Chapter 274 - 75: A Thin Line

Chapter 274: Chapter 75: A Thin Line

Liang Qiang stared at the gleam of the curved blade, his mind in a daze. He could almost feel the searing pain in his arm.

In that flash of light, he even saw a vision of himself kneeling on the ground, wailing in agony as his severed arm rolled away.

But he didn’t die. He was treated, helped onto a horse, and then, surrounded by a field of corpses, he was thronged by countless cheering people.

Then he was promoted and ennobled. Then, he was a one-armed general, riding into battle. The soldiers following him grew from five hundred to a thousand, then to ten thousand. He fought everywhere. After finishing off the Western Liang Soldiers, he fought some other army he couldn’t name—

He fought his way up, gaining titles and promotions, until he was walking into the imperial court, greeted by all the officials—

Though he had only one arm, he was admired wherever he went. Everyone called him a brave and valiant hero—

He even saw that girl’s face. She was wearing the Empress’s dress, sitting on the throne, her eyes full of admiration, and joy—

"General Liang, time waits for no one!" a soldier shouted. "What will it be? Success and glory, or your arm?"

The curved blade scraped against his armor, making a grating sound.

Liang Qiang snapped back to his senses and instinctively retreated.

The soldier holding the blade smiled. "General Liang, an opportunity like this only comes once in a lifetime. Don’t worry, I’m fast. It won’t hurt for long."

Liang Qiang clenched his fists, feeling the presence of his arm. ’Yes, to be ambushed yet still manage to rout the main force of the Western Liang Army... even if that person is omnipotent, this is a feat that can only be exchanged for something once—’

’This is an opportunity exchanged for me, and me alone.’

’I, Liang Qiang, am truly... so very valuable.’

Suddenly, Liang Qiang laughed.

A soldier beside him muttered, "Has the kid gone mad with fear?"

"Mad with joy, more like," another soldier said coldly.

The soldier with the blade said, "General Liang, you’ve figured it out, haven’t you? This future is well worth the price of one arm."

Liang Qiang looked up at him. "This isn’t bought with just one arm, friend. This is bought with my entire life. No, with the lives of all the descendants of my Liang Family."

Without an arm, he could no longer be independent. This glory would be his fine raiment, but also his shackles. To maintain his fame and fortune, Liang Qiang would have to entrust his life, his future, and all his descendants into another’s control.

’What a formidable person.’

’What a master of making deals.’

’What a master of temptation.’

"General Liang," the soldier said, not bothering to argue. He just stated coldly, "Whether it’s worth it or not is your choice. We won’t force you."

’Not force me?’ Liang Qiang thought. ’Yes, you won’t force me. But can I really turn back now?’

’If I don’t choose this path, I keep my arm, but I lose everything I just gained. I’ll even lose my life.’

’Is this how it ends?’

’My whole life has been a joke.’

’Death is the end of everything.’

’As long as I can return to the world’s stage, as long as I can shine brilliantly, what does my life, or the life of the Liang Family, even matter?’

’It’s rare to be needed, to be used by someone. In that case—’

Liang Qiang raised his head and said, "So that I can still look somewhat human in the future, leave me my right arm. Take my left."

The soldier revealed a satisfied smile. "No problem. As the General commands—"

He raised the curved blade.

"General, to prevent the wound from being seen for what it is, I won’t ask you to remove your armor and lie down. I’ll just do it like this—"

Before he could finish, the curved blade swung down violently.

’Are they trying to create the illusion of a surprise attack?’ But even though he had already made his choice, when the blade came hacking down, Liang Qiang still instinctively recoiled.

The soldier didn’t follow up. Instead, a strange smile spread across his face.

A gust of wind rushed at him from the side. Out of the corner of his eye, Liang Qiang saw another soldier who had closed in at some point, swinging his broadsword horizontally.

’So *this* was the real surprise attack!’

Liang Qiang twisted instinctively, but it was too late. With a CLANG, the broadsword struck a gap in his armor—

Though he had never been a stranger to flesh wounds on the battlefield and thought he was no longer afraid of pain, he still cried out when the broadsword bit into his arm—

His arm.

He wouldn’t have an arm anymore.

He—

From now on, he would no longer be himself—

He regretted it!

He regretted it!

Liang Qiang instinctively raised his other hand to stop the broadsword.

Along with his cry of pain, there was a TWANG in the air. The next moment, the broadsword froze, as did the soldier holding it.

It wasn’t that Liang Qiang’s hand had actually stopped the blade. An arrow had pierced the throat of the soldier holding it.

Liang Qiang was stunned. The soldier hadn’t even had time to react. A vicious smile was still on his lips as he breathed his last.

"Who’s there!" The other soldiers snapped to their senses, grabbing their weapons and looking behind them.

Only then did they see a group of people in the rolling gullies behind them. They were lying prone on the ground, a dense row of crossbows aimed forward.

It was a bone-chilling sight.

....

....

Reinforcements.

Though he couldn’t see their banners, he could tell at a glance that these were the soldiers of Great Xia.

Liang Qiang and the soldiers with him all realized what was happening.

"I—" The soldier with the curved blade started to speak, but was suddenly at a loss for words.

’Since they’re reinforcements, why did they approach so silently and shoot our comrade without a word—’

’Have we been exposed?’

’Even if we haven’t been exposed, this will definitely arouse suspicion.’

’After all, our actions just now... no, what’s more terrifying is the Western Liang Soldiers who have stopped over there!’

’How can we explain this?’

’This is too sudden. There shouldn’t be any reinforcements.’ The soldier broke out in a cold sweat.

Liang Qiang suddenly yelled and charged at the soldier in front of him. "They’ve defected to the enemy! I’ll take you down with me!"

CLANG! The longsword in his hand slashed horizontally toward the soldier.

The soldier raised his own blade to block. Sparks flew as the swords met, barely deflecting the blow from his throat. His eyes bulged as he stared at Liang Qiang.

"I am very valuable." Liang Qiang looked at him and spoke one word at a time, in a voice only the two of them could hear. "You didn’t take my arm. But for this deal not to be a loss... you... all... have... to... die."

The soldier clearly understood. He looked at Liang Qiang, the corner of his mouth twisting into a strange smile, and roared, "KILL—"

He shoved Liang Qiang away and raised his blade to cut him down—

The other soldiers also sprang into action.

The hum of arrows splitting the air followed from behind.

Liang Qiang stood his ground, feeling countless arrows fly past him. He watched as the soldiers before him were instantly struck, tumbling to the ground, dead.

At the same time, the previously halted Western Liang Soldiers surged forward like a river bursting through a dam.

Behind him, the thudding of hooves was accompanied by roars of "KILL—"

The ground trembled. A whirlwind of dust swept past as innumerable soldiers and horses charged past Liang Qiang, soon crashing into the "river" of men and splashing blood everywhere.

The land was once again plunged into slaughter.

Whether from the shaking ground or the fierce wind, Liang Qiang could no longer stand. He staggered and fell to one knee, barely managing to prop himself up by stabbing his sword into the ground with his right hand.

Blood gushed from his left arm like a spring.

The soldier hadn’t severed his arm, but the blade had cut deep into the flesh.

He lowered his head, watching the blood drip onto the ground.

"Liang Qiang."

The sound of hooves stopped beside him, and a woman’s voice drifted down.

Liang Qiang looked up and saw the girl on a black horse, dressed in a worn red robe, a bow on her back and a sword in her hand.

Her hair was a mess, and her once-fair face was covered in a layer of dust, but her eyes shone like stars.

"Liang Qiang," she said. "Are you alright?"