Chapter 217: Tongzhi

Zhang Suannai was about to be angered to death again!

What kind of godforsaken place is this? The conditions are just too poor!

No! If the conditions were just a little poor, that would be one thing, but they insist on having us boil hot water for the experts to wash up. Damn it, everyone here is a Cultivator; will you get menstrual cramps or something if you use cold water?

Fine! If I have to boil hot water, I'll boil hot water!

Why on earth are you ordering me to go fetch the water?

I am the last closed-door disciple of the Sword Master of the Sword Sect, here to serve as a guard and fight! I have a backbone of steel—do you really take me for a servant?

At that moment, Zhang Suannai defended the phrase "Sword Sect Disciples never bow their heads" in her heart, while using her body to demonstrate that "Sword Sect Disciples can bend and stretch." Fortunately, the Sword Sect has always upheld a flexible sect philosophy, so this didn't count as letting the sect down.

Anyway, she was just a robot without feelings.

Being a robot, it didn't count as losing face.

However, just as she finished carrying two full buckets of water and was performing the feat of "water full but not spilling," that silly vegetable walked down from upstairs, nodded at her, and said:

"Good work."

A simple sentence, a gentle tone—it instantly broke Zhang Suannai's defenses.

Damn it, so infuriating!

No matter what, she could not accept this!

……

"The internet in this place is just like this; it's been very unstable lately. The connection speed is slightly better during the day and late at night, and worst in the evening, but normal voice calls are no problem; it's just that browsing the web doesn't work well," said a young lady named Shang Xia, who had also come to Leche, to Chen Shu.

"What about using a local SIM card?"

"It's the same. They don't distinguish between those anymore; it actually has more to do with the Mobile Phone itself."

"Thank you."

Chen Shu couldn't help but feel a bit regretful.

This meant it would likely be very difficult to video chat with Qingqing. If she couldn't see his face every night, Qingqing would surely be so anxious she couldn't eat or sleep, and would be banging her head against the wall.

Thinking this, Chen Shu walked back into the courtyard.

The guard team had already set up pots and stoves and started preparing dinner.

Normally, even in a place like this, ordering takeout would be perfectly fine. It was just that this city had only recently shed the flames of war; many residential buildings had been caught in the crossfire of brutal street fighting or destroyed, and most people had fled to other cities, making it truly difficult to order food.

Fortunately, the guard team was well-prepared in all aspects.

Chen Shu soon ran into Zhong Miao Zhimen, who was working, and asked him: "Daoist Xuanzhen, on the way here, did you see a monk?"

"You saw him too."

"Yes, he felt quite like one of our people from Yiguo."

"That is him. He is the senior martial brother of Tongdeng, and his dharma name is Tongzhi." Zhong Miao Zhimen's tone was very indifferent. "I have met him before."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Does he share the same master as Qingdeng Gufu?"

"How did you know?"

"I went to Xinzheng Temple during the first lunar month and met their master. That Venerable said I had a connection with his two disciples, one of whom was Qingdeng Gufu."

"That sounds just like their style of speaking."

"It does."

"Then I will report to Officer Song in a moment to go out and see him. If Officer Song agrees, I can invite him over to sit for a while."

"Can I go?"

"I don't know."

"Then I'll go file a report and try too."

"It should be fine."

Zhong Miao Zhimen's eyes flickered as he said this uncertainly, providing his analysis: "Officer Song knows your strength, and besides, the fighting in Leche has stopped now. If we only walk around the perimeter, there basically won't be any danger."

"When are you going?"

"After dinner."

"Alright."

Just as Chen Shu turned his head, he saw Zhang Suannai carrying two more buckets of water over, her pace very slow, dragging her feet. Chen Shu knew a water-controlling Spell, but thinking that there was a high probability of a Spirit Cultivator in the guard team who could control water, he didn't go to help her, but just grinned and praised:

"Guard Zhang is quite diligent! Thank you for your hard work!"

"……"

Zhang Suannai glared at him viciously, her teeth clenched tight.

The daylight gradually faded.

A crescent moon hung in the night sky, with only a few sparse stars.

After Chen Shu finished his meal, and after Zhong Miao Zhimen went to report to Colonel Song and received permission, he followed him in to ask as well. Colonel Song agreed, but insisted on assigning him three guards. Unsurprisingly, this included Zhang Suannai and an unnamed person, as well as a professional soldier named Zuo You.

It felt like Colonel Song didn't like seeing Zhang Suannai wandering around in front of him with nothing to do either.

The five of them stepped into the night and headed out.

This city had no nightlife now, not even a little bit.

Once night fell, the city became terrifyingly quiet. Most of the buildings had become ruins or empty shells, their owners having long since fled as refugees. The few residents who hadn't fled yet didn't dare turn on any lights on such nights, and the streetlights were also broken. Apart from the deathly silence, it was pitch black here.

There were basically no cars on the road, nor any shadows of people, and even if one occasionally saw a shadow, it wasn't an ordinary resident.

The group didn't turn on any lights either, and relying on the moonlight and starlight that was better than nothing, they walked slowly forward.

Chen Shu and Zhong Miao Zhimen walked side by side.

In the darkness and moonlight, those damaged buildings became shadowy and indistinct, as if countless ghosts and monsters were hiding within them.

Zhang Suannai picked up a steel bar from somewhere, waving it around in her hand as if it had no weight, emitting a distinct whistling sound in the silent environment.

The Nameless Person walked on the far left of the group, activating his Spirit Eye to scan the surroundings, maintaining the vigilance that was required.

Zuo You was the most professional; clad in combat armor, every step he took produced a dull thud, and the interior of the armor emitted a faint mechanical sound, while the armor's visor provided him with detection capabilities stronger than a normal Fifth-tier Practitioner, as he held his firearm and turned his head left and right, scrutinizing everything around him.

Walking with him, there was a full sense of security.

"Daoist Xuanzhen," Chen Shu asked, "do you know where that master is?"

"I do."

"Where?"

"Right here."

"Oh..." Chen Shu dragged out the long tail of his words, though he didn't ask how he knew, but instead turned his head to look at the Nameless Person, "Brother Nameless, why are you so much more silent than you are online?"

"I'm not very fond of talking..."

No sooner had the Nameless Person finished speaking than he felt the three group members turn their heads simultaneously to look at him.

"..."

The Nameless Person suddenly became exceptionally awkward.

Zhang Suannai raised her voice and said: "What does this count as? He's just been relatively silent during this period! You don't know, on the eighth day of the ninth lunar month, when this little Daoist and I first arrived at the military camp to report, he didn't pay us any mind at all; your treatment has already been very good."

"Is that so?" Chen Shu grinned.

"Could I lie to you?" Detective Zhang pondered for a moment, "He must be ashamed of his own inferiority because my looks are too high, and therefore he is deliberately keeping his distance from me!"

"Uh..." The Nameless Person was silent for a few seconds, finally blurting out, "I didn't do it on purpose."

"Is that so?" Zhang Suannai asked.

"It's not..."

"Then you must have an opinion about me!"

"I don't!"

The Nameless Person hurriedly denied it.

"Just joking with you, haha, why are you so fond of being serious, you love being serious in the group too..." Zhang Suannai twitched the corners of her mouth, finally seeing the shadow of that pedantic, silly group member in him again, though unfortunately, she didn't like playing with people who loved being serious, "I previously thought you had been replaced, or that someone else was using your Mobile Phone, but now I'm certain, it's you."

"Why?"

"Uh..."

Zhang Suannai didn't really want to answer.

Fortunately, at this moment, Zuo You at her side reminded: "On the left side of the street ahead, there sits a human figure, no weapons, strength preliminarily predicted to be Intermediate Stage."

"So professional!"

When Chen Shu spoke, he deliberately glanced at Zhang Suannai and Zhong Miao Zhimen.

Zhang Suannai was expressionless: "I noticed it long ago!"

Zhong Miao Zhimen's expression remained calm, and while walking forward, she replied to Zuo You: "That is the brother from Xinzheng Temple I met before."

"Good!"

Zuo You's voice came from under the armor, passing through the speaker, becoming somewhat strange.

The few of them gradually approached the monk.

The street was dark and empty, the bricks and stones in a mess, and under the faint moonlight, the young monk sat cross-legged, hands pressed together, eyes closed. Beside him lay a dog whose lower body had been caught in an explosion, leaving it a bloody mess, and it had already lost all signs of life.

In this chaotic world, even a dog could not survive.

Sensing the arrival of the group, the young monk slowly opened his eyes.

The approaching strangers did not make him feel panicked, and when he saw the familiar Yiguo faces of the group and the Daoist robe worn by Zhong Miao Zhimen, he also felt no Joy. On that slightly round, young face, there was more exhaustion and bewilderment.

"Greetings, Brother Tongzhi."

"You are..."

"Xuanzhen, practicing at Yuan'an Temple, I have met you before, Brother, perhaps you do not remember me." Zhong Miao Zhimen bowed and performed a salute, very politely, "I am currently following the national History Expert Group to Duqin for training, and before departing, Brother Tongdeng specifically instructed me that if I saw Brother Tongzhi, I must convey his regards."

"Received, many thanks..."

Dharma Master Tongzhi slowly stood up, only then saluting the group and saying "Amitabha."

Zhong Miao Zhimen's expression was indifferent; she glanced at the dog nearby and said: "Bury it; with a brother to keep it company, it will not be lonely on its way."

"That would be well."

After Dharma Master Tongzhi buried the dog with his own hands, he stood where he was, but his face became increasingly bewildered, not knowing where to go for a moment.

Seeing this, Zhong Miao Zhimen said: "Has Brother eaten dinner?"

"I have eaten."

"Do you have a place to go?"

"Anywhere is fine."

"Since that is the case..." Zhong Miao Zhimen saw that anywhere was fine but he did not know where to go, so she smiled and said, "Then come stay at our place for the night; I can report your recent situation to Brother Tongdeng. Having been separated for so long, he is very concerned."

"Then I shall intrude..."

"It is no intrusion."

The group slowly walked back.

Above their heads came the cries of night owls, and from holes in the buildings, the eyes of stray dogs occasionally peered out, and sometimes there were ambiguous gazes watching from the dark, but upon seeing Zuo You's Yiguo-standard Power Armor, everyone remained calm.

The city was too quiet; the sound of footsteps could be heard as clearly as a falling needle.

Zhong Miao Zhimen's voice was flat: "Brother, why have you come all the way to Duqin? Are you also here for training?"

"I do not know."

"What do you mean you do not know?"

"I do not know if it counts as training."

"How so?"

"I have come to search for some things."

"What things?"

"..."

Dharma Master Tongzhi was silent for a moment before saying, "After the internal strife in Duqin broke out, I saw the tragic state of this place through the internet. I told my fellow disciples that there should be no war or atrocities in this world, that we should respect life, that we should loathe and resist such fighting, and that we should call upon people to help Duqin and call upon the national Government to stop the struggle for interests in Duqin. My master heard this, but he said I was hypocritical and empty."

"Why?"

"My master said that since ancient times, those who are truly down-to-earth have never just waved flags and shouted, but have taken actual action. Sympathy that remains only on the lips is not true respect for life. The people of Duqin need substantial help; they need people to block the atrocities for them, not someone standing ten thousand miles away being generous with others' resources, daring to do nothing and willing to do nothing." Dharma Master Tongzhi paused, "My master said if I am willing to help Duqin, I can give one yuan, I can donate a jin of rice, or I can come to Duqin to protect the weak and resist the atrocities."

"So you came."

"Yes, I think he is right."

"Senior brother is truly benevolent."

Zhong Miao Zhimen bowed heavily, feeling ashamed of his own inferiority.

"I wouldn't call it that..."

Dharma Master Tongzhi's expression, however, seemed extremely weary; he did not even have any further words of modesty or refusal, and after saying just this, he fell silent again.

Beside them, Zhang Suannai was still waving a steel bar around, but she was glancing sideways at Zhong Miao Zhimen and Dharma Master Tongzhi, finding it quite interesting—the troublemaker in this group was unusually serious at this moment, so serious that she couldn't bring herself to say the sarcasm she had in mind.

The Nameless Person remained silent, eyes fixed on the ground ahead, wondering what he was thinking.