Chapter 134: A True Son

“Dong!”

From ahead came the long, resonant sound of a bell.

It was the signal for returning home.

The old soldier at Willow Fort no longer raised chickens.

His grain and pay were now issued directly by the fortress, no different from the barbarian soldiers.

Naturally, he no longer needed to pick up a saber and go fight either.

His only responsibility was ringing the bell.

Great Yan’s frontier forts actually did not carry much of the tense restraint one might expect from a border garrison.

After all the Qian army across the frontier had never come.

So setting aside a bell specifically to mark the time was hardly a problem.

The bell rang three times.

That meant it was three in the afternoon.

The convict column continued forward.

At last, Willow Fort appeared within everyone’s sight.

Because the procession had encountered barbarian scouts sent out from Willow Fort earlier, news that the Master was returning with convicts had already reached the fortress in advance.

On the leveled barracks ground outside the fort, Xiao Yibo waited with his men, each carrying baskets.

Ahead of Xiao Yibo, dozens of barbarian soldiers were busily working.

Large iron cauldrons had been set up one after another.

The aroma of meat spread through the air.

On another open section of ground armor and weapons had been stacked in neat piles.

The Blind Man stood at the very front with Xue San, Liang Cheng, and Fan Li.

Once the convict column reached them, Ding Hao, Hong Bazi, and the others immediately came forward to organize everyone.

Each man received a large bowl.

Truthfully it looked more like a clay basin.

“Oh?

“Isn’t this Lord Zuo?”

Ding Hao recognized Zuo Jiqian.

After all, Zuo Jiqian had visited the fort before.

Zuo Jiqian smiled at Ding Hao.

There was no arrogance in him now.

But neither did he lower himself into groveling toward Ding Hao.

“Lord Zuo.

“This is your food basin.

“Go this way.”

Zuo Jiqian nodded.

After taking the clay basin, he walked to the right.

A barbarian soldier beside the first iron cauldron ladled half a basin of soup for him.

Another barbarian nearby grabbed a handful of meat slices and threw them into the bowl, then gestured for him to continue onward.

Farther down were steamed buns and rice.

Choose for yourself.

If you wanted buns take buns.

If you wanted rice pour the soup over it and eat.

Once you had food sit down wherever you liked and eat.

Zuo Jiqian sat.

He drank a mouthful of soup.

Then took a bite of steamed bun.

He had been born into wealth.

What delicacies had he not eaten before?

At first, he still ate with a certain refinement.

But gradually he ate faster and faster.

Soon, he was practically wolfing the food down.

The clansmen sitting nearby after collecting their meals were the same.

Before long, it was the Huo Clan’s turn.

After receiving their food, they too ate with visible excitement.

Hungrily.

The barbarian soldiers responsible for preparing the meal watched them and grinned.

It was almost as though they were seeing their own past selves.

But unlike those barbarians the Huo and Zuo clansmen had genuinely eaten well in their former lives.

After becoming convicts, however, although the escort officials did not intentionally mistreat them, the food naturally stopped being refined.

More importantly what they were eating now might not truly have been only food.

What made them so excited what made them devour meat soup and steamed buns as though starving was perhaps… freedom.

“There are more people than expected,” the Blind Man said.

“I thought you’d tell me the more, the better,” Zheng Fan replied.

“Heh heh.

“Master, you flatter this subordinate far too much.

“I’m only suited for ideological work.

“As for becoming some Immortal of War— leave that to Liang Cheng.”

“With all of you here, I’m very reassured.”

“Many thanks for Master’s trust.

“Master has worked hard on this journey.

“Bathwater has already been heated.

“Please go rest first.

“We will handle everything here.”

“Good.”

Siniang stood behind Zheng Fan and the Blind Man.

Silently watching the two of them talk.

At this moment, Siniang suddenly experienced an illusion.

The backs of Zheng Fan and the Blind Man looked a little alike.

Not in physical shape.

But in that certain air around them…

Little Sixth had been tormented by his father for so many years.

He had grown inside that abuse and begun learning how to reverse the套路—to play the game back against the one playing him.

Zheng Fan was not incapable of learning either.

Spend too long around an old scheming bastard and remaining innocent became difficult.

Especially after this trip to the capital.

The impact on Zheng Fan had been enormous.

After seeing Zheng Fan enter the fort, Siniang glanced at A’Ming standing beside her.

A’Ming nodded toward her.

Only then did Siniang follow Zheng Fan into Willow Fort.

The Blind Man crossed both hands inside his pockets.

He looked like some lazy fellow from years ago strolling through the winter streets of Beijing in an army greatcoat.

A’Ming walked to his side.

“I already received the intelligence about what happened.”

With the Sixth Prince’s support, information from all across Yan—and even parts of Qian—flowed toward Willow Fort.

“What I want to talk about isn’t what happened in the capital.”

“Oh?”

The Blind Man sounded slightly puzzled.

“Master may already have entered Eighth Grade.”

The corner of the Blind Man’s mouth lifted.

Then he said, “But you and Siniang do not seem to have recovered your strength.”

“That is precisely the problem.”

The Blind Man nodded.

“I understand.

“Once things here are settled, and once Master has slept— we’ll speak with him openly.”

“Good.

“Then I’m heading back too.”

“Miss your coffin?”

“I do.”

“Go.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“This trip was far easier than the last time you and San went out.”

The only thing A’Ming and Siniang had really done was get called over by Master to collect corpses at the Tian estate.

Of course, that hellish scene might have become a lifelong nightmare for ordinary people.

But for A’Ming and Siniang it really was nothing.

“So what exactly are you trying to say?” the Blind Man asked.

“Nothing.

“Next time Master goes out—

I think I should accompany him.”

“You think if I go out with Master, something might…”

“Unlucky.”

The Blind Man did not continue arguing about that.

Instead he said, “That Zuo Clan brat is here too.”

“Mm.

“Master dragged him home.

“None of those army bosses dared take him.”

“Mm.”

“Ever since Zuo Jiqian met our Master— he seems to have suffered one streak of bad luck after another.”

“But in the end— he walked into our fortress.

“Didn’t he?”

“Blind Man.

“That way you think about things really makes it difficult for anyone to resonate with you.”

“A person might take ninety-nine wrong steps in life.

“But if he takes one single step correctly— the entire shape and scale of his life can become completely different.”

“Fine.”

“Now we only need to see whether he can seize the opportunity himself.”

“You keep watching things here.

“I’ll go lie down for a while.

“When Master wakes and you’re ready to speak openly— call me too.”

“In the ice cellar behind the hidden door in the basement— there’s blood from the escaped convicts we killed the day before yesterday.”

With so many convicts being escorted into Yinlang Commandery, inevitably a few would try jumping loose.

“Tsk.

“Thoughtful.”

A’Ming was very satisfied.

“Go.”

The Blind Man waved.

Like shooing away a fly.

For the sake of chilled fresh blood and his concern for the disabled—

A’Ming chose not to argue with the Blind Man.

He turned and entered the fortress.

The people who had finished eating were led by Xiao Yibo into the barracks bathhouse.

They really were people of decent upbringing.

The moment they saw they could bathe, most of them looked delighted.

They even entered willingly.

Xiao Yibo sighed inwardly.

As expected of the sons of Great Yan’s aristocratic houses.

At least they understood cleanliness far better than those desert barbarians.

As for what exactly the word “hygiene” meant—

Xiao Yibo did not know.

He had only heard several of the adults use that word.

Still he understood roughly what it meant.

Once the bathhouse was packed so tightly people were practically pressed chest to back and had begun washing—

“Three people share one bar!

“Wash yourselves properly!”

Xiao Yibo and his men began throwing soap inside with great enthusiasm.

The people bathing immediately froze after picking up the soap.

Naturally they knew what this was.

Their families had used it before.

And they also knew perfectly well how expensive it was.

Yet Willow Fort was casually throwing in this much soap for a bunch of convicts to bathe?

Far away—

Xue San and Liang Cheng stood together.

“These people won’t be as easy to fool as barbarians.”

Barbarians were cruel.

Violent.

Like starving wolves.

But their worldview was simple.

Others might fear dancing with wolves.

But in the eyes of Demon Kings those barbarian soldiers looked like unbelievably pure and obedient babies.

These people were different.

They came from aristocratic clans.

They had intelligence.

Knowledge.

And resentment in their hearts.

How were they supposed to deal with that?

“The method will be different,” Liang Cheng replied.

“But the outcome— will be the same.”

“No demonstration of authority tonight?”

“Go rest.”

“Tsk…”

Xue San looked slightly disappointed.

He had thought he might get another chance tonight to carve out a skull wine cup.

Xue San had always believed he was an artist whose talent had been delayed by choosing the assassin profession.

……

“Master.

“Want me to add some more water?”

“No.

“The temperature is just right.”

“It has cooled a little.”

“That’s fine.”

“Master.

“Let me scrub your back.”

“No need.

“Siniang, you’re tired too.

“Go rest.”

“Yes, Master.”

Siniang left Zheng Fan’s room.

Inside—

Zheng Fan sat alone in the bath barrel.

Slowly he closed his eyes.

Every time he returned from a long journey, he especially enjoyed the feeling of soaking in hot water.

Even in his previous life, at home, he had enjoyed filling the not-very-large bathtub with water and sinking himself inside.

Psychology said many people liked this because it recreated the sensation of being inside the womb.

It offered an enormous sense of inner security.

……

Drip… drip… drip… drip…

The sound was wet.

Not crisp.

Viscous.

Zheng Fan opened his eyes somewhat groggily.

He discovered he was lying on a table.

Around the table countless people laughed and celebrated.

They held wine cups.

Their faces were filled with excitement and joy.

Yet despite the noisy scene no sound came from any of them.

In Zheng Fan’s ears apart from that constant dripping there was nothing.

Because of that the entire scene became strangely eerie.

The faces of the people had also been deliberately stretched slightly longer.

Not exaggeratedly.

But enough to carry the faint distortion of a convex mirror.

As a comic artist—

Zheng Fan naturally understood this technique.

He had used it often himself.

Stretch the human face just slightly.

Then pair it with the right plot and suggestion.

The effect could become much stronger.

Zheng Fan sat up.

He crossed both hands over his knees.

This was a dream.

He was dreaming.

And the scene felt somewhat familiar.

This was the Elegant Garden.

Drip… drip… drip…

Zheng Fan raised his head.

He looked toward the beams above.

A baby hung there.

The baby’s face carried an innocent smile.

A rope was tied around one of his legs, so he hung upside down facing Zheng Fan.

Blood continuously dripped from his body.

That was the only sound in this entire place.

“Demon Child?”

Zheng Fan called out.

The baby was slowly lowered.

His face drew closer and closer to Zheng Fan’s.

Suddenly the sound of arrows tearing through the air erupted.

The celebrating people around him fell one after another, pierced by arrows.

Immediately afterward groups of armored soldiers charged in and began hacking them apart.

Sound returned completely.

Screams.

Crying.

The sound of slaughter.

Every noise was horrifyingly clear.

Zheng Fan sat at the banquet table and yawned.

He did not panic.

He did not try to flee.

After finishing the yawn he even smiled faintly at the baby above.

“Did you make this dream?

“Or am I dreaming— and you came inside?”

The baby did not answer.

But his smile gradually disappeared.

“You may have misunderstood something.

“Right now— this scene really doesn’t frighten me.”

After bouncing around this world for so long after cutting down so many people was he still supposed to be frightened by a bloody scene like this?

At that moment, Zheng Fan sensed someone standing behind him.

He turned his head.

No person.

Only a floating set of gilded armor.

“The fall of Great Yan’s aristocratic clans— shall begin with my Tian Clan!”

The voice echoed out.

Zheng Fan narrowed his eyes.

In the next instant he suddenly discovered the Demon Child’s face appearing across the tabletop.

Like ink spreading through paper the baby’s face slowly bloomed outward.

Soon the entire banquet table was covered by that face.

One could even say Zheng Fan himself now sat atop the Demon Child’s face.

The Demon Child’s mouth opened.

Below a terrifying vortex appeared.

As though it intended to swallow Zheng Fan whole.

Yet Zheng Fan remained seated.

Completely steady.

Not the slightest panic.

No matter how cowardly a father might be he would never show weakness in front of his son.

Zheng Fan truly did not move.

But everything around him was now torn apart like scroll paintings.

Crushed.

Shredded.

Then sucked toward the Demon Child’s enormous mouth.

The speed of this devouring was exaggerated.

Abstract.

Gradually every trace of light around them was swallowed away.

Only one thing remained a kind of… bright darkness.

Even black could shine.

The table and chair beneath Zheng Fan had naturally vanished.

But near his feet lay a piece of preserved fruit.

“Sigh.

“I’m not a lolicon…”

Zheng Fan said as he bent to pick it up.

But before he could finish he froze.

A baby dressed in denim overalls was toddling unsteadily toward him.

The child’s left index finger rested inside his mouth as he sucked on it.

Unfortunately his eyes were still pitch-black and bottomless.

Even so, in Zheng Fan’s eyes, the child was already extremely adorable.

The baby waddled over.

A smile played around his mouth.

Saliva trailed down his finger.

Not disgusting at all.

That was what a child should look like.

Zheng Fan brought the preserved fruit to the child’s mouth.

The baby opened up and took it.

Then, the child turned around.

His body wobbled.

And he fell backward directly into Zheng Fan’s lap.

With a chubby little cutie suddenly in his arms, Zheng Fan instinctively wrapped both arms around him.

Then he lowered his head.

And kissed the child’s sparsely-haired crown.

“Hehehe…”

The baby felt ticklish from the kiss.

He laughed.

Zheng Fan smiled too.

Holding the child, he gently rocked from side to side.

Then said, “Although I know you’re trying to fool me—

I… accept your flattery.”

……

Outside night had already fallen.

“My Lords.

“Everything has been arranged.”

Xiao Yibo came over and reported.

“You’ve worked hard,” the Blind Man said.

“I would not dare call it hardship.

“It is this subordinate’s duty.”

“Mm.

“You go rest too.”

Xiao Yibo immediately bowed and withdrew.

Inside the courtyard six adults sat together.

It looked almost like a meeting.

But Xiao Yibo understood perfectly well.

Forget participating.

He did not even possess the qualification to listen from the side.

“Hero Chen left,” the Blind Man said.

“When?” A’Ming asked.

“At dusk.”

Siniang spoke.

“Perhaps he saw us bring back so many people and guessed what we plan to do?”

Fan Li suddenly said, “This afternoon he even asked whether I wanted help chopping firewood and heating water so those poor people could bathe.”

“Uh…”

Siniang fell silent.

So that idiot with a missing piece in his brain had still failed to realize what would happen next, even after seeing the fortress suddenly receive this many convicts?

“Yes.

“He didn’t realize it,” the Blind Man said.

“According to Master’s evaluation— he really is an idiot.”

A terrifying rival capable of competing with Fan Li in intelligence!

“Then why did he leave?”

“I told him.

“Then he understood.

“Then he left.

“He should be going to warn Qian.”

“Why would you do that?” Xue San asked.

The Blind Man took an iron cigarette case from his pocket and removed a cigarette.

Then said, “You really think Qian would remain ignorant of what is happening here without him?

“Qian’s spies inside Yan are much more capable than their frontier army.

“With a disturbance this large in Yinlang Commandery— if the other side knew nothing, that would truly be absurd.

“I even suspect that beside the Prince whose five limbs were broken by our Master— there may already have been someone infiltrated by Qian.”

“Mm.

“But he still hasn’t done the thing he promised Master.”

“At present— there really is nobody who needs him to do anything.

“We can hardly send him to assassinate Qian people.

“What else?

“Give him three names to kill—

Ji Runhao, Li Liangting, and Tian Wujing?”

“Heh heh…”

Xue San laughed.

Then discovered nobody else was laughing.

So he stopped too.

“Now that he has left— it is good for all of us.

“He can even owe us another favor.”

“Fine.

“If Hero Chen leaves, he leaves.

“Once the war is over— he’ll naturally come back.

“Let’s discuss the real issue.

“Master still hasn’t awakened?” A’Ming asked impatiently.

Every male present turned his gaze toward Siniang.

“What are you all looking at me for?” Siniang asked.

“Normally, once Master advances, you should be the first to recover.

“You’re the weather vane,” Xue San said.

“Heh.

“Don’t.

“I don’t have that much face.”

Xue San laughed.

Everyone knew what kind of relationship Master and Siniang had.

He immediately said, “How could you not be the first?

“Right, Ah Cheng?”

Liang Cheng nodded.

He seemed to want to make a joke to lighten the mood.

“It can’t possibly be the Demon Child first.”

“Buzz!”

A wave of sinister qi suddenly leaked from within the fortress.

And vanished again in the very next instant.

All six Demon Kings in the courtyard immediately stood.

The aura had been exposed for only a moment.

But they all recognized exactly whose aura it was.

And they understood perfectly well what the strength of that brief release represented.

The Blind Man turned a meaningful gaze toward Liang Cheng.

Xue San clutched his own head in disbelief.

“Oh my fucking God!

“It really was the Demon Child who licked his way up first!”

(End of Chapter)