The General Said She Would Not Take a Wife

Chapter 8: Military Intelligence

The battle began in the early hours before dawn and continued until the afternoon. By the time the enemy retreated, Lin Aoxue's military uniform was soaked in blood. Although she had not been injured, she looked rather disheveled.

Since being saved by Lin Aoxue, Beichen Ji had remained by her side, and under her protection, aside from the initial injury he sustained, he had not suffered further harm. He had managed to survive the battle, but his strength was drained, and he staggered as he walked.

When the call to cease fighting sounded, Lin Aoxue was dragging Beichen Ji back when she suddenly heard loud sobs. She turned around to see Lu Sheng kneeling in a pool of blood, covering his face and crying uncontrollably.

Lin Aoxue paused for a moment before signaling to Beichen Ji to return to camp while she walked over to Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng had several wounds on his body, though none of them were fatal. He had survived his first battle after months of grueling training, but now, after the fighting was over, he wept bitterly.

Lin Aoxue stood behind him, her gaze sweeping over the mixed corpses of the barbarian and Beichen soldiers scattered on the ground. A complex emotion surfaced in her heart.

She gently patted Lu Sheng's shoulder, suspecting the cause of his emotional outburst. If there ever came a day when she could personally avenge her enemies, she might cry like Lu Sheng as well.

Even if, after avenging herself, she was left with nothing, the hatred that had built up over the years would eventually have to be repaid.

Chen Er was only the beginning. Lin Aoxue could endure, but that did not mean she was weak or afraid. Her patience was like the fangs of a wolf—silent not because it was over, but because she was waiting for the best moment to strike, to deliver a fatal blow.

"Squad Leader, I've avenged my enemies, but why do I still feel so much pain?" Lu Sheng asked, his fingers digging into the blood-soaked yellow earth as he bowed his head, tears falling onto his hands.

He didn't feel the relief of revenge; instead, it was as though he had lost the driving force behind his obsession. He no longer had a purpose to live for.

Lin Aoxue sighed softly. She didn't know how to console Lu Sheng because she herself was still walking this thorny path, uncertain of the final outcome—whether it would bring relief or plunge her into an even deeper abyss.

Perhaps the karma from her quest for revenge would one day lead to her own demise, but she stubbornly refused to turn back.

What she did understand was that Lu Sheng needed an excuse to keep going. This excuse would help him endure the most painful moment and give him a reason to keep fighting for survival.

"Your revenge isn't over yet," Lin Aoxue spoke softly. "Last autumn, the barbarian leader who led the raid on Lujia Slope was named Duolan."

Upon hearing Lin Aoxue's words, Lu Sheng's broad shoulders stopped trembling. He lifted his head, gazing up at Lin Aoxue's face, which seemed to glow golden under the sunlight. There was an incredible power of redemption in her gaze, giving Lu Sheng new hope.

He clenched his teeth, grasping a handful of damp yellow earth.

"Thank you for the guidance, Squad Leader."

Lin Aoxue pulled Lu Sheng up, dragging him away from the pile of corpses.

By the time the battlefield was cleared, the sky had already darkened. The casualty count was in—around two thousand lives had been lost, including a new recruit under Lin Aoxue's command and Squad Leader Chen Er.