Chapter 621: Cleanup

Chapter 621: Chapter 621: Cleanup

Shen Hao had heard the phrase "corpses strewn across the fields" a long time ago.

He always thought it was just an exaggerated figure of speech—people were not mosquitoes, even in death their bodies wouldn’t cover every mountain and plain. But when he approached the frontline military camp, he realized suddenly that "corpses strewn across the fields" wasn’t hyperbole at all, but stark realism.

The ground was covered in mangled bodies; blood half-dried into viscous sludge, soaking deep into the earth, like mud after rain, but laced with the unique stench of rotting blood.

Groups of soldiers, three to a unit, held long spears and meticulously poked at the intact corpses on the ground, aiming precisely at vital spots—eyes, heart, or the center of the back. Behind them, companions drove flatbed wagons, tossing both whole corpses and fragmented limbs onto the carts to haul them away. In the distance, deep pits had been dug, where they dumped the bodies, scattered some unknown medicinal powders, then layered and buried them over and over.

Some pretended to be dead or had only fainted in the chaos and woke up later—barbarians who suddenly leapt up to injure others. But the soldiers, working in groups of three, showed no mercy nor concern for any one-on-one fairness. Any barbarian that so much as twitched received the same treatment—stab!

Shen Hao and his group picked their way through these corpses on horseback. Just judging by how the horses kept snorting and tossing their heads in agitation, the stench in the air here could well be imagined.

"There are too many corpses! Burying them isn’t enough, they need to be burned for safety!"

Burn them? Shen Hao instinctively glanced at a pile nearby—half-burned, probably not even fully cooked through—making his stomach turn. Still, he understood Chen Zifang’s concerns, and in fact, he agreed with them.

Even if you bury corpses deep, it can’t completely solve the problem. There were simply too many, and deep burial posed its own enormous risks. Besides, those deep pits were in fact not far from the military camp. Should a plague break out, there’d be no question of holding the defensive line. Just retreating would be lucky enough.

This was urgent. Chen Zifang didn’t dare delay, spurring his horse straight into the camp in a fluster, not even bothering with the rest of the cavalry unit. He clearly went straight to find that commander surnamed Cheng.

Fortunately, the Captain leading the cavalry didn’t flee. Following protocol, he stayed by Shen Hao’s side, and after handling formalities at the camp’s entrance, he entered the military camp together with Shen Hao, led by a Captain.

The acrid smell didn’t improve after entering the camp; if anything, it got even worse. Besides blood and rot, there was the stench of all sorts of medicinal brews, horse manure, and burning—all mingling into a sour reek so overpowering that even Shen Hao subconsciously rubbed his nose a few times, feeling it itch.

The place where Shen Hao’s group was stationed had been designated on short notice. The camp was in chaos after the battle, and the Captain leading the way didn’t say much, only guiding Shen Hao’s group to a remote corner, where only makeshift tents stood—and not nearly enough of them.

"Lord Shen, please have your men make do for now. I’ll go get you more tents as soon as possible. But you’ll have to pitch them yourselves, I really can’t spare anyone at the moment." The Captain’s face was smeared with ash, looking quite disheveled, but such was only natural after a great battle. His tone, at least, was courteous—clearly, he saw the Inspector as half ’one of our own’ these days.

"Much appreciated." Shen Hao wasn’t fussy. He saw the state of things clearly—having even a corner to stay was already a blessing.

His personal guards didn’t dally either, immediately setting to work tidying the area. Some muttered complaints; even the spots with tents were filthy, obviously not meant for living in—more like a dumping place for junk.

"Lord Shen?"

"Hm? That’s me." Shen Hao glanced at the Order Officer who’d called him from behind, then handed over his waist tokens without being asked. Two of them: one as Inspector, one as Chief of Miscellaneous Affairs.

"General Cheng orders: please invite Lord Shen to the main tent for a meeting."

After instructing his Xiaoqi, Shen Hao followed the Order Officer away. Of course, the three guards assigned from the Commander’s Office stuck by him as usual; they cared nothing for the main camp’s command, being outside its jurisdiction and not sharing its missions. What’s more, their cultivation level wasn’t something others could bully at will.

After singing his name outside the tent, Shen Hao entered. Compared to the central command tent at Wu Lake, this one was much smaller.

A burly, towering man sat at the head of the tent, bared to the waist. Blood was visible on his right arm, which a physician was tending.

There was a familiar face too—Chen Zifang, who’d entered the camp ahead of time, stood to one side now.

"Inspector Shen Hao, Chief of Miscellaneous Affairs, pays his respects to General Cheng!" Upon entering, Shen Hao offered his salute first thing.

"Hahaha! Lord Shen, no need for such formality. I’m a bit indisposed—let me return the greeting once my arm’s patched up."

"You’re too kind, General."

Shen Hao smiled amiably, but dared not underestimate this rough-looking man. General Cheng’s full name was Cheng Jinhou. He may look like a brute, but in the army was renowned for his reliability. That, above all, was why Zuo Yuliang had picked him to hold the line at Jianchuan. Besides, Cheng Jinhou was also a martial master in the Middle Stage of the Primordial Pill Realm.

"I received orders earlier from the Daoxing Chief’s Office that Lord Shen and Alchemist Chen were coming to assist. What a pleasant surprise! This place is a mess day in, day out. A crude fellow like me can’t get things organized. With you two here, I can finally be at ease."

"General, you’re too humble. Alchemist Chen is truly talented, I’m just here to help out and run errands—not worthy of your high regard." Except for Zhang Qian and Gan Lin, this was the first time Shen Hao had felt this kind of slick, streetwise politeness among military men. Ply you with flattery at first meeting—no doubt nothing easy lay ahead.

Chen Zifang, however, was straightforward, openly backing Shen Hao, insisting that his appointment as Chief of Miscellaneous Affairs was well-deserved and that he truly had the skills.

"Alchemist Chen just said it’s better to burn the bodies outside than to bury them. That’s the first I’ve heard of such a thing. Since you’re the Chief of Miscellaneous Affairs, Lord Shen, I’d like to hear your opinion on the matter."

Shen Hao thought quietly: As expected, they want me to shoulder this responsibility too.

But since he held the Chief of Miscellaneous Affairs post, Shen Hao wouldn’t shirk his duty. What had to be said, he would say.

"General Cheng. It’s not that we can’t bury the corpses, but there are just too many out there. Even digging deep pits, filling every valley, won’t be much use. In this heat, it’ll reek to high heaven in two or three days. Rats and scavengers will dig at the bodies at night, carrying any plague right back out. If the worst happens, with the camp this close, there won’t be any survivors. That’s why Alchemist Chen and I both believe burning them is the only safe option."

"We lack timber and fire oil; burning them all would be difficult." Cheng Jinhou frowned, not outright refusing but visibly hesitant. To burn all these corpses wouldn’t be any easier than digging deep pits to bury them.

Chen Zifang was quick to suggest a solution: "We can set up a large Five Elements Fire Attribute Array. It’ll just cost some extra general spirit stones, and the bodies will burn away quickly."