Chapter 380 - 324: Whose Fine Lad Is This?

After a three-month march, Xiao Mo and the others finally arrived at the border city between the Qin and Wey Kingdoms—Wang City.

For the Qin Kingdom, Wang City and its two adjoining fortresses formed an impenetrable line of defense.

But to the Wey Kingdom, these three cities were like a blade, poised to strike at them at any moment.

Previously, relations between the Qin and Wey Kingdoms hadn’t been great, but they weren’t terrible either; the two sides had managed to coexist peacefully.

The Qin Kingdom hadn’t made a move on the Wey Kingdom before, first because they felt it was unnecessary, and second because they didn’t take such a small kingdom seriously.

But recently, after the Wey Kingdom’s Crown Prince took power, he allied himself with the Wei Kingdom, adopted aggressive national policies, and even sought to encroach upon the Qin Kingdom.

If a tiny, insignificant nation like the Wey Kingdom dared to provoke the Qin Kingdom, how could Qin possibly tolerate it?

The City Lord of Wang City was named Qin Huo. He was the current Sovereign of Qin’s own younger brother, enfeoffed as the Flame King and the General of the Expeditionary and Guard Armies, commanding the Qin Kingdom’s three-hundred-thousand-strong army.

During the march, Xiao Mo had gradually learned a little about this Flame King from his comrades-in-arms.

He’d heard that the Flame King was fair in his rewards and punishments, always charged at the very front in every major battle, and was incredibly valiant. Yet, for a military general, he was meticulous despite his rough exterior and treated his subordinates well.

All in all, this was not a general who had risen through connections, but one who possessed true talent.

But that made sense. The current Sovereign of Qin was a wise ruler; any Royal Family Members with no real talent were long since raised as mere figureheads. How could he possibly entrust them with great responsibility?

Before long, the three thousand Iron Tiger Warriors were integrated into the main army.

However, the Iron Tiger Army still wore their own uniforms.

Xiao Mo had heard that when a battle began, if there was no cavalry, the three thousand soldiers of the Iron Tiger Army would be the first to charge onto the battlefield—the vanguard.

And those who charged first were usually the first to die.

But if he were afraid of death, Xiao Mo wouldn’t have joined the Iron Tiger Army.

On the evening of Xiao Mo’s third day in Wang City, the entire army had dinner a little earlier than usual.

The meal was even exceptionally lavish, with chicken, duck, and mutton—all hearty main dishes.

The only drawback, however, was that they weren’t allowed to drink alcohol.

An early dinner, a feast of rich meats, but no alcohol.

Xiao Mo and the others knew this almost certainly meant there would be military action tonight.

The battle would very likely begin this very night.

After they had eaten their fill, an orderly delivered the command: everyone was to sleep in their clothes tonight.

That night, Xiao Mo lay on his hard wooden bed. Ma Jinpeng, Hei Daniu, and the others were also wide awake.

Xiao Mo could even see Hong Bo’s entire body trembling.

"Brother Xiao, are we going to battle tonight?" Hong Bo asked, turning toward Xiao Mo.

Although Hong Bo was smiling, his nervousness was plain to see.

"Mhm," Xiao Mo nodded. "Barring any surprises, the battle starts tonight."

"I see." Hong Bo hugged his blanket, not saying anything more, just pulling it tightly around himself.

But a moment later, Hong Bo spoke to Xiao Mo again. "Brother Xiao, you’ve read a lot of books, you’re more learned than any of us. Tell me... what does it feel like to die?"

"Death, huh."

Xiao Mo considered it for a moment, then spoke.

"There are many ways to die. If it’s a slow death, you’ll feel yourself getting sleepier and sleepier, until finally, it’s just like falling asleep.

"If it’s a quick death, you’ll feel a sharp pain at first, but only for an instant. Then, it’s also like falling asleep."

"Brother Xiao, the way you talk about it... it almost feels like you’ve died before," Hong Bo said with a laugh.

Xiao Mo froze for a second, then covered it up with a laugh. "Didn’t you just say I’ve read a lot, kid? It’s all just stuff I’ve read in books."

"Hehehe... I guess I really should read more. Now that you’ve put it that way, Brother Xiao, I don’t feel as nervous anymore," Hong Bo said, rubbing his nose.

"Hong Bo, you’d better not be nervous. Of the ten of us brothers, you’re the most gutless," Zhao Wei, who had been listening in, chimed in teasingly. "Don’t get on the battlefield and be too scared to even hold your saber. We won’t have time to save you then."

"Get outta here!" Hong Bo shot back, kicking at him a few times with his hairy legs. "You’re the one who won’t be able to hold his saber! When we deploy this time, I’ll take at least a hundred heads!"

"If you can take a hundred, then I’ll get two hundred."

"I’ll get three hundred."

"I’ll get four hundred!"

"You’re full of shit! If you can kill four hundred, my head is yours."

In the tent, none of the ten men were asleep. They went back and forth, one-upping each other with their boasts.

Xiao Mo just watched them with a smile, offering no comment.

In truth, Xiao Mo could tell that every one of them was, to some degree, nervous. They were just using words to numb themselves.

"WOOOOO!!!"

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn later, the sound of a horn echoed through the camp.

Without a word, everyone scrambled out of bed and donned their armor.

And so, tonight, Xiao Mo finally removed the Profound Iron that had been bound to his limbs.

The moment he removed the Profound Iron, Xiao Mo’s Realm was no longer suppressed. Rampant Spiritual Power and Blood Qi surged through every fiber of his being.

Xiao Mo even felt he could barely contain his Realm and was on the verge of a Realm Breakthrough at any moment.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Mo calmed the Spiritual Power and Blood Qi, then stretched his limbs.

He felt the armor on his body was as light as summer clothes, and his own body felt as nimble as a swallow in flight.

"Brother..."

Zhao Wei and the others stared at Xiao Mo, who wasn’t far away, and swallowed hard.

The wave of Blood Qi that had instantly erupted from Xiao Mo left them feeling deeply shaken.