Chapter 20

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Chapter 20: He Died for Us

At the valley entrance, the remaining soldiers had already begun rushing towards Yan City.

Old Huang, the monk, and others walked at the rear of the formation, carrying a body wrapped in banners. They remained silent for some time.

As soldiers, they were naturally accustomed to seeing the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Yet Qiao Mu’s recent display of bravery and self-sacrifice was so profound and unforgettable that they remained deeply affected.

“Speaking of which, what’s the situation with the leader’s family?” Old Huang inquired anxiously.

“If we bring the body back to Yan City, someone should explain the situation to his family, shouldn’t they?”

Others joined the discussion, “Centurion Qiao Mu seems to be from out of town, and he only recently arrived in Yan City?”

“I once saw him helping a blind girl in her twenties walk. She’s likely his relative.”

“In his household, there appears to be only one blind person around his age, probably siblings depending on each other?”

The other soldiers conversed briefly before falling silent again.

Old Huang, who had wanted to initiate conversation earlier, was now at a loss for words.

The leader’s only relative is a blind girl… How could they continue such discussion?

When they considered having to carry a body to meet Qiao Mu’s blind sister or younger sister, they suddenly felt the burden on their shoulders grow heavier.

“Why are there still words carved on this tree?” At this moment, discussion among the nearby soldiers caught Old Huang and the others’ attention.

“Fallen Wood Valley? These words appear to have been freshly carved with a sharp tool. How peculiar! Who would have time to carve words on a tree when we were about to enter battle?”

Old Huang, carrying the body, suddenly halted.

Fallen Wood Valley?

Only then did he grasp the meaning of this name, understanding Qiao Mu’s state of mind when carving those words earlier.

“So, before entering the valley, he was already uneasy and harbored thoughts of death!”

“He wasn’t fighting for survival. Before entering the valley, he suspected the bandits had set an ambush. He had to go against his instincts and proceed!”

The previous scenes replayed in his mind. He recalled Military Officer Chu’s stern face when issuing orders, and Qiao Mu’s solitary charge forward… It became clear that Qiao Mu’s death in battle wasn’t coincidental, but a premeditated sacrifice!

That’s why upon entering the valley, Qiao Mu had ordered everyone to retreat if they encountered bandits, leaving himself as the sole rearguard.

That’s why when retreat became impossible, Qiao Mu made the resolute decision to charge forward alone, eventually succumbing to his grave injuries.

That’s why before his solitary charge, Qiao Mu turned back to remind Old Huang about his family, telling him not to follow and sacrifice himself…

He had known of his impending death and accepted it willingly.

Only now did Old Huang comprehend these facts.

He finally understood the motivation behind Qiao Mu’s fight to the death.

His brave solo battle wasn’t to save himself from the bandits, but to ensure his subordinates’ survival.

Though he had promised to protect Old Huang, he hadn’t protected just Old Huang alone.

“He died for us…” Old Huang stopped in his tracks, muttering suddenly.

At that moment, a voice came from beside him.

“What are you carrying?”

The speaker was Military Officer Chu. Noticing Old Huang and the others lagging behind, he approached with a serious expression to inquire.

He didn’t recall issuing such an order.

“Reporting, sir, it’s Centurion Qiao Mu’s body.” Old Huang quickly lowered his head, feeling somewhat apprehensive.

There seemed to be some tension between Military Officer Chu and Centurion Qiao Mu. Would carrying Qiao Mu’s body provoke Military Officer Chu’s displeasure?

However, Military Officer Chu’s reaction proved unexpected.

“Qiao Mu’s body? Ah yes, Centurion Qiao Mu died valiantly in battle against the mountain bandits. It would indeed be improper to leave his body exposed in the wilderness.” Military Officer Chu patted Old Huang’s shoulder and said:

“After your arduous journey, please take the body back to Yan City. I will arrange the funeral when appropriate.”

Old Huang and the soldiers were somewhat surprised and looked up, but Military Officer Chu had already turned and walked away.

“Could we have misunderstood? Was Military Officer Chu not deliberately making things difficult for the captain?” Old Huang felt increasingly confused.

However, he missed the slight smile that played at the corner of Military Officer Chu’s mouth as he departed.

Before so many soldiers, he certainly wouldn’t let his comrade’s heart grow cold.

Of course, there was another significant reason.

“These soldiers actually reminded me of something,” thought Military Officer Chu.

“The City Lord’s son is vengeful. He was humiliated by Qiao Mu in the street before, losing face. Perhaps the City Lord doesn’t care much, but his son won’t easily forget.”

“Sending the body back to Yan City can inform the City Lord’s son, which could be considered a convenient favor.”

Military Officer Chu summoned his trusted subordinate and instructed him to handle the collection of bodies upon their return to the city. He also asked him to inform the City Lord’s residence.

As for the City Lord’s son, it was no longer his concern whether he intended to come witness Qiao Mu’s gruesome state or whip the body in the coffin.

………………

On the mountainside to the left of the valley.

Qiao Mu casually retrieved a long spear discarded by the bandits on the ground.

The bandits had been defeated and fled once again, leaving behind weapons which Qiao Mu now collected.

After his resurrection, Qiao Mu possessed a brand-new body, but the spear in his hand hadn’t returned upon his revival.

“After dying in battle, one’s personal weapons are lost… In that case, while weapons can be trained with, martial arts skills with fists and feet remain paramount and cannot be neglected.”

Qiao Mu grasped the long spear and casually wielded it a few times, immediately sensing something different.

Before his death in battle, he had only practiced military marksmanship for a few days. He could only be considered marginally better than a novice, mainly relying on his substantial physical strength and swift speed to fight with a spear.

But as he held the spear now, Qiao Mu perceived a distinct change.

He had mastered Military Spear Skill, making the long spear feel like an extension of his own body. He could effortlessly control it, striking precisely where he aimed.

Holding the long spear, he swiftly thrust it toward a nearby tree trunk. A sharp whistle accompanied the movement as the spear’s tip halted steadily an inch from the trunk, without contact.

Bringing the spear tip closer to his eyes, he observed an ant impaled upon it.

The spear had penetrated the ant yet avoided the nearby tree trunk, demonstrating Qiao Mu’s ability to control the long spear as naturally as his own fingers.

Moreover, his physical strength had clearly increased, surpassing the normal limit of five hundred kilograms. That explained his effortless lifting of heavy objects.

The powerful body generated internal strength, and the gradually growing internal strength in turn expanded the meridians, allowing his martial artist’s body to transcend ordinary human limits.

“Next, I should thank my good brother who helped me cash in my chips.” Qiao Mu held the long spear, looking down from his elevated position at the soldiers below, his eyes growing cold.