Chapter 23: Refusing Boys

Qing'er entered the tent and shouted, "Rushi, Xiaoxiao, tidy up; tomorrow we are marching out with the Lord."

Yan Qiu, standing nearby, looked surprised and asked, "March out? Where to?"

"Luo Ping Hai."

"Luo Ping Hai?" As soon as the three words were heard, everyone showed fear. Decades ago, Thirteen King Jie En vanished after heading to Luo Ping Hai; Sky City knew it all, and to them that place was absolutely terrifying and mysterious. "Are we going to look for Thirteen King?"

"Perhaps." Then to the two maidservants, "The Lord's clothes are a bit worn, Rushi, could you think of a way to make the Lord a new outfit? After all, it's the first expedition; we must make our Lord look more imposing."

"It's already ready; I was about to have Qing'er help the Lord change into it," Rushi said, taking a bundle of Lan Cloth from the package and handing it to her. "This is new cloth I specially prepared when I left Sky City; I was bored this morning, so I made it according to the Lord's measurements."

Xianghong unfolded it and saw a robe, with a massive dragon embroidered across the chest that seemed to overturn rivers and seas, looking noble yet still majestic.

Yan Qiu said, "Did the Lord ever mention who to bring?"

It was clear she also wanted to go; Qing'er shrugged and said, "No, but I doubt they'll take you along; the camp has just started construction, and everything here depends on you."

"Then… did they say how many days?"

"No, and Luo Ping Hai will probably take at least eight or ten days."

Yan Qiu furrowed her brows and sat silently on the bed.

Qing'er laughed, "What, can't let go? Has our Yan Qiu fallen for the Lord?"

"No… no… I just felt uneasy hearing the Lord leave, that's all. Qing'er, stop talking nonsense," Yan Qiu's face was as if on fire, and she buried her head low.

Even whether she herself could go to Chengdu was an unknown; she had no leisure to tease her. Qing'er sighed lightly, folded the clothes away, uncertain if she could promise to bring herself along tomorrow; if she refused, it seemed there was only…

…

Time was tight; Li Bucai hurried to erect the barracks and managed to seal the roof before sunset. Thus tomorrow they only need to board up the walls, which should take only a few hours.

Luo Ping Hai probably has nothing, so this expedition must bring the tents. The Xinggong is spacious enough for all the girls to live together, making guard duty much easier.

At night, Li Bucai formally announced the expedition to everyone, deciding to take only Xianghong, Rui Tong, and Wu Zhuoran along with her Blade Badge Warrior Fang Ling'er and military doctor Junyi Wan'er. Everyone else stayed behind at the camp; he specifically instructed Qing'er to manage the camp's construction for Yan Qiu. When his name was mentioned, however, she was nowhere in the crowd. He sent people to look for her; the return report said they searched everywhere but couldn't find Qing'er, and the two maidservants were also missing.

Li Bucai was about to go look himself when the envoy Zou Ying suddenly descended from the sky, followed by another person to pay respects to Li Bucai. Li Bucai had to order the others to keep searching and invited Zou Ying and the other to enter the tent.

Zou Ying said, "I have reported the situation here to the Emperor faithfully, but the Emperor also has his difficulties. Sky City is currently in need of manpower, so this time only one general or ten soldiers may be dispatched. Since you previously mentioned wanting a general, I took the liberty of bringing the daughter of an old friend, Mu Nan. I wonder if she meets your wishes. Mu Nan, hurry and pay your respects to the Lord."

The person behind bowed cleanly and said, "Respectfully, sir."

Li Bucai looked her up and down; she was clad in Bronze Armor, her attire different from the other girls, and thought inwardly: "Damn, I always thought she was a man, how is she a woman? She looks a bit manly, even her voice… Mu Nan? Nan Ge? Whatever, these past few days I've almost forgotten what a man looks like."

"Alright, sit down. In a moment, Xianghong will show you around. This place isn't like Sky City, so…" He almost called her Nan Ge, but quickly corrected, "Please, Miss Mu Nan, be tolerant of us."

He then summoned Xianghong inside, asking her to arrange lodging.

Xianghong led her to the tent where Wu Zhuoran and others were staying. On the way, because Xianghong hadn't heard their conversation, Mu Nan's appearance and voice made it hard for anyone to associate her with a girl, so she kept three steps away.

"Brother Mu Nan, this is Sister Zhuoran's tent; they are all, like you, capable generals of the Lord, so you can stay here."

Mu Nan felt a bit embarrassed but didn't argue, and followed her into the tent.

At this moment Wu Zhuoran was outside looking for Qing'er; only Yan Qiu and Wu Zhuoyue were inside the tent. Xianghong introduced, "Gentlemen, this is the newly arrived general; the Lord ordered me to bring him to meet you."

Mu Nan bowed grandly to the two and said, "My respects, I am Mu Nan."

The two returned the salute.

Qing'er said, "This is Madam Qing'er's bed. Yesterday she stayed with the Lord to serve him, and I don't think she'll rest here today either, so General Mu Nan can sleep here."

"Thanks," Mu Nan said coldly, then placed the bundle she had brought at the foot of the bed, still in armor, and jumped onto the bed.

"General Mu Nan, I'll leave you to the two gentlemen, Xianghong takes her leave."

"Xianghong, Xianghong…"

Xianghong stepped out of the tent, saw the two chase after her, and, knowing the reason, asked, "Gentlemen, what's the matter?"

"Are you kidding? How can a big man be put into our tent?"

"It's the Lord's order; what can I do…"

"Let her stay in someone else's tent, okay?"

Since we're all girls, we certainly don't want to go to anyone's tent; if the Lord finds out we'll be blamed ourselves. Xianghong's eyes flicked, and she said, "The Lord seems to have more orders; if I bring her over I'll have to return at once, so I must leave quickly."

Xianghong vanished like a puff of smoke back to the central army tent, leaving the two to exchange a glance.

Zhuoyue said, "What shall we do? You go tell her?"

Yan Qiu said timidly, "She's a general; how can a mere scholar speak for her? Moreover, putting her in someone else's tent will make others blame me."

"If we don't move her away, we'll have to share a tent with a big man. Do you want to sleep with him?"

Yan Qiu shook her delicate frame and said, "Then what can we do? We don't have a separate place for her to stay."

The two stood outside the door for a while, neither willing to go in. It was already deep night, after a day's fatigue, the perfect time for sleep.

Zhuoyue said, "You look so exhausted; your mission is heavy, go rest first."

"I won't go back; I'd rather stand here all night than return. Tomorrow the Lord departs, the guard duty falls on you, so you go back first."

"I won't go back; even if I die of exhaustion, I'll stay with you."

After another while, both their eyelids fought, nearly falling shut while standing.

Zhuoyue sighed, "Sigh, this can't go on; why does the Lord insist on bringing a big man, leaving us without a place to sleep?"

"Who says it isn't? If she weren't here, how great it would be."

"Indeed, without her it would be great," Zhuoyue thought quickly and said, "How about we scare her away, what do you think?"

"This… if the Lord finds out, we'll be in big trouble…"

"Anyway, one more person isn't much, but one fewer is better. When she arrives, several of us have nowhere to rest; when the Lord leaves tomorrow, the sisters will have to live together, and we can't push all the sisters out for her night watch. If the Lord finds out, at worst I'll take the blame alone."

Yan Qiu hesitated for a long while and said, "Alright, tomorrow we'll all stay in the Xinggong; if we can't rest properly we'll have no strength to work. Fine, I'll do it with you; if we're punished, let it be both of us."

The two's plan set, they returned to the tent where Mu Nan lay sprawled on the bed, already fast asleep, snoring like thunder.

Zhuoyue stepped forward and shook her awake, "Mu Nan, Mu Nan…"

"What!" Mu Nan scrambled up, startled.

"Um… are you and the envoy you brought here well acquainted?"

Mu Nan, somewhat proud, said: "Hmm, Lord Zou is my father's disciple, so?"

Zhuoran happily said: "He's a disciple of your father? Great! While Lord Zou hasn't left yet, may I ask you for a favor—let him take us away from here; we would be infinitely grateful."

Mu Nan, puzzled, said: "Leave here? Why leave when everything's fine?"

Zhuoran, with a sorrowful face, said: "Sigh, look at our situation—conditions are poor, and the lord is a great demon that eats people. When we first arrived there were dozens of us, but now look…" He then pretended to cry: "Poor Sister Ran, as beautiful as a flower, her upper‑level martial arts serving the lord in life and death, yet in the end she returned as nothing but bone‑less remains, literally swallowed whole by the lord. If you don't believe it, go ask Yan Qiu."

Yan Qiu, drenched in sweat, wondered how she could call the lord a demon; fortunately Zhuoran wasn't here, otherwise they would have had to scold her. She let out an "Ah?" and kept nodding.

Zhuoran continued: "The lord doesn't partake in mortal pleasures, yet he loves to satisfy his hunger with human flesh. If we don't leave, tomorrow… it could be Yan Qiu again, or Yue Er, or perhaps…" He pointed at her.

Mu Nan shivered, saying: "I'm not afraid; I have excellent martial arts, nothing to fear."

"Could you be stronger than Sister Ran? Even if you can surpass Sister Ran, are you stronger than all of us combined? With so many of us, the lord only needs to move his finger slightly, and we have no room to resist, so… we beg you, take us away from here; whatever conditions, I will agree. We'd rather bear the name of betraying our master than stay here; a demon like this is not worth our loyalty."

Zhuoran gave a tearful, impassioned speech, and Yan Qiu, with her sincere, honest expression, echoed beside him, leaving Mu Nan uneasy. On this continent, anything can happen—cannibalism? That's not unusual; just a few days ago a Territory sent back a servant's finger. After a servant falls, all their bodies must be sent back to Sky City to let Luo Ye return to its roots. That finger was because the servant had followed an extremely unlucky lord into a barren desert, where, unable to find water or food, he was brutally devoured.