Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 168: Don’t Force My Hand

On the way to Wang Kang’s house, Fei Jin felt a stone weighing on his heart and couldn’t rest easy.

As he walked, he unconsciously started muttering:

"Qingya, when we get inside his house, be extra careful. Don’t let your eyes wander, and don’t linger in one spot for too long. If anything seems wrong, get behind me immediately. Don’t try to be brave, you hear me?"

Song Qingya’s ears were about to fall off from his nagging, but her heart felt sweet. She teased him with a smile in her eyes, "You’re usually so calm and decisive on the battlefield, a steady commander. How come you’re acting like a fretful old woman today, nagging endlessly? Could it be... you’re panicking because I’m pregnant? Afraid you can’t handle the responsibility?"

Fei Jin froze. His face flushed beet-red in an instant. He stammered out an explanation, "Who... Who’s panicking! I...

I’m just being cautious! Besides, this is no small matter. If anything goes wrong..."

The more he spoke, the more flustered he became. In the end, he just shut his mouth and gave two awkward coughs.

Song Qingya laughed out loud. Her voice was soft and soothing. "Alright, I know you’re just looking out for me. I’ll stop teasing you."

The group walked for about a quarter of an hour before finally arriving at Wang Kang’s front door.

The courtyard gate was ajar. Wang Kang was lounging lazily in an old wicker chair in the yard, enjoying the cool air with a look of pure contentment.

The moment he caught sight of Song Qingya’s figure at the entrance, his eyes went wide. His gaze latched onto her and refused to move.

He even forgot all about Song Chenglu, whom he’d been keeping locked in the house as a bargaining chip. His mind was completely filled with thoughts of how to get his hands on this breathtakingly beautiful woman.

Fei Jin’s steps grew heavy. He strode forward, firmly shielding Song Qingya behind him. He stared daggers at Wang Kang, his eyes filled with undisguised killing intent.

Song Qingya gently tugged his sleeve, then slowly stepped out from behind him. Her voice was as cold as winter ice, each word sharp and clear:

"Wang Kang, we’re here to talk business today. If you dare get any funny ideas or try to touch a single hair on my head, you’d better watch out. One day you’ll be dealt with, and you won’t even know how you died."

Wang Kang’s chest heaved with fury at her words. He shot up from the wicker chair, his face red, and pointed at her, roaring hoarsely:

"Song Qingya! Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness! If it weren’t for that man of yours standing right there, do you think I’d be speaking to you this politely? If you keep acting so ungrateful, I’ll turn on you right now, and you can forget about taking Song Chenglu a single step out of here! Now all of you, get out!"

His voice was as coarse as a thunderclap, seeming to shake the entire alley. He clearly had no respect for Song Qingya whatsoever.

Song Qingya let out a cold laugh. "Wang Kang, have you lost your mind? If you like Song Chenglu so much, feel free to treasure her like a precious jewel! I, Song Qingya, live my life with integrity. Do I look like I need to fight you over a mere concubine?"

Her cold demeanor stunned Wang Kang, making him feel a flicker of uncertainty.

He stared at Song Qingya’s face, his eyes wide, a storm raging in his heart.

’Wasn’t Song Chenglu supposed to be Fei Jin’s official concubine?’

’The rumor had spread throughout the entire mountain stronghold that Song Qingya and Fei Jin were at each other’s throats over it. So why now...’

’...was this woman showing not a hint of jealousy? This didn’t match the rumors he’d heard at all!’

Song Qingya couldn’t be bothered to look at his shocked and uncertain expression any longer. She turned, walked into the house, and plopped down on a mahogany chair in the main hall.

Fei Jin said nothing, simply following a few steps behind her. He sat down in another chair beside her, his demeanor calm and steady, as if the argument just now had never happened.

Wang Kang, ignored by their successive cool-mannered actions, felt like he was being roasted over a fire, consumed by anger and resentment.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to berate them, his gaze swept over and landed on the man beside Song Qingya—the man wore a tattered military uniform, the brim of his cap pulled low, obscuring his face.

But the more he looked, the more familiar the man seemed.

He sized him up and down. ’That build, that posture... it’s clearly... No, impossible! That man died long ago...’

As if remembering something, his hand trembled as he pointed at Fei Jin and roared, "You! Wipe your face clean right now! Stop playing games!"

Fei Jin glared at him coldly, his voice low yet full of pressure. "Wang Kang, don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming!"

Wang Kang’s heart skipped a beat under the force of his sharp aura, but this only deepened his suspicion.

He had a feeling that the man before him was the very "dead man" he thought had perished long ago!

’But if it really is him...’

’...then this situation is completely different!’

Inside the house, Song Qingya was already fed up with the shouting.

She shot to her feet and snapped, "Wang Kang! Are you done yet? Don’t force my hand! Do you really think I, Song Qingya, am a pushover?"

Wang Kang clenched his jaw, ultimately forcing down his suspicion for the time being.

Right now, he had to hold his ground and not let them lead him by the nose.

"Fine!"

He sneered. "Song Qingya, since we’re at this point, I’ll be frank. No more beating around the bush!"

His gaze shifted, sweeping over Fei Jin before landing back on Song Qingya’s face as he stated his terms. "You leave all of Fei Jin’s men from the camp behind. From now on, they’re under my command! And hand over one hundred silver dollars as a ransom. Then, I’ll release Song Chenglu! One word—trade!"

He paused, his tone suddenly turning vicious as he spoke, enunciating every word. "Otherwise... you’ll have to stay behind and keep me company! And I won’t be as ’merciful’ as he is!"

Hearing this, Song Qingya sneered inwardly.

’This Wang Kang really has a death wish!’

She slowly rose to her feet. Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was like a knife. "Wang Kang, you want to swallow up Fei Jin’s troops? Are you even worthy? You’re nothing but a shameless rat! Don’t think I don’t know about your dirty, underhanded dealings!"

Wang Kang’s face burned with shame from her tirade.

He slammed his palm on the table, his face ashen with rage.

"Song Qingya! Fei Jin is long dead! Blown to bits, not even a scrap left! You’re a widow now, so stop acting so tough!"

Song Qingya stared at him, her gaze like a dagger, her eyes churning with shock and pain.

Her heart sank. Wang Kang had said it without a hint of hesitation.

’How can he be so sure?’

’Could it be... that he really was involved in what happened to Fei Jin?’

The explosion had been too sudden. The command post’s defense systems were always tight; an ordinary person could never have gotten close... If not for a mole, who could have planted a bomb so silently?

"Wang Kang," her voice dropped low, each word piercing like an icicle, "the bomb at the command post... did you plant it?"

Wang Kang froze, clearly not expecting her to question him so directly.

The excuse he had prepared was suddenly stuck in his throat, unable to be spoken or swallowed.

But he had been around the army for years, after all, and his mind worked fast.

Seeing Song Qingya seemingly alone, he grew smug, his eyes filled with contempt.

"That’s right! I did it! That brat Fei Jin was so full of himself, always looking down on me. I’ve hated the sight of him for a long time! I even paid a fortune for that bomb on the market—it’s extremely powerful! I had someone modify the fuse, add a time delay, just to make his death more painful! Forget a person, even a chunk of iron would have been blown away, leaving no corpse behind!"

As Fei Jin listened, his heart seized, and the scene of the explosion flashed through his mind.