ITF Chapter99

During the collective meeting two days later, Bai Heting’s presence cast a somewhat tense air over the room, but the attendees’ attention was quickly drawn back to Luo Congye’s plan.

Bai Heting also finally learned exactly where the “our own turf” Luo Congye spoke of was located.

Urdan was vast but sparsely populated. The people lived concentrated in the relatively fertile eastern grasslands, while the western desert was rarely visited by anyone. Back then, in order to shake off the pursuit of the royal cavalry, he had also first taken a circuitous escape route toward the west. No one understood Urdan better than the Urdan people; establishing a few hidden supply points in the desolate western lands was by no means a difficult task for them. The difficulty lay in how to transport the supplies inside in a manner that averted suspicion.

Bai Heting guessed that this plan had already been deployed for quite a considerable amount of time.

“The problem now is,” Luo Congye extended two fingers, tapping on the map, “we need to lure them to this location.”

His fingers paused here, then slid toward a nearby piece of high ground. “And we cannot let them detect the ambush here.”

Looking at the location where his fingertips rested, Lin Zaichang understood the reason they were forced to fight this war before the arrival of spring without requiring any explanation.

Bei Yang naturally understood as well. “In other words…” He stood up, pointing toward another position on the map. “We need to launch a feigned attack on the fortress, but we cannot cross this point. Instead, we must begin our retreat from here, falling back toward our destination.”

Before his voice could fully fade, a soft laugh traveled over. The laughter carried a hint of disdain, prompting everyone else in the room, with the exception of Bei Yang himself, to look over at Bai Heting.

“Never press a desperate foe is a principle even a fool understands.” The mockery on that delicate face grew increasingly apparent. “Shao Yixiao has a deeply scheming father. Having been influenced by what he saw and heard since childhood, would he really fall for such a low-level trick of yours?”

These words were spoken in a highly grating manner, and everyone instantly strung their nerves tight, terrified that the two might come to blows once again. Yet Bei Yang actually didn’t snap back, merely shooting Bai Heting a glance before sitting back down without a word.

Bai Heting also seemed to find it novel, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Once the vanguard army arrives in Urdan, have your ‘allies’ deliver an ‘unconfirmed’ piece of intelligence to the palace.”

He turned his face to look at Luo Congye before tossing out a sudden bombshell with absolute nonchalance:

“Bai Heting is the commander of the main force.”

Everyone was horrified, and the nerve that had only just relaxed snapped taut all over again in an instant.

“No.” Luo Congye stated immediately.

Bai Heting added, “I don’t need actual command authority. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to command your men anyway.”

These words were meant for Lin Zaichang and the others, but Luo Congye immediately caught the glaringly obvious implication concealed beneath them.

This was by no means merely an “unconfirmed piece of intelligence.”

Bai Heting intended to go to the front lines himself.

Luo Congye shook his head, repeating once more, “I said no.”

With private wars erupting everywhere and the palace driven into a state of utter chaos, the king had signed over a dozen royal pardon decrees in rapid succession. For the Urdan people, this could barely be considered a “decent” window of opportunity to raise their troops. Yet even if the combat forces the royal family could mobilize were limited, the disparity in troop numbers between the two sides remained immense.

In other words, this was not a confrontation with a guaranteed hundred percent chance of victory. The light cavalry acting as bait would have to bear an inevitably enormous risk.

His stance was exceptionally unyielding, but Bai Heting continued, “This is the most reliable strategy. Only by doing this can we guarantee that Shao Yixiao will personally appear on the front lines and spare no effort in pursuing the retreating troops. Bai Jiashu will undoubtedly issue a direct order commanding him to confirm whether the intelligence is true, and then, at all costs…” He paused mid-sentence, swallowing the word ‘kill’ before changing his phrasing, “…capture me and bring me back.”

Aside from Luo Congye, no one raised an objection; clearly, everyone was seriously contemplating the feasibility of this tactic. Even Luo Congye himself had to admit that Bai Heting’s reasoning was completely sound. More importantly, his return from the dead would inevitably trigger a massive upheaval, utterly shattering the facade of peace that Bai Jiashu had gone to such great lengths to maintain.

Leaning back against the backrest of his wooden chair, Bai Heting spoke in a leisurely manner as if reminding Luo Congye of his official status, “Commander.”

Yet this title of “Commander” was uttered with a trace of levity.

He spun the dagger in his hand and asked Luo Congye, “You surely don’t believe that I am incapable of executing a simple baiting mission like this, do you?”

Luo Congye gave no answer, merely raising his hand to pinch his aching forehead.

How could he possibly question that? The year Bai Heting first marched onto a battlefield, Luo Congye probably hadn’t even learned to walk steadily. Furthermore, the execution of the plan itself did not carry an overwhelmingly high degree of difficulty. What left him wavering in deep hesitation was the fact that he could not personally protect Bai Heting’s safety on the front lines. He had to remain stationed on the high ground to judge the precise moment for the counterattack—a timing that would dictate the entire outcome of the war and determine the life or death of the bait.

Seeing his resolve begin to soften, Bai Heting added, “Aside from that, there is one more benefit to me going.”

But he only left this statement half-spoken. Turning his body to face Lin Zaichang, his tone grew significantly more courteous, “I will need Mister Lin’s assistance to deliver a message for me.”

Lin Zaichang had not expected him to make a request of his own, and asked in surprise, “What message?”

“The message is somewhat complicated. Having you deliver it on my behalf will save a lot of trouble, and keep everyone from being constantly on edge,” Bai Heting spoke with absolute directness. He didn’t elaborate on the contents of the message, merely stating with certainty, “You don’t trust me, but you trust Su Xingchuan, which is why you agreed to let me contact him before. The two of you are old acquaintances. Am I guessing correctly?”

*

Time flew by like a white horse passing a crevice. A week later, a simple wedding was held on this paradise-like island.

Unlike the other side of the sea, no one on the island of Urdan practiced religion, so there were naturally no members of the clergy. The Urdan people who had migrated to the island had always adhered to secular weddings.

And this particular wedding was even more unique.

To avoid exposing their upcoming plans, the only witnesses to the wedding were a few of Lin Qian’s close friends and family. Considering the deep friendship between Bai Heting and Jiang Han, Lin Qian had specially extended an invitation to Bai Heting as well.

Yet Bai Heting did not show up at the venue of her and Zhong Xiao’s wedding.

No one was surprised by this outcome. Bai Heting possessed a proud disposition; absolutely no one expected him to actually attend a wedding of the Urdan people anyway.

The next time Bai Heting saw Lin Qian was at the moment of departure. Luo Congye stood side-by-side with him on the deck of the warship, together looking toward the direction of the pier.

Standing there was a pair of lovers who found it painfully difficult to tear themselves apart.

The freezing winter wind blew across Luo Congye’s forehead, scattering his short hair and revealing a clean, handsome brow that made his sharp, prominent facial features appear even more striking. His expression carried a hint of pity mixed with a touch of apology as he said to himself, “The next time those two meet again, perhaps their child will already be born.”

Bai Heting took a few glances and lost interest entirely.

He turned around, intending to leave, but his hand was suddenly caught—

Several fingers firmly embedded themselves into the gaps between his own, dragging him right back.

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