Xia's expression turned incredibly stern. "Pardon?"

"I can imagine your shock," Li An said with a soft, almost regretful sigh. "The thought of one's life hanging by a thread, with no means to avenge lost loved ones, must be profoundly unsettling. However, I must strongly advise against drawing that dagger concealed at your back. It is far too dangerous... for you, I mean."

Xia raised her two hands, palms outwards, and saw Li An reveal her bare white teeth.

"I do carry a dagger on my back, but I have no intention of drawing it. If you suspect me of espionage, I think we have a misunderstanding between us."

Li An arched her thin eyebrow. "Is that so? Please, do enlighten me."

"My origin itself proves I am not a spy," Xia said with a straight face. "I hail from Blue Leaf village, situated on the border between the sect and the cult. The assault on the village is documented in the war records of the Black Lotus Cult, and the villagers can-"

"Yes, yes. That's enough," Li An interrupted while dangling her legs side to side. "What a boring explanation. Why would I believe in something so tediously ordinary?"

Xia made a confused expression. As if wondering why Li An was suddenly talking about boredom.

"But these are the facts!" Her voice rose slightly.

Li An shot her a glare. "And what of it? Facts, when dull, are no different from lies to me."

Before Xia could answer back, Li An placed an arm over her shoulder and grinned.

"Allow me to tell you my version of the story," Li An coughed to clear her throat. "Our dear Xia's entire family was tragically slaughtered by the vile Skyshadow dogs, or so she believed. Yet, she soon discovered that these villains were not affiliated with the Skyshadow Sect at all."

She paused dramatically, letting the suspense build. "The demonic experts of the Black Lotus Cult, being the scumbags they usually are, decided to cosplay as Skyshadow disciples to plunder resources from the unsuspecting villages. Quite scandalous, wouldn't you agree?"

Li An clasped her cheeks with both hands, her eyes widening theatrically.

"Thus, with unwavering courage, little Xia infiltrated the enemy ranks. She carried a dagger instead of a sword to avoid drawing attention and made every effort to steer clear of the innocent farmers, who just happened to be necessary casualties for her revenge."

At this juncture, Xia's facade crumbled. Her teeth clenched in fury, and a deadly intent flared in her eyes. "You have no proof."

"I do not," Li An admitted. "And I have no interest in telling my theory to anyone... at least, not yet. I want you to become my Corporal when I rise to the rank of Sergeant.""

Xia stared at her weirdly. "You want a traitor as your Corporal? Why?"

Li An let out some quiet chuckles.

"I am a demonic cultivator, Private Xia. Betrayals are of no consequence to me. I want you because of your competence; I have no doubt your revenge would have been successful, had I not intervened."

Xia turned her head towards the sky, and a few teardrops streamed across her cheeks like falling stars in the night.

"What if I refuse?" She asked.

Li An shook her head with a sigh. "I do not intend to kill you, Xia. I am offering you a choice, as one who shares the same origins: either accept the position of my Corporal, or continue your pursuit of revenge. However, you have but two days before I inform the cult of your betrayal. Even without concrete proof, I am certain they would find my story most intriguing."

Xia clenched her fists.

"I..."

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

The squad finally arrived at the frontlines, the area known as the Red Plains. The ground was stained a deep crimson, as if soaked with the blood of countless battles. Sparse, twisted trees dotted the landscape, their leaves long gone, leaving only skeletal branches behind.

In front of them, an enormous army was gathered. Soldiers stood in formation, their expressions lively and murderous. Demonic cultivators didn't care about winning or losing; they only cared about the benefits war could bring to them. Tents and makeshift fortifications were spread out across the plains, creating a chaotic yet organized scene.

Hua walked close to Li An, her face pale and her hands trembling slightly.

"Li, I'm a bit scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think it was the right decision to join the army?"

Li An gave her a reassuring smile. "It's normal to be afraid, Hua. This is a war, not a walk in a courtyard. Just remember why you joined and stay strong."

"You're right." Hua nodded, trying to steel herself. "I'll do my best."

Sergeant Feng led the squad to the command tent, where the Major General responsible for their battle zone was stationed.

If Li An had to use one word to describe the man, it would be 'big'. The man was huge.

The Major General had a bulky figure and stood at 2 meters tall. His short black hair and piercing yellow eyes gave him an intense presence. He wore a thick suit of dark armor that seemed to absorb the light in the tent.

As they approached him, Li An noticed the reverence in the eyes of the soldiers around them. They seemed to worship the Major General as if he were a god.

Sergeant Feng knelt down in front of the Major General.

"Sergeant Feng reporting with Squad 112," he said respectfully.

The Major General looked down at him with his head resting on his hand. "Rise, Sergeant. What is the situation?"

"The squad is ready for deployment, sir. Where do you need us?"

The Major General sighed, rubbing his temple. "The southern area has been seeing increased activity. Take your squad and reinforce the front lines there. Hold your position and report any significant movements."

"Understood, sir. We'll move out immediately," Sergeant Feng replied.

"Good. Now go."

The Major General gave a dismissive wave.

As they left the command tent, Li An turned to an excited Zhao. "Who is he?"

"You don't know about the Major General's feats?" His eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. "They call him the War Demon. He's the strongest body cultivator in the cult, and they say he's single-handedly turned the tide of many battles in the South."

"I am not from here, so I am not familiar with these experts," Li An said while rubbing the back of her head.

Zhao blushed. "Haha, sorry, I get a little excited with strong experts. It's okay if you don't know; different regions have different cultivators."

The squad traveled to the southern area of the army.

As they approached their destination, Sergeant Feng spotted another sergeant, clearly a disciple of the cult, waiting with his squad. The two sergeants eyed each other with lowered eyebrows.

"Well, well, if it isn't Sergeant Yu," Feng sneered. "Still struggling to get results, I see."

This Sergeant Yu was a lean man with sharp features and a scowl that seemed glued to his face.

"And what about you, Feng? Think you can do better with a bunch of useless farmers?" He shot back.

Feng's eyes narrowed. "Better than you, at least. Maybe you should take notes instead of running after Elder Sister Ming."

Yu didn't take the comment in a good way. He stepped closer, his fists clenched. "Oh, is that so? Let's see how you handle it when you're knee-deep in trouble."

The privates could feel the tension in the air, and it looked like they might come to blows.

"They're acting like children," Li An thought. Why would they act so aggressive when it was written in the rules they could not fight against other allies? Just a waste of time.

Finally, some other soldiers stepped in to separate the two sergeants, pulling them apart. Feng turned to his squad with a brusk movement. "Let's get to work. We're setting up camp here."

They found a spot next to the river, where the trees still had some green. It was a pleasant contrast to the rest of the Red Plains, but the recent enemy movement made it a risky location. The squad got to work building their encampment, setting up tents and preparing a bonfire for cooking.

Li An noticed Hua and Zhao struggling with their tents. Hua was fumbling with the ropes, and Zhao was trying to figure out how to anchor the stakes.

"Need some help?" Li An asked, walking over.

"Yes, please," Hua said, looking relieved. "I've never done this before."

Zhao grumbled, "Yeah, I could use a hand too. This isn't exactly my strong suit."

Li An knelt down, showing them how to properly secure the ropes and stakes. "Here, you need to anchor the stakes deeper. And make sure the ropes are taut, like this."

Hua watched closely, nodding. "Got it. Thanks, Li."

"I never thought setting up a tent would be this complicated," Zhao muttered.

"They still have the mentality of farmers." Li An tied a knot on Hua's rope. "They are just second stage Foundation realm cultivators, so I am not surprised."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Li An stood up after she was done and chuckled. "It's not so bad once you get the hang of it."

Together, they managed to get the tents set up properly. Hua and Zhao both looked like they had just seen their savior.

"Thank you, Li!" Hua hugged her and began sobbing. "I would be covered in dirt and insects tonight if it wasn't for you."

Zhao nodded. "Yeah, thanks. We would've been here forever without your help."

"No problem. We're a team. We help each other out." Li An smiled back at them.

The squad worked together to set up the beds from the command center into their tents. The makeshift camp started to look more like a temporary home by the time the night arrived.

The so-called 'beds' could only be small mattresses at best, with rough blankets and pillows that offered minimum comfort for cultivation.

Meanwhile, Private Xia was busy at the cooking area, preparing a meal for everyone. She was making a large pot of meat stew with vegetables. The smell was incredible, a rich blend of savory meat, carrots, potatoes, and a mix of herbs that made everyone's mouths water. The vegetables added color, making the dish look as good as it smelled.

Li An stared at the food with a furrowed brow. "I am not eating that. Something tells me I will have indigestion."

Sergeant Feng came over, sniffing the air with a look of disgust.

"What is this?" he muttered, clearly unimpressed. "I usually eat meat from wild beasts with spiritual energy. This... this peasant food is beneath me."

Xia looked up, her face red from the cooking fire. "It's all we have, Sergeant. I did my best with what we were given."

Feng waved her off dismissively. "Whatever. I'm going to bed. Wang and Hu, you're on nightshift. Keep an eye out for any trouble."

Xia stepped forward.

"I can do it, Sergeant. I don't mind."

"So she's acting now," Li An thought. Xia had rejected her offer the day before, but Li An was already expecting it. "There's a reason why I want her, after all."

Sergeant Feng scowled. "Stop being annoying, Xia. My orders are the military law. Wang and Hu will handle it."

Li An had a small smile on her lips. She could see the frustration in Xia's eyes, but Xia obeyed without arguing.

As they settled in for the night, the squad gathered around the fire to eat. The stew tasted even better than it smelled, warming them from the inside out. Although it was spring, the nights in the north were always cold.

"Ahhh... thanks, Xia," Zhao said, finishing his stew and throwing the dishes to the grass. "This is really good."

Xia nodded solemnly. "I'm glad you like it."

After dinner, they all settled into their tents, with Wang and Hu taking their positions for the nightshift. The camp grew quiet, the only sounds the crackling of the dying fire and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.

Li An lay on her bed, thinking about the reactions of the Major General. "The Black Lotus Cult is struggling to control the entire border of their territories, so they need more squads to spread through their frontlines. It is clear that the Skyshadow Sect is on the offensive."

"But this is better." Li An glanced at the tent flap with a glint in her eyes. "Weak allies are easier to take advantage of."

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

In the dead of night, Xia slipped out of her bed.

The cool air hit her as she left the tent, sending a shiver down her spine. But it wasn't the cold that made her shiver—it was the thoughts of revenge that filled her mind.

The pungent scent of blood has constantly assaulted her nose ever since that fateful day. Each breath was filled with the iron tang of crimson, mingling with the cool night air and making her stomach churn.

She could almost see her parents' corpses before her, their lifeless eyes staring into her soul. The Devil's whispers echoed in her mind.

"Revenge, Xia. Take your revenge, no matter the cost," they said.

Sometimes, she did see them. Shadowy images of their blood-soaked bodies merging with the darkness around her.

Her heart beat faster.

She didn't care if today was her last day. Xia knew about the gap in cultivation and talent between her and the people who made her life miserable. It was impossible to kill them with her own hands.

"The best I can do is make them lose the war in the hope that they die." She sighed. "Even then, my influence is extremely limited. I can only try to deal with squads."

Xia approached the two men on nightshift, Wang and Hu. They were sitting by a small fire, trying their best to stay awake. However, their eyelids were half-closed.

She didn't try to hide her footsteps. Wang heard her and looked up. "Can't sleep?"

Xia shook her head. "No, I guess not. Mind if I join you?"

"Sure, why not?" Hu shrugged.

Xia sat down between them, the fire casting shadows on her face. Wang and Hu stiffened; she was too close!

"You know, it's been a long time since I've felt a man," Xia said coldly. "What about you two? Been a while since you've had some fun?"

Wang and Hu exchanged glances and seemed to have come to a silent agreement between men.

"It's been a while," Wang admitted, his eyes lingering on her.

Hu put a hand on his smooth chin. "I can't even remember my last time."

"I could use some company tonight. How about it?" Xia asked.

Wang and Hu gulped in unison and nodded eagerly. She didn't waste any time and placed a hand on each of their crotches, massaging their snakes under the robes.

Hu couldn't control his excitement and moaned with an open mouth.

"Close your eyes," Xia whispered coldly. "Just enjoy it."

She didn't know how to be seductive, but it wasn't necessary for some random farmers who had just learned to cultivate.

The men complied and closed their eyes.

In a fluid motion, Xia drew her dagger and plunged it into Wang's chest. His eyes flew open in shock, but the life quickly drained from them.

Hu felt something was wrong and opened his eyes just as Xia's blade sliced across his throat. He tried to scream, but only a gurgling sound came out as blood poured from the wound. His hands clawed at his neck, but it was too late.

Xia watched the life drain from Hu's eyes. He was innocent, a farmer who joined the war to avenge his family or friends.

"But who is to say whether he is innocent or guilty? In the end, we are all innocent and we are all guilty."

Innocence is but a myth whispered among the wind-blown reeds.

She wiped the blade clean on their clothes, the firelight flickering in her hollow eyes.

After throwing it a last glance, Xia dragged the lifeless bodies of Wang and Hu behind two trees by their legs. For some reason, their blank gazes seemed to be glaring at her. The smell of blood had grown stronger.

Once the bodies were partly concealed, Xia dashed toward the clearing next to the small river in their camp. She pulled out a compass artifact from her pocket and clicked the silver button in the middle.

After that, she could only wait, accompanied by the sound of the river flowing gently in the background.

"Waiting for us?"

A group of people in dark blue robes with silver linings emerged from the darkness of the trees. Leading them was a young man who moved with the grace of a predator. His blue eyes were sharp and calculating, like a hawk's, and his smile was as cold as winter's breath. He seemed to glide rather than walk, exuding an aura of confidence.

"Xia," His voice was smooth as silk. "You did a good job."

Xia nodded with an expressionless face. "The Corporal and the Sergeant didn't eat the food with the sleep poison, but I took care of the guards."

The young man smiled wider. "It's okay. The Coriolis poison has a weak effect on stronger cultivators and people who are not sleeping. You've done well."

He turned to the woman behind him and tapped her shoulder. "Yu Shen—I mean, Corporal Shen, bring your men forward and kill them all."

Xia felt pressured when she saw Corporal Shen, a short Caucasian woman who emitted an aura of spiritual energy above the ninth stage of the Spirit realm.

Yu Shen stepped forward. "Leave it to me, Li Cheng."

She nodded and motioned for her twenty soldiers to move out.

Li Cheng stayed behind with Xia, watching as his men advanced.

"We'll watch from a distance," he said. "You can still be useful after your squad is wiped out. This is the cult's weak point in the formation, and the General guarantees no cultivator above the peak stage of Core Formation realm will be deployed."

Xia glanced at him. "Why explain this to me?"

Li Cheng didn't reply immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the enemy camp.

"Understanding your enemy's weaknesses is crucial," he explained. "Demonic cultivators, for all their power, are often rash and lack loyalty. They can be easily manipulated, their ambitions used against them. Although they often win in individual duels, they are horrible at war. It's a lesson you should remember."

Xia nodded. She agreed with Li Cheng. She didn't practice any demonic techniques, but she was essentially a demonic cultivator.

Xia understood that Li Cheng was using her for his own goals, manipulating her through her ambition for revenge. And just like any other demonic cultivator, she didn't care about being manipulated as long as she benefited from it.

Corporal Shen and her men moved silently through the night, slipping into the encampment like ghosts. They spread out, their steps barely making a sound on the soft ground. The moonlight cast faint glimmers on their dark blue robes as they approached the sleeping soldiers.

Xia shook her head. "The gap is too large." Li Cheng's soldiers were all elite Foundation realm cultivators from the Skyshadow sect, not farmers.

One by one, the privates were taken out. Blades flashed in the darkness, and the silent screams of the dying filled the air.

Shen's men were ruthless and efficient, killing the enemy with only one slash.

Zhao stirred in his sleep, sensing something was off. But before he could fully wake, a blade pierced his heart and his life faded away.

In Li An's tent, Hua woke to the faint sound of footsteps. She barely had time to react before a knife was plunged into her chest. Her breath caught, and she tried to scream, but no sound came out. The last thing she saw was the cold, emotionless face of her attacker.

Outside, Xia watched with a stiff expression as the chaos unfolded. She scanned the tents, searching for any sign of Corporal Li, but the young girl was nowhere to be seen.

"She has probably escaped since she knew about me," Xia thought.

She looked at Li Cheng.

"The Corporal is missing," she whispered, her voice slightly strained. She didn't dare mention their earlier conversation, afraid of being discarded by Li Cheng immediately.

Li Cheng's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?"

"I've checked everywhere. She should have been with Private Hua, but she's not there."

At that moment, there were changes in the ambush.

Sergeant Feng, the only one who had woken up from the noise, burst out of his tent. He grabbed his weapon, a purple blade made of demonic qi, and instantly killed one of Shen's men, a Foundation realm disciple. Blood sprayed as the headless corpse hit the ground.

However, he quickly became cornered by several soldiers. "Come out, fuckin' traitor! I curse you to die a miserable death!" Sergeant Feng shouted with a spear pierced on his leg. Anyone with a brain could see that they were betrayed.

"The ambush is going well, so why do I feel so nervous?" Xia furrowed her brow.

She was not the only one showing a solemn face. Li Cheng felt some goosebumps on his skin. Something was definitely wrong.

"End the sergeant quickly and retreat!" He was about to scream, but before he could, the world turned white.

Flash!

The flashbangs erupted from within the corpses of the fallen privates, sending blinding light across the camp.

The intense light seared into the soldiers' eyes, causing them to scream in agony. They clawed at their faces in a desperate attempt to stop the pain, but their eyes kept burning and sizzling.

Xia and Li Cheng were also blinded, but their eyes weren't as severely damaged. Using their spiritual energy, they began to heal themselves. Li Cheng knew they had to leave as soon as possible. The sounds of explosions and pained screams should have woken up the soldiers in the nearest camps.

"Is this... Corporal Li?" Xia's face turned pale. "Did she really let her friends die just for this ambush?"

Amidst the chaos, the chilling shred of a blade meeting flesh and the dying screams of soldiers filled the air. In the face of danger, Li Cheng turned calm.

"Over here! Follow my voice!" He shouted loudly with his spiritual energy.

"Move towards the voice!" Corporal Shen's voice was strained and wet with a cough. It was clear she was injured.

Li Cheng focused all his energy on healing his eyes, trying to shut out the horrifying sounds around him. He managed to restore his vision, though his sight was still a bit blurry.

When he could see clearly again, he found Corporal Shen next to him. She had a huge gash on the left side of her waist, blood pouring from the wound. Her face was pale, and she was struggling to stay on her feet.

"Yu Shen!" Li Cheng exclaimed, rushing to her side. "What happened?"

Shen grimaced, holding her wound.

"It was an ambush within an ambush," she said through gritted teeth. "We didn't see it coming."

Li Cheng turned to look at the camp, and what he saw made his stomach churn.

Severed bodies lay scattered everywhere, blood pooling on the ground. Limbs were strewn about like discarded toys, and the air was drenched in the stench of death.

Amidst the carnage, he saw her.

A short girl stepping over the corpses. She was shrouded in a thin veil of blood mist, but he could see she looked more like a farmer than a cultivator. Torn brown robes, naked feet, and dirty long hair.

Yet, those dark eyes... they bore into his soul.

A suffocating dread washed over him, leaving him breathless.

A demon. That was a demon from the depths of hell.

The giant scythe in her hand glinted like the blade of an executioner, and blood clung to her like a cursed second skin.

Her lips curved gently, revealing pearly white teeth. The moonlight caught the natural pink gloss of her lips, adding a soft glow to her expression.

Li Cheng could feel her joy in his bones. The dimples at the corners of her mouth, the twinkling of her eyes with pure delight.

It was a smile that could light up a room.

Corporal Shen, still blinded, sensed the weak aura of a second-stage Spirit realm cultivator from afar. Her face twisted into a mask of rage.

"Li Cheng, let me kill him. He ambushed my soldiers!"

"It's a 'she', not a 'he'." Li Cheng's voice was hoarse. "You can't even move, Yu Shen. You're a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, not someone to be sacrificed at a whim."

He placed Shen on his shoulders, determined to retreat. "Accept this loss and live to fight another day."

"What about me?" Xia asked.

Li Cheng's tone turned cold. "Our collaboration is over. You won't be able to run from that girl."

Xia smiled bitterly. She was already expecting that reply.

Li Cheng threw a last glance at the girl. It was the first time he tasted defeat in this war. Every nerve in his body was screaming at him to grab his sword and kill her, that leaving her alive was too dangerous. But he knew better. Emotions shouldn't be the driving force behind one's actions.

"Corporal Li... I won't forget that name," he muttered.

With that, Li Cheng and Corporal Shen retreated into the night.

Xia and Li An met each other's gaze.