[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-113":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264713,4420,"Chapter 113: How Could You Lie to Me?","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-113",113,"\u003Cp>After a long while, Bai Zhiwei said, “Don’t cry—let’s talk business first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man wiped his tears and said, “I don’t know what business you mean—it’s up to you to decide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei understood: this man was merely an informant here, and he had no idea they were coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need someone to guide us past the Changmei Garrison.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want to kill those bastards in Yuecheng?” The man’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then that’s perfect—I’ll lead you there, but you’ve got to let me fight too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei smiled. “Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then rest tonight. I’ll wait for you at the bamboo grove south of the village tomorrow morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, the man left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Han asked, “Can we trust him? Should I follow him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Yunfei’s betrayal had left Yan Han with deep psychological scars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he viewed outsiders with at least some suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei shook his head. “No need. This man’s strong—if you trail him, he might notice and misunderstand. Besides, this order came from the County Magistrate—it’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Han sat back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group ate their rations and began taking turns keeping watch or resting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin slept soundly, since he had been on watch the night before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, the group set out for the bamboo grove north of the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was already waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unlike last night, he now wore tight-fitting gear, gripping a broadsword, standing there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his face was still as dark as before, his demeanor now carried a chilling, deadly aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei stepped forward and bowed. “May I ask your honorable name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for formality—my surname is Fan, name Shan,” the man replied, returning the bow. “Greetings, all you Spirit Hunters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit Hunters were easy to identify: one, they wore the Bai Yu token; two, their bodies radiated heavy yin energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan continued, “No time to waste—let’s move. The mountain trails here are treacherous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group naturally agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan led the way, soon beginning to climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Junchun had many mountains—everywhere were mountains, it was said there were a hundred thousand peaks... Worse, this was the Mountain Frontier: humid and warm, with dense forests. Even though Spirit Hunters were no ordinary men and had excellent stamina, after half a day’s trekking, all felt weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrain shifted constantly—up and down, everywhere trees and vines, sometimes requiring weapons to clear a path forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yingqiu brushed off leeches clinging to her arms and, hearing distant wolf howls, asked, “How long until we leave this forest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At this pace, we’ll be out before dusk—and behind the Changmei Garrison,” Fan Shan smiled. “Don’t worry—I know this route well. I’ve walked it many times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I see no path at all here,” Ding Yingqiu complained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan laughed heartily. “Because only I walk it—of course it looks like no path to anyone else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group followed Fan Shan a while longer, then emerged from the forest into a small cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside were some household items: a stone hearth, and a tiger-skin rug laid out as a bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You slept here last night?” Ding Yingqiu stared at the tiger-skin bed in surprise. “Aren’t you afraid of the Wicked Spirits?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I am,” Fan Shan chuckled. “Sometimes I come up to hunt, get tired, rest here for half an hour, then return to the village before dusk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group rested here awhile, eating rations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, they set out again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time it was downhill, and they moved faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, they descended before dusk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei pulled out a hand-drawn map, studied the surroundings, then nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan knew these Spirit Hunters didn’t fully trust him—he didn’t care—and pointed ahead. “The Changmei Garrison lies behind that mountain. If we’re to ambush them, head this way—there’s a royal road...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei said admiringly, “You know this region intimately. Thank you for your efforts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve waited thirteen years for this chance,” Fan Shan’s face glowed with excitement. “Follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strode ahead, leading the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhiwei asked, “What chance have you waited thirteen years for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before I was sent here as an informant, my superior told me: if I proved useful, I could return to Yulin County. So I trained relentlessly, and under the guise of hunting, I scouted this area without ever slacking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you do to get stuck with such a harsh assignment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan fell silent a moment, then said, “Thirteen years ago, I had mastered my martial arts, young and reckless. One day, after a bit of wine, I saw a man harassing a woman on the street—I stepped in. But I hit too hard. Killed him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The man was the son of a wealthy merchant. His father took me to the county courthouse,” Fan Shan said with gratitude. “I thought I was dead—after all, a rich man could buy any verdict. But the County Magistrate had just taken office. He refused bribes. He said though I’d committed a grave error, I acted out of righteousness, and my force was merely excessive. So I escaped death, but not punishment—I was exiled here. He said, ‘If you ever prove useful, and your mission succeeds, I’ll let you return.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he was so excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting thirteen years for this day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As evening fell, the Bai Yu tokens began to glow faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wicked Spirits awoke, rising from the earth into the human world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan pointed to a plateau on the mountainside. “Hurry—this is a good spot. You can see everything on the royal road.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group immediately quickened their pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the plateau, they found the view truly excellent—the royal road lay directly below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only an ideal observation post, but also a perfect ambush point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yingqiu immediately scattered the Yu Jie powder, forming a circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group stepped inside, and the Bai Yu tokens’ red glow dimmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan looked at the circle of Yu Jie powder, his expression nostalgic. “Back in the day, I was a Spirit Hunter too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Shan nodded. “Yes. After I committed my crime, the County Magistrate stripped me of my Spirit Hunter status.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then your yin energy isn’t strong...” Yan Han said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Without blood rice, I dared not practice yin-based cultivation. So I let it wither.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While they chatted, Li Lin waved to Zhao Xiaohu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Ge, what’s up?” Zhao Xiaohu sat beside Li Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the fighting starts, stay by my side.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My spear skills are pretty good now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin sighed. “You’re still far from good. You’re only thirteen—fourteen after the New Year. You’ve got plenty of time to grow. No need to rush.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xiaohu thought for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Ding Yingqiu pointed at Zhao Xiaohu. “You’re thirteen? You said you were thirty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone stared at her in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xiaohu’s face flushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could you lie to me!” Ding Yingqiu’s face turned red with anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1166,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8fdc2b1b3b3b0428af592def6d41de0d8b77d9e05aa3e293e99befa272b6141f","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-114","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-112",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]