Chapter Seventy-One: The Bandits Volunteer, The Flesh-Winged Gu Mouse

As dawn broke the following day, the three rose together, leading their subordinates through a secret passage. Meanwhile, Han Chong had arrived at the Northern Commander's Manor, disguised as a captain, quietly sitting across from the square-faced Commander Lin. Beside them, a double who looked identical to Commander Lin stood respectfully.

“Commander Lin, your double seems to possess the aura of an innate martial artist. Is he truly willing to die for you?” Han Chong asked in surprise.

“He was once a mountain bandit, a murderer countless times over. When I captured him, the law dictated his entire clan should be executed. However, I spared his family, and he repented, seeking death. Thus, he volunteered to become my double and has served for several years now.”

Commander Lin’s words were confirmed by the double, who cupped his fists and spoke, “Commander Lin is correct. I am a man who should have died long ago. To die for Commander Lin and the people of Yunzhou City fills me with longing.”

Han Chong nodded, recognizing this as the most desperate solution.

By midday, as the fat magistrate dined in his manor, his mouth suddenly froze, his jade chopsticks fell, his face turned pale and sweaty, and with a wretched cry he collapsed onto the floor, terrifying the servants. The gaunt steward rushed to have him lifted onto the couch and fetched the black pill Han Chong had left, administering it to him.

Yet this treasured pill only slightly eased the agony in his chest and abdomen, offering none of its previous miraculous effects; he still howled in pain. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the fat magistrate realized his end was near, despairing utterly. His household rushed in to see him, weeping incessantly.

Among them, a cold-eyed captain suggested to the magistrate’s sons and officials, “The magistrate is the pillar of Yunzhou City. Now, with his passing, we must summon the four Commanders to arrange the city’s final defense, lest we be leaderless and overrun by rebels.”

“It must be done,” they agreed, and the captain ordered constables to summon the four Commanders.

Soon, at the Northern Commander's Manor, where Han Chong was, a rider arrived unimpeded to report the magistrate’s impending death.

“He’s here!” The square-faced Commander glanced at Han Chong, inwardly confirming Han Chong’s prediction was flawless.

“Commander Lin, I shall go as before. Tonight’s plan depends on you and the other three Commanders.”

“Rest assured. With the four Commanders defending the city, the rebels will come only to meet their doom!”

Han Chong followed the double, riding swiftly with several captains to the magistrate’s manor, where they joined the other Commanders’ doubles and entered the rear office.

Passing through the grieving household, they approached the inner chamber, where the fat magistrate lay dying, groaning weakly.

---

The cold-eyed captain, seeing the four Commanders gathered, quietly withdrew. Han Chong frowned, wondering if this captain was the masked woman’s agent within the magistrate’s manor, and watched him closely.

He saw the captain slip into a corner, his eyes suddenly flashing silver like a fish’s, muttering incantations toward the couch.

Suddenly, the fat magistrate began thrashing violently, shrieking in agony. From his chest and abdomen, four round bulges moved restlessly. In an instant, with a thunderous explosion, his bloated belly burst open.

Four grotesque, winged, silver-gray flying mice shot out, swiftly and precisely latching onto the necks of the four Commanders’ doubles.

Han Chong saw clearly as the mice burrowed into their necks, tearing open the flesh and leaving only a bean-sized bloody hole.

The doubles had no time to react; they spasmed and collapsed, writhing on the floor. Amid the screams of officials and family, they suddenly sat bolt upright, eyes wild, faces twisted.

They drew their sabers and began slaughtering indiscriminately. Han Chong and the captains dodged desperately, but several officials died on the spot, including two of the magistrate’s foolish sons.

But Captain Chen Yushu, the demon-slaying officer, reacted quickly, no longer terrified as before, and became the sole survivor among the household.

The family outside, never having witnessed such carnage, were either paralyzed with fear or fled screaming.

The four Commanders cared nothing for these insignificant people, intent on breaking out under the cold-eyed captain’s control.

The guards dared not block them under his orders.

Han Chong lingered nearby, following the captain to a side courtyard, where the door opened.

Inside stood four bronze guards and eight demon ghosts. At a small table sat the masked woman, the Judge, and the man in black robes.

“Reporting, Mistress, the plan proceeds smoothly; the parasite mice have seized the minds of the four Commanders. They will lead the troops to open the city gates,” the captain bowed.

“Ah, it seems Sister Yue is truly a master strategist. Now, we need only wait here for the Black Scarf Army to storm the gates,” the lacquer-faced Judge laughed.

“Indeed, Sister Yue is the favored general of the Lord of Evil Spirits. With this, she will soon carve out her own territory. Don’t forget our contributions,” the black-robed man chuckled.

“Trust me. Begin the operation.”

“At your command.” The four bronze guards left the courtyard, racing toward the four city gates.

Han Chong watched from afar and quietly withdrew.

---

It seemed the demon mother was indeed gravely wounded and dared not come to Yunzhou City. The urgent task now was to slay the rebel generals, so the three great wraith commanders would lose their power to command.

The four Commander doubles returned to their camps, immediately ordering the troops to march to their assigned gates, lower the drawbridges, and fling the gates wide open.

The captains obeyed, leading five thousand city troops from the barracks.

The gate guards, mere constables under the magistrate’s authority, saw the massed troops and hastily let them pass.

Han Chong followed a bronze guard to the southern wall. Looking down, he saw the Black Scarf Army, numbering at least a hundred thousand, led by two bronze guards and several demon ghosts.

Seeing the gates open, they wasted no time and marched in.

But as the vanguard reached a hundred yards inside, the drawbridge suddenly rose, severing the rear forces.

“What’s going on? Why raise the drawbridge? Lower it!” the Commander double shouted from the ramp.

His answer was a volley of arrows, striking him dead.

The real Commanders appeared, nearly a thousand bowmen surrounding the gate, firing at the hundreds of invading Black Scarf soldiers.

“Damn it, what’s happening?” The bronze guards and demon kings were stunned, leading their troops to assault the gate.

Though many city generals were innate experts and formidable fighters, they struggled to hold the line, nearly overwhelmed.

At that moment, two squads of demon-slaying officers appeared, joining the city generals in a fierce counterattack.

One bronze guard, shocked, pulled a signaling arrow from his sleeve and fired it skyward.

In the magistrate’s courtyard, the masked woman heard the signal arrows explode over the city and sprang to her feet.

“What’s happening? Has the Black Scarf Army met defeat?” the black-robed man asked in alarm.

“It seems so. We underestimated the Demon-Slaying Bureau. This is a trap,” the masked woman replied coldly.

“What now?”

“Abandon the north gate. The three of us will each go to a gate and unleash slaughter,” she said icily.

The three led their followers, racing toward the three gates.