“This… This is…” The quartermaster approached and opened the side of the crate, only for its contents to pour out with a loud crash, instantly burying him.
“So many! How can there be so many?!” The quartermaster struggled to stand up from the pile.
He now saw clearly what had fallen on him: vampire fangs, wolfman pelts with tribal totem tattoos, heads of demonic offspring, arachnoid cores, and more—all tokens that could be exchanged for military merit. Of course, there were also many emblems representing the dark warriors’ units and ranks.
Like the Empire’s regular soldiers, high-ranking dark soldiers also have identity markers. These emblems are impervious to water and fire, and in most cases, they won’t be completely destroyed. They often serve as proof of military merit, especially in large-scale battles where cutting off a bunch of rotting heads and body parts from decimated dark forces is not a good idea.
What was most astonishing, however, was the sheer number of emblems in the crate. There were so many that they buried the quartermaster up to his shins. A glance revealed at least a thousand.
Even on a major battlefield, this was an impressive number. Remember, only regular soldiers carry emblems, and they form the backbone of an organized army. Deployments typically include a mix of low-rank soldiers and cannon fodder. In the Evernight faction, a standard army of ten thousand would have about a thousand regular soldiers.
Even if the forces transported through the Misty Forest by the dark races were all elite, with few cannon fodder and ordinary soldiers, a force of this size would still be enough to drive most noble family squads into disarray. Not to mention, among the small mountain of emblems, it was clear that there were plenty of high-ranking items, including proofs of nobility like vampire fangs.
Seeing so much military merit, the colonel nearly jumped. He managed to calm himself, glancing at Qian Ye with a complex expression, but his eyes grew even darker.
The colonel kicked the quartermaster hard and roared, “Don’t dawdle, go get everyone who’s free and help count these!”
The quartermaster snapped to attention and flew off, returning shortly with a dozen people. All were familiar with counting and registering military merits. After over an hour of effort, they finally completed the verification and registration of all the merit tokens.
Throughout the process, Qian Ye occasionally glanced over, satisfied that the results were roughly accurate. These were seasoned hands, and while their assessments might fluctuate a rank or two, they wouldn’t mistake a viscount’s fang for a baron’s.
The colonel stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall, his eyes flickering darkly. After the registration was complete, he took the ledger and his face changed noticeably after a single glance. The final tally far exceeded his expectations, indicating that Qian Ye’s targets were all high-ranking, with no cannon fodder mixed in.
Suddenly, the colonel pulled out a pen from his pocket and drew a line through one of the columns. That column listed various emblems, and Qian Ye’s submission was so numerous that it accounted for nearly half the total merit.
“The merit for this column will not be counted for now,” the colonel ordered, closing the ledger and attempting to hand it back. The quartermasters looked at each other, their expressions stiff, but no one spoke up immediately.
“Hold on!” Qian Ye extended his hand, pressing down on the ledger in the colonel’s grip. “Why should this merit not be counted for now?”
“Why? You’re asking me why?” The colonel sneered, looking Qian Ye up and down with a menacing gaze.
A chill rose in Qian Ye’s eyes. “Of course I’m asking.”
The colonel slowed his tone, “So many emblems, at least a thousand soldiers. Did you kill them all yourself? Maybe you found them somewhere, and who knows if these emblems are even real. I must first investigate thoroughly before issuing any merit.”
Here, the colonel sneered again, “Imperial military merit is incredibly valuable, awarded only to those who truly risk their lives for the Empire. It’s not something anyone can claim falsely!”
Qian Ye looked at him, slowly pointing to the ground beneath his feet. “This is the Misty Forest. Do you dare repeat what you just said?”
The colonel paused, then angrily retorted, “So what if it is the Misty Forest?”
Identifiers for regular troops of both factions are difficult to forge, and the primary purpose of emblems is to tally casualties on the battlefield. There’s no need or possibility for mass forgery. Moreover, the Misty Forest isn’t a typical battlefield; given enough time, the purple substrate can devour even high-end weapons, let alone some alloy badges. Picking up emblems is not an option.
The colonel knew this, but he was just using it as an excuse.
Qian Ye said indifferently, “Do you also not count the emblems submitted by others?”
This was a rhetorical question, as not far away, two noble family squads were submitting their emblems. Their registration and tally process was smooth.
The colonel, even angrier, snarled, “I suspect your emblems are not legitimate. Are you deaf, didn’t you hear me?”
Qian Ye said slowly, “So, the Li family intends to withhold the merit for these emblems?”
With this, the entire military merit exchange area fell silent. Though Qian Ye hadn’t raised his voice, everyone heard him clearly.
The colonel was shocked, then rage surged. “What are you doing, causing trouble?”
Qian Ye’s expression remained unchanged, his tone flat, “Why shouldn’t these emblems be counted? Is the Li family withholding merit?”
This time, Qian Ye’s voice was infused with primeval energy, and all the glass in the exchange area shattered with a series of pops. His words carried far, likely reaching half the base.
In an instant, countless eyes turned toward them, and people from nearby areas gathered around. Withholding emblems and merit was too sensitive. The floating land war had reached a stage where the dark races were rapidly increasing their forces, entering the phase of organized combat. A viscount and a viscount leading a hundred elite soldiers are not the same. If emblems don’t count, what’s the point of fighting?
Moreover, a large number of emblems are more convincing than a few kills, indicating the destruction of an Evernight elite unit, which is far more significant than killing a few minor nobles.
As the crowd grew, the colonel, shaking with rage, pointed at Qian Ye, “You, have you gone mad? Tell you, making a scene won’t do you any good. I’ll have you killed!”
Qian Ye eyed the colonel coldly, ready to speak. Before he could, the primeval energy rippled out, more powerful than before, enough to reach the entire base.
The colonel, pale, suddenly shouted, “Someone is robbing the exchange area, seize him!”
His authority was evident, as several Li family guards responded, lunging at Qian Ye.
The colonel, however, retreated, drawing a pistol and eyeing Qian Ye with malice. He waited for Qian Ye to make the first move, hoping to frame him if he injured or killed the guards.
If Qian Ye didn’t resist… The colonel thought maliciously, without resistance, Qian Ye could be forced into any confession in the brig. He hoped Qian Ye would fire first, giving him a reason to shoot back. His pistol was loaded with a powerful black titanium round, guaranteed to maim, if not kill, Qian Ye.
As the guards attacked, Qian Ye remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the colonel as if he were already dead.
At this critical moment, a thunderous shout echoed from outside, “Stop!”
The shout, infused with primeval energy, caused the remaining glass frames to shatter. Even those with strong primeval energy felt dizzy. The Li family guards, unable to withstand it, stumbled and nearly fell.
A figure zipped in, blocking the path between Qian Ye and the guards.
The guards, barely maintaining their balance, recognized the newcomer and hurriedly saluted, “Chief Steward!”
It was Wei Shi. Though he usually appeared mild-mannered, his roar was unexpectedly powerful.
Last time, Wei Shi didn’t give Qian Ye a clear answer, but Qian Ye bore no ill will. He smiled, “You came quickly.”
Wei Shi grimaced, “I rushed as soon as I heard your voice. If I’d been a moment later, this would have escalated.”
Qian Ye glanced around, “It seems it has already.”
Wei Shi looked around, his face paling. Several noble families were present, some intrigued, some thoughtful. More people were gathering, blocking the entrance.
Wei Shi’s forehead glistened with sweat. He quickly bowed, “It was just a misunderstanding. Please, give the Li family some face and disperse.”
The crowd buzzed with discussion, showing no intention of leaving. Many high-ranking officials from noble families present did not need to show the Li family much respect.
Wei Shi, seeing the situation, suppressed his anxiety and assessed the scene. He pointed at the pile of emblems and asked Qian Ye, “Are these all yours?”
“Correct.”
Seeing the sheer amount of merit, Wei Shi couldn’t help but be shocked. But he quickly regained his composure and turned to the colonel, “Li Ji, what’s going on?”
The colonel sneered, “He brought so many emblems, I had to verify. Who knows where he found them…”
*Smack*—he didn’t finish, as Wei Shi slapped him hard. The blow left him reeling.
The colonel, clutching his face, almost frozen, said, “You… You dare hit me…”
Wei Shi roared, “You’re disgracing the Li family! Get out, pack your things, and return to the main house. If I see you again, you’ll be punished!”
After his roar, Wei Shi’s anger subsided, revealing a stern look. “Do you think Elder Two will protect you? If this escalates, even he can’t save you.”
The colonel, his face alternating between green and white, glared at Wei Shi and growled, “You, Li Wei Shi, wait. This isn’t over. When I get back, I’ll deal with you properly!”
Wei Shi sneered, “I’ll be waiting.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage