Chapter 534: Drugged
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Initially, the sight of a fire at the headquarters wouldn’t have caused such chaos.
There were plenty of soldiers stationed there, and dealing with the fire seemed manageable.
The issue arose when no one was seen attempting to extinguish the flames.
Simultaneously, a sudden wave of stomachaches afflicted the soldiers—not just a few, but all of them.
“Sir, my stomach is in pain. May I be excused to see a doctor?” one soldier inquired.
The guard leader, his own stomach causing him distress and beads of sweat forming on his forehead, reprimanded him with a stern expression. “Fool!
Can’t you see… everyone is experiencing stomachaches? Are we all planning to request leave… to see a doctor?”
“Then… who will guard this castle?”
The guards lamented in unison. “How can we safeguard our stomachs? We need to go to the toilet..
The guard leader spoke sternly, “Let me make this clear: no matter how agonizing your stomach feels… you must remain at your post!”
“Anyone daring to desert… will be ruthlessly killed!”
At the mention of “kill without mercy, ” more guards joined in a collective wail.
“I need to go to the toilet…”
“I can’t hold it any longer…” “Ah… It stinks! Did you soil your pants?”
“Aren’t you… soiling your pants!”
The guard leader was drenched in sweat. Despite his own urgent need for the toilet, he resisted the urge.
As the stench filled the air, and his subordinates openly discussed soiled pants, the guard leader reached his breaking point.
Desiring to distance himself and avoid embarrassment in front of his subordinates, he attempted to run further away. However, it was too late.
The soldiers’ pants were secured at the feet, preventing any escape for the mess within.
This added layer of humiliation intensified their misery.
Simultaneously, their stomach pains escalated.
“It hurts. I suspect there’s something wrong with the food I ate this morning!” “Isn’t that obvious?”
“If our morning meal was fine, why is everyone experiencing… diarrhea?” “Diarrhea is one thing, but if it’s poison, we might not survive!” “Whether it’s laxatives or poison, our chances of survival… are slim!” The guard’s words served as a stark reminder.
He was correct. In their current condition, they were unfit for battle and defenseless against the impending attack.
When the soldiers assaulted the castle later, their fate would likely be swift beheading.
Yet, they dared not desert now; any attempt to flee would result in immediate execution by the officials.
Glancing at the increasingly raging fire at the headquarters, they noted the absence of any firefighting efforts.
People in civilian clothes scattered in all directions.
Could it be that the soldiers left to defend the headquarters were similarly drugged?
The more they pondered, the more plausible it seemed.
The soldiers were in a state of increasing distress, bordering on desperation.
Moreover, aside from Qin Silong and a handful of his trusted aides, no one else was privy to the situation within the castle.
Unease gripped these soldiers. After all, war was unforgiving. As the impending general attack loomed, the uncertainty of survival hung over them.
Assessing the current circumstances, the odds seemed stacked against them.
Otherwise, Commander Qin would not have postponed the assault.
Now, they had no choice but to entrust their fate to the unpredictable whims of war.
Qin Silong gathered all the chiliarchs.
“We’re launching the attack soon!”
Su Ping eagerly volunteered, raising his hand. “I request to lead the team as the vanguard!”
Still aglow with the bloodlust from the previous night’s battle, Su Ping keenly perceived the current predicament. A formidable castle was easy to defend but posed a formidable challenge to assail..