[Ruthless He Zhao]

"I meant your armor needs a few minor alterations! Oh, right, you brought the tools you usually use, didn't you?" Faced with AJiu's wary expression and readiness to bolt for the door at any moment, He Zhao could only explain helplessly.

"Phew—"

AJiu let out a soft breath. So he wasn't trying to take my virginity. You should've said so earlier.

"I brought them. They're all in my car's trunk."

"What are you standing there for? Go get them!"

Before long, the two began making alterations.

"This vambrace isn't right. The shoulder guards and waist guards need changing too."

After working all day, aside from its color, the armor was basically identical to the black armor in [Campaigning].

"AJiu, starting tomorrow, you'll be taking on a new challenge." He Zhao patted the Bilibili Uploader's shoulder, his expression grave.

AJiu did not care in the slightest about what the Big Spender said. He patted his chest and promised, "Don't worry, Boss. For a thousand Federal Coins a day, I can take any challenge."

The next day, AJiu stood fully armored in the living room, waiting for his boss's orders.

"Lie down."

"???"

No, Boss, why were you saying that again?!

"You don't need to do anything. You just need to play a corpse." He Zhao told him truthfully.

"!!!"

Were rich people's tastes this twisted nowadays?

AJiu's eyes darted toward the anti-theft door as he considered whether he should kick He Zhao down first and then run, or simply make a break for it.

"Are you misunderstanding me again? I mean, you play a corpse, and I play a spy trying to infiltrate your army. I need to strip and put on the armor within five minutes."

"Phew—"

AJiu lay flat on the living room floor and called out.

"Boss, come on."

He had thought it through. If He Zhao's hands so much as behaved improperly, he would resist immediately and call the police.

A day passed in the blink of an eye.

Both men were exhausted. One had to strip off and put on dozens of pounds of armor, resting every so often. The other played a corpse, lying motionless and letting himself be manhandled.

"Six minutes thirty seconds. That's a full minute and fifteen seconds slower than five minutes fifteen seconds. To make absolutely sure, subtract another fifteen seconds. That means we're still short by a minute and a half."

The next day was another exhausting one.

"Six minutes flat!"

On the third day, not only had He Zhao become Proficient at stripping armor, he had also mastered how to shift a dead burly man with the least possible effort.

"Five minutes fifteen seconds!"

On the fourth day, perhaps because of all the exercise over the past few days, his strength and stamina had improved somewhat. At last, he made a breakthrough.

"Five minutes flat!"

AJiu—lying down and making money—was moved to tears. They had finally reached the goal.

He had played a corpse for four whole days, tossed about like a rag doll at someone else's whim. It had not been pleasant.

He decided that once he got the money, he would leave that very night.

"One day altering the armor, four days playing a corpse, plus the bonus I promised you—that comes to ten thousand Alliance Coins. You came all the way from Haicheng to Guicheng, so factoring in gas, I'll give you fifteen thousand. Leave the armor behind as a keepsake, and I'll add another five thousand."

"Thank you, Boss. If you ever have work like this again, please make sure to call me." AJiu was full of gratitude. It had been a little rough, but the pay was truly generous.

By his calculations, that came to four thousand Alliance Coins a day, comparable to a month's wages in a small town!

AJiu left happily with the money, while He Zhao happily entered the [Campaigning] Simulation Scenario.

"Done. This time, it's in the bag!"

[Life After Life, Endless Joy!]

His vision went black. As heaven and earth spun, familiar shouts rang in his ears.

"Kill!"

"Run! The Xuandu Army is here!"

He Zhao clutched his Manure Fork and threw himself into the pile of corpses.

Forty seconds later, he sprang up with a swish and swiftly spun around to thrust.

"Pfft—"

That familiar sensation of piercing flesh. The Black Armor Soldier fell backward with an unwilling look on his face.

He Zhao did not dare delay. He immediately stepped forward and began stripping off the armor.

Five minutes later, he was fully dressed, and even smeared a handful of blood across his face.

"Phew—"

The sound of hoofbeats rose. He turned around smugly.

This time, you can't possibly chop off my head, can you?

"Whoa!!"

The Cavalry Captain charged up to He Zhao, his horse rearing high.

"What's your name? Which Hundred-Household are you under? Who's your captain?"

"???" He Zhao, brimming with delight, was utterly dumbfounded by the Cavalry Captain's triple question. Smacking his forehead, he thought, How did I forget about that? I was so focused on stripping armor off a dead man.

The Cavalry Captain gave He Zhao's vexed gesture a "considerate" response.

"Clang!"

The Curved Saber left its sheath, bursting forth with a flash of cold light.

"Pfft—"

He Zhao once again saw his own headless corpse.

Just wait, He the Person will be back!!

[Congratulations, you survived for 6 minutes 30 seconds. When faced with the Cavalry Captain's questions, you looked rather foolish!]

[Rating: No evaluation.]

[Enemies killed: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1).]

[Reward: 1 Simulation Coin.]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

Back in reality, He Zhao looked at the 6 Simulation Coins remaining in [My Wallet] and entered the [Campaigning] Simulation Scenario once more.

[Life After Life, Endless Joy!]

Forty seconds later, with a pfft.

The Manure Fork stabbed into the Black Armor Soldier's face. The man screamed repeatedly, clutching his face as he rolled on the ground and wailed.

He Zhao picked up the steel blade from the ground, planted one foot on the soldier's head, and roared.

"What's your name? Which Hundred-Household are you under? Who's your captain?"

"Answer me, or I'll hack you to death."

Facing the fierce-looking He Zhao, the Black Armor Soldier endured the pain and answered.

"My name is Li Gou. I'm in Hundred-Household Wu's unit, and the captain is Wu Quan. Please, don't kill me. I still have family at home—"

"Cut the crap. Tell me everything about the Xuandu Army's intelligence. Tell me everything you know."

Before long, five minutes had passed, and the sound of hoofbeats rang out.

He Zhao turned to look, only to see a black shadow streaking toward him, a Curved Saber in hand gleaming with bone-piercing cold light.

"Just wait, I'll be back!"

As soon as the words fell, he grabbed the blade and slit his own throat.

"Pfft—"

"Hmph!"

The cavalryman who had rushed over to He Zhao's corpse snorted coldly and turned back.

[Congratulations, you survived for 6 minutes 25 seconds. When facing the cavalry's charge, killing yourself made you look somewhat more respectable.]

[Rating: No evaluation.]

[Enemies killed: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1).]

[Reward: 1 Simulation Coin.]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

"Replay."

He needed to memorize every word Black Armor Soldier Li Gou had said. Otherwise, once he entered the Xuandu Army, any slip would make all his previous efforts go to waste.

He still had 6 Simulation Coins. Fortunately, killing a Xuandu Army infantryman earned a reward every time.

He wondered if this counted as a bug.

"Enter."

[Life After Life, Endless Joy!]

Not even a second had passed in the real world when He Zhao exited the Simulation Scenario.

[Congratulations, you survived for 6 minutes 25 seconds. When facing the cavalry's charge, killing yourself again made you look somewhat like a dog.]

[Rating: No evaluation.]

[Enemies killed: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1).]

[Reward: 1 Simulation Coin.]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

After repeating this dozens of times, he finally squeezed Li Gou dry.

"Pfft—"

After stabbing Li Gou to death with the Manure Fork, He Zhao stripped and put on the armor in exactly four minutes with movements so Proficient they were heartbreaking to watch.

Raising the Sharp steel blade in his hand, he gritted his teeth. To make absolutely sure, he had to "disguise" himself!

Otherwise, even if he knew Li Gou's life story, he would be exposed the instant he encountered an acquaintance.

"Who would've thought the first person I'd ever slash would be myself?"

As the words fell, the steel blade in his hand slashed across his face.

"Rip—"

A long scar appeared, blood running down the steel blade.

"Not enough. Still not enough!"

He would go all in.

One slash, then another, then another.

Only when his face was utterly unrecognizable did He Zhao finally stop, grinning through the pain.

A man had to be ruthless to himself sometimes.