The convoy consisted of seven off-road vehicles, their bodies riddled with bullet holes and streaks of blood, clearly having just emerged from a fierce battle. Each vehicle was pushed to its speed limit, almost as if in a competition, roaring through the city gates and into the town in the blink of an eye.
Screeching brakes echoed one after another, and the seven vehicles spun around, stopping one by one in a small square inside the city gates. Throughout the entire process, not a single vehicle collided, a testament to the drivers’ exceptional skills.
A young man leaped down from the lead vehicle, scanning his surroundings. His gaze fell on a middle-aged man approaching at a brisk pace. He immediately stepped forward, smiling, “What brings Uncle Liu here? With the war brewing, you have so many important matters to attend to. Why should you worry about me?”
The middle-aged man, Liu Daoming, was both the commander of the Lianjiang City Guard and the second strongest under Su Dingqian, just a step away from becoming a divine general.
Looking at the young man, Liu Daoming’s face showed a mixture of helplessness and fondness. “These are troubled times, and you know it. Running around like this without any news, how can your father not be worried?”
The young man shrugged, “Come on, does the old man really worry about me? I think he’s more focused on my older brother these days! Besides, I went out for a legitimate reason, and the results were great. How is my brother doing, anyway?”
Liu Daoming sighed, “Your brother is working hard to bring in outside reinforcements. This is a crucial matter, and your father rightly gives it his full attention.”
The young man smiled, “Uncle Liu, don’t worry. I won’t let our family’s affairs interfere with Father’s plans. He has a long life ahead. Besides, what’s there to fight over for a mere position of city lord? If I become a divine general, this position will be mine without a fight. My brother’s strength is already on par with mine, and in a couple more years, I’ll see what he can do against me!”
Liu Daoming sighed again, “Yuecheng, being a city lord isn’t just about raw power; it involves the lives of ten thousand people.”
“I know, haven’t you told me this a dozen times before?” the young man laughed, his face bright and cheerful. Even though Liu Daoming knew he hadn’t taken it to heart, he couldn’t muster any anger.
This young man was Su Yuecheng, the second son of Su Dingqian and the one with the highest potential. Seeing Liu Daoming about to lecture him again, Su Yuecheng quickly said, “Uncle Liu, I’d like to introduce someone to you.”
A young woman, fully shrouded in a black robe, stepped up beside Su Yuecheng. It was only then that Liu Daoming noticed her. At first glance, he sensed something amiss with her body, as if her proportions were slightly off.
She wasn’t particularly beautiful, but her features were symmetrical and delicate. However, a scar that cut across her eyebrow gave her face a somewhat sinister look. Noticing Liu Daoming’s scrutiny, she smiled faintly and extended her left hand, hidden within the sleeve. It held a force gun! The three barrels gleamed with a greenish light, and the force array patterns extended from the gun deep into the robe.
Seeing the force gun, even Su Yuecheng’s men looked uneasy, obviously recalling some unpleasant memories.
The young woman retracted the gun, nodded to Liu Daoming, and introduced herself, “Qingyue.”
Liu Daoming’s expression grew serious, “Are you from the Black Huns? Are you here to represent your people?”
“No, I represent only myself.”
Qingyue’s words brought a sigh of relief to Liu Daoming, but also a sense of disappointment.
Su Yuecheng said, “Qingyue is a good friend I made on this trip. Oh, and she needs some dream-eating worms. I remember we still have four at home. Uncle Liu, could you come with me to get them? I promised Qingyue I’d give her three.”
“Three dream-eating worms?” Liu Daoming’s face clouded over.
Su Yuecheng glanced at Qingyue, lowering his voice, “Uncle Liu, you know I handle things carefully. This is very important to me, and I won’t let the Su family suffer for it.”
Liu Daoming frowned, “Yuecheng, you’ve been away for a while and don’t know everything. For this major battle, your father has recruited many outside experts. Among the remaining dream-eating worms, three have already been promised to one of them.”
“What? Three, to one person?” Su Yuecheng’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I’ve used only four in my entire life! No, I need to ask Father about this. Let’s go back to the mansion!”
Su Yuecheng jumped into the off-road vehicle, revved the engine to its maximum, and sped towards the city lord’s mansion like a comet.
Liu Daoming reached out to stop him, but halfway, he pulled back, giving Qingyue a long look. Qingyue’s brows furrowed, lost in thought.
A short while later, at the city lord’s mansion, Su Yuecheng emerged from the study, his face pale, indicating the meeting had not gone well. The corridor outside the study was eerily quiet, not a soul in sight. Anyone who heard the city lord’s rebuke wisely kept their distance, fearing they might bear the brunt of his anger.
As Su Yuecheng left the mansion, the convoy caught up. Seeing Qingyue in the seat, he forced a smile, got in, and said, “Let’s go back.”
Upon returning to their residence, Qingyue’s face appeared even paler, with faint blue veins visible beneath her skin, as if her face were translucent. As they sat down for tea, Qingyue reached for the cup. Her right hand was also hidden in her sleeve, and in the process, she knocked over the cup. Even through the sleeve, the sound suggested it wasn’t flesh and blood.
“Another episode?”
“I’m used to it.” Qingyue’s eyes were calm, but the pain in her body was evidently at its limit, otherwise, she wouldn’t have lost control of her hand.
Su Yuecheng gritted his teeth, “I’m sorry. Father said the dream-eating worms have already been promised to someone else. The last one is reserved for military rewards. I failed to keep my promise.”
Qingyue smiled faintly, “One dream-eating worm is no use; I need three. I’ve managed without them for so long. This doesn’t affect our deal. You can offer something else in exchange.”
Her words only made Su Yuecheng’s face change more. He slammed the table, enraged, “No, I want to see what kind of hero deserves three dream-eating worms! Come, follow me!”
Qian Ye’s residence was no secret; it was known to everyone, especially after the incident with the Duanxin Jue.
Su Yuecheng drove straight to Qian Ye’s place, stopping at the gate and entering. Two guards at the entrance hurriedly approached, “Greetings, Second Young Master.”
“What are you doing here?” Su Yuecheng asked coldly.
A guard quickly replied, “Commander Liu ordered us to guard here and not disturb General Zhao.”
“General Zhao, huh! Is Zhao Ye inside?”
The guard, sensing the tension, hastily said, “General Zhao went to battle yesterday. Only his wife and daughter are here now.”
Su Yuecheng sneered, “He even brought his family along, living quite comfortably, I see! Move aside, I want to see this General Zhao’s pretty wife and daughter!”
“But, this… “
“Get out of the way!” Su Yuecheng roared. The two guards dared not defy the city lord’s son and quickly stepped aside. Su Yuecheng pushed open the gate and entered.
One of the more experienced guards, seeing the situation, rushed off to report to Liu Daoming.
Inside the courtyard, Su Yuecheng felt as if he had entered a different world. The air seemed fresher, and the colors around him more vivid. He was momentarily stunned, “There’s such a nice place here?”
Even the city lord’s mansion was inferior to this, so why would it be given to an outsider? Perplexed, Su Yuecheng looked around more closely. The small courtyard was cramped, with only three rooms, and the decorations were simple, with mediocre craftsmanship.
This was clearly a place for low-ranking officers and outsiders, no mistake.
Suddenly, a calm voice spoke from the side, “Young Master, isn’t this your property? Why don’t you recognize it?”
Su Yuecheng, not realizing anyone was there, was startled and turned abruptly, seeing a woman standing by the side door of the study, whose appearance defied description.
Her looks were average, neither strikingly beautiful nor unattractive. Such a woman, by all rights, should have been forgettable, yet somehow, Su Yuecheng found himself unable to look away.
Apart from her face, her figure was perfect, with impeccable proportions and lines. But even the best figure couldn’t overshadow her ordinary face.
She wore plain clothes and had an ordinary face, but there was something extraordinary about her presence.
Su Yuecheng suddenly understood why he was so captivated. She was a sight to behold, just standing there, and she could make hearts race.
“T, this lady.” Su Yuecheng, usually eloquent, stuttered and managed only a greeting, unsure of what to say next.
She pointed to a chair in the courtyard, “Please, Young Master, sit.”
“O, okay, I’ll sit.” Su Yuecheng sat down, still uneasy. He didn’t remember being this nervous even when his father took him to meet a divine general as a child. Now, a well-known young expert, why did he feel so insecure?
She sat down at the table and said, “You don’t need to be so formal. This is your property. We’re just staying here temporarily.”
“Married?” Su Yuecheng felt a sharp pang in his heart.
“Mr. Zhao Ye, has accepted a commission from City Lord Su and is currently fighting outside the city,” Yeting’s voice remained calm, betraying no emotion.
“Zhao Ye, Zhao Ye.” Su Yuecheng repeated the name a few times before recognizing it. He was restless, even his thoughts were slow, with inexplicable notions popping up. When he heard Yeting call her husband, a deep sense of loss washed over him.
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