However, the incident of repairing her calf gave Hao Jiu an idea: dealing with this worm wasn't actually that difficult. She just needed to be ruthless with herself and simply discard that piece of flesh.
Anyway, Hao Jiu now has a host, so she's not afraid of having single-digit energy points anymore. She can just let her wounds heal slowly...
Hao Jiu opened the system panel and saw that his energy had increased from 9 to 10 points. Could it be that binding would grant him 1 energy point?
Forget it, I'd better hurry up and get myself operated on.
Thinking of this, Hao Jiu bit her hand hard, "Ouch! Ouch... Hiss... It hurts, it hurts."
"God of Wine, are you alright?" Xiang Yu asked in his heart.
"It's okay, it's okay, I'm cultivating. You don't need to worry about me, just do what the plan says." Hao Jiu was now genuinely regretting it. Why didn't she remove the sense of pain when she transformed into the system? That bite just now really hurt, but she didn't manage to bite it off!
Looks like I need to prepare myself properly. I need to be ruthless to myself, even more ruthless. I'll avenge today's grudge tomorrow. You just wait, you black serpent!
Another loud splatter, "Ouch~~~~"
Xiang Yu understood; it was probably because the method of cultivation was rather painful. The God of Wine was truly a diligent deity.
Just then, Xiang Bo arrived.
Actually, Xiang Bo didn't really want to come, or rather, he was conflicted. He thought Yu Ji would commit suicide, but instead, he appeared at the gate of the ramparts with Xiang Yu. If Yu Ji told Xiang Yu that he had encouraged her to commit suicide, Xiang Yu would definitely get angry, given his temper.
But what if Xiang Yu is holding a meeting at this time because the breakout plan has changed? If the plan changes, the intelligence he sent to the Han army by his trusted confidants will be useless, and he will have to send a new one.
However, after the soldiers made it clear that Xiang Yu insisted on his participation, Xiang Bo decided to go to the central command tent to attend the meeting, even if it meant getting slapped by Xiang Yu again.
After all, Ji Bu had mentioned several times at the previous meeting that Yu Ji would hinder Xiang Yu's breakout, so it can't all be blamed on Xiang Bo alone, right?
Besides, helping Xiang Yu get rid of the troublesome Yu Ji would be for everyone's benefit, and even the most domineering Xiang Yu would have to accept it.
"King Xiang, I am late, please forgive me," Xiang Bo said, bowing.
"Not too late, just in time, it's good that he didn't run away." As Xiang Yu spoke, he arrived in front of Xiang Bo and swiftly grabbed Xiang Bo's neck.
"King Xiang, why do you do this?" Xiang Bo asked, his face flushed, utterly horrified. Xiang Yu had actually attacked directly; how impatient he was...
Xiang Zhuang, Ji Bu, and the others were shocked by the sight. Xiang Yu's expression was terrifying, as if he were about to devour Xiang Bo.
"What do you think? A traitor to the Great Chu Kingdom, and my former uncle?" Xiang Yu patted Xiang Bo's cheek, trying hard to restrain himself so that he wouldn't accidentally strangle Xiang Bo.
"King Xiang, this old minister is wronged... cough cough." Xiang Bo looked aggrieved, knowing he could not possibly expose himself.
"Injustice? Since the Feast at Hongmen, do you remember how many bad things you've done? Not to mention the distant past, wasn't it you who deliberately ordered a charge after Han Xin crossed the river, resulting in the deaths of nearly 20,000 of my Chu soldiers? Wasn't it you who encouraged Yu Ji to commit suicide after the meeting?" Xiang Yu glared at Xiang Bo.
"King Xiang, you misunderstand. My two sons died in that great battle. It was due to my poor command, but how could it be intentional? As for instigating Yu Ji to commit suicide, I swear to Heaven that this is absolutely not true. Perhaps Yu Ji has misunderstood me. On the contrary, Ji Bu mentioned several times in previous meetings that Yu Ji would be a burden to King Xiang..." Xiang Bo argued sophistry.
"Unrepentant to the death!" Xiang Yu roared, grabbing Xiang Bo's right arm and twisting it forcefully.
With a sharp crack, Xiang Bo's arm snapped at an odd angle.
"Ouch!..." Xiang Bo's eyes rolled back and he immediately fainted from the pain.
Everyone gasped in shock; Xiang Yu had actually broken Xiang Bo's right arm!
But Xiang Yu didn't stop there. With a snap, he broke Xiang Bo's left arm. "I'll teach you to talk nonsense!"
"Ah!" Xiang Bo woke up in pain again, beads of sweat dripping down his face. His lips trembled as he said, "King Xiang, this old minister has worked hard all these years, even if he has not made any great contributions. Everyone has seen that I have been loyal to you. This old minister is truly wronged. You have no evidence, yet you treat your own uncle so cruelly. Are you not a tyrant?"
"Hmph, you won't shed tears until you see the coffin. I heard that Liu Ji promised to make you the King of Chu? And even marry his daughter to your son? So that the two families can be united forever?"
I should really congratulate you! You've truly brought honor to your ancestors! And for these benefits, you betrayed the Great Chu, betrayed the Xiang clan, and betrayed me? What did I ever do to wrong you? Huh?
Not only did you save Liu Ji at the Feast at Hongmen, but you also took it upon yourself to kill Ying Bu's entire family. You also guaranteed that Liu Ji would abide by the Honggou Agreement and sent important intelligence about our army to Liu Ji several times. I suppose you also sent the intelligence about this breakout?
"What a pity! I'm about to change my plans. This will give me the perfect opportunity to catch Liu Ji off guard. Thank you so much for your help, my former uncle!" Before Xiang Yu finished speaking, he kicked Xiang Bo's legs twice more, breaking them both.
"Agh!" Xiang Bo screamed again, his face filled with despair. He never expected that Xiang Yu would reveal the deal between him and Liu Ji. This was a top secret, known only to Liu Ji, Zhang Liang, and himself! How did Xiang Yu find out about this? Could it be Zhang Liang?
"Today I will kill you to avenge the countless Chu soldiers who died! By the way, are your two sons alive and well? Don't worry, I will make sure they go down to join you soon. Considering you are an elder of the Xiang clan and my senior, I will personally give you a quick death!" After saying this, Xiang Yu grabbed Xiang Bo's head and slowly twisted it to one side.
"King Xiang, spare my life! Uncle knows he was wrong! Ah! I can send false information to help King Xiang break through the encirclement..." Xiang Bo couldn't speak properly anymore, only his lips were trembling, and his eyes were widening. Was this what Xiang Yu meant by "give me a quick death"?
Click, click, click... Click!
One lap, two laps, three laps... bang!
To everyone's astonishment, Xiang Yu actually ripped Xiang Bo's head off!
Meanwhile, Hao Jiu finally managed to bite off the piece of meat containing the poisonous insect...
It hurts, but it feels good!
Chapter 26 Breakthrough (Part 4)
How difficult is it to bite off a piece of your own flesh?
Enduring the pain is one aspect, but the psychological barrier is even greater, especially after failing to bite down on the first attempt and having a painful memory of it.
Fortunately, Xiang Yu's ruthless treatment of Xiang Bo inadvertently helped him.
After confirming that there were no more foreign objects in her body, Hao Jiu finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Ba Wang, help me find a smaller box."
"I have it in my tent, is there a rush?" Xiang Yu asked himself.
Hao Jiu composed himself. "No rush, let's arrange the breakout first."
Having solved the problem of being monitored by the mutated system, Hao Jiu's chances of successfully breaking through were much greater. He couldn't help but feel a little excited, but he still had to be careful. Victory or defeat depended on this one gamble.
The reason Xiang Yu dealt with Xiang Bo so easily was that the effect of the time reversal had not met expectations. Not only were his troops greatly reduced, but he also lacked time. He had to speed things up, and tonight was the perfect opportunity to break through.
Outside, the Chu songs continued, while inside the tent, the generals were all stunned by the scene before them.
In particular, Xiang Yu actually ripped off the head of Xiang Bo, the most senior member of the Xiang clan, one of the three members of the Xiang family: Xiang Zhuang, Xiang Han, and Xiang Guan!
Zhongli Mei kicked Xiang Bo on the head, "King Xiang, is Xiang Bo really a traitor?"
"Yes. The previous breakout plan has been leaked, so we must come up with a different plan." Xiang Yu's face was ashen.
"Damn it! Letting him die like this is too easy for him!" Zhongli Mei stomped on his feet a few times.
"General Zhong, there's no use in venting your anger now that things have come to this. Let's think of a solution quickly." Ji Bu had previously felt that Xiang Bo's behavior was a bit off, but due to Xiang Bo's status, he couldn't say anything to Xiang Yu. Little did he know that Xiang Bo was actually a spy.
"Indeed. Time is of the essence, and I intend to break out ahead of schedule. Whatever plan I reveal later, do not doubt it; simply follow my breakout plan, and success is assured. Listen carefully, everyone, I am about to..."
When Xiang Yu explained the breakout plan he and Hao Jiu had devised, the generals all showed expressions of shock, but since Xiang Yu had already stated his position, they did not raise any objections.
"Gentlemen, we part ways today, and who knows when we will meet again. Please take care!" Xiang Yu bowed with his hands clasped.
"Take care, King Xiang!" Xiang Zhuang, Ji Bu, and Zhongli Mei bowed deeply in unison.
"Take care!" The generals bid farewell one after another. This breakout was so close to death that it was no exaggeration to say that it might be their last.
Xiang Yu clenched his fists. "I will cut off Liu Ji's head sooner or later and reclaim everything that belongs to me! Gentlemen, let's proceed according to the plan."
"Here you go!"
...
The Han army camp at Gaixia, the central command tent.
Liu Ji glanced at Lü Ze, Guan Ying, and the others, and said, “I have received a secret report that Xiang Yu is preparing to break through to Jiangdong in three routes at dawn. Xiang Yu will lead one route southwest, Ji Bu will lead another route southeast, and Zhongli Mei will cross the Xiao River. Zifang is not here. What should we do?”
Lu Ze sneered, "Your Majesty, even if Zifang is gone, we still have him. The current situation is already in our favor. Even without this secret report, Xiang Yu would never have been able to break through. Now that our army knows Xiang Yu's plan, wouldn't it be easy to turn the tables on him?"
My suggestion is, in addition to strengthening the defenses of each battalion, to send more troops to intercept the Chu army on their breakout route. Even if the Chu army manages to break through the defenses of the battalions, we can annihilate them in one fell swoop.
However, it would be best if we pretended not to know for the time being, lest Xiang Yu change his mind after seeing that our defenses have been strengthened, and then suddenly send reinforcements when the remaining Chu army officially attacks Lianying at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), which would surely terrify the Chu army.
Then we'll send another army to capture the Chu army's fortifications. Even if Xiang Yu wanted to go back, he wouldn't be able to. His only options would be surrender or total annihilation.
Liu Ji clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! Let's proceed according to the general's plan! Men, send this secret order to each camp to prepare for the Chu army's breakout. Uh, general, who should we send to ambush Xiang Yu? Xiang Yu is incredibly brave; it's not impossible that he can break through the enemy lines."
The black dragon's voice echoed in Liu Ji's mind, "That system is already bound to Xiang Yu, so breaking through the defenses is inevitable. If Xiang Yu escapes back to Jiangdong this time, it will be much harder to kill him again."
"Of course I know that. Even without your reminder, I would never let him return to Jiangdong. Moreover, the strategist anticipated this and has already made preparations at the riverbank. If there aren't enough boats, let's see how Xiang Yu crosses the great river." Liu Ji smiled coldly.
"This humble general is willing to go!" Guan Ying volunteered.
Lu Ze nodded. "That's right. Xiang Yu's route must be mostly cavalry. General Guan Ying's cavalry are not good at defending camps, so it's a good time to ambush them."
"Excellent! It's still early. You all might as well take a rest with the troops who will fight tonight, and we can prepare again at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM)." Liu Ji's proudest move was bribing Xiang Bo. With such a big shot as a spy, how could the Chu army not be defeated?
Lu Ze frowned. "Just in case, everyone should take turns resting. Be careful that Xiang Yu doesn't take advantage of any openings."
"Uh, haha... General, you're absolutely right. Anyway, we outnumber them. If we surround Xiang Yu, remember to inform me so I can go and see for myself. I want to see how Xiang Yu begs for mercy." Liu Ji sneered inwardly. Even if Xiang Yu knelt down and begged for mercy, he wouldn't live.
"Here you go."
...
The Chu army fortified their camp, and Xiang Yu slept in his tent.
"Is it heavy?" Xiang Yu, dressed as a soldier, helped Yu Ji put on a set of armor. Even though he had found the smallest size, it was still a bit too big for Yu Ji.
Yu Ji shook her head. "It's alright, but Xiang Yu doesn't have any armor to protect him, so we must be very careful."
"Don't worry, those chickens and dogs were no match for me before, and they're even less of a threat now. Here are eight divine medicines for healing. If you or the person carrying you are injured, take them immediately. Don't give them to anyone else. Remember to take care of yourself no matter what. If you're not here, even if I reach the riverbank, I will immediately rush to the Han army camp and take Liu Ji's head. Do you understand?"
Xiang Yu gazed into Yu Ji's eyes and placed the healing medicine in her hand. It was a pity there were only ten of these miraculous pills; otherwise…
"Yes, Yu Ji won't do anything foolish again. Xiang Yu fought on the front lines, so let's leave this medicine for him." Yu Ji glanced at the red pill in her hand; Xiang Yu had already told her about receiving divine assistance.
"No need, I still have more. Besides, I am protected by gods and spirits, so it's not easy for me to get hurt."
After Xiang Yu finished speaking, he placed a small wooden box into the shallow pit that had been dug not long ago. He first put a thick layer of sand in the box, and then, after Hao Jiu put the piece of meat in, he put the lid on and backfilled it with soil and compacted it, so that it looked no different from the surrounding ground.
Hao Jiu was reluctant to throw away the piece of 'meat' when she bit into it. What if this piece of 'meat' or the system fragment could be useful in the future? It would be too wasteful to just throw it away, and it would be even worse to put it in the storage space and take it with her. Hao Jiu wasn't sure if the thing would become ineffective after she bit into it.
However, Hao Jiu put the system fragment in this box only to make it easier to retrieve in the future; it was like making a mark, as the fragment might sink underground over time.
"It's getting late, I must depart. Xiang Guan and Xiang Han will come to pick you up later." As Xiang Yu spoke, he wiped Yu Ji's face with his hands, which were still covered in mud, and her pretty face immediately changed.
Yu Ji instinctively reached out to touch her face, but Xiang Yu stopped her.
"Don't wipe it off, let's wash our faces after we cross the river." Xiang Yu also smeared some dirt on his face, then thought to himself, "God of Wine, is this alright?"
"That's about it. Remember to hunch your backs later. Oh, and by the way, put some more blood on your eyelids later, just in case." Hao Jiu smiled slightly. "Hey, aren't you two going to give each other a goodbye kiss?"
"No need." A strange thought arose in Xiang Yu's mind. If he were to get intimate with Yu Ji in the future, wouldn't the God of Wine be watching?
What should we do...?