A divine healer, a general, a young marquis! Who can rival them!

That troop of armored soldiers led Yang Hu through one sentry post after another, straight into the central command tent of the Qing Shi Kou camp.

The further you go in, the heavier the somber atmosphere becomes.

Layer upon layer of armored soldiers stood with their hands on their swords, their gazes sharp as knives. Rows of tents stretched out, banners fluttering, exuding an air of strict discipline and unwavering discipline. At the gates before the tents, two rows of gleaming halberds stood, and the officers hurrying back and forth did not dare to breathe too loudly.

This central command tent is the heart of the entire camp, the place where commands are given to the three armies. Troop deployments, provisions, and weapons are all issued from here. Ordinary soldiers dare not even approach it.

Yang Hu walked slowly, his expression calm, but his eyes silently memorized the layout of the central army, the density of the sentry posts, and the location of each tent.

This is the instinct of a medical officer investigating cases. On the surface, he is a military doctor who has come to answer the call; in secret, he wants to see clearly where the hand hidden deepest in the depths is entrenched.

All the weapons that had leaked out along the way, the poisoned arrows, and the adulterated medicine from Qing Shi Kou—every single item—converged towards this heavily guarded central command tent. He was almost certain that the hand was hidden deep within these banners and armored soldiers.

Qin Ying, disguised as a medicine boy, followed behind him with her shoulders hunched.

Her eyes were lowered, but her heart was in turmoil. Years ago, as the granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo and a female general ordered to patrol the border, she had entered and exited this central command tent countless times. Before the sand table, she would deploy troops; from the command platform, a single order would be given, and the entire army would obey. Every officer who saw her would bow respectfully.

Now, she can only disguise herself as a meek and obedient medicine boy, blending in here, not daring to even raise her head. If she is recognized, she will be torn to pieces. Every step she takes is on the edge of a knife.

She knew better than anyone that this central command tent held more than just the hand of a traitor. It was from here that the deceitful military report that had described her as having "fought valiantly to her death" was sent out.

Inside the main tent, a heavily armored general of the central army sat in the main seat.

That was Zhou, the deputy commander of the Qing Shi Kou camp, and the one who truly commanded the troops in this battle.

"So you're the physician Yang Hu who saved General Chen?" Deputy Commander Zhou sized up the young man before him, a hint of surprise flashing in his tiger-like eyes. "Impressive skills. General Chen was the backbone of the East City defense. Your actions saved his life and also protected a section of the East City wall for me."

"I don't deserve the praise from the deputy commander," Yang Hu said, cupping his hands in greeting. "It's a doctor's duty to save lives."

Vice Commander Zhou stroked his beard and smiled, then immediately ordered someone to bring the reward silver and silk, which he generously bestowed upon the recipients.

Yang Hu thanked the reward, but as he lowered his eyes, he was also secretly sizing up the deputy commander. This deputy commander was a true commander-in-chief, exuding a ruthless aura, and didn't seem like the kind of person who would secretly poison or leak supplies. But he still couldn't see clearly whose hand was hidden in this central command tent, and he couldn't trust anyone.

Vice Commander Zhou abruptly changed the subject: "The army desperately needs someone like you." He continued slowly, "With a major battle imminent, casualties will only increase. I intend to have you remain in the central command to assist in managing the army's medical affairs and oversee the doctors' and medicines for each battalion. What do you say?"

This sentence carries immense weight.

A doctor accompanying the army was personally appointed by the deputy commander to assist in the administration of medical affairs, bypassing the many veteran military doctors in the camp. This was an immense honor.

But a sense of unease crept into Yang Hu's mind.

Is it because they genuinely appreciate his abilities? Or is it that the hand hidden in the central command, seeing him investigate all the way here, simply wants to use this as an excuse to bring this increasingly troublesome person under their noses, examine him closely, and then find an opportunity to eliminate him silently?

He had to guard against both. But he couldn't refuse the task of assisting with medical matters. Only by accepting it could he legitimately move around and investigate in the deepest part of the central military tent.

"Thank you for your high regard, Vice Commander." He bowed in response.

Whether it's a blessing or a curse, he has to accept it. It's a risky move, but it's also the closest he'll ever get to that hand.

On the very day he took on the task, Yang Hu used the pretext of taking inventory of the army's medicines to quietly move around inside and outside the heavily guarded tent.

On one hand, he reorganized the medicines and equipment of the central army, clearing out all the moldy and adulterated ones and replacing them with genuine good medicines; on the other hand, he kept a close eye on every unusual corner and every mysterious person in the large tent.

Qin Ying, disguised as a medicine boy, assisted him from the side. Her eyes, honed from years of military experience, subtly kept watch for him. She knew the intricacies of the central command tent intimately, knowing at a glance which areas were key points and which were most heavily guarded. The two of them, one in the open and one in the shadows, thoroughly explored every inch of the central command tent.

On that very day, he bumped into a familiar figure.

It was that low-ranking military clerk who smuggled and adulterated military medicine for profit.

The clerk hurried along, carrying a scroll of documents in his hand. He went straight into an inconspicuous side tent behind the main military tent, whispered a few words to a person dressed in official robes, and then quickly withdrew.

Yang Hu stood at a distance behind a pile of medicinal herbs, taking in the entire scene. He recognized the quartermaster as the one who had adulterated the military medicine in Qing Shi Kou for profit, causing large numbers of wounded soldiers to suffer from festering sores.

The side tent that this minor official frequented was heavily guarded, and even ordinary officers of the central army were not allowed to enter without permission.

Yang Hu's heart sank suddenly.

A mere quartermaster could move freely in and out of the central command tent and even communicate with the clerks in the heavily guarded side tent. The hand that could command him and support him was certainly not that of an ordinary general.

The outline of that hand gradually emerged from the deepest part of the central command tent.

But Yang Hu didn't make a sound. He knew that this minor official was nothing more than a claw floating on the surface. Once alerted, that hand would be severed and retracted.

What he wanted was to follow this line and find the true form of that hand.

"That side tent is even more heavily guarded than the central command tent." As night fell, he whispered to Qin Ying, who was disguised as a medicine boy, "There are very few people in the entire camp who can allow a mere quartermaster to come and go freely and yet have absolute power in this central command tent. The true identity of this hand is probably inside that tent."

A chilling glint appeared in Qin Ying's clear eyes: "But the closer it gets, the more dangerous it becomes. It can wreak havoc in the central army; eliminating a troublesome military doctor like you is just a matter of lifting a finger."

Yang Hu nodded slowly. He knew perfectly well.

He hadn't expected that his covert investigation would come so quickly and be noticed by others.

The hand hidden deep within the central command sensed the young military doctor's gaze, which was slowly approaching him.

As night fell, Yang Hu finished counting the last batch of military medicine and returned to the residence arranged for him by the central army.

Outside the dwelling, the moonlight was dim, and a shadow flashed past along the curtain, so fast that one almost thought it was an illusion.

But Yang Hu's long-honed vigilance sent a chill down his spine in an instant.

Someone is watching him.

The hand hidden deep within the central command finally couldn't restrain itself any longer and decided to kill. It wanted to silently eliminate the young military doctor who had tracked it down to its throat before this decisive battle.

A net aimed at his death was quietly being cast in the shadows of the central command tent.