Chapter Fifty-Five: Perished on the Path of the Charge

Now, Xiao Fei had already arrived at the mass grave twenty miles outside Jiangning City.

The speed at which Xiao Fei arrived surprised Tojo Hideki, but what shocked him even more was the sight of Xiao Fei with a pair of wings sprouting from his back—wings that possessed the power of invisibility.

As Xiao Fei landed, he startled the surrounding crows, sending them scattering into the air. This eerie atmosphere was the perfect setting for murder and silencing witnesses.

“Haha! Xiao Fei, you truly are no ordinary man. Wings have grown upon your body—are you some sort of demon? But it matters not whether you are human or monster; today, you are doomed to die!” Tojo Hideki declared with fierce resolve, leaping down from a tall tree.

“Tojo Hideki, at last we meet. You had me searching for you everywhere,” Xiao Fei shouted harshly.

“Oh? You actually know me, General Tojo?” Tojo Hideki was taken aback. He had never directly confronted Xiao Fei, and his presence here was meant to be a secret operation. Aside from insiders in Japan, no Chinese or outsider should know his identity. How did Xiao Fei know his name?

In truth, their encounter was a twist of fate, a historical misalignment. Tojo Hideki had come to China to carry out secret anti-Chinese activities, never expecting to face an adversary as formidable as Xiao Fei.

“Tojo Hideki, you bastard! You have committed countless crimes against my Chinese people. Even if I kill you a thousand, ten thousand times, your sins would not be absolved. Today, I stand for justice and will send you to hell!” With these words, Xiao Fei shot into the sky.

Tojo Hideki sprang up as well, and the two clashed fiercely.

Tojo Hideki kicked a nearby gravestone; it shattered, a large chunk breaking off and, infused with his powerful internal energy, hurtled straight toward Xiao Fei.

This was Xiao Fei’s first direct encounter with Tojo Hideki—their first actual fight. With just this move, Xiao Fei could sense the gulf between their abilities. The broken gravestone whooshed through the air, almost sparking as it flew. Xiao Fei had hoped to seize the initiative, but instead found himself on the defensive, barely able to parry, with no chance to counter.

When Xiao Fei kicked aside the flying gravestone, he felt even more keenly just how formidable Tojo Hideki’s internal strength was.

Yet Xiao Fei did not falter. He leapt up again, using the flight skill of his Thunder Wings to maneuver around Tojo Hideki. The tactic worked: no matter how strong Tojo Hideki’s internal energy, he could not fly after Xiao Fei and was left spinning in circles.

Seizing the moment, Xiao Fei pulled out his Browning. With opponents like this, there was no need to worry about honor—he fired immediately.

But Xiao Fei had underestimated Tojo Hideki. The moment he squeezed the trigger, Tojo Hideki vanished.

This was a technique from Japanese ninjutsu—Invisibility.

Within Japanese ninjutsu, there were ranks: Genin, Chunin, and Jonin. Only those who achieved the Jonin level could master invisibility.

This left Xiao Fei perplexed. His Thunder Wings granted no advantage now, and he had to be constantly vigilant against Tojo Hideki’s ambush.

True to form, just as Xiao Fei was calculating his next move, he was suddenly kicked from behind. Fortunately, he had anticipated an attack, so the injury was not too severe.

Damn it! To think he’d dare ambush me! Xiao Fei was furious, but had no outlet for his rage, as Tojo Hideki was invisible and nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps both men sensed that this battle could drag on forever without a winner. As if by mutual understanding, they both revealed themselves.

“Well, Xiao Fei, I did not misjudge you. To fight such a mighty opponent as yourself is my honor. But today, you must die!” Tojo Hideki boasted shamelessly.

“Humph! It remains to be seen who will die today,” Xiao Fei retorted. Though he no longer used his Thunder Wings, Tojo Hideki was unaware that Xiao Fei wore a suit of golden silk armor. With its protection, he was impervious to blades and bullets, and even Tojo Hideki’s profound internal energy might not claim the upper hand.

Night had fallen. Soon, stars covered the sky, the moon was obscured, the wind was high, and the air was cold—a perfect night for killing.

Xiao Fei and Tojo Hideki fought fiercely, neither able to gain the upper hand. Though Xiao Fei’s internal strength was no match for Tojo Hideki’s, his relentless spirit astonished his opponent. Tojo Hideki could not fathom why Xiao Fei bore such hatred toward him, why he was so determined to kill him.

Xiao Fei tore off a branch and attacked Tojo Hideki, employing a cunning feint. As his right hand swung the branch, his left used another to sweep up dust from the ground. This way, no matter how sharp Tojo Hideki’s vision, he could not see Xiao Fei clearly.

At that moment, dust blew into Tojo Hideki’s eyes. In the instant he squinted, Xiao Fei seized the chance, leaping forward and kicking him in the abdomen.

“Ah! You little bastard, playing dirty!” Tojo Hideki cursed.

“Damn it, with someone like you, why bother with fairness? Take this!” Xiao Fei launched another sudden attack.

According to Xiaoling, Xiao Fei could use Frost True Qi under certain conditions. Against ordinary foes, he could use it freely, but against those ranked Warrior or above, the range was limited to one meter and only when the opponent was completely unguarded.

Xiao Fei risked everything to close in on Tojo Hideki.

Within a meter’s range, Tojo Hideki failed to guard his lower body. While Xiao Fei attacked his upper body, he quietly applied Frost True Qi to Tojo Hideki’s lower half.

Instantly, Tojo Hideki’s lower body grew unbearably cold, like an ice block. He hurriedly touched his thigh, only to have his hand stick to it—the temperature was so low.

With his lower body frozen, Tojo Hideki’s blood could not circulate, and he felt as if he might suffocate. This miraculous power was unlike anything he had seen or even heard of.

Desperate, Tojo Hideki focused his energy to dispel the cold.

But just as he succeeded, distracted, Xiao Fei’s steel blade struck silently, piercing his heart.

“Haha! Damn you, die!” Xiao Fei laughed, swinging his blade again, nearly driving it through Tojo Hideki’s heart.

Yet, something unbelievable happened. Tojo Hideki, stabbed in the heart, was unharmed. He stood up, moved aside, and laughed, “Haha, Xiao Fei, you never imagined, did you? My heart isn’t where you think—it’s lower down. I am one in a million, a man of strange constitution. Since you can’t kill me, let me kill you!”

With that, Tojo Hideki drew out a small cloth pouch and a military knife, punctured the pouch, and revealed its contents—poisoned blood from Tamaki Aoichi.

“Let me show you the power of the Black Widow!” Tojo Hideki bellowed, lunging at Xiao Fei like a mad dog.

Xiao Fei dodged repeatedly; if the poisoned blade cut him, he would degenerate into a fish, just like Jin Wanyu. The thought of his hands turning into fins filled him with dread, but faced with life and death, he could not afford to fear.

“Damn it! Even if I die today, I’ll drag you down with me!” Xiao Fei charged, and his steel blade clashed with Tojo Hideki’s military knife, sending sparks flying.

With his golden silk armor, Xiao Fei should have been safe from the blade, but he dared not risk it—a single cut would spell doom.

Their fierce battle startled the wild wolves nearby, who began howling. Xiao Fei, after all, was just an eighteen-year-old youth; in his previous life, he was merely an ordinary college student, never exposed to such peril.

But it was kill or be killed. A man must die on the path of battle, if he must die at all.

Xiao Fei launched a reckless assault, giving Tojo Hideki no advantage.

Focused on dodging the poisoned blade, Xiao Fei didn’t expect a sudden kick from below, striking his abdomen.

Wracked with pain, Xiao Fei was knocked to the ground, rolling aside.

“Humph! Let’s see where you run!” Tojo Hideki sneered, stabbing at Xiao Fei.

At that moment, Tojo Hideki was struck from behind by another blade.

Xiao Fei reacted in a flash, leaping up and thrusting his blade beneath Tojo Hideki’s chest. “Thank you for telling me the true location of your heart—otherwise, I wouldn’t have killed you so quickly!”

The one who attacked Tojo Hideki from behind was none other than Yamamoto Taro.

Xiao Fei was baffled: why did Yamamoto Taro keep saving him?

[PS: Brothers, you can speculate—what secrets does Yamamoto Taro have? Why does he save Xiao Fei?]