Her combat talent was average, but whether in planning routes or handling logistics, she was undoubtedly a top student from Chu State’s Martial Arts Academy.
However, before they could reminisce, or before Sun Kelan could ask Wang Zhan what had happened, she, having served her purpose and confirmed Mingyue’s identity, was dismissed.
On a night with interwoven starlight, a languid young man confined to a wheelchair, unable to care for himself, and a coolly detached woman in a crisp military uniform shared the pale moonlight, one overlooking, the other gazing up at the war-torn Giant City below.
"Do you need me to explain to them how a dark horse who advanced so rapidly ended up crippled?" Mingyue stood ramrod straight. Her shadow, stretched by the moonlight, was as thin as a bamboo pole, but her actual figure was curvaceous and strikingly beautiful, like a snow lotus blooming in solitude—pure, aloof, unapproachable, meant to be admired from a distance, never closely.
Wang Zhan felt bewildered. When had he offended this woman? Her words were far too blunt. If it were the past... Of course, he’d first have to be able to defeat her.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Wang Zhan asked. "I don’t know you well. There’s no need to beat around the bush. Can’t you just say it directly?"
"Four messages," Mingyue stated. "First, Li Chengyuan asked me to inquire if you’re ready. Opportunity waits for no one, but he will wait for you at the Military Department."
Wang Zhan understood. This woman was in the same boat as that trickster Li Chengyuan; if not exactly thick as thieves, they were at least allied.
"Second, you are gradually becoming a hero to the Federation’s people. Everyone is curious, eager to know everything about you. In the future, you need to be prepared..."
"Wait!" Wang Zhan couldn’t listen anymore. Though his body ached, he forced himself to sit straighter and asked in a deep voice, "When did I become a hero? Why don’t I know about it?"
"The news that you killed Yuan Shisan has already spread," Mingyue said indifferently. "A young genius who has made such a great contribution to the Federation—why can’t he be a hero?"
"That’s complete bullshit!" Wang Zhan roared, his face contorted with anger. "Why does Li Chengyuan get to heap all the credit on me? I’m just a goddamn errand boy, not some bullshit hero! Who gives you the right to make decisions for me?!"
Mingyue was stunned for a moment, her face a mask of astonishment. Recovering quickly, she said coldly, "What did you just say?!"
Wang Zhan retorted defiantly, "I said, I’m just an errand boy! Who gives you the right to heap all the credit on me? Have you ever thought about the soldiers who died for that map? About those who lost hands, feet, eyes, or even their lives for humanity?!"
"I mean, what did you call *me* just now?" Mingyue pressed.
Wang Zhan paused. He looked at the woman before him, her chest heaving, clearly furious. But hearing how these people had shamelessly stolen the credit from those warriors, even putting him on a pedestal, filled him with an uncontainable rage. He enunciated each word with venom: "I-fucking-said-you’re-spouting-utter-bullshit!!"
HUFF... HUFF... HUFF...
It was like a ferocious beast lurking under the moonlight, or a giant wolf growling in its glow. Mingyue slowly raised her hand, pointing at Wang Zhan, whose face was as cold as frost, unable to speak for a long moment.
She had no idea that Wang Zhan was a young man from the slums, who had recently been spending all his time with rough, unrefined old soldiers. When it came to cursing, even a cold and stunning rose like her would wilt like a delicate little flower by the roadside, unable to withstand the harsh wind and rain, utterly defenseless.
The atmosphere froze. In the end, she couldn’t stand Wang Zhan’s crudeness any longer. After delivering the last two messages, she turned and left, unwilling to stay a moment more.
She was, after all, a thirty-eight-year-old woman. In terms of age, she was old enough to be Wang Zhan’s aunt. How could she endure such language?
Wang Zhan remained seated upright in his wheelchair, his gaze icy as he stared at the scenery before him. He quietly closed his eyes.
"Young Zhan..." a somewhat hesitant voice suddenly called out.
Looking up, he saw Qi Tou’er, an old soldier with whom he had gotten along well these past few days. Qi Tou’er was holding a bottle of beer, offering it to him. "I heard you two arguing just now. What’s with that woman? My goodness, I just saw her—her rank is the same as the General’s! And she’s so young! Are you drinking or not? If you are, open your mouth."
"Drink," Wang Zhan replied.
Qi Tou’er cheerfully poured a mouthful of beer for Wang Zhan.
Only then did Wang Zhan’s expression soften. He looked at this middle-aged man, one of whose eyes was white and the other missing, and chuckled. "No idea where that crazy woman came from. Don’t mind her. How did you get up here?"
"Aren’t I worried about you?" Qi Tou’er said. "You’re so young, yet you have to spend your life in a wheelchair because of some damn military merit. That woman didn’t come to scold you, did she? If she did, I say you should’ve cussed her out even more. Serves her right!"
Wang Zhan grinned. Yeah, having to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of his life just for some damn military merit—how could it be worth it? But his condition is only temporary. What about old soldiers like Qi Tou’er? Would they feel aggrieved, being for their entire lives?
"By your logic, you also lost an eye to a beast," Wang Zhan said. "Shouldn’t you hate the Military Department too? You’re not deliberately making pointed remarks indirectly in front of me, are you?"
Qi Tou’er slapped his scarred chest and stomach forcefully, laughing as he cursed, "Bullshit! Even though this old man lost an eye to a beast, I killed more than a dozen of them! Cooked ’em up in big pots too! No loss, not at all! Those damn beasts, who knows how many of our brothers they’ve eaten. Eating them is revenge, so our brothers can rest easy and reincarnate peacefully..."
The veteran and the young man.
Downing bottle after bottle of beer, as if the alcohol had completely loosened their tongues, they chatted and laughed, sharing amusing stories from their pasts, occasionally taking sips under the moonlight, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
When the nurse in white couldn’t find Wang Zhan during her rounds, she knew the kid must have sneaked off to the rooftop again. But who would have thought he’d dare to drink?
"Sister, Sister, help me! I really have to go... I’m going to wet my pants..."
By the time Wang Zhan was pleading, a shrill voice suddenly echoed through the entire building. "You still want to pee? Wang Zhan, let me tell you, even if you’re a hero, you’re too young to be drinking with those old scoundrels! You only learn bad habits! Let’s see if you don’t just die from holding it in!"
Upon hearing the nurse’s scolding, waves of hearty laughter erupted in the hallways, passing through concrete and various obstacles, reverberating inside and outside the long-corridor building, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere.
Just as the nurse was about to punish Wang Zhan, she found she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Grumbling under her breath and wearing a sour expression, she helped him relieve himself.
An ordinary-looking figure quietly entered the building. Hearing the joyful laughter and chatter within, he too began to whistle cheerfully, joining in the mood.
The sound of footsteps echoed continuously on the building’s stairs, heading purposefully towards the seventh floor where Wang Zhan resided. The figure gracefully opened the door to Wang Zhan’s room and entered as easily as if it were his own home.
Wang Zhan’s head snapped up, his face solemn. The frightening aura emanating from him made the nurse who was assisting him jump in fright, causing her to stumble and fall to the floor.
"Wang... Wang Zhan, what are you doing?"
The Wang Zhan at this moment was a world apart from the playful teenager he’d been earlier. A heavy, murderous aura emanated from him, like that of an old soldier facing a beast in battle; he seemed like a completely different person.
Wang Zhan spoke gently at first, but his voice suddenly rose to a shout, "Get in the room! Now! Immediately!" His command completely silenced the entire building.
Instinctively, the nurse scrambled into the room. The next moment, a swift figure shot forward like a speeding car and slammed violently into Wang Zhan.
Wang Zhan, wheelchair and all, was sent flying by the tremendous impact, crashing into the wall and leaving a human-sized hole.
"Wang Zhan!!!" the nurse screamed. She was about to rush out to check on him, but the figure whirled around and whistled sharply. Gripped by fear of the unknown assailant, she stumbled and fell again, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Tsk, tsk, what a feisty little nurse," the figure remarked. "Wang Zhan, you certainly have luck with the ladies. How is it that all the good things seem to fall into your lap?"
Silently, even though time was pressing, the figure went to the hole to inspect. Only after deeming Wang Zhan dead did he turn back, a faint smile on his face, his eyes narrowed to slits.
WHOOSH! The figure plummeted straight down from the hole and vanished from sight.
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...
Hearing Wang Zhan’s furious shout and the nurse’s scream, the old soldiers, weapons in hand, rushed into his room within three or four seconds. Their eyes immediately fell on the hole in the wall and the demolished wheelchair beside it.
"What happened? What’s going on?"
"Wang Zhan! How is Wang Zhan?!"
This was right after the mysterious man had leaped from the building.
The nurse looked at the veterans, covering her mouth and sobbing uncontrollably. "Wang Zhan... Wang Zhan was knocked out of here! He can’t move at all... This is the seventh floor! Can... can he still be alive?"
Everyone was deeply shaken by her words. An elderly veteran quickly ordered, "Quick, go down and find him! Bring Wang Zhan back, dead or alive! Someone else, go notify the General to seal the city! The rest of you, secure the surroundings with me! We can’t let the assassin escape!"
Instantly, their military discipline kicked in, and they moved with hurried but orderly precision. Simultaneously, more people were alerted. Countless disabled veterans grabbed their weapons.
This time, Giant City was their battlefield. This update is available on novelFɪre.net