Chapter 4: Return to Nanqing

“Pack your things, we’re going to Nanqing City.” Qian Ye said.

Qingyue nodded vigorously and returned to her wooden hut, quickly re-arming herself. When she stepped out of the door, she seemed to have regained her former luster, her confidence returning to her.

Qian Ye was crouching on the ground, teasing little Zhuj with a finger. The little one, like an enraged kitten, kept swiping at Qian Ye’s finger with her tiny hands, occasionally baring her white little teeth, hissing at him threateningly.

This scene seemed perfectly normal, but Qingyue was left dumbfounded. It wasn’t for any other reason, but simply because their movements were incredibly fast, too fast for even her keen eyes to follow, only seeing blurs. Each time Zhuj moved her tiny hands, multiple afterimages would appear. Qian Ye’s finger had become almost intangible, dodging Zhuj’s attacks in the confined space.

If Qingyue were to try this training, she knew she would be disoriented by Zhuj’s speed. Moreover, the little one’s agility indicated formidable strength. At that moment, she wondered if her head could withstand Zhuj’s slaps.

“Oh!” Seeing the intense moment, Qingyue couldn’t help but cover her mouth and gasp.

“You’re here?” Qian Ye finally noticed Qingyue. But in that momentary distraction, Zhuj managed to grab his finger. Enraged by the teasing, she opened her mouth and instinctively bit down hard!

“Ahh!!” This time, it was Qian Ye’s agonized scream. Even his fire-tempered body couldn’t withstand Zhuj’s sharp teeth, and his finger was instantly mangled.

After biting, Zhuj realized her mistake and quickly let go. Seeing Qian Ye’s bloodied finger, her eyes darted, and she bowed her head, her eyes welling up with tears, transforming into a pitiful little kitten.

Qian Ye was speechless; it looked as if she was the one being bullied. However, reasoning with Zhuj was impossible, so he sighed and patted her head, offering some words of comfort.

Qingyue cautiously approached and asked, “Is it serious?”

“It’s fine,” Qian Ye replied, urging his blood to heal, and within moments, the wound on his finger healed. He picked up Zhuj and, with Qingyue, headed towards the Elysium.

Moments later, the Elysium took to the skies, its massive hull slowly turning under the vast sky, heading towards the boundless East Sea.

Two days later, Qian Ye arrived in the Southern Wasteland, as usual, hovering the Elysium high above the void while he, along with Qingyue and Zhuj, descended to the earth, heading towards Nanqing City.

The East Sea landmass had several major cities, including the human main city, all of which were bustling with goods and wealth. Purchasing military supplies here was a natural choice. Despite being in the Southern Wasteland, Nanqing City was well-managed by its lord, located at a strategic junction. For those venturing deeper into the wasteland, this was the best supply base. Additionally, after a series of recent battles, Nanqing City’s prosperity had reached new heights.

Qian Ye felt a strong connection to Nanqing City, and since Zhuj’s matter was still unresolved, he chose to start there.

Days had passed, and Nanqing City was filled with a grim and desolate atmosphere. Most pedestrians hurried along, their faces etched with worry. The taverns, though crowded, lacked the usual laughter and boisterousness, instead filled with a heavy, oppressive air. The mercenaries and hunters sat hunched over, drinking silently, weighed down by their thoughts.

Most of the weapon shops in the city were also quiet, with few customers. The clerks, listless and uninterested, leaned against the counters, barely glancing up when customers entered, not even bothering to greet them.

The weapon shop Qian Ye entered was neither large nor small, specializing in war chariots, trucks, and motorcycle parts, as well as auxiliary weapons. One could also find some components for floating warships, though their origins were unclear.

Seeing that the clerk showed no intention of greeting him, Qian Ye found it strange. Qingyue stepped forward, placing her left hand on the counter. The clerk looked up and saw not a hand, but a large gun barrel.

The clerk jumped, immediately standing straight and stammering, “Miss… Highhu, how may I assist you? Whatever I can do, I will do it well.”

At this moment, the clerk donned a bright smile. Highhu people were ruthless mercenaries, but they were also the best customers. As long as the goods were good, they weren’t too picky about the price.

Qingyue didn’t state her request, instead asking, “What’s going on in the city? Why is it so quiet?”

The clerk sighed, “What else? It’s all because of the city lord’s son. A few powerful individuals were involved, and they suffered a devastating defeat in the south. They say that besides the leader, all the powerful members of the Furious Wind were killed, and the enemy didn’t even use a second move. Many of their warriors were lost, and the city guard forces embedded by the city lord also suffered heavily. If the Furious Wind is in such a state, what do you think happened to the other mercenary groups?”

Qingyue, unaware of the situation, was surprised, “Such heavy losses?”

“Exactly! Think about it, many mercenary groups lost a majority of their members. How can they afford the compensation? Some groups even disbanded.” The clerk sighed again, “They can’t even pay the compensation, where will they get the money to buy equipment?”

Qingyue suddenly understood, glancing at Qian Ye. She instinctively felt that this might be related to Qian Ye, but she didn’t pursue the topic further, instead asking, “Do you have engines for floating warships?”

Upon seeing a genuine customer, the clerk perked up, “Yes, yes, we do! We just received a batch of new engines, in excellent condition, at least 80% new!”

Qian Ye and Qingyue followed the clerk to the back warehouse, where he lifted the tarp, revealing the engines. There were about five or six engines, carelessly stacked, with two showing signs of rough disassembly.

Even Qian Ye could tell these were old engines, the newest one not even 50% new. Their designs were outdated, ancient relics by Imperial standards. However, Qian Ye wasn’t disappointed; he had come to gather information, not expecting to find quality goods.

Qingyue carefully selected two smaller engines, paid a deposit, and arranged for them to be packed, ready to collect in a couple of days.

The clerk was quick and efficient when business was involved. By the time Qian Ye left, the clerk had already started cleaning and packing the engines.

Wandering the streets, Qian Ye casually visited a few more shops. Though these shops didn’t have much to offer, Qingyue picked up a few affordable and reliable parts.

Qian Ye nodded in approval. The Elysium had ample space for such bulky equipment. Precision didn’t necessarily improve performance but always increased the cost. For instance, halving the size of an engine of the same power would increase the price tenfold.

The three of them continued walking through the unusually quiet streets, drawing the attention of mercenaries. Several recognized Qian Ye, their expressions changing, and they quickly averted their gaze, some even changing direction and hurrying away.

Seeing this, Qingyue couldn’t hold back, asking, “Sir, is this incident related to you?”

“Somewhat,” Qian Ye smiled.

“Then why are you so conspicuous? Shouldn’t we disguise ourselves?”

Qian Ye shrugged, “Aren’t we already disguised?”

Qingyue was left speechless. Qian Ye had merely changed clothes and added a fake mustache. Did that count as a disguise? While the mustache made his eyes more striking, anyone who had seen him before would easily recognize him.

But Qian Ye was unfazed, and Qingyue couldn’t argue, quietly adjusting the power output of her various engines and charging her force-powered weapons.

Qian Ye noticed Qingyue’s concern, smiling, “Don’t worry, I want them to know I’m here.”

“Why?”

“For no particular reason, just to see their reaction.” Qian Ye replied nonchalantly. He then patted Zhuj’s head, asking, “How are you feeling? What if bad guys come?”

“Spit in their face!” Zhuj grinned, revealing her fangs.

“Good girl!” Qian Ye laughed, picking up Zhuj and placing her on his shoulder, striding confidently down the street.

Qingyue didn’t understand, but thought both of them were crazy. Passing by a shop, she slightly raised her cloak, revealing her left arm and the symbol on her force-powered gun.

The shop clerk, who had been slumped over, instantly recognized the symbol. Qingyue made a discreet gesture, and the clerk understood, nodding and tapping his chest. Qingyue wrapped herself in her cloak again, following Qian Ye.

The clerk rushed to the backyard, a spacious area with seven or eight people lying or sitting, each exuding a rugged and terrifying aura.

“Rise! The War Maiden has appeared and wants our people to gather, prepare for battle!”

The group was both shocked and excited, “The War Maiden has finally appeared!”

“Didn’t they say she fell in the Dìlóng’s nest?”

“Rubbish! How can you believe that whore?”

The clerk shouted, “No chatter, get ready for battle in five minutes, then head to the Lomun Street outpost.”

These were all Highhu warriors, and at the mention of battle, their eyes gleamed with murderous intent. Someone asked, “Who are we fighting?”

The clerk’s expression shifted, “The War Maiden believes it might be the Nanqing City Guard.”