Chapter 105: Self-Imposed Restraint for a Reward

“Do I look like someone who jokes? When have I ever joked?” The young man spoke earnestly, standing tall and serious.

The man on the city wall wiped the sweat from his brow and stammered, “Th-then… Vice General Tang, will you… will you keep your word?”

“A promise once made is as binding as the reins of four horses—impossible to retract!”

“Then… how will Vice General Tang fulfill this promise?”

The youth dismounted with a swift motion and looked up confidently at the city wall. “It's simple. You pay me half upfront. Once I deliver, I’ll come to you willingly, and then you pay the rest in full. How does that sound?”

The man on the wall fell silent for a moment, skeptical but curious, and poked his head out. “Vice General Tang sure knows how to joke.”

Seeing the doubt, Tang Chen called a soldier over. The soldier took a rope and ran up.

The men above the wall narrowed their eyes, watching the youth’s every move below.

“Make a slipknot.”

“Understood.” The soldier carefully tied the rope around the youth’s wrists. “General, you only need to pull hard, and you can break free.”

“Hm, go back now. Watch this.”

The soldier nodded slightly and jogged back to his position.

The young man, hands bound by the rope, wore a sly smile that, combined with the scar on his face, gave him a devilish charm. “Hey, I say, Kangding is well defended, yet here I am, tying myself up and delivering myself to you. So, are you going to make this deal or not?”

The city’s defending general leaned over the wall, peering down intently. After a long moment, he could discern nothing, his brows furrowing in confusion. He had no idea what Tang Chen was up to.

“Are you going to do it or not? Where are you?” The youth raised his head and took a step forward. One more step and he would be within the range of the siege crossbows.

Above the wall, several commanders exchanged uneasy glances.

“General, I suspect a trap.”

“I think so too!”

Voices chimed in one after another, all suspecting deceit, though none could say exactly what kind.

The lead commander raised a hand to signal a halt, glanced around at those surrounding him, then looked down again, raising an eyebrow. “What orders did His Majesty give us?”

“Capture Tang Chen alive!” Seven or eight voices answered in perfect unison.

The commander nodded, pointing his chin downward. “Do you think we can catch him with just ourselves?”

The soldiers shook their heads in unison. “No.”

“So…” The commander’s eyes narrowed, arms crossed, “no matter what scheme he’s plotting, let’s lure him into the siege crossbow range. Then we’ll load the bolts with poison darts and…”

As he spoke, his hand rose slowly into the air, curling into a fist. His face twisted into a sinister grin. In his eyes, Tang Chen was nothing more than a lamb led to slaughter.

“Hey, you lot, stop dawdling. Do you agree with my plan or not?” The youth took another step forward, hands tightly bound but exuding supreme arrogance, as if daring them to refuse, threatening to attack the city at any moment.

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