DEATH ON ALL SIDESDuan Ling and Wu Du make a desperate bid to break out of the Mongol siege at Luoyan, escorting Yelü Zongzhen, the emperor of Liao, to safety in Southern Chen. Riding with them is the captured Lang Junxia, whose loyalties remain as unreadable as ever. Is he Duan Ling’s enemy, or is there some hidden purpose behind his betrayal? And if it came to it—could Duan Ling really bring himself to kill him?Meanwhile, the secret of Duan Ling’s true identity grows harder to keep with each passing day. As he remains stuck in the north, fighting to secure the nation's precarious border, both Cai Yan and Mu Kuangda are closing in on him from the capital. If Duan Ling is exposed before his plans are set, even Wu Du’s unwavering protection may not be enough to save him.