Zhang Dahu!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for picking up 200 points of Vitality, 50 points of Comprehension, and 10 points of Spirit!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for picking up a wisp of Primordial Barbarian Bloodline!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for picking up the High-grade Martial Arts skill, Tyrant Blade Slash!

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for picking up a thousand-tempered Mysterious Iron Saber!

Listening to the successive notifications at his ear, Ding Hao felt incomparably delighted.

Clearly, after Man Poqi, the commanding general, died, there had been a massive loot drop!

But before Ding Hao could fuse them, Ding Yishan had already fixed his eyes on him.

"Good lad, so you're a Fourth-rank Martial Artist!"

"To think there was someone like you in the Death Row Camp. No wonder you were the first to scale the walls!"

Praise!

Appreciation!

Duan Yun Pass had fallen so easily today entirely because Ding Hao had been the first to scale the walls!

Thus, Ding Yishan asked, "Kid, what's your name?"

"Ding Hao!"

"Ding? So you're one of the family!" Ding Yishan was delighted once more.

He said approvingly, "Very good. This general will remember you. Once the battlefield has been cleared, I'll come find you personally and confirm your merit as the first to scale the walls!"

"Thank you, General!"

Ding Hao was overjoyed.

His merit for being the first to scale the walls was now as certain as a nail driven into a board.

Afterward, as long as Ding Yishan reported it, he would be able to cast off his current identity as a death-row convict.

Once he was free of that identity, with his cheat as well, he would surely make a name for himself in this world—perhaps even become an unparalleled powerhouse!

When that time came, he would make that bitch Empress, who had dared treat him like a breeding stallion, pay!

"Hmph!"

"Just wait!"

Ding Hao sneered, then hurried off to help clear the battlefield!

After all, Duan Yun City had only just fallen. Countless soldiers from both sides had died atop and below the walls, and every corpse gleamed with orbs of light.

Though these drops were not as plentiful as what Man Poqi, the Northern Barbarian defending general, had dropped, even an ant was still meat. Little by little, it added up!

However, now that the battlefield had settled and there were no life-threatening enemies around, Ding Hao was in no hurry. He began picking and choosing among the corpses.

He only picked up useful things, such as the four-dimensional attributes, talents, martial arts, and the like.

No one paid any attention to what he was doing. After all, clearing the battlefield and hauling corpses had always been the work of death-row convicts.

And so, after working for most of the day, Ding Hao picked up several hundred more attribute points. With small gains accumulating into a larger sum, he had gained far more attribute points than Man Poqi had dropped!

The only regret was that he had not picked up any talents, bloodlines, or similar items!

"Heh!"

"After this battle, I've really struck it rich!"

At last, Ding Hao took stock of his gains and could not help grinning smugly.

Who would have thought that right then, a familiar curse reached Ding Hao's ears. "You useless bastard, what the fuck are you laughing at? Hurry up and move the corpses!"

Ding Hao had only just turned around when he saw Zhang Dahu, commander of the Death Row Camp, charging toward him menacingly and raising a foot to kick him!

"Hm?!"

Before the battle, with circumstances stronger than the man, Ding Hao naturally would not have dared offend Zhang Dahu. But now, he had no intention of taking a kick for nothing.

Light as a Swallow, he twisted sideways and dodged it.

Zhang Dahu, on the other hand, had never imagined Ding Hao would evade him. He stumbled and nearly tore his balls off!

"Fuck!"

"You fucking dare dodge?!"

Zhang Dahu flew into a rage from humiliation and lunged forward, driving a fist straight at Ding Hao.

As the commander of the Death Row Camp, Zhang Dahu held the same rank as a commander of a thousand men. Naturally, he was no ordinary man—already a sixth-rank Martial Artist. With that single punch, his inner force surged and spat outward, brimming with tremendous power!

Ding Hao was angered as well.

Before the battle, Zhang Dahu had kicked him, and he had not yet settled that score. Now the man was coming after him again—did he really think Ding Hao was made of clay?

He threw a punch as well.

Though Ding Hao was only a Fourth-rank Martial Artist, Natural Barbarian Strength was at his side. His strength was no weaker than Zhang Dahu's—perhaps even greater!

With a bang.

Their fists collided, and both Ding Hao and Zhang Dahu staggered backward!

Yet Ding Hao retreated only two steps, while Zhang Dahu stumbled back five or six. One of his arms had gone numb and sore!

"You!"

This scene had clearly exceeded Zhang Dahu's expectations. But in the next instant, his face twisted completely with fury, killing intent spilling in every direction!

As the commander of the Death Row Camp, he had long been used to swaggering about and throwing his weight around there. Even killing one or two condemned prisoners from time to time was no great matter—yet now, he had been beaten by a condemned prisoner!

How could he possibly endure that!

"Guards!"

"This condemned prisoner has assaulted an officer and harbors treacherous designs. Execute him on the spot!"

Whoosh!

At Zhang Dahu's command, a squad of Divine Phoenix Army soldiers responsible for supervising the Death Row Camp rushed over at once, each drawing out a bow and arrow.

In an instant, Ding Hao's expression turned cold, and he felt as though blades were pressed against his back from all sides.

Though he was now a Fourth-rank Martial Artist and possessed all manner of talents!

At the end of the day, however, he was still flesh and blood. He simply could not withstand sharp arrows. If they loosed a volley together, he would immediately be shot full of holes like a beehive.

Not even stacking the attributes he had picked up on the battlefield earlier would help!

His only hope of survival was the merit of being the first to scale the walls that he had won!

But Zhang Dahu clearly had no intention of giving him time to speak. He hurriedly gave the order, and the archers all drew their bows and nocked their arrows, ready to unleash a barrage!

Fortunately, at that very moment when a thousand pounds hung by a single thread, a thunderous shout erupted.

"Stop!"

At that shout, the squad of Divine Phoenix Army soldiers immediately halted!

Even Zhang Dahu's body jolted, and he swiftly turned around and lowered his head!

A silver-armored Ding Yishan, saber at his waist, strode over in great steps.

Once he reached them, he barked, "Zhang Dahu, what are you doing!"

Zhang Dahu hastily replied.

"Reporting to General Ding, a condemned prisoner named Ding Hao committed an offense and attempted to flee before the battle. I was about to deal with him under military law!"

"Ding Hao?"

"Flee before the battle?"

"Are you certain?"

Ding Yishan asked again, his expression ugly. Zhang Dahu hurriedly nodded.

Slap!!

To his surprise, a huge slap landed across Zhang Dahu's face in the next instant, leaving him dazed and spinning before he crashed to the ground.

At the same time.

Ding Yishan's furious rebuke rang out. "Bastard! Ding Hao just won the merit of being first to scale the walls, and you fucking say he was trying to flee before battle?"

"What!"

"Ding Hao was first to scale the walls!!"

Zhang Dahu's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

During the assault on the pass just now, he had indeed seen a condemned prisoner under his command be the first to scale the walls. But the distance had been too great, and he had not known that person was Ding Hao!

And now, his accusation that Ding Hao had tried to flee before battle was simply a joke!

After all, the man had already won the merit of being first to scale the walls. Why would he need to run!

"I-I-I..."

Zhang Dahu's face turned deathly pale. He wanted to defend himself, but had nothing to say!

In the end, he could only hurriedly drop to his knees and beg, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood Ding Hao. Please forgive me, General Ding!"

Ding Yishan did not punish Zhang Dahu severely despite his pleading.

He merely said impatiently, "Dock three months of his Military Pay. Get lost!"

"Yes!"

Zhang Dahu hurriedly rose and fled the place in a panic.

Ding Hao remained as calm and indifferent as ever, saying nothing throughout.

At the end of the day, he was only a death-row prisoner. Even if he had seized the merit of being first to scale the walls this time, there was no way his status could be mentioned in the same breath as the commander of Death Row Camp. It was already quite good that Ding Yishan had stood up for him!

Naturally, he had never expected to use this matter to pull Zhang Dahu down from his position!

"Thank you, General Ding!"

Ding Hao stepped forward to express his gratitude. Ding Yishan shook his head, his face full of approval.

"Ding Hao, today, despite being a death-row prisoner, you boldly claimed the merit of being first to scale the walls. Your battle achievements are commendable!"

"I will make your merits clear in the battle report and petition the court to remove your death-row prisoner status, restoring your good name!"

At those words, Ding Hao was instantly overjoyed and quickly clasped his fists again in thanks.

"No need to be so polite. You deserve this. But before the Imperial Pardon arrives, you must still spend your days in Death Row Camp!"

"Go. The battle report will be sent by Urgent Dispatch. There should be a reply within three days!"

"Yes!"

At last, Ding Hao nodded and returned to Death Row Camp in high spirits!