At this time, a familiar cry reached Chang Geng's ears. He turned back and saw the head of Butcher Ge hanging on the railing together with several pig heads. His wife was pale and blue as she was crushed under the collapsed walls. She had long since stopped breathing. The choked cries of Ge Pang Xiao came from afar, and Chang Geng was taken aback. He didn't have the strength to be concerned about anything else anymore, and he subconsciously said: "It seems to be Ge Pang Xiao of the butcher family..."

Shen Yi kept on charging ahead without stopping his feet.

Chang Geng thought he didn't hear it properly: "General, wait!"

Shen Yi said: "Your subject was ordered to protect Your Royal Highness to leave the city. There cannot be any delay."

His voice came from behind the iron mask, cold as metal that had been submerged in ice.

Chang Geng was dumbfounded.

The hissing wind grazed past his ears, and sticky cold sweat slid down his spine. Everywhere he touched was dark iron — extremely cold, just like the iron wristband that could never be warm around his wrist.

Ge Pang Xiao often acted spoiled, showed all his teeth when he smiled, and his personality was a little strange and quirky. There wasn't a single person who didn't love the boy.

Chang Geng suddenly muttered, "Isn't that your student?"

In Shen Yi's eyes, were these students who were close to him day in and day out nothing more to him than an imperial mission of two years ordering him to be in disguise?

That's right. For the grand characters of the Black Iron Camp, what was one puny Yanhui Town?

What was just one child from a butcher family?

In this world, some people's lives were worth more than others; just because one was lovable did not mean he was valuable.

Of course, Shen Yi was not as cold as his armor, but he was only alone at the moment. His highest priority remained to be to complete this task without fail.

The Western Regions had just surrendered, and the entire elite force of the Black Iron Camp was currently keeping guard on that side. They could only afford to bring a tiny fraction of their force here. After two years of netting, they must make one precise move and haul in this big fish.

If they could seize this chance, they would be able to exchange it for peace and stability that would last a few years in the Northern Frontier. Otherwise, they would waste all their efforts.

Due to the complexity of this situation, how could he explain everything clearly to this kid in just a few words?

Shen Yi said earnestly: "Your Highness, please forgive me... Your Highness!"

It seems that while Shen Yi was unprepared, Chang Geng had taken advantage of this brief moment to bend over and touch the lock placed on the elbow of the iron armor.