Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the mottled windows onto the worn wooden table inside the house. Lao Cui slowly walked into the room, his eyes settling on the inquiry form. He casually picked it up and glanced at it, his gaze gradually focused on the densely written words on it.

The list clearly recorded information about a man in black: it turned out this mysterious man in black was one of the two black men from the previous hunt, and they were in league with the Hun leader. Even more surprising, this Hun leader was actually the man in black's brother! It was said that on the day of the incident, the brother had suddenly suffered a stomach upset, leaving him extremely weak. He lost the strength to resist during the intense hunt and ultimately died tragically at the hands of the enemy.

When the black-clad Hun heard the common people discussing Zhao Si's bravery and his extraordinary skill in killing the Hun leader, he was shocked. He began to pay special attention to the conversations around him, and Zhao Si's name was deeply imprinted in his mind. From that moment on, a dark thought quietly grew in his heart: he wanted to kill Zhao Si himself and avenge his fallen brother.

However, things didn't go as planned. The night before, the black-clad Huns' carefully planned attack went awry. While they successfully injured Zhao Si's shoulder, they failed to kill him. However, this setback didn't discourage Lao Cui; instead, it only solidified his resolve for revenge. So, he quietly lurked near Zhao Si's residence, patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Hard work pays off. After a long wait, the black-clad Hun finally secured his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Under cover of darkness, he struck with ghostly swiftness, brutally murdering the unsuspecting Zhao Si. Having achieved his revenge, perhaps because his heart was free of the deepest lingering worries, or perhaps because he couldn't express the pain and oppression of this hatred to anyone, the black-clad Hun seemed somewhat disheartened. Faced with his interrogator's questioning, he simply recounted the entire incident, as if nothing else mattered...

The black-clad Hun sat in the interrogation room with a gloomy expression. Facing the ferocious-looking guards, he calmly recounted the entire story of his revenge for his brother. However, no matter how the guards used various cruel punishments and horrifying tortures to force him to reveal more information, this resolute Hun always gritted his teeth and refused to say a single word.

His body endured endless agony, but the resolve in his eyes remained undimmed. Each time he was tortured to the point of near-death, he would rally himself and continue to stubbornly resist the torturers. In time, due to the prolonged inhuman torture, the black-clad Hun's breathing grew increasingly weak, with more exhalations than inhalations, as if the flame of life could be extinguished at any moment.

The guards saw this, and a sense of fear rose in their hearts. They knew that if they continued to torture the man, the black-clad Hun would most likely die. However, their superior had not yet issued the order for his execution. If someone died, the guards carrying out the torture would undoubtedly face severe punishment. So, despite their reluctance, the guards finally stopped using torture and hurriedly handed in the incomplete confession.

Lao Cui listened solemnly to his men's horrifying tales, his gaze slowly shifting to the incomplete confessions on the table. Although a wave of deep disappointment welled up within him, he didn't vent his anger on them. After all, they had always followed his orders and would never hold back out of fear of disobeying them.

Thinking of this, Lao Cui sighed slightly and said in a deep voice to a younger brother standing beside him: "Go and tell them that they must pry open that man's mouth for me no matter what! Even if he dies, it doesn't matter!" This order was like a thunderclap, exploding in the room.

After hearing this cold and ruthless order, the subordinate's body trembled violently, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. He quickly responded, "Don't worry, boss! We will definitely make that kid wish he were dead, and we will never let him go easily! Let him linger on for a few more days and suffer all the suffering he can endure!" After that, the subordinate turned around and hurried away to carry out his mission.

Lao Cui waved his hand gently, signaling the others to leave. Then, he sat alone at the table, lost in thought...

Inside the spacious and solemn central tent of the Northwest Camp, Li Jing sat quietly at his desk, spread out before him were expedited battle reports and crucial information painstakingly gathered through various channels. His deep, piercing eyes were fixed on the papers before him, his brow furrowing involuntarily.

At first, he examined the data as a routine check, but as he delved deeper, shock washed over him. It turned out that a lack of scrutiny would have been enough. A thorough investigation revealed a staggering number of enemy spies who had infiltrated. These spies seemed to be omnipresent, practically turning the entire northwest region into a sieve riddled with holes.

Li Jing couldn't help but feel puzzled and angry: Hadn't the number of spies he had killed over the years been enough? So many were still willing to serve the enemy and betray their country. At this thought, his hand, which had been tightly clutching the battle report, trembled slightly with anger.

His eyes swept over the detailed lists of spies, their identities, and their respective factions, along with descriptions of how they had cleverly planted their agents to obtain intelligence. His rage instantly reached a fever pitch. Finally, unable to contain his fury any longer, Li Jing abruptly stood up, raised his palm, and slammed the table in front of him. With a resounding "bang," the sturdy wooden table couldn't withstand the immense force, shattering instantly, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

"How ridiculous!" Li Jing roared in rage. "Have these people forgotten how their fathers were oppressed and humiliated by the Xiongnu? Can they put aside such deep-seated hatred so quickly? Or have they been completely devoid of conscience from the very beginning?"

Immediately, he ordered the guard at the door with a serious expression: "Go and get all kinds of sauces quickly!" After receiving the order, the guard responded loudly: "Yes, sir!" and then ran away like an arrow.

Soon, numerous generals arrived in the spacious hall, and for a moment, the entire place was filled with standing figures. Li Jing glanced at everyone in the hall with a dignified gaze, then took a deep breath and shouted again, "Do you all understand how serious the situation is now? The Huns are eyeing us covetously, their evil ambitions are obvious, and it is truly infuriating!"

However, what is even more infuriating and unforgivable are those traitors seeking personal gain! They are actually sharing our detailed intelligence with the enemy, which is tantamount to stabbing us in the back! If we don't first eliminate these treacherous villains, how can we go into battle without any worries? Let me ask you, if you don't eliminate these people, do you have the courage to rush to the battlefield with confidence? If these people are not killed, how can we not worry about the loss of our rear when we go to war, and how can we easily leave our backs to our companions?

As soon as Li Jing finished speaking, a clamor erupted from the crowd, with people expressing their dissatisfaction and reluctance. The generals' faces flushed red, their anger simmering as they shouted in unison, "Lord! If you have any instructions, just tell us. We will do our utmost to ensure their successful completion!" One of them shouted impatiently, "Lord, please give the order quickly! As long as you give the order, even if there are mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, we will not retreat even a single step!" Another quickly echoed, "Yes, Lord! You know our team all too well. We are all uneducated, but as long as you give us instructions, we will carry them out to the end without a single complaint!"

Li Jing stood there quietly, his gaze slowly sweeping across the indignant faces before him. He couldn't help but feel an indescribable sense of relief. These soldiers, all iron-blooded men he had personally trained, were loyal, brave, and fearless. No matter how difficult or dangerous the situation, they always steadfastly followed him. In this moment, Li Jing felt a deep trust and strength that could not be described in words.

However, he also clearly understood the complex and dire situation. While there were indeed spies scattered throughout the northwest, fortunately, most of them were hidden among the common people, which was understandable. After all, in such a vast territory, completely eliminating spies was nearly impossible. Even so, Li Jing remained confident that with his fearless soldiers, they would overcome the numerous difficulties, protect this territory, and safeguard the dignity and honor of the nation.

Li Jing issued clear instructions to everyone: First, military training must be carried out to perfection, without any slackness; second, the crucial northwest defense line must be held firmly, and the Xiongnu must not be allowed to cross even a single inch; third, all military fortresses must be comprehensively reinforced to ensure their impregnability; and fourth, a large number of personnel must be dispatched to these key locations to prevent the Xiongnu from launching a surprise attack while we are busy eliminating the traitors. Only by doing so could we ensure that while we were eliminating internal threats, our external defenses remained as solid as a rock, leaving no opportunity for the enemy to exploit.