"A rebellion is a rope of frayed threads — each man pulls his own way, until one cuts the rest." — Xu Liang
By the tenth day, the rain had stopped, but no one cheered.Too many glances were sideways now. Too many voices hushed. A fire still burned in the center of camp, but no one warmed themselves by it — not when every shadow whispered betrayal.
They found another body that morning.
Hanged this time. Still warm. A rebel archer named Sui. His hands were tied, but there were no signs of struggle.
No note.
No footprints.
No answers.
Huai Shan stood in the middle of the courtyard, soaked to the knees, and looked his men in the eye.
"This ends now," he said.
But his words no longer lit sparks. They landed like stones in water — dull, swallowed.
Yi Fen was the first to speak up.
"Two dead in three days. Sabotage before that. And you still won't name names."
"I won't accuse without proof."
"Then you're not a leader — you're a storyteller."
It took until dusk for the council to break.
Yi Fen gathered thirty loyal to him — fighters, kitchen hands, even one of the old tower boys. They weren't armed yet, but they didn't hide their intent.
Xu Liang stood beside Huai Shan but didn't speak.
"You want a trial?" Yi Fen shouted. "Fine. Then let the camp decide!"
A murmur of approval.
Huai raised his hand.
"Let them decide what? Who dies next? Who gets blamed to make you feel safer?"
"No, Huai," Yi Fen said. "Who we follow. If we follow you — or someone who'll keep us alive."
The vote was called.
They used stones — dark for Huai, pale for Fen. Placed into a sack passed through trembling hands.
Qiao counted.
Sixty-three for Huai Shan.
Fifty-eight for Yi Fen.
Close.
Too close.
Afterward, Huai met Yi Fen alone beneath the half-torn banner of the wolf.
"You want to leave," Huai said quietly.
"No," Yi Fen replied. "I want to win. And I don't think you can anymore."
They looked at each other a long time.
Huai finally nodded. "Then take those who'll follow you. Head west. Try to cross the frozen lake. It won't hold — but maybe you'll get lucky."
Yi Fen didn't thank him.
Didn't curse either.
Just walked away.
That night, Huai sat alone by the fire. Xu Liang sat beside him at last.
"You lost half the camp," he said.
"No," Huai replied. "I lost the ones who forgot why we fight."
Xu Liang studied the flame. "They'll die out there."
"I know."
Neither of them spoke again until dawn.