Chapter 36: Reunion
In a secluded spot outside the Black Pine Forest, Wu Han sat on the ground by a bonfire. He wore a suit of leather armor, and his head was still completely bald.
He had grown thinner than before, but looked even more formidable.
Beside him was a jug of wine and an almost fully-roasted pine sheep.
When he saw Lu Yuan and the other man arrive, he patted the ground beside him. "Found a pine sheep while I was waiting for you," he said. "Figured I’d roast it to welcome you both."
"Just goes to show how cheap you are, having to catch wild game at the last minute just to treat us," Zhou He said bluntly, hopping off his horse and sidling up to the fire.
He casually tore off a sheep leg, handed it to Lu Yuan, then cut off a piece of meat for himself and began to chew.
After a moment of silence, he finally asked, "Brother, how have things been for you out here?"
Wu Han’s eyes reddened at the question. "I’m doing okay," he said. "Haven’t had much to do lately, so I took over a stockade. I’ve got forty or fifty riders under my command now."
"Well, I’ll be damned. After killing that son of a bitch Sun Laosan, it’s like you’ve unblocked your Ren and Du Meridians," Zhou He said, giving Wu Han a friendly punch on the arm.
Lu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, glad to know he had found a place to settle.
"What are your plans now?"
"What other plans could I have? Since I’ve already become an outlaw, if I don’t want to be pushed around, I have to become the biggest outlaw of all. I’ve decided to slowly bring all the nearby horse bandits under my control.
Then I’ll decide what to do next," Wu Han declared, his voice filled with bold ambition.
Lu Yuan nodded. "That’s a good plan. You have my support."
He then raised his wine jug and took a long swig.
Zhou He, on the other hand, said, "You’ve really made a name for yourself in Icefield City this time. Sun Qian was so furious he was coughing up blood for days. Sun failed to catch you and got slapped around by his old man.
Now, whenever anyone mentions Wu Han, they give you a thumbs-up."
"I’d rather go back to how things were," Wu Han mumbled, his head dropping and his voice trembling slightly.
PAT! PAT!
Lu Yuan patted his shoulder but said nothing.
"Are you out here to take on the Northern Barbarians’ Elite Cavalry?" Wu Han asked, sniffing and looking up to change the subject.
"Yes," Lu Yuan nodded.
"I’ll go with you," Wu Han said, chewing the meat in his mouth.
"No need," Lu Yuan said with a chuckle. "Just focus on building up your forces. I’ll come to you for help when you’re stronger."
"What’s there to ’help’ with? What’s mine is yours," Wu Han said, waving his hand dismissively.
Lu Yuan didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled two bottles of Black Jade Bone Tempering Pills from his coat.
He had already reached the Perfection realm; he couldn’t use this many Black Jade Bone Tempering Pills by himself.
It was hard for Wu Han to get his hands on things like this out here, so they were perfect for him.
"Take these and cultivate well. The Northern Border is harsh and cold, but it forges the fiercest men. If you can grow strong enough, maybe one day you’ll be able to negotiate terms with the imperial court," Lu Yuan said with a smile.
Wu Han didn’t stand on ceremony. He took the Elixirs, then shook his head. "From now on, I’m not laying my life on the line for anyone but you two."
"Hey, don’t lump me in with that," Zhou He said, looking up with a solemn expression. "I’m just coasting, trying to leech some military merit off our Lord Lu. You should follow him from now on."
At that moment, the three men were becoming an inseparable force, with Lu Yuan at its core.
But for now, they were all still growing, waiting for the day they would become strong enough to bind a Flood Dragon.
Lu Yuan tilted his head back and downed a large mouthful of wine. "We’re off. If anything happens, send a man to find us. And stay alive."
He then stood, brushed the dirt from his clothes, and turned to walk back to his men.
Zhou He grabbed a sheep leg and followed him.
Wu Han stood watching them until their unit had disappeared into the distance. Only then did he turn and mount his horse.
He rode off in the opposite direction.
RUSTLE RUSTLE!
As he rode, a stream of fierce-faced figures on warhorses emerged from the Black Pine Forest, falling in behind him.
They all kept their heads down, and none dared to speak.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan and his men had begun their search for the Northern Barbarians’ Elite Cavalry.
Old Huang scouted ahead.
Zhou He managed the supply train at the rear. With this, Lu Yuan’s unit was beginning to look like a complete, self-sufficient force.
Meanwhile, in another part of the vast Wasteland, Zhang Zhe was also searching for the elites of the Manyan Tribe.
His lips were chapped. The Armor Leaves on his mail rose and fell with the motion of his horse, making a CLATTER CLATTER sound.
It had been three days since he’d left the city. The combined discomfort of the journey from Yunzhou to the Northern Border and the jarring transition from a life of wine and women to eating dust on horseback finally made him snap.
THUD!
He violently threw the piece of jerky he’d only taken two bites of onto the ground.
"When the fuck are we going to run into those Northern Barbarians? I can’t take another moment of this," he roared in frustration.
Beside him, Bai Hong shook his head and urged his horse forward. "You have to endure it, whether you can take it or not. This mission is critical—triple military merit, plus the goodwill of the Helian Family.
If you succeed, your future in the army will be secured. You must finish this before the other two families, or this whole trip to the Northern Border will have been a waste." His voice was solemn, with a hint of reprimand.
The words finally seemed to sober Zhang Zhe up a little. "I was being impulsive."
Bai Hong’s expression softened slightly. "You understand what’s at stake, so I won’t belabor the point. Simply put, this mission must succeed.
The Helian General’s Mansion and the Zhou Family’s Generals are both stationed on the Northern Border, and there’s always been friction between them. This is no longer a simple contest for a promotion; it has become a veiled competition between the two families.
Win, and your future is boundless. Lose, and you’ll likely be sent right back to Yunzhou to remain a Centurion. After that, getting promoted will be nearly impossible."
Bai Hong’s reminder jolted Zhang Zhe back to his senses.
"Teacher, rest assured. I won’t let you down."
"Heh," Bai Hong chuckled. "As long as you pull yourself together. Of all the juniors in the Zhang Family, you’re the one I have the highest hopes for. I know what’s on your mind... you’ve been worried about Yuan lately, haven’t you?
If you handle this well, I’ll give you a month to go find him and take care of that problem for good," Bai Hong said softly.
Zhang Zhe’s eyes lit up. "Thank you for your favor, Teacher."
"It’s not about favoritism. You’re my only disciple now," Bai Hong said nonchalantly.
Just then, a rider galloped toward them. As he drew near, he shouted, "Sir! Traces of Northern Barbarian cavalry spotted ten li ahead!"
Hearing the Scout’s report, Zhang Zhe’s eyes brightened. He cracked his whip and commanded, "Inform the men! We ride to meet them! Finish off these Northern Barbarians quickly so we can go back for a drink!"
With that, he spurred his warhorse and charged ahead.
Bai Hong’s spirits lifted as well, and he followed close behind.
Meanwhile, not far off, another unit was making its way across the Wasteland. But anyone who got close enough to observe them carefully would realize they were not the Elite Cavalry of the Manyan Tribe.
It was a full squadron of Iron Kites. Their leader was none other than the Northern Barbarian Centurion of the Iron Kites whom Lu Yuan had defeated and sent running.
When he had escaped back to his people, he had nearly been executed. He was forced to sell off his family’s assets and pull some strings just to get this one chance to atone for his failure with a new victory—and to get his revenge.
It was a chance he cherished.
Just moments ago, he had received a report that a unit from Huangsha Fortress was heading straight for them.
The rage that had been building inside him instantly burst forth like a flash flood.
He roared to the men behind him, "Everyone, prepare for battle!"