Chapter 131: The Ambush (Middle)

Qian Ye fished out a large water flask from Anduia’s space, pouring the crystal-clear tree sap into his mouth. The wound on his shoulder swiftly closed and began to heal. After a moment, Qian Ye’s injuries were completely gone, his origin power restored, and he was once more in peak condition. Without hesitation, he turned and ran back the way he came.

Aiden’s full-force strike could not instantly kill Qian Ye, and likewise, Qian Ye’s sniping had limited effect on Aiden. The main reason was that the Thunderbolt’s power paled in comparison to Aiden’s exceptional sniper rifle. However, Qian Ye had a plan: if one shot couldn’t take him down, he would hit him multiple times, each time with a single shot. In other words, Qian Ye was prepared to trade blows with Aiden, exchanging injuries for injuries.

The conflict on the floating land of the void grew increasingly tense, while the Eternal Night continent entered a rare period of calm, with few major battles occurring.

The struggle between the two factions on the abandoned lands had been a long and protracted war, but the past two years had been particularly tumultuous. Starting from the battle over Anduia’s treasure, the Iron Curtain bloodbath, and the Slumber of Giants, each conflict had gathered nearly a million troops, far exceeding the scale typical of Eternal Night wars.

Now, the Eternal Night had returned to order, and the fortunate survivors could safely explore the wilderness. Valuable resources could still be found on old battlefields, drawing countless scavengers like ants to every corner of the wastelands, even to the ruins of the Eternal Night camps.

Black Current City was no longer as bustling as it had been during the war. Without conflict, there were no opportunities to profit from it, and many hyena-like mercenaries had left. However, with the newly opened territory under the Independent Brigade of Dark Flame, Black Current City, as the base and supply hub, still offered many opportunities.

Dark Flame was unrecognizable from its former self, having expanded to over thirty thousand troops after several enlargements, with most core warriors battle-hardened. The headquarters had expanded again and again, becoming a city within a city. Of course, only twelve thousand men were officially recorded in the expeditionary force.

In a quiet corner of the headquarters, an elegant courtyard served as Qian Ye’s residence, now occupied only by Yenot.

At this rare moment of sunlight, a beam of golden light pierced through the layers of leaves, casting shimmering spots in the courtyard. Yenot sat there, engrossed in a book, a pot of hot tea on the small table beside her.

She was dressed simply in a shirt and trousers, along with a pair of comfortable flat shoes suitable for exercise. Her mask remained on her face, concealing her features. Even so, she possessed a natural grace that, while not immediately striking, drew eyes over time.

A knock sounded at the door, and Song Zining walked in, sitting opposite Yenot.

Yenot merely glanced up at him, then returned her gaze to the book, saying mildly, “Shouldn’t you be on the front lines?”

“Whether I’m there or not makes no difference. We’ll lose the next phase anyway.”

Yenot frowned slightly, giving him another look. Song Zining appeared carefree, a far cry from someone burdened with national concerns.

He waved his folding fan, leisurely remarking, “Black Current is where the real assets lie. This money is for us. Which do you think is more important?”

“I heard your current commander isn’t easy to fool.”

“You mean Prince Qingyang? I never fooled him. When asked, I always tell the truth. Besides, my military position is half-imaginary, and no one has called me up. Once I sort things out here, I’ll join the fight. Anyway, we’re going to lose, so why ruin my undefeated record?” Song Zining laughed without restraint.

Glancing at the book cover in Yenot’s hand, he looked surprised, “The Imperial Compendium? You’re planning to stay in the Empire for the long haul?”

Yenot nodded.

Song Zining glanced at the teapot on the table, and with a flip of his hand, a delicate tea canister appeared. “This is a good thing; it took me quite some effort to get it. But it doesn’t keep well, so use it soon.”

Yenot looked at the canister, saying, “You didn’t just come to give a gift, did you?”

Undeterred, Song Zining smiled, “Of course, I have a favor to ask. If I run into trouble, I might need your help.”

Yenot raised her eyes to meet his. Her deep, fathomless gaze made Song Zining shiver, and his smile wavered.

After a moment, Yenot lowered her eyes to the book, saying, “I will help you. Anything else?”

Relieved that Yenot’s gaze had shifted, Song Zining relaxed, leaning forward. “There’s one more important matter. I heard Princess Yenot has a cousin named Dusk. Could you introduce us?”

Yenot was startled, asking, “Are you serious?”

“Of course!”

Facing Song Zining’s confident demeanor, Yenot was at a loss for words. After a pause, she said, “She will be on the battlefield. If you want to meet her, the floating land is your best bet. But, it might not be safe.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to her. She’s perfectly safe!” Song Zining giggled, covering his mouth with his fan.

Yenot was speechless, finally saying, “I’m more worried about your safety.”

“Just a vampire woman, surely I can handle it,” Song Zining waved his fan playfully.

Yenot smiled, unfazed by the term ‘vampire woman.’ After a moment, Song Zining, feeling embarrassed, said, “Alright, enjoy your reading. I must go.”

After Song Zining left, Yenot finished the chapter, then looked at the tea canister. The canister was unique, with a metal exterior and a jade lining, making it impossible to sense its contents. An excellent container for preserving its essence, if it held top-grade tea, it would be appropriate.

Yenot’s slender fingers gently touched the canister, opening the lid.

Inside, instead of tea, were several ruby-like crystals. Seeing the superior blood essences, a faint red flickered in Yenot’s eyes—she had been starving for too long.

Shortly, Song Zining was in his office at Dark Flame headquarters, basking in the warm light filtering through the windows.

Sitting quietly, he pondered, then shook his head, “Qian Ye, you always find ways to trouble me. Oh well, I’m practicing the ancient method Jade Heaven Heart, so I’ll practice on you. I’ll reluctantly calculate your future luck.”

He placed an ancient wooden box on the desk, palms flat. A faint green light flowed from his hands, and the box lid opened, revealing three jade slips. The jade was a deep, vibrant green, and the edges were smooth, showing how many hands they had passed through.

Once the origin power light faded, Song Zining took the three jade slips, eyes flashing, and scattered them on the table. As he was about to examine their positions, one slip snapped with a sharp crack, breaking in two!

Song Zining froze, then groaned, blood trickling from his nose.

His face pale, he wiped the blood away with a handkerchief, deep in thought.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Come in,” Song Zining’s voice was calm, the bloodied handkerchief hidden under his hand.

It was Song Hu, who approached quickly, placing a briefcase on the table. “Seventh Master, I think you should see this.”

Even the usually composed Song Hu’s hands trembled, indicating the importance of the contents.

Song Zining stood, opening the case to reveal a box of black stones, sparkling with tiny crystals. His pupils constricted, “Is this… unattributed crystal iron ore?”

“Yes, Master.”

These ores could be refined into various types of crystal iron, primarily used for forging fourth-level and above origin guns.

“Where did you find it?”

“At the edge of the werewolf territory, in a black stone mine. Our people dug through the black stone and found this crystal iron mine beneath.”

“Is this the black stone mine Yu Ying mentioned?”

“Yes.”

Song Zining paced, deep in thought. During the terrain survey, Zhao Yu Ying had pointed out several locations that might have special accompanying veins. Continuous battles had prevented Qian Ye from thoroughly searching.

When Qian Ye left for the floating land, Song Zining finally had the chance to stabilize the Black Current territory, dispatching troops to patrol and eliminate roving dark race warriors and troublemaking mercenaries. Meanwhile, he sent people to investigate the locations Zhao Yu Ying mentioned, and now they had results.

The new crystal iron vein was found over a hundred meters below the black stone mine, through thick layers of rock. The samples indicated a rich vein, and if the reserves were substantial, it would mean a steady stream of wealth.

Finally, Song Zining made a decision, “Organize a team to mine it, and reorganize Dark Flame, sending a division to guard it. I’ll arrange for equipment to arm them.”

“Seventh Master, won’t this leak information?” Song Hu asked.

Song Zining firmly replied, “We can’t afford to worry about that. Do your best to keep it secret. Time is of the essence, and once we equip a main division, we won’t fear anyone.”

In the misty forest, Qian Ye almost lost track of time. He held his breath, moving his gun barrel inch by inch towards a giant tree at the edge of his vision.

Nothing seemed amiss, but in his true vision, a faint trace of dark origin power could be discerned among the branches.

“Left or right this time?” Qian Ye mused, the gun barrel shifting, finally pointing to the left.