Chapter 43

The horses, fearing the wolf pack, refused to approach further. He Xuan didn’t hesitate to draw his sword, leaping from his horse, and cleaving a barbarian in two with a single blow. Hot blood spurted out instantly, and before the man could even scream, his headless body convulsed twice before crashing to the ground.

Those barbarians and Mo Yin had been locked in a struggle for who knows how long. They were already suffering from the sudden attack by the wolves that appeared from nowhere. Despite the unbearable situation, they persisted, even if it meant trading a hundred of their own for one enemy. However, with the arrival of a new killer, their morale plummeted almost instantly.

Mo Yin noticed the chaos on the other side and forced himself to wield his sword once more. The wolves followed him, howling, as he fought on. His green shirt was soaked with blood, turning almost black with the fresh stains. The wolves’ gray fur was also stained with blood, their sharp fangs dripping crimson. One man commanding a pack of wolves seemed like an avenging demon crawling from the depths of the underworld to seek revenge on the mortal world!

The barbarians had no intention of fighting anymore; they only wanted to scatter and flee. But how could He Xuan allow them to escape? With swift strikes, he cleanly dispatched each one, leaving no chance for survival. Amidst the swift movements, one could see Mo Yin, his thin shirt and light sword, his face pale as paper. He seemed exhausted, yet he still managed to pierce another man’s heart with his sword during a momentary turn.

The two exchanged only a glance before each continuing their slaughter. Although they had just met and exchanged no words, their actions were remarkably synchronized. With the help of the wolf pack, by the time the guards arrived, the battlefield was almost cleared.

Upon seeing the guards, the remaining barbarians were truly desperate. Those still alive took their own lives with their own blades as if it had been prearranged.

In this small area, blood flowed freely, and the wolves feasted on the fresh flesh as if no one else were around. The guards had never witnessed such a scene and were momentarily stunned. However, He Xuan remained calm, calling for the guards and instructing them to check on Yongcheng.

The guards obeyed without hesitation, mounting their horses and riding off without delay.

For He Xuan, the slaughter that had just occurred was nothing out of the ordinary. He glanced back at Mo Yin, who was sitting on the ground with his sword plunged into the sand, surrounded by the feasting wolves. Blood streaked his face, but he seemed indifferent to it.

He Xuan wiped the blood from his blade and approached Mo Yin, asking, “Can you still stand?”

Mo Yin looked up, and under the moonlight, He Xuan’s face appeared handsome and composed, exuding a strong and steady energy. This was the protagonist of this world.

Mo Yin shook his head lightly, his voice hoarse. “Do you have any water?”

“I didn’t bring water,” He Xuan whistled, and his chestnut horse trotted over. He Xuan untied the pouch and tossed it to Mo Yin. “But I have wine.”

Mo Yin thanked him and pulled out the stopper, tilting the bottle to pour the wine into his mouth.

The liquor was strong, burning down his throat, bringing warmth to his face. Mo Yin coughed lightly, sipping the wine and commenting, “Good wine.”

He Xuan smiled. “May I know your name, sir? We owe you a debt of gratitude for relieving the siege of Yongcheng.”

“Mo Yin.”

Mo Yin didn’t use an alias but directly used his real name. Ever since being rescued by Cheng Wu, he had always used his real name when interacting with others.

He Xuan introduced himself, “He Xuan.”

Mo Yin glanced at him. “General He?”

He Xuan smiled faintly, adjusted his clothes, and sat down opposite Mo Yin. “You told me to come personally, so here I am.”

Mo Yin said, “It was just a joke.”

He Xuan replied, “How can matters of defending the homeland be joked about?”

Mo Yin poured himself another large gulp of wine. The alcohol gradually restored his strength. “Oh? I thought the fate of a small city was nothing but a joke to the general.”

He Xuan was stung by his words but didn’t get angry. Instead, he composed himself and said, “Without defending one city, how can we defend the country? No life of any citizen is a joke to me.”

Mo Yin fell silent for a moment. “I understand. You’ve only recently arrived at the border, so none of this is your fault.”

He Xuan felt that the person in front of him, whether in martial arts or conversation, was extraordinary. He was somewhat surprised. How could such a figure suddenly appear in this desolate borderland?

“Alright,” Mo Yin covered the pouch and tossed it back to He Xuan. “I need to return to the city.”

The wolves were still feasting on the corpses. This meal would be enough to satiate them. Mo Yin called his black horse and mounted it, while He Xuan also summoned his own horse. The two rode through the bloody desert, with He Xuan falling slightly behind to observe Mo Yin. He watched as Mo Yin, despite his thin and shaky appearance on the horse, had displayed clean and swift kills just moments ago. The contrast was truly astonishing.

This person is definitely not simple.

While He Xuan speculated about Mo Yin’s identity, Mo Yin was also contemplating. He had always thought that the protagonist of this world would emerge from the group of civil officials involved in the bribery case, never imagining that the protagonist, He Xuan, would be a military general.

Moreover, he was a military general with whom he had no connection whatsoever.

If in the previous world, he and his brother Pei had grievances, in this world, he and He Xuan were complete strangers, with no enmity between them. Just now, they had fought side by side in battle, and now they were slowly riding back to the city together. Yet, they were destined to become complete opposites in this world.

Mo Yin cleared his throat and turned back. “General, could you spare a few more sips of wine?”

He Xuan tossed him the pouch, and Mo Yin caught it, thanking him before taking another sip. Although he didn’t feel drunk, the alcohol made his blood boil with excitement.

Everything was still unknown. Mo Yin found himself almost enjoying this feeling. Under the arrangement of “fate,” who would emerge as the victor? Logically, the will of the world naturally favored the protagonist, but Mo Yin had never lost before. In this world, what surprises would He Xuan bring him? And where did the power supporting He Xuan come from?

In the distance, there seemed to be a flicker of fire. Mo Yin snapped out of his thoughts, furrowing his brow. He instinctively urged his horse forward, urging the tired horse to pick up speed after a night of exhaustion. Beside him, He Xuan had already ridden ahead to inspect the source of the fire.

Mo Yin shook his head, puzzled. “What’s going on? Even you are siding with him, expecting me to lose?”

The black horse innocently snorted, shaking its ears.

Forget it, there was no need to dwell on the short term. Mo Yin continued to ride slowly on his black horse, drinking his wine. With the protagonist present, the people of Yongcheng should have nothing to worry about.

As the fire drew nearer, Zhang Zhi came running with a torch in hand, followed by a large crowd of people. He Xuan and his guards rode alongside them.

The execution of those barbarians in Yongcheng had already been completed, but upon hearing that Mo Yin and He Xuan had engaged in battle with a group of barbarians outside the city, everyone became anxious. The guards tried to reassure them, saying that everything had been resolved. However, the people were still restless. Zhang Zhi waved his torch and called out, “Follow me to welcome Mr. Mo!”

The entire city responded to his call, and almost all the residents came out.

Mo Yin looked at the sea of people, stunned.

Zhang Zhi came over to take his horse, and Cheng Wu also approached, frowning. “Why do I smell alcohol?”

From a distance, He Xuan watched as Mo Yin was surrounded by the crowd. He turned to his guards and asked, “Have you found out his background?”

The guard shook his head. “Not yet.”

He Xuan nodded slightly and shifted his gaze back to Mo Yin. Strong martial arts skills, knowledge of formations, and deep popularity among the people… This was definitely no ordinary person.

That night, Mo Yin returned to Cheng’s house to rest, while He Xuan led his guards to patrol the city walls, fearing that other barbarian tribes might seek revenge in the middle of the night.

Mo Yin was exhausted, his limbs stiff from fatigue. He pulled his feet out of his boots, feeling the muscles in his legs ache. Cheng Wu brought him hot water and encouraged him to wash up.

Border water was precious, and Mo Yin hadn’t had a proper bath in a long time. After cleaning himself, he climbed into bed. The room was warm from the fire, and Mo Yin’s voice was hoarse as he said, “Cheng Wu, have I repaid my debt to you for saving my life?”

“…You have.”

Cheng Wu’s voice was also hoarse. The grudge from last year had finally been resolved this year. Suddenly, he crouched down, silently crying. After crying for a long time, he lay down beside Mo Yin’s bed, whispering, “Thank you.”

Mo Yin didn’t say anything, gently closing his eyes.

Cheng Wu stayed by his side, making a gesture of blessing that was unique to the city—this person must have been sent by the Madam. She had sent him to save him, and now she had sent him to help him settle his grievances. Everything was destined.

The next day, Mo Yin slept until the afternoon before waking up. He felt like his limbs were falling apart, lying exhausted on the bed without moving. Cheng Wu was afraid that something might happen to him and boiled several eggs for him to eat, encouraging him to replenish his energy.

Mo Yin didn’t want to eat eggs; he wanted stewed lamb.

Cheng Wu hurriedly went to borrow some stewed lamb from another house and soon returned with a bowl full of hot lamb stew. Mo Yin was too lazy to move and ate it while sitting on the bed. He quickly finished the whole bowl of lamb stew and asked Cheng Wu for wine. But this time, Cheng Wu refused to give it to him. “A person who is coughing shouldn’t drink.”

Mo Yin didn’t argue with him. He dismissed Cheng Wu with a few words and poured himself some wine from under the bed. After taking a sip, he felt that the wine given by He Xuan was more potent. Drinking the wine from Cheng Wu now seemed dull in comparison. Mo Yin put down the wine gourd with little interest and lay back on the bed, pondering his original plans.

He had intended to use Yongcheng as a springboard to enter the military camp, adapting on the fly to either serve as a military advisor or to personally lead troops in battle. As long as he could control the army, he wouldn’t lack power.

But now, the army was in the hands of the protagonist.

Should he overthrow He Xuan?

Although Mo Yin didn’t know much about He Xuan’s background, he could tell from his actions and the presence of his guards that it wouldn’t be easy. After all, how could a protagonist be so easily removed from power?

So, he could only plan step by step…

Mo Yin quickly outlined a new plan in his mind, deeply engrossed in his thoughts until someone knocked on the door.

It was Cheng Wu, his voice slightly low and displeased. “General He invites you to drink.”

Mo Yin sat up abruptly from the bed.

Outside the door, guards were waiting to take Mo Yin’s horse. Mo Yin was happy to have someone wait on him, lazily slumping on the horse’s back. So when He Xuan saw Mo Yin under the city tower, he looked lazy, as if he hadn’t fully woken up.

He Xuan casually asked, “Are you awake, sir?”

Mo Yin raised an eyebrow. “Sir?”

He Xuan raised his eyebrows. “The people of the city all call you sir, so I’ll follow suit.”

“As you wish.”

“Where’s the wine?” Mo Yin sized up He Xuan.

Having met during the day, He Xuan seemed even more handsome and unrivaled, like a sharp sword gleaming with restrained brilliance. “Xuan” meant brightness and radiance, and he was indeed the epitome of radiance. In contrast, Mo Yin seemed like a ghost emerging from the darkness.

He Xuan extended his hand. “Please.”

The two of them climbed the city tower together. It was sunset, and from the top, the desert’s sunset was incredibly beautiful and unpredictable. The sky was filled with purple and red hues, like a delicate veil draped over the quiet yet dangerous desert.

Each holding a wine gourd, He Xuan spoke up. “With your martial arts skills and knowledge of military strategy, you must be more than just a businessman, right?”

Mo Yin took a sip of wine and replied lightly, “I once studied under a master when I was young, but I didn’t achieve much. To avoid tarnishing my master’s reputation, I pretended I hadn’t learned anything and became an ordinary businessman.”

“With your skills, couldn’t you protect your family?”

“I was caught off guard and fell victim to an ambush.”

Mo Yin’s tone was casual, but He Xuan noticed an old scar on his wrist as he raised his hand to drink.

He Xuan had inquired about Mo Yin’s background from the people in the city, but the information he received was only superficial. Mo Yin was a mysterious figure with seemingly untold stories, yet he was also an incredibly talented individual. The military was currently lacking someone like him.

“Who are you exactly?” He Xuan asked, his tone serious and imposing. Having killed thousands in battle at a young age, he exuded a pressure that few could resist.

Mo Yin didn’t flinch, responding calmly, “I’m just Mo Yin.” He turned to look at He Xuan and continued, “I’m willing to serve the country. Will the general dare to accept me into his ranks?”

Their eyes met, and there seemed to be a flash of confrontation between them. He Xuan smiled faintly. “A heart devoted to the country, willing to die for it. Since you’re willing to serve, how can I refuse?”

He Xuan raised his wine gourd, and Mo Yin followed suit. As their gourds touched, they both took a big gulp of wine. After drinking, Mo Yin couldn’t help but cough.

He Xuan asked, “Is that cough from the injury last night?”

Mo Yin waved his hand dismissively. “Just an old ailment.”

“Have you seen a doctor?”

“No need.” Mo Yin finished the remaining wine in his gourd. “A troubled heart will find its cure.”

He tossed the wine gourd aside, and He Xuan caught it with his hand. Mo Yin asked, “This wine is quite good. What is it?” He Xuan replied, “It’s a wine I brewed myself, called ‘Drunk Mountains and Rivers.'”

Mo Yin smiled. Even his smile carried a cold aura, like a bright moon shining with silver light, which caught He Xuan off guard. However, he then saw Mo Yin suddenly draw his sword from his waist. With a slight flick of his wrist, the soft sword trembled straight and sharp, emanating a chilling aura, as if frost and snow were contained within. The sword and its master seemed to merge into one.

He Xuan couldn’t help but praise, “What a good sword.”

As the deep purple glow gradually turned red, on top of the city tower, clad in gray and blue, graceful like a sparrow, swift as an eagle, the sword gleamed like lightning, and the face as cold as snow. Yet amidst the snow, there was a hint of red, like proud plum blossoms. “In a drunken dream of mountains and rivers, where can a lone traveler go? The road ahead is difficult”

The voice was faint, yet profound, stirring a slight emotion in He Xuan’s heart. He thought to himself, “Alone illuminating with light, heart, and courage as cold as ice and snow. Who knows?”

As Mo Yin raised his eyes, He Xuan finished his drink, discarded the wine bag, and drew his sword to engage.

With a sword and a knife, they danced together in the desert, amidst swirling sand. Between heaven and earth, there was only a setting sun, with crimson clouds filling the sky. Two lone figures in a deserted city, true friends hard to come by.

As the sun set and moonlight bathed the sand dunes, He Xuan held his knife with both hands. “I would like to invite the master to join the camp as a military advisor.”

Mo Yin held the soft sword in his palm. “I would like to guard and defend the city with the general.”

They exchanged swords. He Xuan accepted the sword and clasped his fists. “He Zangfeng.”

Mo Yin took the knife and indeed saw the words “Zangfeng” engraved on it. He lowered the knife handle and clasped his fists. “I keep my name unchanged, Mo Zigui.”