107: Morbid Derig-Pride and... what on earth?

Inside the Resistance Organization.

“Ahhhhhhh!!!”

Deyiao let out a hysterical scream, slamming his palm onto the wooden table with such force that it creaked as if about to collapse.

His upper body was exposed—slender yet powerful, beads of sweat trickling relentlessly despite the single-digit temperature.

On his shoulder lay a glaring twenty-centimeter knife wound, extending straight down to the center of his chest.

This was the largest injury inflicted during last night’s escape attempt.

Due to the lack of proper medical care and the filthy environment, the wound had begun to blacken.

He ordered the nearby soldier to sear the wound shut with a red-hot branding iron. Though this eased the injury slightly, the excruciating pain was unimaginable.

His smooth skin twisted and deformed under the torture of the branding iron.

“Damn you, Mingtian!!!”

After the final brand, now dressed, Deyiao’s handsome face contorted in agony.

His once humble eyes now radiated a fierce, venomous curse.

“Leader, outside, Chaos Rippers have surrounded us everywhere. Our scouts have spent a day and night surveying—they estimate at least one hundred and fifty enemies encircling us, and there’s no sign of a weak spot in their formation.”

The soldier at his side trembled slightly at Deyiao’s terrifying expression, even after enduring Yinchian’s rigorous training.

“And our food supplies?” Panting heavily, Deyiao grabbed a towel and wiped his face vigorously.

The burly man pursed his lips. “Given the current situation, we have enough food for only three meals for the brothers. With normal rations, it will be gone by the morning after tomorrow. If rationed strictly, it might last three days.”

Deyiao gritted his teeth so hard it felt as if they might shatter. The news only deepened his hatred for Mingtian.

Helpless and driven mad, he clawed at his own face as if afflicted with unbearable itchiness—no matter how hard he scratched, it brought no relief.

“Mingtian…” he snarled the name through clenched teeth, his handsome face marred with a dozen scratch marks from his own desperate grip.

“Why? Why couldn’t you just stay obediently locked up?!”

On the brink of collapse, he grabbed the burly man—who should have been an ally—by the throat and roared wildly.

Though Deyiao’s physique wasn’t especially robust, his strength rivaled Anluo’s. With a fierce grip, the burly man’s eyes rolled back in less than ten seconds.

“Why did Mowang betray me? Doesn’t that kid know that after I take Yangzhou, he too will enjoy wealth and glory? And Mingtian? Why can’t he just kneel and obey, let me kill? Why must they all obstruct my plan? I only want to claim the princess—can’t they just let me succeed?”

In his illogical rage, Deyiao strangled the poor man to death right then and there.

Raising his head, his bloodshot eyes swept the room. The other burly men watching this scene instinctively took a step back, fearing that they might be next.

Having killed one person seemed to vent some of his fury. Deyiao ran a hand through his long hair and took a deep breath.

“I don’t need useless people. Send orders—lock up all the elderly, women, and children in the organization who can’t fight on the front lines. When the food runs out, use them as food!”

The burly men exchanged bewildered glances, momentarily at a loss.

Use comrades as food? Indeed, there were about 150 elderly, women, and children within the organization serving as logistics personnel—they had no combat value.

But to imprison them and then eat them—that was...

“Leader,” one burly man mustered his courage to step forward, “this... this isn’t right, is it? We’re not barbarians, and eating our own comrades is just...”

“Shut up!!!”

With a swift motion accompanied by a roar, before the man finished his sentence, Deyiao’s blade swept just in front of his neck.

A half-second freeze, and because a layer of skin still connected his head, the man’s head flipped back, hanging from his back. His body hadn’t even collapsed before blood sprayed across the ceiling.

“Who else dares to talk nonsense?!” Deyiao screamed madly.

The remaining burly men on the battlefield dared not respond and quickly fled the room to carry out the order.

…

Early the next morning.

Inside the Swallow Cloud Inn.

Mingtian wiped his face. The mental trauma from being crushed in Go yesterday still lingered; he felt as if he had lost weight.

Zhaoyu’s words from yesterday echoed in his ears, still ringing faintly.

No, no, no!

Mingtian shook his head vigorously, trying to banish Zhaoyu from his mind.

That little girl liked men who carried knives, with their own theme music when they walked—handsome, charismatic, and cool-looking.

Me?

Besides being handsome, I’m nothing like that. I’m goofy when free, unkempt, always picking my nose—no charisma at all. Definitely not her type.

Having two wives sounded great, but realistically, how could women not be jealous? Zhaoyu was outgoing; Xinzhu was gentle but a jealous one too. If both were really my wives...

I can already foresee the backyard catching fire every other day.

But if I could have one dragon and two phoenixes, what’s a little trouble? Heh heh heh... No, no, I only love Xinzhu. No wild thoughts.

Alright, better focus on serious matters.

After a simple wash, Mingtian tried to distract himself.

According to plan, the next night would see a full-scale assault on the Resistance Organization.

Last night, Cui Jue came with a stern face and handed over complete control of the Chaos Rippers to him.

Thus, before gaining control of Yangzhou, he was the temporary head of the Third Division.

This outcome was expected.

Cui Jue was proud and afraid of messing up again, so he granted Mingtian temporary authority.

Two nights ago, Bear Cui Jue was no pushover.

Mingtian glanced at the bronze token engraved with some incomprehensible script resembling chaotic claw marks—this token represented the authority of the Third Division.

In his previous life, although Mingtian’s salary was low, his subordinates earned four to five times more, and even the chairman’s driver earned two thousand more than him.

But Mingtian wielded great power; even though as an administrative assistant to the president’s office, he was essentially the chairman’s right hand, the authority was considerable.

Personnel transfers were effortless for Mingtian; he wouldn’t make rookie mistakes like Cui Jue.

So he was confident about tomorrow night’s operation.

Speaking of which, it’s already March, right? The scenery in Yangzhou is nice these days—perfect for an outing. Maybe I should go out for a bit?

Tap tap.

Two sharp knocks interrupted his thoughts.

Who could it be so early?

Xinzhu? No, she went shopping. The two little brats? No—they’ve been getting along well and left early. Anluo? No, Xinzhu’s guard had to accompany her shopping. Yinchian? She likes to sleep in like me and probably hasn’t woken yet. The innkeeper Pang Chong isn’t at the inn—he went to find craftsmen to repair the inn.

Then who?

“Come in, the door’s unlocked,” Mingtian replied casually without overthinking, bringing a basin to the bed to wash his feet—he had forgotten last night.

The door opened, and a sultry voice pierced the air.

“Marshal~”

It was Zhaoyu!

Mingtian looked up, his face instantly draining of color.

“Y-you, you... what are you doing here?!”

Sitting on the bed, memories of yesterday still vivid, Mingtian wanted to run, but he had already taken off his shoes to wash his feet—how could he flee now?

At the doorway, Zhaoyu leaned against the frame with a faint smile, dressed in a sheer gown.

Such sheer fabric was meant only for decoration, hence its transparency, and she wasn’t wearing any undergarments beneath.

Clearly visible were her bright red bellyband and a petite, adorably perky “jade rabbit.”

This... this... this was too lethal. I’m still a virgin, and you appear like this—is this a death sentence for me?!

What is this girl up to now?

Just seeing her made Mingtian’s legs weak.

Please, I told you I’m your brother-in-law now. Can you stop messing with me?

…