Infinity, The Arcade Age

The shouts of battle roared in unison as the massive reinforcements surged forward. Huang Zhong's force of five hundred soldiers, however, refused to retreat. Instead, they pressed forward, determined to eliminate Qin Ming.

But with Qin Ming's extraordinary defensive capabilities, the idea of ordinary soldiers overwhelming him in a short time was simply unrealistic.

Clashes rang out as both sides fully engaged in combat. Li Dian's deputy general, leading a squad of elite guards, pushed through the chaotic melee, breaking the enemy's ranks to reach the embattled Qin Ming.

What greeted him was a bloodied yet ferocious Qin Ming, swinging a corpse like a weapon to keep the surrounding soldiers at bay. The deputy general raised his shield, barging through the ranks of Shu soldiers to reach Qin Ming's side.

But just as he got close and was about to speak, the swinging corpse hit him hard, knocking him to the ground.

Qin Ming, gripping the corpse like a club, began pounding the deputy general, sending him rolling and scrambling for cover. Even the man's shield was battered away.

Desperately fending off the blows, the deputy general yelled at the top of his lungs, "Stop! Stop! I'm on your side! I'm with General Li Dian!"

Hearing this, Qin Ming froze, the corpse still raised mid-swing. His motions finally halted.

Seizing the opportunity, the deputy general scrambled to retrieve his shield and shouted orders to his guards, "Retreat! Cover him and fall back to the camp! Quickly!"

The guards, all elite soldiers, responded immediately and efficiently. Forming a protective shield wall, they began forcing their way through the enemy lines, heading toward the safety of the encampment.

Standing beside the battered Qin Ming, the deputy general looked at him with a grave expression. "Brother Zhao, rest assured! With us here, nothing will happen to you!"

Hearing himself addressed as "Brother Zhao," Qin Ming was taken aback. Before he could reply, a muffled sound pierced the air.

A flash of cold light streaked across the sky. Qin Ming's body convulsed violently, and he slowly lowered his gaze to see an arrow embedded deep in his chest, fully piercing through.

Grasping the arrowhead, Qin Ming turned sharply to look behind him. In the distance, several hundred meters away, a veteran general astride a warhorse was nocking another arrow, aiming steadily in their direction.

It was...

"It's Huang Zhong! Huang Zhong is here! Cover him! Quickly!"

The deputy general turned pale at the sight of the legendary marksman, famous for his peerless accuracy. His first arrow had struck Qin Ming's vital point from such a great distance.

Rallying his soldiers, the deputy general ordered them to shield Qin Ming. Yet the moment the first two soldiers stepped forward with their shields raised, they were struck by arrows.

With a loud thud, the shields proved futile, as the arrows pierced through effortlessly, striking the soldiers' heads and killing them instantly.

As the two fell, more soldiers surged forward. Under the deputy general's command, they advanced through Huang Zhong's relentless sniping, forcing their way to the entrance of the camp.

With the gates slowly creaking open, they finally made it inside.

Seeing his target disappear into the camp, Huang Zhong scowled and waved his hand decisively. At his command, his force of several hundred soldiers turned and vanished back into the forest.

Inside Li Dian's camp, Qin Ming—rescued but gravely injured—was brought before General Li Dian after receiving only basic treatment.

Seated on the ground, his upper body bare and covered in wounds, Qin Ming faced the fully armed Li Dian, whose expression was cold and impassive.

"You're one of General Xiahou's soldiers?" Li Dian asked.

Hearing this, Qin Ming's pupils constricted. He quickly lifted his head to meet Li Dian's gaze.

Li Dian appeared puzzled, but without showing much reaction. Qin Ming breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Coming here had been a calculated risk—not just the plan itself, but meeting Li Dian in person.

He couldn't forget that he had encountered Li Dian once before. Though back then, Qin Ming had been disguised in a trench coat, sunglasses, and a hat, looking like a nineteenth-century gentleman—or perhaps a lunatic—his face had been mostly obscured.

Still, there was no guarantee Li Dian wouldn't recognize him. If Li Dian did recall him and exposed his identity, Qin Ming's cover would be blown, forcing him to flee using his emergency tools.

Fortunately, Qin Ming's fears proved unfounded. His previous outfit had hidden his features so thoroughly that even the Emperor himself wouldn't have recognized him.

Confirming his identity was still secure, Qin Ming took a deep breath, stood up, and saluted with a fist over his chest.

"I serve under General Xiahou Dun! Zhao Ming, a member of the Zhao family! Reporting to General Li Dian!"

"Zhao Ming? You're Zhao Ming?" Li Dian's expression shifted as his gaze turned curious and skeptical.

Sensing danger, Qin Ming quickly shook his head. "I am Zhao Ming, but not that Zhao Ming. I'm his cousin, sent by our family to join the army alongside my five elder brothers for training."

"Ah, so you're from the Zhao family but not one of the Five Heroes. That explains why I haven't seen you before. Do you have any proof of your identity? Words alone aren't enough, especially since you don't resemble them much."

"Proof?" Qin Ming's expression hardened. Without hesitation, he turned, walked to a nearby soldier, and drew the man's saber from his belt.

Before anyone could react, Qin Ming pressed the blade against his chest and slashed forcefully.

A grating sound filled the air as the sharp saber scraped across his skin like it was cutting leather. It left only a faint white mark, failing to break through.

Unfazed, Qin Ming raised the blade again and hacked at his shoulder twice. He then tossed the weapon back to the stunned soldier and turned to salute Li Dian once more, his expression solemn.

"General! Is this proof enough?"

The Zhao family, a prominent military clan in Wei, was renowned for their steel-like physiques, impervious to swords and spears.

Qin Ming's display aligned perfectly with the family's traits, causing the previously skeptical Li Dian to break into a smile.

Truthfully, Li Dian hadn't doubted Qin Ming much to begin with. On the battlefield, Qin Ming's abilities had already spoken volumes.

Besides, having been struck down by Huang Zhong himself, Qin Ming couldn't possibly be an imposter.

This final confirmation was merely a precaution.

"Brother Zhao, you traveled so far under General Xiahou's orders, even facing Huang Zhong's forces along the way. Did you bring an important message?"

Seeing that Li Dian had accepted his identity, Qin Ming knew the critical moment had arrived. He nodded gravely.

Removing the blood-stained bundle from his waist, Qin Ming set it on the ground and began to unwrap it.

"General Li Dian! I wasn't the only one ordered to deliver this message. I came with a detachment of thirty Tiger Leopard Cavalry, led by my cousin Zhao Chui. However, he..."

Qin Ming trailed off as the bundle fell open, revealing a severed head inside.

It was Zhao Chui, one of Xiahou Dun's trusted Five Heroes.

"What?!"

Li Dian's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the head. He couldn't suppress his startled cry.

(End of Chapter)