"Rumble, rumble"—a few deep sounds echoed from beneath the earth. Seeing the situation deteriorating, Ye Xiu leaped up onto the surrounding grove of trees. At that moment, he observed three floating imprints moving westward, their destination precisely the Zhanyuan military camp where Zhang Han was stationed.

Could it be the assassins from the Ghost Valley again? But why was their target Zhang Han? Ye Xiu desperately racked his memory of the history books he had read. The Battle of Julu would be followed by the Battle of Zhanyuan, though the latter wasn't really a large-scale engagement because the Qin commander, Zhang Han, would surrender here to Xiang Yu's Chu army. So, were these assassins here to assassinate Zhang Han? Disaster! Ye Xiu cried out in alarm. Wang Long, who could grasp the grand sweep of the world's affairs, if he saw through this move and sent assassins here to kill Zhang Han, the anecdote of those two hundred thousand Qin soldiers surrendering to Chu would vanish. If Zhang Han were killed by assassins, the Qin army might lose its leader and instead be galvanized into resisting, which would clearly put the Chu army at a disadvantage. In his desperation, Ye Xiu activated the Ghost Step, following the killing intent from above the treeline, determined to see the matter through.

Inside the Qin army camp at Zhanyuan, Zhang Han paced anxiously, his fists clenched tightly. "This damnable Zhao Gao, does he truly wish me dead?"

Sima Xin, standing nearby, also looked deeply troubled. "Zhao Gao proposes that the General return to court and await orders. How could he possibly know our army is currently in an untenable position?"

"Hmph, he intends to eliminate me; how can I escape?" Zhang Han was originally a civil official, only taking up arms because the Qin court lacked talent. "Trapped between enemies with no support from the capital, what is to be done?"

Sima Xin’s demeanor was calm, showing no sign of panic. "Does the General believe the State of Qin can still be saved?"

"This..." Zhang Han was no ordinary man; he already sensed the hidden meaning in those words. "You mean I should surrender?"

Sima Xin, finding the perfect moment to persuade Zhang Han, stepped forward and bowed. "Once upon a time, the unification of the Six States by Qin was the tide of destiny, impossible to defy. But now, the great momentum of Qin has passed. As the lords vie for dominance, we too cannot resist this current."

"Alas, how could I not know what you speak of? But this surrender means the complete loss of hope for Qin. How can I face the Qin soldiers who lie beneath the Yellow Springs?" Zhang Han covered his head, filled with sorrow. "Though Zhao Gao, that treacherous official, has corrupted the court, our military setbacks are our own fault. How can we just concede and surrender?"

Sima Xin pressed his advantage. "That Zhao Gao is originally from Zhao, harboring a heart of revenge against Qin. How can he be compared to a patriotic official like yourself? Surrendering to Chu now is simply obeying the will of Heaven. Surely the General does not wish for the common people to remain mired in the flames of war?"

"That may be so... Ah!" Zhang Han still did not know how to proceed. On one side was righteousness, on the other was loyalty, and now, in his hands rested the lives of two hundred thousand disheartened Qin soldiers.

"Boom..." At that moment, dust suddenly billowed within the tent. As a single sound resonated, a large hole appeared in the ground. Three figures wielding strange shovels shot out, swinging their weapons directly toward Zhang Han's head. "Since the choice is so difficult, let us three brothers see you off."

"Ah!" Zhang Han and Sima Xin were completely unprepared for the assassins emerging from the ground, leaving both paralyzed with shock.

"Hah!" The sound from the earth had not fully subsided when a light shout came from above the tent. It was Ye Xiu, who had drawn his Demon Blade and leaped onto the tent roof.

With a solid "Thud," the three shovels smashed squarely against the Demon Blade. Ye Xiu confidently intercepted the seemingly fatal blow intended for Zhang Han and Sima Xin.

"Assassins! Guards!" Sima Xin reacted quickly, drawing his sword to shield Zhang Han as he shouted and retreated out of the tent. Immediately, a swarm of soldiers rushed in to surround them.

"Big Brother, let's go!" The black-clad figures, seeing the situation turn unfavorable, dragged the other two and jumped back into the hole they had made. It seemed they had anticipated failure and prepared an escape route.

Ye Xiu wanted to pursue and demand answers, but Zhang Han grabbed his arm. "Do not pursue a cornered enemy."

"You know..." Ye Xiu deeply disliked the stilted, bookish rhetoric of military strategy. He just wanted to curse, What the hell do you know? Looking around, he realized he was encircled by guards holding axes and blades. A chill ran down his spine—the trousers he wore were embroidered with the insignia of the Chu army. This time, he had seriously messed up.

"Young man, thank you for your assistance just now." Zhang Han smiled, ordering the surrounding soldiers to step back a little. "You... you are one of the Chu army."

Ye Xiu dared not make any excessive movements, only scanning the surrounding Qin soldiers with his peripheral vision. Denying he was from Chu was impossible now; he blamed those three damned diggers who made him act impulsively. "Yes."

Sima Xin, already an internal agent for the Chu army, immediately thought of Fan Zeng the moment Ye Xiu nodded. Could this person be one sent by Fan Zeng for a private discussion? "Regardless of whether he is with the Chu army or not, thank you, young brother, for your help."

Zhang Han already leaned toward surrendering to Chu. Being saved by a man from Chu inside his own tent felt quite strange. "May I ask how this brother managed to reach our Qin army camp?"

Ye Xiu's heart pounded, but he had no choice but to commit to the lie, telling the truth as his only option. "To tell the truth, I am the deputy commander of the vanguard team sent by General Xiang to block your Qin army's retreat. You now have no way out."

Zhang Han nodded; this was all within his expectations. "But what about those three assassins just now?"

"I sensed an unusual aura at the camp entrance today, so I followed it all the way, never expecting it to be three assassins capable of burrowing through the earth," Ye Xiu continued to spin his tale. "General Xiang Yu has long heard of General Zhang's fame and holds you in high regard. Before leaving, he specifically instructed this subordinate that if I could persuade General Zhang to surrender, that would be best."

"Oh, does Xiang Yu really think so highly of me? Does he not resent the fact that I killed his uncle, Xiang Liang, at Yongqiu that day?" Zhang Han waved his hand, showing some disbelief in Ye Xiu's words.

Ye Xiu also smiled and shook his hand. "General Xiang understands that everyone serves their own master and there is no room for blame. However, the tide of the world has changed; the Qin State no longer exists. Believe it or not, I believe it."

Zhang Han lowered his head, hesitating. What Sima Xin had said earlier was entirely reasonable, and now Xiang Yu had sent another envoy to persuade him, indicating a genuine desire to recruit him. Why not seize this opportunity to seek a new path for himself?

"General, I suspect those three assassins just now were sent by Zhao Gao," Sima Xin seized the moment to advise. "That Zhao Gao has long coveted the General's talent and is now seizing this opportunity to eliminate you. Sending assassins is truly insidious."

"It was him?" Zhang Han ground his teeth, thinking quietly. At first, when he met Ye Xiu, he was suspicious, thinking this was Xiang Yu setting up an elaborate ruse—hiring three killers and a general to stage a scene to force his compliance. But that was clearly overthinking on his part. If Xiang Yu had the chance to kill him, why bother sending people to save him? Now, only that dog Zhao Gao intended him harm; that fellow was indeed always obstructing him, truly damnable.

"Isn't this the young man who single-handedly charged into our grain escort convoy that day?" At this point, a minor general whispered an observation to Zhang Han. "Yes, I recognize that strange blade of his. On that day, he infiltrated our formation alone, lured the enemy deep, and annihilated our forces."

"Oh, so they are talking about you!" Zhang Han suddenly looked at Ye Xiu with unexpected delight. "Single-handedly killing several hundred Qin officers and soldiers?"

Ye Xiu still dared not move rashly. He knew the soldiers around him still gripped their swords tightly, and Zhang Han's expression was bizarre now that he had heard Ye Xiu had killed hundreds of their Qin soldiers. At this point, Ye Xiu must be hated to the bone.

Sima Xin, observant of the situation, immediately noticed Ye Xiu's apprehension and stepped forward to bow. "Indeed, a hero emerges from youth. May I ask the young brother's name?"

"Hoo..." Ye Xiu let out a long breath, forcing a smile. "My surname is Wei, my given name is Shan. I pay my respects to Generals Zhang Han and Sima Xin."

"Good, good! Brother Ye, truly a hero emerging from youth, extraordinary!" Zhang Han seemed impressed by Ye Xiu's capability and cheerfully clapped him on the shoulder. "As for the matter of surrender, I will rely on Brother Ye to explain to General Xiang. I, Zhang Han, will personally lead two hundred thousand troops across the river to surrender to Chu tomorrow."

"General Zhang!" Sima Xin was filled with relief. Zhang Han's surrender would earn him considerable credit with Fan Zeng, so he was naturally deeply grateful.

Hearing these words, Ye Xiu felt considerably more at ease, feeling as if the swords pressed against his back had all been sheathed. His entire being felt joyful. "General Zhang's profound understanding of righteousness is a fortune for the world. I thank you on behalf of General Xiang and on behalf of all the common people of the world."

"No, no..." Zhang Han had not expected Ye Xiu to perform such a grand gesture and, knowing he could not accept it, quickly stepped forward to help Ye Xiu up.

Ye Xiu looked up and said earnestly, "To be frank, I have a peculiar habit: I cannot feel at ease until the task I set out to do is finished. I was following the assassins all the way into the tent just now; I won't be settled unless I catch those fellows."

Zhang Han found it somewhat amusing. "General Ye jokes. The assassins have fled for so long; how do you expect to catch them?"

"Those few individuals merely dug a tunnel from the woods to enter General Zhang's camp. I discovered that the end of their tunnel is near the woods where our army is stationed," Ye Xiu said unhurriedly. "How fast can they really move underground? I believe if I hurry there now, I can catch them exactly when they surface. I bid you farewell for now. Tomorrow at the Chu army camp, I must drink heartily with General Zhang Han."

Zhang Han was greatly stunned by Ye Xiu’s words. He never expected such composure in someone so young; it was truly admirable. "Please do!"