"Going to see Grandmaster Zhou." Peng Dahu said, after a moment, fearing that Shi Jin might not know who he was referring to, he added, "Zhou Tong, Grandmaster Zhou."

"Grandmaster Zhou... is still in the city?" Shi Jin hesitated for a moment before asking.

"Yes, that's right. See that woman ahead? That's Zuo Wenying, the Swordswoman, by Grandmaster Zhou's side." Peng Dahu said, "Grandmaster Zhou is gathering us greenwoodsmen to plot something big."

Perhaps worried that Shi Jin would be unwilling to participate, he spoke cautiously, watching Shi Jin's expression, and said, "If this succeeds, it's a one-in-ten chance of survival, but it can stop the Jurchen army from advancing south. If it fails, it's certain death. Brother, when you meet Grandmaster Zhou, you can consider whether to do it or not."

"Mm." Shi Jin nodded and said, "Kill Nianhan."

He had traveled north and then south for this very thing. Earlier, when Qian Fei had mentioned it, he had taken it casually, but now, saying those words, he felt a heavy weight in his heart. Peng Dahu nodded, seeing his expression and eyes.

At this time, the city was in the throes of searches and massacres. Some troops or wealthy families in the streets, seeing that they couldn't break out, built defensive works and engaged in street fighting with the Jurchens. More people were driven from their homes, either becoming prisoners or being slaughtered in large numbers. The three of them rushed along the streets, passing several areas where fighting was taking place. After encountering a small group of Jurchen enemies in a courtyard, they fought again.

Only now, as they fought, did Shi Jin realize that Zuo Wenying used willow-leaf double sabers in addition to flying daggers. As a woman, she might lack the strength of a man, but her saber techniques were fierce, ruthless, and swift. When suddenly encountering the enemy, she charged straight into the crowd, her blades drawing lines of blood as they passed. Every strike aimed at the vital points of the throat, abdomen, groin, and legs. These areas were mostly soft, either directly fatal, disabling, or causing massive blood loss. She struck and retreated, seeking maximum results with minimum effort, making it the most suitable fighting style for the battlefield.

As for Peng Dahu, although his martial arts were slightly inferior to Zuo Wenying's, his strength was powerful, and his physical qualities and inner strength were solid. His skill probably lay in his hands. His saber techniques weren't sophisticated, but with his level of cultivation, he could still kill a few soldiers cleanly. Shi Jin, having fought on the city walls all day, already understood the principle of seeking maximum damage with the simplest movements. After using steady but concise spear techniques to kill several people, he earned Zuo Wenying's approving gaze.

Before long, dusk fell, and the once-prosperous city was now lit only by patches of fire reflecting on the night sky. Columns of black smoke could be clearly seen against the night's backdrop. The sounds of fighting and crying were even clearer in the city. After crossing a main street, they saw the Jurchens driving the prisoners out in batches. After going further, they entered a dilapidated courtyard on the side of the city, and Shi Jin finally saw the greenwoodsmen gathered there.

Various swords, sabers, spears, and halberds, different attire and voices, mostly martial artists stained with blood, had gathered because of Zhou Tong's reputation. Outside this courtyard was a bamboo forest, and inside were about four or five courtyards. The central one had a rockery and a pond, which had dried up because it hadn't been maintained for a long time. When Shi Jin entered, he estimated that there were about a hundred greenwoods martial artists gathered here, a few seriously injured and half slightly injured, most of whom had probably participated in the day's defense of the city.

There was no fire, and people didn't speak loudly. Only occasional painful groans echoed in the dark, muffled courtyard. In front of the main hall, an old man with gray hair was bandaging the leg of a wounded man. This was the legendary "Iron Arms" Zhou Tong.

Outside the courtyard, people continued to trickle in, some exhausted, some carrying the wounded. A few martial artists who were still in good spirits were distributing dry rations and water among the crowd.

The Jianghu (Martial World) was either big or small. Especially after such a battle, any two people who met could probably chat quietly for a while. If it were Shi Jin's former self, he would probably have mingled with the people around him, but after the defeat of Liangshan, his mindset had changed greatly. He found a place to sit down, ate dry rations, drank water to recover his strength, and said nothing more, only occasionally glancing at the busy old man in the crowd. As Lin Chong's teacher and a famous hero, there wasn't much else he could discern at this time.

As the night deepened, the city's turmoil still hadn't stopped. At a certain moment, when someone was helping an injured person past, Shi Jin's brow twitched slightly. He followed them, and when the person placed the injured man in the corner, Shi Jin recognized him. The man with the leg wound, half his body stained with blood, was Qian Fei. Shi Jin walked over and bandaged him with wound medicine: "Brother Qian."

"Brother Shi, Shi Jin." Qian Fei recognized the person in front of him and suddenly grabbed his arm. "Where did you go... Oh, you're here... Where's Brother Chen?"

Of the group who had traveled north, only Shi Jin, Qian Fei, and Chen Xiuqing were left when they entered Xinzhou City. After arranging for Shi Jin and Chen Xiuqing to join the civilian labor force, Qian Fei had gone to inquire about Zhou Tong's whereabouts, but he didn't expect to meet again only now.

Shi Jin told Qian Fei about Chen Xiuqing's death. Qian Fei closed his eyes and took a breath of sorrow when he opened them. He had actually wanted to inform Shi Jin and Chen Xiuqing about Zhou Tong's news after finding out about it, but by the time he arrived there, the city walls had already been breached. He had fled and wandered, and was only rescued after being injured.

As the two were talking, Zhou Tong's voice rang out not far away.

"Everyone from the greenwoods and the Jianghu, I am Zhou Tong. I am honored to be fighting alongside you all today. Everyone has experienced the situation today, so I won't say much. If the Jurchens advance south, they will surely cause the deaths of millions of compatriots in Wu Chao. My idea is very simple: we will assassinate Nianhan in Xinzhou City and do our part for the people of Wu Chao."

"Whether this trip succeeds or fails, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a mission with almost no chance of survival, but everyone has seen the ferocity of the Jurchens on the city walls today. We martial artists believe in a commoner's fury, where blood spatters five steps away. I am already eighty years old and have lived long enough. I am willing to entrust this old body to such a slim hope, but some of you may have wives and children at home, or parents. Being able to fight the Jurchens on the city walls today is already morally blameless. Although the city gates have been occupied by the Jurchens, with your abilities, you still have a chance to escape from the city... What I want to say is..."

Zhou Tong had a great reputation in the Jianghu, but his eloquence might not have been very good. He pondered for a moment, "What I want to say is that at midnight tonight, those of you who are seriously injured, I will arrange for you to leave. As for assassinating Nianhan, you..."

As he was saying this, someone in the crowd spoke up: "Old Zhou, I know what you want to say." When everyone looked over, it was a long-bearded Daoist priest with white hair. This person was also old, but his body was stained with blood, and he had obviously killed many people in the great battle. His name was Qiu Henian, and he was also a famous elder in the Jianghu.

He said, "Those who want to stay today will naturally assassinate Nianhan with us. Those who don't want to stay can't be considered greedy for life and afraid of death. It's just that the Jurchens are so ferocious. After they advance south, how can our wives, children, and parents have a good end? Listen to the sounds of this Xinzhou City now, and one day it will be the screams of our wives and children. I, Qiu Henian, will stay and go with you."

Zhou Tong cupped his fists in salute.

The crowd thought of the Jurchens they had seen on the city walls, and people came out one after another: "I'll go with Hero Zhou."

"I'm going to kill Nianhan..."

"Me too."

"Although I'm injured, I can still fight. I definitely won't leave..."

"To be able to accompany Hero Zhou on this great undertaking, even if I die, it won't be in vain!"

Voices rose, and Zhou Tong pressed his hands down: "I understand, but among us, there are still seriously injured brothers who have shed enough blood. I must arrange for them to leave. If any of you are willing to do this, come and talk to me. If not, I will pick people, and I hope those who are picked will not refuse this heavy responsibility."

After Zhou Tong finished speaking, he turned to discuss with others. The voices in the crowd became lively, and they became excited at the mention of assassinating Nianhan. Many people could also understand the meaning of it. However, after a while, Shi Jin also saw some figures silently and quietly leaving in the darkness. It was certainly impossible to hide such things from Zhou Tong, but from beginning to end, the old man said nothing about it, nor did he arrange for anyone to stop them.

Someone came to count the number of seriously injured people. Zhou Tong walked among the courtyards, talking quietly with one person after another, probably arranging for people to escort the wounded away. When the old man came to Shi Jin's side, he asked for his name and skills, then cupped his fists and walked away. Shi Jin's martial arts were no less than those of Fu Lu and Zuo Wenying by Zhou Tong's side. The old man could probably determine that he was a master just by looking at his physique and listening to his breathing, and he mostly arranged for the young and those with low martial arts to leave, so he naturally wouldn't include Shi Jin on the list.

Near midnight, more than a dozen people were gathered to escort more than a dozen wounded martial artists away. Some martial artists said they absolutely refused to leave, but there was no time for sentimentality. A Jurchen team had already swept over here, and the fire was spreading. Everyone left in two directions in the chaos.

By the time they moved to another hiding place that had already suffered from the war, it was dawn. The seriously injured Qian Fei had already been escorted away, and there were about seventy people gathered with Zhou Tong. This was all the strength that was going to assassinate Nianhan.

These events that took place in Xinzhou City were spoken of with passion and excitement many years later, but those who were there at the time did not feel that way. The pain and fatigue of a day of fighting swept over them. Even if they spoke with passion, it was just deliberate encouragement among themselves. Whether there would be hope for the assassination, and what would happen after the assassination, everything seemed so uncertain. Only the word "death" became real here.

In the darkness, the sounds of killing in the city had not stopped. Shi Jin sat in a corner of the courtyard, closing his eyes to rest. When the night became a little quieter, he opened his eyes and saw the old man walking towards him. He stood up in surprise, cupped his fists in salute, and the old man also cupped his fists in salute, pointing to a collapsed wooden pillar on one side, signaling Shi Jin to sit down.

"Qian Fei told me earlier that there was a chivalrous man with high martial arts, a sworn brother of my disciple. When I saw you, I didn't think of it. Later, he told me, and I remembered that, looking at your physique, you are proficient in staff techniques. You are Wang Jin's disciple, 'Nine-Tattooed Dragon' Shi Jin, right?" Zhou Tong looked at him and smiled, then sat down, "You are Lin Chong's brother."