A mountain—from its base to its summit, there was hardly any sense of natural slope, standing upright as though a sheer wall had abruptly risen from the ground. It was exceedingly tall, yet not very thick.
It felt as if a single missile fired into it would punch a hole right through.
From here, one could use a pair of binoculars to overlook the entire Qu clan settlement in the distance.
Night had deepened. The moonlight bathed the peak in an ethereal glow that felt otherworldly. Mountain flora swayed across the summit, and the wind whipped fiercely past the ears.
Shen Yixiu had taken off her bright red cloak long ago; otherwise, standing atop the peak like this might have looked quite magnificent, but it would also have been far too conspicuous.
"This is too much, Han Qingqing! Leaving a girl all by herself to spend the night in the middle of nowhere! You smelly Qing-frog!"
Rusty Sister lay back on the mountain peak, propping the wooden case that held her column sword under her head, resting her knight broadsword beside her, and crossing her legs.
Lately, she had taken a liking to thinking of and calling herself a girl. In fact, clearly realizing on a physical level that she was still a girl had happened last time, when Han Qingyu knocked on her chest with his knuckles aboard the plane.
At that moment, she had actually felt very flustered, but she had successfully concealed it under an outburst of defensive fury.
"So, if there comes a day when I'm really dying, and he brings me a mirror and takes off my armor! Wouldn't I be seen completely naked by him?! Aiya!"
Holding the jade bone in her hand, she toyed with it out of boredom, letting her imagination run wild.
"A girl, all alone in these desolate mountains and wild ridges... What if some jackal, wolf, tiger, leopard, demon, or ghost suddenly jumps out in a bit..."
After a while, the nearby thicket suddenly rustled—not the rustling caused by the wind.
Alerted, Rusty Sister quickly glanced over and sat up.
A wolf stood there, its eyes gleaming green, staring at her.
*A wolf!* Rusty Sister thought.
*...* the wolf thought.
They stared at each other like that, locked in a stalemate for about five seconds.
*Whoosh!* The wolf was gone.
It fled, wheeling around and vanishing straight into the bushes, howling incessantly like a dog beaten half to death as it scrambled away in panic. "Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!"
"Aiya, you... You make me so mad!"
Pouting, Rusty Sister grumbled at the wolf. Laying back down, she looked up at the night sky and said, "See? I told you, if any jackals, wolves, tigers, or leopards came out, they'd just be scared witless by me."
She ended up laughing at her own silliness.
***
The morning sunlight struck iron armor, gleaming brightly.
Han Qingyu and his party of four got up and had breakfast.
This time, it was at a large banquet table, sumptuous and attended by dedicated servants. Truth be told, Han Wujing was currently the hottest figure here. Qu Zongxing admired him greatly, and was also using him to showcase his own magnanimity and appreciation for talent.
After breakfast, Qu Zongxing sent someone to invite him. As before, Han Qingyu went to participate in the discussions among the important figures. By the time he returned, dinner was already over. Having spent an entire day in meetings like an important dignitary, he didn't head over to take a seat of honor, but sat down beside Wen Jifei and the other two first.
"Those two families have already handed theirs over. Qu Zongxing wrote IOUs—though who knows if they're actually worth anything. Watching these reclusive folks go about this kind of business is pretty amusing.
"Also, he lost his temper at the rest, saying they had no regard for the big picture. He probably assumes someone else is holding onto a Bone of Eternal Life and refusing to bring it out."
Han Qingyu gave a brief summary.
Wen Jifei grunted an acknowledgment. Up to this point, every part of his scheme had been proceeding smoothly.
It was roughly like a premeditated robber who had sidled up next to a mob boss collecting protection money, simply watching and waiting for him to gather every last cent, at which point he would either steal it away, or, if left with no alternative, chop the man down and scoop it up.
"Did you watch them hand it over? Did you see Qu Zongxing put it away?"
"No, neither. He definitely doesn't trust me one hundred percent yet, and there were other matters they discussed that they didn't let me take part in... But my guess is, someone else is definitely keeping an eye on it."
The figure of Zhu Jiaming flashed through both of their minds. Just as Han Qingyu was about to continue, one of the men seated in the chairs ahead warmly hailed him.
He had no choice but to head over first.
Flames flickered in the night wind.
Upon the bluestone platform, Qu Zongxing reappeared tonight dressed in a different outfit: a short tunic, a belt, and trousers tucked deep into military boots.
Han Qingyu found it looked somewhat familiar. After thinking about it, he recalled probably seeing it in a TV drama. *Fuck! Isn't that a modified version of a local warlord's uniform from that era?! What is he planning to do?!*
On the platform, Qu Zongxing cupped his fists and stood with solemn dignity.
"The alliance has been discussed up to this day, and I believe the time has come to lay certain matters before you all. Recently, Great Spikes descended on a massive scale around Xilang Peak, followed by continuous warfare—events of which I trust most of you present have heard wind...
"The grand trend of the world is changing!
"Externally, our peers have been pressured by circumstances. Due to the purges by our formidable enemy, Azure, we have already lost seven families. Internally, we face a shortage of resources, lacking a leader, barely eking out an existence, drifting toward self-extinction for far too long.
"Therefore, if we continue to lie dormant, we will have no future!"
Hearing this pseudo-classical, high-flown rhetoric, the two poor students, Han Qingyu and Wen Jifei, pondered for quite a while before finally piecing together some sense of it. Both were somewhat dumbfounded on the spot: *Is this a joke?*
"Do you understand him?" Wen Jifei turned to ask Pang Jinghe.
Pang Jinghe nodded.
"So what's he saying?"
"He says the realm is in chaos, heroes are vying for the deer of supremacy, and we ought to join the hunt as well."
"Do you find it funny, then?" Wen Jifei asked with a grin.
Pang Jinghe looked at him, his gaze earnest, and shook his head.
So these people were serious!
That's a fucking Great Spike invasion, a crisis for all humankind, and you call it "the realm in chaos"?! Besides, do you even know what scale Azure operates on? Not to mention Azure, there's still Snow Lotus, and... What the hell kind of deer are you vying for?! Wouldn't it be better if you just herded your sheep, had babies, and herded more sheep in peace?!
In the middle of the square, *creak... whoosh!*
A wooden pole more than ten meters long was erected beside the bluestone platform. It was a flagpole, bearing a great banner unfurling above: [QU].
*I thought it would say "Righteousness,"* Wen Jifei thought. *Don't tell me this bastard is going to declare himself emperor next?*
Wen Jifei suddenly recalled stories he had read in street-side magazines about "empires" busted by local police stations. *Turns out that kind of stuff really exists. Some people really overestimate themselves this much.*
*Whatever, go ahead and court death,* Han Qingyu decided on his stance at the same time: simply pay no mind.
In any case, they didn't harbor the slightest desire to extinguish this little empire.
"Today, we forge our alliance and join in a righteous cause. The banner has been raised!" Qu Zongxing retracted his gaze from the flag. "Men, prepare to sacrifice to the banner."
Sacrifice to the banner?
Sacrifice to the banner?
Han Qingyu and Wen Jifei were simultaneously taken aback.
The Qu clan servants went off to carry out the order.
"A few days ago, chaos reigned around Xilang Peak. This old man personally ventured onto the plateau to investigate, and conveniently brought back several Azure soldiers. As everyone seated here knows, not long ago Azure wiped out seven of our clans... Today, we shall consecrate our righteous banner with the blood of Azure soldiers!"
Amidst shouting and calls, a total of seven Azure soldiers, hands bound, were led onto the platform from behind the bluestone stage.
They stood there—among them were Huaxia faces, as well as South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Western faces.
"Fuck!" Wen Jifei cursed under his breath.
At the same time, Han Qingyu's mind buzzed.
Sometimes, you plan everything meticulously, execute it with great effort, and everything progresses smoothly, looking as though only the final step remains.
Yet the result might not be achieved, and everything done prior might be rendered completely futile... Such is the normal course of life.
Sometimes, failure might even be chosen willingly, when forced to make a sacrifice and a choice.
Amid the abruptly shifting scene, Han Qingyu remained seated. An incident from his elementary school days suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Back then, there was a bayberry tree on the hill behind the school. The bayberries had fruited but were not yet ripe. When he went to look, he spotted a snake den and two venomous snakes beside the tree. He didn't catch them, nor did he go home to tell his dad or grandfather.
Instead, he went back and told all his classmates and buddies how dangerous that place was, thinking to himself that this way, all the bayberries would be his. He felt immensely smug.
Later, when the bayberries ripened red, those bastards actually went to fight the snakes.
The last time he told this story, Rusty Sister had asked him at this point, "And then?"
"And then I had no choice but to rush over and catch the snakes."
"And after that?"
"After that, everyone ate all the bayberries."
"Didn't you eat any?"
"Both my hands were holding snakes."
That was the story. Han Qingyu lowered his head, thinking about it, a wry smile touching the corner of his lips.
In front of the bluestone platform, a young female soldier turned her gaze, and it fell upon him. Her eyes paused in slight bewilderment. Braids hung behind the girl's head, completely disheveled now. Nineteen years old, an Azure private, she possessed a name that looked unyielding in writing yet sounded lively and fun when spoken aloud: Lin Qiangqiang.
Han Qingyu naturally didn't know Lin Qiangqiang. To him, all seven people present were strangers... save for the Azure uniforms on their bodies.
Lin Qiangqiang, however, had actually seen Han Qingyu before.
Back then on the plateau, when Han Qingyu had given Team 61 the Great Spike arm, the squad she belonged to was watching from a ridge not far away. Because they arrived a step too late, all they could do was envy them—envy them to death.
That had been Lin Qiangqiang's first time seeing Major The Qing in person after hearing so many stories about him. The young girl felt a tinge of regret, but she was also overjoyed. A few days later, while conducting search and clearance operations, she had been ambushed and captured by people from the Qu clan.
"Met before?" one of Qu Zongxing's confidants suddenly spoke up.
Because of that remark, everyone in the square turned their gaze toward them.
Han Qingyu looked up as well, their eyes meeting.
The Azure female soldier was looking at him—a fact everyone witnessed.
It was only at this moment that Lin Qiangqiang snapped back to reality. Panic flickered in her heart. *I'm sorry.* She realized she might have made a blunder. Major The Qing and his comrades surely had an important mission, and there were so many enemies here.
*She'll probably say right away that she hasn't,* Wen Jifei thought.
"Met? How could I not have?" Lin Qiangqiang's face was smudged with dirt, blood at the corner of her mouth. Looking at Han Qingyu, she said, "You might think you've never seen me, but I would recognize you even if you were burned to ashes... You killed my former vice-captain! Remember this: Azure will definitely avenge him!"
Her tone wasn't vehement, yet it was laden with hatred, fury, and helpless grief.
In fact, just a moment ago, Lin Qiangqiang had almost wanted to say that the person he killed was her former sweetheart. But if she said that, this "dead iron straight man" definitely wouldn't understand, and it would sound strange, arousing suspicion.
*What on earth am I thinking at a time like this?!* Having said her piece, the young girl turned her head back, closed her eyes, and trembled faintly.
She did not call for help.
*If he could save us, he definitely would. He's Major The Qing, after all... But he can't save us...*
Chapter 387