Chapter 5, Sacrifice to the Wolf

I have an idea..." Gongsun Zhi, who was walking ahead, stopped in his tracks, his disheveled hair swaying. He turned his face to look at the frail scholar behind him: "There are wolves here, aren't there?"

The northern region is vast and sparsely populated. Since the establishment of Yanmen Commandery by King Wuling of Zhao during the Warring States period, and continuing into the Han Dynasty, it governed fifteen counties: Shanwu, Woyang, Zhongling, Yingguan, Loufan, Wuzhou, Juyang, Guo, Pingcheng, Lue, Mayi, and Jiangyin, with a population of approximately 250,000 to 260,000. After the Southern Xiongnu submitted, the trade routes between the north and south became significantly more prosperous.

A piercing cry suddenly echoed across the sky, startling the night birds into a frantic flight.

The weather is not hot..." He glanced at the listless soldiers around him, patted one soldier on the back, and said, "Straighten your back. There are Hu people passing by; if they see us like this, won't it be a joke that my Han soldiers are incompetent?

Gongsun Zhi faced the several large wolves ahead, letting out a faint roar while gripping the throat of the bag in his mouth, and reached out to push the person on the stone.

The beasts shook their ears, their heads swaying between the bodies on the stone and the person who emitted the wolf howl, a low, questioning growl emanating from the wolf's maw, which bared its fangs. At this moment, the wolf pack, which had initially assumed an aggressive posture, sat down on the grass, their flat tails tucked away, moving aside to clear a path.

... ...

There are many, and here it is called the White Wolf Plain, where a pack of wolves is often seen nearby. " Dongfang Sheng nodded in agreement.

Gongsun Zhi let out a low growl, retreating respectfully. The white wolf king suddenly seemed to understand, nodding its wolf head. The dozen or so large wolves that were crouching around sprang up from the ground and lunged at the terrified horse bandit.

As soon as he entered behind the stone chamber, the bandit, puzzled, was struck on the back of the head by the hilt of a knife that was thrust out from the corner, and he fell down with a thud

After all, one only has one life, and there is no opportunity for a do-over; one cannot afford to be careless. Unless a conflict arises among the bandits, revealing those with ulterior motives, he may have the possibility of completely bringing these individuals under his command

Hoo ... ... Aow ... ...

Opposite him, the tall and imposing figure lifted his cloak slightly and placed a hand on the scholar's shoulder, "Gather a few people to hunt a wolf and bring it back, saying it is for me to make a new fur coat. Remember, after the hunt, have someone you do not trust skin the wolf and ensure the throat is intact.

The flickering torch ignited within the cave, as the night wind began to blow outside. A few horse bandits had just returned, throwing a lean wolf onto the ground to report back to Gongsun Zhi.

It is also one of the frontlines where the Han people resist or march against the northern nomadic tribes

Gongsun Zhi over there measured the wolf's throat, took a piece and put it in his mouth, silently shouldered the unconscious body on the ground, and walked out from the other end of the cave

The fur collar gently brushed against him, and Gongsun Zhi pinched his lips, slightly opening his mouth to emit a trembling roar. This made the scholar standing nearby shiver unexpectedly, as he felt this was... the call of a wolf

In the woods behind, more wolf packs approached, surrounding a snow-white figure in the center. A white wolf king slowly made its way forward, larger than the surrounding wolves. The mane on its neck and chest swayed in the wind, exuding a fierce and proud majesty

Dongfang Sheng was unaware of what he was about to do, but he nodded in agreement for the time being. The two figures walked through the woods, as the light of day shifted, and the remnants of the sunset cast down its final glow

Indeed, I came to see whether you soldiers are slacking off!" The young man with a short beard laughed heartily, "You must not let the Hu people mock you.

As the dawn breaks in the east, the clear light emerges from between the clouds, and the dew on the green grass reflects a sparkling radiance. The sound of hooves clattering echoes as they tread past, climbing up the grassy slope, racing towards the faint outline of the city walls.

Zhang Liao instructed the gate guards with a command, seized the intelligence, mounted his horse, and charged towards the county magistrate's office

A few soldiers at the gate hurriedly went up to support him. At that moment, the young man with a short beard also descended from the city wall and quickly walked over. Looking at the knight, whose face was pale and who seemed faint, he lifted him up with one arm and said, "I am Zhang Liao, an official from Yanmen County. What has happened?"

He continuously reminded these soldiers, yet many of them were not afraid and instead laughed out loud, after all, the other party was merely a county official and had no authority over them, while there were voices cheering from the city wall

Laughter is hearty, and the atmosphere is quite harmonious

... ... The wolf ... ... The wolf is coming ... ... '' The anxious scholar stammered as he tried to pull the figure standing in front, but his hand barely reached halfway. His tense face revealed fear, as several massive forms were crouching in front of Gongsun Zhi, their eyes glaring like spikes. Shadows flickered indistinctly around, and more beasts were approaching.

Gongsun Zhi nervously clenched his fists and slowly walked over, pushing the bandit off the rock. The bandit seemed to be in pain from the fall, moved slightly, gradually regained consciousness, opened his eyes, and then witnessed such a terrifying scene

The fading red light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, illuminating the resting figure, as sweat trickled down the cheek and fell onto the thick layer of fallen leaves. From behind, the sound of footsteps crunching on the leaves quietly approached, and a low voice said: "Chief, that Wang Kui has indeed contacted some dissatisfied bandits and is planning to take action. Gao Sheng is currently checking for any that might have slipped through the net."

If there is a shootout, won't many people die?" Gongsun Zhi took a sip of water from the sheepskin bag, stood up to sheathe his knife, reached out to take the wolf fur cloak handed to him by the sour scholar, draped it over himself, and walked a few steps. After a moment of thought, he said: "Then let them make their move; let us see how many dare to defy me.

Zhang Wenyuan, are you not patrolling the streets, but instead have gone to the city walls to serve as a soldier?

Not long after, a rustling sound of fallen leaves came from the hills below, gradually increasing in intensity. The hair on Dongfang Sheng's neck stood on end as he anxiously scanned his surroundings. A chilling aura of murderous intent seemed to be pressing in on him. He wanted to shout, but his voice caught in his throat and could not escape. In his gaze, he faintly discerned something green swaying in the darkness

He was only clad in half armor, which was neither ornate nor sturdy, yet this burly man had a handsome appearance, and his gaze was steady. The short beard beneath his chin indicated that he was still quite young, but his demeanor was remarkably composed in every gesture.

Since last night, he has begun to wield weapons to quickly familiarize himself with the instincts of this body. His martial skills cannot be considered exquisite, and he may not be as formidable as those renowned warriors and generals. However, self-defense should not be a problem. After all, engaging in one-on-one combat is not what he desires; preserving his life is of utmost importance.

The flag brushed against his face, and the sound of hurried hooves approached from afar in the wind. The young man's gaze turned, as a lone horse galloped frantically, careening this way without regard for the path. In an instant, pedestrians and vehicles hurriedly made way, and he burst through the city gate, the soldier on horseback swaying and tumbling down.

The next moment

In a streak of red clouds, Gongsun Zhi stood alone among the trees on the hills, the blade striking forcefully into the trunk, wood chips flying up. In the next moment, it was pulled out again, his fingers brushing against the edge of the blade as he took a deep breath

The wind swept over the hills, and the leaves rustled. At this moment, Gongsun Zhi and his companion had already reached the top of the hill, throwing their bodies onto a large rock. In the wind, the faint sound of wolf howls could be heard.

The East trembled as it cautiously held the knife, "What should I do next?"

On one hand, in terms of self-improvement, he now has over one hundred bandit subordinates at his disposal. Although some among them still harbor ill intentions, since he took action against that woman last night, it has effectively deterred those who wished to take advantage of the night to kill him. Gao Sheng, who appears to be submissive, ultimately comes from the Yellow Turban background, and since their acquaintance is not long, he remains a figure to be wary of.

Not long after, a bloody throat tube was taken out. After being cleaned, he held it in his hand and weighed it for a long time. He glanced at the horse bandit who had skinned the wolf, nodded slightly, and said softly: "Come in with me"

Gazing beyond the city wall, the white clouds, the azure sky, and the gradually yellowing earth merged into one. He glanced at his half-armor, sighed, and withdrew his gaze to walk along the city wall

Dongfang Sheng slightly frowned, took a few steps to catch up, and softly reminded: "The Book of Han: The Biography of Xiang Ji states that one should first take the initiative, and then control others."

The daylight is fading in the west, about to set

Take him down and take good care of him

The person who quietly approached is none other than Dongfang Sheng

Hurry... hurry... hurry and notify the county magistrate..." The knight slightly parted his lips and weakly uttered a sentence. His trembling hand reached into his armor for a piece of information, "It must be delivered... delivered to the county magistrate... the Xiongnu... the Xiongnu... are attacking the border.

The gaze traversed the galloping lone rider, reaching the shadowy city of Yin Guan ahead. Flags fluttered in the wind, while soldiers patrolled the city walls with spears in hand. At the city gate, carts and oxen came and went, and the clamor of livestock and human voices created a lively scene. On such a bright day, a tall man from the northern regions, dressed in a long robe with black patterns on a white background, led several individuals as they patrolled the streets, occasionally offering words of encouragement to the vendors, before ascending to the city walls.