Shadow Love (Yu Jin Chang An)

The flames soared into the sky, the scent of scorched grass and trees mingling with the black smoke, all carried by the north wind toward Deer City.

Li Shuang strained her eyes to see, but could only make out figures darting through the blaze, faint clamors reaching her ears. The generals had all ascended the city walls. Luo Teng, sweating profusely despite the winter chill, cursed in agitation, "Damn it! With flames this high, is this a trick by the Western Rong, or an accident caused by that black-armored man? Or... have the Western Rong fallen into internal chaos?"

"A fire this big doesn’t seem premeditated," another general chimed in. "But even if that black-armored man is formidable, he couldn’t have started such a massive blaze alone."

Qin Lan interjected, "Enough speculation. Nothing is certain yet. Let’s wait for the scouts’ report."

Just as everyone was thinking along these lines, Li Shuang’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and a plan formed in her mind. "Sound the war drums. Blow the horns." The generals beside her were startled.

"General, are we mobilizing the troops?"

"No," Li Shuang replied, her eyes fixed on the Western Rong camp engulfed in flames. "A fire this intense, even if it’s a trap, must have spiraled beyond their control. The Western Rong have lost two of their top commanders—they’re leaderless and their morale is already shaky. Tonight’s fire, combined with their sheer numbers, will surely throw them into chaos. Seize this moment to beat the drums and blare the horns—even if we can’t scare them off, we’ll shake them to their core."

Qin Lan’s eyes gleamed with approval. "This plan could work."

"But..." The original garrison commander of Deer City, a short man with a goatee, hesitated nervously. "What if the Western Rong hear our drums and march on us?"

"Let them come," Li Shuang said coldly. "Without leaders, rushing into battle with their rear in flames—I’d like to see what the Western Rong can do against Deer City."

The goateed man trembled under her commanding presence and fell silent. A brief hush settled over the city wall until Li Shuang swept her gaze across them. "Why are you all standing around?" Her icy tone sent a chill through the generals, who immediately clasped their hands in acknowledgment and dispersed to carry out her orders.

Only Qin Lan remained by Li Shuang’s side on the wall, watching the distant flames grow ever larger.

Li Shuang stared intently, so absorbed that she didn’t notice Qin Lan, standing a step behind her, studying her with an uncharacteristic silence.

"General..." Qin Lan called softly.

His voice was gentle, and Li Shuang responded just as quietly, "Hmm?" Her tone was familiar, reminiscent of their conversations back at the estate.

"Are you worried about that black-armored man?"

Li Shuang stiffened, her fingers curling slightly against the rough stone of the wall. "Huh?" She turned to Qin Lan, as if momentarily confused by his question—or perhaps surprised that her thoughts had been so easily read.

Qin Lan’s eyes darkened slightly.

After a pause, Li Shuang let out a soft "Oh." "He saved me twice. Though his behavior is strange and his origins mysterious, and his words and actions can be... insolent. Still, I..." She hesitated. "I truly don’t wish to see him die in the Western Rong camp, trampled under chaos and blades."

Qin Lan’s lips tightened. He lowered his head, masking his expression, and said nothing more.

The war drums of Deer City thundered, and the horns blared—their sound like the roar of a slumbering dragon at the border, piercing the cold night and darkness, tearing through the northern winds to reach the distant, blood-red sky.The Western Rong army, like ants crawling across the desert, began to waver as soon as they heard the war drums and horns, just as Li Shuang had predicted. The ant-like formation quickly scattered.

That night, amidst the flames, the biting wind, and the terrifying sound of war drums, the Western Rong forces gradually began their retreat.

"They're retreating!" a soldier on the city wall shouted.

"They're retreating!" The soldiers cheered with wild joy.

Yet this outcome had been within Li Shuang's expectations all along. Only when the dark shadows of the Western Rong army completely vanished into the cold night did a faint, self-satisfied smile curl at the corners of her lips.

The first battle of Deer City against the Western Rong was won.

To subdue the enemy without fighting—though this victory had its share of deception—it did not hinder the Great Jin from establishing its might in this desolate northern frontier.

The harsh winter had only just begun, yet the Changfeng Battalion had already secured Deer City's safety for most of the season. Because, across this northern wilderness, no tribe or nation could muster a larger force than the Western Rong had today.

This time, the Western Rong had stumbled upon a thorn and fled in panic, undoubtedly setting an example for other tribes and nations.

Deer City of the Great Jin was rich in resources, abundant in supplies, and home to kind-hearted people—but it was not so easily provoked.

Li Shuang turned and left the city wall. Her silver armor clinked as she moved, the cheers of the soldiers still ringing behind her. Yet amid the clamor, she suddenly heard a soft plop .

Glancing sideways, she spotted a faint wet stain on the ground, glistening under the firelight and the cold moonlight in the darkness.

What was this...?

Li Shuang crouched down and lightly touched it with her fingertip—blood.

She looked up. Directly above her was the eaves of the city wall's watchtower. From her angle, nothing but the desolate moonlight could be seen atop the roof.

But the blood was still warm. Someone must have passed by just moments ago.

A suspicion formed in Li Shuang's mind. With a light push off the ground, she leapt onto the roof with practiced agility. Yet when she scanned the area, she saw no trace of anyone—not even another drop of blood.

Frowning, she rubbed the blood between her fingers before leaping back down.

Qin Lan was waiting below. "General, did you find something?" he asked.

Li Shuang shook her head. She knew that if the black-armored man had come, given his lightness skill, detecting and catching up to him would be impossible.

She descended the wall and returned to the main camp. But as she approached the entrance, she noticed the officers standing outside the tent, exchanging uneasy glances, their expressions strange.

Li Shuang looked around. "Why are you all standing out here? Go inside," she said, then lifted the tent flap and stepped in—only to freeze in place.

Qin Lan, who had been about to follow her in, nearly collided with her back. He quickly retreated two steps and peered inside through the open flap. Even the ever-calm and composed Qin Lan was stunned by what he saw...

Inside the tent stood a Western Rong military banner, and hanging from it was the bloodied head of a man. The head's eyes were tightly shut, and fresh blood still dripped from the severed neck with a steady plop-plop .

A truly horrifying sight.And right behind that severed head, on the Xirong military banner, were several large characters written in what looked like blood or ink—"The head of a Xirong general, gifted to you. Hope it makes you happy."

Happy my ass!

Below it was a smaller line of text—"The rest of you, move and you die."

No wonder they all looked so uncomfortable standing outside the tent, not daring to enter!

Even these seasoned generals had been intimidated by that mysterious brat!

Li Shuang gripped the tent flap so hard in her fury that she tore it clean off. "Who's on duty?!" she snapped, turning around with a face like thunder. "Are you all blind? How could a bloody military banner and a severed head be delivered right into our camp without anyone noticing?"

The assembled officers all lowered their heads in silence.

Li Shuang's icy gaze swept over them like a blade scraping flesh before returning to the military banner at the center of the tent. She was no stranger to bloodshed, but she had never imagined someone would one day deliver an enemy's head to her as a gift.

She wasn't afraid. She just...

Thought the gift-giver must be insane. Absolutely, certifiably insane!