At least he didn’t embarrass Sun Dixian.
Everyone responded with a “Yes” and sat down against the cave walls to rest with closed eyes.
Sun Dixian finally regained some sense, inwardly chiding herself for losing her head earlier. How could she have approached him so recklessly? She feared others might think less of her. She glanced at Chu Dingjiang once more before quickly sitting down to rest with her eyes closed.
Chu Dingjiang stood at the cave entrance with his arms folded, his figure nearly blocking half of the small opening.
An hour later, Sun Dixian secretly glanced again and found him still in the same position, seemingly unmoved, while outside, the sky had almost darkened completely.
Lou Mingyue got up and went to the cave entrance to look. The rain was almost over.
“We’ll wait for Vice Commander Gu tonight and set out at dawn,” Chu Dingjiang said.
The heavy rain had lasted for a full hour, and now it was nightfall. They wouldn’t be able to cover much ground overnight, so everyone agreed with this decision.
“My Lord, what kind of trial will we face this time?” a man asked carefully in the darkness.
“Trial?” There was a hint of amusement in Chu Dingjiang’s voice. “If you treat such matters as mere trials, you’re bound to die young without a doubt.”
Chu Dingjiang was noticeably more at ease conversing with the men, his entire attitude different. He seemed like an older brother joking with them. His relaxed manner made him appear quite approachable, and the young men present began to pepper him with questions.
Chu Dingjiang answered what he could and joked his way around what he couldn’t.
Everyone knew he was deflecting, but they didn’t mind. After all, the Konghejun had strict rules, and some things couldn’t be discussed carelessly. They felt that Chu Dingjiang was principled but not rigid about the rules.
At first, they were just probing for information to survive, but as they chatted, they were infected by Chu Dingjiang’s bold and unrestrained manner. Some of the youthful spirits that had gradually disappeared as they were steeped in bloodshed began to return.
The group of men chatted animatedly, with Sun Dixian occasionally chiming in. Lou Mingyue leaned against the rock wall alone, gazing out at the rain, lost in thought.
“My Lord must have been in the Konghejun for a long time. Are all the people in Konghejun terrifying?” Sun Dixian asked.
Everyone fell silent, looking towards Chu Dingjiang, clearly eager to know the answer.
“It’s not much different from ordinary armies,” This wasn’t a secret, so Chu Dingjiang didn’t conceal it. “In a battle between two armies, a soldier who doesn’t kill isn’t a good soldier. Our combat isn’t particularly special. It’s just that as the Great Song’s secret weapon, we often can’t appear in the open.”
Hearing this, Lou Mingyue’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“My Lord’s words have opened my eyes,” Qiu Yunran sighed.
He spoke from the heart. Previously, he had felt like he was living like a rat, shrouded in gloom all day. Now, he felt full of passion.
Chu Dingjiang said, “This trial is said to allow two people to survive, but let me be frank with you all here.”
Everyone listened intently, even Lou Mingyue turned her head.
He continued, “The rule of Konghejun is to complete the mission at any cost. As long as the mission is accomplished, whoever among you can survive is based on your ability. Do you think Konghejun would kill the extra survivors? If you all cooperate fully and all manage to survive, I guarantee no one will harm a hair on your heads.”
“So Lord Gu was deceiving us…” Sun Dixian said.
“Not exactly,” Chu Dingjiang said calmly. “It’s also a kind of test, to see if you can still cooperate to complete the mission successfully when your own lives are in danger.”
Someone started to say, “My Lord, isn’t this…”
Isn’t this revealing secrets? He stopped mid-sentence, afraid that speaking too bluntly might anger Chu Dingjiang.
“Everyone has self-interest and a desire to survive. Without any reason, why should one sacrifice everything to complete a mission?” Chu Dingjiang, however, didn’t seem to mind. “Such sacrifice is unnecessary. If you were asked to go to battle, to protect your home and country, would you be willing to risk your lives?”
He smiled, “You don’t need to answer me. Just keep the balance in your hearts.”