Chapter 67: The Shadows of Regret

Li Kuanglan said helplessly, “Qian Ye, I told you to leave some alive!”

“Over there.” Qian Ye pointed to an officer sitting against the wall.

The officer was barely breathing, even weaker than a regular soldier. However, as Li Kuanglan’s perception swept over him, she discovered that his body was almost in a state of exhaustion, his vitality like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

This state seemed to result from having all his blood drained by a vampire, yet there were no fang marks on the officer’s neck.

Frowning, Li Kuanglan recalled the moment when they rushed into the cave and saw countless blood threads being absorbed into Qian Ye’s body, a chill running down her spine.

Li Kuanglan extended a finger, pressing it to the officer’s chest, and a thin ice thread pierced through. The officer let out a cry of pain, but his spirit soon became more vigorous, and an unnatural flush appeared on his face.

“Where are your forces from?”

The officer struggled to say, “We are the Wild Wolves Mercenary Corps, this time conscripted by the city guard of Listening Tide City. After the battle, we were responsible for cleaning up the battlefield and dealing with… dealing with the prisoners.”

Looking at the corpses hanging on the walls around them, it was clear that the “dealing” process was not as light as the officer described. Li Kuanglan, who was not very familiar with the Neutral Lands, turned to Qian Ye.

“They are carrion feeders,” Qian Ye’s words made Li Kuanglan understand the nature of these mercenaries.

These mercenaries were cannon fodder, participating in battles and then cleaning up the battlefield. Due to their low strength, they received no pay; all their earnings came from the loot they found. In reality, after the war, the main spoils were taken by the regular army, leaving little for these cannon fodder mercenaries. Therefore, they would not miss even the tiniest bit of gain, which was why most of the corpses outside were naked. For them, even slightly intact armor and clothing were considered good gains.

These mercenaries were accustomed to tormenting prisoners, partly to see if they could squeeze out more profit and partly for the sadistic pleasure. On the battlefield, they were treated as cannon fodder, even despised by their own comrades. So, when they had the chance, their long-repressed anger would turn into unimaginable brutality, inflicted upon the weaker ones.

It was no wonder Qian Ye was so angry, using a killing move right away, a single life-draining attack wiping out the small mercenary corps.

By now, the officer’s breath had peaked and then weakened. Li Kuanglan pressed a finger to his chest again, asking, “Who did you fight? How did the battle go?”

“We heard it was from South Green City, a newly formed mercenary corps, along with their city guard. They just defeated Wolf King’s army, suffering heavy losses. They didn’t expect us to suddenly appear, so they didn’t last long before losing.”

Li Kuanglan asked the crucial question for Qian Ye, “What about the commander of South Green City?”

“We don’t know. We only heard that they captured a big shot, and another one escaped. That’s all… we… know…” The officer’s breath gradually faded, and he slumped over, motionless.

Li Kuanglan stood up, saying, “Looks like that’s all we’re getting.”

The officer, originally hit by Qian Ye’s life-draining attack, was on the brink of death. Stimulated by Li Kuanglan’s force, he managed to speak this much. Now, his life force was exhausted, and he had no chance of survival.

Qian Ye asked, “Who do you think they captured? And who escaped?”

Li Kuanglan sighed, “You already know. Why ask me? Logically, Jitiansheng would be the one to escape, and Song Qi would be the one captured. Or perhaps both were not caught, and the ‘big shot’ is someone else.”

Qian Ye exhaled, saying, “No, I have a feeling it must be Zining who was captured.”

Li Kuanglan said, “Don’t rush. Whoever could defeat Jitiansheng and Song Zining must be formidable. In your current state, going there might be useless.”

A cold light flashed in Qian Ye’s eyes as he calmly said, “Perhaps I can’t save Zining now, but whoever it is, I will make them know that I am here. If they dare harm Zining, I will wipe out their entire clan.”

Qian Ye did not grit his teeth or fly into a rage; he simply stated a fact. Li Kuanglan gave him a complex look and sighed, “Song Qi is quite lucky to have met someone like you. Let’s go, we should continue tracking. The enemy’s main force is probably not far from here.”

Li Kuanglan turned and left the cave, with Qian Ye following closely. She then sent a signal, ordering the airship to ascend and wait in the sky, while she and Qian Ye followed on foot.

The airship was invaluable, but its defenses were mediocre. Since the enemy had a strong enough figure to capture Song Zining, Li Kuanglan did not want to risk the airship. In the face of such a powerful enemy, the airship would be a sitting duck.

Suddenly, an old man appeared behind Li Kuanglan, saying, “Let this old servant accompany Young Master.”

Li Kuanglan frowned, “This is my own battle, and it has nothing to do with the family. No one is allowed to interfere!”

“Young Master…” The old man tried to persuade, but Li Kuanglan had already taken Qian Ye away. The old man sighed and flew back to the airship.

Both Li Kuanglan and Qian Ye were skilled trackers, and Qian Ye was a master hunter in the wilderness. They searched and quickly found their target.

It was a valley with a water source. At the entrance, a temporary military camp had been set up, housing about a thousand soldiers.

Qian Ye and Li Kuanglan suppressed their auras and, using the terrain for cover, approached quietly to observe.

Despite being a temporary camp, it was well-organized, with various posts and patrols, making it difficult for even the most experienced hunter to infiltrate.

Although the soldiers had removed their armor markings, their equipment style clearly indicated they were from Listening Tide City. Each soldier exuded a deep aura and was well-equipped, making Darkflame and the South Green City guards look like an undisciplined mob. Even Wolf King’s legion was inferior.

This thousand-strong force was formidable, capable of crushing ten thousand city guards of South Green City. Song Zining’s group, being a disorganized force, was easily defeated. But who could have prevented Song Zining from escaping?

After observing for a while, Li Kuanglan whispered, “There’s an expert, don’t act rashly.”

Blue light swirled in Qian Ye’s pupils as he scanned the camp. Suddenly, he froze, spotting a faint leaf floating in the center of the camp!

Qian Ye had activated his true vision, seeing the flow of primal energy. This leaf was not a physical entity but a manifestation of primal energy, invisible to normal people. Only someone with true vision like Qian Ye could see it.

The floating leaf was vivid, seemingly moving without pattern, but its stem always pointed in the same direction.

Following the direction, Qian Ye saw a green flash in the distance, barely visible to his sharp eyes, indicating another similar leaf of primal energy floating in the air.

Qian Ye confirmed this was a secret mark left by Song Zining, guiding the way. It seemed Song Zining had indeed fallen into the hands of Listening Tide City, while Jitiansheng’s whereabouts were unknown.

Li Kuanglan pointed to a corner of the camp, whispering, “There’s a scent of blood. It seems to be where the prisoners are held. Should we check it out?”

Just as Qian Ye nodded, a dark presence rose in the camp, and someone shouted, “Who is sneaking around over there?”

Li Kuanglan and Qian Ye were slightly startled. When Qian Ye discovered Song Zining’s mark, his aura fluctuated, and he was detected. The perceiver’s senses and alertness were on par with Qian Ye’s.

A figure rose from the camp, swiftly approaching Li Kuanglan and Qian Ye. Recognizing the old man, Qian Ye was stunned. It was the same old man who had hidden in the clouds that day.

The old man, seeing Qian Ye, was also taken aback, then sneered, his eyes filled with murderous intent. He still held a grudge over that incident.

Li Kuanglan drew her Cold Moon Sword, a blue light slashing at the old man, and shouted, “Go, Qian Ye!”

But Qian Ye did not retreat. He stared at the old man and shouted, “Was it you who ambushed Zining?”

The old man snorted, blocking Li Kuanglan’s sword, and said, “What ambush? I used my troops openly, defeated my opponent, and captured him. That little girl was slippery, running away when she saw the danger. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have escaped my grasp either!”

Seeing the old man’s swordplay, Li Kuanglan’s expression changed, and her sword speed increased several times, curving strikes aimed at the old man, urgently shouting, “Qian Ye, go!”

Except for her renowned swift sword, Li Kuanglan was fighting with all her strength. However, the old man’s black crystal sword produced multiple shadow images, blocking the blue light effortlessly.

From the brief exchange, it was evident that the old man, moving with ease, was superior to Li Kuanglan, and Song Zining’s loss was justified.

Still, Qian Ye did not move, shouting, “Where is Zining?”

The old man sneered, “That little guy? He’s already been sent to the Wolf King.”

Murderous intent flared in Qian Ye’s eyes as he gritted his teeth, “You have some nerve!”

The old man snorted, mocking, “How long has it been since someone dared to say that to me? It seems you and that little guy are close. How about this: kneel and surrender, and I might spare the little guy for saving me the trouble. What do you say?”

Qian Ye took a deep breath, saying, “Zining would not want to see me surrender, and neither do I. Surrender? Forget it! Kuanglan, go!”

Li Kuanglan shouted, “Are you crazy?”

“I’m not crazy. I just want this old man to know what regret feels like.”

The old man laughed, “Very well, I’d like to see how you’ll make me regret…”

Before he finished, the old man was shocked.

Qian Ye’s figure flashed, charging straight into the camp. A red glow appeared within a hundred meters, and all life in the area vanished instantly.

The old man’s eyes bulged, roaring, “How dare you!”