From the enemy's rear, the distant horn sounded the retreat. The soldiers, who had surged forward like a rising tide, now receded in the same fashion. In the western sky, the setting sun hung crimson as fresh blood, casting a cold, pitiless light over the earth we stood upon—a land soaked through with gore.
The blood was as red as that dying sun.
Inside and outside Red Cloud Pass, corpses lay strewn across the fields; it was a living hell. Perhaps when the depths of night fell, or perhaps by tomorrow’s dawn, the soldiers of Chu De would march over these bleached bones to launch a new wave of slaughter.
Mingchuan silently collected the identification tags from the fallen. Like mine, her armor was so saturated with blood that its original color was indistinguishable. Over the past three days, the cycle of armor being drenched in blood, drying, and being drenched again had repeated more times than I could count. From the moment we opened our eyes each day, there was nothing but endless killing—we had long since become numb with exhaustion.
Mingchuan sat down beside me, her pale, slender fingers idly toying with the tags in her hand. After a long silence, she whispered, "It’s been three days."
"Three days," I murmured, repeating the words as a tiny spark of resolve flickered weakly in my heart. "There are too many people behind us. For every extra day we hold out, they gain another day to escape."
Mingchuan did not speak, only raised her head to look at me quietly.
Caught off guard, I saw my own reflection in her still-clear eyes. The last rays of the sunset fell upon my deathly pale face; it didn't look beautiful, but rather possessed a ferocity I had never seen before. I looked like a blood-soaked Shura, exuding a cold, bloodthirsty cruelty.
I averted my gaze. Beyond the valley lay an endless wilderness. At this moment, Chu De’s army was like a pack of hounds circling their prey, sharpening their teeth and claws as they waited for the next round of consumption.
Behind us, most of the soldiers had finished their meager dinner and were seizing the chance to rest. On a late autumn night, one felt the chill even when huddled close to a campfire.
I gathered my disheveled hair with my fingers and turned to Mingchuan. "How many of us are left?"
"Less than three thousand," Mingchuan answered in a low voice, her gaze still lingering longingly on the fading sunset. "Half of them are wounded."
"Go and arrange it. Have the wounded retreat immediately," I said. "Also, those with elderly parents or young children at home—have them retreat as well."
Mingchuan started.
I patted her hand. "Go. Have them head toward White City; the main army won't pass through there. Once they are past White City, there will be people to meet them."
"Why?" Mingchuan asked blankly. "Tomorrow might be the final decisive battle."
I took a deep breath of the chilling air in the canyon. The night wind of late autumn was cold enough to bite into the bone. This piercing clarity, however, made me feel more awake. "Go make the arrangements. Try to pick the better horses for them."
Mingchuan withdrew. Soon after, a commotion rose from the quiet camp. I didn't go over to look; I didn't want to see such a scene. I was too tired; I only wanted to sit in silence for a while.
The sunset had vanished. The sky began to deepen into a dark hue, and cold stars appeared above my head, flickering with a lonely light. It felt as though I hadn't seen such a tranquil starry sky in a long time. In my eyes, the stars transformed into the faces haunting my mind—my parents, the children, my Master, those former friends... and... that spirited, smiling face from the grasslands...
That smile floated up from the depths of my consciousness, then slowly sank, transforming into a pair of beautiful emerald eyes that shone like gemstones.
Something melted in my heart, turning into a pool of spring water. I couldn't help but remember our bizarre first meeting, his insufferable arrogance... and how that "cool" persona of his had completely collapsed after he got drunk, turning into a child-like, scattered cuteness...
The corners of my lips curled into a warm arc. What a willful person he was...
"City Lord?" Mingchuan’s voice called out softly.
I acknowledged her and turned to ask, "Have they left?"
Mingchuan sat down briskly beside me and brushed her hands together, a rare look of relief appearing on her face. She even gave me her first smile in three days. "Everyone who could leave has gone."
"How many... do we have left?"
Mingchuan smiled again. "Less than seven hundred."
Less than seven hundred? That was still more than I had expected. The soldiers Dongyao City had originally recruited were nomads of the Iron Dragon Tribe; they had joined the army for money in the first place. I asked her further, "Did you tell them to go to White City?"
Mingchuan nodded, absentmindedly picking a blade of velvet grass from by her feet and winding it around her finger.
I hesitated for a moment before asking, "You... why didn't you leave?"
Mingchuan tilted her head and smiled. "You are the Sect Leader. Where could I possibly go?"
I believed that more than half of those who remained were originally from the Ming Sect. Realizing this filled me with a sense of guilt. "Just because I am the Sect Leader? Do you not regret it?"
Mingchuan was silent for a moment, then said plainly, "I was abandoned by the roadside by my family the moment I was born. Without the Ming Sect, I would have been fed to the wild dogs long ago. But I never liked Heavenly Dark Peak. It’s shrouded in mist all year round; you can’t see anything further away. It’s suffocating." She paused, then smiled brightly. "What is there to regret?"
"Because you could have had a better life..."
Mingchuan shook her head. "It’s not just because you are the Sect Leader. It’s because I feel that the things you do are things I never even dared to dream of since I was a child. It’s much more interesting than being stifled on Heavenly Dark Peak. That’s why I’m willing to follow you." She smiled again. "Ming Tao once said, what’s the point of being trapped on Heavenly Dark Peak for a lifetime like the old Sect Leader?"
"I have failed you all..." Before I could finish, she took my hand and pointed to the sky with her other finger, a brilliant smile blooming on her lips. "When we were on Heavenly Dark Peak, we could never see such a beautiful starry sky."
We both fell silent, looking up at the stars together.
I realized vaguely that we had never spoken this much to each other before...
Before sleepiness overcame me, I leaned against her shoulder and murmured softly, "If there is a next life, let’s be real sisters."
Mingchuan chuckled softly. "But we are already real sisters."
***
Chu De’s army launched their attack at dawn.
We held the two sides of the gorge, using rolling stones and long arrows to relentlessly halt the surging tide—a human wave clad in earth-yellow armor, pouring into the canyon wave after wave. The stones and arrows could only temporarily delay their advance.
Including the one I had recovered from Ying Hui’s body, I only had two golden arrows left. I drew one, carefully nocked it, and aimed at the adjutant holding the command flag amidst the human tide. The red and yellow command flag in his hand looked exceptionally piercing from the cliffside.
I drew the bow to its full extent, aiming for the space between his brows. Under layers of armor, that was the only fatal weakness. The golden arrow transformed into a bolt of golden lightning, streaking across the canyon with extreme speed and piercing his forehead with unerring accuracy.
The red and yellow flag faltered in mid-air and was instantly swallowed by the earth-yellow tide.
"Loose!" Mingchuan’s voice rang out sharply.
From both sides of the cliff, arrows flew out like a dark cloud of locusts. However, the chaos in the canyon lasted only a short time before the earth-yellow tide began to push forward again with unwavering determination.
I put away my bow and arrows and quickly made a "Retreat!" gesture to Mingchuan.
By the time we reached Rongxi Ridge, it was just past noon.
We quickly traversed the minefield and headed straight for Bingzhou. Behind us, the intermittent sound of landmines exploding echoed. Looking back, the dust and smoke over Rongxi Ridge had risen halfway to the sky. However, for Chu De’s massive army, a mere minefield would not hold them for long.
After crossing the last stretch of desolate high ground, the city of Bingzhou appeared in the distance at the edge of our vision. Amidst the swirling mist, it looked like a mirage, shimmering with a slight sense of unreality.
"City Lord! Look!" Mingchuan suddenly pointed forward, her face filled with shock.
It was indeed unusual. The gates of Bingzhou were tightly shut, but figures were moving atop the walls. My gaze shifted to the battlements, and my heart shuddered; a chill spread from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. Hanging high upon the walls of Bingzhou were not the two flags of Dongyao City, but... the bright, piercing red... of Chu De’s commander-in-chief flag!
How was this possible?
A volley of arrows rained down from the walls, successfully halting our advance. From behind the merlons, a familiar figure emerged. A silver helmet, silver armor, and a red kerchief tucked under the chin. For a moment, it looked exactly like the scene of him tearfully seeing me off on the day we set out for the Great Chu State...
My hand gripped the golden bow tightly, then slowly released it.
It was actually him!
No wonder he hadn't participated in the sneak attack on Red Cloud Pass—in this instant, I understood everything.
It was perhaps only a moment of gazing at each other from afar, yet it felt as long as a century.
I could only see his silhouette; I could not see, nor could I guess, what his mood or expression was at this moment. He should be joyful. Beneath that joy, perhaps there was a hint of suppressed, dull pain...
I had never imagined that we would one day face each other like this, separated by a city...
But the distance between us was far more than just a city...
The salty, metallic taste of blood began to spread between my clenched teeth.
I had been wrong after all. At a time like this, I should not have left Lin Ru alone to guard Bingzhou...
Mingchuan anxiously pulled on her horse's reins. Behind us, clouds of dust were already rising into the sky.
I quickly turned my horse around. I pointed toward Luliang Mountain. "Into the mountains!"
***
Once night fell, the mountain paths within the dense forest became complex and difficult to discern.
Waves of damp, cold mist rolled in, and before long, my armor was soaked through. It clung to my skin, cold and clammy, causing unbearable discomfort. The coarse cloth lining the armor, having been repeatedly soaked in blood, had become brittle and hard; with every step, it rubbed against my wounds like coarse sandpaper.
We had been searching the dense forest for a full hour, yet we still hadn't found the Mountain God Temple halfway up the mountain. I couldn't help but feel a surge of agitation. The companions following me, however, were all silent; no one uttered a single complaint. I turned to look at Mingchuan; a few strands of wet hair clung to her cheek, showing a hint of fatigue, but the look in her eyes was spirited. Catching my gaze, she flashed a smile, revealing a playful snaggletooth.
In that smile, I saw a trust I could understand—a wholehearted, absolute trust.
I turned away quickly, my eyes stinging with uncontrollable bitterness.
From the front left came a soft "crack." I immediately halted. Then, I heard a familiar voice call out tentatively, "Mountain Chicken?"
I instantly breathed a sigh of relief. "What 'Mountain Chicken'?! I told you to imitate the call of a mountain chicken, not to literally shout the words!"
The branches parted, revealing Feng Pu’s rare smile. Behind him was Ming Yue, whose clothes were in tatters. One of Ming Yue’s arms was in a sling, and half of his body was stained red with blood. Seeing us, his face also filled with joy.
"Everyone in the city has been evacuated," Feng Pu said with a grin, pointing upward. "We’ve been waiting for you for a long time."
As we climbed further up, we discovered that the Mountain God Temple was not far above us. It was only the layers of tangled branches in the dense forest that had blocked our view. The temple was not large and could not accommodate all of us. As soon as Feng Pu entered, he immediately gathered several strong men to pry open the pedestal of the Mountain God statue.
A rustling sound came from the forest; the rain had begun to fall heavily. Standing in the small courtyard and looking up at the sky, I saw only a heavy darkness, as if something thick and viscous were piled above my head. It was a suffocating feeling.
A loud "clatter" came from the temple behind me. By the flickering firelight, I saw Feng Pu’s face covered in smiles. This man was just like Feng Tong; the more critical the situation became, the more relaxed he appeared.
Mingchuan and Ming Tao began to direct everyone into a line to enter the secret passage that had been swung open. They constantly reminded everyone, "There are people meeting us outside the tunnel. Move quickly."
One exhausted face after another passed slowly before me. They were all covered in bloodstains, their expressions weary yet steady.
Listening to the increasingly rapid thumping of my own heart, I began to pace anxiously beside them. To finish the construction quickly, the entrance had not been made large. For a secret mountain passage that could only fit one or two people at a time, how long would it take for these hundreds of people to pass through?
Far down the mountain, the boom of a landmine explosion suddenly echoed.
My heart gave a heavy thud, and I couldn't help but shout, "Hurry!"
Following my shout, a second boom of a triggered landmine sounded from below. It was getting closer.
Feng Pu tightened his belt and said with a faint smile, "I’ll go lead them away."
I reached out to grab his sleeve, but he only smiled. "It’s fine. Ming Yue and I have been hiding in these mountains for two days; we know the terrain like the back of our hands." Before his voice had even faded, several figures had already vanished into the jungle.
The rain grew heavier, and the entirety of Luliang Mountain was submerged in a pitch-black curtain of rain.
As the Hour of the Ox drew to a close, it was the darkest and coldest moment of the night.
Inside the Mountain God Temple, the shadowy crowd was still retreating in an orderly fashion. Though there were many people, they were silent. To my anxious eyes, it looked like a black-and-white film being played in slow motion.
The faint rumble of rolling stones came from beneath the cliff. It instantly jolted me from my half-slumber.
I jumped up, and upon opening my eyes, I realized that the grey morning light had already filtered through the gaps in the branches, falling upon me in thin strands.
The rain had stopped at some point. A thick white mist had begun to rise through the mountain forest.
Only about a dozen people remained in the temple. Mingchuan and Ming Tao were still standing at the entrance of the secret passage, directing the others. In the weak morning light, I could see that both their foreheads were covered in sweat, though whether from exhaustion or anxiety, I couldn't tell.
From their expressions, they too had heard the sound of the traps being triggered down the mountain. I gave a long stretch—a short nap had indeed revitalized my spirit. I wandered nonchalantly behind Mingchuan and Ming Tao and, with fingers moving like lightning, struck their acupoints.
Ignoring Mingchuan’s biting glare and the shocked expressions of the others, I handed them over to the two large men in front of me. "Take them and go. Hurry."
Closing the stone door of the secret passage by my own strength alone was indeed an arduous task.
"If I’d known it would be this much trouble, I would have put more effort into adding a sliding track back then," I muttered to myself while forcefully pulling the fuse for the explosives.
The sound of distant footsteps could now be heard clearly. They were cautious sounds. But in such a silent forest, what sound could truly be hidden?
I silently calculated the distance the people in the secret passage had traveled from the temple. I reached out and lit a fire-starter.
The fuse could only be laid as far as the temple entrance; the ground outside was damp from the recent rain.
The sound of a branch snapping came from very close by. I no longer hesitated and lit the fuse. The fuse was like a sinister fire dragon, leaping all the way toward the pedestal of the Mountain God.
Just as I dashed out of the Mountain God Temple, a squad of soldiers in earth-yellow armor appeared before me.
Perhaps my appearance was too sudden; they failed to react for a moment. Thus, their wide-eyed, shocked expressions were eerily frozen before me.
Before I even had time to draw my blade, a scorching wave of air surged from behind me, striking my back like a heavy fist. In that same instant, the soldiers before me were hurled far away by the blast wave of the explosion.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
赤霞关 | Red Cloud Pass | Also known as Chixia Pass; a strategic mountain pass.
楚德 | Chu De | The name of the enemy general/leader.
冥川 | Mingchuan | A loyal subordinate of the protagonist, member of the Ming Sect.
东瑶城 | Dongyao City | The city/territory governed by the protagonist.
铁龙族 | Iron Dragon Tribe | A nomadic tribe of warriors.
白城 | White City | A nearby city mentioned as a retreat route.
天冥峰 | Heavenly Dark Peak | The headquarters/home of the Ming Sect.
冥宗 | Ming Sect | The protagonist's sect.
并洲 | Bingzhou | A strategic city that was supposed to be guarded by Lin Ru.
路良山 | Luliang Mountain | The mountain where the secret escape tunnel is located.
风谱 | Feng Pu | A subordinate/ally of the protagonist.
冥月 | Ming Yue | A member of the Ming Sect.
山神庙 | Mountain God Temple | The location of the secret passage entrance.
冥涛 | Ming Tao | A member of the Ming Sect.
参郎将 | Adjutant General | A military rank (Canlangjiang).
