Chapter 24: The Neutral Lands (Part I)

Regardless, Xiao Zhujī was a surprisingly capable helper, albeit needing some catch-up in daily living.

Qian Ye stepped up to the control panel, bringing up the navigation chart and setting a new course. The silver airship traced a beautiful arc through the void, heading towards the Western Continent.

Originally, Qian Ye had intended to head to Evernight, but after careful consideration, he felt the plan was not feasible. First, the airship’s range was limited. This high-speed vessel was not designed for inter-continental travel, and crossing two layers of continents to reach Evernight would be extremely difficult. Moreover, even if they reached Evernight, it would be hard to replenish the high-grade black crystal fuel needed for the ship.

Additionally, Qian Ye’s recent defection from the Empire had caused quite a stir, and it wouldn’t take long for the news to spread. The military would naturally think of setting an ambush in Blackflow City, waiting for him to walk into their trap. Qian Ye could only hope that Song Zining would take care of the remaining Dark Moon and Dark Flame subordinates in Blackflow City.

Thinking of Song Zining, Qian Ye recalled the three boxes of blood crystals on the airship and sighed. These things didn’t just appear out of nowhere, and no human would casually keep several boxes of blood crystals on board. Perhaps, since the moment Qian Ye escaped the Zhao camp, Song Zining had already arranged for the blood crystals to be sent to the airship.

The silver airship glided silently through the void. Qian Ye sat in the control room, gazing at the unchanging expanse, feeling lost for the first time. He had left the Empire and all that was familiar, unsure of what lay ahead.

At this moment, the control room door opened, and Xiao Zhujī stumbled in. At Qian Ye’s request, the little one had finally learned to open doors instead of passing through walls. She held a large box of food, nibbling half-heartedly.

“Is it not tasty?” Qian Ye asked.

Xiao Zhujī nodded vigorously, “No matter how much I eat, I can’t get full!”

Qian Ye was momentarily surprised. Over the past period, Xiao Zhujī had already consumed several boxes of food. Each box was designed for long voyages, weighing over ten pounds and capable of feeding ten people. She had eaten almost as much as her body weight, yet her small belly only slightly bulged. It was a mystery how her stomach functioned.

“What do you usually eat then?”

“Meat, and shiny crystals, they’re all very tasty. Especially those crystals, they’re both beautiful and delicious.”

After a few more questions, Qian Ye understood. Song Zining had been feeding Xiao Zhujī the meat of ferocious beasts and even void creatures, as well as the rare cores of these beasts. These foods were rich in energy. As Zhujī had not yet passed the infant stage and did not know how to cultivate, she relied on food to increase her primordial power. No wonder she always felt hungry with ordinary food.

However, the meat and cores of such beasts and creatures were extremely expensive in both the Evernight and the Empire. They might even be more expensive in Evernight, as young Arachne and Werewolves primarily grew on these.

Qian Ye felt a growing sense of pressure. Raising this little one would not be an easy task.

In the void, Qian Ye had no way to get the food Zhujī liked. There were indeed strange beasts in the void, but the most powerful ones, like Chaos or Sky Ghost, were capable of contending with the Queen of the Night. Even the weakest among them had the combat power of a divine general. With just this small ship and his current strength, encountering them would mean fleeing as far as possible, let alone trying to hunt them.

So, Qian Ye apologetically patted Zhujī’s head, leaving her to go hungry.

Just then, the control room door opened again, and Yenot entered. Qian Ye hurried to greet her, “Why don’t you sleep a bit more? Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet.”

Yenot leaned lightly against Qian Ye, resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling a few times before saying, “I don’t want to sleep. I want to spend more time with you.”

Qian Ye’s heart softened, and he sighed. Since Yenot followed him to the Empire, they had barely spent any time together. Qian Ye had been constantly fighting, traversing multiple battlefields, accumulating countless merits, and even single-handedly turning the tide of the Unfallen City’s war. Alas, life rarely goes as planned, and even a simple, peaceful existence was a luxury.

Qian Ye checked Yenot’s wounds, seeing that they were slowly healing, and helped her sit down. He then adjusted the ship’s course, checked its status, and observed the surroundings.

Yenot sat quietly, watching Qian Ye work, silently memorizing everything.

Half a day passed, and the outline of a continent finally appeared. Qian Ye, slightly nervous, instructed Zhujī to observe the surroundings while he compared the navigation chart, adjusted the direction, and avoided the patrolling fleet, flying towards a remote corner.

This part of the Western Continent was desolate, with a dilapidated town lying in the middle of the wilderness.

Suddenly, a faint whistling sound filled the sky as an airship approached, hovering above the town before landing outside.

The townsfolk, who had been lazily lounging, stood up, eyeing the airship, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons.

The airship retracted its primordial force sails, landing somewhat roughly. The cabin door was kicked open, and Qian Ye lowered the ramp, stepping out.

As he exited, a gust of wind mixed with sand swept past, forcing Qian Ye to shield his face.

After the wind and sand settled, several leather-clad burly men approached. The lead, a bearded man, spat out the sand in his mouth, giving Qian Ye an unfriendly look, “Kid, we don’t welcome skinned people here!”

“Skinned people?” Qian Ye was puzzled.

The bearded man pointed to the Imperial military insignia on the airship, “That’s what I mean. This place doesn’t welcome anyone from the Empire or Evernight.”

Qian Ye understood. This was a gray zone, unwelcoming to anyone with official ties to either side.

But Qian Ye was no longer the same person he once was. Since the moment he barged into the Imperial military headquarters, he knew that his fate was in his own hands. He stepped forward, approaching the bearded man, “Rules are made by people, and they can be changed. Since I’m here, I won’t leave.”

The bearded man’s face changed, and his primordial force surged, “No one dares to cause trouble here!”

He grabbed at Qian Ye, but before his hand could rise, he received a heavy blow to the abdomen, spinning in the air before crashing to the ground. He tried to get up, but Qian Ye gently tapped his back with the sheathed Eastern Peak, deeply embedding him into the ground.

Qian Ye looked at the others, “It seems I’ll be the first to cause trouble here. Call your boss. If he doesn’t come, I won’t mind leveling this damn place!”

The bearded man was the strongest, and even he was no match for Qian Ye. The others, realizing they were no match, rushed back to the town to alert the others.

Soon, a middle-aged, plump man arrived with dozens of people. Seeing Qian Ye, he paused, and his expression changed.

A thin, young man jumped out from behind the plump man, pointing a primordial force gun at Qian Ye’s head, cursing, “Who the hell are you? Don’t you kneel before our boss? If you keep yapping, I’ll blow your head off!”

After the curses stopped, Qian Ye flicked his wrist, and the Eastern Peak picked up a stone, tapping it lightly. The fist-sized stone whistled, flying faster than a primordial force bullet, smashing the young man’s head to pieces!

“I don’t like having guns pointed at me, not at all,” Qian Ye said calmly.

The plump man jumped up, shouting at his subordinates, “Stop! Drop your guns, or I’ll cut you down myself!”

The men, stunned, obeyed. The plump man then turned to Qian Ye, plastering a smile on his face, and ran up to him, asking, “You must be General Qian Ye, right?”

Qian Ye was surprised, “You recognize me?”

“Of course! General Qian Ye is famous throughout the Empire. In the future, there will be few who can match you. How could I not recognize such a great figure?”

Qian Ye smiled, “If you recognize me, that’s good. But you might regret it in a few days.”

The plump man’s smile froze, then returned, “General, you jest. But, why are you in such a place? What business brings you here?”

“I want to go to the Neutral Zone. I heard you have a way?”

The plump man was stunned, his expression shifting. His subordinates exchanged uneasy looks. Some had strange expressions.

The plump man, noticing Qian Ye’s amused expression, realized this man could slaughter the entire town. He broke into a cold sweat, stepping forward, bowing, and smiling, “Since General Qian Ye has a request, I’ll do my best to fulfill it. Please, rest in the town. We need to discuss the details.”

Qian Ye nodded, calling Yenot and Zhujī, following the plump man into the town. Seeing the weak, young woman and the seemingly five-year-old girl with Qian Ye, some of the more vicious men had murderous intent. The plump man, sensing this, glared at them, forcing them to lower their heads, and continued walking.

Some of the more perceptive individuals felt something odd about Zhujī’s gaze, though they couldn’t pinpoint what. A few remembered the look as if sizing up food. They shook off the thought, thinking it ridiculous for a little girl to have such a look.

They entered the town, and the plump man led Qian Ye to the grandest mansion in the center, inviting him to sit, and carefully asked, “You wish to go to the Neutral Zone?”

Qian Ye nodded.

“As whom? Let me remind you, it’s best not to use your identity from the Empire. Some powerful figures there have a strong distaste for the Empire.”

Qian Ye frowned, “I’ll go as an ordinary person.”

“If so, you can’t bring this airship.”