazed at them for a long time. In all his lives, past and present, this was the first time he had so carefully plotted to kill someone. Previously, facing life and death, he had no time for reflection, but now a sense of confusion and helplessness he could not express welled up within him.

Is it inevitable, in such chaotic times, to walk a road of slaughter?

Is it true that behind every general’s success, countless bones and blood are forever buried?

“Sir, all the aftermath has been arranged.”

Xu You nodded. He was, after all, once the Fox Commander; his momentary distraction soon passed, and he cast aside his melancholy. Since he was here, he would accept it. He could hardly let others take his life and foolishly hand it over.

“How are the casualties?”

Zuo Wen’s expression was grave. “Twenty-eight killed in action, seven seriously wounded, eleven lightly wounded.” He had led troops for many years, but had never experienced such brutal fighting. His tone was steady as ever, but carried a trace of sorrow.

Xu You felt a pang of guilt and sighed. “Because of me, so many people lost their lives—I can hardly bear it. Commander, please give me a list of those who died in battle. When we reach Jinling, I will personally compensate their families.”

Zuo Wen’s eyes glistened with emotion, and even the guards around them felt grateful to Xu You. They were of low status, and dying in battle had always been considered part of their duty, not something to be regretted. But hearing Xu You’s heartfelt words now, how could they not be moved?

Just then, Feng Tong’s triumphant voice sounded behind them. “Sir, what are you saying? They belong to the Yuan family, and died defending its reputation—it was a worthy death. Besides, all compensation and rewards for the dead and wounded will be handled by the officials of my estate; you need not interfere!”

Feng Tong, though lacking quick wit, was no fool and would not let Xu You win hearts so easily. Zuo Wen’s hand clenched, his tiger eyes blazing with grief and indignation, but he still bowed respectfully. “Steward, why are you out here instead of resting in the dark room?”

Feng Tong did not catch the sarcasm, first frowning at the two corpses, startled by their mutilated state, quickly turning his head away. “I came to see what the famous Four Arrow Assassins look like, so I can answer when the master asks. Hah, who would have thought these notorious killers were a frail consumptive and a delicate beauty? Clearly, their reputation exceeds their reality.”

‘Consumptive’ meant tuberculosis. Shaya, single-handedly taking so many of Yuan’s elite guards, was seen by people like Feng Tong as nothing more than a sickly wretch—truly laughable and sad.

Xu You had no patience for his nonsense. “Steward Feng, we’ve only captured two assassins. The most skilled, Feiyao, and the most mysterious, Anyao, are still lurking nearby, watching us. In my humble opinion, you’d best not show yourself so readily.”

Feng Tong’s face instantly turned pale, his legs trembling. “Then… I’ll go back below. I’ll leave things here to you…”

Xu You smiled. “With me here, you need not worry, Steward Feng.”