Chapter 53: The Commanding General

Tu Zhu and the others remained unaware of the turmoil occurring within the demon army's ranks. After their escape from Cloudstack Manor, the cloud-skiff belonging exclusively to Tu Zhu descended to the ground to take them aboard. However, faced with such a large number of secondary and marquis-level generals, the skiff’s capacity proved woefully insufficient.

"All generals board the skiff; the attendants shall proceed on foot..." Tu Zhu’s personal attendant whispered beside him. It sounded like a mutter to himself, yet the words were clearly delivered to Tu Zhu. After a momentary pause, Tu Zhu turned his head away as if he had heard nothing. The attendant then repeated the order, this time in a louder voice: "The cloud-skiff cannot carry everyone. I suggest that the generals wait for the skiff to return after taking Tu Shen to safety, while the attendants follow on foot. We shall regroup at Xiyi."

The soldiers and attendants were stunned for a moment. Soon, someone let out a dry laugh and remarked, "If we and our attendants could be separated so easily, would we still be called the 'Tianshan Escape'? Forget it. Whether to board or not is a personal choice. My attendants and I will go on foot."

Having said this, the man strode away. His five attendants glanced at the cloud-skiff, said nothing, and silently followed in his wake, rushing westward.

After only a few paces, another general caught up and walked alongside him—it was Liu Chou.

It was not just Liu Chou; other secondary and marquis-level generals also set off, bidding Tu Zhu farewell before speeding away like the wind with their attendants, racing toward Xiyi. In the blink of an eye, only one marquis-level general remained under the cloud-skiff, accompanied by his three attendants, standing by with fawning smiles and bowing hands.

The attendant, still ruminating on Guan Lan’s earlier words—which, though not grand, carried the ring of swords and spears—felt incredibly fortunate to serve such a commander. He felt a surge of admiration, and when he turned to look at the fawning, sycophantic marquis, he couldn't help but feel a flash of disdain. "Why haven't you left?" he snapped.

The marquis pointed urgently to a bloodstain on his leg, saying hurriedly, "I have a wound on my leg, so... I heard Tu Shen say it was possible to board, so I thought... I thought..."

"If you want to, get on!" the attendant said, moving aside to make way for the boarding ramp.

"Many thanks, many thanks..." The marquis bowed toward the cabin from afar before stepping forward to board. Suddenly, Tu Zhu’s attendant asked, "What about your attendants?"

"They..." With the others gone, the skiff could easily accommodate five or six more people. It wouldn't have mattered if the attendants boarded, but the marquis clearly feared Tu Zhu deeply and dared not even suggest it. He made a quick decision, turning to bark at his attendants: "Why are you still standing there? Get going! Since I am boarding, I am no longer in danger. You have no need to worry about me; catch up with the others and retreat together!"

The attendants exchanged glances, said nothing, and simply bid him farewell. They followed the tracks of Guan Lan, Liu Chou, and the others, quickly disappearing into the vast, crisscrossing fields.

The marquis looked back; the attendant had already returned inside the skiff. Only then did he timidly climb aboard, find a corner to sit in, and let out a sigh of relief under the disdainful gazes of the other attendants.

The cloud-skiff began to rise slowly, turned its bow, and sped toward Xiyi.

***

It was three days later when Liu Chou and the others returned to Xiyi.

For Liu Chou, a hundred-mile journey would normally have taken only a day of sprinting at full speed, but due to the large size of the group, the journey dragged on twice as long.

Dozens of miles from Xiyi, the group encountered a strange sight: a fan-shaped trail of scorched earth, a hundred feet wide, with a deep crater at its center. Even though it had filled with rainwater, one could still see the edges of the crater scorched black by intense heat, the soil melted and fused into sharp, crystalline clods that shimmered brilliantly.

What kind of power could cause such a battle? Liu Chou and the others couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

No one knew that the two parties who had fought here were the God-Slayer and the Dragon King. Though their battle was brief, its intensity was no less than that of a major war. They had fought with spiritual essence and risked their lives, ultimately ending in a draw, with both sides suffering casualties.

Only a few months had passed, and beyond a handful of people, no one would remember this place. By the time they grew old and passed away, even if this battle had once shaken the heavens and moved the earth, nothing would remain but a legend.

Such is the world, and such is life itself.

Upon entering the city, attendants sent by Tu Zhu met them, and a massive Bi-xi carriage transported them to their lodgings. Liu Chou was given an address; after seeing Mo Yun off with the others, he began to walk through the streets toward his destination.

On the maps, Xiyi was merely a city name. Liu Chou knew little of it, other than it being the largest production hub for weapons, armor, and mechanical beasts in the Western Territory, as well as a logistics center. But as he walked through the markets, he realized the city was not as simple as it appeared.

Hidden sentries were placed throughout the city, tucked away in eaves, corners, treetops, and ruins, their eyes watching in secret. Many seemingly ordinary street thugs carried a heavy air of murderous intent, their waist pouches bulging, their footsteps steady, wandering about with an air of vigilance and caution despite their idle appearance.

Liu Chou paid no attention to these hidden lookouts. He believed his aura was not something these common soldiers could see through, so he continued on his way. After passing two markets, crossing a narrow alley, and traversing three abandoned courtyards, he appeared near a cluster of low-slung shacks. Finding his mark, he turned into a hidden alley.

Inside the alley were several crudely constructed shacks with hanging curtains, each guarded by three or four fierce-looking brutes who scanned every passerby, or drove away ragged wretches who lingered with fawning smiles and an unbearable stench.

This was... a black-market tavern?

While masquerading as Du Pu, Liu Chou had witnessed the dark side of many cities, including these black-market taverns. The Great Zhou prohibited brewing; almost all alcohol production was state-controlled with heavy taxes, leading to all sorts of smuggling. Salt and wine were the most common. Although these shacks hung food-stall curtains, in reality, they were undoubtedly illicit distilleries, selling their own brews for high profit.

Liu Chou looked around, bypassed the first few shacks, and ducked into the most dilapidated one. It had no name, the 'wine' character on the curtain was half-torn, and the place was filthy. Unlike the others, it had no one guarding the door; it was empty and desolate.

Inside the shack, several drunken men were already boisterously chatting. As Liu Chou entered, before he could find Tu Zhu, he caught a few lewd remarks amidst the noise.

"Tell me, how much money do we need to pay for the woman beside the proprietress to keep us company for a night? Is fifty coins enough?"

"Fifty? In my opinion, you wouldn't need a single coin! Look at how wide her legs are, her hips and chest—she's clearly been taken many times and is incredibly wanton. As long as you have a big enough 'tool,' she’ll definitely throw herself at you!"

The first speaker opened his mouth wide, scratched his crotch, and seemed a bit deflated. He picked up a ceramic cup, gulped down the liquor inside, and said fiercely, "Does that tool depend on size? I don't believe it. Even if it's smaller, I can just deal with the proprietress and her together..."

Liu Chou looked in the direction they were discussing and indeed saw Tu Zhu sitting in the inner area with a woman. A small crock sat on the table, but the wine remained untouched as they spoke in low voices.

Tu Zhu wore bright red, and in the dim light of the shack, he looked even more enchanting and alluring than the woman beside him. The woman, while having fair, delicate skin and a dignified face, carried herself with a masculine air—a true "tomboy" image. Although she was attractive, she paled in comparison to Tu Zhu.

Liu Chou looked at the effeminate Tu Zhu and then at the tomboyish woman, suddenly sensing that something might be going on between them. The feeling was as simple as one plus one equaling two; since two positives didn't work, perhaps two negatives made a positive. They were a match, after all.

Perhaps this could be considered a fitting pair!

Liu Chou grinned and walked toward them. At the same time, the woman lifted her head and swept a glance toward him. She was clearly no ordinary person, as she had detected the subtle change in Liu Chou’s expression.

Just then, the man who had spoken earlier stood up and squeezed toward Tu Zhu and the woman. He reached them a step before Liu Chou. Those who had noticed stopped their wine cups, watching his actions with curiosity and expectation.

The man chuckled, about to say something, when he suddenly collapsed to the ground. A wheezing sound came from his throat as he curled into a ball, his body convulsing, his hands clutching his groin tightly. His face turned deathly pale, and beads of sweat the size of beans broke out instantly across his forehead.

In the entire shack, Liu Chou was likely the only one who knew what had happened. Even before the man could speak, Tu Zhu had flicked his finger, shooting a knife-coin that struck the man squarely in the groin. Judging by the force, even a walnut would have been shattered, hence the agonizing pain that nearly caused him to faint.

The shack fell silent, followed by a roar of laughter. Many regulars began to clamor; this sight was not uncommon in this tavern. Having seen it often, it had become a source of amusement.

Two men appeared from nowhere, said nothing, grabbed the man by his feet, and dragged him out of the shack, throwing him into the street. Moments later, some shifty figures approached, rummaged through his belongings, and quickly vanished into the depths of the market.

As for the other man, after a brief moment of stunned trembling, he honestly produced his wine money, placed it on the table, and slipped out the back. He didn't even dare to care for his companion, quickly disappearing.

Only then did Liu Chou sit down in front of Tu Zhu, pick up a cup, pour himself a drink, and sip it slowly before asking, "Does the Instructor have a task?"

The woman did not look at Liu Chou again, simply picking up her cup to drink slowly.

Tu Zhu looked up slowly, casting a meaningful gaze at Liu Chou. "This is our 'Tianshan Escape' commander stationed in Xiyi, Ye Jiang—Ye Shen."

Only then did Liu Chou realize that the Tianshan Escape did not only have personnel stationed at Quanqiu; they also maintained elite forces in strategic choke points to carry out classified missions. Xiyi was the only such station in the entire Western Territory. A Tianshan Escape commander was stationed here long-term, rotating every three years. The current holder of the post, sent by the Mirage Division, was Ye Jiang.

Liu Chou couldn't fathom why she had chosen to pose as a tavern proprietress, other than for some perverse sense of humor.

"I have met Ye Shen," Liu Chou said, greeting her as required, though he did not bow.

Ye Jiang raised her eyes, holding her cup without replying, appearing to be in deep thought. After a moment, she suddenly asked, out of the blue:

"Do you wish to become a commander?"