Section VIII

In the middle of the night, an exiled human army marched from west to east on the Great Highway of the Far East. The cavalrymen looked depressed, and they all had no joy, and even the sound of horses' hooves seemed so weak. At an intersection, the female officer at the front of the line waved to stop. The team slowly stopped.

"Is there anyone chasing after you?" Shirakawa asked Roger.

Roger stopped, jumped down, put his ear to the ground, and tilted his head to listen. After a while, he looked up: "No. They've gone back. ”

Shirakawa looked around and saw a dark hill and forest in the night, and muttered, "Yes, this has entered the territory of the demons." The Judge Advocate General's Office did not dare to chase after him. ”

Ming Yu caught up from the back of the team, crying with a sad face: "What should I do now! What should I do now! We are treated as traitors, and we can't go back if we have a home!"

The danger has passed, and everyone remembers the current situation, and suddenly feels panicked. The queue moved, and the soldiers followed suit, shouting, "That is, what should we do?"

"It's all that damn Zichuan Xiu who harmed us!"

"Shut your beak!" Bai Chuan shouted, Ming Yu was startled, and quickly shut up. Shirakawa breathed a heavy breath and ordered the heralds, "All troops go to rest in the woods by the roadside and make breakfast." Maintain the jǐng ring, arrange double the sentry posts, and double the pre-jǐng range. Officers of the rank of captain and above have come to me to gather. ”

Seeing Shirakawa calmly issuing orders, the group of people around him who were six gods and no masters seemed to have found the backbone of the main body and calmed down. The soldiers dismounted in obedience, the cooks set up boilers in the woods to prepare for cooking, and the other soldiers were busy choosing the land to set up their tents, find firewood, lay sleeping bags, feed the horses with food, grass and water, and prepare for breakfast and rest.

Shirakawa also jumped off the horse, only to feel sore. The dark sky was already flushed, and she realized that before she knew it, it was dawn. She casually found a tree stump and sat down and calculated, judging from the distance, this should be more than fifty miles away from the Valen Fortress, which is beyond the garrison range of the Zichuan Army, but has not yet entered the defense area of the southwest camp of the demon race. This area is a blank space between the spheres of influence of the two armies. Bai Chuan smiled bitterly: This is just like the current situation of himself and Xiuziying, which does not belong to the Zichuan family or the demon kingdom, but is regarded as an enemy by both parties at the same time.

What should I do? Although she was very assertive in front of everyone just now, in fact, she was also very hesitant in her heart. It's just that she knows that the hastily formed Xiuzi Battalion troops are a rabble, and the soldiers have no discipline and loyalty concept at all. It's just that the other two generals in the hateful team, Ming Yu and Roger, are really not angry, and when it comes to the critical moment, they have no master, and they have no choice but to pick up this burden as a woman.

After all, this unit has been regarded as a rebel by the head of the family, and is now notorious for its treachery. Why not let this number disappear from the world, wouldn't it be better for everyone to break up and find their own way out?

Shirakawa really didn't know what he was doing this for. She could only explain that she was a little reluctant, reluctant to abandon these friends who had fought side by side together, Roger, Ming Yu, and those young soldiers and officers in the Xiuzi Battalion, although those guys were a little bad, a little indecent, a little shameless, a little mean, a little stingy, and a little shy, but they still ......

Still is......

Shirakawa's mind was blocked, and she suddenly found that she couldn't find any good in them.

No, Bai Chuan said softly to himself, it should be said that he was reluctant to work hard. Although the Xiuzi Battalion is said to have been founded by Zichuan Xiu in name, in fact, all the processes of its establishment include recruiting troops and horses, preparation, formulating discipline, purchasing horses, weapons and armor, management, marching, and combat...... Seeing that the first army that I had formed with my own hands had begun to see its scale, I don't know how much effort and expectations I had poured into the process.

Under this banner, as a weak woman, she did not flinch, and fought bloodily with her companions, struggling to resist the surging demon army of cháo, and in order to defend this banner, the blood of countless warriors stained the streamers on the banner red, and it was this glorious banner that once gloriously fluttered at the head of the city of Pai together with the black eagle banner of the zhōngyāng army, and the banner stood tall under the overwhelming onslaught of the demon army. The hastily formed "Xiuzi Battalion" was once alongside the great zhōngyāng regiment, and was equally watched by the whole world. At that moment, Shirakawa felt supreme honor and pride in being a member of the Xiuzi Battalion.

Now, this glorious name has been tarnished and desecrated by its namer, and his own dreams and painstaking efforts have been destroyed. Thinking of this, Shirakawa suddenly really hated, hated, and she always found it difficult to accept the fact that Zichuan Xiu had betrayed. No matter how you think about it, that carefree and hearty boss with a bad smile has no reason to join the Cheng Demon Clan.

Dada's footsteps rang out, and someone walked towards her. She raised her head, it was Roger and Ming Yu, and there were other middle-level officers in the Xiuzi battalion behind her. Everyone looked melancholy. Shirakawa stood up and clapped his palms and asked, "Are you all here?"

Ming Yu replied on behalf of everyone: "The sixteen captains, plus me and Roger, are all here." ”

"Okay, let's sit down. Let's discuss what to do. ”

The officers sat down around a campfire, and a group of people sat in a dense group. Shirakawa was the first to speak: "The situation may not be very clear to everyone, so let me talk about it in detail." ”

She narrated from the beginning, from the process of entering the Valen Fortress and the conversation with Deputy Commander Lin Bing, to the officers under her subordinates one by one, and finally ended with a sentence: "Everyone, we have been abandoned. ”

The officers were in an uproar. They scolded in unison: "Zichuan Xiu, that bastard!

Many soldiers gathered around to listen, and they also shouted: "Find him, everyone will beat him up!"

When the messy scolding came to an end, Ming Yu slapped his face: "Okay, okay, it's useless to scold, the important thing now is to think about where we are going and how out." If you have any ideas, you can put them forward. ”

No one spoke up. Ming Yu said again: "Say whatever you want, it doesn't matter." ”

The atmosphere was solemn, and the officers had a rare look of solemnity, and their faces were pale, but still no one answered Ming Yu's words. Ming Yu frowned and pointed to one of his subordinate captains: "Yog, let's talk about it." What do you think?"

Captain Yug stood up, scratching his head, a little embarrassed: "This, this...... I don't know what to do. Of course, what I want most is to go home, but we can't go back to this, this. What should I do, let the adults give the order, I, Yuge, am the younger brother, and I must listen to the boss. ”

Shirakawa remembered that before joining the army, this person was a local hooligan who specialized in collecting protection money.

All the officers agreed: "Yes, yes, what to do, let the three of you make the decision, Boss Bai, Boss Luo, and Boss Ming." Now that Ah Xiu's dragon head is gone, we will follow you. ”

Seeing this, Shirakawa couldn't help but think back to the first military meeting of the Xiuzi battalion -- almost the same people who attended the meeting, and at that time they were also in trouble, the team was almost out of food, but the team was full of joy and laughter, and it was by no means as lifeless as it is now: why is there such a difference? because there is one less person. That sè Mimi, idle all day long, idle and without a little dignity of Zichuan Xiu, when he was there, no one looked at him, he can be called "the least respected boss in history", everyone said: "Even if you pick a random dog on the road to be the commander, it is much better than him." ”

It wasn't until now that Bai Chuan understood: in fact, the seemingly incompetent Zichuan Xiu was the real soul and pillar of the Xiuzi Camp. That's when she really realized the difficulty of leading such a rogue army. Carrying out orders is one thing, but as a leader, responsible for the fate of more than 8,000 of his subordinates, the burden of jīng gods is not something that ordinary people can bear.

She coughed lightly and cleared her throat, drawing everyone's eyes to her. She said casually: "I won't say more nonsense, now we have three ways out." First, everyone went back to the Valen Fortress, laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Judge Advocate General's Office, and was examined; second, the southwest camp of the demons was ahead, and everyone surrendered to the demons; third, we disbanded on the spot, and everyone found their own way out, and we were not reluctant to go wherever we wanted. Which one do you prefer?"

No one spoke up, and none of the three paths looked like a good choice. Bai Chuan nodded: "Then let's vote: if you are willing to return to Valen and surrender to the Judge Advocate General's Office, please raise your hand." ”

Officers, you look at me, I look at you, no one raised their hands, everyone was hesitating. An officer asked, "If we go back, will the Judge Advocate Advocate Advocate General's Office treat us in the same way?" To the officers and men of the Xiuzi battalion, the words "court-martial" and "court-martial" -- although they didn't quite understand what they meant -- sounded quite frightening.

Shirakawa was silent. She pondered: If she surrendered to Lin Bing, her group would at least be tried by a formal military court, and they would have the opportunity to state their defenses in court, and they could also make a written report to the commander-in-chief, and they would not have to worry about their lives before the formal court began.

But the problem now is that the military law review is not within Lin Bing's authority, and the military judge Lu Zhen in Valen City is simply the typical embodiment of the worst qualities of all military judges, he is narrow-minded, arrogant and ruthless, in order to ask for credit from the dìdū side, he is very likely to not give himself a chance to speak at all, and directly cut off his head to receive the reward - yes, Lin Bing must have seen this, otherwise, she should have kept herself to be tried by military law.

It took a long time for her to sigh and say, "I don't know." But the Commander-in-Chief has indeed ordered us to be killed. This is what Deputy Commander Lin told us in person, and she advised us to leave quickly. ”

The officers were in an uproar. Everyone shook their heads: "We're not going back." ”

Ming Yu looked around, and no one raised their hands in agreement. He said hesitantly: "Then let's vote on the second way out: if you are willing to surrender to the demon side, please raise your hand." When he said the words "surrender", his voice was muffled as if he had been choked by something.

"No need to vote!" Shirakawa whispered, "If I choose this, I'd rather go back to Valen and die." ”

"Shirakawa, don't be rash, it's about everyone's life......"

Shirakawa stood up: "Whoever wants to commit treason, say! I will kill him now!"

I don't know if they were overwhelmed by Shirakawa's aggressive momentum, or if everyone had the strongest loyalty to the motherland (Shirakawa thought to himself, based on what he knew about this group of guys, it was simply impossible. And no one spoke. Shirakawa took a breath and sat down slowly: that was what she was most worried about. This army, abandoned by the motherland and hope, is desperate, and it is really possible to embark on that path from which there will be no return.

Ming Yu said helplessly: "Then we only have one last choice: the Xiuzi camp will be disbanded, and everyone will find their own way out." Go back and tell the soldiers, we're going to go wherever you want. --The meeting is over, so take care of yourself. ”

Although the meeting has been adjourned, it has been a long time, and no one has gotten up to leave. Someone asked, "Don't vote?" ”

Ming Yu smiled bitterly: "This is already the last way out, no need to vote." ”

The officers looked like they were about to cry, they were used to living in a group under the command of their superiors, they didn't have to worry about tomorrow, whether they were dead or alive, at least there were many partners with the same fate around them, and they wouldn't feel lonely. Now that they have been abandoned by their homeland, floating in a completely unfamiliar land, they are about to face the unpredictable future alone, and they are terrified.

The captain just now asked timidly: "Chief Shirakawa, then you won't care about us in the future? Who will give us orders in the future?"

The officers were arguing: "Yes, no one gives orders, so how are we going to live?"

"Chief Shirakawa, let's go with you! We will do whatever you tell us to do, and we will definitely obey!"

"You can't just leave us alone!"

Bai Chuan lowered her head and covered her face, she didn't dare to face the familiar and enthusiastic faces, she had deceived them from her hometown to the Far East, thousands of miles away. Personally, they have many shortcomings and vices, but in order to defend the motherland, these people have indeed sweated and shed blood for the country. They once risked their lives to follow themselves to the hinterland of the demon race, fighting to the death against the powerful demon army.

And now in this most difficult situation, you want to leave them behind?

Bai Chuan raised his head and said to Roger and Ming Yu, "You can't leave them behind. In today's environment, if we leave them behind, their only way out is to go to the enemy. ”

Roger also nodded: "I think too, it really can't be done." ”

Ming Yu objected: "The Far East is already occupied by the demons. If we still maintain such a large army, the demons will definitely not be able to tolerate us. It's better to break it into parts, the goal is small, and everyone better finds a way to survive. Otherwise, do you have any good idea?"

Bai Chuan shook his head slowly: "I don't know. But we can think about it slowly, but no matter what, the team can't collapse!"

Hearing Bai Chuan's words, the officers burst into applause: "Boss Bai Chuan, worthy of being the boss, heroic and dry!"

"Wait a minute, open the incense hall and drink blood wine, Boss Bai, we will follow you!"

"Boss, you commanded, my Wang Lao Wu went to the soup and the fire, and I will not give up!"

"Who dares not to listen to Boss Bai's words, I, Zhao Xiaoqi, will stab him three times and six holes!"

Listening to his subordinates expressing their loyalty, singing like cháo, and the three flags looking at each other, Roger smiled bitterly and whispered: "God, what kind of soldiers are we bringing with us?"

Everyone discussed for a long time, but they didn't come up with any way to build xìng. Some people couldn't help but sigh and said, "It would be nice if Chief Axiu was here, and if he was here, he could come up with seventeen or eight ideas at any time." Before he could finish speaking, he had already been covered in the mouth.

Everyone fell silent, and everyone had a strange feeling when they thought of the former commander, who had been missing for a long time. There was a peculiar charm about this cynical chief, and even though he knew that he had betrayed humanity and caused himself to fall into such a miserable situation, to be honest, everyone felt that there was really no way to hate him. Not a single one gritted his teeth and swore: "I must kill him." Everyone just scolded hatefully: "When you see him again, you must beat him up!"

The officers of the Xiuzi Battalion used to be ruffians and hooligans, and what they did was the kind of "unsightly deeds", and it was common for them to kill people, set fires, and rob houses. If you want them to fight and cut people, it is easier than eating, but it is harder for them to come up with a serious idea than to kill them.

Someone sighed loudly: "If this continues, it is better to go back and be a robber!"

Shirakawa's eyes lit up: "Be a robber......?"

Seeing that Bai Chuan was thinking very seriously, Ming Yu became scared and shook his head again and again: "Bai Chuan, do you really want to change your career to become a robber? We are the regular army of the Zichuan family!"

"Bah!" Roger scolded: "The Zichuan family has dumped us a long time ago, and now who still recognizes us as regular soldiers?"

The subordinates who were born in the underworld agreed: "Yes, yes, yes, Zhanshan is king, the big plate is called gold, the big piece eats meat, the big bowl drinks, the work is easy, the holiday is long, and if you shout 'leave the money to buy the road', you will have a lot of silver and a lot of money, which is much faster than being a soldier." ”

"That's right!" Bai Chuan seemed to have made up his mind at once, and said confidently: "We are not robbers, we are revenge guerrillas who specialize in robbing the demon clan, and we are righteous!"

(The sages have already told us: In fact, everyone has all kinds of evil thoughts in their hearts, but they are suffering from being nameless.) Once you find a high-sounding name, you can do all the bad things. ）

The captains actively contributed: "We first have to choose a difficult hill to base - for example, I see the Dura Forest is very good, the jungle is dense, and we are familiar with the terrain. ”

"Another scary name, such as Black Wind Village, Wolf Tooth Ditch or something......"

“...... Elect the leader of the village and find a skeleton flag as a symbol......"

“...... Set the rules of the gang, set up the torture hall, drink blood and drink blood for the alliance......"

Then he went out to work and found some fat sheep......

"You can also do side jobs: kidnapping, smuggling, collecting protection money, ......"

The subordinates spoke in a way that seemed very familiar and experienced, and the three officers from the regular army were simply creepy to hear it. Ming Yu asked tremblingly, "Can you disturb me, may I ask...... What the hell did you do before?"

The subordinates smiled very honestly, showing their white teeth: "My lord, you can ask about this." ”

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