Dragon Boat Race Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Startling Glimpse

Epigraph: The chessboard is set as the game begins, hidden pieces fall, stirring up ripples. A startling glimpse is not without purpose, laying deep groundwork for a thousand miles.

It had been three days since Commandant Sun led the hundred carefully selected death-sworn soldiers out of the camp. During these three days, the atmosphere in the military camp was like a drawn bowstring, with undercurrents of unease surging beneath the surface calm.

Qin Gong clearly felt the gazes directed at his tent becoming complicated—there was anticipation, suspicion, and undisguised hostility. That afternoon, Ah Sheng came in holding a bowl of medicine, his expression anxious: “Strategist, I just went to get food and overheard a few commandants under General Zhao discussing things…”

“What were they saying?” Qin Gong took the medicine bowl and swallowed the bitter decoction without changing his expression.

Ah Sheng lowered his voice: “They said… they said your strategy was a great mobilization of forces, and if it returned without merit, they would definitely demand an explanation from you. They also asked why an unknown scholar like you had the right to dictate orders in the army…”

Qin Gong set down the medicine bowl, his gaze calm. These reactions were all within his expectations. In a place where military merit spoke loudest, it was naturally difficult for an “Strategist” who had been parachuted in to command respect. Not to mention that his strategy made generals like Zhao, who craved direct confrontation, feel stifled.

“Also,” Ah Sheng leaned closer, his voice barely audible, “when I went to fetch water this morning, I saw the secretary under Adjutant Wang talking secretly with someone by the river. That person looked unfamiliar, not like someone from our camp…”

Qin Gong’s eyes narrowed. Adjutant Wang was in charge of logistics and supplies. His subordinate was meeting with an outsider?

“Did you get a clear look?”

“I did,” Ah Sheng nodded affirmatively, “The secretary slipped a bamboo tube into the other person’s hand, acting furtively. I hid behind a tree and saw it clearly.”

Qin Gong pondered for a moment. This matter could be minor or major. It could be a private transaction, or it could be… colluding with the enemy. At this critical juncture, any anomaly was worth vigilance.

Just as he was about to ask for details, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the tent, mixed with the sound of galloping horses.

“Report—”

A personal guard rushed into the tent: “Strategist, the Marshal requests your immediate presence at the central command tent!”

What was bound to happen had finally arrived. Qin Gong straightened his robes and, supported by Ah Sheng, walked steadily out of the tent. Although he had been recuperating for the past three days, he was now able to walk on his own, though his face remained pale and his figure so thin that it seemed a gust of wind could blow him over.

Inside the central command tent, the atmosphere was so heavy it could drip water.

Wu Ge sat in the main seat, his expression severe. Below him, General Zhao’s face was ashen, and Commandant Sun—he had actually returned!—was covered in blood, his left arm simply bandaged, the bloodstains still fresh. Adjutant Wang stood silently to the side, his expression inscrutable. The other generals also looked grave, and the entire tent was permeated with a suffocating tension.

“Strategist, please look.” Wu Ge pushed a blood-stained piece of silk cloth onto the table.

Qin Gong took it, his fingertips trembling slightly as they touched the still-damp blood. On the silk were Commandant Sun’s scrawled but forceful characters:

“…This subordinate was ordered to flank through Wolf Valley and discovered the Di people’s stockpile… successfully set fire, destroying countless grain and fodder… however, we were ambushed during the retreat, and only broke through after a bloody battle… only twenty-seven men returned…”

A few words, each weighing a thousand pounds. One hundred elites, only twenty-seven returned.

“At the same time,” Wu Ge’s voice was cold, “forward scouts report that the ambush forces across the Blackwater River retreated fifty li last night.”

It was a success. The Di people’s ambush really did withdraw.

But no one in the tent showed any sign of joy. The weight of those seventy-three lives pressed heavily on everyone’s hearts.

General Zhao slammed his fist onto the table, his eyes bloodshot: “Seventy-three lives! Just to exchange for the enemy’s retreat?!” He glared at Qin Gong, “Strategist, tell us, was this a worthwhile trade?”

All eyes focused on Qin Gong, the scrutiny, grief, and anger pressing down like a physical force.

Qin Gong gripped the blood-stained military report, his knuckles white. He came from an era that valued life, and facing such a tragic sacrifice now made his stomach churn. But he knew he absolutely could not show weakness at this moment.

He took a deep breath and met General Zhao’s gaze: “General Zhao, if the Di ambush had not retreated, how many casualties would we have suffered once they completed their encirclement? If they had launched a strong assault when our supplies ran out, what then?”

He did not wait for General Zhao to answer, turning instead to Wu Ge, his voice calm yet firm: “This strategy, in the grand scheme, is a gain. The vanguard camp is out of danger, avoiding a potential crisis that could have annihilated the entire army. Emotionally, it is a loss. Seventy-three loyal and brave men bled on the battlefield. This loss, Qin Gong will never forget.”

This answer, which neither shirked responsibility nor offered excuses, caused the atmosphere in the tent to freeze.

Wu Ge’s deep eyes stared at Qin Gong. After a long silence, he slowly said, “Remember this heavy burden. A strategist’s stroke of the pen can determine life and death. I hope you always keep this in mind.”

This remark seemed like a warning to Qin Gong, but it was actually an acknowledgment of his status.

At this moment, Adjutant Wang, who had been silent, suddenly spoke: “Marshal, although the Strategist’s plan was risky, it did solve the immediate crisis. However…” He changed the subject, “Commandant Sun’s mission was so secretive, why was he still ambushed? Could it be that there is a spy in the army?”

The moment these words were spoken, everyone was stunned.

Commandant Sun suddenly raised his head, anger surfacing on his pale, blood-loss-stricken face: “This subordinate guarantees with his life that there is absolutely no problem with the brothers we selected!”

“Then how could the Di people set such a precise ambush?” Adjutant Wang pressed, his eyes flickering.

Qin Gong’s heart stirred, recalling Ah Sheng’s earlier observation. He subtly observed Adjutant Wang, noting that although the man feigned composure, his clasped hands were tense, and fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

“This Marshal will personally investigate this matter thoroughly.” Wu Ge ended the topic and began to deploy the next military tasks: “General Zhao, strengthen the camp defenses, beware of the Di people returning. Commandant Sun, rest and recover well. Adjutant Wang, inventory the grain and supplies, and prepare for a long-term defense.”

The military council lasted for an hour. When Qin Gong dragged his exhausted body back to his tent, the night was already deep.

Ah Sheng lit the oil lamp for him, looking hesitant.

“Say what you want to say,” Qin Gong rubbed his temples. The confrontations of the day had drained him mentally.

“Strategist, I think… Adjutant Wang is acting a bit strange,” Ah Sheng whispered, “His secretary went out furtively again in the evening. This time I quietly followed for a bit and saw him heading toward the woods west of the camp.”

Qin Gong’s eyes sharpened. Once might be a coincidence, twice warranted vigilance.

He pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice: “Continue to keep an eye out, but remember, do not alert the snake. If there is anything unusual, report it to me immediately.”

Ah Sheng nodded solemnly: “Don’t worry, Strategist, I understand.”

That night, Qin Gong tossed and turned. The blood and fire of the day intertwined in his mind, and Adjutant Wang’s abnormality made him deeply wary. He put on his robe and, by the dim lamplight, carefully recalled every detail of the military council that day. Adjutant Wang’s flickering eyes, tense fingers, and untimely remarks…

Suddenly, there was a very faint sound outside the tent.

It was not the footsteps of the patrol soldiers, but the subtle rustle of clothing.

Qin Gong blew out the lamp and silently moved to the side of the tent flap. Through the gap, he saw a dark figure swiftly moving through the shadows between the tents, heading straight for the supply camp. The figure looked somewhat familiar…

An alarm bell rang in his heart. This night was destined not to be peaceful.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the camp suddenly stirred.

“Fire! The supply camp is on fire!” Cries of alarm pierced the dawn.

Qin Gong rushed out of his tent, seeing thick smoke billowing and flames soaring from the direction of the supply camp. Soldiers were in chaos, busy fetching water to fight the fire.

In the confusion, he saw Adjutant Wang directing the firefighting efforts, his expression panicked. In the moment their eyes met, Adjutant Wang’s gaze flickered, and he quickly looked away.

This fire was too coincidental.

Just as Qin Gong was concentrating on his thoughts, a personal guard rushed over: “Strategist, the Marshal requests your presence!”

He followed the personal guard to the central command tent, only to find the atmosphere inside even more solemn than the day before.

Kneeling before Wu Ge were two bound soldiers, the sentries who had been guarding the supply camp last night.

“Speak, did you see anyone suspicious last night?” Commandant Sun questioned sharply. Despite his injuries, he was still forcing himself to participate in the interrogation.

“R-reporting, Commandant, Secretary Li from Adjutant Wang’s tent came by last night, saying he was ordered by the Adjutant to inventory the supplies…”

Adjutant Wang’s face instantly changed: “Nonsense! When did I ever give such an order!”

Qin Gong watched coldly, already understanding three-tenths of the situation. He stepped forward slowly and bowed to Wu Ge:

“Marshal, may I ask a question?”

Wu Ge nodded slightly, his gaze scrutinizing.

Qin Gong turned to the two sentries, his tone calm: “When Secretary Li came, did he carry anything? How long did he stay? Was there anything unusual?”

A sentry recalled: “He was carrying a bundle, said it was account books. He stayed for about a quarter of an hour. When he came out… he seemed to be empty-handed.”

Empty-handed? Qin Gong’s mind raced. He suddenly asked: “Did he go to the tent where the lamp oil was stored?”

The sentry was startled, then quickly nodded: “Yes, that’s the one!”

The tent immediately erupted in an uproar. Adjutant Wang stumbled backward, his face ashen.

The truth was ready to be revealed. Arson to destroy evidence—he was cornered.

Wu Ge slowly rose, his gaze like a blade sweeping over Adjutant Wang: “Adjutant Wang, what do you have to say?”

“Marshal, please see clearly!” Adjutant Wang fell to his knees, “This subordinate, this subordinate is innocent! This must be a frame-up!”

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent, and a messenger rushed in:

“Report! Urgent military intelligence! The Northern Di’s Left Wise King is personally leading thirty thousand iron cavalry, having broken through the northern defense line, and is rushing toward our army! Expected to arrive in three days!”

This news was like a thunderclap, stunning everyone in the tent.

The internal traitor was not yet dealt with, and the external enemy had arrived. The true crisis was only just beginning.

Qin Gong looked toward the brightening light outside the tent, his heart solemn. He, this unexpected “startling glimpse,” had not only stirred the undercurrents of the military camp but was now about to face true surging waves.

And the subtle bond between him and Wu Ge would quietly grow amidst the trial of blood and fire.

(Volume One: The Startling Glimpse Arrives, End)