Hu~~ Hu~~ As soon as night fell, a loud snore resounded beside me. I wouldn’t have believed that a little girl could snore so loudly if I hadn’t seen it myself.

And to think the one in a deep sleep was an distrusted betrayer whose life hung in the balance. I really don’t understand why she is so fearless.

Ah… Just hearing her makes me feel sleepy. But tonight is one night which I can’t afford to slack off.

The troops sent to intercept the supply caravans have been sent out and all I need to do is to wait here for news. As I thought so, I gripped the sword in my hands.

If anything untoward were to happen, I would immediately draw my sword and kill the girl before reorganising my forces and counterattack.

I don’t know what kind of person Zhang Fei is but since the Imperial Chancellor said as much of her, I must be prudent and cautious so that I do not repeat w.a.n.g Zhong’s mistakes.

“Report!!” A military courier came running in from the outside and I immediately felt energised. Even the girl’s snot bubble burst as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“How was it?!” I stared at him fixedly as my hand that held the sword began trembling uncontrollably.

— The interception was a success! Our troops have secured 10 carriages with supplies.

Yes!!

“I told you so~~” The girl said as she walked over, her face completely at ease.

It really went as she said huh… I couldn’t help but to be impressed but now wasn’t the time to be feeling impressed.

“Come, you will move out with me.” As I said so, I grabbed the long spear in the tent and charged out.

“Has Zhang Fei’s forces left their camp?” I charged to the entrance of the encampment in one breath and began asking the scouts on the status of Zhang Fei’s forces.

“Ah, we just spotted many torches heading in the direction of Xu state city. Estimates put the size at 3,000.”

3,000? Isn’t that her entire army? This Zhang Fei isn’t much after all. She actually went out to save the caravans even though Xu state city would definitely send help anyway. Not leaving any troops at all to guard their camp is far too careless of her.

“Notify all troops,” I gave out orders as I received the helmet a soldier at the side pa.s.sed over, “Prepare to take their camp.”

“When we force Zhang Fei’s troops to retreat, I will personally commend you in front of the Imperial Chancellor.” I was not leading the bulk of our troops out at a gallop toward Zhang Fei’s camp.

“Oh? Thanks a lot for that, General.” The girl gave a genuine smile. I’d previously doubted her smiles but now I felt that she was truly smiling from the bottom of her heart.

I must achieve victory in this attack. Leaving aside financial gains, being able to dent their troop morale will be a big blow against Liu Bei. When the time comes, all I have to do is to link up with the troops that originally served the Imperial Chancellor and the city will be easily ours.

As I was thinking about my next steps, Zhang Fei’s camp was already in sight.

I whipped my horse as we made a beeline for the camp.

Would there be arrows heading toward us?

I thought there would be at first but we were now only several dozen meters away and there was no movement whatsoever in the surroundings, and I was finally convinced that there were none of Zhang Fei’s troops in the camp.

Just like that, we successfully seized their encampment. Though I don’t feel any rush from this victory, a win is a win.

“Dismount everyone, and switch their flags for ours,” I dismounted first and stuck my spear into the ground as I gave out orders, “Take everything useful with us. 1,000-man generals, bring half of our troops here and attack Zhang Fei’s rear guard…”

I only felt at ease after giving out all the orders. And my relief grew as I saw the troops load up the goods onto our carriages.

I, Liu Dai, was once a feudal lord as well. I may serve the Imperial Chancellor now, but I’m still a hero of this era.

“La.s.s, you really have outdone yourself this time. When we get back to camp, I’ll write a recommendation letter for you and have you be my second-in-command.” I took off my helmet and sighed as I said so.

… Un?

What is this feeling? … It feels like everything went too smoothly? Is it just my mind playing tricks on me?

“I apologise,” Just then, the la.s.s began speaking and her voice now was severe unlike before, “But I’ve already chosen the one I want to serve.”

Before I could even react, torches suddenly appeared all around us as yells for slaughter sounded from every direction.

What?! Did we fall for a trap?! But these numbers… There are actually 3,000? Did Zhang Fei bring out 6,000 men?

In an instant, my troops descended into chaos. Some died, others ran. None of the 1,000-man generals’ orders went through.

As for me, I forgot that I should have commanded my troops to counterattack in that moment as I was consumed by rage.

d.a.m.n it!! This fellow was indeed a double agent!

As I thought of this, I grabbed the long spear and whirled as I stabbed at her.

“You!!!” My spear drew closer and closer but she did not make a move and only reached out a single hand and placed it on her chest.

If you don’t intend on resisting then die–

But in the next instant, I did not stab through her as I intended. Rather, the front half of my spear disappeared entirely. What was left in my hands was a broken off spear hilt.

“First, I had my subordinate impersonate me so you wouldn’t recognise me. Next, I wore the ordinary rank and file uniform and acted as a traitor to enter your camp. Next, I diverted your attention away from the existence of Zhang Fei to the strategy I proposed to you. At the end of the day, you are just an ignorant gambler whose greed lost to reason. And that is how my plan succeeded.” From my ears, I could hear that la.s.s’s relaxed voice but this time, I could hear an intense energy emanating from it as well, “You still don’t know right, that the caravans were just to divert a portion of your forces away, that having the fake Zhang Fei go and save them is to draw you in to attack this camp, and that having an empty camp was to make you divert even more troops away. You probably also don’t know that I brought 3,000 troops and 6,000 torches for this expedition.”

She said a lot but nothing went into my ears.

But I do know one thing.

“You, you are…”

“Ah, speaking of which, I never did tell you my name right?” She received a long spear that was at odds with her height and looked at me fiercely and proudly as she said her name, “I am Zhang Fei Zhang Yi De of Yan~~~”