Chapter 214: Entering the Camp
Though very reluctant, Shen Baiwei ultimately followed Lu Yibei and Longxiang, departing from Yumen Pass, exiting through the southern city gate, and heading towards the Longxiang Army camp outside the city.
No compromise, no way out!
When she chased after Lu Yibei, leaving the shabby little thatched hut, she had already fallen into the trap set by Longxiang and Lu Yibei.
At that moment, she was standing south of Yumen Pass, in an empty street.
Ahead were two street punks, and behind her was a white-clothed man with an ethereal demeanor, whose gender was difficult to discern.
Although Lu Yibei had left her a bit dazed, she could still handle this simple choice with only two options.
That white-clothed man practically had “Miracle Saint” written all over his face, sporting a foul expression that suggested it was better to be with calamity than to follow him!
Having lurked in the Miracle Cult for so long, she knew well what kind of people they were.
From a certain angle, she was indeed caught in a dilemma; no matter how she chose, it felt like a kidnapping. But if she chose calamity, at least the captor would be gentler.
Of course, she would likely never know that Hong Bian had been scowling at her solely because Lu Yibei had incited Longxiang, making Hong Bian a mere tool…
———
“Whoosh!”
After tightening the last strap, Lu Yibei and Shen Baiwei finished donning their armor.
The pitch-black armor felt cold against her skin, the chilling sensation seeping through her clothing. She couldn’t tell if it was the dropping temperature as night approached or something else altogether.
Wearing nearly thirty pounds of armor, Shen Baiwei frowned, shifting her body from time to time, producing a series of metallic clinks.
Although the physique of an A-Class Spiritual Ability User made this weight negligible, the sudden addition still made for an uncomfortable experience.
Lu Yibei was entirely different; it was as if he had seamlessly adapted to the armor.
After all, she was a weird urban legend, one who only needed to don Ling Tai Purification for a change.
Compared to the weight of the Ling Tai Purification after being armored, this Longxiang Army gear was hardly different from a t-shirt.
With those tall tower shields added, it might even crush a warhorse’s spine!
Longxiang scrutinized Lu Yibei and Shen Baiwei, deep in thought.
Both were clad in black iron armor, wearing heavy boots and helmets, with fixed neck guards. Almost everything but their eyes was concealed, making it hard to tell they were women.
Little Shen Girl, uh…
Since both girls claimed to be Shen Baiwei, and had bickered over it, Longxiang decided to distinguish between them by calling them Big Shen Girl and Little Shen Girl.
Didn’t that Shen Girl say she was the sister of another Shen Girl? So he might as well go along with it.
Little Shen Girl, although tall, looked somewhat frail compared to the Longxiang Army soldiers but was not surprising to see her manage to wear the armor.
What truly surprised him was that Big Shen Girl, whom he had interacted with more, had miraculously grown a foot taller in the blink of an eye since their first meeting, successfully fitting into the armor, which was quite miraculous.
Though very curious about how Big Shen Girl accomplished this, he wisely refrained from asking.
Having witnessed many extraordinary persons, he was well aware that casually inquiring about someone’s skills was considered impolite.
Noticing Longxiang’s unusual gaze, Lu Yibei tilted her head. “Is there a problem?”
“No, no!” Longxiang shook his head, chuckling as he lamented, “I was worried that the armor would be too big for you, and it would be difficult to take you into the camp!”
“Now it seems I was overly concerned. Let’s get moving!”
With that, he turned and patted the neck of the warhorse beside him. The once-relaxed horse suddenly stood erect as if it understood his intention, its sapient muscles taut, ready to unleash great power.
Longxiang skillfully mounted the horse, steadying himself and holding the reins, only to realize the two Shen girls were still rooted in place, whispering to each other.
“Do you know how to ride a horse?” Shen Baiwei asked quietly to Lu Yibei.
“I…” Lu Yibei opened her mouth, suddenly recalling the earlier moment when she shared a horse with Nanling Yaohua. She frowned slightly, her expression impassive. “I’m fine, proficient actually! Don’t worry, it’s no problem taking you.”
Although she didn’t know whether Shen Baiwei could ride, she couldn’t let that tragedy repeat; she had to maintain control of the horse.
Hearing this, Shen Baiwei felt a bit relieved.
Although she had undergone comprehensive training on modern vehicles at the Tethys Laboratory, like cars, speedboats, fighter jets, and even excavators and cranes, riding a horse was a first for her.
If riding together on a horse was necessary, she would have to let someone carry her, and that meant sharing a horse with Longxiang!
Should she sit in front, letting him hold her, or sit behind and hold him?
Just thinking about it was terrifying! Shen Baiwei thought.
Then, she witnessed calamity successfully enchanting a robust mare right before her eyes.
Shen Baiwei, “…”
But… is this what you mean by being proficient?
Your Highness, aren’t you going to stop her?
She’s enchanting your horse!
———
Life is often a process of continuous compromise.
But Shen Baiwei felt that since she and calamity “traveled” back to Yumen Pass more than a thousand years back, in just over half a day, she had compromised more times than in the entire past year combined.
Indeed, she ultimately chose to ride the same horse as Lu Yibei.
Departing from Yumen Pass, exiting through the southern city gate, heading southeast, the surrounding scenery quickly turned into desolate hills. As time passed, the once bl**d-stained sky gradually dulled to a deep indigo.
The evening wind whipped with cold, stirring up dust, creating a layer of light yellow mist.
The closest Longxiang army camp was seventeen kilometers away from Yumen Pass. The three of them trudged against the evening wind and sand, moving slowly, taking about an hour to reach their destination.
From a distance, Shen Baiwei’s eyes trembled slightly.
Though Longxiang had briefly introduced the camp atop their journey, this camp was essentially the main base of the Longxiang Army outside Yumen Pass, housing nearly three thousand armored soldiers and over a thousand warhorses. Yet, mere numbers felt insufficient, nowhere near the impact of seeing it with her own eyes.
In her imagination, three thousand people and a thousand horses were akin to each student pushing a small electric scooter during the flag-raising ceremony in high school.
But upon seeing it for real, she realized her imagination had been lacking.
The tents sprawled amidst a vast expanse of earth pillars, and from atop her horse, even with the terrain’s advantage, she could only glimpse vague boundaries, delivering an overwhelming sense of oppression.
After all, from her time with the Solar Eclipse Society to later mingling with the Miracle Cult, her missions had primarily revolved around assassinations. She had never experienced such a grand scene.
And while she was lost in thought, calamity’s voice drifted into her ears.
“Are you scared? Look at you being so unworldly! Do you want me to take you to experience some Hundred Demons Walks?”
Shen Baiwei, “…”
Continuing forward, as they approached the response point, it was now Lu Yibei who felt astonished.
Perhaps due to being polluted by unreliable films and dramas, she had assumed that such a frontier army’s night would be lively, with soldiers partaking in drinking, sparring, and light gambling as entertainment.
Yet what lay before her was a military camp so quiet it felt like a library.
There wasn’t even a sound of drinking or gambling; not a hint of noise could be heard. Even the horses were unusually quiet, only occasionally making soft snorts or producing the faint sound of hooves against sandy ground. Occasionally, soldiers would exchange a few words, but their voices quickly faded into the night winds of the Gobi.
Watching this scene, Lu Yibei could not help but think of four words—strict discipline.
However, that made sense! If not for strict discipline, it would be difficult for several thousand men to withstand the repeated assaults of the Shaman Queen’s Army, which outnumbered them by multiples, Lu Yibei thought.
If these were some characters from certain films who partook in everything from gambling to debauchery, a barrage from the Shaman Queen’s light cavalry would probably leave them picking up loot.
Lost in her thoughts, two soldiers outside the camp blocked the way of the three, their long spears crossing to produce a light “clang.”
“Who goes there?”
Though the Longxiang Army soldiers certainly recognized Longxiang, it was clear that the camp did not support facial recognition.
“Whooo!”
Longxiang pulled back the reins, stopping the warhorse. He circled round and took out a token from his chest.
The soldier took a hasty glance and immediately withdrew his spear, cupping his hands and bowing his head.
“General.”
“Mm.” Longxiang replied nonchalantly, pulling on the reins to continue forward. After they had proceeded some distance, he noticed the two Shen girls were still rooted in place, turning to look back.
When Longxiang produced the token, not only did the two soldiers see it, but Lu Yibei also caught a glimpse. That familiar design momentarily drew her attention.
Though the color and patterns differed slightly, she recognized it at a glance as the token she had found in the rundown temple of her four masters, Qing Ji, or rather… the other half of that token.
From the faintly seen groove on the token, it almost perfectly matched the protrusion on the one she held.
It seemed that the token could very well be a key item of great use! Lu Yibei thought.
As she pondered, Shen Baiwei noticed the unusual glances exchanged between Longxiang and the two soldiers, feeling uneasy. She quickly patted Lu Yibei and quietly urged, “What are you dazed for? Let’s hurry!”
“Oh oh!” Lu Yibei vacantly responded a couple of times and gently stroked the mare’s mane.
Then, as if suddenly stimulated, the mare jumped and took off with a lively gait, its breaths getting heavier as it moved forward.
The two soldiers, heads bowed, watched the trio enter the camp with their peripheral vision until they could no longer see them, before they couldn’t help but whisper to one another.
“Wasn’t the general out alone earlier? How come he brought back two people? And straight into the main camp.” said one.
“How would I know? Anyway, concerning the general, it’s better not to pry!” the other replied, “More importantly… I’m curious about those two riding horses.”
“What’s wrong with that horse?”
“Can’t quite put my finger on it, but it feels odd, just like… I’ve seen the notorious widow from my hometown.”
“Geez! Brother, I… it’s hard to say. When this battle is over, you should go to Dai Mu Institute for a few days, or I’ll treat you!”
“…” The other fell silent for a moment, a troubled expression on his face as he sighed, “Hey, let’s not talk about this. Surviving the battle and getting back home is good enough.”
Longxiang had already walked a distance away, but upon hearing this, Lu Yibei glanced at the troubled armored soldier, her brow furrowing in thought.
The Longxiang Army seemed quite pessimistic about the upcoming battle?
Perhaps this camp’s silence, aside from strict discipline, also had a factor of low morale? Lu Yibei speculated.
———
After securing the horses, Lu Yibei and Shen Baiwei had just entered the tent with Longxiang when he remarked, “Did you hear those two brats earlier? Thinking our Longxiang Army has low morale?”
After hesitating, Lu Yibei nodded. “Indeed.”
Though in a genuine war like this, where life and d*ath were treated lightly, such situations rarely emerged, the morale of these soldiers seemed considerably lower compared to those she had seen in Yumen Pass… Lu Yibei mentally added.
“Hey!” Longxiang sighed helplessly, spreading his hands. “It’s unavoidable; soldiers are human too; they fear d*ath. With years of continuous wars, knowing they could d*e at any moment, it’s already commendable that they haven’t turned into deserters.”
“After all, the soldiers accompanying me have seen the horrors of the Shaman Queen’s Army with their own eyes.”
Pausing as if testing Lu Yibei, he suddenly changed the subject, saying with significant intent, “Now that a great battle is imminent, wouldn’t it be great if there were ways to boost morale… I wonder if Miss Shen has any brilliant ideas?”
Upon hearing this, Lu Yibei seemed to sink into thought, pinching her chin thoughtfully.
This is not something she should discuss with him! Mentioning it might cause big trouble! Seeing her expression, Shen Baiwei felt a tightness in her chest, already raising her hands, prepared to cover her mouth to prevent her from speaking out of turn.
However, Lu Yibei simply shook her head. “Not at all.”
She was lying.
She did have some ideas on how to boost the morale of the Longxiang Army soldiers, but until she witnessed what she wanted to see, she would not tell Longxiang.
Perhaps next time? There would be another opportunity, right? Anyway, there’s no way I’m letting you pry anything out of me! Lu Yibei thought.
With the probe failing, Longxiang shook his head, smiling wryly. “Then the two Shen girls should rest here; I have business to attend to, so I cannot accompany you!”
With that, he cupped his hands and left the tent.
