When Ang brought Quintina back to the North Wind Warband's base, dusk had already fallen, and the torches in the camp brightly illuminated the surroundings. The moment they stepped inside, they drew the attention of a large number of soldiers. The soldiers gathered around them. Some were surprised, some teased them, and some even spoke in a joking tone. "Sir, this doesn't seem like your style! Where did you get a woman?"
"Yeah, sir, we didn't see anyone like her by your side when we came here!"
"Tell us, did you pick her up along the way?"
The soldiers joined in one after another, their voices full of undisguised curiosity and ease. These young men had long grown used to being around Ang day and night. They knew he was approachable and lacked the overbearing arrogance of a noble-born youth, which was why they dared to tease him so boldly.
Ang shook his head with a chuckle. He raised a hand and waved them off. "This is none of your business. Disperse."
When the soldiers remained where they were, Ang abruptly changed his tone, his voice gaining a hint of authority. "If you don't disperse now, I'll have you run five kilometers carrying loads. Effective immediately."
At those words, the soldiers burst into laughter and scattered like the wind. In the blink of an eye, only Ang and Quintina remained in the base's square.
Ang turned to look at Quintina beside him. She still seemed unable to recover from her turmoil, standing there blankly with vacant eyes. Ang cleared his throat and pointed at a barracks not far away. "This is my military camp. At least until I leave the Tarim Plane, this will be your home... temporarily, of course."
Quintina glanced up at him, then quickly lowered her head