freenovelworld Chapter 821 Encirclement and Annihilation of Two Women
Chapter 821 Encirclement and Annihilation of Two Women
General Liu's "patience" finally ran out, or rather, he felt the time to close the net had come. The day after Deputy General Zhang's farcical "routine inspection," he embellished his suspicions about "Bai Ling" and "Yan Zi" and the various "clues" he had collected over the past few days and presented them to General Ma San.
Ma San, the de facto ruler of Black Iron City, a ruthless tyrant who believed in iron and blood. Upon hearing that a spy had infiltrated the brothel right under his nose, he flew into a rage. "Useless trash!" he slammed his hand on the table, making the cups and plates rattle. "You can't even handle two women, what use are you!"
General Liu stood with his head bowed, his signature smile still on his face, but his eyes were devoid of warmth: "General, please calm down. These two women are no ordinary people; they are cunning and quite skilled. Capturing them by force will likely be ineffective and may even alert their backers. I believe we should set a trap to lure them in, then catch them red-handed and eliminate them all in one fell swoop!"
Ma San sneered, "Oh? What brilliant plan do you have?"
“Drunken Spring Pavilion,” Staff Officer Liu said slowly. “Since they use prostitutes as a cover, they will inevitably use the Drunken Spring Pavilion as a platform to gather information. I have already found out that they seem to be constantly gathering intelligence on our army. Why don’t we arrange a performance, and we’ll prepare a trap to ambush and kill them? We might as well…” He lowered his voice and described his plan to Ma San in this way.
After listening, Ma San's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: "Good! I'll do as you say! Make sure these two reckless women don't leave alive!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" General Liu bowed and accepted the order, a sinister smile playing on his lips. A massive net targeting Lin Xiaoyan and Bai Jie was quietly being cast above Zuichunfang.
That afternoon, Zuichunfang received "good news"—to reward the soldiers who had worked hard in recent days and to celebrate the great victory of "suppressing the rebellion" (in reality, the purge of Zhao Kang's old troops), General Ma San decided to hold a grand song and dance banquet at Zuichunfang three days later, and the general himself would attend!
The news sparked jubilation throughout Zui Chun Fang, but Aunt Hong felt a growing unease. She saw that Staff Officer Liu's men, under the guise of "setting up the venue," were conducting a "meticulous" inspection and "decoration" of Zui Chun Fang, especially around the central stage. The craftsmen who appeared to be reinforcing the stage planks actually had the grim, military air about them.
Upon hearing the news, Bai Jie and Lin Xiaoyan's first reaction was—a trap!
"Ma San himself came? This is too unusual!" Lin Xiaoyan paced anxiously in the room. "He's definitely here for us!"
Bai Jie stood by the window, looking down at the busy "craftsmen," her face grave: "Staff Officer Liu is indeed ruthless. He must have reported our identities to Ma San, trying to lure us into action, or rather, to capture us in one fell swoop when we try to get close to Ma San or obtain core intelligence!"
"Then what should we do? Let's just leave tonight!" A resolute glint flashed in Lin Xiaoyan's eyes.
“Leave? Easier said than done!” Bai Jie shook her head. “Since Ma San has decided to take action personally, Black Iron City must already be under tight control. If we leave now, it will be like walking into a trap. Moreover, our mission is not yet complete. The information about the warehouse in the west of the city and that ‘important person’s inspection’ has not been verified. This may be our only chance to get close to the core, and it is also the most dangerous chance.”
"You mean...we're going?" Lin Xiaoyan's eyes widened. "Isn't that suicide?"
"It's an opportunity, but also a dead end." Bai Jie's voice was calm but carried a hint of determination. "Staff Officer Liu calculated that we wouldn't give up easily. He would think that Ma San's appearance is an irresistible temptation for us 'spies'."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the window as if she could see through the walls to the hidden murderous intent: "The stage... they will definitely tamper with it on the stage. That's the focal point of the entire Drunken Spring Pavilion, and also the place where we are most likely to 'perform' or 'approach' our target."
"Then we won't go on stage!"
“We have no choice.” Bai Jie smiled bitterly. “With General Liu’s meticulousness, he will ‘arrange’ for us to go on stage. For example, he can have Aunt Hong call our names, or he can simply use force.”
Sure enough, Aunt Hong arrived looking troubled in the evening. "Bailing, Yanzi..." She hesitated, then sighed, "At the General's banquet in three days, Staff Officer Liu personally requested that you two... perform at the banquet. Miss Bailing will play the zither, and Miss Yanzi will... perform a striptease."
Aunt Hong emphasized the words "striptease," her eyes carrying a hint of warning.
Lin Xiaoyan can perform erotic dances, but that means she can't hide any weapons and will be at the mercy of her opponent.
“Aunt Hong,” Bai Jie stepped forward, her voice still gentle but with an undeniable firmness, “Please tell General Liu that my sister Yanzi and I will do our best to entertain the general and all the officers.”
Aunt Hong gave her a deep look, her lips moved, but in the end she only said, "...Take care of yourself."
After Aunt Hong left, Lin Xiaoyan couldn't hold back any longer: "A striptease?! This is clearly meant to embarrass me in public, so I won't be able to hide my weapons for self-defense!"
“It’s not just about making a fool of yourself.” Bai Jie walked to the center of the room and gestured to show the approximate shape of the stage. “They will set traps on the stage. Mechanisms, drugs, even direct attacks. Moreover, General Liu said that General Ma San will be there in person, and to ensure that nothing goes wrong, he will definitely lay a tight net.”
A cold glint flashed in her eyes: "Perhaps some experts and archers are hiding around. Once we are exposed, or when they think the time is right, they will swarm us."
"Experts and archers," Lin Xiaoyan gasped. Although the two of them were top-notch experts, facing so many enemies would be like throwing eggs against rocks.
“That’s where General Liu’s confidence comes from,” Bai Jie said slowly. “He wants to use absolute power to crush us and leave us no chance of escape.”
A deathly silence fell over the room. The night outside seemed to grow even darker, oppressive and suffocating.
After a long silence, Lin Xiaoyan raised her head, her anxiety replaced by a fearless glint in her eyes: "Since it's a trap, let's turn the tables on him! Bai Jie, what do you think we should do?"
Bai Jie looked at Lin Xiaoyan, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes. Then, her gaze sharpened like a knife: "They want us to go on stage, so we go on stage. They set a trap, so we... crush the trap!"
"As for those experts..." Bai Jie's lips curled into a cold smile, "General Liu thought this was a sure thing, but he didn't know that sometimes, numbers don't mean everything. Moreover, Zui Chun Fang... may not necessarily be their home ground."
Her gaze inadvertently drifted towards Aunt Hong's room before quickly returning to its original direction.
“We need a plan, a plan that can create chaos in an instant, break through the encirclement, and send out intelligence.” Bai Jie walked to the table and spread out a simple map of Zui Chun Fang drawn in charcoal, which she had taken from under the bed. “The stage is a trap, but it may also be our only chance. Lin Xiaoyan, your agility is our advantage. The mechanisms on the stage need you to trigger and solve them.”
“My zither…” Bai Jie gently stroked the seven-stringed zither she always carried with her, the strings seeming to emit a deep hum at her fingertips, “It’s not just for playing and singing.”
Lin Xiaoyan looked at the map, then at Bai Jie, her eyes burning with determination: "Fine! Let them see if we're easy to mess with!"
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the night of the banquet, Zuichunfang was brightly lit and decorated, a riot of color, yet also exuding an air of impending doom. Ma San arrived as promised, seated high in the main seat, his expression imposing, his gaze sweeping across the room like a hawk's. General Liu stood to the side, smiling amiably, but his eyes, like a venomous snake, searched for his target in the crowd.
The girls at Zui Chun Fang were all giving it their all, with singing and dancing, clinking glasses, and a seemingly lively atmosphere, but in reality, everyone was on edge.
Finally, the grand finale arrived. Aunt Hong forced a smile and stepped onto the stage: "Next, please welcome our two top courtesans from Zui Chun Fang—Miss Bai Ling, who will play the zither for you; and our most beautiful courtesan, Miss Yan Zi, who will present a striptease!"
Under countless gazes, Bai Jie, carrying her seven-stringed zither, walked calmly to the side of the stage. Lin Xiaoyan had changed into a very revealing dance dress; the skirt was extremely short, almost exposing her long, beautiful legs, and the neckline was very low, revealing glimpses of her fair skin and deep cleavage. She took a deep breath, as if infusing herself with strength, and then gracefully stepped to the center of the stage.
As the music began, Lin Xiaoyan started her performance. Her movements were light and elegant, every turn and twist filled with allure and charm. Her fingers gently traced her body, as if caressing a precious work of art, captivating the audience.
She slowly unbuttoned her tutu, and with each button undone, her alluring skin was gradually revealed to the audience. Her movements were slow and rhythmic, quickening the hearts of those watching. When she finally removed her tutu completely, her perfect figure and naked body were laid bare before the audience, eliciting gasps and cheers.
Her dance moves became wilder and more unrestrained; her body spun in the air, each spin bringing more surprises and excitement. Her eyes held a captivating allure, making her charm irresistible.
During the climax of the performance, Lin Xiaoyan tossed her long hair around like a wild horse, unleashing her passion and energy. Finally, she concluded the spectacular striptease with a perfect pose, winning thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.
However, before Lin Xiaoyan could put on her clothes and leave the stage, arrows rained down on the platform. Lin Xiaoyan and Bai Jie had to draw their longswords to defend themselves from the swarm of arrows.
Inside the Drunken Spring Pavilion, the lights were bright and the atmosphere was bustling. However, behind this prosperity, a thrilling hunt was lurking.
Ma San and General Liu led their elite troops, quickly spreading throughout the entire Zui Chun Fang. They moved swiftly and silently, like a group of ghosts, sending chills down one's spine.
The experts at the Great Perfection and Peak of the Earth Realm are all highly skilled. They move like lightning and strike like knives, each attack carrying a deadly threat.
The archers, positioned at a distance, drew their bows and aimed at their targets. Their arrows streaked across the night sky like meteors, carrying a fierce momentum as they hurtled towards "Swallow" Lin Xiaoyan and "Hundred Ling" Bai Jie.
The two women were surrounded, but they showed no fear. They were agile and their swordsmanship was fierce as they engaged in a life-or-death struggle with their enemies.
However, the enemies were too numerous and too strong, and the two women gradually found themselves in a predicament. Lin Xiaoyan and Bai Jie continuously parried the arrows flying towards them, and although they were already wounded in many places, they still fought tenaciously and refused to retreat.
Lin Xiaoyan's eyes revealed a resolute and determined spirit. She wielded her sword, each swing carrying a sharp, piercing aura as she engaged in a life-or-death struggle with her enemies. Her movements were as agile as a swallow in flight, her swordsmanship as swift as the wind, deterring her enemies from approaching easily. Her fair, naked body moved swiftly across the stage like a ghost. Her martial arts were characterized by their powerful and forceful style, and she was the one who directly deflected arrows and crossbow bolts.
Bai Jie coordinated with Lin Xiaoyan's attacks from the sidelines. Her movements were swift and agile, her swordsmanship as nimble as a snake, constantly delivering fatal blows to her enemies. Her eyes were filled with intelligence and decisiveness, and each strike accurately hit the enemy's vital points.
However, the enemies were too numerous and too strong, and the two women gradually found themselves in dire straits. Their bodies were covered in wounds, and blood gushed out continuously, staining their skin crimson. Their breathing became increasingly rapid, and their strength gradually waned.
Under the combined assault of the skilled fighters and crossbow bolts arranged by Ma San and General Liu, the two women finally began to show weaknesses. As several giant crossbow carts were quietly pulled up, their fates were sealed. With a piercing whistle, a massive crossbow bolt shot like lightning into the back of the naked Lin Xiaoyan, exiting through her left breast. Her body shuddered violently, and the longsword in her hand fell limply to the ground. Her eyes were filled with resentment and rage. A spurt of blood escaped her cherry-like mouth, and she made two soft gurgling sounds. Her lips moved slightly, but she could no longer utter a sound. Immediately afterward, another crossbow bolt pierced Lin Xiaoyan's throat from the front. Another spurt of blood shot from her small mouth, her little tongue lolling out of her lips. Her delicate body stood motionless on the stage, her eyes wide open. Her legs twitched, and a warm liquid gushed out from between her legs, emitting a foul odor. Her naked body stood erect, but she had already breathed her last!
Seeing Lin Xiaoyan wounded by an arrow, Bai Jie was filled with grief. She rushed towards Lin Xiaoyan without hesitation, wanting to save her. However, just as she approached Lin Xiaoyan, a crossbow bolt struck her in the back and exited through her chest. Her body fell forward, and at that moment, several skilled swords pierced her heart. In an instant, she was pierced through the upper body by seven or eight swords, her delicate body pressed tightly against Lin Xiaoyan's naked corpse.
The bodies of Lin Xiaoyan and Bai Jie stood silently in the center of the stage, their eyes filled with resentment and anger. Their blood stained the surrounding ground, forming a horrifying pool of blood. Looking at the blood-soaked ground and the two women's still, unyielding bodies, Ma San and General Liu felt a surge of accomplishment. They had completed their mission, rendering a great service to the rebels.