After the Immortal Disappeared

When his men revived him, Wu Shaoyi discovered that the Xunzhou Rangers were attacking, and the camp was in utter chaos. Zhou Hongyue had been killed by an explosion in the single-story building. Wu Shaoyi fought through his pain to take command, but morale had already collapsed.

He watched as the grain carts were burned one after another and his soldiers were cut down one by one. With his forces clearly on the verge of a complete rout, Wu Shaoyi knew the situation was hopeless and had no choice but to order a retreat.

He had spent the entire retreat gathering what was left of his troops, which was how he’d ended up with this handful of men.

As for the provisions, most of them were destroyed.

The Xunzhou Rangers who raid deep into Xiazhou to cut off supply lines know they can’t transport the grain with their small numbers, so their standard procedure is to burn it all.

Having explained this, Wu Shaoyi lowered his head. "I await your punishment, my lord."

"For your carelessness and for losing the provisions, you deserve death," Hee Chunhua said coldly. "But we’re short on men. I’ll spare your life for now, pending your future performance."

Wu Shaoyi could only thank him for his magnanimity.

The arrogance from their previous victory over the Xunzhou people was now completely gone. Half the provisions allocated by the Royal Court were lost, and it was Hee Chunhua who would have to answer for it to the front lines.

At least half of it was still left.

Hee Chunhua then asked, "I recall Bailu Town has constables and a Village Defense Team. Why didn’t they come to help?"

Wu Shaoyi shook his head. "Perhaps they were too scared to come, or maybe they were out hunting bandits. I heard bandits have been running rampant lately. They killed several Officials in Bailu Town, and a prominent local family was plundered—all thirty-something members of the household were massacred."

Hee Lingchuan couldn’t help but interject, "Two incidents of mass murder in one small town, back to back. Don’t you find that suspicious?"

"I did tighten security," Wu Shaoyi said in a low voice. "I heard the man who killed the constables was a townsman who fled after the crime. As for the bandits, the locals all saw them. They weren’t Xunzhou Soldiers. So I..."

After losing the battle and the provisions, any further explanation would sound like a flimsy excuse, so he trailed off.

Hee Chunhua frowned. "Who was the enemy general? Did you get a clear look at him?"

"He’s in his thirties, tall and thin, and a fearsome fighter. Even Lui Yao wouldn’t be his match," Wu Shaoyi said. "I didn’t see this man when we were hunting the Xunzhou Rangers last time, but I heard his subordinates call him ’General.’"

"The people of Xunzhou certainly rate our Grain Transport Team highly, sending two generals for two towns." ’Though they’re probably just Miscellaneous Title Generals.’ Hee Chunhua heaved a long sigh. "I underestimated the enemy."

The Grain Transport Team that set out from Dunyu City had actually been divided into two groups. One went toward Xinhuang Town, and the other toward Bailu Town. This was because both forks in the road ahead led through mountain passes with terrain that was easy to ambush but difficult to defend. For the sake of caution, Hee Chunhua had decided to split his forces, with each taking a separate route. That way, if one group was attacked, the other could still get more than half the provisions through, ensuring the soldiers on the northern front would not go hungry again.

"So, you’re saying the Rangers also split their forces to intercept our transport teams at Bailu Town and Xinhuang," Hee Lingchuan said, secretly alarmed. "Was our plan leaked by a mole?"

"Impossible. We didn’t give the order to split up until we reached Pan Family Gully. Before that, only Mr. Mozhe and I knew the plan. Afterward, it only took the two teams two days to reach Bailu Town and Xinhuang Town, respectively." Hee Chunhua pointed to his temple. "A spy, no matter how good, can’t read my mind."

’Was it just a coincidence, then?’

"There are three roads north. The easternmost Official Road has fallen into disrepair, so no one uses it. The enemy only needed to cover the remaining two," Hee Lingchuan mused. "It’s a logical strategy, but still incredibly risky. They were already outnumbered, yet they dared to split their forces to face us."

For Xunzhou Rangers operating deep behind enemy lines, resupply is a major issue, so they value quality over quantity in their ranks. Whoever devised this plan has some serious nerve.

Hee Chunhua’s expression was exceptionally grave. "Besides, their tactics are completely different from before. Could they be under new command?"

The usual way to intercept an enemy’s provisions is to strike at a treacherous point in the wilderness. This time, however, they attacked inside a town, catching them completely off guard. Moreover, they struck a fatal blow, going directly for the leaders of the Grain Transport Team. Their attack was swift, precise, and ruthless. Hee Chunhua himself had only escaped by a stroke of luck.

If this was the kind of opponent they were up against, how could Zhao Qinghe and Wu Shaoyi possibly have achieved three consecutive easy victories before?

"The prisoners we interrogated know nothing; they just follow their general’s orders." ’A good way to prevent leaks.’ Hee Chunhua turned to his eldest son. "In your opinion, will they come for our provisions again?"

Seeing his father ask such a question, Hee Lingchuan knew the man was rattled. ’Otherwise, why would he consult his most unreliable eldest son?’ He thought for a moment before replying, "No. They succeeded at Bailu Town but ran into a brick wall here at Xinhuang. They must realize this target is a tough nut to crack. Besides, their numbers are already small, and Baili Qing lost over two hundred men. Our situation, on the other hand, is different."

With Wu Shaoyi’s return, Hee Chunhua’s forces had swelled to seventeen or eighteen hundred strong. Numerically, their side had grown while the enemy’s had diminished. "And we will certainly be more vigilant from now on. It will be impossible for them to use the same trick again."

The costs and risks for them to attempt another ambush were only increasing.

Hee Chunhua was silent for a long time before he slowly nodded.

"They’ve already intercepted and burned nearly ten thousand bushels of grain—that’s no small feat. If their Main General is a smart man, he’ll know not to get greedy for more glory. Another attack might cost him everything he’s gained."

His gaze slowly grew resolute. "Yes... In fact, I hope they don’t give up. That will give us a chance to even the score."

Now that his mind was clear, he was no longer worried they would come—he was worried they *wouldn’t*.

He issued a few more orders, then stood and announced, "We will rest in Xinhuang Town for a day. We set out again tomorrow morning."

The men acknowledged his command and departed.

The sun rose in the east, but the soldiers of the Xiazhou Army were exhausted. Hee Lingchuan fetched some water, wiped the dirt and bloodstains from his hands and face, and then found a tent to lie down in, still fully clothed.

He, too, had been rushing about all night. Listening to the sounds of men and horses moving about outside, he quickly fell asleep.

...

Hee Lingchuan was disappointed to have had a dreamless sleep.

When he woke again, the sun was already high in the sky.

Shan Youjun came to find him. "The prisoner is talking."

"Did he finally break after the waterboarding?"

"Not quite," Shan Youjun said with a laugh. "He looks like a coward, but he’s actually tough as nails. Every time he couldn’t stand the torture, he’d only give us a tiny scrap of information. Jiao Tai had to threaten to cut his balls off before he finally broke."

When Hee Lingchuan saw the prisoner again, the man looked completely dejected. His lips were split and raw; it was impossible to tell how much he had suffered.

"Give him some water."

The prisoner took the bowl and downed the entire thing in a few large gulps. Only then did he let out a long, shuddering breath.

Hee Lingchuan again pulled the short staff from his robes. "Be proactive. Tell me everything clearly, and you just might live."

The prisoner, having been tortured to within an inch of his life, was no longer in the mood for mind games. He spoke in a low voice, "It’s a Punishment Dragon Pillar, a treasure from Ancient Times. Legend says it was crafted from a Copper Pillar found at the edge of a Dragon Slaying Arena."

"That impressive?" Hee Lingchuan toyed with the short staff. It already looked ancient, but now that he knew it was a genuine antique, it somehow felt even smoother in his hands. "What’s it for?"

"To collect Nightmare Qi," the prisoner said. "War inevitably brings death, injury, and Resentful Souls. National Preceptor Frost Leaf of the Beiga Kingdom has us carry this Treasure Staff to collect Nightmare Qi after great battles. We then take it back to them to be purified."

"Nightmare Qi?" Hee Lingchuan had learned a new term. "Is that just another name for resentment?"

"It’s more than that. It also contains the reluctance, fear, and rage of the dying." The prisoner’s voice grew slightly louder. "To collect these from the battlefield for purification is... is an act of immense virtue!"

"Collecting Nightmare Qi for purification? Does your National Preceptor have some sort of bizarre hobby?" When it came to notions of "boundless love," Hee Lingchuan didn’t believe a word of it. "Is this what he tells all of you?"

"It’s all true, and it wasn’t invented by National Preceptor Frost Leaf!" The prisoner sat up straighter. "It’s a tradition that dates back to the founding of the Beiga Kingdom, practiced for at least five or six hundred years!"

’Five or six hundred years?’

"If Nightmare Qi is left to linger, it can easily form malicious specters. Haven’t you heard stories of old battlefields being haunted by Resentful Souls?"

’Like the Panlong Desert?’ Hee Lingchuan raised an eyebrow.

The prisoner continued, "After the Nightmare Qi was collected from at least two battlefields, the surrounding regions enjoyed six or seven years of favorable weather! I experienced it firsthand and saw it with my own eyes!"

’This man is a true believer. I wonder how National Preceptor Frost Leaf managed to brainwash him so thoroughly.’ Hee Lingchuan didn’t bother arguing. Instead, his gaze shifted. "This Punishment Dragon Pillar can’t be the only one, can it?"

"Others wield them, too, all personally chosen by the National Preceptor. But I don’t know the exact number."

’So that means the Beiga Kingdom is regularly harvesting the so-called "Nightmare Qi" from hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people? That represents hundreds of thousands, even millions, of deaths! If this short staff truly holds a concentration of resentful energy, the sheer volume is staggering.’

The prisoner explained, "Not just anyone can use a Punishment Dragon Pillar. Only those who have the potential to Open the Celestial Eye can become an Attendant Disciple."

"And how does one open this ’Celestial Eye’?"

"You have to apply a specially prepared Potion to your eyes for forty-nine consecutive days. Each day brings excruciating pain to both eyes," the prisoner said. "If you lack the potential, even a single application will blind you."

’No wonder this guy was so shocked when he found out I could also see Nightmare Qi.’ Hee Lingchuan touched his eyelids. ’I can Open the Celestial Eye without enduring forty-nine days of agony. I must have been born with a cheat code.’

’Is it because of those two treasures I carry?’

"So, what is this purification method for the Nightmare Qi you bring back?"

"The National Preceptor convenes a ritual and offers a sacrifice to the heavens!"

Hee Lingchuan swirled the short staff, watching the ever-shifting Nightmare Qi inside the gemstone. "How long did it take you to collect just this amount?"

’Outsiders can’t see the Nightmare Qi, so they have no idea what these people have been up to.’

’At the very least, this secret isn’t known to many.’

"Eleven years. From a total of ninety-seven battles and other incidents." The prisoner swallowed hard. "I’ve never fought in a battle myself. I only go to the field after the fighting is done."

"Running all over the place every year. You’re a busy man." ’This guy hits an average of seven or eight sites a year—all battlefields littered with corpses.’ "How many deaths’ worth of Nightmare Qi is in here?"

"I haven’t kept a precise count, but it must be over a hundred thousand, wouldn’t you say?" The prisoner gazed at the short staff, a look of longing on his face. "Five years ago, during the coup in the Mian Kingdom, the Royal Family and their relatives were slaughtered. Rivers of blood flowed. I collected the Nightmare Qi of tens of thousands of people from that one event alone."

Hee Lingchuan was taken aback. "Was the Royal Family of the Mian Kingdom that... prolific?"