The General Said She Would Not Take a Wife

Chapter 2: Yan Yu Pavilion

Lin Aoxue's face betrayed no emotion. She gazed coldly at the arrogant troublemaker before her, raising her chin slightly as her lips parted:

"So? What do you intend to do?"

The veteran soldier, who had come to provoke her, looked as if he had punched a thorny bramble—stubborn and unyielding. His face darkened as he glared at her and snarled:

"Hah! Just a rookie, yet so insolent! You cowardly rat, hiding behind tricks! Let me teach you the rules of this camp!"

As he spoke, he lunged forward, clawed fingers reaching to tear away the mask covering Lin Aoxue's face.

A sharp glint flickered in Lin Aoxue's eyes. His action had crossed her bottom line. Since this man insisted on seeking trouble, she saw no reason to hold back.

The veteran's attack was fierce, filled with the lethal intent honed by surviving life-and-death battles. His overwhelming momentum stirred gasps from the watching recruits, who crowded closer to see the drama unfold.

Shang Wu, who was training a group of recruits nearby, quickly noticed the commotion. Sensing something amiss, he strode over, just in time to see the veteran strike.

He had planned to step in and back Lin Aoxue, as they were both recruits. This veteran wasn't just trying to humiliate Lin Aoxue—he was making a show of dominance before the entire camp.

But before Shang Wu could speak, Lin Aoxue moved. In stark contrast to her evasive style the previous day, she advanced rather than retreated. With lightning speed, she seized the veteran's arm, twisted sharply, and hooked her foot behind his ankle in one fluid motion.

The man lost his balance and fell flat on his face with a resounding thud, the impact scraping bloody cuts across his face.

The crowd of onlookers was dumbfounded. They hadn't even seen how Lin Aoxue struck, let alone understood how the veteran had been brought down so thoroughly.

Lin Aoxue planted a boot on the veteran's back, her cold gaze fixed on him as she spoke icily:

"Your face is your own—stop offering it up to be stomped. The rules here aren't yours to dictate. Did you report to the general before coming here to 'teach me' these so-called rules?"

The veteran gasped for air, chest pressed against the ground, unable to breathe properly under the weight. He struggled fiercely, his face turning purple, but he could only emit muffled sounds.

The lackeys who had followed him trembled, their legs shaking as they debated how to slip away unnoticed. Their plans were thwarted by a loud, commanding voice from the crowd's edge:

"What's going on here?!"

The recruits quickly made way as Yang Jin, flanked by his adjutant, pushed through the throng. Taking in the scene of Lin Aoxue pinning the veteran to the ground, Yang Jin raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. His voice, however, was firm:

"Lin Aoxue! Come with me to see the general!"

Lin Aoxue maintained her composure, responding with a crisp "Understood."

She released the veteran, issued a few instructions to her subordinates, and followed Yang Jin without hesitation.

Shang Wu, watching the scene unfold, furrowed his brows in concern. Could the overseer have misunderstood the situation and blamed Lin Aoxue for causing trouble? Would she face punishment?

The disgraced veteran climbed to his feet, his expression dark and silent. Without a word, he turned and left, his followers scurrying away in his wake.