The Birth of a Villainess

Chapter 328 – Painful Howling

Early in the morning the next day, after Qu Xing Xu and the Zheng army arrived in Henzhou city, the war still didn't start. However, the tension that both sides felt was tremendous and almost sickening. 

At this time, General Han was speaking with the vice general and commanders inside a huge tent.

They discussed what they should do now that Qu Xing Xu had arrived. Some of them said that they should take the first strike and signal those who entered the city even before Qu Xing Xu arrived to open the gates and kill some people inside the city.

This plan was reasonable. The Chu empire didn't want to lose out because they wanted to be considerate to the other side. 

Thus, without wasting time, General Han told the commander with a thousand men in his army to signal his ten men to start the ambush.

Inside the Henzhou city, things weren't looking good. There was a commotion going on, and screams of terror were heard that would make one's ear twitch and body shiver. However, this scream was not heard on the street where ordinary people were walking and passing by.

No, this scream was heard behind the fences of a residence. 

And obviously, this scream did not belong to any city people. Instead, it came from the assassins that the thousand man-army commanders that the Chu empire installed inside the Henzhou city even before the Zheng army arrived. 

The ground that should be earthly brown and has wild grass growing on it was not able to maintain its color since it was covered in red stain spurting out from one of the assassin's necks.

The captured assassins didn't think that the Zheng army saw through their plans. 

Just a while ago.

"We received the signal. We should head out now." The temporary leader of the assassins told the other assassins.

"Yes, sir!"

The other assassins, who disguised themselves as farmers and ordinary city people, immediately shed their disguises and put on their weapons. 

Wearing an expression filled with killing intent, these assassins were ready to wreak havoc in Henzhou city. 

Someone from their team wickedly laughed as he looked out from the window of their hideout. "Look at these maggots crawling around as if they are worth anything. I wonder what they will look like when I stab them with my sword!"

Someone else said, joining in the fun, and whistled: "But I got to say, the women here are pretty. We should get some taste of them before we head to the commander."

In that era, war was something that wasn't uncommon. Wars between two countries and empires were frequently seen and went by eventually. However, the cause wasn't important. The effect that the war would put on everyone else was the most concerning of them all.

After all, killing people, raping women, and pillaging were what most would think of during and after a war. 

And, of course, the people who suffered greatly during this hard time were none other than the common people who were less fortunate and didn't have the privilege to get away in time and avoid being struck down by the enemy.

When the assassins finished getting ready and putting weapons on their bodies, they headed towards the door and opened it with a smile.

However, the smile on their faces didn't rise a notch higher because the moment they opened it, several men with their swords drawn were standing there with no expression on their faces. 

Before the assassins could react and understand their situation, they were struck behind their necks and fell unconscious. Some of them fought back, but their struggles were sadly not worth it as they were defeated and dragged to a residence.

When they arrived inside the place, they were forced to kneel down. Those who were still awake did not want to kneel, but they were kicked on their legs and broke their bones. They couldn't help but scream in pain and kneel down.

As for those who fell unconscious, they woke up upon hearing the painful howling of their fellow assassin and looked at their situation with hopelessness.

'How could this be?' one of them thought.

Their plan was seamless, and the Zheng army should not have learned of their identities. Even if the Zheng empire knew that there was a spy and assassins mixed in the common people of Henzhou city, they should at least take about a few days to identify them, giving these assassins some time to kill people.

What was more baffling was that the assassins have been living inside the Henzhou city even before the conflict between the two empires started. They were planted there to spy and see the situation of the city before reporting them to their commander. 

So, how did they find out?!

As the assassins were forced to kneel on the ground, footfalls were heard inside the house in front of them. 

Soon, the door was opened, and from their kneeling position, the only thing they could see was the hem of a high-quality robe with silver patterns twisting and curling on the fabric like thorns.

Then, the person spoked, "Is this all of them?"

The men who captured them nodded and said respectfully, "Yes, milord."

"Then, send their heads to their commander. We can't possibly let him wait any longer since they wanted to kill people in the city," an enigmatic voice said.

The assassins curled their bodies, twisting and raising themselves up to look at who was speaking. Some were unsuccessful because they had someone stepping on their backs. But most were able to see the person who spoke and trembled in fear.

The man standing before them was by far the most handsome man they had ever seen. His facial features were extremely outstanding; it was almost hard to believe if they hadn't seen it for themselves. He was almost like an immortal who was there to punish them.

But their thoughts weren't far off from their reality since the man before them wanted to bestow their heads to their commander as presents. 

Besides that, that smile on the lips of that man was extremely cold and scary.

Qu Xing Xu looked at his men and nodded, indicating them to proceed and kill the assassins.

When the blade was brought down to their necks, red fluid bloomed and splattered everywhere, staining the ground.