Translator: Myuu Editor: Myuu
Hu Haihe was a few years older than Yan Liqiang. He had fuzz growing around his lips, whereas Yan Liqiang had a clean face instead. However, when talking to Yan Liqiang, his tone and expressions were as if he was talking to a respectable elder.
Yan Liqiang looked at the young guard, and objectively speaking, this guard named Hu Haihe was quite handsome-looking. The combination of his nose and eyes reminded Yan Liqiang of Hu Ge who once starred in ‘Chinese Paladin’. Coincidentally, Hu Haihe also had the same surname, ‘Hu’. Yan Liqiang had already noticed that there was a handsome guy with the surname Hu amongst Sun Bingchen’s guards before, yet he never interacted with him. It wasn’t until something happened to Hu Haihe’s older brother that Yan Liqiang finally knew that Hu Haihe’s older brother was actually in their party as well.
If this were his previous life, Hu Haihe would have definitely attracted a lot of women if he became an actor according to his qualifications. However, in this world, where martial prowess was more preferred than facial appearance, he could only accept his fate and become a regular personnel of the Imperial Capital’s Imperial Cavalry Unit in the Great Han Empire. Even so, he was able to become one due to his connection with his relatives.
The hatred in Hu Haihe’s eyes was burning like two raging balls of wisps. Yan Liqiang knew right away what Hu Haihe was thinking with just a glance at his face.
“I don’t know if the Blackwind Bandits will ever come!” Yan Liqiang replied calmly.
Yan Liqiang’s reply had apparently stunned Hu Haihe because he didn’t expect to hear such an answer from Yan Liqiang’s mouth. He then asked again, “Guard Yan… doesn’t know either?”
“I’m not a celestial being, so how can I possibly know that? We are now kind of at war with the Blackwind Bandits and the situation is rapidly changing, so there are many possibilities as well as unexpected surprises. The Blackwind Bandits do not heed to my orders either. How can I be sure that they will come for certain? However, we deliberately did not clear the stools that the rhinodrake steeds left behind along the way. If the Blackwind Bandits are truly restless, they might follow our trails and pursue us all the way!”
“I understand now!” Hu Haihe lowered his head and muttered to himself. Afterward, he lifted his head again and looked at Yan Liqiang, hesitating to speak his mind.
Yan Liqiang felt sympathetic toward Hu Haihe, so he spoke with a gentler tone, “If Brother Hu needs my help, just say the word!”
“Well… C-Can I ask you to be my mentor?” Hu Haihe finally said what he wanted to say. His eyes gleamed as he gazed at Yan Liqiang.
These words suddenly put Yan Liqiang in an unexpected situation. He was very surprised at the question and looked at Hu Haihe before turning his gaze toward the other guards surrounding them. He realized that those guards were also looking in their direction with keen eyes, as if they already knew what Hu Haihe wanted to do.
Yan Liqiang shot a question back to Hu Haihe. “What do you wish to learn from me?”
“The art of archery!” Hu Haihe’s tone suddenly turned into a determined one. He clenched his fists tightly as he continued, “I want to avenge my older brother and exterminate these Blackwind Bandits and Shatu scums in the future…”
Yan Liqiang thought about it for a while before he shook his head. “I’m not that good either. I’m afraid I can’t become your mentor!” Hu Haihe’s expression in his eyes began to look dull upon listening to Yan Liqiang’s words. However, Yan Liqiang continued, “But if we manage to get back to the Imperial Capital, we can practice shooting together once we have the chance!”
Hu Haihe’s eyes instantaneously lit up and he looked at Yan Liqiang with an expression of gratitude. “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Rest well tonight and replenish your strength. If the Blackwind Bandits are really coming, you need to be powerful enough to fight them off!”
“Alright!” Hu Haihe nodded and shortly left afterward. The surrounding guards who were looking at them with gleaming eyes only turned their attention away when the young guard left and they proceeded to organize their equipment.
The atmosphere at the ridges was completely quiet and everyone was talking in extremely low voices. The only thing they could hear was the howling wind scraping by the barren rocks.
Three moons of different sizes that had already risen showered their radiance all over the ground from above. Everyone went and found a sheltered area to rest, each covering themselves with wind-resistant blankets that were used specifically in the fields. Sun Bingchen was no exception. As modest as he was, he stayed with the group of guards and even patrolled with them from time to time.
Yan Liqiang volunteered himself to become a sentinel and lay alongside the stones on the ridge to reconnoiter the mountain valley below, monitoring the situation in the far distance.
Yan Liqiang didn’t know when the Blackwind Bandits would come either, thus he could only wait in this place like a hunter.
Midnight had come in the blink of an eye, yet the Blackwind Bandits were still nowhere in sight. The howlings of the wild wolves were the only sounds echoing in the wilderness. Even so, Liang Yijie quietly approached him and said, “Go and rest first, Liqiang. Leave this area to me. I will keep watch and call you if there’s anything!”
“Alright!” Yan Liqiang replied without hesitation and swapped his post with Liang Yijie, leaving to rest. He went to the sheltered area he was at before and wrapped himself in a blanket while leaning on a rock. In just a few moments, he entered the Heavenly Shrine and then proceeded through to the Heavenly Realm. Yan Liqiang read books and cultivated in the Heavenly Realm, spending the day in peace. It wasn’t until he withdrew his consciousness and returned to his physical body that he began to soon fall asleep on the ground within a few moments time.
No one would believe that Yan Liqiang had already visited another world for a day in just a blink of an eye before returning to his physical body…
……
After an unknown period of time, Yan Liqiang was woken up by a strange sound in his ear which was planted on the ground when he was sleeping. The sound in question came from the ground. Although it sounded like it was coming from afar, it was faintly discernible as it sounded like it was coming from a drum.
Yan Liqiang opened his eyes abruptly and quickly rolled up.
At that moment, the waning moons began to fade from the horizon. There was still a hint of dusk in the sky, which was exactly the time before dawn.
Just as he got up, he noticed that Liang Yijie was already in front of him. With a voice full of excitement, Liang Yijie whispered to Yan Liqiang, “The Blackwind Bandits are coming…”
Yan Liqiang, Liang Yijie, and the other guard on night watch had already reached the resting area. They began waking up each of the dozing guards in small voices, allowing them to hastily make preparations.
Ye Tiancheng was woken up as well. However, with the fear of him making a ruckus, they quickly used a cloth and stuffed his mouth so that he would not be able to make a single noise or sound.
Those who were woken up quickly got into gear and watched the mountain valley below with nervousness and excitement.
“Everyone hide first and don’t expose your head. You will only move after you see me or Liqiang make the first move. Those who dare to expose themselves first will be dealt with by military law…” Liang Yijie’s face grew solemn as he established a final disciplinary precaution to the guards. Each of them nodded in response.
Within a few minutes, the Blackwind Bandits actually rushed into the dark valley like a pack of wild wolves. Judging by the number of heads, there were about seven hundred remaining Blackwind Bandits. Their strength in numbers was still there…
Yan Liqiang had already taken out his Horned Python Bow and placed the quiver in an area where he could conveniently retrieve his arrows from. He then excitedly licked his somewhat dried lips.
The people who would become the resources to his capsule machine had arrived…
Yan Liqiang had chosen a shooting area three hundred meters away from the other guards’ line of fire. He was responsible as the lead attacker. The remaining guards, on the other hand, were responsible for following up the attack…
